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Moore County Schools are closed today because of the inclement weather.
The O'Neal School and Sandhills Community College are also closed.
The makeup date for the public schools will be Feb. 21.
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Language arts teacher Lisa Elliott had her head shaved by hairstylist Nichole Jenkins during an after-school event at Crains Creek Middle School May 3. Elliott promised students she would shave her head if they helped her raise money to participate in the Disney Half Marathon, which raises funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Students and the school community held Elliott to her promise and helped her raise more than $4,000. Enlarge
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Comments
kgirl 2 years, 5 months ago
Yeah! I guess...
rightwingpatriot 2 years, 5 months ago
everyone GET THE BREAD AND MILK. a storms a bruin
HockeyFan 2 years, 5 months ago
Being relatively new to the area (3 1/2 years), I truly love it here.
However, the hysteria and panic that penetrate the community when there is even a threat of snow is one of the few things that I don't care for, and quite franlky, it's a little ridiculous. The county has been out spreading 'anti-freeze' chemicals on most roads since Tuesday.
If everyone would drive 10 mph under the speed limit and allow more room between them and the car in front of them, things would be fine.
statelady 2 years, 5 months ago
Dear Hockeyfan, I understand what you are saying BUT I look at it this way too. If a bus load or two of children slides off the road and someone gets hurt then is it worth it?? Even if you drive 10 miles under the speed limit and put more room between you and the next person that doesn't mean you are not going to wreck. So you go ahead and travel and I will stay home with my child and not take that chance. If you are a good driver in this kind of stuff then go ahead!! I wouldn't call it hysteria myself. You see we are not used to these kind of weather conditions and prefer to play it safe with our children's lives. Merry Christmas!
Mythreekids 2 years, 5 months ago
Yes. The major reason the delays are done is because of the number of buses that must travel in 'less' traveled areas where the thaw is so much slower. I support the decision to keep the kids safe. Even one child hurt is too many.
clbvpm 2 years, 5 months ago
Moore county encompasses more than the sandhills. Northern Moore County has many hills and dangerous curves. Several years ago the schools were not dismissed and there were several accidents, a couple involving buses. Take a ride up highway 22 towards the small town of Highfalls and look at these hills. If a bus slides off the road there, it could be deadly. Thank you to those making the decision to keep our children protected from a possible accident.
ncsnafu1 2 years, 5 months ago
@HockeyFan:
The yellow trucks you reference spreading brine are not county but rather NCDOT. NC counties don't have roads - it's either a NC state highway or a municipality maintained street.
almondjoy 2 years, 5 months ago
@HockeyFan:
I would not call it panic nor hysteria but simply a decision to keep our students and staff safe. Moore County encompasses more areas than just Pinehurst, Whispering Pines, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, etc. All parts of the county are taken into consideration when making these calls. I commend Moore County Schools in making this decision. No matter what decision is made, whether to delay or not delay, whether to cancel or not to cancel, someone is going to have something negative to say. I believe the decision to delay was in everyone's best interest.
HockeyFan 2 years, 5 months ago
I didn't realize this would be such a hot-button issue. I certainly do not expect people to put their children in danger.
However, when the people I work with ask to not come into work until later in the day, it makes it difficult to run a business. I feel that those who can come to work, should. If anyone feels it is unsafe to drive to work then they can make up their work time later.
LB67 2 years, 5 months ago
Hockeyfan I'm sure you find it very amusing, having lived here this time for 8 years, I can assure you that it is not hysteria, the state of North Carolina does not have the equipment needed to clear roads quickly so that everyone can get on with their day, we also lived here 12-13 years ago when they were only calling for 2-4 inches and we ended up with 12-15, also not too long ago the school system waited until kids were already on their way to school then turned the buses around and sent them back home, some parents had already gone to work and had to make hurried arrangements for their kids arriving at home so laugh if you want but some of us know that we need to plan ahead
rainsprite 2 years, 5 months ago
@ Almondjoy
You go girl.......tell it like it is! Some people have no clue until they get into an accident themselves. Snowy conditions are entirely different from icy conditions and extremely more dangerous, even with just a thin layer of ice. No one should take the chance of injuring themselves or, God forbid, someone else, especially our precious children.
pinehurstmom 2 years, 5 months ago
I too moved here from the north about 9 years ago. At first, it seemed a little extreme when they called school so quickly, but if you take the time to think about it, it does make sense. They do not have the equipment to handle snow and ice and we have many more "back" roads here that don't get much traffic. Up north they would salt the crap out of the roads (and our cars) and plow. They don't have the equipment to do that and considering the few times you need it, it would not be fiscally responsible to purchase the equipment. When you move to a new area, you need to adjust to it, not expect it to adjust to you.
lovinlife 2 years, 5 months ago
@ HockeyFan As a Moore County School bus driver I would like to leave you with this 1 image.....When u get in your car this morning and look in your rear view mirror imagine 72 faces looking back at you!! That's how many kids I'm responsible for in taking to & from school! That's just 1 of the 100 + busses that operate in Moore County......"hysteria and panic", you do the math!!!!!
HolleysLives 2 years, 5 months ago
@pinehurstmom
"When you move to a new area, you need to adjust to it, not expect it to adjust to you."
