VOLUME 146 ISSUE 29 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
C HATHAM NEWS & R ECORD THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Chatham County seeks applicants for key advisory committees Chatham County is currently seeking individuals to apply for several upcoming vacancies on its advisory committees. Service on committees is a great way for residents to have a voice on issues of interest and make a difference in the community. Individuals must be a resident (18 and older) of Chatham County to serve on Advisory committees. The deadline to submit applications is Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. The following committees are accepting applications: the Agriculture Advisory Board, Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Transportation Advisory Committee, Department of Social Services, and Board of Health. To fill out an online application, visit the Chatham County website at https://www. chathamcountync.gov/. To request a printed application, please contact Lacee George at lacee.george@ chathamcountync.gov or call (919) 542-8200.
CCCC second 8-week class sessions to begin next month Central Carolina Community College’s second 8-week term is set to begin on October 13. Many of these courses are available in an online format. To register for courses, connect with an Education Navigator by visiting www. cccc.edu/admissions/ contacts or contact the Student Onboarding Success Office at (919) 718-7300 (Lee Main Campus), (919) 5458025 (Chatham Main Campus), and (910) 8148827 (Harnett Main Campus). You can also connect with an Education Navigator in person at any main campus, virtually or by appointment. For more information about CCCC, please visit www.ccc.edu.
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Flatwoods Festival
+#0% & " 0 )" + The% % ) 25th annual Flatwoods Festival returned to Bennett, N.C., this past Friday and Saturday. This event is by the Tri-County Ruritan Club each year to help raise money to help those in need. Food vendors, craft )&#hosted % &$$ ) # &%+) +&)* vendors, an antique tractor show, a parade, a live auction, and bluegrass music were just some of the features that 9G@G: FFC7CEC@ festival goers were able #% 4 &$ to enjoy. " +#0%= )&# % &$$ )
Cooper visits Moncure School By Chuck Thompson Chatham News & Record
at Moncure are a clear example of how important strong public schools are to the growth of our MONCURE — Gov. Roy Coo- state,” Governor Cooper said. “It’s per stopped by Moncure School past time for the legislature to on Wednesday, Sept. 7, to drop off pass a budget that makes meanschool supplies through the Gov- ingful investments in public eduernor’s School Supply Drive Do- cation and gives educators overFILE IMAGE nations. due raises.” Cooper visited several classFrom left to right: Buddy Keller (Carolina Commercial The governor also mentioned rooms, receiving questions from that tax breaks for corporations Contractors), Carter Keller (Carolina Commercial )&$ # + +& ) +3 , 0 ## ) 9 )&# % &$$ ) # &%+) +&)*:2 )+ ) ## ) 9 )&# % curious students about his job are not what North Carolina Contractors), Kyle Shipp (Pittsboro Town Commissioner &$$ ) # &%+) +&)*:2 0# '' 9 (Lee ++* &)& &.% &$$ ** &% ) % 0&) # % and family. He thanked the + :2 and Mayoral Candidate), Kirk Bradley Moore needs as part of the reason the teachers for their dedication beCapital), Cindy Perry (Pittsboro Mayor) and Jimmy Keen budget can’t be settled and urged )" ) # 0 9 &&) ' + #:2 % 0 ))0 9 ++* &)& 0&):2 % $$0 % 9 ), *+ %":4 fore making remarks in the the legislature to finalize the bud(Truist Bank). school’s media resource room to a get as soon as possible. group of educators, school board He also mentioned the shortmembers and the media. falls he says are currently plaguHe was accompanied by Su- ing North Carolina public perintendent Anthony Jackson, schools, noting that the state was State Rep. Robert Reives and short about 5,000 teachers and State Sen. Natalie Murdock. the need to hire and retain more When asked by a student what bus drivers. his favorite subject in school was, When asked why a $1,000,000 the governor replied, “English. grant to train bus drivers was beMy mom was the best English ing handled through the Departteacher in the state, in my opin- ment of Transportation and not es Food-anchored shopping Chatham News & Record ion.” center across from MOSAhaving that money allocated diSuperintendent Jackson said rectly to the school systems, he PITTSBORO — A signifi- IC at Chatham Park on U.S. a few words, praising the school pushed the need for training but cant milestone was celebrat- 501 in Pittsboro, near the Raboard and educators, before in- did not explain why the money ed last Thursday as Caroli- leigh-Durham metro area. troducing Cooper, stating, “We was being used through the NCThe groundbreaking cerena Commerce Contractors have an amazing school board DOT, noting, “Parents are con(CCC), in partnership with mony, attended by partners, and a group of educators, we cerned about getting their chilLee Moore Capital Company, community leaders and lohave high student achievement, dren to school on time, and safely, marked the official ground- cal officials, showcased the safe orderly schools and an effi- and we know we need more bus breaking of Medley at North- beginning of a project that is cient and well-run district. We drivers. This million dollars will wood Landing, a 312-unit promising to meet the region’s are proud of our district, our stu- go to hire – some whom have reapartment community. The growing housing needs. dents, and our staff.” Designed by architect Kerdevelopment is set to transtired who will come back to help Cooper took time to praise the and train bus drivers, and this is form the housing landscape ry Finley and developed by students and educators of Mon- an infusion to get things going to in Chatham County, with 15% Lee Moore Capital Company, cure Elementary School and was get more bus drivers on the road.” of its units dedicated to work- Medley at Northwood Landcritical of the legislature not passing is poised to take shape in force housing. The event concluded with a ing a budget. Situated on 92 acres, buffet before the governor left to “The students, faculty and staff head back to Raleigh. Northwood Landing is a Low- See APARTMENT, page A3
Medley at Northwood Landing apartment community officially breaks ground
Community honors native son with special day, award By Bob Wachs For Chatham News & Record HERE’S A QUESTION to ponder: How many flat tires can a man fix in 60 years? The world may never know, but there is someone who probably could come close to providing the answer. Ledford Brady of Bennett operated B & B Tire Service at Harpers Crossroads in southwest Chatham County from its opening April 1, 1968, until, as he says, he “just sort of didn’t go back” after his wife Virginia passed away in December 2019. Prior to going into business with his friend Marvin Brewer, he worked at
Budd Tire Company in Siler City for nine years, giving him 60 years of flats, repairs, recaps and radials. “The reality,” said Raymond Brewer, Marvin’s son and current B & B manager, “is Ledford is B & B Tire. He built it on the biggest thing we had to offer — service. Today business is different. The biggest change is how much is done online. But service is still what we offer, and Ledford built B & B on service.” Last weekend, as part of the annual Bennett Flatwoods Festival, his community came together to say thanks and celebrate him receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s
most prestigious civilian award. thought I could do it all,” Brady Bestowed by the governor, it’s says. “After trying that about a presented to individuals who, month, one day, Benny Williamthe award’s website says, “have a son came by. He was a truck drivproven record of extraordinary er, but I said, ‘Benny, I need some service to the state (through) con- help. How about coming to work tributions to their communities, here?’ He said, ‘OK, when do extra effort in their careers and many years of service to their organizations.” See AWARD, page A10 Brady’s credentials for the award touch all those bases and more. In addition to offering goods and services at the retail level, B & B Tire also provided employment opportunities for many residents. And usually when someone joined the workforce, they stayed. “When we first opened, I