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The ews $1 00 If it happened, its news to us 0 5 5 0 5 No.2VoLll6 Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, March 10,2021 211 widening advancing 65 homes, 30 businesses in right-of-way discussions By Catharin Shepard Staff writer The North Carolina Depart ment of Transportation is due to start negotiating land purchases with some property owners as the state agency takes steps toward widening N.C. 211. The long-planned project will turn N.C. 211 from Raeford to Aberdeen into a four-lane road. The project, designated R-5709 in the state’s transportation improve ment plan, is due to start construc tion in 2024. About 15.4 miles of road will become four-lane, from West Hoke Middle School to U.S. 15/501 in Aberdeen. Bill Scholl, right-of-way agent for Division 8 of the North Caroli na Department of Transportation, confirmed in an email last week that the right-of-way acquisition is due to start soon. “We are planning on starting right of way acquisition within the next month,” Scholl wrote. The state will need to acquire “some type of easement” on ap proximately 519 parcels of land along the road planned for widen ing. “There will be 65 residential re locations and 30 business reloca tions,” Scholl wrote. The first buyout negotiations were meant to start last year, but were slightly postponed. A “sharp decline in revenue” due to COVID-19 depleted the NCDOT cash reserve funds to below the required statutory minimum, and the agency put a temporary hold (See NC211 WIDENING, page 3) Fatal crash A collision between a car and tractor on Old Wire Road at John Road on Tuesday apparently killed at least one person. The car burned after the crash, and a helicopter was called in to transport a victim. Details weren’t available at press time. (Ken MacDonald photos) COVID numbers declining in Hoke By Catharin Shepard Staff writer For the first time since the state introduced its COVID-19 County Alert System in November 2020, Hoke County is no longer in the red zone for new coronavirus infec tions. In the latest update from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCD- HHS), Hoke finally went from hav ing a “critical” community spread of the virus, to a “substantial” com munity spread. The change reflect ed an overall decrease statewide in the number of new cases of (See COVID NUMBERS, page 6) Timothy Dial Robert Blue Bill Upchurch Benny McLeod Frank Williamson Tondea Jackson Paul Jackson Sharon McMillan 6 named to Hoke Athletic Hall of Fame, 2 get Legacy Awards Six former standout athletes from their years at Hoke County High School were inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame over the weekend. Two others, Robert Blue, an Upchurch High School graduate, and Benny McLeod, a Hoke County High School graduate, were honored with Legacy Awards for their athletic accomplishments in the days before Hoke High was integrated. Athletic Director Gary Brigman says a Hawkeye High School graduate will be honored next year. Brigman inducted athletes Paul Jackson, Tondea Jackson, Timothy Dial, Sharon McMillan and Frank Williamson Saturday afternoon in a ceremony attended only by a few family members of the recipients. He says a more fitting event will be held in the fall after COVID-19 concerns diminish. Profiles of the athletes follow: Robert Blue Robert Alexander Blue, a (See ATHEETES, page 4) By Ken MacDonald Say you’re five years old and you can have anything you want for your birthday. You’d pick being in the newspaper, right? Well, Rory Oelbracht did. Right there on her list, fifth from the top—right after (See OTHER STUEF, page 8) Rory with her list. New Board of Elections member picked By Catharin Shepard Staff writer A new member of the Hoke County Board of Elections was set to be sworn in Tuesday at a board meeting. Emily Weidner is the first Republican woman chosen to join the county elections board, according to the local GOP. Weidner has served as an Elec tion Day precinct judge, chief judge and a one-stop voting site worker in Hoke County for many years, the group said in a newsletter. Weidner was chosen by the local GOP to step in for John Harry, one of the two Repub lican board members. Harry previously announced his inten tion to resign from the position once another member was selected to step in. Weidner was chosen by the local Republican Party to serve on the elections board, and her appointment was confirmed by the state. Harry did not specifically explain his reasons for choosing to depart. In a letter to the (See ELECTIONS, page 8) Enrolling For Next School Year! Bus Service from Raeford (910) 483-3905 READERS’i Fayetteville Christian School Voted Best Private School 8 Consecutive Years 8i Counting! 1422 Ireland Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28304 • www.fayettevillechristian.conn AWARDS
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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March 10, 2021, edition 1
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