When we’re going through difficulties it may be challenging to find reasons to be grateful and to praise God. However, Psalm 100 gives us reasons to rejoice and give God praise despite our trials. The psalmist says, “Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are his; WE are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Whenever we are in any trial, read Psalm 100:5. Too many of us have lost focus and it is this that has been detrimental to our spiritual vision. It has blocked our being able to see straight and any time you lose sight of your objective, you are sure to leave the right path and go astray. We see it all the time. Whenever somebody goes astray it is because they have lost sight of something in front of them.

The person who has an affair loses sight of the vows that they made; they lose sight of the wonderful husband or wife that they have at home. With wandering eyes the devil entices them to look abroad and they see the forbidden fruit. It looks good, they bite and then their eyes come open. It’s not until they lose everything and are stripped naked that they wake up to the fact that they lost focus on the best thing that they had. Trials have a tendency to cause us to lose sight, and that makes it hard to give thanks when life’s trials come our way.

Somebody this morning has a crowded mind. Due to no fault of your own, some trial has invaded your mind and though you are reading this, your trials are hindering your spiritual insight, and it’s hindering your worship and your praise. I say that this morning because we all are living life. Christians are too! Being Christian doesn’t exempt us from trials despite those who say every day should be like Sunday down here; and that Christ’s death on the cross did away with all of our money problems, health problems, devil problems, marriage problems, neighbor problems, job problems, children problem and people problems.

Now we all know that’s a lie because one or all the above is what keeps us on our knees! It’s what got some of us distracted this morning and blinded by what we are going through. We can’t focus on the reason why we go to church. Everybody, ask yourselves this question, “Why do I go to church? And why did we go to church Sunday morning?” Were we there because we were thankful, to God? Did we go to worship? Were we there because we wanted to let God know how much we appreciated what he has brought us through, how he kept us intact in spite of it? Did we want him to know just how grateful we are so we with our fellow church members could join together in corporate praise and worship to God?

If that is the case this morning, then we ought to be thankful despite our trials! In fact, James says in the book of James 1:2, to “count it all joy” when we fall into various trials because God is at work in it! Friends, trials make us strong and draw us closer to God. We see God differently when we are in the midst of trials. Just like a little child, when they prick or burn their finger, they run to their parent. That’s what we do when we are pricked by trials, we run or draw close to God.

We as Christians should know this psalm 100 well. We quote it all the time. It is a call from the psalmist to “make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands.” We all know what noise is. It is a sound especially one that is loud but there are some that say “you are not supposed to make noise in church. But folk that believe that you are not supposed to make noise in church must not have ever read this psalm. Community, folk makes noise at the ball games, don’t they? Some Christians do too! Let somebody score a touchdown or hit a home run or dunk a basketball! Check out the Cameron crazies at a Duke University home basketball game. Noise.

But, when we come to church, are we supposed to be quiet? Some people say it doesn’t take all of that. Jesus scored the greatest victory ever scored on the cross of Calvary and if I’m going to get hoarse from hollering and cheering it will be in making a joyful NOISE unto the Lord.

Community, God made us, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. It is then that he says, “Enter into his gate with thanksgiving.” That’s it right there community. We are to come into his presence with singing, his sanctuary with thanksgiving. We as his people are to make a joyful noise everybody and serve the Lord cheerfully with gladness and come before his presence with singing. We are to bless his name.

And why should we bless his name? He said, “Because the Lord is good.” Hallelujah! Despite trials, the Lord is good. Despite depression, the Lord is good. Dspite the shape the world is in, the Lord is good. Despite our aches and pains this morning, the Lord is good.

Community, give thanks despite your trials.

CAMERON —The Fighting Scots football team suffered a tough 37-23 road loss at the hands of conference rival Union Pines on Friday night. It was Scotland’s first conference loss of the season as they fell to 3-4 overall (2-1 in conference games) while the Vikings improved to 5-1 (2-0 vs conference opponents) with the victory. Head Coach Richard Bailey wasn’t happy with numerous officiating controversies throughout the game but knows his team didn’t play good enough to beat a good Union Pines team.

“It’s just devastating, we didn’t play well and we weren’t prepared,” Bailey said. “The calls had nothing to do with us jumping offsides or missing tackles or missing blocks or not running where we were supposed to run or not seeing receivers open, pass protecting, all of those things we own and I own. Congratulations to Coach Till and their team, it was a well-deserved win, they’ve done some good things and those guys are believing.”

