The Rant Monthly | January 2025

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WE’LL JUST SAY IT: SANFORD IS HOME TO NORTH CAROLINA’S BEST LATINO FOOD ALSO INSIDE: MAJOR RETAILER EYES SANFORD | MR. GATTI’S RETURN | OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

2 | January 2025

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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 January 2025 | Sanford, North Carolina A product of LPH Media, LLC Vol. 7 | Issue 1 | No. 70

Editorial Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com Billy Liggett | billy@rantnc.com Jonathan Owens | jonathan@rantnc.com Richard Sullins | richard@rantnc.com Advertising Nate Ewing | advertising@rantnc.com | (919) 478-0560 Contributors Ben Brown Editorial Board Paul Revere, J.D. Salinger, J. Edgar Hoover, Grandmaster Flash, Betsy Ross, Ice Spice, George Washington Carver and Verne Troyer

Find Us Online: www.rantnc.com Facebook: facebook.com/therant905 Twitter: twitter.com/therant905 Instagram: instagram.com/therantnc

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: billy@rantnc.com.

Advertising email: advertising@rantnc.com The Rant Monthly is published monthly.

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. Removal of this newspaper from any distribution point for purposes other than reading it constitutes theft, and violators are subject knuckle burns to your scalp from your weird uncle. Printed by the Wilson Times Co. in Wilson, North Carolina.

Copyright 2024, LPH Media LLC, all rights reserved.

I can see now the things that I thought were indeed, indeed are not.

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4 | January 2025

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The place to be for great Mexican food restaurants

I

have a colleague here at The Rant who scoffs or rolls his eyes every time I mention in here that I grew up in Texas. In the last five years, this will be about the 57th time he’s had to do that.

Because, yes, I did grow up in Texas. And I’m mentioning this right now because it’s actually very relevant. Texas is home to the world’s best Tex-Mex. It’s in the name. In my youth, I made several trips to places that specialized in fajitas, enchiladas, tacos and chips and salsa.

Honestly, I thought this was what Mexican food was. I thought they just tossed the word “Tex” in it, because Texas is full of itself.

Turns out, Tex-Mex is very similar, but also very different than authentic Mexican food. One of the joys of living in Sanford for the past 18 years is that I’ve discovered some great authentic Mexican food dishes that I never saw on a menu back home.

This month’s edition of The Rant Monthly takes a look at some of the best Mexican and Latin-American food restaurants our city has to offer. We would have had to double our page count to get all the locally owned (almost all Latino-owned) places mentioned, but for this first issue of the year, we’re including a few of our favorites.

We’re also hoping to feature more restaurants each month for the entirety of 2025.

The reason for this? First, we love to promote any local business. But mostly,

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WE’LL JUST SAY IT: SANFORD IS HOME TO NORTH CAROLINA’S BEST LATINO FOOD ALSO INSIDE: MAJOR RETAILER EYES SANFORD | MR. GATTI’S RETURN | OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

we sincerely think Sanford has something special with the quality of Mexican restaurants here. Hell, one of them was named among the best in the nation just a few years ago.

We hope our regular readers discover something new thanks to this edition, and we hope the city leans in to the idea that we have a network of restaurants here that would please any foodie.

What better way to start a new year than by ruining all that exercise with huge helpings of great food. Tell us which restaurants you like most, and let us know what we’re missing this month. We’ll be happy to add it throughout the year.

— Billy Liggett

FOUR BEST KIND OF QUARTERS It’s 2025, which means we’re a quarter of the way through the 2000s. Speaking of quarters ...

Quarters

Quarterbacks

Quarterfinals

Quarterstaff

Back when we still used cash and coins, quarters were by far the superior coin.

They got that name because they’re positioned a quarter of the way back from the line.

Superior to the semifinals because their are more games remaining to waste your time.

Of course, it’s the weapon of choice for Rey when she was a scavenger on Jakku.

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Live Healthiest LiFe Your

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We’re doctors, nurses and caregivers who are dedicated to you and the community you love. Dedicated to making sure you live your healthiest life.

See what it means to live your healthiest life at CentralCarolinaHosp.com

6 | January 2025

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8 | January 2025

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LOCAL ECONOMY Sanford’s Riverbirch shopping center — once a bustling strip of department stores and other small retailers — has fallen on hard times in the last decade, with but a few stores remaining.

Speculation has been rampant about a major retailer moving in since Ohio-based Casto, which has prosperous shopping centers across the country, bought the ailing business district.

say we could take a look at many examples, even in the state of North Carolina, for these large cap investments that have the potential to increase very significantly our sales tax revenue. Also, these big box retailers help us attract more families to our community.”

Little else was said about the topic at the meeting, although the commissioners did add to the agenda a closed session “to discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of a business.” It’s unclear whether that closed session was related to the comments made by Womack and Joyce.

‘Major retailer’ eyes Riverbirch as political debate swirls over funding

By Gordon Anderson richard@rantnc.com A rumor regarding a large-scale commercial development at Riverbirch Corner on Spring Lane spilled into the open before the Lee County Board of Commissioners during their December meeting.

Lee County Republican Party Chairman Jim Womack spoke to the board and addressed “rumors which are abounding in Lee County about some kind of anchor store which is going to be coming in the Riverbirch area off of Spring Lane.”

Womack’s purpose for bringing up the rumor was to log an objection to the use of taxpayer funds to entice the unnamed

company to locate in Sanford.

“The rumor is there’s about $10 or $11 million of local tax dollars that are going to be committed to making this retail store a viability in Lee County,” he said.

“There’s no way it’s an appropriate use of tax dollars, to help a retailer become viable for a business model. The truth is, if that retailer is going to come here, they’re going to come here with or without a targeted financial incentive.”

There has been no public discussion of any incentive or grant to any retailer that The Rant is aware of, but Womack’s concerns were followed by another speaker who seemed supportive of the idea that a retailer could theoretically qualify

for public assistance in setting up shop locally.

Bob Joyce, a former economic developer for the Sanford Area Growth Alliance, said he agreed in principle that he’d rather not have economic incentives at all, but argued that “it would be foolish for us to unilaterally disarm and not offer incentives for certain projects.”

“We have over 500 communities in the United States that are our size, and all of them are using incentives in some form to attract businesses,” he continued.

“Generally, we have not incentivized retail, but for special, one-off projects, other communities have done this. And I would

As for Riverbirch, the property has been the subject of speculation since its sale to Ohio-based developer Casto in 2022. Casto owns dozens of shopping center properties across the nation, many of which are anchored by large retailers like Kroger, Target, Kohl’s, Stein Mart and others.

Casto submitted a plan to the Sanford-Lee County Planning Department’s Technical Review Committee in August 2023 that would have seen the shopping center almost totally demolished and replaced with a mix of new retail, office space, recreational areas, and even multi-family housing.

The status of that proposal remains unclear, and TRC approval of a given project doesn’t guarantee it will or won’t be undertaken, only that the proposal falls under compliance with local planning regulations. Since its purchase of Riverbirch, Casto has consistently declined to comment about its specific plans for the property.

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Rebounding pizza chain returns to Sanford this summer

By Gordon Anderson gordon@rantnc.com

why not bring Mr. Gatti’s back to North Carolina,” Oborne explained.

A culinary staple for many who grew up in Sanford is returning more than 20 years after shutting down.

Oborne, currently a resident of Wilmington, has degrees in economics, accounting and finance and currently works as a CPA. But he said he’s excited to jump into the restaurant business.

Mr. Gatti’s Pizza will open this summer in the Shoppes at Sanford shopping center anchored by Walmart on South Horner Boulevard. The Texas-based chain operates 120 stores in the southern United States — but none in North Carolina.

That wasn’t always the case. Mr. Gatti’s had a location that many of a certain age remember fondly from the 1980s and 90s.

It operated into the early 2000s, and was at the time located on South Horner Boulevard in what was most recently Brick City Oyster Bar until a fire in 2013.

The person behind the new iteration of Gatti’s is one of those with fond memories.

“My parents moved to Sanford in 1983, and I guess I was in first grade,” said Matt

Oborne, a former Sanford resident who is the franchisee developing the new Mr. Gatti’s. “Mr. Gatti’s was my favorite place to go.

It had the pizza buffet, it had a game room, and it had these big projector TVs. I remember going there during ACC basketball season, and just about any sporting event.”

“In my 23 year career, I’ve been exposed to a lot of aspects of business, and I’ve always loved the restaurant business,” he said.

Oborne became friends with the children of the original owners — the Habeeb family — so almost sort of grew up with Mr. Gatti’s as a staple, if not a second home.

Oborne initially planned to open a location in Wilmington and then bring a second location back to Sanford at a later date. But when securing a space in Wilmington proved difficult “for a dozen different reasons” Oborne turned his sights back to his hometown and quickly became aware of the space at Shoppes at Sanford, which is next to GameStop and most recently occupied by Rue 21.

“It seemed like the Habeebs created something really special, so when I thought of doing something entrepreneurial, I thought

“When we learned Rue 21 was going to be vacating, we just decided to throw everything at that site,” he said. “The ultimate goal is

to have an opening in the summer of 2025 after four or five months of construction and another couple months installing equipment and training staff.”

Oborne said Mr. Gatti’s as a chain had some lean years in the 2000s and 2010s, but “the brand is doing exceptionally well now.

The current owners are really bullish and are expanding tremendously. And they really loved that I wanted to bring them back into North Carolina.”

Although it’s been more than two decades since Mr. Gatti’s has existed in Sanford, Oborne said the business model — and the recipes — remain the same. As part of the process of being awarded a franchise, Oborne visited Texas and said although modernized, all is as he remembered.

“We’ll have a pizza buffet and 400 square feet for a game room,” he said. “And there will be two distinct dining areas, one more like a cafe, and then a sports themed dining room. And the pizza should taste just like it did in the 80s and 90s.”

10 | January 2025 THIS IS WHAT PARTISAN SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS GET YOU In December 2023, the Lee County Board of Education’s Republican majority made a move aimed at convincing the public they were serious about governing the school system that serves more than 9,000 local kids.

Sherry Womack, nearing her second term on the board and her first full year as chair of the body, had bizarrely told the district’s newly hired superintendent to “keep it in your pants” during a public meeting in front of a host of family and community members.

It was far from Womack’s first controversial statement as chair, but it seemed at the time like the one that might prove most politically harmful: Not long after, her fellow board members, Republican and Democratic alike, decided it was time for new leadership on the board. Fellow Republican Eric Davidson was made chair, and led the district through a mostly uncontroversial year.

Womack won re-election to her seat in the 2024 election, along with three other Republicans who now make the board a 7-0 partisan monolith and wiping out any Democratic presence from the board. Her victory margin was its highest ever (although she finished behind two others in the race for four at large seats), and she was re-appointed to the chairmanship in December.

But ultimately we’re less disappointed with Womack than we are with the remainder of the new board. We’re on record, over and over and over again, that this that body shouldn’t be partisan at all, and we know what to expect with Womack’s leadership. But this is apparently what partisan school board elections get you. Brace yourself for more.

