With the closing of the filing period, incumbent Congressman Howard Coble faces the prospect of five challengers within his Republican Party.

Two new Republicans added their names to the list of candidates for the 6th District seat in the U.S. Congress. They are Jon Mangin, of Stokesdale, who filed Thursday, and Jeff Phillips, of Greensboro, who filed Friday. They join Dr. James Taylor, of Pinehurst; William A. Yow, of Greensboro; and Cathy Brewer Hinson, of High Point.

One Democrat has filed for Coble's seat, Gregory Scott "Sam" Turner, of Salisbury.

It is the longest roster of challengers for Coble's seat in many years. Coble, who is seeking his 14th term, holds the present record for longevity within North Carolina's congressional delegation.

In the final hours of the filing period, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr also picked up additional challengers from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The latest Republican to file for Burr's seat is Larry Rolando Linney, of Charlotte, who filed Thursday. Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican and former congressman, has filed for a second term. Other challengers from the GOP are Bradford Wesley Jones, of Lake Toxaway, and Edward James Burks, of Asheboro.

The Democratic field of opponents is even more crowded. The final candidates filing for the Democratic nomination are Wilma Ann Worthy, of Gastonia, who filed Wednesday, and Susan Harris, of Old Fort, who filed Friday morning. Other Democrats who had already filed are Marcus W. Williams, of Lumberton; Secretary of State Elaine Marshall; Ken Lewis, of Chapel Hill; and former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, of Lexington.

One Libertarian, Michael Beitler, of Oak Ridge, has also filed for the Senate seat.

YOUNG DRINKERS - Young people begin drinking as early as 12 years, and by the time they reach ninth grade, 15.5 percent have engaged in binge drinking.

These were among the statistics shared with the Moore County Board of Commissioners in a recent report from Drug Free Moore County Inc., a nonprofit that addresses issues relating to alcohol abuse and other forms of drug abuse.

Darlind Davis, executive director of Drug Free Moore County, cited the statistics as collected in a recent survey. Focus groups were held to ask youth and parents about issues emerging from the community and what can be done to address those issues.

STATISTICS - Among the statistics was a report on alcohol use within the previous 30 days, showing that 30 percent of ninth-graders, 38 percent of 10th-graders, 38 percent of 11th-graders and 48 percent of 12th graders had used alcohol.

By 12th grade, 33 percent reported binge drinking. The average age of first use of alcohol was reported as 12.3 years for ninth-graders. Overall average was reported as 13.4 years.

"It affects all ages and all cultures," Davis told the commissioners.

However, she added that Moore County does have strong assets to work on the issue.

To tackle the problems of underage drinking, Davis -reported, a town hall-style meeting has been scheduled for March 29 at the FirstHealth Conference Center in Pinehurst. Drug Free Moore County received a grant to host the town hall meeting.

VETERANS - The Veterans' Memorial Committee is asking Moore County for $16,000 to complete work on the memorial.

The request is on the agenda for the Monday meeting of the Moore County Board of Commissioners. The board will convene at 4 p.m. in the historic courthouse in Carthage.

The board will also be asked to authorize applications for operational grants for the Day Reporting Center and Youth Services and to award a contract to ACS Government Inc. for the purchase of Firehouse Software. Other agenda items include a contract with Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates and a recycling grant application.

JUVENILE - The Juvenile Crime Prevention Council will consider a grant application to address gang issues at a March 4 meeting.

Also on the agenda are nomination of officers and new appointments.

The council will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Department of Social Services in the Carriage Oaks Complex in Carthage.

PATRIOT ACT - Congress-man Howard Coble on Thursday called on his colleagues in the U.S. House to extend key sections of the USA Patriot Act, which is scheduled to expire today.

Coble urged the House to reauthorize key sections of the anti-terrorism legislation. He is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at (910) 693-2479 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.