5
RAEFORD & HOKE COUNTY N.C. Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905 75¢ Browsing the Files ........... 2 Calendar .................. 7 Classifieds .................. 9 Deaths .................. 4 Editorials .................. 3 Sports .................. 5 Wednesday, December 9, 2015 No. 40 Vol. 110 Other Stuff State plans road project in Rockfi sh Crash damages plane, but pilot not hurt Leach to chair, Southerland vice-chair commission 16-store shopping center planned Location near Stone Gables on U.S. 401, developer mum on specifi cs BY KEN MACDONALD Not everyone is lucky enough to have an aunt and uncle who live in Georgetown, but I do, and so that’s where I was over the weekend—with my wife, living high on the hog in Washington, seeing a play, eating Indian and French food, catching the museums, (getting stuck in tree-lighting traffic). My uncle and I went out to Udvar- Hazy Center at Dulles to see the very cool airplanes that the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the mall doesn’t have room for—the SR-71 Blackbird, a mach-4 reconnaissance plane that cost about $80,000 an hour to operate, a supersonic Air France Concorde, the Space Shuttle Discovery. We were agog over by the Bell XV-15 experimental tiltrotor craft when we walked by a little girl standing by a handrail. The look on her face made us do a double-take. Perhaps nine years old, she held an expression that said to two old men who have each raised a daughter, I am going to cry. (See OTHER STUFF, page 6) www.thenews-journal.com www.raefordnj.com NJ SOLD HERE Look for this symbol to find stores that sell The News-Journal BY CATHARIN SHEPARD Staff writer A new 16-unit shopping center is on the way for eastern Hoke County with two restaurants and a clothing store already confirmed as tenants, according to the developer. The Hoke County Board of Commis- sioners Monday night approved a condi- tional use permit for Township Developers, LLC of Pembroke to build a 22,400-square- foot shopping center on a 3.36-acre parcel of property on Highway 401. The property is unaddressed but is in the same area as Stone Gables Apartments, close to the inter- section with Pittman Grove Church Road. The plans have space for 16 stores, but it’s a “flex” building and the space can be changed during the development process to suit the new possible tenants’ needs. “It could be amended on the interior,” Hoke County Planner Robert Farrell said. Metcon, Inc. provided a schematic ren- dering of the shopping center, which will be called Stonegate Village. The 16-unit design looks similar to the shopping center next to the Raeford Walmart, but laid out in a straight line rather than perpendicular. The commissioners unanimously ap- proved the request for a conditional use per- mit allowing the shopping center to operate on what is zoned as Highway Commercial property. The planning board previously recommended approving the project. (See SHOPPING CENTER, page 7) BY CATHARIN SHEPARD Staff writer The first Hometown Christ- mas saw a much bigger turnout than organizers expected as thousands of people bundled up against the cold to spend a crisp winter evening enjoying free goodies, music and activities in downtown Raeford. Attendees packed Main Street in time to see the Hoke High School Mighty Marching Bucks perform, just before Chamber of Commerce President Daphne (See HOMETOWN, page 7) This Week Raeford cyclist returning to Baja Page 10 ‘Hometown Christmas’ draw is huge BY CATHARIN SHEPARD Staff writer The Hoke County Board of Commissioners selected officers for the upcoming year, held pub- lic hearings for several planning matters and commended the state Superintendent of the Year at a meeting Monday. The board members elected Commissioner James Leach to serve as chairman and Commis- sioner Harry Southerland to serve as vice chairman for 2016. Com- missioner Bobby Wright nominated Leach and Commissioner Tony Hunt nominated Southerland. The officer selection was unanimous. Chairman Leach and Vice Chair- man Southerland both thanked the board members for their support. The commissioners held public hearings and approved permits for a proposed childcare center, 16-lot addition at a local subdivision and a new shopping center on Highway 401. The board approved unanimous- ly a request by Perry Lowery to use a facility at 6105 Philippi Church Road as a childcare center with the agreement that no child will be present at the center for more than three hours a day. The commission- ers additionally required Lowery to make sure his facility meets state requirements for daycare facilities. If the owner wants to have children (See COMMISSION, page 7) No one was hurt but a single-engine turbo-prop plane was heavily damaged when it ran off the end of the runway and struck a fence at P.K. Airpark just before noon Thursday. Freddy Johnson, director of the Hoke Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management, says the plane approached the runway “hot,” ran off the runway and stopped just short of a mobile home. The plane’s propeller, left wing and left landing gear were heav- ily damaged, he said. A wing tank holding about 200 gallons of fuel ruptured, but the fuel was contained by North Raeford Fire Department, he said. The department (See CRASH, page 7) BY CATHARIN SHEPARD Staff writer Two major road improvement projects in Hoke County will get a green light sooner than expected and a third was added to the state’s schedule, though all of them are still more than fi ve years away from see- ing construction. The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced plans to construct a multi-lane extension on Gillis Hill Road from Rockfish Road to Lindsay Road, which will tie into the intersection of Rockfish Road and School Drive, in an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the Rockfish community and surround- ing area. The DOT also plans to widen U.S. 401 between Raeford and Laurinburg to a multi-lane road, and will widen Gillis Hill Road from Lindsay Road to U.S. Highway 401. The Gillis Hill Road extension in Rockfish was moved up by a year, from 2023 to 2022, with the right-of- way work accelerated from 2021 to 2020. The Gillis Hill Road widen- ing project was moved up two (See ROADS, page 6) U.S. 401 widening also down the road Thousands turned out for the first Hometown Christmas downtown Thursday. Main Street was lit by luminaries, streetlights and decorations. These children were out enjoying the lights Thursday. Their dad stopped their stroller to take a photo. (Catharin Shepard photo) This single-engine jump plane ran off the end of the runway at Raeford’s airport Thursday.

