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SEPTEMBER 2020
SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA
THE PITCH The 'other' big vote this November: A potentially game-changing sports complex in Lee County
INSIDE: LOCAL GYMS ADAPT | MORE CANDIDATE Q&A
2 2| September | September2020 2020 2 | September 2020
@therant905 @therant905 @therant905
SPONSORED SPONSOREDCONTENT CONTENT
COVID-19 HAS PEOPLE COVID-19 HAS PEOPLE COVID-19 HAS PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF CITIES MOVING OUT OF CITIES MOVING OUT OF CITIES SPONSORED CONTENT
Pandemic Pandemiccould couldmake maketowns townslike likeSanford Sanfordmore morepopular popularthan thanever ever
Pandemic could make towns like Sanford more popular than ever
ByBy John Ramsperger John Ramsperger Sanford Real Estate Sanford Real Estate By John Ramsperger
“After “Aftersix sixmonths monthsofof "Aft er six months oftoto telecommuting due telecommuting due telecommuting due to COVID-19, COVID-19,people people COVID-19, are they arerealizing realizingpeople theydodo do toto are realizing they not close notneed needtotolive live close not need toanymore.” live close their jobs their jobs anymore.”
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Sanford Real Estate
mericans areare leaving densely popmericans leaving densely populated cities in favor of of smaller ulated cities favor smaller mericans arein leaving densely communities, looking forfor more communities, looking populated cities in favor ofmore space to to move around. space move around. look smaller communities,
for more space toto move g Sanford is the perfect alternative Ra-RaSanford isinthe perfect alternative to
around. leigh. The Raleigh area offers smaller homes leigh. The Raleigh area offers smaller homes
onon smaller lots andand hashas more traffic. Sanford smaller more traffic. Sanford islots the perfect alternative to Sanford Ra offers larger homes on bigger lots andand less offers larger homes on bigger lots less leigh. The Raleigh area offers smaller homes traffic. Homes lessless expensive in in Sanford traffic. Homes are expensive Sanford on smaller lotsareand has more era/lie. Sanford as offers well. as well. larger homes on bigger lots and less
to their jobs anymore."
era/lie. Homes are less expensive in Sanford The median home value in in Sanford is is The median home value Sanford as well. $155,647. Sanford home values have gone
$155,647. Sanford home values have gone The median home value inand Sanford upup 3.4% over thethe past year and Zillow 3.4% over past year Zillowis $155,647. Sanford home values have gone predicts they willwill fallfall -1.9% within thethe predicts they -1.9% within up 3.4% over the pastlist year andper Zillow next year. The median price square next year. The median list price per square predicts they will -1.9% within the foot in in Sanford is $107. The median price foot Sanford isfall $107. The median price year. The median list price per issquare of next homes currently listed in in Sanford of homes currently listed Sanford is foot in Sanford is $107. The median price $189,900. $189,900. of homes currently listed in Sanford is The median home value in in Raleigh is is The median home value Raleigh $189,900.
——John JohnRamsperger Ramsperger
-john Ramsperger Staying at home hashas forced families to to getget Staying at home forced families creative in in the space they occupy. AsAs such, creative space they occupy. Staying at the home has forced families tosuch, get people want more room inside their home, people want more room inside their home, creative in the space th ey occupy. As such, (square feet), andand a room bigger yard when they (square feet), a bigger yard when they people want more inside their home, go outside. go outside. (square feet), and a bigger yard when they
were talking about ourour strategic location were talking about strategic location AllAll of of thisthis means Sanford is poised forfor means Sanford is poised foryears, years, predicting growth would for years, predicting the growth would growth. City andand county leaders have growth. City county have for predicting thethe growth would All of this means Sanford isleaders poised for come ourway way because are sandwiched come our way because we are sandwiched done well recently to to promote andand come done well recently promote Sanford our because wewe are sandwiched growth. City and county leadersSanford have between theTriangle Triangle and Fayetteville areas. between the Triangle and Fayetteville areas. enhance quality life.life. The expansion enhance its quality of The expansion the and Fayetteville areas. done wellits recently toofpromote Sanford andof of between Growth wascoming coming our way ... ... until thethe was our way ...way unril the Growth was coming our until Pfizer and announcements of expansion new industry Pfizer and announcements of new industry enhance its quality of life. The of Growth Recession ofof2008. We since goAfter outside. Great Recession 2008. Wehave have since Great Recession of 2008. We have since moving toannouncements Sanford areare proof that Sanford is isGreat moving to Sanford proof that Sanford and of new industry sixsix months of of telecommuting duedue Pfizer After months telecommuting recovered frofrom mfrom that downturn. Now wewe are recovered that downturn. Now areare recovered that downturn. Now we growing. New residential housing is coming moving to Sanford are proof chat Sanford is growing. New residential housing is coming After six months of telecommuting duedodo to to COVID-19, people areare realizing they COVID-19, people realizing they fielding inquiries from people outside of fielding inquiries from people outside of growing. New residential housing starts are fielding inquiries from people outside of as well to accommodate new residents. Our as well to accommodate new residents. Our people realizing thanymore. tonot COVID-19, not need to tolivelive close toare their jobs anymore. need close to their jobs ey do Sanford looking toto relocate here. WeWe don't coming as well co accommodate new resi Sanford looking relocate here. don't Sanford looking to relocate here. We don't downtown is booming with life. downtown is booming with life. not need co live close to their jobs anymore. A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of of A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% about the coming anymore .. .it's dents. Our downtown is booming with life. talk talktalk about thegrowth growth coming anymore...it's about the growth coming anymore...it's Aemployees recent Gartner pollwork showed that 48% employees willwill likely remotely at least likely work remotely atofleast A continuation of of thisthis growth would A continuation growth would already started. already started. already started. employees will likely work remotely at lease of this growth would part of of thethe time after COVID-19 versus part time after COVID-19 versus beAbe tocontinuation support thethe proposed multi-purpose to support proposed multi-purpose
$290,270. Raleigh home values have gone $290,270. Raleigh home values have gone The median home value inand Raleigh is upup 2.9% over thethe past year and Zillow 2.9% over past year Zillow $290,270. Raleigh home values have gone predicts they willwill fallfall -1.7% within thethe predicts they -1.7% within up 2.9% over the past year and Zillow next year. The median listlist price perper square next year. The median price square predicts they will -1.7% within theprice foot in in Raleigh is $158. The median price foot Raleigh isfall $158. The median year. The median list price perissquare of next homes currently listed in in Raleigh of homes currently listed Raleigh is part of before the time after COYlD-19 versus ononthe and expe co support thebyproposed multi-purpose 30% before thethe pandemic. Employers areare be Count theprofessionalism professionalism and expe30% pandemic. Employers Count on the professionalism and expesports complex LeeLee Grow Play Succeed. sports complex by Grow Play Succeed. Count foot in Raleigh is $158. The median price $349,850 while thethe median price of of homes $349,850 while median price homes reacting rience ofofSanford Real Estate forfor allfor ofall your 30% before the pandemic. Employers are spores complex by Lee Grow Play Succeed. to this trend by looking at locations rience Sanford Real Estate all of your reacting to this trend by looking at locations rience of Sanford Real Estate of your of sold homes currently listed in Raleigh is The professionals at Sanford Real Estate The professionals at Sanford Real Estate housing and commercial needs. that is $288,900. that sold is $288,900. reacting coaway chis trend by looking at locations further away from city centers. housing and commercial needs. further from city centers. housing and commercial needs. The professionals at Sanford Real Estate $349,850 while the median price of homes that sold is $288,900.
further away from city centers.
Sanford 1;l#-ii■4ii1¥1i
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304 N. Horner Blvd. • Downtown Sanford
919.708.5100 www.yoursanfordrealestate.com
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y The Rant l h t on M September 2020 | Sanford, North Carolina A product of LPH Media, LLC Vol. 2 | Issue 9
Editorial Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com Billy Liggett | billy@rantnc.com Jonathan Owens | jonathan@rantnc.com Advertising Brandon Allred | brandon@rantnc.com (919) 605-1479 Contributors Laura Brummett, Nathan Cochrane and Charles Petty Editorial Board Dale Gribble, Luanne Platter, Bill Dautrieve, Jeff Boomhauer Kahn Souphanousiphone, John Redcorn, Rusty Shackleford
Find Us Online: www.rantnc.com Facebook: facebook.com/therant905 Twitter: twitter.com/therant905 Podcast: rantnc.podbean.com
S MA
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The Rant Monthly
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SEPTEMBER 2020
SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA
THE PITCH The 'other' big vote this November: A potentially game-changing sports complex in Lee County
INSIDE: LOCAL GYMS ADAPT | MORE CANDIDATE Q&A
ABOUT THE COVER The third edition of The Rant Monthly back in 2019 focused on the then-far away idea of a sports complex coming to Lee County and what the implications would be. Fast forward 18 months, and we're on the doorsteps of a bond issue that would make that multi-million dollar complex a reality. This edition of The Rant takes a closer look at what exactly you'll be voting for or against in November when you cast your vote. Regardless of your stance, we feel it's good to head into that vote fully informed. Photo: iStock images
The Rant Monthly is located in beautiful Sanford, North Carolina. Please address all correspondence to LPH Media LLC, 3096 South Horner Boulevard #126, Sanford, NC, 27332. Editorial email: gordon@rantnc.com or billy@rantnc.com. Advertising: brandon@rantnc.com. The Rant Monthly is published monthly (obvs). The Rant Monthly is wholly owned and operated by LPH Media LLC, a North Carolina corporation. Submissions of all kinds are welcome. This publication is free — one per reader, please. Removal of this newspaper from any distribution point for purposes other than reading it constitutes theft, and violators are subject to public flogging. Printed by Restoration News Media LLC in Raleigh, NC. Copyright 2020, LPH Media LLC, all rights reserved.
The Rant Monthly | 3
4 | September 2020
@therant905 STILL SEE THE SMILE
PAGE FOUR THE PODCAST Find these and all epsiodes of our podcast at rantnc.podbean.com or on Apple Podcasts AUG 6 Beth List Lee County's head librarian discussed changes during the pandemic and the library's future.
AUG 14 Rickey Secor
Ashley Matsik, a fifth grade teacher at Deep River Elementary School, was named Lee County Schools' 2020-21 Teacher of the Year. Matsik has been an important contributor to Project Lift-Off, a nationally recognized summer program providing critical skills and enrichment experiences for at-risk students. She was surprised on her campus in August with a check from 3D Community Church and a new vehicle from Wilkinson Chevrolet in Sanford. Photo: LCS Facebook
Principal at Broadway Elem. shared his school's preparation plans for online learning in the fall. AUG 21 Lisa Mathis Brandon Jones DOT reps gave updates on some important street projects and shared some trivia. AUG 27 Susan Keller Lee Grow Play Succeed co-chair talked about the upcoming bond election for a sports complex.
ICYMI REMEMBER FOOTBALL? September will still mean football in North Carolina, at least at the college and pro levels. Lee County standout Des Evans — a previous cover story in The Rant Monthly — is expected to be "a significant contributor as an outside linebacker in his first year," with UNC, according to one analyst. The Heels will host Notre Dame and former Yellow Jacket star Jahmir Smith in Chapel Hill on Nov. 27 this year.
The Rant joined local chef and North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture food service marketing specialist Chad Blackwelder on a journey to the local farmers market and Seaview Crab Co. to find local, fresh ingredients for an amazing red snapper dish. The video can be found at rantnc.com or by searching "The Rant for Lunch" online.
The Rant Monthly | 5
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E A R LY S T A G E P R O S TAT E C A N C E R O F T E N H A S N O S Y M P T O M S .
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HOW WOULD YOU KNOW I F Y O U H A D I T?
