Blog – Moore County Edition

Nov

29

2023

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Zanodiya McNair

Sports

Zanodiya McNair is a junior guard for the Pinecrest Patriots girls basketball team. McNair was the game’s top scorer in the Patriots’ 55-43 loss to Jack Britt last week, pouring in 19 points in 20 minutes. She hit 8-of-14 shots from two-point range and added a game-high 5 steals. She was also the leading scorer for Pinecrest in the season opener, with 9 points, adding 5 rebounds in that game. ‌

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…

Nov

29

2023

By Associated Press

University of North Carolina shooting suspect found unfit for trial, sent to mental health facility

NewsUNC shooting

RALEIGH — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate student charged with fatally shooting his faculty adviser has been found unfit for trial after two mental evaluations, a judge ruled Monday. Tailei Qi, 34, is accused of killing associate professor Zijie Yan in a science building at the state's flagship public university on Aug. 28. He is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder and misdemeanor possession of a firearm on educational property. Orange County Superior Court Judge Alyson Grine said Monday that two separate mental evaluations found Qi likely suffers from untreated schizophrenia. "Qi demonstrated…

Nov

21

2023

By Ryan Henkel, North State Journal

Pinehurst council appoints historic preservation chair, approves ADU

NewsVillage of Pinehurst Council

PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst Council's meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14, addressed a variety of property and budgetary matters. The session began with the appointment of Richard Vincent as chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission. Village Manager Jeff Sanborn said, “With John Taylor’s election to Council, we have a need to replace him as the chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission. Richard Vincent has a vast amount of experience on our HPC and he is endorsed by John Taylor and we think he is the person best suited to fill that position from the candidates that are available.” The…

Nov

21

2023

By Randolph Record

Athlete of the Week: Nathaniel Dyer

Sportsathlete of the week

Nathaniel Dyer (4) is a senior quarterback and free safety for North Moore’s football team. The Mustangs saw their season end in a loss to Wilson Prep on Friday, but Dyer led North Moore to a conference title and into the NCHSAA playoffs’ third round. In addition to quarterbacking the team and leading the North Moore offense, Dyer was also a big play contributor on defense and special teams. He had a pass defense and fumble recovery during the regular season, and he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone against Wilson Prep to cut the deficit to seven…

Nov

21

2023

By Randolph Record

Pinehurst tree lighting set for Dec. 1

NewsPinehurst tree lighting

PINEHURST — The Village of Pinehurst is set to kick-off the Christmas season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting event. This year, the celebration is scheduled for Friday, December 1, at Tufts Memorial Park, located in the heart of downtown Pinehurst. From 5pm to 7:30pm, the park will become a hub of holiday festivities, inviting the community and visitors to enjoy an evening filled with music and the opportunity to meet Santa Claus. The highlight of the evening, the official tree lighting ceremony, is planned for 6:30pm. Complementing the holiday cheer, local vendors will be present, offering a variety of…

Nov

21

2023

By Randolph Record

North Moore football finishes season, basketball opens play across county

SportsMoore County sports

Football comes to an end North Moore saw its season end in the third round of the state playoffs. The 6-seed Mustangs lost to 3-seed Wilson Prep in the round of 16 by a 42-15 score. North Moore had no answer for the Wilson Prep run game, which featured three 100-yard backs. The Tigers scored six touchdowns on the ground in the contest. The Mustangs got on the board with a pass from Colby Pennington to Kolby Ritchie, then tightened things up when Nathaniel Dyer recovered a blocked punt in the end zone. North Moore could never close the gap,…

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…

Nov

15

2023

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: William Miller

Sportsathlete of the week

Pinecrest, football William Miller is a junior kicker and defensive back on the Pinecrest football team. Pinecrest saw its undefeated season end after 11 straight wins with a loss to Clayton in the second round of the playoffs on Friday, but Miller did a bit of everything to try to carry his team into round three. Miller kicked a 30-yard field goal to move Pinecrest within one score of the lead, while also adding an extra point. On defense, he added an interception, returning it 29 yards. Miller led Pinecrest in interceptions this year and was third on the team…