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Page 1: RAEFORD & H C Wednesday, December 9, 2015 16-store ... · Road and School Drive, in an effort to reduce traffi c congestion in the Rockfi sh community and surround-ing area. The

RAEFORD & HOKE COUNTY N.C.Hoke County’s newspaper since 190575¢

Browsing the Files ...........2 Calendar ..................7 Classifi eds ..................9 Deaths ..................4 Editorials ..................3 Sports ..................5

Wednesday, December 9, 2015No. 40 Vol. 110

Other Stuff

State plansroad projectin Rockfi sh

Crash damages plane, but pilot not hurt

Leach to chair, Southerland vice-chair commission

16-store shopping center plannedLocation near Stone Gables on U.S. 401, developer mum on specifi cs

BY KEN MACDONALD

Not everyone is lucky enough to have an aunt and uncle who live in Georgetown, but I do, and so that’s where I was over the weekend—with my wife, living high on the hog in Washington, seeing a play, eating Indian and French food, catching the museums, (getting stuck in tree-lighting traffi c). My uncle and I went out to Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles to see the very cool airplanes that the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the mall doesn’t have room for—the SR-71 Blackbird, a mach-4 reconnaissance plane that cost about $80,000 an hour to operate, a supersonic Air France Concorde, the Space Shuttle Discovery.

We were agog over by the Bell XV-15 experimental tiltrotor craft when we walked by a little girl standing by a handrail. The look on her face made us do a double-take. Perhaps nine years old, she held an expression that said to two old men who have each raised a daughter, I am going to cry.

(See OTHER STUFF, page 6)

www.thenews-journal.comwww.raefordnj.com

NJSOLD HERE

Look forthis symbol

to fi nd stores that sell The

News-Journal

BY CATHARIN SHEPARD

Staff writer

A new 16-unit shopping center is on the way for eastern Hoke County with two restaurants and a clothing store already confi rmed as tenants, according to the developer.

The Hoke County Board of Commis-

sioners Monday night approved a condi-tional use permit for Township Developers, LLC of Pembroke to build a 22,400-square-foot shopping center on a 3.36-acre parcel of property on Highway 401. The property is unaddressed but is in the same area as Stone Gables Apartments, close to the inter-section with Pittman Grove Church Road.

The plans have space for 16 stores, but

it’s a “fl ex” building and the space can be changed during the development process to suit the new possible tenants’ needs.

“It could be amended on the interior,” Hoke County Planner Robert Farrell said.

Metcon, Inc. provided a schematic ren-dering of the shopping center, which will be called Stonegate Village. The 16-unit design looks similar to the shopping center

next to the Raeford Walmart, but laid out in a straight line rather than perpendicular.

The commissioners unanimously ap-proved the request for a conditional use per-mit allowing the shopping center to operate on what is zoned as Highway Commercial property. The planning board previously recommended approving the project.

(See SHOPPING CENTER, page 7)

BY CATHARIN SHEPARD

Staff writer

The fi rst Hometown Christ-mas saw a much bigger turnout than organizers expected as thousands of people bundled up against the cold to spend a crisp winter evening enjoying free goodies, music and activities in downtown Raeford.

Attendees packed Main Street in time to see the Hoke High School Mighty Marching Bucks perform, just before Chamber of Commerce President Daphne

(See HOMETOWN, page 7)

This Week

Raeford cyclistreturningto BajaPage 10

‘Hometown Christmas’ draw is huge

BY CATHARIN SHEPARD

Staff writer

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners selected offi cers for the upcoming year, held pub-lic hearings for several planning matters and commended the state Superintendent of the Year at a meeting Monday.

The board members elected Commissioner James Leach to serve as chairman and Commis-sioner Harry Southerland to serve as vice chairman for 2016. Com-missioner Bobby Wright nominated Leach and Commissioner Tony Hunt nominated Southerland. The offi cer selection was unanimous.

Chairman Leach and Vice Chair-

man Southerland both thanked the board members for their support.

The commissioners held public hearings and approved permits for a proposed childcare center, 16-lot addition at a local subdivision and a new shopping center on Highway 401.

The board approved unanimous-ly a request by Perry Lowery to use

a facility at 6105 Philippi Church Road as a childcare center with the agreement that no child will be present at the center for more than three hours a day. The commission-ers additionally required Lowery to make sure his facility meets state requirements for daycare facilities. If the owner wants to have children

(See COMMISSION, page 7)

No one was hurt but a single-engine turbo-prop plane was heavily damaged when it ran off the end of the runway and struck a fence at P.K. Airpark just before noon Thursday.