The start of the game was high scoring as Tyjurian White returned the opening kickoff to the Vikings 33-yard line before they continually pounded the rock with Corheim Hasty and White from there until White punched it in to give Scotland a 7-0 lead just over three minutes into the game. That lead would be short lived, however, as Union Pines immediately marched down the field on their opening drive, eventually finding the endzone on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Goswick to Hayne Tobias (a successful two-point conversion on a run by Ian Hicks gave them an 8-7 lead).

The Scots’ next possession at the start of the second quarter was notable for a huge completion from Ji’San McPhatter to Quatavius Everette, which immediately set them up deep in Union Pines territory at the 25-yard line. White then continued his strong running by getting the Scots all the way down to the 1-yard line before they punched it in to retake the lead (a failed two-point conversion resulted in a 13-8 score). The Vikings were far from done, driving the length of the field again on the strength of a big completion to Tobias and multiple offsides penalties on Scotland. A 24-yard touchdown run by Caleb Milton and successful two-point try put Union Pines in front 16-13. After a Scotland punt, Union Pines would add to their lead before halftime thanks to a fourth down conversion by penalty and a 13-yard receiving touchdown by Tobias (23-13 was the score at the break).

The Scots would immediately turn the game around coming out of halftime. They managed to recover two onside kicks in a row, which turned into 10 unanswered points that knotted the game at 23 just over five minutes into the half. McPhatter scored the touchdown on a five-yard run and Cameron Cole connected on a 37-yard field goal. Both teams had to punt on their next offensive possession, which turned out to be really bad news for the Scots when their punt got blocked deep in their own territory and resulted in a touchdown recovery for Harley Moyer. This gave the Vikings a 30-23 advantage after three quarters of action.

That would be the real turning point in the game as the fourth quarter ended up being more of a formality than anything else. Scotland did get the ball back with a chance to tie it thanks to the defense sacking Goswick twice on the same series but they ended up fumbling on their next drive and Union Pines then added to their lead on a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tobias, his third of the night with just under six minutes left in the game. The Scots eventually turned the ball over on downs and the Vikings ran the clock out when they got the ball back.

Scotland will have a bye week next week before getting back at it with a road matchup against Pinecrest on Oct. 18. The Patriots are currently 5-1 (1-1 in conference games) with a game at Lee County next Friday before they battle the Scots. With a little bit more time before their next game, Bailey will take a hard look at everything to see what went wrong in such an important game so that they are better prepared going forward.

“We’re going to evaluate and look at film to see what we could’ve done better,” Bailey said. “It’s going to start with me and what I can do to make us a better football team. Our fans are rightfully disappointed right now, it’s not acceptable.”

WAGRAM — The mayor of Wagram announced Thursday that Anne Locklear will take over the reins as the town’s new clerk.

Locklear was present at the meeting and shadowed former town clerk Phyllis Lowery, who returned from retirement to serve in the interim role of clerk following Roosevelt Henegan’s termination in June.

“I know that our interim clerk is glad to see you,” Wagram Mayor Barbara Pierce told Locklear on Thursday.

The Lumber River Council of Governments assisted with the clerk search process. Pierce said that the interviews were conducted on Sept. 16. The interviewing team consisted of Pierce, Lowery and Commissioner Lori Reynolds.

“Checking her resume, she met the qualifications the interview team was looking for. We had a rating sheet. No one read anyone’s rating sheet and we all came out with the same rating so that says something about her interview,” Pierce said. “We’re just glad to have you. Scotland County will hate to lose you.”

Locklear most recently served as the lead library tech at the Scotland County Memorial Library.

“I would just like to say I’m excited for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to working with everyone,” Locklear said.

Locklear will start on Oct. 14.

“At the appropriate time we will get you sworn in and get you trained,” Pierce said.

In other business, the board of commissioners unanimously voted to allow Chief of Police James Laviner a leave of absence to assist with search and rescue efforts in Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Leviner will leave the week of Oct. 7-Oct. 12.

The board also voted to allow Laviner the use of his state vehicle.

Pierce called for the Wagram community to assist with providing three meals a day for Leviner while out west by making monetary donations.

“He didn’t ask but I did check with [Scotland Public Safety director Robert] Sampson. They have to provide their own meals and their own water,” Pierce said.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene soared to 215 people on Thursday as more victims were found, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, according to the Associated Press. Roughly half the victims were in North Carolina, while dozens more were killed in South Carolina and Georgia. Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for.

LAURINBURG — Beginning Oct. 14, the court system in Scotland County will be going live with eCourts.

eCourts is an initiative by which nearly all court records across the state will be stored electronically rather than on paper. The plan is also called “Odessey” and was created by a company called Tyler Technologies.

