News Lines from June 15-21 in Moore, Lee & Harnett

Central Carolina Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training graduates enjoyed the commencement ceremony having passed through a gauntlet of challenges.

“Our instructors held us to a standard and that standard remained the standard,” said class leader Thomas Vincent. 

During the June 10 event at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center in Sanford, local law enforcement officers and CCCC leaders took to the stage to present awards representing top performances in some key aspects of the BLET training, which takes place over the course of 21 weeks.

Fervent opposition to the proposed data center dominated the public comments period at the June 15 Lee County Commissioners’ meeting.

They listed many of the same reasons they had voiced since the first hint of its inception. Citizens said they felt betrayed, ignored and threatened.They questioned how a data center was classified as “light” industrial.

One citizen questioned why the commissioners ignored a board member’s motion for a moratorium and threatened legal action due to conflict of interest when that citizen said he had evidence two board members worked for PointOne Data Center.

Commissioners voted to keep the property tax rate at .65 cents per $100 of value when they approved the 2026-27 budget on June 15. Public outcry led to a .05 cent tax reduction from the original budget proposal.

Chairperson Samantha Martin recommended a performance review of the budget. The last review was in 2011. She said the review would help them make better decisions.

Commissioner Robert Reives said he could not support “no tax increase because the county can’t afford to do what it proposed to do.” Reives said he did not want to spend money on a new performance audit when they had one from 2011.

Read Lee County Commissioners hear data center opposition, approve budget for details.

Harnett County Commissioners delayed approving the 2026-2027 budget at the June 15 meeting until June 24 at 9 a.m. after the storm on Senate Bill 889 should be finalized. The governor has until June 22 to veto or sign 889, the bill on appraisal control by the state. The decisions representatives in Raleigh make mean a half a million-budget difference for Harnett County, impacting school construction, teacher supplement pay, maintaining services, and restoring the fund balance.

Read Tidal wave: Harnett County rides out Senate bills.

Harnett County will review a major subdivision proposal on 200 acres off Ray Road and Rambeaut Road.

Woodcreek Subdivision proposes 322 lots with 33 acres of open space.

Lenox Homes of California plans four-bedroom homes, building 40 each year, with a target on first-time homeowners with young children.

Read Harnett County to review 322-home major subdivision proposal.

On June 17, the Moore County Board of Commissioners approved a $460,000 fire engine purchase, exposed a conflict of planning board appointees, endorsed Robbins for federal Opportunity Zone designation, reviewed privacy concerns about Flock cameras, approved multiple Unified Development Ordinance amendments.

Moore Commissioners approve new fire engine, expose conflict of planning board appointees, back Robbins Opportunity Zone bid and revisit Flock camera privacy to learn details.

Governor Josh Stein, Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Paul Tine, Major General Todd Hunt of the North Carolina National Guard, and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs celebrated the opening of a new driver license office at the Fort Bragg Soldier Support Center. This new office will provide dedicated driver license services to servicemembers, veterans, and military families on base.

The Veterans’ Career & Resource Fair spotlights service article shares contacts for America’s heroes, the veterans.

Old Glory honors Whataburger grand opening in Southern Pines reveals how veterans are responsible for commerce freedoms, along with all the other freedoms in America.

Aberdeen NC project proposals include a 7 Brew Coffee Drive-Thru and 74 homes reveals locations and the Town of Aberdeen checklists for approval.

Governor Stein takes action on two bills shows the state’s attempt to relieve inflation with more governmental control.

NC audits find delays in unemployment payments, $4 M in fraud reveals weakness in the state’s systems.

Enjoy the Teen News video!

The week finished out with farms, faith and fellowship with the article, Hand Clutch Tractor Club supports youth in FFA,” just when the people needed reminding of the good life here in North Carolina.

June 21, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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