Early detection is key. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. There’s no better time to talk to us about getting screened. Make an appointment today with one of our specialists and find out if getting screened is right for you. 919 895 6340
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6 | September 2020
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Your Health. Our Heroes. Moving forward with care from those you trust As we move forward healthcare might look different. But at the heart of our care are the same trusted and dedicated healthcare heroes you’ve relied on for all your health needs. We’re again here to provide a range of healthcare services, from your annual screenings and physicals to quality of life procedures that help you make the most of every moment moving forward.
Our doctors, nurses and entire team are working hard to ensure a safe place of care for you and a healthier community for all of us.
To find a doctor or schedule services, call 800.483.6385 or visit us online at CentralCarolinaHosp.com
The Rant Monthly | 7
rantnc.com
Your vote is your protest. Don't be silent.
B
elieve it or not (actually, it's highly believable), when women in the United States finally earned the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, those who supported women's suffrage were considered "progressive" and anti-American because by wanting to vote, they were seeking to destroy the traditional family structure. Some of the biggest opponents of a woman's right to vote were other women. Most notorious among them was Kate Shippen Roosevelt, widow of Theodore Roosevelt's first cousin, Hilborne. Kate Roosevelt called women's suffrage "simply unnecessary" and believed strongly that women were biologically destined to only be childbearers and homemakers. It's no surprise she was also against dancing (she once suggested doctors were warning of the evils of the tango), accused the suffrage movement of being German propaganda, and was one of Teddy Roosevelt's biggest critics.
Kate Roosevelt was one the wrong side of history then, of course, but the mindset from her fight to keep others from voting is a mindset that remains strong 100 years later. It's just not as "in your face" as it was then. Today, voter suppression comes in the form of gerrymandered districts, Voter ID legislation and chipping away at the U.S. Postal Service's ability to handle mail-in votes during a nationwide pandemic. Like the anti-suffragists in 1920, these are tactics meant to preserve the outdated notion that not everybody in this free nation deserves the same right to cast a ballot and decide who runs this country.
Fortunately, there are also those fighting to support the rights of voters. Early voting, absentee voting, mail-in voting, voter accessibility laws and voting rights laws are all the result of people from all political views who want all people to vote and all votes to count. That there exists anybody today who believes otherwise is despicable and un-American. So here's our plea to you, dear reader of The Rant Monthly, as we sit just two months away from Election Day. Start thinking NOW about your voting plans. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, coupled with the Postal Service fiasco, will potentially make voting more difficult on Nov. 3, 2020. Take the time now to look at your options and decide what your voting plans are going to be. Consider early voting — it runs from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31 in North Carolina and could give you the opportunity to avoid long lines and unmasked fellow voters. If you're going the mail-in or absentee
route, request your ballot online now. Mail it as soon as you can (or just drop it off at your elections office any time before November). If you like the feel of voting on Election Day, find out where your polling place is. Try to get there early. Bring your mask. Most importantly, vote. If you enjoy the way the country is run, your vote keeps it for four more years. For those who dislike the current administration or current local government, your vote is your protest. Only this time, they may listen. o The Rant Monthly is a publication that welcomes voices from all people, representing all sides of an issue. If you would like to offer your thoughts on the upcoming election or any issue important to Sanford, North Carolina, the nation or the world, email billy@rantnc.com or gordon@rantnc.com, and we'll consider your comments for publication in the upcoming August edition. The Rant Monthly will not publish personal attacks or any home recipes containing mushrooms.
Lee County facility is progressing as scheduled!
* Equipment is currently in route via ocean from Europe. * Some equipment already delivered to U.S. ports and will be in route to Sanford soon for installation! * Hiring expected to ramp up in First Quarter 2021.
8 | September 2020
@therant905 COVID-19 IN LEE COUNTY
SLIGHT DROP IN CASES LOCAL MATTERS LCHS ONLINE CLASS INTERRUPTED BY RACIST, PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES Students at Lee County High School were subjected to racist and pornographic content after an unauthorized user gained access to a virtual classroom on Aug. 17. From a WRAL report on Aug. 19: “There were pictures of Nazi symbols,” said Shauna Roberts, a concerned parent. Roberts is still in shock over the violent and pornographic videos she said played out from her daughter’s computer on the first day of virtual classes for Lee County High School. “They were showing videos of African Americans being shot. There were also pictures of Donald Trump along with the KKK that were popping up. It was just disturbing all the way together,” she said. According to the article, school resource officers turned over information regarding the incident to detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
SANFORD NATIVE PICKED TO HEAD UNC BASEBALL The University of North Carolina announced on Aug. 7 that Sanford native Scott Forbes was named head coach of the Tar Heels baseball team. Forbes was previously the team’s pitching coach and associate head coach. He replaces Mike Fox, who coached at UNC for 22 years. “For nearly two decades I’ve had the privilege of pouring my heart and soul into Tar Heel baseball," said Forbes. "I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished with Coach Fox and incredibly excited about our future.
The two-week total through Aug. 24 showed a decline in total and active COVID-19 cases locally.
L
Lee County entered the final week of August with 1,423 total cases of COVID-19 since March, though the numbers from the most recent two weeks provided reason for optimism. After starting the month with 72 and 132 (204 total) cases respectively in the first two weeks, the county reported 93 total cases (41 and 52) in the second half of the month. Through Aug. 24, Lee County sat at 109 active cases of the virus — its lowest total since May, when numbers locally began ramping up. Numbers for the final week were made available after press time for this publication. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID dashboard shows “the rolling seven-day average for new cases in Lee County is seven and the percent positive tests is 8 percent.” The county has hosted several drive-up free testing events over the summer, and more events are planned for September. While Lee County’s numbers seem to have leveled off of late, North Carolina experienced a new high in reported positive cases in a single day on Aug. 29. According
Sanford man is 12th COVID-related death in county since May Herman Reed, a 52-year-old member of the Lemon Springs Fire Department who loved to work on cars and ride motorcycles, died on Aug. 24, from complications related to COVID-19. He was the 12th reported death in Lee County since the start of the pandemic.
to several published reports, the state Dept. of Health and Human Services reported 2,585 new cases on that day — bringing the state’s total to 165,076. The previous oneday record was set on July 18 when 2,481 positive cases were reported. According to the News & Observer, the increase on Aug. 29 was due in part to 1,000 positive cases from earlier in the month that were late in being reported. Lee County Government has established a COVID-19 information hotline at (919) 352-3360, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The statewide hotline is available at (866) 462-3821.
A GoFundMe page — gofundme. com/f/helping-out-big-herm — was set up on Aug. 9, by Reed’s daughter, Caitlyn Dunn, who wrote that Reed tested positive over the summer and was hospitalized at Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford and later UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Through Aug. 27, more than half of the $5,000 goal to help the family had been raised. Reed was laid to rest after a funeral on Aug. 29, at St. Stephen Catholic Church. He is survived by his fiancé Wanda Ciechoski, his son Michael Reed and daughter Caitlyn Dunn. He also leaves behind two grandchildren.
LEE COUNTY
No surprise: 2020 Lee Regional Fair canceled The 2020 iteration of the Lee Regional Fair has been canceled. The announcement came on Aug. 3, just a few days after organizers of the North Carolina State Fair announced it would not be held this year. “The safety of our patrons, participants and community is the highest priority in producing the annual award-winning fair. After Gov. Cooper’s directives regarding mass gatherings, the Lee Regional Fair committee, which began planning last November, determined it not practical to modify the fair to meet health guidelines. With an
abundance of hope, planning continued up until just recently,” read the press release. Organizers addressed the ripple effect the decision will have on Sanford and Lee County. Each year the fair provides financial resources for fair prizes and awards, scholarships and numerous nonprofit organizations. “The impact of the fair’s cancellation will be felt far beyond the loss of our annual celebration,” said Fair Manager Bob Nelson. “We are heartbroken for our patrons (particularly, Moen and Pilgrim’s Pride, who use the venue to host their family appreciation
day), vendors, family farms, volunteers, competitors and exhibitors, community outreach groups and contract laborers who rely on the income and exposure the Lee Regional Fair brings.” The 2021 Lee Regional Fair is scheduled to return Sept. 14-19, 2021. “We look forward to brighter, better days ahead when we can gather again to celebrate all that is exceptional about the Lee Regional Fair,” Nelson said. “Until then, stay safe, be well and support each other. We’ll miss you.”
The Rant Monthly | 9
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10 | September 2020
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rantnc.com LEE COUNTY
POSTAL SUPPORT
“I believe that the Postal Service brings life,” Timmons-Goodson told The Rant. “Life in the form of medications that our veterans need, life in terms of the loving communications from family members that sustain us during this difficult time, life in terms of the checks that allow us to put the food on the table, and to pay rent. To me, the Postal Service means life. We cannot let it be destroyed.”
Political divide over mail-in ballots and Post Office funding leads to local rally of support for USPS
Cain told the crowd that North Carolina is going to be the first state to pass out ballots, starting September 4. He encouraged everyone to vote early to avoid the potential delays.
By Laura Brummett Driving past the post office on Horner Boulevard on the morning of Aug. 22, one could see a group of about 30 people decked out in red, white and blue. Many were waving signs. One woman donned a glittery American flag printed cowboy hat. The group cheered as cars driving by constantly honked in support. They were there to show their appreciation for the United States Postal Service. The recent concern about the Postal Service began with changes enacted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in June, including cutting overtime and limiting post office hours. Workers said the changes were causing massive delivery delays. Millions of Americans are planning to vote by mail in November due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and delays with the Postal Service could affect the election. The Postal Service recently sent letters to over 40 states saying that ballots may not be delivered in time to be counted in the election. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is one of six state attorneys general suing the USPS regarding the potential delays. CNN then reported a plan by the Postal Service to remove nearly 700 high-volume mail sorters from postal facilities across the country. Lastly, images circulating around social media show blue mail boxes being removed across the country, limiting places people could potentially turn in ballots. DeJoy, a Greensboro resident, later testified in front of the U.S. Senate on
Aiden Vigus, a 16-year-old from Pittsboro, showed up to express his belief that stifling votes will unconstitutionally sway the election.
Maxine Mortensen of Sanford organized the rally supporting the U.S. Postal Service on Aug. 22. regarding the recent controversy. Maxine Mortensen, a Sanford resident, planned the rally in just five days. She made the rally come to life by calling and emailing people she knew and asking for support. The Lee County Democratic Party and the Lee County NAACP along with moveon.org helped with the event. Sanford resident and rally goer Bernadette Russell called what was happening “the rape of our democratic rights.” She made her living in direct mail, and said that postal workers deserve respect and support. Jennifer Garner, also a Sanford resident, said her step-dad is a veteran who has been experiencing delays in getting his medication through the mail. “Honestly it’s sick and everyone should be outraged,” she said. The rally featured speeches by judge and congressional candidate Pat Timmons-Goodson, state House hopeful Jason Cain, and state Senate candidate John Kirkman, who is also the chairman of the Lee County Democratic Party.
“It’s critical to make sure anyone who has the ability to vote can, because by living here that is your civic duty that is your responsibility,” Vigus said. “By oppressing anyone’s right to vote you are violating everything our country stands for. One step toward authoritarianism is one step too far because by violating our republic you are violating everyone that lives here.” Bob Finch with the Lee County NAACP said the post office has been essential to American life since its inception. “The confidence in our mailing system has been denigrated by our current leadership in the White House,” Finch said. “He’s saying the post office can’t do the job. They’ve done the job for over two centuries.” During the rally, Mortensen had attendees sign a large “thank you” card for postal workers. She delivered the card to the workers inside the post office. People also wrote cards in support of the USPS and the Heroes Act, and mailed them to Senator Thom Tillis. Mortensen said she was happy with the turnout, and glad to see those present socially distancing and wearing masks. Event staff handed out extra masks and hand sanitizer to anyone in need.
LOCAL MATTERS GOP TAKES TODD OFF BALLOT, TABS FINE-MBUANGI The Lee County Republican Party removed Randy Todd from November’s ballot and replaced him with party officer Paula Fine-Mbuangi in early August.. The move came days after Todd, who had been seeking one of three seats on the Lee County Board of Commissioners, was charged with assaulting his stepson. Todd also generated controversy in February when he went on Facebook during the Super Bowl halftime show and compared it to “Mexican burlesque” and saying the performers should “do it in English next time.”
