Moore County Connect Newsletter Issue #064 11/30/23

Moore County Welcomes Burlington Store / The 2022 Substation Attack Victim and More

November 30, 2023

Moore News More Often

In Today’s Issue…

🌤 MOORE COUNTY, NC WEATHER

❔ CAROLINA CURIOSITY TRIVIA

📰 Moore County Welcomes Burlington Store in 2024

📰 The 1-Year Old Story of the Moore County Substation Attack Victim and A Year of Unanswered Questions 

👉 LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: How About You?

🤝 OUR LOCAL BUSINESS PARTNERS

🏀 LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: Schedules and more!

📅 LOCAL EVENTS

🎉 CELEBRATE! TODAY IS…

Question: What is North Carolina’s official state soft drink?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

 

Would you like to have your Moore County business featured here in our Local Business Spotlight? We would love to share your business with the rest of Moore County. You can apply for your own business or nominate a business!

👇 Select an Option:

 

Photo credit: Burlington.com

Moore County Welcomes Burlington Store in 2024

Moore County is experiencing a retail expansion with Burlington set to open in Aberdeen in early 2024. The store, occupying the former Bed Bath & Beyond location on Highway 15-501, is currently under renovation. This new store is expected to bring job opportunities and a variety of bargain options to the local community. See full story: Sandhills Sentinel

The 1-Year Old Story of the Moore County Substation Attack Victim and A Year of Unanswered Questions

Bruno and Karin Zoanelli's romance started on an Italian beach and led to a 59-year marriage. They lived in Bermuda and the U.S., with Bruno working in restaurant management before retiring in Pinehurst.

The story takes a tragic turn when the sabotage attack on Duke Energy substations in Moore County cut off electricity to 45,000 customers, including the Zoanellis on Dec. 3, 2022. Karin, reliant on an electric oxygen concentrator, tragically passed away due to the power outage, her death ruled a homicide. This incident revealed a major vulnerability in the national power grid.

A year after the Moore County substation attacks, there's little public progress in the investigation by the FBI and the Sheriff's Office. Despite numerous interviews and a substantial reward, no arrests have been made, and victims like Bruno Zoanelli are left with uncertainty.

The attack's strategic nature raises unanswered questions. In response, Duke Energy plans to enhance substation security and system resiliency, allocating $500 million for these efforts. U.S. Representative Richard Hudson expressed dissatisfaction with the FBI's handling of the case, but former FBI agent Mark Aysta believes the bureau will persist in its investigation.

There is much more to the story: See the News and Observer Full Article or the Full Article on Newsbreak.

Our Business Partners listed here are seen nearly 8000 times every single week by Moore County residents and that number is growing daily. These are not email deliveries, mind you, but 8000 actual sets of eyeballs see this section every week.

Watch Local High School Sports via Live Stream

You should be able to find live stream links to some of our local high school games and matches on the National Federation of High School Associations website 👉 https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/

North Moore Mustangs - Upcoming

  • Men’s Varsity Basketball

    • Dec 1: Home game versus Ascend Leadership, 7:30 p.m.

    • Dec 5: Home game versus Northwood 7:30pm

    • Dec 7: Away game versus Gray Stone Day School 7:30pm

    • Dec 8: Away game versus South Stanley 7:30pm

    • Dec 12: Away game versus O’Neal School 6:30pm

    • Dec 13: Away game versus Southeast Alamance 7:30pm

  • Women’s Varsity Basketball

    • Dec 1: Home game versus Ascend Leadership 6pm

    • Dec 5 Home game versus Northwood 6pm

    • Dec 7: Away game versus Gray Stone Day School 6pm

    • Dec 8: Away game versus South Stanley 6pm

    • Dec 12: Away game versus O’Neal School 5:30pm

    • Dec 13: Away game versus Southeast Alamance 6pm

  • Wrestling

    • Nov 30: Home match versus Barlett Yancey, 6 p.m.

    • Dec 3: Tournament 9am

    • Dec 14 Away at Seaforth 6pm

    • Dec 17 Away at Providence (time tbd)

Union Pines High School Vikings - Upcoming

  • Men’s Basketball

    • Dec 1: Away at Gray's Creek 6pm

    • Dec 4: Away at Douglas Byrd 7:30pm

    • Dec 5: Home Game versus Gray’s Creek 7:30pm

    • Dec 8: Away at South Johnston 7:30pm

    • Dec 12 Away at Lee County 7:30pm

  • Women’s Basketball

    • Dec 1: Away at Gray’s Creek, 6pm

    • Dec 4: Away at Douglas Byrd 6pm

    • Dec 5: Home Game versus Gray’s Creek 6pm

    • Dec 8: Away at South Johnston 6:15pm

    • Dec 12 Away at Lee County 6pm

  • Men’s Wrestling

    • Dec 1 Away versus Pinecrest 6pm

    • Dec 2 Away versus Pinecrest 9am

    • Dec 6 Away versus Southern Lee 5pm

    • Dec 9 Away versus South View 9am

    • Dec 13 Away versus Eastern Guilford 6pm

  • Indoor Track

    • Dec 2: Polar Bear Meet, 9 a.m.