Freddy Johnson, director of the Hoke Sheriff’s Offi ce Emergency Management, says the plane approached the runway “hot,”

ran off the runway and stopped just short of a mobile home. The plane’s propeller, left wing and left landing gear were heav-ily damaged, he said. A wing tank holding about 200 gallons of fuel ruptured, but the fuel was contained by North Raeford Fire Department, he said. The department

(See CRASH, page 7)

BY CATHARIN SHEPARD

Staff writer

Two major road improvement projects in Hoke County will get a green light sooner than expected and a third was added to the state’s schedule, though all of them are still more than fi ve years away from see-ing construction.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced plans to construct a multi-lane extension on Gillis Hill Road from Rockfi sh Road to Lindsay Road, which will tie into the intersection of Rockfi sh Road and School Drive, in an effort to reduce traffi c congestion in the Rockfi sh community and surround-ing area.

The DOT also plans to widen U.S. 401 between Raeford and Laurinburg to a multi-lane road, and will widen Gillis Hill Road from Lindsay Road to U.S. Highway 401.

The Gillis Hill Road extension in Rockfi sh was moved up by a year, from 2023 to 2022, with the right-of-way work accelerated from 2021 to 2020. The Gillis Hill Road widen-ing project was moved up two

(See ROADS, page 6)

U.S. 401 widening also down the road

Thousands turned out for the fi rst Hometown Christmas downtown Thursday. Main Street was lit by luminaries, streetlights and decorations.

These children were out enjoying the lights Thursday. Their dad stopped their stroller to take a photo. (Catharin Shepard photo)

This single-engine jump plane ran off the end of the runway at Raeford’s airport Thursday.

Page 2: RAEFORD & H C Wednesday, December 9, 2015 16-store ... · Road and School Drive, in an effort to reduce traffi c congestion in the Rockfi sh community and surround-ing area. The

2 THE NEWS-JOURNAL Raeford, N.C. December 9, 2015

47 Years AgoDecember 12, 1968

Some 22 companies bid for the contract to expand the Raeford Sew-age Disposal Plant. The town board is overwhelmed by representatives in attendance at its bid-opening meeting in the Hoke Courthouse. The $1 million project is expected to be started in spring, says town manager John Gaddy.

Raeford’s Christmas parade wasn’t large but local bands make it worthwhile. The 71st High band didn’t show, but Hoke High and Upchurch save the day. Newly-appointed Chamber of Commerce Manager Harold Gillis says he doesn’t know why 71st’s band failed to show, but next year he says he’ll start early lining up floats and bands.

Local Schools Superintendent D.D. Abernathy serves on a state subcommittee that recommends sweeping changes to the state’s edu-cation system including providing kindergarten. The committee also proposes larger schools for junior and senior high. Having students of at least 750 would eliminate “small ineffective schools.”

An article comparing Christmas in 1968 to one in 1869: “Those who today have 40-hour-a-week jobs paying $85, $90, $100 and up a week had forefathers who knew what it was to not make even $85 a month.”

Someone steals a town Christmas ornament (or the wind removes it), and it’s expensive, a photo caption says. They cost $37 to rent or $87 to buy.

Rockfish News, by Mrs. A. A. McInnis: “It’s a bad start for news this week with so many phones on the party line out of order. That freak storm Saturday evening with rain, hail, snow, sleet, lightning and thunder all coming at the same time caused some people in this area to be without lights and some without heat, and it must have gotten the

This tree, made by Mrs. Ollie Augustoni, wins first place in the Achievement Day Lun-cheon by the Philippi Home-makers Club.

Mrs. James Attaway receives a bond from Southern National Bank from Mrs. Ellen Willis, home agent. She won the award for building up achievement points in one of Hoke County’s Homemaker’s clubs. phones out of order too.”

The Hoke Rescue Squad is working to buy a station wagon to be converted into an ambulance and served more than 500 people at a chicken supper fundraiser at the old airport Friday. So far, making contributions to the fund: Mrs. R.A. Matheson, $5; John R. Davis, $20; Mrs. Helen Smith, $10; Marks’ Food Store, $25; Junior Long, $2; Raeford Turkey Farms, $100; David Baker, $1; Henry Maxwell, $2.50; Home Furniture Company, $25; Gerald Wright, $10; Mid South Vending Machine Co., $100; the Town of Red Springs, $75; Donnie K. Price, $3; Bobby Blanton, $10; and Fred Johnson, $1.25.

25 Years AgoDecember 12, 1990

Hoke Sheriff Alex Norton is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation for alleg-edly ordering a deputy to alter court documents. Norton is accused of ordering a deputy to change the name on already-served papers of one deputy to another after he was dismissed for being too young.

Highway 211 is next in line for widening to four lanes in the State Department of Transportation’s Transportation Improvement Plan. Right-of-way acquisition is sched-uled for the $25.1 million project. Meanwhile, the widening of US 401, first scheduled 16 years ago, is expected to be complete by the end of 1994.

Four people are injured in a chemical accident at Hoke Rubber Products Inc. in Rockfish. Fumes from a heated mixture of chemicals called Dry Mix Tac burned workers’ eyes and irritated their noses and throats. Workers complained the company didn’t shut down the line. OSHA is investigating.

John Jordan is named city execu-tive at First Citizens Bank.

Don Steed wins the top $500 prize in the Kiwanis Pancake Sup-per raffle.

