[Photo: Shovels of dirt flew at the construction site Thursday, February 18 to celebrate the start of work on the county’s new recreation center.] By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • The shifting landscape of U.S. 401 is changing again as one of the county’s longest-planned projects finally gets underway, bringing with it the hope...
[Photo: Examining the damage to the building on East Elwood Avenue after part of the brick collapsed.] By Ken MacDonald • Publisher • A building that has stood on East Elwood Avenue for well over 100 years dropped a huge portion of its brick veneer into a pile of rubble on the sidewalk Monday afternoon....
[Photo: The water pooled outside Pauline Daniels’ home, and the church next door. (Submitted Photo)] By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • As the skies opened up, the water kept rising outside the home of 84-year-old Pauline Daniels. The senior citizen’s house on Doc Brown Road last saw that kind of flooding during Hurricane Florence...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Elections this year will see Raeford voters go to the polls to choose who will fill several municipal offices. Two seats on the Raeford City Council are up for election in 2021. Wayne Willis and Charles Allen are the incumbent council members. City councilors serve four-year terms. Allen...
To give readers an idea of what the Hoke County Republican Party and Hoke County Democratic Party are working on for 2021, The News-Journal sent out some questions to give each Party chair a chance to talk about what they’ve been doing and how people can get involved. Here, Hoke Republican Party Chairman Hal Nunn...
A historic building in downtown Raeford saw damage this afternoon as some of the masonry fell off and into the street below. The side of the street was closed off.
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County Schools will resume in-person classes Monday, after starting off the first six weeks of 2021 in remote-only learning due to the pandemic. Students and teachers in K-12 will go back on the Plan B schedule beginning February 22. Students will attend class in person two days...
To support local business in Hoke County, just follow the M&Ms. The Rockfish Community Chamber of Commerce is planning a drive-by scavenger hunt to bring attention to local businesses, and encourage some family fun. “The goal is to get people out and about in a manner that will allow for social distancing,” Earlene Harper of...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County Board of Elections Secretary John Harry announced this week in a letter to the editor that he plans to resign from his position, as soon as a replacement to fill his seat is identified. In the letter this week, Harry said that the board, which is...
The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer is holding on to more than $919 million in unclaimed money, and a quick website search can connect people with their missing bucks. The unclaimed property comes from sources such as old bank accounts, wages, utility deposits, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, bonds and safe deposit boxes that have...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff Writer • Hoke County’s finances are doing well with a General Fund balance several times the required minimum and a good credit rating, according to audit and financial reports. The audit was completed on time, and showed continued improvement by the county staff members who prepared it, Kotang Cha-Moses of...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Teachers, school staff and childcare workers in North Carolina will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting February 24, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday. More frontline workers in Group 3 will be eligible for the vaccine starting March 10. The state is moving PreK-12 educators and childcare...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • More than 50 people in Hoke County have now died of coronavirus-related causes, according to state health numbers. As of Tuesday at least 52 people in Hoke had died after testing positive for the contagious illness, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported. Most...
Hoke County Schools will continue to offer drive-thru meals for children through next week. The school system is offering drive-thru meal pickup for children at any Hoke County school from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pickup dates include Thursday, February 11; Tuesday, February 16; and Thursday, February 18. The meals are at no cost...
Alpha Life Pregnancy Center and Noonday Kitchen will offer a diaper giveaway and fresh food market this Saturday, February 13. The event will be from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the pregnancy center, located at 218 S. Main Street in Raeford. “We at ALPC and Noonday Kitchen want to meet our neighbors. Come shop the free...
Hoke County’s Carolina Horse Park’s Painted Ponies Art Walk will be on display on Broad Street in Southern Pines from January 30 through March 30. In its second year as a fundraising event for the park, the Painted Ponies Art Walk will feature 12 life-size sculptures and will culminate in an auction of the ponies...
A teenager was struck by a car and killed just inside the Hoke County line near Robeson County late last month, according to law enforcement. Jeremiah Deese, 17, of Maxton died Saturday, January 30 after being hit by car while walking in the road in the area of Wilson Road near McNair Road, reports said....
Normally at this time of year, Girl Scouts would be knocking on doors to sell their famous Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos and Tagalongs. Cookie season has changed somewhat due to the pandemic, but cookie lovers can still support Girl Scouts and get their boxes of treats in safe ways. The cookie sales are available now and...
While the pandemic has put a stop to many kinds of fun, participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend can offer people of all ages a chance to enjoy nature and help North America’s wild birds, while still staying safe. The Audubon Society, Cornell University and Birds Canada are seeking participants to do...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • The Raeford City Council voted Monday to give a one-time donation of $10,000 to the Downtown Raeford Business Association (DRBA) to help the nonprofit regroup in the wake of the pandemic. This time a year ago, the DRBA – a nonprofit venture spearheaded by local business owners –...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Eight more people at Open Arms retirement center have died after testing positive for COVID-19 as the facility continues battling an outbreak of the contagious illness, health officials said this week. Eleven of the facility’s residents have died of coronavirus-related causes since the outbreak was first reported in...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Hoke County’s tax department will resume some limited tax collection activity on people who haven’t paid their tax bills, but won’t garnish wages or foreclose on occupied houses for now. The Hoke County Board of Commissioners followed the recommendation of the county tax collector Monday and voted to...
A locally-owned small business that has grown tremendously over the past year has attracted the notice of celebrities and big distributers, and this week will appear on the TV show Good Morning America. Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded and owned by CEO D’Shawn Russell, will be featured on the show Thursday, February 4. The company...
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Several South Hoke residents raised concerns this week about crime and other public safety issues in their community, and asked the Hoke Board of Commissioners for help in combating the problems. Four people spoke during the commission meeting public input session Monday night, all regarding issues with the...