MATHIS REAPPOINTED TO STATE DOT BOARD Small business owner Lisa Mathis has been re-appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the North Carolina Board of Transportation, according to a press release from the state. Mathis, who was first appointed in 2019, will continue to represent Division 8, which encompasses Lee, Chatham and several nearby counties. Mathis is one of 20 board members, 14 of which are appointed to division seats by the governor. The speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives and the president pro-tempore of the North Carolina Senate each appoint three atlarge members. Positions on the board are relatively sought after, as they give communities an opportunity to voice their specific transportation issues and needs at the state level.
12 | September 2020
@therant905 QUOTABLE “The evidence supporting sports participation for young people is overwhelming…It has the power to combat everything from racism to low self-image, to the high-school drop-out rate.”
THE FORUM
— Sue Castle, Executive Producer of PBSSports: Get in the Game
Vote 'yes' on sports
W
e support the passage of $25 million in bonds this November to fund a multi-field sports complex in Lee County.
For some, the benefits are obvious. Lee County’s young people will have a centralized and modern place to play, and their parents will have to make far fewer trips out of town for their kids to compete in the big, weekend-long tournaments which have become the norm when it comes to youth sports. Sanford’s semi-pro soccer team — barely known to many in our community — will have a home in which to grow into everything it can be. There’s even some talk that an entity like Central Carolina Community College could start a baseball program. Sanford and Lee County can begin to catch up in an area in which we are sorely behind. For others, the benefits aren’t as clear, but they’re just as real. Even if you don’t have kids who play sports, the estimated $2 million in annual economic activity that’s expected as a result of the project should add up to continued job growth and a new stream of sales tax revenue that isn’t going to come entirely out of our pockets. In this month’s cover story, we spelled out the positions of both opponents and proponents of the measure. As far as stated reasons for opposition, we just couldn’t find any that added up. Yes, $25 million is a lot of money. But there’s little reason to believe with $680 million recently added to the county’s tax base and more likely on the way that the cost can’t be covered. Yes, we need to pay our teachers better and work on issues of crime and poverty in certain parts of our community, but those are issues addressed by the state, or the school board, or the city council, and with different pots of money. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. And yes, we all want an Outback or a Target or whatever your preferred commercial enterprise we don’t currently have is. But those decisions are made by private companies, and quality of life amenities like a sports complex are more likely to lead to income and population levels that will support them than not. This is one of the ways we get to where we want to be. As with any issue of public debate, we hope you’ll do your own homework and come to your own conclusions. In this instance, we hope you’ll agree that the time is way past right, we can afford to build a multi-sport complex Lee County can call its own, and that you’ll vote yes on the bond initiative in November. The Rant Monthly is published monthly by LPH Media LLC, 3096 South Horner Boulevard in Sanford, North Carolina. The Rant was founded as a weekly radio program in 2009 by Gordon Anderson, Billy Liggett and Jonathan Owens. After their program was unceremoniously banished from the airwaves by a petty local state representative, The Rant regrouped and became a web site specializing in local news in 2014. Today, The Rant Monthly has a circulation of 3,500 printed copies, and rantnc.com draws more than 1 million views a year. Wash your hands.
New complex would inject awe, pride into youth sports By Billy Liggett
I
played on some terrible baseball fields growing up. So little money went into my first Little League team in the tiny town of Richmond, Ohio, our uniforms were nothing more than red T-shirts with easy-to-peel numbers on the back, and we wore blue jeans on Game Day. Pee Wee football wasn’t much better. We practiced in the outfield of our baseball fields, and on Saturdays, we had to hope we didn’t get tackled on one of the dozens of ant hills that rose from the chalked-up cow pasture we played in. Not that my surroundings took away my love for sports. I was waving a Dallas Cowboys pennant the day I was born, I carried chess pieces as a toddler and lined them up in football formations at the dinner table, I learned to read from the daily sports page, and my lone addiction as a kid was baseball and football cards (and the terrible stick of gum that came with them). One moment I’ll never forget came in the first grade, when our football team made it to what amounted to a county championship game in the big city of Steubenville. That meant a trip to the big high school football stadium, where we played on a crisp fall day in front of literally dozens of people. We felt like real football players. I don’t even remember if we won … I just remember the stadium and the thrill. Oddly, I also remember we got Pizza Hut afterward. This edition of The Rant Monthly is filled with stories, facts and opinions about the upcoming November bond referendum that, if approved, will fund a multi-million dollar sports complex in Sanford. Our coverage includes the grassroots Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign run by local business leaders to drum up support to pass the referendum. We also include dissenting views on the bond — which is coming at a time when the economy is suffering from the pandemic and voters might be hesitant to raise taxes. I’m not going to hide the fact that I support
this sports complex. Sanford has come a long way in the past 10 years — a length of time that coincides with my journey into parenthood. I wrote often a decade ago as editor of The Sanford Herald that Sanford offered little for children and their parents when it came to outdoor activities. Weekends for us often meant putting our daughter in the car seat and driving to Cary, Apex or Raleigh to hit up the parks, the walking trails, the playgrounds and the children’s museums in those areas. A lot has changed since then. The Endor Iron Trail greenway and the new trails, playgrounds and splash pad at Kiwanis Park were huge steps for this city when it comes to quality of life for people of all ages who enjoy being outdoors. But that’s not enough. The proposed sports complex — which would provide high-end playing fields, more walking trails and more reasons to be outdoors — is absolutely needed in Sanford, North Carolina. Economic impact aside (and not to discount that impact, which could be great ), a sports complex gets more children interested in extracurricular activities and, in the very least, gets more children and families outdoors. A good side effect — a sense of pride for the Sanford kids who call the complex “home.” Traveling teams will come to their city to play and talk about the quality of their fields. That sense of “awe” I felt in that mammoth high school football stadium nearly 40 years ago … you’ll see some of that here, too. It’s been a highly charged political season, and this bond vote will no doubt be a highly charged political issue as November approaches. I know better than to try to change anybody’s mind on this … I just encourage anybody who wants to see this to make an effort to vote. If the presidential election isn’t enough to get you out there, perhaps the thought of freshly cut (or newly synthetic) baseball fields will change your mind. ________ Agree with Billy Liggett about the sports complex vote? Disagree with him? Challenge the notion that he ever had athletic ability? Email him your thoughts at billy@rantnc.com and get your thoughts published in our next edition.
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rantnc.com POSTAL SERVICE DEBATE
READER RESPONSE CHILD CARE FOR TEACHERS Lee County Schools is one of only a handful of districts in the state to start the year with online learning only without a plan in place for teachers who have to work from campus but can't bring their own children with them. The Rant published a story on this in August, and it attracted more than 100 responses. Some of them are reprinted below: _____________ As a community, we need to work together and be supportive of teachers in any way we can. It is a difficult time for the world right now. We need patience. Virtual school is not easy on anyone, however, if students return in person and someone gets Covid 19 then the class will have to quarantine for 14 days. This makes it back to virtual. I pray everyday for the safety of my family. Terri Thomas _____________ It’s a lose-lose situation either way. Parents who work (including teachers) have to figure out this school thing. It sucks all around because if you went with Plan B, you risked our children and teachers/administrators getting sick. Plan C can help keep people safe, but also puts parents/children/families in chaos trying to figure out child care with little to no support. Let’s try to give and receive support with out the ugliness and politics. This sucks for all of us. Joanne Carville _____________ Oh, boo hoo. Parents are suffering the same fate. They have jobs and work full time and have to figure out what to do with their children as well. Elvis Faircloth _____________ [Teachers] should be permitted to work from home with their kids — most professionals are able to do this if working face to face is not a required aspect of their job. Danielle Kathleen _____________ Teachers should be able to take kids with them to school, or they should be allowed to work from home. This lack of respect or concern for them is why the individuals who
should be educating our children are not. This IS coming from a single parent who raised two awesome kids alone. Angela Brown _____________ I don't understand why so many people want to deny teachers the ability to have their children with them during this time. Are y'all mad at your friends who are allowed to work from home or bring their children to work with them? These are people who are good enough to risk their life for your children during a school shooting but they shouldn't be able to teach from home OR have the option to bring their own children into their empty classrooms? So if y'all were able to work from home you wouldn't take that option because it "isn't fair" to others? Well guess what in case your momma forgot to tell you ... life isn't fair. Grow up and support each other and our teachers who are doing their best given unprecedented circumstances. And yes I have sympathy for working parents I am in the same boat at the moment and it sucks and it's scary but that doesn't mean I'm going to begrudge teachers what should be a work perk.
On Aug. 22, The Rant reported on a rally held at the Post Office on South Horner Boulevard in support of the U.S. Postal Service, which is struggling with funding cuts and distrust on its ability to handle mail-in ballots this election season. Some of your responses: _____________ Take the politics out of it and ask how confident are you that the USPS can handle the amount of work that is needed for delivering and collecting in a secure manner such important paperwork on the scale that's being asked of them considering today's environment.
make sure you vote. Not sure why folks are against others for exercising their right to vote. Grant Welch
RIVERBIRCH WOES A few comments from last month's cover story on the decline of the Riverbirch Corner Shopping Center in west Sanford: _____________ It’s still a GREAT location. Would only take one or two big places and a responsive owner to totally turn it around. Fingers crossed for something on this side of town. Heather McKenzie
Chuck Ratliff _____________
_____________ So the people happy that our postal service is being sabotaged, y'all get your solicitation from Trump asking y'all to sign up to voting by mail yet? Get the **** out. Ceirra Doll _____________
What was not mentioned in the article is that Walgreens is also moving. So now there is another empty store front. New developers need to be sought after with a newer concept much like is seen in other local communities wit apartments and town homes mixed with shops and restaurants.
Absentee voting in North Carolina is the same as vote by mail. It has been around for years. Regardless of in-person or vote by mail,
Ron Noles
Erin Beasley _____________ I can’t take my kids to work with me, and my ex can’t take them to work with him. I think it’s completely fair that teacher have to go back and face the same difficulties as every other working parent out there. I think the Board of Education seriously screwed up by taking away the choice that they dangled in front of us.. Mandy Griffin _____________ Many working parents are feeling the same way. It’s an issue that so many are facing. Not just teachers. Unfortunately, we are entering a time where many are facing decisions to either be a working mom or a stay-at-home mom️. Many employers are not able or willing to adapt with new times to help good employees. Bottom line — this is an issue so many are facing. Teachers have had the luxury of having their children with them after school hours. It’s not easy, but we will all get through. Renee Wood
You can view our jobs at Expresspros.com/sanfordnc
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14 | September 2020
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COVER STORY
SPORTS COMPLEX BOND ISSUE
THE PITCH When Lee County voters head to the polls this fall to vote for a president, they'll also have a choice whether or not to authorize a $25 million bond for the construction of a potentially game-changing sports complex. By Gordon Anderson
A
mong the many definitions of the word “pitch” is one British English variant which means playing field. The kind you might use for soccer (or as they call it across the pond, football). Over here, we use the word more frequently — in the sporting context at least — to refer to throwing a ball which another player would then attempt to strike with a bat. Or in a political or even sales context, to make the case for something. An appeal. When The Rant Monthly featured on its cover the concept of a multi field sports complex in June 2019, the idea, into which a great deal of work had already gone, was nevertheless still just that — a concept.