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OPINION

DEGENERATIVE AI

WOMACK BACK IN CHAIR:

Outspoken and controversial former Lee County School Board chair Sherry Lynn Womack was sworn in to the board after winning in the November election and unanimously chosen to return as chair of the board. Unsurprisingly, the news didn’t sit well with everyone: ______________ School boards should not have parties, Lee County had a more productive school board when parties stayed outside the doors.

David Nance ______________

?

I have listened to many complain about her for years ,but yet she still keeps winning her election and being placed as the chair.

I’m really not sure I get it.

SANFORD

Tracy Culler _______ Who would have imagined that electing some of the ... most unqualified humans in Sanford to the school board would result in some questionable decision making? Stoked for the future.

“It’s OK. I don’t mind waiting.”

Curtis Armstead

MAJOR RETAILER EYES CITY: A rumor regarding a large scale commercial development at Riverbirch Corner on Spring Lane spilled into the open before the Lee County Board of Commissioners at their December meeting. While the name of the retailer wasn’t revealed, the story got a lot of people talking: ______________ It would be great to see them do something with this eyesore of a location. It’s become Kendale 20 years ago. Still barely operating with mostly vacant space, dark, terrible upkeep and a parking lot that might as well be dirt.

Sean Pechota ______________ Regardless of who this “major retailer” is, if they want to come to Sanford, they

need to do it on their own dime. $10 to $11 million just to entice a business to locate here and sell shit?

if they actually took care of the place, something decent may finally come in.

Put that money into the school system or pay our teachers more.

______________

Lyndsay Marie ______________ Sanford needs somewhere else to shop besides Walmart for items like household goods, decor, and clothes. How much money is the local economy losing to Amazon and retail chains in other cities?

Allison Fulcher ______________ Maybe it should be a place that can fix your car tire and rim after you hit a twofoot-deep pothole going in there. Maybe

Mike Dean Trader Joe’s would be nice to have, but this is Sanford. All it will be is more apartments, townhouses or overpriced houses with a mattress store or vape shop in the middle of it.

Summer D. Love ______________ Several of the retail chains mentioned in this article are in financial trouble. I seriously doubt they would expend the resources to locate a new store in Sanford, even if tax dollars were waved in front of their noses.

Roxy Ray

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I’ve seen the alternative; growth is a good thing

By Billy Liggett

M

y hometown had roughly 14,450 residents living in it when I graduated high school and left for college. I only remember that because I passed the city welcome sign (which included the population) almost daily growing up, as our house was just outside the limits.

I noticed that same sign during my last visit to see family in November. The only real change was that population number, though the change was surprisingly small considering I left home 30 years ago.

The new figure: 16,564.

In 30 years, my hometown has gained just 2,114 people. That’s only a third of the capacity of the high school football stadium there.

Aside from a nicely renovated downtown area, a new road near the Walmart and a few new fast food joints along the interstate, I found myself marveling (out loud at times) and just how little has changed back home since I left. To some, this may sound like a good thing. Famil-

iar sights can warm the heart if you have fond memories of your youth (which I do).

But I felt more sadness than nostalgia during my most recent trips. When nothing changes, nothing changes.

Houses in my best friend’s old neighborhood where we cut through yards to walk to nearby convenience stores look 30 years older. That tends to happen, I suppose, but when nothing around you is “new,” the old is all you notice. I’m not suggesting the town just laid down and died when I left (who could blame them if they did?), but you hope for and expect progress in the places you love.

My hometown was the center of my universe at one time. Seeing it ignored by the rest of the world is an unsettling feeling.

Sanford (the hometown of my children) had a population of just over 20,000 in 1994. Entering 2025, the population is at around 35,000 and expected to near 40,000 in the near future. If that happens, the city will have doubled in size in the past 30-plus years — a result of its proximity to a growing city (Raleigh) and steps taken to attract businesses and promote and welcome growth in recent years by local government officials.

A common theme in our publication over the last five years has been this area’s growth and the positives and negatives that come with it. Many are excited at the prospects of a store like Target coming here and the idea that great restaurants would want to make Sanford their home (both topics that are found in this edition).

Others, of course, hate to see their hometown become something it wasn’t when they were young.

My message is to those others. My daughter, who is 15, was riding in the passenger seat with me a few weeks ago when we passed the construction of the new Sheetz gas station in Tramway. She said something I’ve seen in the comment section of every story we’ve written about new businesses, subdivisions or apartment complexes: “I wish Sanford wouldn’t get so big.”

I reminded her of my hometown. A wonderful place that I hold dear to my heart, but a town stuck in the 1990s. That’s the alternative, I told her. Growth (when managed well) is a great thing. Her hometown will only become better because of it. o Email Billy Liggett at billy@rantnc.com.

12 | January 2025 HOLY GUACAMOLE! We haven’t tried anything at La Terrazita in Sanford that we didn’t like, but one of the many “must haves” in the relatively new restaurant on North Horner Boulevard is the guacamole, which is made at your table and served fresh. It’s might just be a side dish, but to us, it’s “cover worthy.”

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COVER STORY

SIMPLEMENTE, LA MEJOR THERE ARE SO MANY FANTASTIC AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD PLACES IN SANFORD (MANY OF THEM NEW), IT’S GOING TO TAKE US ALL YEAR TO INTRODUCE THEM. WE KICK OFF 2025 WITH A FEW OF OUR FAVES.

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B Y B I L LY L I G G E T T A N D G O R D O N A N D E R S O N

or a stretch of time — namely the 21st century leading up to the pandemic — Sanford, North Carolina, was a city where new restaurants struggled to survive. That’s not to say there weren’t some great ones (we still miss Bella Bistro downtown), but blame it on the economy or the lack of growth at the time, it wasn’t always easy to find great food in our backyard.

Thankfully, that has changed. And in a very short time.

As we enter 2025, Sanford is now a hot spot for foodies in our region, particularly those who love authentic Mexican and Latin-American food. The number of small but mighty Latino-owned restaurants in the city has grown considerably in the last five years. And a few of them have earned accolades beyond our city limits — most notably, Fonda Lupita, which opened during the pandemic in 2020 and quickly found itself on eater.com’s national list of best new restaurants in the country.

This year’s first edition of The Rant Monthly starts what we hope is a year-long appreciation of Sanford’s finest Latin-American eateries. We’ll include just a few of our favorites this month, and will continue to promote others throughout the year. We think we have something special here, and we’re more than happy to try them all (and brag about them).

La Terrazita, located at 812 N. Horner Boulevard in Sanford, is one of several locally owned, authentic Mexican food restaurants to open in the city in the last five years. Owned by Berndadino Juarez and opened in February 2024, the restaurant has already become a local favorite, expanding its outdoor seating recently because of demand.

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LA TERRAZITA 812 N. Horner Boulevard, Sanford Facebook: La Terrazita Bernadino Juarez was working in the restaurant industry and eager to branch out on his own and open his own place when his boss at the time suggested he consider Sanford, North Carolina, to launch his dream.

WHAT WE LOVE H of something big. A part of the community,” he said. “[My boss] said he’d heard great things about Sanford and the people here. He thought it would be a great place to open a business.”

The city was already home to a burgeoning list of Latino-owned restaurants, some of them so good they were included on national and regional “best of” lists for their quality and authenticity.

Juarez took over a building at 812 N. Horner Boulevard that previously housed the Colombian restaurant Beli’s Sazon and the short-lived Honduran eatery Antojitos 504. La Terrazita (Spanish for “the terrace”) opened in February 2024 and within no time earned attention from local diners for its colorful decor, outdoor dining area and — most importantly — dishes and drinks that are as delicious as they are eye-catching.

But Juarez was confident in his dream and his abilities. He saw Sanford as a city of opportunity.

As La Terrazita approaches its one-year anniversary, Juarez says business is great.

“There were already really good restaurants here, but I didn’t see it as competition. I saw a chance to become part

“It’s going very well for us,” he said. “We love being in Sanford, and we love this community.”

The arrachera burrito is a fresh tortilla wrapped around carnitas, rice, black beans, pico de gallo and chipotle sauce.

That alone would make for a wonderful dish. But topping it with green salsa and crispy thin strips of carne asada make this perhaps one of the best burritos around. And it’s a lot of food for its $15.99 price tag.

THEIR SPECIALTY Anything on the menu that has the words “steak” or “shrimp” are recommended by Juarez. But those who are fans of guacamole (and event those who don’t like guacamole) need to try it here. It’s made at your table and as fresh as can be by the time it hits your chip.

Also, the drinks are fantastic. Classic margaritas and a great selection of Mexican beers are available, and drinks like the Cantarito Grande are as tasty as they are Instagram-worthy.

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FONDA LUPITA 1952 S. Horner Boulevard fondalupita.com What is there to add that we haven’t already said about Fonda Lupita? The restaurant burst onto the local food scene in 2020, and by 2021, it was named one of the 11 Best New Restaurants in America by eater. com, joining places in cities like New York, L.A., Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Austin and San Francisco.

Specializing in “Mexican comfort food,” Fonda has since grown — moving to a larger location on South Horner Boulevard in Sanford and a second location in downtown Durham.

Owner Biridiana Frausto says the restaurant’s mission is to offer traditional homemade Mexican food from recipes passed on from generations of family from the Quretaro, Mexico region. The menu isn’t your typical tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Instead, it’s dishes and flavors many in Sanford have never experienced. The corn tortillas and gorditas are hand made, the salsas are made in house, and it’s all owned and run by proud immigrant women.

WHAT WE LOVE H You can’t go wrong with anything here, but our favorite dish is also the restaurant’s most popular item. The gorditas are homemade thick corn tortillas stuffed with your choice of filling, like chicharron prensado, carne asada or carnitas. They are both delicious and filling (and easy on the wallet).

RESOLUTION RUN FirstHealth Fitness partners with Visit Sanford NC, DSI to bring Fitness Fest 5K FirstHealth Fitness in Sanford is helping kick off 2025 with a bang in Lee County with the inaugural Sanford Resolution Run and FirstHealth Fitness Fest 5K. Scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 11, the resolution run is a partnership between FirstHealth Fitness, Visit Sanford NC and Downtown Sanford, Inc. “We know that January is often a moment for people to stop and reassess their health and wellness goals,” FirstHealth Fitness-Sanford facility director Rance Bryant said, “and what better way to

do that than taking on a fun run with your friends.”

The run will start and finish outside Hugger Mugger Brewing Company on Wicker Street. Those looking for a shorter course can take advantage of the one-mile fun run and walk. Participants will receive medals and swag bags.

Following the run, the Fitness Fest will include a community celebration that raises awareness and promotes healthy lifestyle choices including fitness, healthy eating and education.

