North State Journal Staff – Moore County Edition

Jan

24

2024

Pinehurst denies Golf Channel request to close downtown to traffic

Businessdowntown, Pinehurst, US Open

PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, Jan. 16 as a continuation from the prior week’s weather-delayed meeting. The USGA and Golf Channel sought to create a temporary pedestrian-only district in downtown Pinehurst to anchor its US Open broadcast, a decision the council would have to approve — but with local businesses most affected, they had a lot to say. “The USGA approached the Village and asked us if we would be interested in accommodating the Golf Channel’s request,” said Doug Willardson. “I reached out to all of our downtown business community and I had 39 responses, 22…

Jan

24

2024

By North State Journal Staff

5 members join Sandhills Community College Sports Hall of Fame

SportsSandhills Community College Sports Hall of Fame

Sandhills Community College held its induction for the school’s Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. The group was celebrated at a morning banquet and inducted at halftime of Sandhills’ basketball game against Mountain Gateway Community College. The Flyers won, 135-100, for their fifth straight win, improving to 14-7 on the year. Five new members joined the school’s hall: Emmett “Shelton” Raynor: A Clinton native, Raynor played for the SCC baseball team in the 1970s. He continued to play semi-pro baseball until age 62. He also contributed to the region by founding the Optimist Club of the Sandhills and the Sandhills…

Jan

11

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Union Pines still atop rankings as local teams struggle to start new year

SportsMoore County sports

Boys’ basketball The Union Pines boys have hit a slump. The Vikings lost two of three in holiday tournament action, then dropped their first game of the new year, 58-52, at Scotland. A 68-32 win over Western Harnett to close December broke up the three losses. In the two days prior, Union Pines fell to Overhills and Triton. Jaylen Kyle and Trent Hilburn tied for top scoring honors in two of the three holiday games, while Kingsley Donaldson led the way in the third. Union Pines is now 9-4, 1-1 on the year. The Pinecrest boys dropped their first game…

Jan

11

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Interest in school board leads Moore County primary ballot

NewsMoore County, School Board

CARTHAGE — Races for four of the five seats on the Moore County School Board will be narrowed down by voters on March 5. Filing for 2024 took place last month and candidates for this year’s primaries have just under two months to make their case to voters. The four school board races are nonpartisan and the top two vote-getters will move to the November general election. In District I, four candidates are on the ballot: Amy Dahl, Kevin Lewis, Oscar Romine and Jim Boyte. The current board member, Stacey Caldwell, did not file for reelection to the seat. In…

Jan

03

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Rockingham teen brings Christmas cheer to Pinehurst senior residents

Events

PINEHURST — This Christmas, the residents of The Inn at Quail Haven Village experienced the joy of the season thanks to a thoughtful gesture by a Rockingham teenager. Grayson Wrenn, a 10th-grade student at Richmond Early College High School in Hamlet, decided to make the holiday special for the seniors at the Pinehurst community. Wrenn, whose grandfather is a resident at The Inn, organized a gift-giving initiative as part of his Beta Club project. He raised funds, carefully selected, and personally delivered presents to 50 residents in rehabilitation and skilled nursing care at the senior living community. The gifts ranged…

Dec

27

2023

By Ryan Henkel

Aberdeen Town Board convenes for swearing-in, infrastructure talks

GovernmentAberdeen Town Board

ABERDEEN – The Aberdeen Town Board met Monday, Dec. 11. To begin the meeting, the board swore in the elected members from the recent municipal election.‌ Teressa Beavers and Bryan Bowles were resworn in and Elease Goodwin took the oath of office for the first time. “What is neat about these communities in Moore County, none of them are partisan and I hope they never become partisan,” said Mayor Robbie Farrell. “When you run for an election in a small town, like any of the towns of Moore County, it is about the citizens. It is not about a party…

Dec

27

2023

By Connie Lovell

LOVELL: Resolution

Opinionseditorial, opinion, sandhills

Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an article advising “How to Avoid Being Boring at 60”. The essay was authored by Rob LaZebnik, co-executive producer of “The Simpsons. This may explain everything. The suggested resolutions included: “make an announcement on an airplane”; “make a shirt” and “take a sound bath”. Seriously? These stultifying suggestions are ridiculous, no matter one’s age. The New Year tradition of making sound resolutions to improve personal and community enrichment is as old as the Babylonians. That tribe began the ritual by honoring their gods, “promising to pay their debts and return borrowed farming equipment.” The…

Dec

13

2023

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Colby Pennington

Sportsathlete of the week

Colby Pennington is a junior for the North Moore basketball team … among other things. Pennington just finished a football season that saw him earn first-team All-Conference honors after finishing as the leading receiver and second leading scorer for the Mustangs. He’s stepped things up on the hardwood, leading North Moore in scoring and rebounding so far this season. Last week, he was top scorer in all three of the Mustangs’ games. He scored 21 against Grey Stone Day, 16 of the team’s 30 points in a loss to Northwood and 30 points, including 4-of-6 from three, against South Stanly.…

Nov

29

2023

By North State Journal Staff

Moore farms report shows dynamics of county agriculture

News

The latest USDA Agricultural Census report, examining the agricultural landscape in Moore County for the year 2017, reveals significant changes since 2012, shedding light on the local farming community's resilience and adaptation. The report offers a detailed look into various aspects of agriculture in the county, provides valuable insights into the slow-moving agricultural market in Moore County. The Moore County report indicates a slight increase in the number of farms, now totaling 733, and an increase in the average farm size to 122 acres. This development is noteworthy, especially considering the reduction in farm numbers and land in some neighboring…

Nov

29

2023

By North State Journal Staff

Pinecrest boys post lone win for county schools this week

Sports

Before a brief break for the Thanksgiving holiday, four of the county’s six boys and girls basketball teams were in action last week, with mixed results. Union Pines boys, girls swept by South View After a season opening win over Montgomery Central, the Vikings dropped to 1-1 on the young campaign with a 85-72 loss to South View last week. Senior Trent Hilburn led the way for Union Pines, scoring 31 points on 10-of-25 shooting from the field. He was 4-of-8 from three-point range and had 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Junior Aiden Leonard was also in double figures with…