One big selling point from organizers of the campaign for a multi-million dollar sports complex is the potential to attract families from across the state who will stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants and shop in local stores while their children play on various traveling teams. Photo by Brooke Wolfe
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Artist renderings that have been floating around for multiple years now show a complex with multiple baseball, soccer and football fields, walking trails, a pond and even a hotel at the intersection of Broadway Road and the U.S. 421 bypass. Those renderings are also still conceptual, but make no mistake — the pitch for the complex itself has now very much been thrown. It's been the better part of a year since the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved placing a bond referendum on the November ballot. The referendum will ask voters to authorize the issuance of $25 million in Parks and Recreation bonds, “plus interest, for the purpose of providing funds, together with any other available funds, for acquiring, constructing, expanding and improving various parks and recreational facilities for said County, including, without limitation, a multi-sport complex and any related land, rights of way and equipment, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on said bonds.” The private sector push for the initiative began in earnest in July, when Lee Grow Play Succeed, a campaign committee formed to advocate for the bond’s passage, officially kicked off its efforts with a website and social media tools aimed at persuading votes in the yes direction.
Youth sports have become a $19 billion-a-year industry in the United States, topping the worth of the NFL and other major professional sports leagues. The push for a sports complex in Sanford hopes to tap into that market and inject life into the local economy.
Erin Borrell of Sanford is one of the co-chairs of the Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign and said she got on board because of her own experience as a child and her current status as a sports mom.
be huge. Hosting families from around the surrounding areas would allow us the opportunity to show what Sanford has to offer, including so many great restaurants and small businesses.”
“My family has traveled our state and surrounding states playing both soccer and baseball,” she said. “A sports complex to call our own in Lee County would bring a sense of pride to our community and our athletes. In addition, the economic impact it would have on our small businesses would
Borrell’s emphasis on the project’s economic impact is one its proponents consistently tout. Even in the midst of a pandemic, many youth sports continue, and the opportunity they envision is to draw families from across the state to Sanford and have them leave their dollars and sales
taxes behind at our hotels, local restaurants and in the downtown area (some estimates have put that number as high as $2 million per year) — as well as to add to Lee County a quality of life amenity that many say has been conspicuous by its absence for many years. During a recent Friends of The Rant podcast, Borrell’s co-chair Susan Keller discussed the multiple studies going back five years which showed the idea to be one that residents consistently support.
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rantnc.com “There was another study where those thousand people were surveyed that asked them 'What do you think is lacking in Lee County?' What do we need — do we need more football fields? Do we need more soccer fields?” Keller said in that interview. “The resounding answer was ‘yes.’ We need lots of these things.” Some opponents — and even proponents — may consider a sports complex to be more of a want than a need. Tim Blodgett isn’t one of them. Blodgett, a former staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, is now the owner and director of the San Lee Soccer Academy, director of coaching for the Sanford Area Soccer League, and general manager of the semi-pro SanLee Futbol Club. He’s also the former head soccer coach at Grace Christian School and was a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Paralympic National Team from 2016 to 2018. Put simply, if anyone is up to speed on the state of sporting facilities in Lee County specifically when it comes to soccer, it’s Blodgett.
“I can tell you it’s personally embarrassing for our soccer community,” Blodgett said, noting that he’s seen talented players leaving for other clubs due to the lack of local facilities. “We have so many talented teams here in Sanford, but unfortunately we can’t host matches, many times because of facilities that simply are not up to par. I’ve been at our fields here in Sanford when we have teams show up and simply laugh.”
WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE
Blodgett’s involvement in the game has also afforded him the opportunity to see firsthand what type of impact a sports complex can have on a community. “I had the opportunity to meet with (Holly Springs) Mayor (Dick) Sears through a mutual friend about a year ago to brainstorm ways we can provide a sports platform like Holly Springs has right here in Sanford,” he explained. “Mayor Sears has been in office since 2001 and has seen tremendous positive economic impact by providing athletic complexes in his community. Ting stadium specifically opened in 2015 — in 2015 Holly Springs had a population of
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18 | September 2020 31,000, very similar to Sanford’s population now. In their first year of operation they brought in over 275,000 people. The potential positive economic impact for the community has no ceiling in my opinion.” According to Lee Grow Play Succeed and county government, the maximum cost to local property taxpayers is estimated at 4.3 cents per $100 of property valuation, or in Keller’s summation, “about 60-odd dollars per year” per family. “Which we’re calling two cups of coffee a month,” she continued. But many others point to a rosy economic picture which — despite COVID — shows a more than $680 million increase in the local tax base thanks to four companies alone choosing to relocate or expand locally. Add to that a surge in housing development and the estimated $2 million in associated annual economic activity, and many supporters are hoping the project can be pulled off with minimal or even zero property tax implications. “I think the hope is, and certainly probably the definite situation pre-COVID was that that wouldn’t happen because our
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“It's embarrassing for our soccer community. We have so many talented teams here in Sanford, but unfortunately we can’t host matches because of facilities that simply are not up to par.”
community that we call home.” The idea is not without its detractors, though. And while both political support and opposition have been found on both sides of the partisan aisle, the issue has crystalized in one way through the lens of November’s election for the Lee County Board of Commissioners into one Republicans have tended to oppose and Democrats have tended to support.
— Tim Blodgett, owner of San Lee Soccer Academy tax base is growing so much with all the businesses and people that are coming, that we wouldn’t really need that additional funding,” Keller said. COVID, in fact, threatened to derail the entire bond initiative, since many leaders cautiously took pause at the idea of asking the public to approve spending $25 million in the midst of a pandemic. Faith in the strength of the idea as well as in the pandemic coming to an end at some point sooner rather than later prevailed, however, and some have indicated that the opportu-
nity to weigh in on something so potentially transformational ought to give residents hope for a brighter future. “The last six months during the pandemic have been hard for so many. One thing we are all missing is normalcy,” Borrell said. ‘The Lee Grow Play Succeed Campaign is looking to the future and planning for not if our kids can get back on those fields again but when. We are excited to look to the future where our local competitive sports teams can have a ‘home field advantage’ and where people can experience this great
This edition of The Rant Monthly (beginning on Page 31), includes questions posed to candidates for the board of commissioners, including one about the sports complex proposal. Each of the Democratic candidates indicated their support, while each of the Republicans — some in stronger terms than others — voiced opposition (it should be noted that the same question was asked to candidates for the Board of Education, where it elicited more supportive answers from those who responded). Most of the opposition centered around wording candidates said was “not specific” enough and the potential for adding $25 million to the county’s debt load.
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rantnc.com “The referendum states funds are for ‘expanding and improving various parks and recreational facilities’ including a sports complex,” wrote Bill Carver, one of three Republican candidates seeking one of three seats on the board. “It's not clear how this expenditure measures up against other priorities; what effect will this obligation have on funds available to address mental health and homeless needs, adequacy of policing, or debt reduction? Will a more remote large sport complex meet the demand for local parks that are accessible to children in various communities? Can the neighborhood parks be upgraded, maintained, and scheduled to meet requirements for league play as an alternative to one large complex?” Paula Fine-Mbuangi and Sandra Jones, the race’s other two Republican candidates, also cited the alleged vagueness of the initiative’s wording, and Jones said she had concerns about the location. “This bond is worded in a way that does not guarantee facilities will be built for the benefit of most families that need access to recreational resources,” Fine-Mbuangi wrote.
“I question what percentage of our children and perhaps adults would have access to the facility and ability to use the multisport fields because of the location. Could not the facility be moved to a location to allow better access?” Jones answered. Lee County Manager John Crumpton said vague wording when it comes to bond referenda is far from atypical, since that type of vote doesn’t require bonds to even be issued — it only authorizes them, and elected bodies need the flexibility offered by broad wording. “It has to say ‘Parks and Recreation bond,’ instead of specifying a multi sport complex,” Crumpton said, explaining that such was the case with recent community college and other bonds passed in Sanford and Lee County, and that the county’s bond counsel wrote the language in accordance with state law and guidelines from the North Carolina Local Government Commission. Crumpton said that flexibility will be a positive if the bonds pass, because that’s when the public will have an opportunity to offer input about what specifics the project
Reader response The Rant Monthly introduced the possibility of a sports complex back in its June 2019 edition. Readers responded both in favor and against the idea then, before the bond referendum was initiated. Below are some of those responses: — If Sanford doesn’t do it, another local town may step up and do it before us, and our town will have missed this huge money-making opportunity. We already have players wanting and needing a place to play. — Erin Bisson — I’m for it. I do travel softball and the money that these tournaments bring in on a weekend is crazy. We just played in Virginia for a two-day tournament, and the rooms were $250 for two nights, and each team had to pay $600 to play. With eight teams, that’s nearly $5,000 from just one age group. And that’s a small tournament. — George Bates Jr. — One thing people will pay for is sports. This would bring jobs and revenue to Sanford far beyond just what happens at the complex. — Doug Western
— There are other priorities that need to be addressed other than a sports complex. Our streets are still bad in some locations. Those who want a sports complex should pay for it with their own money. — Claudia Lee — I’m against it. We need to pay our teachers better first. — Claire Pickett — No, Sanford is about to tax us to death. I’m still trying to figure out who voted for the $30 fee they charge for every registered vehicle in the city limits. Just stop. — Tina Hall
22 | September 2020
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“You can’t even hire an architect until after the bond has passed,” Crumpton said. “Architect fees are usually in the seven to 10 percent range, which would mean around $2 million for this project. And the citizens will have to say what they want before an architect is hired. You still go through a dynamic process after a bond is sold. All we have right now is a concept.” Crumpton said the specific offerings at the complex could look different when completed — there’s been talk, for example, of replacing a sand volleyball court on the rendering with a basketball court — and that even the location could change based on any number of circumstances. But assuming the passage of the bond measure, the county would still have options. “We have a sort of verbal option on that land right now, but that’s it,” he said. In the end, Keller said the Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign’s “pitch” is about making sure voters are as informed as they can be about the issue.
YOU
an item that’s on your ballot,” she said. “It’s on everybody’s ballot, and they need to understand what it is. So we’re really looking at it from here on out as an informational thing. This is what this is, this is why we think you should support it, but you need to understand what it is and the potential implications for you and your family and the businesses here in town, most of which are really good implications.” Keller said the Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign is planning a number of initiatives that will further the goal of educating the public, including unveiling a couple of videos on its website (leegrowplaysucceed. com) and a live Q&A session that will air on the group’s Facebook (@LeeGrowPlaySucceed). And while reaching voters in person has been difficult in a time of closures and social distancing, the group is doing everything it can to spread the word. The pitch has been thrown. We find out in November where it lands. Additional reporting by Billy Liggett
“Regardless of how you feel about it, it’s
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According to a survey from the Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign, over 75 percent of residents in Lee County agree that youth sports and improved facilities are integral to economic development and Lee County’s ability to draw people to the area to live and work.
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NEARBY placesSPORTS to play inCOMPLEXES Central N.C. The cities listed on the map have at least one baseball and/or soccer complex comparable to the one Lee County is considering building.
Lee Grow Play Succeed is a referendum committee of Lee County business owners, community leaders and residents "working together to build a future where our local teams have access to a state-of-the-art multi-purpose sports complex."
CARY Cary boasts at least four large sports venues accommodating both baseball and soccer, and hosts thousands of athletes each weekend. Burlington
Learn more about the campaign at leegrowplaysucceed.com
Chapel Hill
Tarboro
Raleigh Apex
THE PODCAST
Rocky Mount
Durham
Wilson
Cary Holly Springs Goldsboro
ROCKY MOUNT The city is counting on youth sports tourism to help ease a major economic downturn in recent decades and has made a huge investment. The Rocky Mount Baseball Complex includes a total of 11 baseball/softball fields and eight soccer fields. It hosts the state’s biggest travel tournaments for all age levels.
SANFORD Carthage Fayetteville
CARTHAGE Located just down US 15-501 in Carthage, Hillcrest Park offers four baseball/softball/ soccer fields. Moore County is planning an expansion of the park to include indoor basketball courts and a splash pad.
LEARN MORE
WILSON The J. Burt Gillette Soccer Complex opened in 2005 and features eight regulation size artificial turf soccer fields. It added a baseball complex in 2009 with three premier baseball/softball fields along with a championship stadium.
HOLLY SPRINGS Ting Park hosted more than 275,000 visitors in its first year in 2016 with 16 soccer fields, 12 tennis courts and a baseball stadium that is home to the Holly Springs Salamanders of the Coastal Plain League.
