By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County remains in the critical zone for coronavirus infections this week, along with 19 other counties statewide, as state leaders urged residents, governments and businesses to follow safety guidelines. “I have a stark warning for North Carolinians today: we are in danger,” Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday...
Owner arrested after more than 200 jam club
In the midst of a pandemic, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office deputies reportedly found 240 people inside of a private club on Rockfish Road and arrested the owner on several charges. Investigators arrested Samuel McGill Jr., 48, of the 200 block of Moorea Drive in Raeford on charges including maintaining a drug dwelling, and misdemeanor ABC...
School board meets in closed session
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer• The Hoke County Board of Education met in closed session Monday to begin considering the process for selecting a new school superintendent, and additionally selected a new principal for Sandy Grove Elementary School. Dr. Freddie Williamson, who has served in the role for over 15 years, was hired last...
Man charged with attempted murder
Officers with the Raeford Police Department have arrested a man wanted in connection with a 2019 shootout at a gas station in Raeford. Officers with the police department and the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Aaron Goode Jr., 26, of the 900 block of Stevens Street on two counts of felony attempted first-degree...
Donations of food, socks and toys needed
People looking to give to those in need this winter can donate to a local socks and coat drive, or buy a toy online for the Toys for Tots program. As the weather gets colder, not everyone has socks or a coat to stay warm. The Hoke County Open Door Soup Kitchen is holding a...
Elections director moves to dismiss challenge
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • The Hoke County Board of Elections Director recommended dismissing a challenge filed by the campaign manager of a candidate who ran for the Hoke Board of Education this year. In the matter of an election protest filed by Dr. Lent Carr, husband and campaign manager of school board...
Animal Shelter preparing for Thanksgiving, needs sponsors
The Hoke Animal Shelter is again providing Thanksgiving dinner for its dogs and cats, and it’s this Wednesday. Unlike usual years (with no pandemics) this year’s event won’t permit volunteers to serve the food to the animals—staff only—but food contributions are welcome. Drop by whole turkeys, canned vegetables, potatoes etc. Any left over food will...
Judge cancels jury trials through 2020 due to Hoke’s “critical” COVID-19 status
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Senior Resident Superior Court Judge James Webb this week canceled all jury trials in Hoke and Moore through the end of the year, citing concerns about the two counties’ high percent of positive COVID-19 tests. The state has labeled Hoke as a “critical” county under the new COVID-19...
Man from Raeford shot dead in Fayetteville
A man from Raeford was shot and killed in Fayetteville Sunday night, and two people have been arrested in connection with the case, according to the Fayetteville Police Department. Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department were dispatched around 11:13 p.m. Sunday to the area of Morganton Road near South Ingleside Drive in Fayetteville, in reference...
Hoke deemed ‘critical’ in virus spread
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke is one of 10 North Carolina counties deemed “critical” because of the number of positive COVID-19 tests among people who live here, state health officials said Tuesday. The county has the third-highest 14-day percent of positive COVID-19 tests of any county in North Carolina, at 13.6 percent...
Barring political action, end of course testing will be in person
Hoke County students and public school students across the United States won’t be exempt from end-of-grade and end-of-course testing for this school year, and that testing will have to be done in person, according to Hoke County Schools. In the spring, the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver that allowed schools to cancel the...
Richards’ contribution to education celebrated
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hank Richards has been a part of public education in Hoke County for over half a century, but an era is coming to an end as he steps down following a 16-year run on the Board of Education. Richards, 78, left his mark on the students he taught,...
Canvass doesn’t change election results here
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • The Hoke County Board of Elections canvass held Friday confirmed the unofficial local election results from November 3, but the board is preparing for a recount in one statewide race. Nothing essentially changed with the outcome of the local races following the canvass, Hoke Elections Director Towanna Jackson...
Superintendent of schools leaving for Robeson County
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Freddie Williamson will be leaving his position of 15 years to take the helm at Public Schools of Robeson County. The Robeson County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to select Williamson as its new superintendent with a salary of $200,000 a...
75 years ago, an award for an aviator who had to jump into the English Channel
Captions: Though not the B-17 that crashed into the English Channel July 8, 1944, this may have been a plane that 2nd Lt. Paul P. McCain served aboard. News accounts say he was at one point a navigator aboard the Shady Lady. (American Air Museum photo) AND Lt. Paul P. McCain (The Pilot, May 31,...
Festival director dies from COVID-19
By Catharin Shepard • Staff Writer • Melissa Kaye Pittman, known and loved by many in Hoke County as executive director of the North Carolina Fall Festival, died last week at the age of 54. Pittman passed away Friday, November 6 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital after being hospitalized with COVID-19. A celebration of life...
Volleyball first sport to go back
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Volleyball players at Hoke’s middle and high schools will be the first to get back to competition this month, although the games won’t look like they used to due to pandemic safety measures. Hoke County Schools, in cooperation with the North Carolina High School Athletics Association (NCHSAA), will...
Elementary school students to go 4 days after first of year
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County’s elementary schools will return to in-person classes four days a week starting in January, with an online learning option available for parents who prefer to keep their child at home. A new survey going out to parents of elementary students later this month will give families...
Indoor limit lowered to 10
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Two more people in Hoke County have died after contracting COVID-19, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and overall numbers are showing “a new peak” in virus cases for the state. Gov. Roy Cooper lowered the indoor gathering limit from 25 to 10...
Cape Fear Valley to hold COVID-19 virtual town hall
Back by popular demand, Cape Fear Valley CEO Mike Nagowski will hold another live Facebook community townhall to answer questions about COVID-19 and its effect on the community. The leading local experts on COVID-19 will join him for this special event. The question-and-answer session will air during the Making Rounds Live radio show. Viewers...
Hoke voter turnout slow so far on Election Day
In-person voter turnout in Hoke County has been slow so far on Election Day, according to Hoke Elections Director Towanna Jackson. As of about 3:30 p.m., even the large polling sites haven’t seen very many voters, the director said. “It’s been slow,” she said. That also seems to be the case in some other counties,...
About 14,500 people voted early in Hoke County
About 14,500 Hoke County voters cast a ballot in person during the one-stop early voting period, roughly twice the number who voted early in the 2016 election. According to the Hoke County Board of Elections, a total of 14,524 people in Hoke County voted during the one-stop early voting period. That’s nearly half of the...
Polls remain open until 7:30 p.m. then News-Journal posts Hoke election results
Caption: Karen McLean (seated) and Sierra Shiver talk after Shiver left the polling place on Elwood Avenue Tuesday morning. Polls will remain open for voters until 7:30 p.m. At that time, The News-Journal will begin posting returns as they come in here. (https://njelection.blogspot.com)