VOLUME 147 ISSUE 5 | THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
C HATHAM NEWS & R ECORD THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Horton High alumni scholarship The Horton High School Alumni Association is accepting applications for its scholarship, available for the 2024-2025 academic year. The scholarship is for descendants of Horton High School alumni, and the application can be found at hortonhighalumni.com. Horton High School became Horton Middle School in 1970, but the high school dates back to 1934 when a new building was created to house a school for Black children named the Horton Consolidated School. In 1946, several smaller Black schools were consolidated into Horton, which graduated thousands of students until it was eventually converted into a middle school for students of all races.
UNC, NC State, NC A&T extend enrollment deadlines
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Zaxby’s is now open at 26 Harper Road in Pittsboro.
Zaxby’s comes to Pittsboro
A number of public universities around North Carolina are extending enrollment deadlines to May 15 after widespread delays in the FAFSA financial aid system made it tricky for some students to determine what grants and scholarships they could be eligible for. “We want to assure them that when they choose Carolina, they will be able to afford it by providing them with their full financial aid and scholarship package,” said Rachelle Feldman, vice provost of enrollment at UNC-Chapel Hill. “We don’t want anyone to be in a position where they’re making that decision blind to their financial position.” The standard admission deadline is May 1.
Chatham gets $100K grant to repair vets’ homes Chatham County Aging Services received a $100,000 grant from Meals on Wheels and The Home Depot Foundation to provide home repairs and modifications for aging veterans. Now in its fifth year, the program has served a total of 64 veterans, with repair projects ranging from adding grab bars in bathrooms to repairing railings or constructing wheelchair ramps. 99% of clients reported that the services helped them continue living independently at home.
Chicken fingers, fried shrimp and cheddar bites galore By Robert Owens and PJ Ward-Brown Chatham News & Record
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Zaxby’s Scott Holloman chats with guests during the opening of his restaurant on Monday in Pittsboro.
PITTSBORO — Chicken chain Zaxby’s is now open in Pittsboro. Whether you’re in the mood for “Chicken Fingerz,” the Zaxby’s signature sauce, or just some old fashioned southern hospitality, the new location at 28 Harper Lane opened on Monday. The Pittsboro Zaxby’s, built locally by Thomas Construction
Company, is the first in Chatham County. Co-manager Scott Holloman and his wife Molly started hiring at the beginning of January and will have some 80 employees when fully staffed. “This is a place with tremendous growth,” Holloman said in an interview. “There’s plenty of options, but not the quick-service chicken restaurant. More than anything we wanted to get here before all the growth, so we could get our feet under us. We’re really building for the future.” Holloman got started with Zaxby’s as a 20-year old cook and See ZAXBY’S, page A10
Chatham Chamber hires new president
Siler City recognizes retiring police chief
Tyler G. Bryant comes from the Hawkinsville-Pulaski Chamber in Georgia
Chief Michael Wagner joined Siler City PD as chief in 2019 By Robert Owens For Chatham News & Record
By Robert Owens For Chatham News & Record THE CHATHAM COUNTY Chamber of Commerce has a new president and CEO. Tyler G. Bryant, currently the head of the Hawkinsville-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce in Georgia, was the unanimous pick by the Chatham Chamber’s board of directors at its meeting last week, after a nationwide search. He will start work on May 1, replacing outgoing Chamber President Cindy Poindexter. “Chatham County boasts a dynamic business community, and I am committed to nurturing its growth and success by supporting all businesses, fostering job creation, and cultivating a robust economy and quality of life,” Bryant said in a release from the Chamber. “My wife, Shannon, and I, could not be happier to be relocating to North Carolina. It is a critical time right now for businesses in Chatham County, and the chamber should be the resource for all of them, and I look forward to getting to work.”
COURTESY CHATHAM CHAMBER
Georgia native Tyler G. Bryant is the new president and CEO of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce. At the Hawkinsville-Pulaski Chamber, membership doubled in Bryant’s first year, and they achieved a 15 percent increase in revenue after a transition to a tiered dues model. That, plus a revamp of that Chamber’s web and social media presence, are things he hopes to replicate in Chatham County. “We received a large number of qualified candidates from across the country. Tyler Bryant was the ideal choice,” said Hunt Forest Resources and Kindled Provisions’ Jason Hoyle, who served as chair of the search committee, in a statement. “He brings diverse See CHAMBER, page A2
OUTGOING SILER CITY Police Chief Michael Wagner was honored for his service at the town’s March 18 Board of Commissioners meeting. “I don’t want to say goodbye and I don’t too much like the word retirement,” said Mayor Donald Matthews. “Chief has been on me, ever since we met, about cuff links. So, I went out and got a personalized pair just for you.” Matthews then presented Chief Wagner with a pair customized cuff links as a retirement present. Wagner joined Siler City as police chief in June 2019. He started his law enforcement career with the Albemarle County PD in Charlottesville, VA in 1991. “Michael Wagner has demonstrated a high level of character, a strong and active concern for the future of the Town of Siler City citizens, a tireless regard for the safety of the Town of Siler City community, and an unwavering compassion for his fellow man,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Lewis Fadely, reading from a proclamation honoring Chief Wag-
MIKE WAGNER / LINKEDIN
Siler City PD Chief Michael Wagner is retiring after more than three decades in public service. ner. Wagner was also gifted his badge and service weapon by Siler City to take into retirement after his last day. Wagner was also presented with a United States flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol by Sam Shumate, Southeast Regional Director for North Carolina Sen. Ted Budd (R), See CHIEF, page A2
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