Susan Keller, co-chair of the Lee Grow Play Succeed campaign, joined the Friends of The Rant podcast in August to talk about the campaign to promote a bond referendum to build a multi-million dollar sports complex in Sanford. Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, at rantnc.podbean.com or rantnc.com.
THE BALLOT MEASURE The Lee County Board of Commissioners approved placing a bond referendum on the November 2020 ballot, which asks voters to authorize the issuance of $25,000,000 in Parks and Recreation bonds “plus interest, for the purpose of providing funds, together with any other available funds, for acquiring, constructing, expanding and improving various parks and recreational facilities for said County, including, without limitation, a multi-sport complex and any related land, rights of way and equipment, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on said bonds.”
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LOCAL BUSINESS FIRST LOOK AT MASSIVE BHARAT FORGE SITE There’s been visible progress at the Bharat Forge site to the east of U.S. 1 near the Colon community. Courtney Holcomb, Bharat Forge’s local human resources manager, sent photos to The Rant in August, and said construction at the site is on schedule (while there’s no official opening date, that situation is fluid). She also said that the company expects to ramp up hiring — which has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic — in the first quarter of 2021. “Equipment is currently in route via ocean from Europe,” she said. “Some of the equipment has actually already been delivered to U.S. ports and will be in route to Sanford soon for installation.” The Bharat Forge deal was announced in September of 2019 at a press conference at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh. The company, which is based in India, will produce auto parts and employ 460 people. The company’s expected tax base investment in Lee County is $170 million.
The Ingram Family YMCA in Sanford was able to open its indoor pool when state restrictions were lifted, but not its fitness center (shown above, hosting a "Women and Weights" event before the panemic.. The Y was able to hold summer camps for children, which helped to keep them afloat over teh summer. Photo courtesy of the YMCA
FITNESS CENTERS & THE PANDEMIC
READY TO WORK(OUT) Gyms and fitness centers remain closed under the governor's order, but local owners say they're ready open safely By Laura Brummett Gyms and fitness centers in North Carolina have been ordered to stay closed since March 25 by Gov. Roy Cooper, despite the lifting of restrictions on other entities such as hair salons and pools. The decision has sparked outrage among some gym owners, and even has led to a lawsuit by some owners against the governor. Gym owners and employees in Sanford, like in most other places, are anxious to
reopen. They’ve spent the past five months cleaning their facilities, retraining staff and hosting virtual and outdoor workout sessions for members. Tammy Luikart, owner of Phalanx Crossfit in Sanford, thinks gyms should be allowed to open if they follow safety protocols. “I’m disappointed we have not been allowed to do that yet,” she said. “But I understand why they chose fitness centers. If I had to decide to spend my resources on trying to get schools or gyms open, I’d pick schools.”
In the meantime, her gym has held classes over Zoom for members, and once the state transitioned into Phase 2, they even began holding outdoor classes. Members can meet with mats spread six to 10 feet apart in the parking lot outside the facility and participate in the classes.
The SNR Express Fitness Center has been working on cleaning and learning safety protocols. They have a plan set in place for how to operate safely, right down to how they would sell their drinks out of coolers instead of person-to-person. If Cooper said gyms could open tomorrow, they’d be ready. “I feel for the businesses that are not able to open back up,” manager Steven Staley said. “I don’t really understand or agree that gyms are grouped with the bars. I know the membership at my gym, and members at my gym are going to follow the rules.” Planet Fitness, which recently opened its Sanford branch, has similarly been following cleaning practices. The gym has furloughed all of the hourly staff members, but are hoping to welcome all of them back to work once
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rantnc.com gyms are allowed to reopen. While furloughed, employees were given the option to participate in other activities like cooking classes and group workouts over video calls. SNR Express, on the other hand, has not been as fortunate. The fitness center has had to let most of their employees go, like nursery workers and Zumba instructors. Their staff is now down to three people. First Health Fitness in Sanford had to reduce employee’s hours, but didn’t lay anyone off. The gym closed its doors on March 20, but partially reopened on June 15 as the state went into Phase 2. Members who use First Health’s medically-directed programs like Exercise is Medicine and Rock Steady Boxing Programs were allowed to come back. Other members currently have access to the indoor pool and outdoor fitness classes.
Luikart also mentioned the effects of members not being able to work out as being an issue, not just the business side of things for gyms themselves. “I think we cannot underestimate the value of two things: exercise and engagement,” she said. “The fact that we were able to come together and see each other and move together remotely was important for mental as well as physical health.” The Ingram Family YMCA was able to open the indoor pool when restrictions lifted, but not the fitness center. The Y was able to hold summer camp for children, which helped to keep them afloat. The staff has been trained and the location is ready, just waiting on guidance from the state, a YMCA Triangle spokesperson said. None of the gyms interviewed were involved in the lawsuit against Gov. Cooper.
Phalanx Crossfit in Sanford moved its workouts to Zoom and eventually outdoors when some restrictions were lifted by Gov. Roy Cooper earlier in the summer. Photo: Facebook, Phalanx Crossfit
26 | September 2020
@therant905 AUTHOR STEVE UNDERWOOD
WAR STORIES LOCAL MATTERS MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF JASON ARNOLD WAS SUSPECT IN '13 MURDER
Fictional account of World War II's 30th Infantry is told in local author's book, 'Young Hickory'
A Cameron man was arrested on Aug. 8, for the July 5 murder of Jason William Arnold in Sanford.
By Charles Petty
Franklin Deon Dorsett, 35, was charged by the Sanford Police Department with one count of first degree murder and one count of a possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Dorsett is currently being held in Lee County Jail without bond.
When it comes to family history, Steve Underwood has quite the story to tell. The former Lee County High School history teacher has used his own family history to write a historical fiction novel about his native state's role in World War II.
Arnold was found lying in the middle of Crestview Road in Sanford at 4 a.m. on July 5, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. According to Sanford Police, officers attempted to save his life until an ambulance arrived. Arnold was taken to nearby Central Carolina Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Arnold was a 1993 graduate of Lee County High School and later attended Central Carolina Community College.
From an early age, Underwood, who was on staff at Lee Senior for more than 30 years, always loved history. Even in grade school, one of his teachers would allow him to teach classes about the Civil War. That teacher was one of the first Black instructors at West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte and enjoyed Underwood’s help navigating the recently desegregated school system.
This isn’t the first time Dorsett’s name has been linked to a murder in Lee County. He was one of six people arrested in January 2014 for the November 2013 home invasion murder of Anthony Wayne Giles [coincidentally, The Rant‘s first news story].
Since his childhood, Underwood has always felt led to help educate people in his native state and tell them about the cast of characters who've lived here. He later went on to get a degree in history from UNC Greensboro.
In February of the following year, Dorsett and the five other suspects were cleared of Giles’ murder and all charges were dismissed following the arrests of four New Hanover men in connection with the crime. In 2010, Dorsett was one of two men shot by Tauren Tyrell Gunter during a gathering of about 250 people at the Lee County Fairgrounds. According to reports at the time, Dorsett was shot in the groin during the incident.
While working on his doctorate in sociology at UNCG, Underwood became fascinated with military history. That was where he stumbled upon books discussing North Carolina’s role in World War II. One Army division with a connection to North Carolina was dubbed “Old Hickory,” and primarily made up of troops from Tennessee and the Old North State. The division was recently given a presidential unit citation for their dedication in the war. Details of this historical group formed the basis for Underwood’s fictional account. The book, entitled “Young Hickory,”
Steve Underwood, a former Lee County High School history teacher, is author of the new World War II-era book, "Young Hickory." focuses on the 30th Infantry, which marched into Europe during the dark days surrounding the Battle of the Bulge. The primary fight the division was involved in, from Aug. 6-12, 1944, was a battle near Mortain, France. There, against all odds, Old Hickory pushed through and held off the German army for a week. The novel weaves the historical elements of the battle of Mortain and the fighting in France during the war with fictional subplots, including a romance and the backstories of the soldiers themselves. Underwood’s characters include soldiers from across North Carolina — each bringing a unique part of the state to the novel. “I have men from Pittsboro to Greensboro in the story, to have a variety of North Carolina voices,” Underwood explained. Underwood used research and his own
imagination to grant "Young Hickory" the historical flavor needed for a war novel. Additionally, Underwood's family also has experience in World War I. His grandfather was a mechanic on the Western Front and helped clean engines during the war. Underwood said this personal family history helped him develop a respect for military history. “It’s a story about remarkable North Carolina boys who braved the odds in the dark days of World War II,” Underwood said, noting that he wants the public to know about the division's bravery. “North Carolina has a great claim to glory in World War II and we should be proud of that.” “Young Hickory” is available digitally through amazon.com, while print copies can be purchased for $17.95 at www. hometownreads.com.
The Rant Monthly | 27
rantnc.com
Accepting the idea of spring high school football in N.C. By Nathan Cochrane
W
e’re in unprecedented times, and all of us are learning daily what the new “norm” is.
As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, many of our previous norms aren’t returning. Take the start of Friday night high school football. Here in the South, fall is synonymous with football. Talk about the 2020 football season in Lee County started on Jan. 2, right after the Yellow Jackets’ run to the State 3AA Championship game. Excitement could not have been any higher. Then Covid-19 hit. The uncertainty of this upcoming school year caused many anxiety. For me, much of that anxiety came from the uncertainty of high school football and sports in general. Throughout the spring and summer, local coaches told me about all the things they were doing with their athletes. Some were in Zoom meetings and some were on the field in a modified practice that barely resembled football at all. Every coach I spoke to was optimistic that they’d be able to play at some time, but all were concerned about the safety of their athletes and what the games would look like. Fast forward to Aug. 11. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association held a special meeting via Zoom to discuss and plan the upcoming year. The next day, the NCHSAA released an updated 2020-2021 school year’s athletic schedule, and the first day schools can hold practices will be in November. Every sport will have a shortened season and almost all will have a reduced number of NCHSAA sanctioned contests. Football, for instance, will only play seven games. The NCHSAA is still planning the playoffs for sports and what that will look like. “I believe the NCHSAA did a solid job putting a plan in place to give all sports the best opportunity to play this school year,” Lee County High School Football Coach Steve Burdeau told me. So with sports being cut short in the
spring, most people are more than excited to have even some hope of high school sports. But spring football is actually not unheard of for those around the football world. The NCHSAA has allowed a spring practice period in May for many years now. Other states like Georgia allow a 10-practice season spanning 13 days, with the final day being a spring game against an opposing team within the Georgia High School Association. With sports schedules now released and other states choosing to continue with a regular schedule, this creates interesting dynamics for athletes and parents. One dynamic that football fans have already seen is the transferring of athletes to other states. One such transfer is a high profile quarterback from Pinecrest High School in Moore County. Lucas Hunter, who is one of the state’s top quarterback recruits for the class of 2023, announced he would be transferring to Dillon High School in Dillon, South Carolina to play football in the fall. This is a decision many families are having to face when considering recruitment potential versus staying where they’ve always been. Another situation that we will have to watch play out is the early graduation and enrollment in college for athletes who have already signed letters of intent with their respective colleges. Many football players graduate early so they can get on their respective campuses and start working out with their collegiate team, participate in spring practice, and any intra-squad games. The sports world in 2020 and into 2021 looks and feels different. It will be different to start the football season in cold weather and end in warm weather. It will be different to not truly have the “boys of fall.” One thing is certain though, when you are under the lights at Cavalier Stadium eating a steak sandwich or you hear Pat McCracken’s voice over the P.A. at Paul B. Gay Stadium, you’ll feel a small tidbit of normalcy come back to your life. I, for one, cannot wait to have that feeling again. Nathan Cochrane is a construction consultant in the private sector. Prior to that, he coached high school and middle school football for six years and remains involved in the game as an announcer and booster.