Seven homes and one busi-ness will open their doors this year during the Raeford Garden Club Christmas Open House Tour December 13.

Homes on the tour:• Brenda Lawlor, 312 West

Elwood Avenue• Susan McBryde, 3612 St.

Pauls Drive• Andy and Melissa Burch, 602

North Main Street• Tim and Colleen D’Annunzio,

110 North Fulton Street

• Bill and Tish Evans, 2211 Gold Hill Road

• Josh and Amy Lunsford, 398 West Palmer Street

• David and Ramona Ramos, 235 Brownstone Drive

The office of Dr. John Mark

Griffies at 301 Birch Street will also be featured on the tour.

The tour takes place from 1:30-5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, and are available from any club member, and at any house on the tour the day of the tour.

Garden Club Christmas tour is SundayAndy and Melissa Burch in their Main Street home.

Far left, Dr. John Mark Griffies and Brandy in the office of Straighten Up Orthodontists; above, the home of Bill and Tish Evans on Gold Hill Road; at left, the Evans’ dining room table.

Contact HAL or WENDY Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 119 W. Elwood Ave. or call (910) 875-2121.

What better way to send holiday greetingsto your customers, friends and family than with a personalized holiday ad.

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Advertising Deadline is 4 p.m. December 16th.

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7735 S. Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC • (910) 867-3002

Page 3: RAEFORD & H C Wednesday, December 9, 2015 16-store ... · Road and School Drive, in an effort to reduce traffi c congestion in the Rockfi sh community and surround-ing area. The

December 9, 2015 THE NEWS-JOURNAL Raeford, N.C 3

ViewpointsBy Scott MooneyhaM

Capital Press Association

Published every Wednesday by Dickson Press, Inc. Robert A. Dickson, President • Anne Dickson Fogleman, Secretary/Treasurer

119 W. Elwood Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376 • (910) 875-2121

Home Page: www.thenews-journal.com

email ads to:[email protected]

email classifieds to:[email protected]

email legals to: [email protected]

Periodical ClassPostage at Raeford, N.C.

(USPS 388-260)

Postmaster:Send address changes to:

P.O. Box 550Raeford, N.C. 28376

Ken MacDonald ([email protected]) ......................... Publisher

Catharin Shepard ([email protected]) ..................Reporter

Hal Nunn ([email protected]) .............................. Sports Writer

Hal Nunn ([email protected]) .................. Sales Representative

Wendy Tredway ([email protected]) ..... Sales Representative

Sheila Black ([email protected]) .................. Office Manager

Robin Huffman ([email protected]) ......Composition Design/Legal Advertising

Frog HollerPhilosopher

Ron Huff

One on OnePatrick Gannon,

Capitol Press Association

Submit letters to the editor online:Look for heading “Send Us Stuff” at

www.thenews-journal.com

In December of 2005, after pre-cariously driving my two-wheel-drive Toyota Tundra through subdivision construction sites that can be soft as a mattress and as slick as glass, I decided that I needed a four-wheel-drive truck. While it is true that four-wheel drive is needed only a tiny fraction of the time, it is good insurance and also helps in our infrequent snowy and icy weather. I shopped around the area for what I needed and delayed the purchase while I waited for the dealers to give me their best prices. I needed to buy before the end of the calendar year for tax purposes and ended up closing the deal on the phone on the last day of the year while away on an anniversary trip. My brand new four-wheel-drive Tundra was waiting for me at the dealer when we got home.

This 2005 Tundra was ideal for my purposes. These trucks ride like fine cars but are as tough as nails. I could then shoot around a slick construction site without fear of getting stuck and drive in rough weather with confidence that, if there was an accident, it probably would not be because of me.

As the years went by, the miles piled up, but not at an alarming pace. My goal was to keep the truck in good shape and retire with it, knowing that it would get very low use once it only had to retrieve the occasional load of hay or building materials. While I still don’t know exactly when I will retire, the recent shift in my

work responsibilities has resulted in much more driving.

A Tundra is due for major maintenance at 180,000 miles and I was very close when I began to consider trading one more time for a truck that would surely make it to my retirement without reaching the age of constant maintenance. In looking around at newer trucks, it became clear that, while the 2005 Tundra is a perfect size, the newer trucks are monsters. Walk around any of the full size trucks these days, and if you can even see inside the bed, you are doing well. Then if you are up for adventure, try to climb into the bed. These things need ladders, and some have them. This fact really made me want to hold onto my old truck.

As 180,000 got even closer, I priced the needed maintenance and decided this was the time to trade if there would ever be one.

I like the Nissans as well as the Toyotas and I decided to drop into the new Fred Anderson Nissan to see what they had on the lot. Of course, the salesmen swarmed like bees to honey before I could make a quick pass. This was fine and the games began. I had specific things in mind and we could not find what I needed. We

were on the computer checking area dealer inventories when, on a whim, I told them to check on low mileage trade-ins. I prefer slightly used vehicles, which cost much less than a new one for no good reason. To my surprise, we found a perfect 2014 Nissan Titan with only 16,000 miles. He was embarrassed to find out that it was on their lot, a hundred feet from where we had been looking.