TO REGISTER FOR THE 5K OR THE ONE-MILE WALK/RUN, VISIT RUNSIGNUP.COM. PAID ADVERTISEMENT | TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

16 | January 2025

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EL ROLAS 824 E. Main St., Sanford elrolastacos.com El Rolas is relatively new to the taqueria scene in Sanford, but they’ve quickly built a strong following with their traditional offerings which stack up nicely against anybody in the game.

Owner Rolando Torres started with just a food truck and not long after graduated into his brick and mortar establishment on Main Street at the intersection with Rosser Road. At first, there were just a few outside seats and the establishment was take out only.

That didn’t last long.

“We had an opportunity to expand into this side of the building, and we were able to open in January (2024),” he said. “We’re known for tacos. I try to make more different

dishes, but they keep calling us ‘Tacos Rolas, Tacos Rolas.’ That’s not gonna go away.”

El Rolas offers many of the staples of traditional Mexican cuisine – think tacos, burritos, and that sort of fare. But Torres has retained the takeout aspect of the business with a display counter featuring simple items — empanadas, tamales, stews, and more — that can be bought on a grab and go basis.

Since expanding, El Rolas also features a full bar, and Torres is looking at ways to incorporate that into the business.

“We’ve thought about doing karaoke or bingo, and if you want to drink a beer we have that option, but we also want to keep it family friendly,” he said.

WHAT WE LOVE Tacos buche was a surprise for us, as we referenced in a column in June. Spanish for “pork stomach,” some less adventurous eaters might be a little nervous about trying that ingredient. But don’t be scared. Just a bit crispy, firm but tender, and perfectly paired with warm corn tortillas, onions and cilantro. And you can’t beat the $3 price tag.

THE SPECIALTY H Torres names his birria (stewed beef, often served on a taco) as not just a favorite, but something that sets El Rolas apart. “Where I’m from in Guanajuato, when we make birria it’s usually goat or lamb,” he said. “In Jalisco and other places, it’s beef. The one we make is beef, but the way we flavor it, it has that taste like goat or lamb.”

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A TODA MADRÉ 715 E. Main St., Sanford atodamadrenc.com The blue neon sign behind the cash register at the front of Sanford’s newest restaurant — which reads, “It was all a dream” — is symbolic of owner Jahaira Aguirra Ramos’ “dream big” approach to business. But A Toda Madre is anything but a fantasy — Ramos’ “leap of faith” is already a success in the year and a half since its opening, thanks to word of mouth and a menu filled with the same Mexican food dishes Ramos fell in love with growing up.

A Toda Madre also forgoes the traditional “tacos and burritos” Mexican restaurant items for dishes you’d more likely find in restaurants located south of the U.S. border.

Not that you won’t find a giant burrito or a plate of tacos at A Toda Madre, but there’s also joy in discovering chicharron (pork skin) en salsa verde, menudo (a traditional Mexican soup) or a plate of guisos (a hearty stewed beef dish).

“This is a menu of my favorite foods,” says Ramos. “I’d call it ‘authentic,’ but more than that, we hope to keep introducing things people in Sanford have never tried before. I want the experience and the food to feel like a meal you’d have in Mexico.”

WHAT WE LOVE H Sure, it might be a “common” dish, but the steak nachos at A Toda Madre are a feast for at least two. The toppings — tons of steak, beans, rice, lettuce, queso fresco and more — would weigh down and destroy your average chip, but the nachos here are thick and sturdy and made to hold whatever’s thrown on them.

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WHAT ELSE IS GOOD We like the options on A Toda Madre’s “I’m Literally Mexican” menu list, especially the quesobirria with consume, the flautas, the chilaquiles with salad and rice and the menudo. Seriously, it’s all good. And it all goes great with the giant 32-ounce aguas frescas that come in a variety of flavors.

131 Charlotte Ave., Ste 101 Sanford, NC 27330

(919) 718-9027

www.smithgrouprealtyllc.com

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Lora Wright

loldham@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

jpate@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

krogers@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

lvance@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

Jwilliams@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

lwright@smithgrouprealtyllc.com

(704) 467-0866

(919) 499-8635

(919) 353-1396

(919) 770-2386

18 | January 2025

@therant905

H

TORTILLERIA ROSITA 2972 Industrial Drive, Sanford It’s an unassuming storefront just past Kendale, but what they’re serving up at Tortilleria Rosita is anything but. In fact, at this point, it’s a Sanford staple. Rosita opened its doors 22 years ago, and has only expanded since. At first a humble store that dispensed homemade tortillas, the shop added in the following years a bakery (panederia), then a grill, and then a butcher counter (carniceria) offering any number of fresh cuts of varying meats.

It’s more like a New York deli than a standalone restaurant, but with a focus on culinary things Latin American. The restaurant aspect shouldn’t be slept on though, and has all kinds of delicious offerings across the menu.

“You can get tacos all over the place now,” said Jessie Agruirre, son of owner Antonio Aguirre. “We do that, but we do a lot of beef stew, noodles, stuff you don’t see everywhere, stuff you can keep simple. We try to bring all areas. We make our own tortillas, we bake our own breads, we have a sitting area.”

Sanford’s unique dishes, even compared against the (also incredibly delicious!) Peruvian style rotisserie chickens you can find along Horner Boulevard.

Aguirre pointed especially to the shop’s guisos — a meat and sauce dish distinct from a stew — as something you don’t find everywhere.

We’re sticking with the grilled chicken, although Tortilleria Rosita is proud, as they should be, of their carnitas (roasted pork shoulder) as well.

“It’s more like steak and potatoes, steak and cactus,” he said.

“The prep and the seasoning was a family recipe,” Jessie Aguirre said. “It was a hit and we’ve kept it the same. We have a little package with a whole chicken and rice and beans and tortillas for under $20. That’s a great family meal.”

WHAT WE LOVE H Go for the grilled chicken. Whole or half birds marinated and grilled over direct heat, the dish is something you’re not going to find at any other comparable restaurant, Latin American or otherwise. It’s truly one of

THE SPECIALTY

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THERE’S MORE Sanford is home to many quality Latino-owned and authentic Mexican food restaurants.

La Esperanza Mexican Taqueria 1612 Hawkins Ave., Sanford El Molcajete Mexican Cuisine 2741 Lee Ave., Sanford San Felipe Mexican Restaurant 1706 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford 2234 U.S. 1, Sanford Lilly’s Mexican Restaurant 2898 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford Lilly’s Restaurant LLC 1123 Spring Lane, Sanford Aye Toro! Tacos & Tequila 3064 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford Kalos Mexican Kitchen 129 W. Main St., Sanford (Jonesboro) Mi Ranchito 230 McIver St., Sanford Tacos El Primo 916 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford Taqueria La Michoacana 2960 Industrial Drive, Sanford Pupuseria y Taqueria La Guera 701 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford

N.C. Department of Insurance • Mike Causey, Commissioner 855-408-1212 (toll free) • www.ncdoi.gov

January is

NATIONAL GLAUCOMA

AWARENESS MONTH

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States.

It is a condition in which elevated eye pressure may damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. There are many different types of glaucoma, but the most common type in the United States is open-angle glaucoma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50% of people with glaucoma do not know they have the disease because there are often no early symptoms.

Taqueria Vivas 1718 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford

Although anyone can get glaucoma, some people are at higher risk, especially those who are 60 and older or have a family history.

Los Charros Mexican Restaurant 118 S. Main St., Broadway

Ask a SHIIP Counselor for more information.

WHAT DID WE MISS? Did we fail to mention your favorite Mexican food restaurant in Lee County? Which restaurant would you like to see us feature next? Email The Rant at billy@rantnc.com or gordon@ rantnc.com to let us know!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JOURDAN HUSKEY @ 919-776-0501 EXT. 2206

20 | January 2025

@therant905

2024 | A LOOK BACK

YEAR OF MILESTONES A LOOK BACK AT THE COVER STORIES THAT DEFINED A HISTORIC 2024 IN SANFORD & LEE COUNTY

E

ach January,The Rant Monthly takes a look back at the stories that stood out each month in our publication. This year, a good chunk of our coverage was dedicated to big milestones in our area, from the City of Sanford’s 150th birthday to Temple Theatre’s and pottery’s 100th year year.

Join us in looking back at the big stories that defined a mostly positive 2024 for a city that continues to enjoy considerable growth while also facing the challenges that come with that growth.

Sanford’s sesquicentennial

Year-long celebration not only honored Sanford’s history, but looked forward as city braces for tremendous growth o The Story: There are always any number of reasons to expect big things in a new year, and 2024 was no different. But for Sanford — both its formal government and its 30,000-plus residents — 2024 wasn’t just big, but historic.

JAN

Feb. 11 marked 150 years since the city (it was referred to as a “town” back in those days) received its charter from the State of North Carolina. A population of about 200 had sprung up around the Raleigh-Augusta rail line built two years prior through the location that is now Depot Park, and local leaders at the time developed the surrounding piney woods into today’s downtown area that anchors a city rapidly that’s growing by any definition of the word.

Today’s city and community leaders planned and executed big things for the sesquicentennial celebration, much like their forebears did in 1974 for the city’s 100th birthday.

A 150th Birthday Bash was held in August, offering a day of fun (in addition to free cake and ice cream) for local families.

2024 also marked the (almost) 100th anniversary of Temple Theatre in downtown Sanford and 100 years since the first pottery business made its mark in the city. o Quick Sanford History: After the Civil War, the Raleigh and Augusta Air Line Railroad built southward to Moore County, where it crossed the Western Railroad tracks. At this junction and passenger point, a rail-born village grew.

In 1870, a railroad house was built to

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Charlotte Ave. in the early 1900s Image courtesy of James Comer

City begins year-long celebration

ALSO INSIDE: A LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR THAT WAS IN LEE COUNTY | PG 22

provide a home for the community’s first rail agent William Thomas Tucker and his wife Inder. After Sanford’s incorporation, Tucker was appointed Sanford’s first mayor.

Four years later on Feb. 11, the North Carolina General Assembly passed “An Act to Incorporate the Town of Sanford” in then-Moore County, North Carolina.

Sanford, which started as one square mile, was named in honor of railroad engineer Col. Charles Ogden Sanford.

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A ‘modern and rustic’ home

Family built their dream home in the form of a barndominium, a more affordable, energy efficient structure that’s taking off

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RAISE THE ROOF Sanford family among the first to bring a Texas trend, the Barndominium, to North Carolina

o The Story: When the first metal beams and steel siding went up during construction on what would become their new home in 2023, Bernie and Tina Fox were met with questions by their new neighbors from the nearby Quail Ridge subdivision near the intersection of U.S. 1 and 501 south of Sanford. The structure looked more akin to a new business, a new church or even a large barn than it did the type of new house that’s popping up everywhere across the city of late.

FEB Barndominiums are gaining traction in the Southeast and, more recently, the Carolinas. Bernie and Tina Fox’s home near the Quail Ridge subdivision in Sanford was completed in 2023 and was featured in the February 2024 edition of The Rant Monthly.