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28 | September 2020
@therant905 LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS
Teachers with children facing additional challenges as school year begins
By Billy Liggett
LOCAL MATTERS Dunkin' Donuts, Dollar General coming to Tramway Dollar General (Lee County's sixth) and a second Dunkin’ Donuts are coming to the Tramway area near U.S. 1. The new construction site (near Hardee's) will have space for several other retailers as well. Bill Keller, the general contractor for Rhetson Companies, told The Rant in August that he expected the job to be done around December. Rhetson Companies is linked with Par 5 Development out of West End in Moore County. Par 5 is the company which purchased a portion of the Kendale Shopping Center in August of 2019.
It was a first day of school like no other across North Carolina on Aug. 17. Lee County Schools voted in late July to reopen schools with online-only courses, with the option to reconsider that plan after six weeks. Like much of the state’s 115 public school districts, the Plan C approach requires teachers to be present on their respective campuses to deliver their curriculum to elementary, middle and high school students working on laptops or desktops at home. While online learning has created a child care issue for working parents across the country, teachers are struggling to educate their students while also overseeing the education of their own children. And
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as pointed out in a lengthy post on Aug. 16 by the popular Tales of an Educated Debutante blog, Lee County entered the year as one of only a handful of school districts in the state requiring teachers to be on site but not allowing their children to come to campus with them. Districts like Wilson, Rowan, New Hanover and Wake had set up learning labs for children of teachers, supervised by teacher assistants. Alamance-Burlington, Nash and several others were allowing children on campus, but not providing supervision of any kind (though some are offering to feed them).
“LeeNCAE had already heard from a number of teachers who were frustrated and worried due to child care issues and fears of bringing the virus home to vulnerable family members,” the statement read. “There has also been frustration over working in the buildings due to most teachers having had to remove all their personal effects.” The group created a survey for LCS teachers and staff to gauge the overall feel heading into the school year. Shover shared some of the early findings: •
Approximately 80 percent of staff are concerned about exposure to themselves and exposure to their family.
•
Montgomery and Duplin joined Lee County in the “no children on campus” category.
87 percent report a “higher than usual” amount of job stress.
•
Patrick Kelly, chair of the Lee County Board of Education, said the decision addressed safety concerns in Lee County, which in August had one of the highest COVID-19 positivity rates in the state.
Over a quarter of those who responded are having issues with child care.
•
Almost two-thirds feel that society as a whole does not value teachers.
•
And over 90 percent say they would like to be given the option to work from home while virtual teaching is happening.
Some districts — like Cumberland, Cabarrus and Lexington City — were not allowing any students, but were allowing teachers the option to work from home.
“We understand Plan C, when it was approved, provided a challenge for teachers, staff and working families throughout the community,” Kelly said. “And employers across the county are facing the same issues we are.” Kelly said the county is fortunate to have groups like Boys & Girls Clubs step up and expand their offerings to parents across the county. “It’s a village mentality right now, and we’re proud of the county for stepping up,” he said. “But the main reason we went with Plan C is to contribute to the health and welfare of our community.” Sandi Shover, president of the Lee County Association of Educators, issued a statement to The Rant on Aug. 17, saying the policy has “frustrated” a number of teachers.
The school year began with a statewide “hiccup” when the online education system NCEdCloud experienced several technical issues and crashed on Aug. 17, as thousands and thousands of students tried to login. According WRAL, the issues were resolved in about three hours and not every district was affected. According to Kelly, Day 1 of a very unique school year went well. Through two weeks, the district appeared to be well prepared for remote learning. “Under the circumstances, everything [went] smoothly,” Kelly said. “There’s always going to be areas we can do better in, but whatever issues we’ve had so far, we’ve been able to overcome them. Our faculty and staff are doing an amazing job.”
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rantnc.com City, Parkdale Mills to give away free masks on Sept. 12
the following criteria: •
Time frame: WWI and forward
•
Discharge: Honorable only
CCCC ranked among nation's Top 25 Best Community Colleges
•
Rank: Nominee can be of any rank
The City of Sanford and the Sanford Area Growth Alliance are partnering with Parkdale Mills to give away free masks at the Parkdale facility on Sept. 12.
•
Residency Criteria: Former or current resident of Harnett County and has been established as a resident for 5 years
Central Carolina Community College has been nationally ranked as No. 25 in The Best Community Colleges & Trade Schools of 2020 by BestColleges.
This rain-or-shine event is part of Parkdale Mills’ “I Wear, I Care” campaign to encourage the public to wear masks and to provide essential protection to the community. The company will give away up to 5,000 masks with a limit of five masks per vehicle.
•
Awarded one of the following Medals for Heroism: Medal of Honor, SIlver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross Any award with a V or Valor device with the exception of unit awards w/V; Soldier’s Medal, Airman’s Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Medal, Coast Guard Medal
Previously, CCCC was ranked first in the Niche 2020 Best Community Colleges in North Carolina rankings.
“Giving free masks to the community is important to our company,” says Andy Warlick, CEO of Parkdale Mills, who initiated the campaign. “We want to create positive reinforcement in the community to help get past this pandemic.” As part of the I Wear, I Care campaign, Parkdale Mills will donate a mask for every mask purchased from its website. The company also allows users to send masks directly to an organization in need and is hosting drive-through mask giveaway events in cities throughout North Carolina and South Carolina.
Harnett County seeks nominations for ‘Wall of Heroes’ Harnett County will display a Veterans Wall of Heroes at the new Harnett County Resource Center & Library, located at 455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington. The Veterans Wall of Heroes will provide an opportunity to commemorate Harnett County veterans and honor those who received a Medal for Heroism. Nominations can be made for an individual who served in any of the nation’s five military branches. Nominations will be accepted starting Sept. 1. All nominations can be emailed to Eric Truesdale at etruesdale@harnett.org. To be nominated, individuals must meet
Send us your news: Email billy@rantnc. com or gordon@rantnc.com to be featured online or in this publication.
MINA Charter School touts successful first day of classes MINA Charter School of Lee County officially opened its doors (virtually) and experienced “a very successful” first day of school on Aug. 11. According to school officials, 96 percent of the school’s enrolled students had contact with their teachers throughout the day, through a combination of Zoom meetings, FaceTime activities, phone conversations and on-site socially distant drop-ins. Every student at MINA was assigned a personal ChromeBook for learning, and more 160 have been distributed. “We had high expectations and our first day went even better than I could have possibly hoped for,” MINA Lead Administrator Stella Farrow said. “We continue to be amazed and gratified by the support we are seeing from our students and their parents and families. Equally important has been the dedication of our teachers and staff. Having 241 students out of 252 in classrooms on Day 1 is unheard of, and a real tribute to the effort everyone is making to make our school an academic source of accomplishment. “Especially with distance learning in this pandemic, it has been inspiring to see the way everyone is pulling together.” MINA Charter School will operate at its newly renovated location at 2732 Industrial Drive in Jonesboro. MINA will utilize a STREAM curriculum that emphasizes learning in science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math.
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At the event, Parkdale Mills will also offer a job fair where the community can apply for open positions. The job fair will be separate from the mask event to ensure social distancing guidelines are observed. For more information about current job openings, visit www.parkdalemills.com and select “careers.”
CCCC President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman said: "I am so proud of our college. This continued recognition among the best in the nation represents the great work done by the entire CCCC family, because it takes us all working together to support our students' successes in order to meet the needs of the communities we serve."
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30 | September 2020
@therant905
CANDIDATE Q&A N.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | DISTRICT 54
2020 ELECTIONS October and early voting will be here before we know it. We’ve asked candidates in local races (up to the state legislature — there’s plenty of information available elsewhere about the statewide and federal races) two questions apiece about their respective campaigns. We’ll continue asking questions each month between now and the election in November, and will publish all answers online before the election.
The race for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 seat pits incumbent Republican John Sauls, a retired pastor, against Democratic challenger Jason Cain, an educator and former soldier. The method by which political maps are drawn has been an issue of contention in the General Assembly. Do you support an independent, nonpartisan redistricting commission which will draw maps in the future, or any other changes to the process, or do you think legislators should continue creating political districts? CAIN: As a student and teacher of the American political system, and as a North Carolinian, I am well versed in the long term and short term dangers of allowing politicians to pick their voters. North Carolina has become nationally known for its egregious history of
letting politicians pick their voters, rather than letting voters pick their representatives. Gerrymandering hurts everyone but especially our already marginalized communities which are most likely to lose their voice in our political process. True democracy depends on every vote having the same weight. When politicians are allowed to pick which votes count, democracy begins to break down and we must end this harmful practice. I have pledged to support and fight for the creation of a nonpartisan redistricting commission to ensure we put a stop to this and finally create a fair district-drawing system. Never again should politicians be allowed to draw their own districts. SAULS: I remember Paul Harvey, a well known radio personality, saying years back, “We need an investigating committee to investigate Congress. Then we need an investigating committee to investigate the investigating committee.” That’s like saying a “nonpartisan” redistricting committee. The good news for our citizens, most votes taken in the House pass by 90 to 115 votes. The majority party swings from Democrats to Republicans and vice-versa by the voters who always have the final say. As a member of the redistricting committee, I watched both parties work together drawing new maps. The election of 2018 saw the Republican majority lose 10 members. Shifts in populations can dictate election outcomes. I have seen so called “nonpartisan” political offices anything but nonpartisan. I believe the elected Democrats and Republicans should draw the maps.
POLITICAL AD PAID FOR BY JOHN KIRKMAN
Partisan balance in the House has grown tighter in recent years, forcing legislators from both parties to work together more often. Assuming this trend continues, how will you look for opportunities to work across the aisle? And if you are elected as a member of the House minority, what will you do to ensure that your ideas are heard and your
Sauls (R)
Cain (D)
constituents are well represented? CAIN: When I was a leader in the Army I didn’t ask my soldiers if they were Republicans or Democrats. I asked if they had checked their gear and knew what to do when we hit the ground. When I’m representing the people of Sanford and the Sandhills I won’t seek liberal or conservative solutions. I’ll look for solutions and policies which support the best interests of my constituents. In the last decade, leaders in the General Assembly have gamed the system to achieve a super majority and ignored the input and ideas from the other side. That’s not the kind of leadership that solves problems. I will work with community leaders and all of my colleagues in the State House to create equitable solutions. Our Representatives work for our communities, not for their political party. They must work with their colleagues and House leadership, of whichever party, to ensure people’s concerns are being heard and addressed. I will absolutely work across the aisle to find solutions and I would vote for bills sponsored by either political party if I felt they would better our district. SAULS: I will not have to look for opportunities to work across the aisle. I have been doing that in Lee-Harnett for 12 years. First as a Lee County Commissioner 1998-2002, then N.C. House 2003-2006 and returning to the House 2017-present. If elected a member of the minority, I will work with the minority party the same as I do now in the majority. In 2005, while a member of the minority, I was appointed Co-Chair of the House Community College Committee by the democrat Speaker of the House.
The Rant Monthly | 31
rantnc.com LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Carver (R)
Dalrymple (D)
Three at-large seats on the Lee County Board of Commissioners are on the ballot in November. Voters may choose three, and the top three vote getters will win the seats. Candidates include Republican challenger Bill Carver, Democratic incumbent Chairwoman Amy Dalrymple, Republican challenger Paula Fine-Mbuangi, Republican challenger Sandra Jones, Democratic challenger Mark Lovick, and incumbent Democrat Cameron Sharpe. It's been a big couple of years for Lee County in terms of economic development. Four new projects have
Fine-Mbuangi (R)
by case basis.