This seemed a little like fate, and this truck included a lifetime power train warranty and free synthetic oil changes for life. While this might be a good way for the dealer to keep the customers coming in where the new vehicles entice them to trade every few years, it ain’t happening with me. They will get very tired of chang-ing my oil.

It was now time to negotiate. After getting their first ridiculously low offer for my truck and laughing indignantly at them, they finally just asked me what deal I needed. By this time, we were dealing with the all-knowing financial wizard who works behind the curtain. As hoped, the wizard took the deal. I hate haggling with these people and their little games, but they seem to insist, so I have to play along.

Closing the deal took two hours, three people and a mountain of pa-perwork. The CIA finally cleared me and I now have a pretty silver Nissan Titan - my last truck – I hope!

More later.

Gets the truck he’ll retire with

Remember that time back in 2011 when House Republicans accidentally left the microphones on in a committee room for their closed-door caucus meeting, and their words were broadcast in the Legislative Building’s press room?

For those of us lucky enough to be in the press room, that moment offered a rare glimpse into the talk that takes place as the majority party strategizes about legislation and other issues. Instead of often bor-ing and predictable floor speeches, we received a small taste of how the political process really unfolds behind closed doors.

We heard Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, then the House majority leader, call then-Gov. Bev Perdue “incompe-tent.” And we heard then-House Speaker Thom Tillis talking about getting retribution against the N.C. Association of Educators, which was hammering Democrats who voted for the Republican budget.

It was awesome. Recently, it’s almost as if some-

one accidentally left the audio on in the caucus room again and Rep. Justin Burr, an Albemarle Republi-can, picked up the microphone. Burr has used social media and interviews with several media outlets to openly criticize House Speaker Tim Moore of Kings Mountain and members of his leadership team about how

they’re steering the GOP ship in the General Assembly.

Burr said Moore has aligned himself with a group of personal friends in the House, marginalizing more conservative House members and “pushing an agenda that does not align with the Republican’s promises to be efficient and effective with the taxpayers’ dollars.” Burr also said the speaker “proposed new pork spending and additional corporate welfare,” both of which have been detailed in news articles. And he threw in some barbs about how long the 2015 session dragged on and the relatively low number of bills passed.

Moore responded by calling Burr “disgruntled” and said his constitu-ents deserve better.

“They’re not reflective of the reality,” the speaker said of Burr’s comments. “Rep. Burr has chosen to make himself ineffective and ir-relevant this entire session.”

Moore also said he believes the 2015 session was very productive. Rep. Charles Jeter, a Mecklenburg County Republican and chairman of the House Republican Confer-

ence, told the Associated Press that the dispute was an “internal family squabble” that he wished had re-mained private. There are probably just as many House Republicans who wished the General Assembly had taken a more moderate approach to legislation, Jeter told the AP.

Burr responded to Moore’s com-ments in an interview with conserva-tive talk show host Chad Adams.

“It’s scary to think that mem-bers of the legislature, if we speak out and express concerns about how things are going in Raleigh, that we automatically get attacked by the speaker and he basically encourages our defeat from office,” Burr said.

Moore has said a “handful” of House Republicans “like to com-plain.” Burr has said there are many more unhappy House members, but they’re afraid to speak out.

Is this a minor insurrection or an all-out civil war in the House Republican Caucus? Or is it just a power play from the more conser-vative wing of the caucus to try to wrest control from Moore and his supporters after 2016?

None of that is clear yet.But it’s awesome because we

don’t often get to see such political disputes in public.

And it’s going to be fun to watch unfold next year.

Public dispute is a nice gift

By thoMaS MillS

Politics N.C.

This weekend, a screening of the film “Spotlight” hosted by the new North Carolina Newsroom Cooperative emphasized the im-portance of an independent press in our society. The movie told the story of how the Boston Globe exposed the systematic cover-up of child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church. The existence of the Cooperative reminds us that the press, as we’ve known it, is struggling to survive.

In “Spotlight,” a group of in-vestigative journalists took on one of the most powerful institutions in Boston, the Catholic Church, and shed light on practices that have had international repercus-sions. Without the financial sup-port of an organization as large as the Globe and its parent com-pany, the New York Times, the story might never have been told. Without independence from the political and social establishment, the abuse and its cover-up would almost certainly have continued.

In North Carolina, we’ve seen similar, if more regional, stories without the global implications.

The News & Observer uncovered the athletic and academic scandal at UNC despite the opposition of alumni, some of whom are among the most powerful people in the state. The media found waste at the North Carolina Rural Center that led to a major restructuring. They exposed corruption in the office of former House Speaker Jim Black and sent him to prison. They found petty abuse in the administrations of Governors Bev Perdue and Mike Easley that led to Easley surrendering his law license. And the list goes on.

Clearly, an independent press is crucial to keeping corruption in check and combatting abuse of power. The demise of newspa-pers and the loss of well-funded investigative journalists threatens the chief deterrent to pay-for-play politics and the accumulation of power and influence by power brokers of all stripes. The News-room Cooperative is trying to stop the bleeding and find a new formula for making journalism both profitable and independent. Everyone should be cheering for their success.

In this environment, Pat Mc-Crory’s campaign has launched

an attack on the credibility of News & Observer. It’s one thing to take on the editorial board, which writes opinions, and another to say the journalists are lying and biased. McCrory is trying to ob-scure an emerging scandal over pay-to-play politics by claiming that the same journalists who exposed the so-called culture of corruption that he ran against are now partisan hacks. They’re bet-ting they can piggy-back on the partisan disdain, from both the left and right, with the so-called mainstream media.

