The Democratic Women of Moore County will host an Inauguration Day luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Bell Tree Tavern on North East Broad Street in downtown Southern Pines.

For folks interested but unable to attend the Inauguration ceremonies in person, this is an opportunity to watch the ceremonies on television with like-minded supporters, according to a spokesperson.

The Bell Tree has several large-screen television sets that will be tuned to the ceremonies in the nation's capital Tuesday.

The luncheon is open to the public, but reservations are required and should be called to Mindy Fineman at 673-2640 or to county Democratic headquarters at 947-1933. Cost of lunch is $20.

COBLE OFFICE -- Height-ened security has prompted Congressman Howard Coble to close his Washington office Tuesday.

This is the sixth presidential inauguration that the 6th District Republican has attended, but it will be the first time he has closed his office in the Rayburn House Office Building.

"When officials announced last week that all the bridges from Virginia into the District will be closed and urged us not to conduct events in our Capitol Hill offices, that was the final piece of information that I needed to close our office that day," Coble said. "We have enjoyed hosting 6th District residents in the past, but I am going to listen to law enforcement officials and comply with their desire to limit our staff travel that day. As always, I look forward to being on the platform when our new president is sworn into office."

Coble said the only inauguration he has missed since he was first elected to office was in 1985 when the outdoor ceremonies for former President Reagan were canceled because of dangerously cold temperatures.

The congressman's offices in North Carolina will be open as usual Tuesday. He has offices in Asheboro, Graham, Granite Quarry, Greensboro and High Point.

Coble's office will also be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The North Carolina State Society's Inaugural Ball will be held Monday night at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, and Coble said he plans to join constituents for that event.

PICERNO -- Nick Picerno, newly elected chairman of the Moore County Board of Commissioners, will be the speaker for the Monday, Feb. 2, meeting of the Moore Republican Women's Club.

This will be the club's first luncheon meeting in 2009, and it will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the program to begin at 12 noon.

Picerno's topic will be future county projects and the effect that the present economic situation will have on county government and local taxes.

HAGAN -- U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has been named to the Senate Armed Services and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees.

"Our armed forces have always been the backbone of our safety and security as a nation, and North Carolina has played a large role in that history," Hagan said.

The armed forces have special meaning to Hagan, the new Democratic senator from North Carolina. Her 95-year-old father-in-law is a retired two-star Marine general, her father and brother both served in the Navy, and her husband, Chip, is a Vietnam veteran who attended Wake Forest Law School with help from the GI Bill.

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