Now complete, the hybrid house and barn — known as the “barndominium” (or just “barndo”) in several states further to the south and west — is everything the Foxes hoped it would be. Affordable to build and energy efficient, the open floor plan and large workshop/garage area is exactly what they were looking for (but

Education

www.cccc.edu

couldn’t find) when they moved to North Carolina in 2016 from Texas, where barndos have become a growing trend over the last eight years.

“I love it,” says Bernie, a machinist, welder and musician who was disappointed to learn many of the homes in Sanford’s real estate market didn’t feature garages when they decided to move from the Fuquay-Varina area a few years around the time of the pandemic. Their new home features a two-story garage with tons of work space and a large area to play music.

“It’s my dream house. And more importantly, it was attainable.”

The February 2024 edition of The Rant Monthly featured the Fox’s “barndo,” and explained the growing popularity of this trendy style of home.

ALSO INSIDE: THE STORY BEHIND COLONEL SANFORD, OUR CITY’S NAMESAKE

o Excerpt: “Everybody had just got through the pandemic and house prices kept going up, and so we just thought, ‘You know, why not just go for it?’ Our daughter just graduated from Meredith, so she’s on her own in Raleigh. And we have a 16-year-old son, so we don’t need a huge living space. The amount we paid for this land and this home is less than what many were paying for houses in subdivisions with no yards.” — Tina Fox

that Works

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@therant905

The Rant’s Top 10: Views

Ranked by the number of views, these were the stories you clicked on the most in 2024. (So all of this is your fault) 10: Plane makes an emergency landing on U.S. 1 It’s not every day when a small single-engine plane decides it needs to make an emergency landing on U.S. 1 near the Raleigh Jetport. So when it does happen, people are interested.

9: Prince Motel is (finally) razed to the ground The Rant Monthly’s first edition in April 2019 was about the many troubles caused by the Prince Motel in downtown Sanford. Five years later, the motel was demolished after several delays.

home” in 2023.

4. Major retailer eyes Sanford’s Riverbirch location This story came out just weeks ago, and already it’s one of the most viewed of 2024. The rumor regarding a largescale commercial development project in the Riverbirch shopping area spilled over into a December meeting of the Lee County Board of Commissioners.

3. Tiger Woods spotted at Carolina Trace golf tourney

One certainty in local journalism is that if there’s a new store or restaurant coming, people are interested. There was big interest in a Wingstop coming to Sanford — the restaurant opened last fall and has been popular since.

Arguably the greatest golfer to ever swing a club was spotted at Carolina Trace Country Club in March to watch his son prepare for his American Junior Golf Association debut in the Will Lowery Junior Championship. Tiger Woods, winner of 15 major championships and 82 PGA Tour tournaments, donned a black hoodie, hat and shorts and followed his son Charlie through a practice round on Trace’s Creek Course before the tourney.

7. J.D. Vance campaigns in Sanford prior to election

2. Local principal wins big on The Price is Right

The election was on the top of everyone’s mind heading into November, and when the Trump campaign announced VP candidate J.D. Vance was to speak at the Raleigh Exec Jetport in Sanford, the news sparked a lot of interest (and debate).

Robert Newby was named principal of Lee County High School in June, but that wasn’t his biggest news of the year (at least in terms of views). In May, the 2023 LCS Principal of the Year appeared on the long-running TV game show, “The Price is Right,” winning a total of more than $62,000 in prizes.

8: Wingstop planned for Spring Lane

6. Aloha Park up for sale Aloha Park — a small but popular “zoo” just south of Sanford that takes in several injured or mistreated animals — announced it was going up for sale in April.

5. Couple builds one of area’s first ‘barndominiums’ An increasingly popular homebuild that is both cheaper to construct and more energy efficient — known nationally as the “barndominium” — found its way to Sanford when Bernie and Tina Fox decided to construct their “dream

1. SanLee teacher missing after Hurricane Helene Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina (particularly the western portion of the state) in September. Among the more than 100 killed or missing in the storm was SanLee Middle School math teacher Kim Ashby, who was at her mountain home with her husband in Banner Elk when the storm hit. Stories of the tragedy and a cover story in November were the most-followed stories on our site in 2024.

MAR President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to step foot in Sanford in 1938 when his train stopped here before a big speech in Chapel Hill. President Bill Clinton would become the second 74 years later.

Our historical oddities

We uncovered several odd and fun stories from Sanford’s 150-year history and decided to share them with you fine people o The Story: Sanford, North Carolina isn’t known for its compelling history.

There were no Revolutionary War or Civil War battles fought here (we didn’t even become a true city until after the War Between the States), and aside from a blues legend who was the inspiration for the name of a famous British rock band (Pink Floyd), we’re not necessarily swimming in famous native sons or daughters.

But as we as a collective city celebrate our 150th anniversary as “Sanford”— a city that is named for a train engineer about whom little is known — we thought it would be fun to look at some of our little known, odd and interesting stories.

The March 2024 edition of The Rant Monthly was filled with just some of the stories we were able to pull from the archives. In a year where this publication celebrated big milestones, we also relished the opportunity to share some of the “weird” and interesting tales from our fair burgh. o The stories: Only twice has a president stepped foot in the city of Sanford.

The most recent was former President Bill Clinton visiting to campaign for his wife,

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ROOSEVELT, GATORS & BIGFOOT The fun, odd and interesting 150-year history of Sanford

ALSO INSIDE: ASLAN FREEEMAN HITS THE TOP WITH LAINEY WILSON | GRACE CHRISTIAN’S 3-PEAT

Hillary, during her presidential run in 2008.

But the first was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used Sanford as a pick-up point at the train station before a big speech in Chapel Hill in 1938.

In this edition, we also shared the story of a batch of alligators that were released in a pond at a local quarry in the late 1800s.

We also shared the story of a sheriff who was gunned down in the 1920s, and the reason Sanford became to a popular festival celebrating Bigfoot.

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Sanford's real estate market is trending upward, thanks in part to 'house flippers' like designer Ashley Davenport

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W H E R E T O F I N D : S H O P P I N G | L I G H T S | S A N TA | E V E N T S | F I T N E S S

POPULAR INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN ADDS LOCAL DOCTORS AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT SANFORD'S ONLY HOSPITAL REMAINS LEFT OUT

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Plus: Signs of life in the local economy during Phase 2

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THE PITCH The 'other' big vote this November: A potentially game-changing sports complex in Lee County

MEMBERS OF SANFORD'S BLACK COMMUNITY SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, HOPES AND SOLUTIONS

Registered nurses at FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Photo courtesy of FirstHealth

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INSIDE: YES, WE HAVE MORE ELECTION COVERAGE, TOO

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INSIDE: LOCAL GYMS ADAPT | MORE CANDIDATE Q&A

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INSIDE: WHAT A PASSENGER RAIL STATION IN SANFORD COULD LOOK LIKE

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RENTALS ON THE RISE

One year later

Apartments booming to keep up with Sanford’s growth

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COUPLES FROM ALL OVER COMING TO SANFORD TO TIE THE KNOT (AND FOR GOOD REASON)

T H E A P R I L 1 6 , 2 0 1 1 T O R N A D O | T E N Y E A R S L AT E R

JONESBORO’S REVIVAL And the businesses bringing Sanford’s ‘other’ downtown back to life

SEPTEMBER 2021

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THE RETURN OF

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THE RICH HISTORY AND FUN PRESENT OF THE SANFORD SPINNERS

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THE QUALITY PRODUCTS MADE RIGHT IN YOUR BACKYARD

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FÚTBOL IS LIFE

San Lee Fútbol Club is growing soccer in Sanford at both the adult and youth levels

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LEE COUNTY’S HIDDEN PROBLEM AND THE PEOPLE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO HELP LOCAL VICTIMS

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TRAILS ALSO INSIDE:HAPPY RESEARCH LOOKS AT RURAL TEACHER ATTRITION | A TIGER SIGHTING IN SANFORD

Local and out-of-town buyers are jumping on available downtown buildings with big plans in mind

INFORMATION TO FIND SUPPORT OR TO REPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INSIDE

saw that it could work. Unlike daily newspapers — which require multiple reporters and editors, a publisher, a circulation staff and an advertising staff — we knew we could start this thing with minimal overhead.” — Billy Liggett “I guess you could say The Rant is like the cool spinoff of The Sanford Herald — like Family Matters to Perfect Strangers.

In fact, it’s exactly like that.” — Jonathan Owens

WINSTEAD & FEINDEL

Family Law, Estates and Probate, Wills, Trusts, Real Estate and General Civil Litigation

919-292-0526

March 2020

SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA

20 FIVE YEARS VOTE

SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA

SCRA

LEE COUNTY'S 5-STAR RECRUIT PICKS HIS TOP 5 COLLEGES

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Eddie S. Winstead III and Susan M. Feindel, Attorneys at Law, are pleased to announce the opening of

1094 Wilkins Drive, Sanford, NC

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o Excerpts: “The Rant [as a radio show in 2008] was not to be taken TOO seriously. I can’t believe some of the stuff we got away with — it was never mean

“Gordon insists that it was my idea to launch a monthly newspaper. Maybe it was. All I remember about our initial discussions on the idea was that I didn’t think it would work. The reason I got out of the newspaper industry in 2011 was because I saw a sinking ship. ... The more we all talked about the idea, the more I

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Three average-looking guys founded The Rant in 2008 as a radio show, and in 2019, launched a monthly publication using the same name.

Here they are pretending to look ahead on a train that hasn’t moved in decades.

OUT

DEEP RIVER DIVIDE

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

THE BREWERY AND BAR SCENE IN SANFORD ... IS A SENTENCE WE NEVER THOUGHT WE'D TYPE

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THE STATE OF OUR

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Pfizer's $500 million investment in its gene therapy operation will mean 300 new jobs and a new distinction for Sanford

We'll get through this.

To celebrate, we took up a good chunk of our April edition to tell the story of how The Rant came to be and how “the little newspaper that could” made it this far. Yes, we were patting ourselves on the back. Blowing our own horn. But sometimes if you don’t do for yourself, no one else will.

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A FIRST LOOK INSIDE SANFORD'S NEWEST (AND OLDEST) SCHOOL

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spirited or offensive or controversial or anything like that, but it WAS kind of ridiculous. I was in a booth separate from the other hosts, so I could turn my mic down and use my cell phone to call the station, and when Billy answered I would put on a fake voice — might have been of country music legend Vince Gill, or some local elected official, or some made up character — and we’d have a hilarious (at least to us) four or five minute interview.”

— Gordon Anderson

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o The Story: If The Rant Monthly were a person, it would have started kindergarten last fall. That’s an attempted cute way of saying the publication turned 5 in April, outliving the expected life span many tagged it with when it launched in 2019 (by about four years).

