The Moore County Republican Executive Committee will close its Tuesday meeting with an open forum on candidates seeking the GOP nomination for president.

The committee will meet at 7 p.m. in the Courts Facility building in Carthage, according to Dick Kuehl, secretary to the party.

On the agenda is a report from a committee planning a grass-roots New Year's get-together.

After the agenda is completed, the committee will hold an open forum allowing those in attendance to offer and exchange personal ideas on GOP presidential candidates.

HALL OF FAME - Con-gressman Howard Coble was inducted into the North Carolina Republican Hall of Fame in Raleigh on Nov. 19.

Coble, who represents Moore County, was the inductee for the 6th District. Also among the inductees was former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, for the 12th District.

Keynote speaker was Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia state attorney general, who talked about a number of legal issues involving President Obama.

AMENDMENT - Coble was among the 236 Republicans who voted in favor of the balanced budget amendment last week.

The total vote came up short of the 290 votes needed to amend the constitution.

"Our national debt has increased by more than $4 trillion since President Obama has been in office," Coble said. "We cannot continue to ignore the damage that is being done to our citizens and generations to come."

Congressman Larry Kissell, of the 8th District, was among 25 Democrats who also voted for the amendment.

Voting against the amendment were four Republicans and 161 Democrats.

HAGAN - U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has introduced the Combat Casualty Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio).

The amendment would require the Department of Defense to study measures to improve casualty care and increase the number of lives saved on the battlefield.

Hagan chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

HEALTH - The Moore County Board of Health will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, in Room A in the Conference Center at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. The meeting is open to the public.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.