Lovick (D)
been announced since 2019 that will bring more than 1,100 new jobs and upwards of $680 million in tax base investments. Some of these projects included an economic incentive in the form of a performance-based grant which is tied to capital investment and job creation for a limited number of years. What is your view of this incentive program, and will you support its continuation if you win election? CARVER: I am strongly in favor of promoting economic development in Lee
Sharpe (D)
Jones (R)
County. We have numerous organic incentives that make our business climate attractive to new companies and give opportunity for growth for established businesses. I believe we can improve that climate by promoting work force development, apprentice programs, low taxes, policing, and stronger K-12 for all families in our county. My goal is to make our county as attractive as possible for people and businesses moving here and for those who have been contributing to our success for years and generations. The use of financial incentives should be rare and I will consider approving them on a case
DALRYMPLE: In the global economy of today, getting a business to locate in your community is very competitive. We are being compared to sites in other countries, states, and even neighboring counties. I understand the critics of incentives, but the reality is that you cannot attract large employers to the area without them. For two years, (2012-2014), Republican commissioners had the majority on the Board of Commissioners. They rejected offering incentives during this time and our county lost hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars. Our incentive packages are transparent and include requirements for the company to provide certain job numbers, wages and capital projects to hold them accountable in the agreement. Two of the most recent economic development successes, Bharat Forge and Audentes, will create over 650 new jobs and add almost $280 million to our tax base. This helps our families by offering employment opportunities and our county's bottom line so that we can address our operational needs.
32 | September 2020
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FINE-MBUANGI: We have not witnessed job growth the past four years under the current commissioners. Despite the many targeted financial incentives, our actual employment has dropped in both workforce size and employees at work in recent years. I would like to achieve a level playing field for all businesses whether old, new, large or small in our County. As a County Commissioner I will insist Lee County strictly follow the ruling of the North Carolina Supreme Court Maready Case of 1995-1996. According to the High Court, our growth incentives must fulfil an actual “public purpose” to be permissible. I will encourage our economic developers to review and put to practice the several requirements from this case. JONES: I agree that incentives are important in bringing economic development to Lee County, but I also feel there should not be a limit on the types of incentives explored. We should be providing economic incentives that would provide the greater benefit in bringing jobs to Lee County citizens. We need economic incentives that would improve the quality and training of our workforce and improve our infrastructure to benefit all companies and local businesses. While these recent performance-based economic incentives have reportedly produced “1100 new jobs” I question how many of these jobs are being filled by the citizens of Lee County rather than individuals commuting in from other counties. I believe Lee County should limit economic incentives to those projects that benefit the county as a whole.
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We need economic incentives that would improve the quality of education and training of our workforce. including education and training at the community college. Perhaps by better educating our workforce the citizens of Lee County will be better equipped to handle these new jobs coming to our county. We need incentives to improve our infrastructure to make Lee County more attractive to businesses to consider coming to Lee County without numerous incentives. LOVICK: For the last two-and-a-half years, I have attended all but a handful of County Commissioner meetings. During this time I have become educated on economic incentives. I have spoken with past and present Commissioners and business people on how exactly economic incentives work. I found that zero large companies will
come without some type of incentives. In the past when incentives were not offered hardly any businesses or jobs came to Lee County. Economic incentives do work. Pfizer came to Lee County several years ago with Economic incentives attached. Now they are investing an additional $500 million and 300 more jobs. All this is coming with no additional incentives. I think these numbers speak to the question do economic incentives work. I would be careful and prayerfully look into each business economic incentive based grant. I would support great businesses, paying great wages and great benefits to help Lee County people to get great jobs. SHARPE: 2019 was one of the biggest years in terms of economic development that Lee county has ever seen. I wish incentives were not necessary to attract new business to our area, that’s for sure. The success we had in the county last year would not have been possible without performance base incentives. In a perfect world, incentives would not have to be offered to attract new business to our area. It’s just how the game is played in today’s times. With 1,100 new jobs in 2019 and 680 million dollars in new investment, I support all the hard work our board, the city and the Sanford Area Growth Alliance put in to make all this happen here in Lee county. It was a great effort. I will continue to support this incentive program as it helped Lee county experience one of the best economic years on record and is bringing people of the county good jobs. People all over the state are asking, “what are you guys in Lee county doing to experience so many wins?” Most of the credit goes to the guys at the Sanford Area Growth Alliance who are in the field doing the heavy lifting. Thanks to those guys, and the collaborative effort of the city and the county to make this work. Do you support the passage of the $25 million parks and recreation bond to pay for the construction of a multi-field sports complex in Lee County? Why or why not? CARVER: I support a strategic plan that addresses parks and recreational facilities. Constructing and maintaining these areas is an important aspect of local government and directly contributes to our quality of life. However, the current bond proposal is problematic for several reasons.
The Rant Monthly | 33
The wording is not specific; the referendum states funds are for “expanding and improving various parks and recreational facilities,” including a sports complex. The bond would add $25 million to the county's debt. The debt is currently some $90 million and exceeds the county's 2020 revenue budgeted at about $77 million. It's not clear how this expenditure measures up against other priorities; what effect will this obligation have on funds available to address mental health and homeless needs, adequacy of policing or debt reduction? Will a more remote large sport complex meet the demand for local parks that are accessible to children in various communities? Can the neighborhood parks be upgraded, maintained, and scheduled to meet requirements for league play as an alternative to one large complex? I do not support the current bond referendum for parks and recreation on the ballot. DALRYMPLE: The Parks and Recreation Bond on the ballot in November is another investment in our community and I support it. As we renovate and improve our existing parks this year, the need for more playing fields
and outdoor space is apparent. Providing more athletic fields, (with ample parking, restrooms, concession areas, and spectator space), a multisports complex would offer many opportunities for families and be a new economic engine when tournaments are held there. Families have asked for this kind of facility for a long time. We are finally in a financial situation to be able to do this project, which is why I voted to put it on the ballot. Ultimately, the voters will determine its future. FINE-MBUANGI: I am a huge supporter of sports and recreational facilities for the families of Lee County. This bond is worded in a way that does not guarantee facilities will be built for the benefit of most families that need access to recreational resources. I support cost-effective recreational solutions that benefit all residents, across all of Lee Countylike pocket parks and access to school playing fields. We need to be very careful taking on debt for non-mandatory capital projects in Lee County. We have legal requirements to build and maintain schools and law enforcement facilities. We need to preserve debt capacity for that purpose.
JONES: While I am for building multisports fields and facilities that I hope would expand the recreational possibilities for the citizens of Lee County, I am very concerned about the “wording” of the referendum on the ballot. It states to provide 25 million plus interest for “constructing, expanding and improving various parks and recreational facilities for said County, including without limitation, a multi-sport complex”. The wording for the bond is very broad. I understand from talking with parents who have children on travel teams that they would like to have a decent facility for their teams to compete with teams from other counties. I also understand the desire to attract tournaments to our county. But I question what percentage of our children and perhaps adults would have access to the facility and ability to use the multi-sport fields because of the location. Could not the facility be moved to a location to allow better access? Would it be more advantageous to build sports fields in multiple areas around the county to allow better access? I also question whether it would be better to open the sports complex to outside bidders and allow for economic incentives to assist in
building the sports complex rather than placing the burden on the taxpayers in the county by raising our taxes. LOVICK: I am in support of the sports complex. It will be a great tool in our economic development toolbox. It will help attract families and businesses wanting to relocate in our area. I am very pleased that it is on the ballot for taxpayers to make the final choice. Anytime this much money is involved taxpayers need to be involved in the decision. SHARPE: I do support the passage of the parks and recreation bond to pay for the construction of the multi-field sports complex in Lee county. I think our kids and parents deserve a quality facility. I really think this is something our area has needed for a long time. Our teams and county need to have a complex that we can host tournaments at. For years, our kids and parents have had to travel out of town and spend their money other places because we do not have the facility’s to host such events. I think now is the time to get this done.
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34 | September 2020 (Note: Paula Fine-Mbuangi replaced Randy Todd on the Republican ballot in August, after Todd was charged with assault. The Rant offered her the opportunity to answer the questions posed to candidates before she replaced Todd; they appear below). Briefly introduce yourself and describe why you're seeking election to the Board of Commissioners. I am a Christian, wife, mother and grandmother. I have been an IT professional for 15 years, nearly 14 with my current employer, and Fine-Mbuangi (R) I was recently nominated to be the Vice Chair for Outreach and Recruitment for the Lee County GOP. As a taxpayer with a child in the Lee County Schools system, I want to make a difference in Lee County by improving our economic growth, improving the quality of our workforce and making the county a great place to live, work and raise a family. What is your view as to the state of things in Lee County with regards to local government, and what measures will you take as a commissioner to see that economic growth continues to occur locally? I believe our local government can grow the prosperity of Lee County by lowering taxes to make us more competitive with surrounding counties. I want to encourage existing businesses to expand and new businesses to come here, hiring Lee County citizens. We can improve the quality of the workforce and reduce regulatory burdens on businesses. I also want to see improvement in our infrastructure and land use planning.
@therant905 LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
on the status quo. I believe even though it’s late, it’s not too late. With a directed and focused attention on providing both a comprehensive education for college bound students and equal educational training for students preparing to enter the workforce we can have one of the top-rated school districts in North Carolina. We must provide an educated workforce for our existing and future industries.
Bowen (R)
Davidson (R)
Frye (D)
Kelly (D)
An equal education for all students is mandatory. FRYE: To paraphrase an Indian expression, it is too late to dig the well when the house is on fire.
Laudate (D)
Miller (R)
Eight candidates are seeking four seats on the Lee County Board of Education. They are former board member Sandra Bowen (R), challenger Eric Davidson (R), challenger Tom Frye (D), incumbent board Chairman Patrick Kelly (D), challenger Jamey Laudate (D), challenger Todd Ashley Miller (R), incumbent Dr. Lynn Smith (D), and incumbent Sherry Womack (R). Voters may cast their ballot for up to four candidates. All of the seats are elected on an at large basis. More than 1,100 new jobs have come or are coming very soon to Lee County, a factor which will almost certainly lead to some level of increased population growth in the next four years. What should the school board be doing now to prepare for this growth and the subsequent need for increased educational resources? BOWEN: Lee County has seen a boom in investment from both industrial and residential sectors. As a result, the school board should focus on two things: capacity and quality. When the Wicker School was re-commissioned, we already knew that we really needed two elementary schools, and Wicker met the need for one. It was built as a super school, meaning it had a much higher capacity than most elementary schools. With the influence of charter, private and virtual schools, we may now have sufficient capacity,
Smith (D)
Womack (R)
but we need to evaluate those figures. Almost more importantly, we need to focus on the quality of our schools. I believe that we need a proactive plan for measuring the performance of the Virtual Academy, to determine if it is a viable alternative for families. If the Virtual Academy is financially feasible, educationally sound and desired by parents, then it should continue into the foreseeable future. Quality is the primary driver of families’ decision making. Families look at the performance of schools before they make the decision on where to live. We must improve our showing, if we want our community growing. DAVIDSON: Brian Floyd, founder of TheCampaignSchool.com, stated in a personal email on July 22, “If 2020 has taught us anything, education is probably the most important issue in America if we’re going to address inequalities and have a workforce that’s ready for the critical thinking jobs that will be created by technological changes and decoupling from China.” I believe for Lee County to be a place where people want to reside, we must do all we can for Lee County to be a place where people want to live, work and play. And an integral part of a quality infrastructure is the quality of our schools. To be honest, a forward-thinking School Board will have already been preparing Lee County Schools for this anticipated growth and not have insisted
With that in mind, now is the time for the Board of Education to be planning for the anticipated student population growth that will coincide with increased job opportunities in Lee County. Projected student population growth as well as where that growth will actually occur must be analyzed now so that planning can occur. An organization that specializes in data analysis for school planning should be employed so that the Board of Education can first, optimize all space available in current facilities, and then, plan for additional facilities. Having worked in a school district that experienced rapid and sustained student population growth, I understand the need to use an organization with a proven track record of effective school planning such as the Operations Research and Education Labs (OREd), which is a division of the Institute for Transportation Research Education (ITRE) at North Carolina State University. The forecasting provided by an organization such as OREd will equip the Board of Education with the knowledge of optimal areas for new school placement(s), if needed. KELLY: Lee County is growing and we are fortunate to see this growth. We must be ready to grow as well. With one new elementary school opening last year, the strain of crowded hallways and classrooms has decreased some, but we must remain focused and still plan for the future. We must be innovative and think outside of the box. I would like to be part of the team who designs a grade 6-12 school that focuses on Career and Technical Education. This middle/ high school will serve as a school that focuses not only STEM and core classes, but heavily
The Rant Monthly | 35
rantnc.com on career and technical education. Offering as many CTE courses as we can and in doing so continue to build our workforce locally and connect students with those industries. We would not take away from any of our current CTE programs, but build upon them and add others that are in high demand. Creating pathways for students to succeed. Students do not need to attend a four-year college to earn a decent living and can do so by learning a trade. This will continue to build on the partnership we have with the CCCC and both would benefit from it. LAUDATE: When I announced my candidacy, I listed three parts to my platform: (1) Accountability & Transparency, (2) Complete Commitment to Technology, and (3) STEAM and Year Round School options in the public school system. Part 3 is a direct response to the economic growth in Lee County, thanks to forward thinking leadership and thanks to all our county has to offer. I firmly believe this school board will make decisions on one, possibly two new schools. I also firmly believe those schools need to be STEAM based and/or Year Round, preferably both.