If McCrory is successful in convincing the public that the investigations are politically motivated, then we’re losing the ability to hold our public officials accountable. I think, though, he’s picked a fight that he will lose. To para-phrase Shakespeare, me thinks thou dost protest too much. I still believe that mainstream Americans will believe the mainstream media instead of siding with partisan apolo-gists that pass themselves off as journalists. McCrory will eventually have to deal with the facts instead of the spin.

Governor’s campaign shows we still need the press

“We all share a common vision: Education is a human right and every child deserves one. An excellent, free education where learning is meaningful – with arts, play, engaging projects, and the chance to learn citizenship skills so that children can one day participate — actively and consciously – in this increasingly fragile democracy.” — Valerie Strauss, “How ‘twisted’ early childhood education has become — from a child development expert”

“I wonder how I am possibly going to adhere to these state and national standards with each class that I have, since I know that every single stu-dent, and thus every classroom, is unique. The state declares that a class must be at a specific point in the curriculum at a specific time, but what if we need more time? What if we need less? How can I possibly fit in all of the projects and support and guidance that my students will need to fully understand why what they’re learning is important and applicable to the real world? How will I foster minds that love learning, instead of ones that dread testing and begin to believe that they are “too stupid” to learn because they’re not categorized in the ‘correct’ numerical column? These are all things I’ve seen already, and it would be a lie to say that I’m not overwhelmed and terrified.” — Susan Tran, a soon-to-be teacher

Today’s homework (Notes on education)

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4 THE NEWS-JOURNAL Raeford, N.C. December 9, 2015

Obituaries

Marriage LicensesNov. 16 (Nov. 20)

• Traci Broadaway Barber and James Edward Thompson II, both of Raeford. Married in Cumberland County

Nov. 25 (Dec. 1)• Bobbie Jean Shock and

Steven Richard Collier, both of Fayetteville.

Frank Gladhill

Thomas E. Wharton

Pancakes coming upSanta made an appearance at the 2012 Raeford Kiwanis Club Pancake Supper. The club will hold the event this year on December 10 from 5-7 p.m. in the Hoke High Gibson Cafete-ria. Tickets are $6 and $3 for children 8 and under. The club’s annual fundraiser supports children’s charities in Hoke County.

Fourth graders from Hoke County Schools received awards Monday night for their winning entries in the annual Farm-City Week essay contest.

National Farm-City Week, always the seven days leading to and including Thanksgiving Day, is meant to raise awareness about where food comes from and the importance of farmers and the farming profession. Each year, Hoke County third grade students

visit farms, while fourth grade students participate in an essay contest about how agriculture impacts people’s lives.

This year’s winners included overall winner Camille Douglas, a student at Hawk Eye Elementary; Madeline Alvarez, Scurlock El-ementary; Maya Austin, Don Steed Elementary; Kirsten McIntyre, Sandy Grove Elementary; Victory Harrison, McLauchlin Elementary; Kanya Prince, West Hoke Elemen-

tary; Jessica Sarong, Rockfish Hoke Elementary; and Jasmine Wilson, Upchurch Elementary.

The students are usually hon-ored at a special breakfast, but this year they received their awards at the Hoke County commission meeting.

The winners received a certifi-cate, a medal and a monetary prize. Their families and many teachers and school principals attended the award ceremony.

Essay winners and families are recognized at the Hoke commission meeting Monday. (Catharin Shepard photo)

Essay winners recognized at commission meeting

By thereSa hunter

As one student put it, “It’s one thing when you see it on TV, Face-book, or in the movies, it’s another when it’s someone you know. It feels more real and makes you feel more sad.”

Deanna Ray, the school coun-selor at McLauchlin for the past several years, has a husband who was diagnosed with ALS about four years ago. ALS is a neuromuscular condition that worsens over time and eventually takes your life.

As you can imagine, that diagno-sis has changed her life forever. She is on medical leave this year to help care for him. I am her replacement. As I have heard more about her story and had opportunities to meet her, I began to see connections between the character trait of the month, kind-ness, and her family’s ALS story. I just knew the students would learn so much about being kind to those around them if they were given an opportunity to know more about her and her husband. On December 2, her husband, the former baseball coach at Hoke High School, came with her to visit with our 4th and 5th graders during our Wednesday WOW program. The students were amazing. They opened their arms to Mr. Ray with hugs, they asked great questions and showed great concern and love for the Ray family. It was an emotional experience, but a rewarding one. I can only thank the Rays for sharing their story with us.

A lesson in character

That ugly Christmas sweater lurking in the closet could win a prize this Christmas at the Hoke County Public Library.

The library is holding an “Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest” until December 19.

“Stop by the library and get photographed in your favorite ‘ugly’ Christmas sweater,” staff members announced.

Everyone who gets a photo taken will be entered into the contest. The photos will be posted to the library’s Facebook page. The judging for the most hideous sweater will be held December 21.

All ages are welcome to partici-pate, and prizes will be awarded in several categories, according to the announcement.

The library is located at 334 North Main Street in Raeford. For more information, call 875-2502.