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www.winsteadfeindel.com

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@therant905

Local pottery turns 100

The Rant Monthly looked at Sanford’s rich potter history, from North State Pottery to the ‘Sanford Coles’ and beyond o The Story: North State Pottery Company was founded in 1924 when Sanford resident Rebecca Palmer Cooper — so impressed by the pottery scene in nearby Seagrove — established her own shop and hired Jonah Owen as her first potter and designer. North State would enjoy 35 years of success, employing several highly accomplished potters along the way.

About 10 years later, potter A.R. Cole made the move to Sanford and built his home and pottery shop on U.S. 1 north of Sanford, where the U.S. 1/N.C. 15501 interchange is located today. Cole would thrive in Sanford until his death in 1974.

Another skilled Cole potter, Sandy Cole Brown, operated North Cole Pottery for many years with her husband Kevin Brown along Horner Boulevard, one of Sanford’s busiest thoroughfares.

Sandy and Kevin continue to be leaders in the local arts community, and they still make and sell their wares in a local artist’s colony.

These trailblazers made Sanford synonimous with quality pottery on the level of its neighbors to the west

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As many as 35,000 golf fans (per day) converged on Pinehurst and its historic Pinehurst No. 2 course for the U.S. Open on June 13-16. Local hotels, restaurants and golf courses enjoyed the economic spillover from the Open.

Celebrating a century of artistry and craftsmanship in Sanford

ALSO INSIDE: THE ‘SECRET SAUCE’ TO SOUTH CAROLINA’S BASKETBALL DOMINANCE

in Moore County. The May edition of The Rant Monthly shared the history of Sanford pottery, which also included a pottery festival that attracted thousands into the 21st century. o Excerpt: While Sanford is no longer home to a festival or large event celebrating pottery, the art still has a home here.

For area residents and visitors alike, there is much to learn and celebrate in Sanford’s long and storied pottery tradition, and a significant foundation to build upon for the future.

MAY Pottery from North State Pottery Co. in Sanford. Photo by Ben Brown

Open for business

Sanford and the surrounding area felt the economic impact of the U.S. Open this year (and will do so for years to come) o The Story: For the second time in the last decade, one of golf ’s four major tournaments was played 28 miles down the road, attracting more than 100,000 golf fans and an economic impact of more than $200 million.

And while Pinehurst — home of the historic No. 2 course that will host the 2024 U.S. Open this month — saw the brunt of the crowds and the money, neighboring cities like Sanford also did very well with the expected overflow of hotel guests, diners, shoppers and those looking to get in a round or two during their golf-filled week.

The June edition of The Rant Monthly came out just days before the Open, and in it we looked at the potential economic impact one of the world’s largest golf tournaments would have on the area.

Even before the edition hit the racks, hotels in the area were booked (as were local golf courses).

And this wasn’t going to be another one- or two-time thing for the area: U.S. Opens are coming to become a “regular” thing for Pinehurst and its neighbors for the next 20-plus years. In 2020, the USGA announced that in addition to

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OPEN FOR BUSINESS

The U.S. Open in nearby Pinehurst will provide major boost to local economy

ALSO INSIDE: PRINCIPAL WINS BIG ON PRICE IS RIGHT | BUCHE TACOS REVIEW

the 2024 tournament, Pinehurst No. 2 would host again in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047. o Since the story: Pinehurst enjoyed hot but otherwise perfect weather for the Open in June. The tournament was won by Bryson DeChambeau, who like his hero (1999 Open champion Payne Stewart) is a former SMU golfer. The 2024 U.S. Open Championship brought a financial boost of $242.5 million to the North Carolina economy, according to the U.S. Golf Association.

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A look at the new core-idor

Existing 421 Bypass soon to become part of new I-685, which could have a profound impact on the local economy o The Story: It was the creation of the interstate highway system during the Dwight Eisenhower administration that brought the advent of economic development to cities and towns along those ribbons of highway.

JUL The designation that the I-685 highway will bring signifies that Sanford and Lee County are connected to broader markets and now have access to a steady flow of traffic, which can stimulate commercial activity and job creation.

Nearly 70 years after the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, that development is now making its way to Sanford. And the future that is coming down a new section of interstate that will pass close to the city is one that will literally put Sanford on the map.

You may have already seen them — those signs that have gone up along the U.S. 421 by-pass along the northern and eastern sides of Sanford, proclaiming that those stretches of roadway now have a new designation: “Future Interstate 685.”

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When completed, this 120-mile stretch of what is now U.S. 421 from west of Winston-Salem to Dunn will bear the designation as one of the state’s newest and most important interstates, I-685.

The highway will connect the cities of Greensboro, High Point, Siler City, Sanford, Lillington, and Fayetteville, and most importantly, will provide the vital connection between I-85 and I-95.

Language contained within the Infrastructure Act designates the existing fourlane sections of highway between Greensboro and Sanford as a “high priority corridor,” meaning that it will rank higher on the listing of federal funding priorities as those dollars get distributed between now and 2026. That will be especially important for the new construction work that will extend the four-lane highway

JULY 2024

685 INTRODUCING THE FUTURE INTERSTATE

WHAT THE ‘CAROLINA CORE’ HAS IN STORE ALSO INSIDE: SANFORD’S NEW BASEBALL FACILITY | GRADUATION PHOTOS | EVENT CALENDAR

from just north of Broadway to where it will terminate in Dunn along I-95. o Excerpt: “Even though experience tells us that U.S. 1 and U.S. 421 are essentially interstate-quality, the lack of an interstate shield on the map automatically eliminates us from consideration for some projects. The future I-685 designation now allows us to overcome that hurdle in some instances.” — Jimmy Randolph, Sanford Area Growth Alliance

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26 | January 2025

@therant905

Progress on the sports complex

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One year out from its expected opening, The Rant got a first look at Lee County’s long-awaited, much-needed sports complex

AUG The Rant took a tour of the progress of the Lee County Athletic Park back in July, a full year before its expected completion. Even then, the soccer and baseball fields were taking shape, parking lots were paved and buildings were in the early phases.

o The Story: Next summer will mark nearly a full decade since talk of a new sports complex in Lee County really began swirling locally due to its inclusion as an item on then Sanford Mayor Chet Mann’s “Open for Business” agenda.

almost 59 percent of the vote, a “pause” in planning as the post-COVID economy, the awarding of the project to Sanford Contractors for $26.8 million in September 2023, and, finally, the breaking of ground on the project three months later.

Although not a city initiative, Mann had challenged area leaders to come together and plan for a sports complex as one of several methods to bolster “quality of life” amenities locally, as well as for the entire community to benefit from the increased sales tax revenue that hosting tournaments for traveling teams could generate.

Now, with all of that in the rear view mirror, local leaders are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The sports complex — which will feature soccer fields, baseball and softball fields, a large playground, a food truck area, walking trails and more — is expected to be completed by July 2025.

Lots has transpired since — the placement of a $25 million county bond initiative on the 2020 ballot, the creation of the “Grow Play Succeed” campaign that championed the project to voters, the passage of that bond initiative with

o Excerpt: “The new complex will give us a facility to be proud of that can compete with any facility in the state.

We have already had conversations with North Carolina Youth Soccer Association about the Olympic Development Pro-

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SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA

LEE COUNTY ATHLETIC PARK

Taking Shape BIG PROGRESS ONE YEAR OUT FROM EXPECTED OPENING

ALSO INSIDE: CONNECT AT FAMILY GROUNDS | URGENT NEEDS FOR COUNTY FIRE SERVICES

gram coming here to Sanford. ... You can visualize it on paper all you want. But being able to get out here and see it taking shape — it’s really mesmerizing.” — Parks and Recreation Director Joseph Keel “It definitely has the potential to fill our hotels and maybe even create more demand. And the opportunity to provide all kinds of services to visiting families is tremendous. A family is a very desirable visitor to have.” — Wendy Bryan of the Tourism Development Authority

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Sanford a UFO hotspot?

U.S. government records reveal thatThe ourRant area has been | 15 Monthly home to several mysterious aerial sightings over the years

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o The Story: It’s a story that could easily have been used as the opening scene for an episode of the X-Files, back when Mulder and Scully ruled broadcast television. Set in the backwoods of Sanford, North Carolina, a father and son are returning home after an athletic competition on the western fringes of the Triangle. It’s been a long and full day COVER STORY for each of them. Now, they’re heading Temple Theatre has performed many plays and musicals since Artistic Director home, and the end of this day might Peggy Taphorn took over in 2007, but perhaps none were more successful than have been as it has been for them so “Beauty and the Beast” in 2018. The show returns in 2025. many times before.

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A century of Temple Theatre

UFO HOTSPOT?

GOVERNMENT RECORDS SHOW SANFORD HAS HISTORY OF UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA

ALSO INSIDE: MORE CANDIDATE Q&A | CAR SHOW RETURNS | INDIE FEST PHOTO GALLERY

As they came to a bridge that crossed one of the many fingers of Jordan Lake, a surprising number of claims about the two noticed a large triangular object unidentified flying objects, UFOs, ahead of them, hovering out over the UAPs — or whatever you might wish What began as a vaudeville and silent film house in 1925 has water. The father slowed the truck to a to call them. near stop over the bridge, both of them evolved into one of the most respected regional theaters in the U.S. Government files, some of them just frozen by what they were seeing. There U.S. GOVERNMENT RECORDS REVEAL THAT SANFORD HAS HOME TOhaving MULTIPLE been opened for research by was hardly a sound beingBEEN emitted by the now the National Archives in 2024, triangle with white lights at each o The Story: On March 6, 1925 — just OBJECTS’ AND PLAYED A ROLE black ‘UNIDENTIFIED FLYING IN THE COUNTRY’S EARLY RESPONSE TOearlier SIGHTINGS tell us that Sanford was among the first of the three corners. two days after Calvin Coolidge became the American cities to report a UFO enfirst U.S. president to deliver his inaugural There’s more to the story, of course

BY RICHARD SU LLINS counter, and what’s more, it also played address by radio — Sanford celebrated (there’s only so much room here), but y l h t a critical role in the U.S. government’s the opening of Temple Theatre. Named on M this story from the 1990s is one of sevdecision in the early 1950’s to investigate for its proximity to the Masonic Temple eral that have been reported to — and t’s a story that could easily have been used as the opening scene 100 years just a few doors down, the new $40,000 documented by — the government over what people were seeing in the skies and for an its episode ofathe back when Mulder and Scully ruled playhouse opened doors to full X-Files, house the past 70-plus years. One of Sanford’s assess whether they were a threat to our broadcast television.

Set in the backwoods of Sanford, North Carof local residents and wealthy donors and unspoken legacies is that it’s a city with national security. had a full orchestra perform to the popular olina, a father and son are returning home after an athletic comsilent film “Janice Meredith.”

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petition on the western fringes of the Triangle. It’s been a long and

“Altogether, it was an evening well full day for each of them, capped off by the dad playing well in his game spent,” wrote the long-defunct Sanford tonight.

