The Hoke County Edition of the North State Journal

August 29, 2025

Athlete of the Week: Joas Hernandez

August 24, 2025

Hoke County boys’ soccer junior Joas Hernandez is Athlete of the Week. The Bucks opened the season with a 3-3 tie against East Bladen last week, and Hernandez played a role in two of the […]

Athlete of the Week: Machai Brown

August 17, 2025

Hoke County football junior Machai Brown is Athlete of the Week. He also plays basketball for the Bucks and was Athlete of the Week on the court last season. Brown had less than 100 yards […]

Athlete of the Week: Tarique Thompson

August 10, 2025

Tarique Thompson, a 2013 graduate of Hoke County, is Athlete of the Week. He was conference boys’ basketball player of the year as a junior and senior. Thompson was a two-time All-Cape Fear selection and […]

Athlete of the Week: Justin Womack

August 3, 2025

Hoke County 14U All Stars pitcher and first baseman Justin Womack is Athlete of the Week. Last year, he pitched the 12U team to the state championship game and won the 12U home run derby […]

Athletes of the Week: Hoke County 14U all-stars

July 28, 2025

The Hoke County 14U all-stars are the Athletes of the Week. The Hoke County 14U all-stars completed their run to the state title with a 4-0 win over Duplin in the Dixie Youth championships. The […]

Athlete of the Week: Damien Robinson

June 30, 2025

Sandhills Community College 2025 graduate Damien Robinson is Athlete of the Week. The 6-foot-6 forward led the Flyers in scoring at 18.1 points and rebounding at 11.8. He scored his 1,000th career point and finished […]

Athlete of the Week: Evalynn Groemm

June 8, 2025

Hoke County girls’ soccer sophomore defender Evalynn Groemm is Athlete of the Week. She led the team in steals, was second in goals and points, and third in shots. The Lady Bucks’ season is over, […]

Athletes of the Week: Hoke County 14U all-stars

July 28, 2025

The Hoke County 14U all-stars are the Athletes of the Week. The Hoke County 14U all-stars completed their run to the state title with a 4-0 win over Duplin in the Dixie Youth championships. The […]

Athlete of the Week: Niya Jones

July 13, 2025

Hoke County softball sophomore Niya Jones is Athlete of the Week. Jones was the team’s top pitcher, finishing 17th in the state with 17 wins. She was also among the North Carolina class 4A leaders […]

Breno Radici is Athlete of the Week. Radici is an active duty sergeant first class in the Army, stationed at Fort Bragg. The Hoke native realized last fall he was getting close to retirement and […]

Athlete of the Week: Bailey Mass

May 5, 2025

Hoke County softball senior outfielder Bailey Mass is Athlete of the Week. She has also played varsity tennis for the Bucks. Mass brought the big bat in Hoke’s conference tournament opener against Southern Lee. She […]

Athlete of the Week: Alyssa Cascavilla

April 26, 2025

Hoke County softball senior shortstop Alyssa Cascavilla is Athlete of the Week. The Bucks had their best regular season in recent memory, and Cascavilla was a key factor in their success. Alyssa leads the team […]

Athlete of the Week: Evalynn Groemm

March 23, 2025

Hoke County girls’ soccer sophomore defender Evalynn Groemm is Athlete of the Week. She also plays volleyball for the Lady Bucks. Groemm had five steals in a Sandhills Conference game against Richmond last week, adding […]

Hoke cotton fields reflect global economic trends

November 15, 2023

RAEFORD — As autumn’s crisp air replaces summer’s heat, the fields of Hoke County undergo their seasonal transition. The county’s cotton fields transform as white bolls are harvested and rolled into large bales, awaiting transport […]

Diakrití Designs to host Turnberry Festival this month

June 7, 2023

RAEFORD — Diakrití Designs began with a woman and her passion for space design and party hosting. Desheka Williams, a Hoke County local, found her dream through her husband’s career in real estate. Shortly after […]

Locklear impacting lives and making a difference

February 1, 2023

RAEFORD — Brandon Locklear is the head wrestling coach at Hoke County High School and is currently making a significant impact on young students through wrestling, education, and life. Recently the 30-year-old coach suffered a […]

New golf course seeks to honor Pinehurst’s natural beauty, rich history

February 1, 2023

PINEHURST — Golf course architect Tom Doak has embarked on a new project to design and develop Pinehurst’s 10th golf course, the first in almost three decades. Doak has long had a passion for golf […]

Ringing in a North Carolina new year

December 28, 2022

RALEIGH — Across the state, towns come together to celebrate the new year every December 31st. Countdowns, ball drops, festivals, and resolutions bring individuals close for this holiday. North Carolina offers numerous ways to celebrate […]

Lumbee River EMC awards $33,000 to local teachers

December 14, 2022

Lumbee River EMC awarded over $33,000 to 17 teachers in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties through the Bright Ideas education grants program for their inventive classroom projects. LREMC held a luncheon recognizing the recipients […]

HURST: North Carolina Senators should choose Main Street over Wall Street

December 27, 2023

A major effort is underway by big banks and credit card companies to prevent economic relief from being provided to businesses and consumers. North Carolina’s senators must resist succumbing to the pressures of Wall Street […]

HORZEMPA: NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions

November 15, 2023

We’ve all felt the fear as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crime-ridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional […]

HUDSON: Defending your energy security

September 28, 2023

As the trees in the Sandhills begin to show the first signs of fall, we are reminded that colder weather is near. Like many of you, my family faced last winter’s high energy prices and […]

HUDSON: We will always remember

September 14, 2023

September 11th, 2001 was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. The images of 9/11 remain ingrained into the collective memory of Americans across our nation. I still remember watching TV when the […]

HUDSON: Back to school season in the Sandhills

September 8, 2023

What would you do with an extra $700 in your pocket each month? Unfortunately, that is the cost of “Bidenomics” and inflation—but it shouldn’t have to be that way. The opportunity to work hard and […]

HUDSON: Protecting our veterans & honoring our fallen heroes

August 17, 2023

As the representative of the largest Army base in the world, making sure our community’s veterans, troops, and their families get the support they deserve is among my top priorities. At the end of July, […]

Accountability on the issues impacting you

August 2, 2023

President Ronald Reagan famously said, “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.” President Joe Biden’s open border policies have fueled a historic surge in illegal immigration and the flames of our […]

HUDSON: Defending your rights and celebrating our nation

July 6, 2023

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” […]

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