Blog – Moore County Edition

Mar

06

2024

Pinehurst budget overspending lower than originally expected

News

PINEHURST -— The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, Feb. 27, approving a fiscal 2024 mid-year budget amendment to the general fund. “I met with the managers and department heads to come up with our revenue and expenditure projections for the remainder of this fiscal year, FY24,” Financial Services Director Dana Van Nostrand told the board. “We’re estimating that our expenditures will exceed the revenues by approximately $541,000. If that is the year end result, we would be drawing down from fund balance, but our original budget for FY24 anticipated us having to draw $600,000 from fund balance, so we…

Feb

28

2024

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Azir Gillespie

Sports

Pinecrest, boys’ basketball Azir Gillespie is a senior guard for the Pinecrest boys’ basketball team. The Patriots enter the playoffs at 13-10, 7-7 in the Sandhills Conference. They earned the 22-seed in the 4A playoffs. Gillespie has been the third-leading scorer on Pinecrest this season, but he’s stepped up his production as the playoffs loomed. He’s had several double-figure scoring games over the last month, including a 20-point outburst in a win over Scotland in the conference tournament. He added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in the victory.

Feb

28

2024

By Ryan Henkel, North State Journal

Aberdeen hears proposal to update South Street railroad crossing

NewsAberdeen Town Board

ABERDEEN – The Aberdeen Town Board met Monday, Feb. 26, approving ordinance change to increase the maximum height of multi-family buildings from 35 to 45 feet to accommodate sloped roofs. “When you’re doing a three-story multi-family building, you’re not able to get the proper slope” with the limit of 35 feet, Planning Director John Terziu told the board. Instead, architects are forced towards “a more urban style, flat roof without being able to put the pitched slope, which doesn’t really fit into our suburban population.” NCDOT’s Rail Division was also in attendance, proposing an update to the South Street railroad…

Feb

28

2024

By Ryan Henkel, North State Journal

Pinehurst council moves forward on SMPO

NewsVillage of Pinehurst Council

PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, Feb. 13, and approved updates to the fees and charges schedule for fiscal 2025. Changes include an increase for residential building permits relating to residential additions, alterations or new construction from $0.17 per square foot to $0.30 per square foot, an 2-4% increase in the base fee for the rental of the Fair Barn and a $5 increase in administrative fees for memberships, classes, programs and youth day camps for residents. The council signed off on a number of items related to the new Sandhills Metropolitan Planning Organization (SMPO). “Once an…

Feb

28

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Four teams from county advance to playoffs

SportsMoore County sports

The regular season and conference tournaments are over, meaning the one-and-done playoff season has begun for North Carolina high schools. Two of Moore County’s three boys’ teams, and two of the three girls’ teams will be in action this week after receiving bids from the NCHSAA. Each school in the county has at least one team representing it as teams around North Carolina begin vying for the state title. Here’s a team by team look at the county boys’ and girls’ teams. Boys North Moore saw its season end with a 80-35 loss to Northwood in the Mid-Carolina Conference Tournament…

Feb

21

2024

By Moore County Staff

Union Pines wins state title in wrestling

Sportsmoore county wrestling

A week after finishing second in the state dual team wrestling championships, Union Pines brought home the state title in the individual wrestling tournament. The Vikings were dominant as they won the first wrestling title in school history. Union Pines racked up 144.5 points to post a dominant victory in the NCHSAA 3A championships, beating second-place Eastern Guilford by a 44.5-point margin. The Vikings had two wrestlers win state titles in their respective weight classes and had a total of eight team members place in states. Junior Brock Sullivan won the state title for Union Pines in the 175-pound division.…

Feb

21

2024

By Randolph Record

Early voting underway in Moore County

Businessearly voting

In-person early voting for 2024’s March 5 primary election kicked off on Thursday, Feb. 15 across North Carolina. Statewide, more than 340 early voting sites are open for early voting ahead of the primary. “In-person early voting is one of the ways voters can cast ballots securely in North Carolina,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “The bipartisan election officials who work at each early voting site are prepared for a smooth voting process and to ensure the ballots of eligible voters are counted.” There are 75,487 registered voters in Moore County as of…

Feb

21

2024

By Ryan Henkel

Moore school board approves new high school classes

Newsboard of education

CARTHAGE – The Moore County Schools Board of Education met Monday, Feb. 12, beginning with a number of updates to the high school course catalog for the 2024-25 school year. New classes include AP Drawing and AP 3D Art and Design at Pinecrest High School and Union Pines High School, and “The Bible as History” as a new social studies elective. American History I and II are being replaced with American History, and “American History: Founding Principles, Civics and Economics” will be replaced with “Founding Principles of the United State of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy.” The prerequisite requirements…

Feb

15

2024

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Christian Hackett

Sportsathlete of the week

Union Pines, track & field Christian Hackett is a senior for the Union Pines track & field team. The Vikings finished fifth in the boys’ indoor track state championships last week, and Hackett led the way in field events. His high jump of 6 feet, 8.0 inches was good for the state title, four inches higher than the next closest competitor. He also finished ninth in the triple jump with a leap of 40 feet, 5.5 inches. Hackett is a three-sport athlete who is also a forward on the boys’ basketball team and has played safety and wide receiver for…

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…