A moment of silence in memory of the victims of the shooting at Pinelake nursing home will be set aside at the beginning of the Monday meeting of the Moore County Board of Commissioners.

The board will convene at 4 p.m. Monday in the historic courthouse in Carthage.

This will be followed by the invocation by the Rev. Tom Herndon, pastor of Carthage First Baptist Church.

The agenda includes two public hearings. One will focus on a financing alternative for a proposed expansion of the water pollution control plant. The other is about an amendment to the road name and address ordinance. The board will be asked to call three hearings for the April 20 meeting to consider zoning ordinance text amendments and the close-out of a Community Development Block Grant project.

ACADEMY -- Zachary Nelson Anderson of Southern Pines is one of eight students from the 6th Congressional District nominated to military academies, it was announced this week by the office of Congressman Howard Coble.

Anderson, son of Renee and Eric Anderson, has accepted an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. He attends Pinecrest High School.

Other appointments announced by Coble are offered to students in Greensboro, Salisbury and Thomasville. Additional appointments will be made at a later date.

"Yet again, the 6th District has produced an outstanding group of potential nominees to our nation's service academies," Coble said. "I am sure that these young men and women will make our district proud and will go on to serve our country with distinction and honor."

SALT -- Sandhills Area Land Trust will hold its annual meeting April 18 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Reservoir Park in Southern Pines.

Members will hear reports on what SALT has done and plans for the future, will meet the new executive director, Dan Bell, dine on a picnic lunch and take a guided nature hike.

Registration is required and must be made no later than April 9 by calling the SALT office at 695-4323 or e-mailing ntalton@sandhillslandtrust.org. Advance payments of $15 per person (for lunch) by cash, check or Visa/MasterCard are required. No money will be accepted at the site on the meeting date.

SALT is also encouraging supporters to thank members of Congress who co-sponsored the Conservation Easement Incentive Act, or HR 1831. The act would make permanent the expanded federal tax incentives for donated conservation easements. At least five members of the North Carolina congressional delegation are listed as co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, who represents neighboring 8th District.

PRO-TOBACCO -- Congressman Howard Coble, a longtime supporter of North Carolina's tobacco industry, spoke Wednesday in opposition to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1256).

The bill would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration control over tobacco.

Coble said he opposes the bill because of the effects it would have on his district and on North Carolina.

"It is my belief that allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco in any capacity would inevitably lead to FDA regulating the family farm," he said. "This creates uncertainty and adds another burden to the already overwhelmed FDA."

The 6th District congressman called it ironic that the House was debating the FDA bill on the same day that a new 62-cent tobacco tax goes into effect to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. He said this would add another hardship to the tobacco industry.

"I do not come to the well today without solutions," Coble said. "The bipartisan Youth Prevention and Tobacco Harm Reduction Act offers a comprehensive approach that offers harm reduction strategies facilitated by the Department of Health and Human Services. I encourage its consideration and oppose HR 1256. Tobacco is a product that is lawfully grown, lawfully marketed, lawfully manufactured and lawfully consumed. We don't need the FDA inserting its oars into these waters."

However, the bill passed the House on a 298-112 vote Thursday and now goes to the Senate. Joining Coble in voting against the measure were all of his fellow Republicans and three Democrats from the North Carolina delegation.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.