Blog – Moore County Edition

Nov

05

2024

Republican Neal Jackson wins reelection for NC House’s 78th District seat

News2024 election, lowell simon, Moore County, NCGA, randolph county, Rep. Neal Jackson

RALEIGH — Freshman Incumbent Republican Rep. Neal Jackson has defeated Democratic challenger Lowell Simon in the House District 78 race which covers portions of Moore and Randolph Counties. Results, while still unofficial, show Jackson taking in 71.63% of the vote to Simon's 28.37%. Jackson, a pastor, has served in the seat for one term having been first elected in 2022. Jackson originally took the seat in 2023 following the retirement of Allen McNeill who was District 78’s representative from 2012 to 2022. In that 2022 election, Jackson garnered 27,787 votes or 76.6% of the ballot, to defeat Democrat Erik Davis…

Nov

05

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Republican John Sauls wins reelection for NC House’s 51st District seat

News2024 election, ginger bauerband, john sauls, Moore County, NCGA

RALEIGH — Incumbent Republican Rep. John Sauls has defeated Democratic challenger Ginger Bauerband in the Moore County House District 51 race. Results are not final, however Sauls has garnered 64.37% of the vote compared to 35.63% for Bauerband. Sauls is in his sixth term in the North Carolina House and now heads into his seventh term in January 2025. The incumbent has been in his position since 2017 and will represent all of Lee County and the northeastern part of Moore County. In 2022, Sauls received 16,973 votes or 65% of the vote compared to Democrat Malcolm Hall’s 9,147 or…

Oct

27

2024

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Ashely Lee

SportsAshley Lee, Pinecrest girls' golf, Pinecrest golf, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots

Pinecrest golf freshman Ashley Lee is Athlete of the Week. The reigning 2023 Tarheel Youth Golf Association Middle School State champion made a splash in her debut in high school golf. In her first season with Pinecrest, Lee led the Sandhills Conference in scoring average and earned first-team SAC All‑Conference honors, joining five of her Patriots teammates on the All-Sandhills team. She also won the Conference Player of the Year award.

Oct

24

2024

By Ryan Henkel

Board of Education members accused of accepting improper gratuities

Newsmoore county schools board of education

CARTHAGE – Tensions continue to rise between the members of the Moore County Schools Board of Education with the latest spat being over an ethics violation complaint brought about by board member David Hensley. Hensley, who was censured by the board earlier this year, claimed that members of the board, namely board chair Robert Levy, vice chair Shannon Davis, Stacey Caldwell and Pauline Bruno had accepted improper/illegal gratuities from an organization in which the board had contracted with. “As everyone knows, the US Open was held here in Pinehurst over the summer, a very successful event, and the PGA came…

Oct

18

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Hailey Gibbons

Sportsathlete of the week, Hailey Gibbons, Patriots, Pinecrest, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots, Pinecrest volleyball

Pinecrest volleyball senior Hailey Gibbons is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots finished a perfect 12-0 conference season with wins over Hoke County and Union Pines. In the senior night win over Hoke, Gibbons led Pinecrest with 11 digs and 15 receptions, adding four service aces and an assist. In the regular season finale against Union Pines, Gibbons had 18 digs, 11 receptions, three assists and an ace. For the season, Gibbons leads the team in aces per set and is third in digs, receptions and total aces.

Oct

15

2024

By Asheebo Rojas

Four interceptions help North Moore spoil Seaforth’s homecoming, 38-20

SportsMoore County sports, North Moore, Seaforth

PITTSBORO — North Moore won the turnover battle in a 38-20 win over Seaforth Friday, spoiling the Hawks’ homecoming night and extending its win streak to three. Junior defensive back Martez Johnson grabbed two of the Mustangs’ four interceptions on back-to-back pivotal possessions in the fourth quarter. After a 4-yard touchdown run from junior Joseph Dunn put North Moore up 31-17, Johnson ended Seaforth’s ensuing drive by catching a tipped pass from sophomore punter Travis Mann on a fake punt attempt. Seaforth got another chance to make it a one-possession game after recovering a fumble on the following possession and…

Oct

12

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Brandon Powell

Sportsathlete of the week, Brandon Powell, North Moore, north moore football, North Moore High School, North Moore Mustangs

North Moore football senior running back Brandon Powell is Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. The Mustangs won their second straight game after an 0-4 start, blowing out Bartlett Yancey 55‑22 last Friday. North Moore didn’t throw a pass in the game, rushing for 488 yards. Powell had more than half of them, carrying 23 times for 269 yards, an average of 11.7 yards per carry. He also scored six touchdowns. Powell is the state’s No.3 rusher at the 1A level and leads the Mid-Carolina Conference.

Oct

11

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Banner week for Moore County high school football

SportsMoore County sports

Don’t look now, but North Moore is on a winning streak. Meanwhile, Pinecrest bounced back from a surprising loss, and Union Pines continues to roll. All three area teams posted wins on the gridiron last weekend. It was just the second time in the last two years that all three county teams won on the same day and the first since Sept. 1, 2023. It was the first time Pinecrest, Union Pines and North Moore all won conference games on the same Football Friday since Oct. 27, 2022. All three teams are in a good place as we enter the…

Oct

08

2024

By Ryan Henkel

Commissioners to hold public hearing on potential racetrack development

NewsMoore County Board of Commissioners

CARTHAGE – The Moore County Board of Education has set a date for a public hearing for a planned development conditional rezoning request for 395.67 acres of property located on Leach Road from RA to Planned Development Conditional Zoning (PD-CZ) for the construction of a luxury racetrack. The board has been hearing opposition to the racetrack for months now from local citizens during the public comment period of their meetings as there are a lot of concerns surrounding noise, traffic and the overall impact on the local way of life and on the current rural/agricultural appeal of the area. The…

Oct

06

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Blake Pennington

Sportsathlete of the week, Blake Pennington, North Moore, north moore football, North Moore High School

North Moore football freshman Blake Pennington is Athlete of the Week. Playing with older brother Colby, a North Moore senior this season, in their only year together, Blake has quickly made a name for himself on the Mustangs defense. He is averaging more than 10 tackles a game to lead the team. In North Moore’s shutout win over Jordan-Matthews last week, Pennington had a game-high 14 tackles. He also added two tackles for loss, giving him three on the season, to go with one sack. Pennington also blocked two punts against the Jets.