After the kickoff, lawsuits and court papers must be filed by emailing the electronically prepared documents to the clerk’s office and paying any fees online. When the case is decided, the judge will sign the court’s judgment using a keypad.

This changeover will be the biggest technology challenge the courthouse has ever seen, according to Scotland County Clerk of Superior Court W. Philip McRae. Preparation has been underway for months and during the last 30 days it has become very hectic, he said.

“Often half the staff has been in Fayetteville for training while the other half runs the office,” McRae stated. “Everybody has been overloaded and tempers have occasionally flared. Our constituents have trouble getting through to us by phone. The office has fallen further and further behind and started requiring appointments. Every aspect seems to make no sense and stuck in molasses at times. And the plan hasn’t even begun.”

McRae said looking back, many people will feel that the new process has many “good qualities and well worth the effort.”

“For example, everybody will be able to litigate and access records online without traveling to the courthouse,” McRae stated.

The Clerk of Court said that the day eCourts goes live and the first few days following will be the worst.

“It may take hours or days to handle what used to be simple tasks,” he said. “The clerks office will appear to be incompetent. Everybody will be frustrated. There will be many similarities to the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel.

“However, things will eventually improve as everybody catches onto the new system.”

More information may be examined by logging onto www.nccourts.org. The clerk of court asks that the public be patient and understanding.

“Eventually the system will become second nature,” McRae said. “Speed and accuracy will improve.”

PEMBROKE — The University of North Carolina at Pembroke will host a two-week bioprocessing training to help students and residents prepare for entry-level positions in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

The short course is free and will be offered from Dec. 9-20, 2024, at UNC Pembroke’s Biotechnology Research and Training Center at Carolina Commerce and Technology Park (COMTtech) at 115 Livermore Drive in Pembroke.

Space is limited to 12 participants. The course will be held daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To add your name to the registration list, visit biomanufacturing registration.

The training is part of the Accelerate NC – Life Sciences Manufacturing initiative, funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC). This initiative aims to streghthen regional economies and support community-led economic development nationwide.

The Accelerate NC — Life Sciences Manufacturing coalition, led by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, received $25M in BBBRC funding to build equity while supporting economic development across the state. North Carolina Central University, home to the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) and the HBCU/HAIU Coalition leader, worked closely with UNCP to offer bioprocessing training. The coalition includes Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine’s University and Winston-Salem State University.

UNCP hosted the first cohort of training participants in January and a second cohort over the summer. Training applicants must be 18 years of age or older and must have a high school diploma or GED. Before starting the short course, students must complete five online courses. Upon completing the two-week free course, students will earn several certifications in biomanufacturing, including an advanced certificate in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. For more information, visit uncp.edu/biotraining.

HAMLET — While it may have seemed like a farewell speech, Dale McInnis promised he was not saying goodbye just yet to Richmond Community College during Convocation on Wednesday at the Cole Auditorium. He has a few more weeks before he retires from his position as president on Oct. 31.

Fourteen years ago, McInnis stood on the stage of the Cole to give his first presidential address during his installation ceremony.

“I said then that we would be one college, with one mission and one student body. Now as I begin to conclude my time as president, I can see the progress we have made in that becoming a reality,” McInnis said. “Our culture is based on treating every student, regardless of age, need, location, or goal, with the same respect, compassion, and value.”

McInnis said as a college they have come a long way in promoting that level of service, and RichmondCC is now seen as a role model for this “one college” approach.

“I am often asked by other community college presidents what the secret is, what is the recipe? How did you get from 42nd out of 58 in enrollment in 2010 to 29th in 2024? You know what my answer is? I can give you the recipe, but you can’t have the cooks,” McInnis said. “It is our employees teaching, advising and doing the hard work behind the scenes that makes this the college others want to copy and emulate.”

A lot has changed at RichmondCC during McInnis’ 14-year tenure as president. New programs have been built from the ground up; technology has evolved; new buildings have been built; and a second campus was established.

When asked what the biggest accomplishment for the College has been, McInnis said it has been the change in the culture.

“Our culture, our unique identity that bonds us and defines us, that is the accomplishment that means the most to me,” McInnis said. “Our focus on serving students and each other is what has fueled our success and built our reputation as a great place to work, to learn, to build a better future.”

The new president of RichmondCC will be announced later this month.

“Your future will be guided by a new president, who will bring new eyes, new energy and a new voice. I urge you to welcome and support the next president, provide them with the same support, trust, and loyalty you have given me,” McInnis said. “I want you to know how very proud I am of each of you and what you do, and all the great things I know you will do in the future.”

