Annoyed about persistent rumors of a Robbins-Pinehurst water deal, the Moore County Board of Commissioners decided to put the rumor to rest at the April 20 meeting.

Commissioner Tim Lea brought up the subject during the commissioners' comment period near the end of the three-hour meeting Monday night. He told of a rumor that Pinehurst plans to buy the Robbins water system, then sell the Robbins system to the county.

Commissioner Larry Caddell, who had also heard the rumor, said he had discussed the issue with Pinehurst Mayor George Lane, who informed him no such deal was planned.

Such a deal would be awkward, because Moore County owns and operates the utilities serving the village of Pinehurst and outlying areas. However, a comprehensive water study conducted by McGill & Associates includes a recommendation that the county enter into a partnership with Robbins to help with an upgrade and to buy water to supplement service to Seven Lakes.

Lea suggested that the subject should be discussed in more detail at a work session in May. He requested that Robbins Mayor Theron Bell be invited to attend the May 12 workshop.

COBLE -- Congressman Howard Coble was among the guests Saturday night for the Red, White and Blue Gala staged by Moore County Democrats at The Carolina Hotel in Pinehurst.

He heard an address by the Republican leader in the U.S. House, Congressman John Boehner of Ohio.

Coble delivered the keynote address Thursday night at the 6th Congressional District annual convention in Asheboro.

WELLS FARGO -- The Council for Entrepreneurial Development staged its 26th annual Venture Conference at Pinehurst Resort last week.

The opening speaker was John Stumpf, CEO of Wells Fargo, the banking giant that recently acquired Charlotte-based Wachovia. Stumpf also met with Gov. Beverly Perdue and former Gov. Jim Hunt as well as customers and employees of Wachovia.

Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook, was among the Thursday speakers.

PICERNO -- Nick Picerno, chairman of the Moore County Board of Commissioners, is the county's new voting member of the Regional Land Use Advisory Commission at Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base.

The commissioners voted to appoint him to succeed former Board Chairman Colin McKenzie, who retired from the board last year.

Picerno will serve a three-year term.

The commission oversees efforts to coordinate land usage in counties that could be affected by activities at the military reservation.

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