Lauren Rose – Moore County Edition

Mar

06

2024

HUDSON: Defending freedom and unleashing American nuclear energy

Opinionsopinion

Hardworking Americans like you are repeatedly paying the price for President Biden’s anti-energy policies, with costly mandates and red tape upending our way of life. You should have the freedom to choose the best car or truck for your family, business, and farm at an affordable price. Yet, just last year, the Biden Administration announced a new rule to impose an EV mandate onto families. Families are already struggling from higher prices across the board, yet this misguided decision would force them to give up their gas and diesel-powered cars for more expensive alternatives. The last thing folks in the…

Mar

06

2024

By Lauren Rose

County high schools flip the calendar to spring

Sports

Basketball season came to an end as the four teams representing the county all dropped their NCHSAA opening games. That turns the focus of Moore County to spring sports. Boys’ Basketball Union Pines and Pinecrest both lost their NCHSAA playoff openers, ending boys’ basketball season in Moore County for the 2023-24 season. Union Pines entered as a 32-seed in class 3A, giving them top-seeded Swansboro. The Vikings lost, 99-77, ending their season at 10-15. Senior Trent Hilburn scored 19 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the game. Junior Jaylen Kyle also scored 19, adding 6 rebounds…

Mar

06

2024

By Lauren Rose

More than 7,000 cast early votes across Moore

News

7,093 voters cast ballots in early voting in Moore County for this week’s primary, according to numbers from the North Carolina Board of Elections. Early voting began Feb. 15 and finished last Saturday, March 2. The primary was held Tuesday, when voters are required to report to their designated precinct in order to cast a ballot. A photo ID was also required for all voting in the primary. Moore County has 75,437 registered voters according to the state, reflecting a 9.4 percent early turnout — almost matching the 9.3 percent turnout seen statewide, with 694,591 ballots cast out of 7,468,149…

Feb

15

2024

By Lauren Rose

Pinecrest, Union Pines compete at states in swimming, track

SportsMoore County sports, prep sports

Girls’ basketball The Pinecrest girls’ basketball team lost both games last week, falling, 61-46, at Lee County and 57-53 against Scotland. Ava Depenbrock led the way with 14 points and 17 rebounds against Scotland. Zanodiya McNair had 22 points against Lee and 10 against Scotland. The Patriots are 6-14, 4-6 in the Sandhills, good for fifth place with two games left. Union Pines went 1-1 last week, losing at Richmond, 72-37, and winning at Hoke County, 44-36. Junior Taryn Pekala had a 19-point game at Hoke. The Vikings are now 11-10 and in third in the Sandhills at 5-5. North…

Feb

14

2024

By Lauren Rose

Rep. Hudson meets with farmers, discusses ag and rural issues

Newsagriculture, rep. richard hudson

‌SILER CITY — Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) joined farmers and agricultural interests for a discussion on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Bestfood Cafeteria in Siler City. In between bites of fried chicken and refills of sweet tea, Hudson talked about the importance of the agriculture industry in North Carolina. “Our farmers are backbone of our communities and in addition to providing us with the most abundant, cheapest food in the world, the food and fiber we need to survive as a country comes from our farmers,” Hudson told North State Journal. “I’ve always been committed to helping them fight off federal…

Feb

07

2024

By Lauren Rose

Pinehurst approves rezoning and annexations for residential developments

NewsVillage of Pinehurst Council

PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, Jan. 23, addressing a rezoning request, annexation petition and other business. First up was a request to rezone 32.14 acres of property, off Chicken Plant Road, from medium density residential zoning (R-30-CZ) to a low density residential and light agricultural district (R-210). “[The property] is vacant with one home now currently under construction that has been permitted,” said planning director Alex Cameron. “The development proposal would eventually be for two other residential homes along with the one that is under construction now with lots that are 10+ acres in size each.”…

Jan

18

2024

By Lauren Rose

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Elijah Melton

Sportsathlete of the week

Elijah Melton is a junior forward for the Pinecrest boys’ basketball team. Melton, who also starred for the Patriots’ football team in the fall, came up big in Pinecrest’s 62-58 win over Lee County last week. Melton hit 6-of-12 from the field for 13 points, with 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Melton leads Pinecrest in scoring (13.3 ppg), shooting (63%), rebounding (5.2 rpg) and blocks. He ranks third in the Sandhills conference in double-doubles.

Jan

04

2024

By Lauren Rose

First Medicaid expansion data shared

Newsmedicaid expansion

More than 600,000 North Carolinians are newly eligible for health coverage through a recent expansion of NC Medicaid, and the state has recently shared numbers on how many residents have enrolled in the expansion. Moore County has seen 1,980 newly eligible adults sign up for Medicaid, some 3.6 percent of the county’s 54,637 adult population between 19 and 64 years of age. This data is current as of December 1, though the data was only recently made available by the state. Numbers will be updated monthly. "Hundreds of people each day are gaining health care coverage and getting the care…

Nov

15

2023

By Maggie Horzempa

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

Opinionscrime, opinion

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 fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion. We all want to know: Are our cities safe? What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities. According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime…

Sep

20

2023

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By Lauren Rose

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Ricky Betancourt

Sportsathlete of the week

North Moore, men’s soccer Ricky Betancourt is a senior on the North Moore men’s soccer team. Betancourt had a hat trick in last Monday’s win over Bartlett Yancey, adding two assists in the 10-1 win. Two days later, he had two goals in a 3-1 overtime win over Seaforth. Betancourt leads the Vikings in goals on the season and is second in assists, as North Moore has run out to an unbeaten 6-0-1 mark, 4-0-1 in conference play.