During Convocation, the 2024 Outstanding Alumni of the Year was also recognized. Chinna Hale, the Executive Director of Nursing Services for Scotland Health Care System and a 2006 nursing graduate of the RichmondCC, was presented with her award and treated to a luncheon after the ceremony.

McInnis also presented an award he created several years ago called the “President’s Award.” It is an award given to an employee of his choosing that he feels exemplifies the values of the College. He presented the award to Teena Parson, who has been his administrative assistant for the 14 years he has served as president.

Other awards announced included Faculty of the Year, which was presented to Gibby Peele, Industrial Systems program coordinator; Staff of the Year, presented to Tim Smoot, Print Shop technician; and Adjunct Faculty of the Year, presented to Tammy Holloway, CNA instructor.

Service awards were also presented to employees who have worked for the college for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years.

LAURINBURG — Scotland Health welcomed a new spinal surgeon, Dr. Petros Koutsogiannis, to its medical staff and the OrthoCarolina Scotland team.

Dr. Koutsogiannis completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency training at Hofstra University/Northwell Health System in Long Island, New York. He was honored to serve as Chief Orthopedic Surgery Resident in his final year, elected by his peers.

As part of his subspecialty training, Dr. Koutsogiannis completed a one-year fellowship in Spine Surgery at the renowned William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. There he trained alongside leaders in Orthopedic Spine Surgery, using the latest technology, and minimally invasive techniques. He focuses on operative and nonoperative management of both common and complex degenerative and traumatic disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

Dr. Koutsogiannis will see patients at the OrthoCarolina Scotland office and will perform surgeries at Scotland Memorial Hospital’s new state-of-the-art Surgical Services Department. To make an appointment with Dr. Koutsogiannis, call OrthoCarolina Scotland at 910-276-4611.

LAURINBURG —The Lady Scots volleyball team fell to conference rival Pinecrest three sets to two on Thursday night at Scotland High School. Scotland drops to 15-5 (6-4 in conference games) with the loss while the Patriots improve to 15-6 (10-0 vs conference opponents) with the win. It was Scotland’s first home loss of the season and second overall to Pinecrest after they were swept back on Sept. 10. Despite the difficult loss, Head Coach Adam Romaine was pleased with the fight his team showed and thinks it can be a sign of good things to come if they handle it the right way.

“I’m proud of the way they competed, this is a playoff caliber team,” Romaine said. “With the way we played tonight and with how we handled Union Pines last week, we know we can play well, the girls just have to believe it.”

The first set was one the Scots had control of from the beginning and never trailed. They would obtain that control by getting four unanswered points as part of a 7-1 run that forced Pinecrest to take a timeout when they trailed 10-4. The Scots would keep their foot on the gas, going on a separate 9-4 run out of the break to go up by 11 at 19-8. They would then cruise to the finish line from there and take the set 25-16.

The ensuing set started well but did not end very well for Scotland. They would go on a 4-1 run early to go up 5-2 but that would be the high point. They held one more lead at 7-5 but eventually fell behind 11-8 and called timeout to try and stop the Pinecrest momentum. That didn’t work very well as the Patriots got up by seven (18-11) before Scotland called for another timeout. That stoppage didn’t help either as Pinecrest simply had their way with the Scots the entire time and took the set 25-14.

The Patriots then dominated the all important third set from start to finish. After the Scots got the first point, Pinecrest would get the next eight before a Scots timeout and another four after the timeout to go up 12-1. It was simply a set that Scotland had no answers for anything the Patriots were doing as Pinecrest handily won the set 25-7. Romaine boiled down the problem to one thing: serve receive issues.

“We just fell right into our slump of serve receive and it rolled downhill,” Romaine said. “There’s just no recovery from that and we had to change our mindset going into the fourth set.”

To their credit, the Scots started the fourth set with a renewed sense of energy as evidenced by the 5-2 advantage they held. The Patriots would get within one (9-8) but Scotland responded with four unanswered points to stretch their lead up to five before Pinecrest called for time. The Patriots did not go away, managing to get within two on the strength of an 8-6 surge that made it 18-16 before the Scots called for time. After Pinecrest pulled within one, the Scots got three points in a row to go back up by four at 21-17. However, as if according to script, the Patriots managed to tie the set at 21 and again at 23. Scotland still pulled through when it mattered and took the set 25-23 to force a decisive fifth set. Romaine pointed to a motivational aspect for the seniors playing Pinecrest for the last time as a key factor in the turnaround from the third set to the fourth.