    • Dec 9: Polar Bear Meet at Pinecrest, 9 a.m.

    • Dec 16 Holiday Invitational 9am

    • Dec 29 Polar Bear Meet at Pinecrest 9am

  • Swimming

    • Dec 1: At Pinecrest HS, 6:00 PM

    • Dec 2: At Pinecrest HS, 9:00 AM

    • Dec 6: At southern Lee 5pm

    • Dec 9 At south View 9am

    • Dec 13 at Eastern Guilford 6pm

Pinecrest High School Patriots - Upcoming

  • Men’s Basketball

    • Dec 1 Home versus Overhills 7:30pm

    • Dec 5 Away at Richmond 7:30pm

    • Dec 8 Home versus Apex 7:30pm

    • Dec 13 Home versus Clayton 7:30pm

  • Women’s Basketball

    • Dec 1 Home versus Overhills 6pm

    • Dec 5 Away at Richmond 6pm

    • Dec 8 Home versus Apex 6pm

    • Dec 13 Home versus Clayton 6:30pm

  • Men’s & Women’s Wrestling

    • Dec 2: (Men) Mason Wagner Duals at Pinecrest 8am

    • Dec 2: (Women) Westover Girls Dual tournament at Westover 8am

    • Dec 6: Conference Quad at Richmone 5am

    • Dec 9: (Men) Bobby Abernathy Invitational at Piedmont High 8am

    • Dec 9 (Women) Lady Patriots and JV Invitational at Pinecrest 6pm

    • Dec 12 (Men) Men’s Dual at Freedom Christian 6pm

    • Dec 12 (Women) Women’s Dual at Lumberton 6pm

    • Dec 15-16 WRAL at Knightdale High 8am

    • Dec 21-22 Tiger Holiday Classic at Chapel Hill High 8am

  • Indoor Track

    • Dec 2: Polar Bear #1 at Union Pines

    • Dec 9: Polar Bear #2 at Pinecrest

    • Dec 15: Reindeer Classic at JDL Winston Salem

    • Dec 29 Polar Bear #3 at Pinecrest

  • Swimming

    • Dec 7: Scotland, Hoke and Pinecrest at St. Andrews 6:15pm

    • Dec 14: Union Pines and PInecrest at St. Andrews 6:15pm

Father Vincent Capodanno High School Grunts - Upcoming

  • Men’s Basketball

    • Nov 30 Away at Thomas Academy 7pm

    • Dec 6 Home versus Thomas Academy 7pm

    • Dec 8 Away at St. Thomas More Academy 6pm

    • Dec 11 Home versus LifeSpring Academy 5:30pm

    • Dec 12 Away at SSLCA 4:30pm

  • Women’s Basketball

    • Nov 30 Away at Thomas Academy 6pm

    • Dec 6 Home versus Thomas Academy 5:30pm

    • Dec 8 Away at St. Thomas More Academy 4:30pm

    • Dec 12 Away at SSLCA 3:15pm

  • November 30 - December 1

  • December 1-3

  • December 1 

    • Village of Pinehurst Christmas Tree Lighting 5-7:30pm James W. Tufts Memorial Park, Pinehurst

  • December 2 

    • Moore Area Shag Society December Dance & Social $10 pp; 7-10pm at Down Memory Lane (161 Dawkins St. Aberdeen) Guest DJ Buck Crumpton; Bring a covered dish to share (optional) - entree is provided.

    • Town of Cameron Christmas Parade 10am

    • Southern Pines Christmas Parade 11am

    • Christmas Bazaar at St. John Paul Catholic School 10am-3pm Southern Pines

  • December 3

  • December 4

    • Friend to Friend Benefit Fashion Show 12Noon-3pm 105.S. Ashe St. Southern Pines Tickets: Southern Pines Civic Cluib 910-725-6356

  • December 5

  • December 7 

    • Town of Robbins Christmas Parade 6pm followed by the Christmas Tree Lighting after the parade

    • Aberdeen Tree Lightng 6:15pm

  • December 9 

    • Aberdeen Christmas Parade 11am

    • Town of Carthage Tree Lighting 6pm

    • Town of Carthage Christmas Parade 6:30pm

    • Southern Pines Carriage Parade 1pm

    • Shaw House Holiday Open House 1-4pm by the Moore County Historical Association; The Shaw House 110 West Morganton Rd Southern Pines

  • December 10 

    • The Light of Christmas Moore County Choral Society (Choral, Brass & Percussion Performance) 7-9pm BPAC, Sandhills Comm College

  • December 16 

    • Town of Vass Christmas Parade 11am

  • December 17

    • Pop Up in the Pines Market 11am-4pm Hatchet Brewing Company

ONGOING…

Monday Nights Southern Soul Line Dancing; Beg 6pm; Int 7:15pm; $10pp at The Roast Office (95 Cherokee Rd. Pinehurst

Answer: Cheerwine, created by L.D. Peeler in Salisbury, NC amid a sugar shortage.