Dig out the ugly Christmas sweaters

Top: The Rays; below, Mike Ray, with McLauchlin children

Thomas E. WhartonT h o m a s E .

“Tom” Wharton of Raeford died Tues-day, December 8, 2015 in his home at

the age of 71.He was born in England on

April 5, 1944 to the late Robert and Marian Brew Wharton. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Melanie Wharton of Raeford; his sons, Scott Wharton of Texas, Dennis Scott and wife Beth of Arizona, Todd Scott and wife Rebecca of Raeford, and Nathan Scott and wife Melanie of Washington State; one daughter, Amanda Diaz of California; and 15 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

James N. CulbrethJames “Jim” Norman Culbreth

Jr., 57, of Raeford passed away on Monday, December 1, 2015 in his home.

He was born April 25, 1958 in Wayne County to Hazel Johnson and the late James Norman Cul-breth Sr.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Bryant Culbreth of the home; daughter, Julia Lounsbury and husband Joshua of Raeford; his mother, Hazel Hardin of Fay-etteville; stepdaughters, Jackie Bain Harman and husband Perry of Morgantown, West Virginia and Kim Bain Weaver and husband “J.K.” of Savannah, Georgia; brother, Robert Louis Culbreth of Fayetteville; granddaughter, Jeni Kay Lounsbury; and six step-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at a later date

Frank GladhillFrank Henry

Gladhill Jr. of Ra-eford died Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at FirstHealth Hospice

House in Pinehurst at the age of 92.He was born in Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania on August 31, 1923. He was the son of Frank H. Gladhill Sr. and Zourie Spielman Gladhill. He was married to Constance Ann Kinter, who passed on September 13, 2009.

He served in the U.S. Navy as an electronic technician 2nd class on the U.S.S. Markah, a cruiser

tender operating in the Pacific from 1944 through 1946. After he was discharged, he attended Texas A&M and Carnegie Institute of Technology where he received his degree as a mechanical engineer.

His earlier career was working on instrument systems for aircraft companies. Then he worked on water filtration systems with Ha-gen Chemical and Controls and Tryon Inc. His last position was at Bechtel International as a nuclear power plant startup consultant. He retired from there in 1989, purchased land in Raeford and built two chicken houses, and for many years raised chickens for Perdue, earning several awards as a top producer. He served as an elder at Shiloh Presbyterian Church in Raeford until 2014.

He is survived by his sister, Jane Pugh of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; two daughters, Donnalee McDonald (Patrick) of Aberdeen, and Patricia Boyette of New London, New Jersey; a grandson, Jeffrey Barnes of Neptune, New Jersey; two great-grandsons, Joshua Barnes and Zachary Barnes, both of Neptune; one great_great-grandson, Noah Barnes of Neptune; two nieces in Pennsylvania, Nancy Grove (Ron) and Linda Davis (Gary); and many grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

The funeral was held at 2 p.m. Friday, December 4 at Crumpler Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial was at Jefferson Memo-rial Cemetery in Pittsburgh._

Online condolences may be made at crumplerfuneralhome.com.

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December 9, 2015 THE NEWS-JOURNAL Raeford, N.C 5

Sports

By hal nunn

Sports writer

The Hoke County High School Bucks boys’ and girls’ basketball teams played South View and Seventy-First on back-to-back nights last week heading into the weekend. In the first game at South View, the Lady Bucks scored only one point to the Tigers 10 in the first period and trailed 27-15 at the half. The Lady Bucks outscored the Tigers in the third period but could not overcome the early deficit and lost 48-38. “We just dug ourselves a hole we couldn’t climb out of,” Coach Sakellie Daniels said. Lead-ing scorers were Jaque Bradshaw and D’nayia Watkins, each with 10 points. Mahogany Matthews was close to double figures with

9. In the Friday night rematch with Seventy-First, the Lady Bucks took care of business with a 48-35 win over the Falcons. The Lady Bucks had to come from behind and basi-cally shut down the Falcons in the fourth period, holding them to just four points to the Bucks 17 to win by 13 points. “We just played with a more sense of urgency in the fourth period,” Coach Daniels said. Leading scorers for the Lady Bucks against Seventy-First were Jaque Bradshaw, D’nayia Watkins and Janiyah Harrington, each with 10 points. The Lady Bucks are now 4-4 on the season and will play tonight at E.E. Smith and will not play again until December 16, when the Golden Bulls come to Raeford.

For the boys, the Bucks held South View to four points in the

first period and used a 27-point fourth period to pull away from the Tigers 70-48 at South View. In the Friday night game against Seventy-First, the game was evenly matched and the Falcons squeaked out a 61-55 win to avenge the two-point loss to the Bucks in Fayetteville. “D’coda Cummings played really strong for us and kept us in the game but we have got to get bet-ter at free throws,” Coach Quame Patterson said. The Bucks were 16 of 40 from the charity stripe while Seventy-First was 11 of 16. It was the first loss on the season for the Bucks in the regular season who are now 5-1. The boys also travel to E.E. Smith tonight and will not play again until December 16, when the Golden Bulls come to Raeford.