Now, they’re Express on the following week’s heading front page.home, and the end of this day might have

beenTheatre as it has for many them so many times before — the uninterrupted Temple has been provided minutes dad and hislastson got to spend together away from anything else “evenings well spent” in the 99-plus a two-year period, the theater is welcomed years.competing From those early silent films to the for their attention. its centennial celebration with one of its “talkies” of the 1930s; family-friendly most ambitious mainstage seasons to date.

Vaudeville acts to more risqué burlesque shows; country and bluegrass performanco Excerpt: “A theater like this, it reales to full-fledged rockbefore concerts; intimate ly almost shouldn’t able to survive in Sanford, It was a decade cell phones took away all ofbeour privacies, including the plays ones to large-scale musicals —reach the theater that allowed others to us most anywhere and often she for the most trivial of North— Carolina,” says.

“But it does.

Even today, people whogem” report experiences these aboutticket to have once reasons. known as “Sanford’s hidden has To thislike day, it’stwo stillmen the were cheapest ridiculed for reporting what they havefor their lives turned quality upside down shownareitfrequently all. in saw, this and region professional, because of it. For that reason, we will call the shows dad “Steve” and his son “Julian.” that people want.

To be a part of As it inches toward its 100th anniverthe legacy and the history here it’s just days were gettingbeen shorter, and the sun had set hours before. Because of the… lateness of sary, theThe Temple has never stronger. really been a privilege.”

— Temple Theatre hour, Steve decided instead of taking the more conventional Interstate 40 East to Fully the renovated during the that recent “down Director Peggy who came 1 to Sanford they would follow anArtistic alternate track that willTaphorn, skirt the western edges times”U.S. brought on by route, a global pandemic to Sanford in 2007. of Jordan Lake out because the miles were for fewer and if luck was on their side, they’d make it home that kept everyone of public venues faster, too.

ALSO INSIDE: Q&A FROM LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, EDUCATION CANDIDATES

OCT Theimage Rant’s from October story came on of national stories about govThe video provided by the theheels Department of Defense in 2021 ernment declaring noas credible of the extraterrestial life. More shows an officials unexplained object it soarsevidence high along clouds, traveling against wind.

This year, announced after decades of recently,the other officials statethe thePentagon governement is hidingthat UFO information. government investigations into UFO sightings, no evidence was found that any of the sightings were extraterrestrial.

28 | January 2025

@therant905

Remembering Mrs. Ashby

Beloved SanLee Middle School math teacher was one of the hundreds of victims of Hurricane Helene in western N.C. o The Story: Brianna Rivera’s first impression of her seventh grade math teacher was that of an “outgoing, intelligent — even a little quirky — teacher.” Kim Ashby had a passion for math and taught with a smile. Every day as her students left for their next class, she sang Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

NOV The Banner Elk mountain home of Kim and Rod Ashby was swept away by flooding brought on by Hurricane Helene in September. Rod survived the devastation, but Kim became one of many considered missing after the storm that killed more than 100.

Brianna would soon learn there was more to Mrs. Ashby. In her, she found a teacher who wanted her students to come away with more than math skills. She found a teacher who sought connections with every student — who cared about their well-being as much as their report cards.

As of November, Kim Ashby was still one of more than 25 people listed as “missing” after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina and

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the town of Banner Elk, where she had a mountain home with husband Rod Ashby. Her loss was devastating to the staff and students at SanLee Middle School, where she taught since 2019, and to a Sanford community that became her home over the past five years.

The November edition of The Rant Monthly honored Ashby and the impact she had on the students she taught and the colleagues she inspired. o Excerpt: “I don’t think Mrs. Ashby would have approved of us making such a big deal about her, because she never wanted any of the spotlight. She would say, ‘We are here for the children,’ and she would have told us, ‘Get back in that classroom and teach those children.’

“I think the best way to honor her is

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SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA

REMEMBERING

Kim Ashby SanLee Middle School staff, parents, students remember dedicated, compassionate teacher lost to Hurricane Helene

ALSO INSIDE: RAVEN FORGE’S NEW HOME | EARLY VOTING RECORDS | Q&A WITH SUPERINTENDENT

to make sure these children continue to learn and get the best math experience possible. We have to provide that. She would be disappointed in us if we did anything else. If SanLee failed, that would not be acceptable to her. So I think we just need to live out her expectations — what she set for herself and what she would have us set for ourselves.”

— Dr. Natalie Kelly, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at Lee County Schools and former SanLee principal

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A cost-effective, downtown, Sanford office address can now be yours.

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DEC Board games are in high demand at the newly expanded Raven Forge Games in downtown Sanford. The store also specializes in card and role playing games like Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon and Warhammer 40K. Photo by Billy Liggett

Return of the toy store

Raven Forge expansion, Rogue Toys addition signal return of ‘mom and pop’ toy stores in downtown Sanford o The Story: Toys ’R Us. KB Toys. FAO Schwarz. Those who grew up in the 1980s and earlier might remember the joy of walking through the doors of a large store dedicated solely to toys and games. Especially around Christmas, trips to the toy store were reconnaissance missions to build that ever-important wishlist for Santa. For parents, they were a one-stop shop for Christmas morning magic.

When Toys ’R Us closed the last of its big box stores in 2021, it marked the end of a retail era in the U.S. as parents (and Santa) turned to online shopping for their toys and games. Their absence did open the door for a resurgence of “mom and pop” toy stores across the country.

Two such stores made an impact on downtown Sanford in 2024. Raven Forge Games moved from its former location in North Steele Street to the heart of downtown (South Steele Street) in a much larger location, and on the other side of town, Rogue Toys opened shop in August specializing in retro toys that would have been found in those old toys stores in the 80s and 90s. o Excerpt: “We’ve seen a huge uptick in customers. Not only are our regulars coming

in more frequently, but we’re attracting new customers who didn’t know we existed previously. We’ve been asked many times, ‘How long have you been in business?’ and many are shocked when we tell them three years and that we really only moved a block over.”

— Raven Forge Games owner Ryan Morgan “I dreamed about having a comic book shop when I was 16,” he said. “This isn’t a comic book shop, but it’s about as close as you can get.” — Rogue Toys owner Matthew Sarmiento

OfficeOurs.com Sanford@officeours.com

30 | January 2025

@therant905 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Womack returns as chair of Lee County Board of Education SANFORD LOOKS TO THE FUTURE WITH NEW FIRE STATION #5 Just over a year after breaking ground, the City of Sanford opened its newest fire station at 3945 Colon Road on Nov. 16.

The station is staffed by Engine 5 and its assigned crew.

Called Fire Station #5, the facility is strategically located to provide fire protection to the northern parts of the city. This is the City of Sanford’s fourth station. However, with the close proximity of Lee County’s Fire Station #4 (the Deep River Volunteer Fire Department), the City decided to skip ahead to #5 to avoid confusion when units are dispatched.

The City held a ribbon cutting for the new facility on Dec. 4, which was attended by members of the community along with those involved in the planning and construction. The event concluded with tours of the station.

Retired Fire Chief Wayne Barber (pictured) and retired Deputy Fire Chief Ken Cotten were instrumental in selecting the site of the new station and ensuring it was built with the future in mind. A building committee was established that included firefighters from across the department. This allowed the committee to share updates and gather feedback from all department employees.

Along with Barber and Cotten, the committee was first comprised of Capt.

Chris Gaster, Battalion Chief Stephen Cox, and firefighter Jerome Blue. Later members of the committee were Capt.

Brandon Chapman, engineer Joel Johnson and engineer Phillip Johnson.

“This state-of-the-art facility is the result of intentional and careful planning,” said Sanford Fire Chief Matt Arnold. “Sanford City Council and the building committee were determined to accommodate and anticipate Sanford’s needs in the most cost-effective and proactive manner.”

— City of Sanford

By Richard Sullins richard@rantnc.com The crowd was small as the Lee County Board of Education convened for their final scheduled meeting of 2024 on Dec. 10. The highlight of the evening was expected to be the administration of oath of office to three new members of the board following the Nov. 5 election, giving the local Republican Party all of the board’s seven seats — the first time since school board elections in Lee County were made partisan that one party has had control of the entire board.

Sherry Lynn Womack, who was re-elected in November to another four-year term on the board, also took her oath, with her husband and local GOP Chairman Jim Womack holding the Bible. Shortly after, the board voted unanimously to return her to her former position as chairman.

The board voted Republican Alan Rummel as vice chair.

Has anything changed?

Womack’s previous tenure as chair, from December 2022 to December 2023, saw a number of noteworthy successes. The tragedy of a former middle school teacher who awaits trial after being charged with sexually assaulting students is one she has frequently stated should never happen here again.

It was her push to create new training required every year for all Lee County Schools district employees, and to make changes in board policies on how allegations of such behaviors are to be reported and handled, that have shown how good can emerge after such heartbreak.

It was also Womack that led the charge to bypass a state law requiring the district’s 17-campus system, with the exception of Tramway Elementary School and Lee Early College, to begin the start of their traditional calendar year no later than the second week in August instead of the fourth

Sherry Lynn Womack, left, is sworn in to another four-year term on the Lee County Board of Education during the board’s December meeting. Womack, joined during the ceremony by her husband Jim, will return as the board’s chairman. Photo: Lee County Schools week, an issue that had enjoyed bipartisan support across the county in recent years.

But her leadership style was also that of a firebrand, and made some Lee County leaders nervous when accuracy and stability mattered most in critical discussions with potential business and industry clients. During her first term as chair, there were a number of missteps that caused the community to question the former Army officer’s judgments, but it was two incidents that came almost back-to-back that forced her Republican majority to remove her as chair.

The first came in September when Womack used a hard-won moment of student achievement to give herself and the board — rather than students and school staff — credit for an increase in student test scores.

Just a few days later, three members of

the school’s math department appeared before the board to call out Womack’s action, along with a fourth Math department member through an email a couple of days afterwards.

Womack and two of the remaining three other Republican members of the school board met with the teachers about 10 days later in an attempt to smooth things over and then ride out the public furor that had been created.

But the torpedo that sank her ability to continue in leadership occurred on what was supposed to be a night of triumph for the school district and for the way she had led the board in conducting a national search for a new superintendent.

Dr. Chris Dossenbach, a product himself of Lee County’s school system who emerged as the group’s unanimous choice, stood at

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rantnc.com the podium on Nov. 21 to receive congratulations from each member of the board.

But Womack picked this moment to warn the new superintendent, in front of his wife, his minor children, his family, and a large contingent of community members, to refrain from morally reprehensible conduct, specifically that he should “never frickin’ lie to me” and, in a clear sexual reference, to “keep it in your pants.” There was an audible gasp as her admonishment swept the room from front to back.

Dossenbach assumed the office after taking the oath on Nov. 21. When the school board held its organizational meeting three weeks later on December 12, Womack quickly moved to nominate then-vice chair Eric Davidson as the board’s new leader and joined the remaining six members to make his selection unanimous. In a following ballot,

Womack was elected in a 4-3 party line vote for vice chair over Democrat Patrick Kelly.

sibilities as chair, he simply carried on with the meeting.