We need STEAM schools to meet the needs of the workforce these kids will be stepping into, and Year Round schools can serve 33 percent more children in the same building footprint when Tracks are done correctly.
needs for buildings and facilities based on current available information on population growth.
Plus parents want a year-round school option and elementary school kids learn the best in a nine-weeks-on, three-weeksoff schedule. It's a win for taxpayers, for parents and for students.
Do you support the passage of the $25 million parks and recreation bond to pay for the construction of a multi-field sports complex in Lee County? Why or why not?
MILLER: No response. SMITH: 1,100 new jobs! Congratulations to SAGA, city council and commissioners for your good work when many areas are losing jobs. And, yes, this means an increase in population, some of whom will be school age citizens. We at the board of education prepare for growth every year, so we are accustomed to the process. Based on available information, we prepare the Capitol Improvement Plan yearly to identify major capitol projects that we anticipate over a five-year span. A new elementary school is in the budget already for the 2023-2024 year. We revisit this yearly and adjust our
WOMACK: No response.
BOWEN: I will encapsulate my answer with the phrase, Education First. IF, we determine that we have sufficient capacity in our schools to serve the students of today, and the planned increase due to residential building, AND we determine that the quality of the virtual school is sufficient to warrant continuation into the future, THEN I would support a multi-sport complex. I recognize that education is more than classroom learning and that students need something to do outside the classroom. For many students, athletic pursuits and academic diligence go hand in hand. From an economic development standpoint, such athletic facilities serve as a selling point in
the community. It would improve property values, quality of life, etc. However, if funding this complex puts a financial strain on the county or its taxpayers, who are just coming out of a pandemic, then I feel that the time is not right. We have other issues in our community that might be more pressing, for example, educational performance, mental health, drug addiction, gun violence, etc. If those funds are needed in other arenas more, then I would not oppose waiting for the desired sports complex. DAVIDSON: I am grateful the residents of Lee County will have the opportunity to decide on this $24 million bond because the residents of Lee County will be responsible for the repayment of the bond. I will be voting “for� this bond because I believe it is an opportunity Lee County cannot afford to miss. We are in a prime location to attract thousands of players and families to spend money in Lee County thereby increasing the money available to facilitate improvements and upgrades in our infrastructure, including additional resources available for our schools. Whenever a community has
36 | September 2020 high performing schools, a qualified workforce, and exceptional recreation facilities, that community is an attractive place for people to live, work, and play. As a teacher and soccer and basketball coach for 15 years, I understand the importance of extracurricular activities for well-rounded students. The desire of many athletes to be their best involves their participation in sports outside of school. Many sports teams in Lee County travel to tournaments across the southeast, which for some families makes it too expensive for their children to participate. With a multi-field sports complex in our county, more Lee County children will be able to participate. FRYE: Absolutely! Young people in Lee County will benefit greatly from the proposed sports complex. The most obvious benefit will be the actual facilities and the increased opportunities these facilities provide — specifically, more organized sports. As an educator, I saw the positive difference that sports made in the
@therant905 lives of countless students. Facilities such as the proposed sports complex add value to the community. This added value will be advantageous as Lee County officials work to attract additional industry to the area. Often, Lee County athletes must travel to large sports complexes in other towns to participate in sports tournaments, which sends revenue to these other towns. The complex will benefit existing businesses in Lee County and may attract additional businesses to the immediate area — restaurants, hotels, convenience marts, etc., all of which will bring additional revenue into Lee County. This investment by the citizens of Lee County now will yield great benefits for many years to come. KELLY: Why does Lee County need a multipurpose-sport complex? Will it benefit our community? These are the questions I asked myself and through my research I was able to learn that it will be a big producer in economic development and certainly will create jobs and help oth-
ers such our current restaurants and other tourisms venues as well. While one focus is to bring others to Lee County, I see the benefits locally such as the community college in terms of facilities for sport teams. Other local organizations such as SASL, Sting, and our Semi-Pro Soccer Team San-Lee Futbol Club are also being included in the discussions as well for potential use. I understand and believe it will help Lee County succeed. The last factor I feel that is important is that it will help our local youth to continue to excel on the field, but also in life by learning valuable lessons such as sportsmanship and respect on the field and on the sidelines. I agree that this complex will be a place to Come, Play and Succeed. Not for just those visiting Lee County, but for those who also call it home. LAUDATE: I do support the parks and recreation bond. One of the biggest concerns I've heard from parents is that kids need something to do. It's my understanding that the
sports complex has football, soccer, baseball, softball, walking trails and a pond, with other amenities being discussed. This would be a great resource for locals. Further, there are about 400 kids that currently travel with their families on weekends for travel ball tournaments. Sports tourism is growing exponentially. With this facility, other families could travel to Sanford, stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants, and shop at our stores, generating $2 million annually in revenue by one estimate. MILLER: No response. SMITH: Yes, I support the recreation bond issue. The sports complex is part of the infra-structure we will need to support the anticipated growth of our community. Recreation facilities seem to be one of the most important issues when people are considering moving to a new community. WOMACK: No response.
The Rant Monthly | 37
rantnc.com N.C. SENATE | DISTRICT 12 suming this trend continues, how will you look for opportunities to work across the aisle? And if you are elected as a member of the Senate minority, what will you do to ensure that your ideas are heard and your constituents are well represented? Burgin (R)
Kirkman (D)
The race for North Carolina Senate District 12, which encompasses Lee, Harnett and part of Johnston County, pits incumbent Republican Jim Burgin, a Harnett County businessman, against John Kirkman, who is chairman of the Lee County Democratic Party. The method by which political maps are drawn has been an issue of contention in the General Assembly. Do you support an independent, nonpartisan redistricting commission which will draw maps in the future, or any other changes to the process, or do you think legislators should continue creating political districts? BURGIN: No Response KIRKMAN: I strongly support an independent, nonpartisan redistricting commission to draw future districts maps in North Carolina. Gerrymandering voting districts is wrong. The voters should elect their politicians, but under the Republican drawn maps the politicians have selected their voters. Partisan balance in the Senate has grown tighter in recent years, forcing legislators from different parties to work together more often. As-
BURGIN: No Response KIRKMAN: Just because the Democrats picked up enough seats in both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly in 2018 to break the Republican’s veto proof majority, does not mean the legislators from the two parties have worked together more on the big issues like increasing teacher’s pay, the state budget and expanding Medicaid. Unfortunately, my opponent has voted in lock step 98 percent of the time with the ethically challenged President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Republican leaders in both the N.C. House and Senate have refused to bargain with the governor to an agreement over the state budget. Most of the legislation passed by our General Assembly draws support from both parties.
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I believe in win-win negotiations to achieve the best possible results for our citizens and that includes working across the aisle. If the voters in the 12th District send me to Raleigh to be their voice in the NC Senate they will be heard. I am not shy. In order to represent my constituents well I will need to continue to get their feedback on the issues most important to them and to make communication with me as convenient as possible.
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38 | September 2020
@therant905 DISTRICT ATTORNEY | LEE & HARNETT COUNTIES against violence. As District Attorney, I will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to support PSN and other programs that will make our community safer.
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Matthews (R)
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Porter (D)
The winner of the race for District Attorney in Lee and Harnett counties will replace outgoing D.A. Vernon Stewart, a Democrat who is retiring after multiple terms. The candidates are Republican Suzanne Matthews, currently a prosecutor under Stewart, and Democrat R. Andrew Porter, an attorney in private practice. Sanford and Lee County have partnered with the federal government on Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that aims to either rehabilitate repeat violent offenders via a variety of social programs or lock them up by taking their cases through federal court. What is your view of this program, and will you support its continued implementation? What changes, if any, would you make to the program? MATTHEWS: The effective administration of justice requires various law enforcement partners on the local, state, and federal level to work together. As such, the District Attorney’s Office must foster relationships with these law enforcement partners, to combat violence in our communities.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods is one way that is accomplished.The program works through both enforcement of the law and crime prevention. With regard to enforcement, PSN identifies those individuals who are involved in violent crime and seeks to prosecute those responsible in either federal or state court. On the prevention side, PSN relies on community involvement. The ultimate goal is to notify offenders of the potential consequences of their behavior and offer a way out of that lifestyle through job assistance, education, and support. I believe that this program is effective and can be a very useful tool in the fight
PORTER: I am always wary of the federal government involving itself in local issues. However, the decision to partner with Project Safe Neighborhoods was made by the elected officials of Sanford and Lee County, therefore, I have to believe it was made in the best interests of our citizens. While I appreciate the vast federal resources the program provides, the need for a program of its type does point to the failings of the present District Attorney's Office, which has been maligned with a lack of resources that contributed to zero sexual assault convictions between 2014 and 2018. Hopefully, Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable the District Attorney’s Office to allocate more resources toward this pressing issue. Furthermore, I am aware of Councilpersons Wyhof Salmon and Post's concerns about racial bias in the program. I will also closely monitor the program to ensure it does not disproportionately affect or penalize minority or impoverished communities. In regard to changes, I have to echo Councilman Post's sentiment that the program "use an objective and transparent selection process" for the offenders prosecuted as federal penalties can be particularly harsh. COVID-19 has made court proceedings especially difficult, and given the uncertainty of a timeline for a return to normalcy, how will you ensure that courts continue to run smoothly, particularly with regard to things like jury trials? MATTHEWS: The court system has been greatly affected by COVID-19 regulations. Social distancing in a small courtroom with hundreds of people on a docket is impossible. Social distancing a jury panel to hear a case will take a lot of logistical planning. The District Attorney’s Office has been
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rantnc.com working consistently through this pandemic with other court counterparts, to include the judges, clerks, private attorneys and security staff to ensure that all safety precautions are taken. We will continue to abide by the rules put in place by not only the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but also by our Resident Superior Court Judge. We will continue to work with our court counterparts to create a system that will be safe for the resumption of business. At the present time, jury trials will not resume until at least Oct. 1, per order of the Chief Justice. Until restrictions are lifted, we will continue to work behind the scenes to prepare our cases for trial when the time comes. Upon resumption of normal court proceedings, it will be imperative for our office to prioritize those cases involving violence, as well as those involving a defendant being held in custody.
Presently, the District Attorney is limited to setting the health and safety protocols for their offices and staff. However, the best thing I can do is work with the NC Supreme Court Chief Justice, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Clerks of Court for Lee and Harnett Counties, the Chief Superior and District Court Judges, Indigent Defense Services and Public Defender Offices, and private attorneys to develop health and safety protocols that allow for in person proceedings and at the same time expand the use of telework technology. To specifically address jury trials, we are bound by the decision of the Chief Justice to suspend them at this time. However by working together to solve this issue, it is my hope that we can soon have jury trials that ensure the safety of all our jurors, defendants, and staff. The constitutional right to a speedy trial must be protected, and I will work on day one to uphold this right.
PORTER: It takes a village. The District Attorney’s Office is one piece of a COVID-19 court puzzle.
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