Congratulations! That is easily the best line of the discussion. For the record, I believe Moore County Schools did the right thing. ALWAYS err on the side of caution when dealing with our youth. Not all roads in Moore County are relatively flat and well-traveled as they are in Southern Pines/Pinehurst/Aberdeen.
We may do things differently than other parts of the country, but isn't that part of the reason so many people choose to relocate here?
GoldenDreams 2 years, 5 months ago
Hold on everyone! Let's be fair to HockeyFan and not get too carried away. Look at his first post. He didn't say anything about putting children at risk nor did he mention school buses being out today. Ok, he used the word "hysteria," which I'm sure he'd take back now if he could. =) I think what he meant was that he's surprised how people talk so much about inclement weather and perhaps prepare for it. But is that a reason to say he doesn't care about children's safety, or the bus drivers, or drivers in general? It's ok to have a different opinion about weather preparation, isn't it? He even came back on the boards and tried to clarify his view. Let's remember it's the holiday season! We want everyone to be happy and safe, for sure.
statelady 2 years, 5 months ago
No hockey fan did not say anything about children, buses, etc. But I did simply as an example. I hope everyone has been safe today-driving or staying at home- Merry Christmas to you all!!!!
clodfelter37 2 years, 5 months ago
The correct call was made. Roads up around Robbins and High Falls are much different from other parts of the county and the backroads get much less attention than the main roads. We must remember that what ever call is made some will not like it.
clbvpm 2 years, 5 months ago
@ GoldenDreams
Check the title of the article to which Hockeyfan was addressing his comments.
CNMT 2 years, 5 months ago
A couple of years ago we had some snow and ice and I was driving to work (at the hospital). The speed limit in my housing subdivision was 35 mph at that time. I was doing 10 mph, down a slight incline and slid off the side of the paved surface and onto the pine straw/dirt on the side of the road. I was fortunate that I didn't hit anything or anyone. I did not damage my vehicle. I was able to get back onto the road and continue on my way. Was I driving too fast for conditions? Obviously or I would not have slid off the road on the ice!!! But I was in 1st gear doing 10 MPH - essentially coasting without even touching the accelerator!!! "Accidents" can happen to anyone - even those not doing the speed limit-when there is ice/snow on the roads. While it is inconvenient for people and business owners when the weather is bad and the schools are closed, I would much rather have them close the schools and keep people off the streets than have someone hurt. There are a lot of high school students with limited driving experience that drive themselves to school - and on days like today, I am not sure that is a wise move.
KUDOS to the staff at Moore County Schools and the other schools in the area that made the decision to close today. I have to admit that when I first moved here 9 years ago I thought it strange also - having grown up in Massachusetts where we went to school with more snow on the ground than the days they closed schools here...but "up North" the cities/towns are better prepared to clear snow/ice from roads and even sidewalks.
GoldenDreams 2 years, 5 months ago
To Clbvpm, you make a good point. The title does address school closings. I guess I was just addressing HockeyFan's comments alone. It seemed like everyone came down on him all at once, and I don't really think he meant anything bad by what he wrote. Sometimes we just disagree. He's probably used to a different way of life, that's all. He even said he loved it here. In any event, hope you have a wonderful Christmas and God bless.
LisaS 2 years, 5 months ago
FYI CLVBPM - They changed the title of the article online over the last day. It was originally just about the forecast for bad weather. I read the comment yesterday with that article.
bald_dude 2 years, 5 months ago
Having lived in Washington State for 8 years before moving here, I must say this: Based upon the average Moore county driver's experience in ice/sleet/snow/rain driving, AND the lack of snow/ice removal equipment, AND, the fact that most of Moore County's road are two lane rural, I think the County made the "Smart Decision". So our kids had a snow day with no snow (which my daughter kept complaining about all day) but they were safe and there was no chance of anyone of them getting hurt. As far as having a business and your employees at work or not at work, that is just the way it is. I went to work but I am very comfortable and experienced driving in these conditions, however, I was behind someone who wasn't and I wish they would have opt'd to stay at home and not go to work. I was very happy to help pull him out of the ditch and share my thermos of coffee as we pulled the tree branches from his front grill. Hysteria? NO! Caution? Yes! By the way please go to BANDPARENT's Readers Blog and help out the Union Pines Band! Stay safe and warm everyone.
Yukonjohn 2 years, 5 months ago
I was born and raised in Moore County, but have lived in Fairbanks, Alaska for almost 30 years. In those three decades, our schools have shut down twice for a couple of days. Once in 85 when we got 30 inches of snow over the weekend, and they shut down for Monday and Tuesday. They were also closed for 3 days this Thanksgiving week for RAIN. We got an inch of rain on ground that was below zero and it made an ice skating rink. We have school even down into the 50s and 60s below!!! They still go out for recess until it gets below 20 below!! NC schools do freak out a little, but we have professional drivers for our busses. Merry Christmas everyone!! Oh, by the way, they still had school today and the low was down near 50 below!! Check out this link:
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/10689046/article-Creative-indoor-activities-keep-Fairbanks-students-busy-when-weather-hampers-recess?instance=home_lead_story
Sally244 2 years, 5 months ago
No one realizes how big Moore County is. The roads may be fine in Southern Pines but way up in Seagrove the roads could be really terrible. School buses are for everyone in the county and if they can't drive in North Moore County then they can't drive anywhere.