Lessons In chemistry

After Womack was returned to chair of the school board, she took a page from Davidson’s lessons on leadership and moved on without stopping to give a stump speech.

Davidson’s style of leadership could hardly have been any more different from Womack’s. A soft-spoken man who preferred collaboration over confrontation, Davidson’s greatest asset during his term as chairman of the Lee County Board of Education may have been the 15 years he spent working in education prior to joining the board, a time that positioned him well to see possibilities for collaboration.

He remained true to himself and to his principles, and that led to assertions of his independence on a few occasions by voting a different way than his local party might have wanted him to. After he assumed the respon-

The immediate test for the new leader of Lee County’s school district is whether she will be able to help build bridges of cooperation with the county commissioners. It’s an exam that will be coming quickly, simply because a county budget that now is more than $100 million in size demands time to be put together. The first working sessions will begin by mid-January.

And when they do begin, their success or failure could depend in large part on the chemistry among those who will be doing the negotiating. The budget discussions that

have been stuck in the mud for years now are important, to be sure. But there are issues of even greater importance that still must be addressed.

End-of-grade test scores are finally beginning to rebound in almost every grade level at schools all across the county, but students still lag behind when compared to where they were performing before the COVID-19 pandemic. The county is going to be stuck for the foreseeable future with having to teach students in facilities that were constructed in the 1960s and 70s because an insufficient amount of funds will be available to replace them.

The superintendent expects at least one new school will have to be built within the next five years to accommodate the county’s growth surge, and even more schools after that as the population begins to approach 75,000 people.

32 | January 2025

@therant905

BRIEFS

KYOWA KIRIN TO LOCATE IN OLD DOWNTOWN CAPITAL BANK BUILDING Kyowa Kirin, the Japanese pharmaceutical company which announced in February it was locating a 100-plus job operation in Lee County, will occupy a downtown Sanford building for at least two years while its permanent facility is under construction.

Beginning in February, the company’s employees will work from 130 N. Steele St. The building was most recently a First Horizon Bank location (formerly Capital Bank), but has been vacant for a number of years.

“We’re currently located in Cary at our engineering design firm, and we’re running out of space,” said Chaz Calitri, Kyowa Kirin’s site leader for North American manufacturing. “We’ll have 40 people at (the downtown Sanford site), and in 2026 we’ll add 40 more. This will be a great way to have everyone in Sanford as we move forward with the permanent site.”

Calitri said locating in downtown Sanford was important to the company because it will exemplify its commitment to the community.

“Integrating into Sanford is vital to being a corporate citizen,” he said. “This will give us connectivity to all kinds of organizations like SAGA, CCCC, businesses, and vendors. You’ve got a diverse community and we want to be reflective of that.”

The building is one of several purchased in recent years by Cary developer James Goodnight Jr., who has a track record of rehabbing older buildings in other parts of the state. With Kyowa Kirin moving in, it is the first of Goodnight’s purchases to be put to new use. “(Kyowa Kirin) is going to continue to bring new faces and people into Sanford and keep increasing the tax base in a positive way,” said John Ramsperger, owner of Sanford Real Estate. “We’ve already got merchants and business owners downtown who are making loft apartments in their spaces, and putting this many professionals with disposable income downtown will only continue bringing people downtown, not just to shop and dine, but to live. That’s

Beginning in February, Kyowa Kirin’s employees will work from 130 N. Steele St. The building was most recently a First Horizon Bank location (formerly Capital Bank), but has been vacant for a number of years.

Kyowa Kirin’s permanent plant will be located on Hawkins Avenue. The company announced in February that it would locate in Lee County and make a $530 million tax base investment and create 102 jobs. a welcome change, and it’s going to make it more viable to keep investing in downtown.”

Downtown Sanford Inc. Executive Director Kelli Laudate said Kyowa Kirin is a perfect fit for downtown.

“Kyowa Kirin’s office space marks a significant milestone for downtown Sanford as we continue working towards the goal of living, working, and playing in the service district,” she said. “We know that Kyowa Kirin will be a valuable partner in the economic growth of the county and our downtown district, and the Downtown Sanford Inc. group will be here to support them as they get to know our community better.”

Kyowa Kirin’s permanent plant will be located on Hawkins Avenue. The company announced in February that it would locate in Lee County and make a $530 million tax base investment and create 102 jobs with an average wage of more than $91,000.

— Gordon Anderson

The Sanford-Lee County Planning Department’s Technical Review Committee heard a proposal in December that would place two new soccer fields at Henley and Center Church roads adjacent to Tramway Elementary School.

Lee County and Broadway. The committee meets monthly to review commercial projects and major subdivisions for compliance with the codes and policies of various local departments. Committee members make no guarantee that the projects submitted for review will be developed — only that they fall under compliance.

The proposed fields would be part of the Triangle-based Trinity Soccer Academy, a faith based member of the North Carolina Youth Sports Association. Trinity already has facilities in Raleigh, Apex and Holly Springs.

Also on the agenda for December was a 133-lot housing subdivision on 58plus acres at the intersection of Petty and Carbonton Roads. The homes would have an average lot size of just under 10,000 square feet.

Paperwork submitted with the Technical Review Committee indicates the fields and associated parking would use about 6.7 acres of the 33-plus acre site, with potential for expansion phases in the future.

The committee also considered a proposal to place a 10,640 square foot Dollar General Store at 1136 Broadway Road in Sanford. The land is currently an empty lot adjacent to the entrance to the Core Mark distribution center.

FIELDS FOR SOCCER ACADEMY PROPOSED IN TRAMWAY

The committee is comprised of local officials from various city and county government entities representing Sanford,

— Gordon Anderson

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rantnc.com CCCC, SANDHILLS CC SIGN HEALTH PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP Central Carolina Community College and Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst have signed a partnership agreement to guide students preparing for health programs at the other’s campus to ease the transfer process and increase access to high demand careers. The signing of the agreement took place on Dec. 11, in Sanford.

The Regional Health Sciences Partnership offers students the ability to begin their studies at the community college of their choice before transferring to the college that hosts the specific health program they are seeking to enter. Students will be supported by the student services staff and academic advisors at their home institution so they are prepared to meet the requirements needed for admission to the health program of their choice at the other college.

“We often have students interested in programs we do not offer and seats available in programs we do offer,” said Rebecca Roush, provost and chief academic officer at Sandhills CC. “We hoped to partner with other colleges to give access to the programs students wanted while maximizing the use of our resources and this new partnership with Central Carolina does just that. It benefits the students, the colleges and the community by producing highly skilled healthcare professionals.”

SANFORD MAN CHARGED IN LOCK DOWN AT NY COLLEGE A college dorm in New York went into lock down on Dec. 12, after a student from Sanford was arrested with a gun, according to news reports.

Terrance Bland, 19, identified in multiple reports as hailing from Sanford, was arrested on the campus of SUNY Morrisville after a fight in the college’s Mohawk Hall. SUNY Morrisville is in central New York state, about 45 minutes southeast of Syracuse and four hours northwest of New York City.

he was taken to the Madison County Jail in Wampsville on $500,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.

A Terrance L. Bland was arrested in July

by Lee County sheriff’s deputies on charges of second degree kidnapping, carrying a concealed gun, and fleeing to elude arrest, although it wasn’t immediately clear if it was the same Terrance Bland charged Thursday in New York.

LEE CHRISTIAN TEACHER ACQUITTED OF SEX CHARGES A teacher at Lee Christian School accused of taking indecent liberties with a student was acquitted in Lee County Superior Court on Dec. 5.

Daniel Abraham faced a felony count of indecent liberties with a child and a misdemeanor count of sexual battery, charges that were brought by Sanford Police after an investigation that began in early November 2023. He was arrested about a week later.

But Superior Court Judge Jessica Locklear found him not guilty of the felony charge on Thursday during a bench trial — a trial in which evidence is considered by a judge instead of a jury.

Abraham’s attorney, William Pruden, claimed in a court filing that prosecuting attorney Tiffany Bartholomew withheld video evidence that “exonerates the defendant” until the day of the trial, and withheld it “after being compelled” to turn it over.

TEEN CHARGED IN MURDER A 19-year-old Lee County man was charged with murder after a shooting that left another 19 year old dead and another person injured.

The lock down was lifted shortly after Bland’s detention. No one was injured.

Lee County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of multiple gunshot victims in the 1500 block of Poplar Springs Church Road around 5:45 p.m. Friday. At the scene, 19-year-old Erik Peredes Maravilla was found dead. Another victim, whom deputies did not identify, was wounded and flown to a nearby trauma center.

According to one report, Bland was charged with three felonies — second degree criminal possession of a firearm, second degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds. The same report indicates

Deputies identified Stephen Alexander Buruca-Romero, 19, as the suspect and charged him with a single count of murder.

According to authorities, additional charges and arrests are pending as the investigation continues. He was jailed without bond.

At the December meeting of the Lee County Board of Education, three new members and an incumbent member were sworn in to serve on the seven-member board. New members sworn in included (from top to bottom) Megan Garner, Carla Hooker,and Cindy Ortiz. Incumbent member Sherry Womack (not pictured) was also sworn in for another term and will serve as the board chairman.

Photos: Lee County Schools

34 | January 2025

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BRIEFS

FIRSTHEALTH 5K, FITNESS FEST TO KICK OFF 2025 FirstHealth Fitness in Sanford is helping kick off 2025 with a bang in Lee County with the inaugural Sanford Resolution Run and FirstHealth Fitness Fest 5K. Scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 11, the resolution run is a partnership between FirstHealth Fitness, Visit Sanford NC and Downtown Sanford, Inc. “We know that January is often a moment for people to stop and reassess their health and wellness goals,” FirstHealth Fitness-Sanford facility director Rance Bryant said, “and what better way to do that than taking on a fun run with your friends.”

The run will start and finish outside Hugger Mugger Brewing Company on Wicker Street. Those looking for a shorter course can take advantage of the one-mile fun run and walk. Participants will receive medals and swag bags.

ART FOR THE SKY RETURNS TO TRAMWAY, DRIVING HOME IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY Lee County Schools’ Holiday Card Contest announced its two winners of the Holiday Greeting Card contest at its December meeting. Out of dozens of entries, the Elementary Schools Division winner was Renee H. (pictured above, center) from J.Glenn Edwards with her ink and crayon snowman. The Secondary School Division winner was Mia P. from Southern Lee with her color pencil snowglobe scene. Also pictured above with the Board of Education is finalist Olivia F. Winners and finalists were recognized by the board, and their work was shared on social media in December. Recognized entries can be found on Lee County Schools’ Facebook and Instagram pages.

Following the run, the Fitness Fest will include a community celebration that raises awareness and promotes healthy lifestyle choices including fitness, healthy eating and education.

To register for the 5K or the one-mile walk/run, visit RunSignup.com.