Bucks Basketball Round-Up

Female Scholar AthletesHoke High School held its fall athletic banquet last week at MacDonald Cafeteria. Pictured are the female Scholar Athletes, in alphabetical order (some not present): Alexis Blackwell, Aqueelah Brown, Alexa Burnette, Derrionah Currie, Qyshondra Evans, Iyanla Giles, Destiny Glover, Diamond Holmes, Jashanee Jackson-McDuffie, Leanna Jacobs, Randi Jacobs, Alexus Jones, Mikayla King, Alexandra Lebron, Hannah Locklear, Anika Mattson, Monica Maynor, Megan Mun-roe, Cayleigh Norton, Alexis Osorio, Marlena Rogers, Lilia Santos, Aliya Southerland, Savannah Wade, Che’Lyn Williams, Princess Williams, Aliyah Wilson-Kyles, Ka’Myai Wilson-Kyles, Jerclara York and Amber Young. (Photo by Kay Brigman Love)

Male Scholar AthletesPictured are the male Scholar Athletes for the fall, in alphabetical order (some not present): Justin Baldwin, Andrew Bowen, Hector Castillo, Derrick Coley, JaQuan Cowan, Nakya Davila, Carlos Dela-Rose, Dillon Dorisme, Jahcorti Douglas, Jaylin Fen-nell, James Galberth, Tyshawn Garlington, Liam Gentry, Noah Hendrix, Leandro Hernandez, Dylan Hoffman, Chase Jackson, Marcus Jackson, Kory Jones, Za’Quan Jones, Lorenzo Kelly, Carson Langmack, Carlos Lopez-Rosario, Brandon MacClary, Tyree McRae, Jarin Moss, Devin Norwood, Andre Pegues, Laquest Peterkin, Kacey Reitz, Jacob Rushing, Seth Scriven, John Sellers, Nykeem Shaw, Brandon Smith, Gabriel Thompson, Marquell Turner, John Walrath, Demetrius Wirt, Donovan Wirt and Daniel Wood. (Photo by Kay Brigman Love)

McRae to coach in state championshipMontaze McRae, a 2004 graduate of Hoke County High School and former N.C. A&T football player, will be one of the assistant coaches when Southern Durham plays Crest in the 3AA State Championship football game this Saturday at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem. Coach McRae is an assistant offen-sive line coach and run game director for the Southern Durham Spartans who will make their 2nd appearance in 3 years this Saturday. They won it all in 2013.

Player of the Year Megan Munroe, a Lady Bucks golfer, won Player of the Year for the Southeastern Conference. She won the Regional Tourna-ment at Pinehurst #1 and made the State Championships. She withdrew from the State Championships due to being sick. Megan will attend UNC Pembroke in the fall on a golf scholar-ship. (Photo by Kay Brigman Love)

All Conference SelecteesThe following players were selected as All Conference from Hoke County and the Southeast-ern Conference. The players, in alphabetical order (some not pictured), are Edwin Andoney-Soccer, Savannah Brunson-Golf, Leanna Jacobs-Volleyball, Hunter Jacobs-Cross Country, Taylor Jacobs-Tennis, Mikayla King-Volleyball, Hannah Locklear-Tennis, Kiya Locklear-Golf, Darwyn Lopez-Garcia-Soccer, Brandon McCalry-Football, Megan Munroe-Golf, Alexis Osorio-Tennis, Alex Patricio-Soccer, Andre Pegues-Football, Jacob Rushing-Football, Lilia Santos-Cross Country, Quinn Maynor-Football, Donovan Wirt-Football. Edwin Andoney, Darwyn Lopez-Garcia and Alex Patricio also made All Region in soccer. (Photo by Kay Brigman Love)

Adult softball comes to an endBy hal nunn

Sports writer

The Hoke County Parks and Recreation Adult Co-Ed Softball league came to an end last week as the team Chavis Inc. upset the undefeated regular season champs Unilever in the end-of-

season tournament. Chavis Inc. came from out of the losers’ bracket in the double-elimination tournament and had to face the undefeated regular season champs Unilever. Chavis Inc. defeated Unilever twice to capture the end-of-season tournament champion-ship. Unilever ended in the runner-

up position. The regular season standings were as follows: First Place-Unilever, Second Place- T.B., Third Place-Dundarrach Church, Fourth Place-Chavis Inc., Fifth Place-Beauty & Beer Guts, Sixth Place-Law Dogs and Seventh Place-Burlington World Wide.

Fighting Bucks Sports Schedule December 9

Girls JV Basketball Home vs. E.E. Smith 5 p.m.

Girls V Basketball at E.E. Smith 6 p.m.

Boys JV Basketball Home vs. E.E. Smith 6:30 p.m.

Boys V Basketball at E.E. Smith 7:30 p.m.

Sandy Grove Wrestling Home vs. West Pine Middle 4:15 p.m.

Coed East Hoke Basketball Home vs. Sandy Grove 4:15 p.m.

Coed West Hoke Basketball Home vs. Rohanen Jr. High 4:15 p.m.

December 10Bowling at Lumberton 4 p.m.Boys B Team Basketball at

Scotland 4:30 p.m.

December 12Boys Wrestling Away 8 a.m.

December 14Boys B Team Basketball at

Purnell Swett 4:30 p.m.Coed West Hoke Basketball

Home vs. Hamlet Jr. 4:15 p.m.

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