MONDAY, MAY 15,2023

'A Tremendous Honor': New SCC President Faces a Full Worklist

When Sandhills Community College’s Board of Trustees set out to hire a new president, they cast a nationwide net for someone who could live up to John Dempsey’s formidable legacy. Alexander "Sandy" Stewart ended up being virtually right next door.

“He’s got a really big job with the state of North Carolina, and even though he's not been in academics all his life, he has a PhD from N.C. State University,” Vice Chair Larry Caddell said after the vote confirming Stewart Tuesday. “He's one of our own. He’s a local guy, he grew up here, he was educated at Union Pines. So we’re really excited that now we can get on with running the college.”

County to Review Draft Budget Tuesday Night

The Moore County Board of Commissioners will give the public the first look Tuesday night of a proposed budget that rolls back the tax rate to account for higher property values, County Manager Wayne Vest said.

Moore County currently collects 48 cents for every $100 of a property’s valuation. But properties were all reappraised this year substantially higher, which is giving local governments a chance to reduce tax rates to accommodate the property value growth. The new rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year budget would be 33 cents.

Commissioners will review the budget Tuesday evening starting at 5:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square in Carthage.

Dr. Moms Dispense The Best Medicine

On Mother’s Day, as on other days, don’t mess with Mother Nature, especially when she wears scrubs and a stethoscope around her neck.

Although women appear in all medical specialties, 72.8 percent of the 10,000 pediatricians in the U.S. are women. Logical? Maybe, since small children seem more comfortable with women. Natural? Probably, given the “mothering” instinct. Practical? Not necessarily, since pediatrics can be a demanding specialty with uncertain hours and high emotions.

Here's a look at some local Dr. Moms.

Pinecrest Senior Wins State Tennis Title

Pinecrest senior Marshall Landry rectified his loss last year in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state tennis championship match by closing his high school career on a high note, winning the school’s first individual state singles title Saturday in Raleigh.

Landry won the title without dropping a set in his four matches at Millbrook Exchange Park Friday and Saturday.

Good Deed Doers: Students from Father Vincent Capodanno have their pick of the litter last week while working a cleanup service project along West Pennsylvania Avenue in Southern Pines. Photo by TED FITZGERALD / The Pilot