By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Part of a $3.5 million donation to Habitat for Humanity from a famous philanthropist will be put to good use in Hoke County as part of efforts to make safe, affordable housing available to local families. Habitat for Humanity of the North Carolina Sandhills announced last week that...
Month: <span>March 2022</span>
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Former incarcerated get a second chance with reentry events
April 2022 is designated Second Chance Month for justice involved people by Gov. Roy Cooper for all of North Carolina, and the Hoke County Local Reentry Council plans to hold several events to support those who are reentering society after being incarcerated. The Hoke Local Reentry Council under the leadership of Ophelia Ray, intermediary agent,...
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Prom donations will help students celebrate in style
[Photo: Hoke High teacher Kristin Khan is busy organizing donated prom clothes for a “Cinderella closet.” The school also has a year-round clothes closet to assist students with a variety of needs.] By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • A special closet tucked away in one of the classroom buildings on the MacDonald side of...
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County partnership plans to expand broadband internet service
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • After several years of planning, a project to bring affordable broadband internet access to underserved areas of Hoke County has gotten the green light from commissioners. County staff members have worked with the Shallotte-based Focus Broadband, formerly known as Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative, to create a partnership that...
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Court ruling leads to shutdown notice for sweepstakes businesses
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • After a ruling from the North Carolina Supreme Court, any business operating prohibited sweepstakes machines in Hoke County or elsewhere in the state can face prosecution. Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil issued a final warning to sweepstakes operators this week, after the sheriff’s office issued a 30-day notice...
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Hoke NAACP candidate forum is March 29
The Hoke County NAACP will host a question and answer “Meet the Candidates” forum this month. The candidate forum is set for Tuesday, March 29 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Turlington School auditorium, located at 116 West Prospect Avenue in Raeford. The public is invited to attend. The moderator for the question and answer forum will...
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Data entry error caused problem with county tax revaluation
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Data entry errors made by a company assisting with the county property revaluation resulted in some Hoke property owners receiving letters with a wrong value for their property, according to county officials. Mandi Davis, Hoke County tax assessor, explained in an email last week that the data entry...
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Field of 10 seeking commission seats
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • The candidate filing period that reopened February 24, closed Friday March 4 with the final filings on the books ahead of the upcoming primary election. A large field of candidates will seek election to three seats up for contest this year on the Hoke County Board of Commissioners....
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Election filing resumes ahead of May primary
By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Filing has resumed ahead of the May 17 primary, and several more candidates have signed to run in this year’s election. The North Carolina State Board of Elections last week reopened the filing period after a temporary closing. The filing period is only open for a short time....