Taylortown's landfill debt to the county has been resolved.

County Manager Cary McSwain advised the Moore County Board of Commiss-ioners Monday that the municipality has paid off the fee and the check has been deposited.

"I would like to consider the matter closed," McSwain said.

The board agreed and voted unanimous approval.

Taylortown incurred more than $100,000 in landfill tipping fees in 2008 after the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) condemned the site of -several buried houses as hazardous to public safety. DENR required the -municipality to excavate the sites and remove the voluminous material.

The landfill fees came on top of heavy excavation costs, and municipal -leaders appealed to the county to reduce the -regular tipping fee because of the unusual circumstances.

The county and the municipality later reached a negotiated agreement on the amount of the fees.

TEA PARTY - Congress-man Howard Coble is the latest member of the U.S. House Tea Party Caucus.

He is the 51st Republican to join the new caucus. In a news release, Coble said that the principles of the tea party movement have long guided his votes in the House. These principles are described as "fiscal responsibility, adherence to the Constitution, promoting free enterprise, along with limited and more efficient government."

The veteran congressman faced challenges from tea party candidates in the May GOP primary election but emerged unscathed.

Coble said he has met with hundreds of 6th District residents who agree with the tea party's populist principles.

"They share with me the same hopes and dreams for America's future," Coble said. "By joining the Tea Party Caucus, I am committing to them that I adhere to the constitutional principles that have made our country the greatest in the world."

FUNDS - Entering the fall campaign season, Coble has a fundraising lead, according to news reports published during the weekend.

Coble, who is running for his 14th term, reportedly had $214,267 cash on hand as of June 30. His Democratic opponent, Sam Turner, of Salisbury, had $1,156 in his campaign chest on the same date.

Congressman Mel Watt, the 12th District Democrat, also had a commanding financial lead over his opponent, Republican Greg Dority, of Washington, N.C. Watt's campaign reported $209,233 cash on hand on June 30, compared to less than $5,000 for Dority.

INTERNS - Student interns received certificates and warm handshakes from the Moore County Board of Commissioners at the beginning of the board's Monday meeting.

Fourteen interns assisted in several county departments and agencies during the summer, all without pay.

This was the first year of the program, initiated by Eli Arroyo-Allen, county public information officer, and administered jointly by the Cooperative Extension Service"s 4-H Agent Linda Gore.

Extension Director Craven Hudson introduced the program and read the names of the interns, who accepted their certificates and shook the hands of County Manager Cary McSwain and the commissioners.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.