EARLY COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINES NEARING Central Carolina Community College has partnered with Chatham County Schools, Harnett County Schools and Lee County Schools to offer early college programs, which allow students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree through dual enrollment, setting them up for success in college and beyond.

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rantnc.com The application window for current eighth-graders who are interested in early college programs is open, and the deadlines are approaching.

Application deadlines: • Chatham Early College: Jan. 17 • Harnett County Early College: Feb. 1 • Lee Early College: Jan. 17 Learn more about Central Carolina Community College and its early college programs at cccc.edu.

DEPUTY SHOOTS, KILLS ARMED MAN AFTER 911 HANGUP CALL A Lee County Sheriff’s deputy who was answering a 911 call shot and killed a man on Dec. 21.

According to officials and published reports, deputies responded to a home on Poplar Spring Church Road in Sanford after a 911 hangup call around 11 p.m. on Dec. 21. Deputies said they encountered an armed man upon arrival, and “based on the man’s actions,” shot him at least twice during the encounter.

The man was pronounced dead at the

scene by emergency responders.

As is procedure following an officer-involved shooting, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations is looking into the incident. The name of the victim was not released as of press time.

WOMAN DOUSED WITH GAS, SET ON FIRE BY THREE MEN A Harnett County woman suffered third-degree burns after being set on fire on Dec. 16.

According to the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call that evening and were told the woman was taken to Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford, where she was admitted to the emergency room with second- and third-degree burns to the right side of her body. Deputies said the incident occurred near Barbecue Church Road when three people she did not know doused her with gasoline and lit her on fire with a cigarette.

The young woman was later taken from the hospital to a local burn center. Deputies are seeking witnesses who may be able to identify the suspects.

Rogers-Pickard Funeral Home, Inc. & Cremation Services

Since 1913

509 Carthage Street • Sanford, NC 27330 (919) 775-3535 www.rogerspickard.com

4th Generation of Our Family Serving Your Family

Students at Tramway Elementary School participated in December in their annual Color Run Fundraiser, a unique and vibrant way to get the whole school community involved in the fundraiser. As a school, they were able to raise more than $20,000, and every student got the opportunity to take a few laps through a powdery array of colors that elicited smiles and some pretty awesome hair for the rest of the day.

36 | January 2025

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EVENT CALENDAR

JANUARY 10-11 QUILTING AND FIBER ART MARKETPLACE AT DAWCC The Quilting and Fiber Art Marketplace will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center in Sanford.

Admission is $5. One-stop shoppings with the best quilt and art vendors from North and South Carolina. Several quilt shops will be here with quilting supplies.

Vendors with wool and floss for stitchery, will be here also. For more information, go online to quiltersgallery.net.

SEND YOUR EVENT The Rant Monthly's community calendar has returned, and we're doing our best to track down everything going on in Sanford and Lee County. Send us your events by email at billy@rantnc.com and include the date, time, location and a brief description.

JAN 5: Hugger Mugger Brewing and Sanford Yoga Center present Yoga and Beer from 11 a.m. to noon at the brewery in downtown Sanford. Cost is $20 and includes a drink of your choice.

streets of downtown Sanford, passing historic homes, City Hall and more. The race will begin and end at Hugger Mugger Brewing, starting at 9 a.m. Sign up online at Hugger Mugger’s website.

JAN 9: Alchemy Wellness Center & Spiritual Boutique will host a Medicine Drum Sound Bath from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

No experience necessary, just come with an open heart. Feel the beat, embrace the journey and discover the magic that lies within. Bring a yoga mat. Learn more at eventbrite.com.

JAN 11: The N.C. Cooperative Extension in Lee County will host a Raised Bed Gardening Workshop from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the extension center on Tramway Road. Admission is $25.

JAN 10: Steel County Express — a classic rock, Southern rock, modern country and dance music cover band — will perform at Smoke & Barrel in downtown Sanford at 8 p.m.

JAN 11: The Sanford Resolution Run & First Health Fitness Fest 5K is a chance to enjoy a one-mile run or 5K through downtown Sanford. The USATF-certified 5K meanders through the

JAN 11: Alchemy Wellness Center & Spiritual Boutique will host Tea & Tarot Party from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Cost is $30. Learn more at eventbrite.com.

JAN 14: The Wine Thief in Lillington will host “Laugh and Wine” — a night filled with laughter and good drinks — at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.

JAN 17: The Kevin Ragan Band — a two-man power band rocking you with all the songs you love — will perform at Smoke & Barrel at 8 p.m.

JAN 20: Hugger Mugger Brewing will host the Bier Garten Club — led by Lee County’s N.C. Cooperative Extension — at 6:30 p.m. at the brewery.

JAN 22: The N.C. Cooperative Extension in Chatham County will host “Tree Identification in Winter” at the extension center in Pittsboro. Admission is $15.

JAN 24: Tuesday Night Music Club — local favorites who perform a variety of classic rock, country and bluegrass — will perform at Smoke & Barrel at 8 p.m.

JAN 25: Tasting Queens Market’s Sip & Shop will run from noon to 4 p.m. at 1218 Hawkins Ave. in Sanford. The event will feature local artisans and their creations, as well as their own gourmet line.

Complimentary hot and cold beverages and Caribbean pastries will be served.

JAN 26: The Brandon Rainwater Comedy Show (“Growing Up Was Stupid”) will perform at Hugger Mugger

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rantnc.com music and storytelling, expertly weaving Williams’ story of triumph and tragedy.

Learn more at templeshows.org.

FEB 21: Big Bump & The Stun Gunz — a blues, boogie and classic rock group — will perform at Smoke & Barrel at 8 p.m.

FEB 28: The Simpletones — a Sanford quartet playing rock and pop covers — will perform at Smoke & Barrel at 8 p.m.

JAN 30-FEB 16: The Sweet Delilah Swim Club will be the first mainstage production at Temple Theatre in 2025. Five Southern women, whose friendships began on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the beach cottage, the “Sweet Delilah” on the Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives. Tickets and showtimes can be found at templeshows.org.

from 5 to 7 p.m. Joining Brandon will be Tommy Donoan and Scooter. Tickets are $32.50.

FEB 1: The Mixtapes — a five piece band that covers songs from Linda Ronstadt to Fleetwood Mac, Miranda Lambert to Whitney Houston, AC/DC to Van Halen, Bruce Springsteen to Billy Joel, and plenty of Stones, Beatles and others — will perform at Smoke & Barrel in downtown Sanford at 8 p.m.

FEB 7: Mike Edwards & His Only Friends — a trio of veteran acoustic musicians — will perform at Smoke & Barrel in downtown Sanford at 8 p.m.

FEB 20-23: Jason Petty’s 100 Years of Hank will honor Hank Williams on Temple Theatre’s main stage. Since 2001, Petty has traveled the continent with his own production called Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes. Over the years, he had the chance to meet and become friends with those who knew and played with Williams.

They shared their stories of what Hank and his music meant to them and to the history of country music. Petty has translated those stories into a beautiful mosaic of live

MARCH 1: Temple Theatre’s first of three Centennial Celebrations — honoring 100 years of the theater’s presence in downtown Sanford — will be the 100 Years Gala on March 1. Visit templeshows. org to learn more.

MARCH 6-9: Temple Theatre’s second of three Centennial Celebrations — honoring 100 years of the theater’s presence in downtown Sanford — will be the Roaring 20’s Revue, featuring hits from the 1920s through the 2020s. Visit templeshows.org to learn more.

MARCH 15-16: Temple Theatre’s third of three Centennial Celebrations — honoring 100 years of the theater’s presence in downtown Sanford — will be the Temple Teen Reunion Celebration. Visit templeshows.org to learn more.

MONDAYS: Circle M City in Sanford hosts Monday Music Jam at 7 p.m. every Monday. The town comes alive with pickin’ and singin’ … guitars, mandolins, banjos, fiddles, bass and their players perform inside the Livery Stable. Pull up chairs to listen or join in. Families are welcome. Located at 74 Cowboy Lane.

WEDNESDAYS: Wild Dogs Brewing in downtown Sanford hosts Trivia Night each Wednesday at 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS: Lee County Libraries will host Baby Story Times (0-18 months) and Toddler Story Times (1-3 years) at 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. respectively on Wednesdays throughout June at the library in downtown Sanford.

THURSDAYS: Wild Dogs Brewing hosts a “pop-up bookstore and bottle shop” every Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m.

THURSDAYS: Lee County Libraries will host Family Story Times for all ages at 10 a.m. on Thursdays throughout the month of June.

Social Security DISABILITY Denied?

Call us, we can help!

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919-775-5616

harris@centralcarolinalawyers.com

38 | January 2025

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CROSSWORD: Science Fiction ACROSS 1. Le Corbusier’s art 5. *”The Matrix” protagonist 8. Captures 12. Funkiness in the air 13. Vegetative state 14. Capital of Vietnam 15. Fairy tale villain 16. Beware of these in March 17. Spiker and Sponge of “James and the Giant Peach” 18. *Bioengineered humanoid in “Blade Runner” 20. The Beehive State 21. Burn with coffee, e.g.

22. Tire meas.

23. Sea nymph 26. Salad dressing option 30. *Pierre Boulle’s Cornelius 31. Hoity-toity 34. Back arrow key 35. Covered with sphagnum 37. Tiny Tim’s guitar 38. Allegro ____, in music 39. Sign of escape 40. Apprehension 42. Emergency responder, acr.

43. Neuron junction 45. Sleeping sickness vector 47. *Katniss Everdeen’s sister 48. Hammerin’ Hank 50. Tennis “innings” 52. *2010 film starring DiCaprio 56. Meat of coconut 57. Desperate 58. Karl of politics 59. *1979 film starring Sigourney Weaver

60. Fail to mention 61. Bo Peep’s females 62. *”Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” author 63. Was ahead 64. *Spock’s are pointy DOWN 1. Point of entry 2. Side of a ruler, e.g.

3. S or C follower, in business 4. Two-word threat 5. Relating to node 6. Make corrections 7. Kiln for hops 8. *Captain Nemo’s submarine 9. Tolstoy’s Karenina

10. This and that 11. Bro’s sibling 13. Droning insect 14. Niger and Nigeria language 19. In an unfriendly manner 22. Parent org.

23. “He named ____” 24. Strong adhesive 25. Pine juice 26. Original thought 27. Garment enlarger 28. *”The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” author 29. Neil Diamond’s “Beautiful ____” 32. *Frank Herbert’s famous novel 33. “I Like ____” 1950s campaign slogan

36. *”Where no man has gone before” TV series 38. “The Tortoise and the Hare” author 40. “It’s no ____!”

41. Beale of Memphis, e.g.

44. South Korean port 46. Main dish 48. Japanese cartoon art 49. Like thick smoke 50. Solo, pl.

51. Long narrative poem 52. Worshiped one 53. Minnesota’s southern neighbor 54. Last word on radio 55. Famed loch 56. Rogue or rascal

rantnc.com

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40 | January 2025

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