“I pulled the seniors over and told them it was their last time playing Pinecrest,” Romaine said. “They came out and played hard, I was super proud of them coming out and not giving up after the third set and winning the fourth set like they did.”

The final set was everything you’d expect based on how the game had gone to this point. Scotland managed to go up 10-5 on the strength of a 6-1 run. Unfortunately, the good vibes were quickly lost with Pinecrest getting five in a row to tie the game and also ending the set on a separate 4-1 run to win 15-12.

Addison Johnson and Molly Gallagher contributed 18 and 14 kills, respectively. Reagan Malpass had 36 assists while Gallagher also had 12 digs. Nora Teasley had three blocks.

The Scots will get the weekend off before closing out their regular season schedule with two games next week. They will first travel to Lee County on Tuesday night before returning home for senior night on Thursday against archrival Richmond. Scotland swept both teams earlier this season.

LAURINBURG —Lady Scots tennis was narrowly defeated on senior day by archrival Richmond in a 5-4 final. Scotland’s loss dropped their season record to 2-10 (2-8 in conference games) while the Raiders improved to 4-6 with the victory. It was the second win for Richmond over Scotland this season, having also beaten them by the same 5-4 score back on Sept. 10. Scotland seniors Jacquelyn Rankin, Maleah Locklear, Marissa Smith and Rhea Truesdell were recognized prior to the game.

The Scots picked up victories in three out of six singles matchups. Senior Marissa Smith convincingly defeated Colbie Covington of Richmond 8-2 while freshmen Kaleigh Leviner and Terralynn Edwards took down Ava Thompson 9-7 and Kenleigh Parker 8-4, respectively.

Scotland also managed to take one out of three doubles matchups. Seniors Jacquelyn Rankin and Smith won their battle with Jentry Denson and Madison Grimes handily by a score of 8-2.

The Scots’ 2024 regular season schedule has now concluded. Their full season schedule can be found on MaxPreps here: https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/laurinburg/scotland-fighting-scots/tennis/girls/schedule/. Other important dates for the fall women’s tennis season across the state of North Carolina can be found on the North Carolina High School Athletic Association website: https://www.nchsaa.org/sports/womens-tennis/.

LAURINBURG —The Lady Scots volleyball team defeated the Lumberton Pirates on the road three sets to two to wrap up the nonconference portion of their regular season schedule on Wednesday night. Scotland improves to 15-4 on the season with the win while the Pirates fall to 9-9 (a game against South View on Sept. 26 was not reported on MaxPreps). It was the Scots’ second win over Lumberton this season, having also swept them back in August on their home floor.

Scotland took the first, second and fifth sets by scores of 25-23, 25-15 and 15-13. Lumberton took the third and fourth sets 25-17 and 25-23 to make what seemed like a sure loss interesting.

Senior Addison Johnson had 27 kills to pace the Scots and also added 16 digs, which was tied with Molly Gallagher (who had 15 kills) for the team lead. Reagan Malpass dished out 40 assists in the victory while also contributing five aces.

Scotland has a short turnaround, returning home to face Pinecrest on Thursday night. The Patriots previously swept the Scots back on Sept. 10. Despite the win, Head Coach Adam Romaine wasn’t overly thrilled with his team’s performance and knows they will have to play a lot better to take down Pinecrest.

“Coming off such a big win last Wednesday, I gave the girls a few days off to rest mentally and physically and you could tell we were very rusty like we were playing the first game of the season,” Romaine said. “We had chances to put them away earlier multiple times but just kept beating ourselves with unforced errors, we have to get this out of our system as soon as possible with Pinecrest coming in.”

Boys soccer falls on the road in overtime to Hoke County

The Scots were defeated by SAC rival Hoke County for the second time this season on Wednesday night. Scotland’s 3-1 overtime loss drops their season record to 2-7-2 (0-7 in conference games) while the Bucks improve to 8-5-2 (2-3-1 vs conference opponents) with the victory.

No Scotland statistics were entered for the game on MaxPreps. Hoke County got their goals from Jose Vasquez De La Cruz (two) and Pedro Ramos-Alejandro. Brentley Blumer and Jose Lopez-Luna combined to make nine saves in goal for the Bucks.

The Scots never held a lead as Hoke County scored in the first half before Scotland tied it in the second half. The two overtime goals by Hoke County made the ultimate difference.

Scotland will get a few days off before having another conference road matchup with Southern Lee on Monday night. It will be the second meeting between the teams this season, with the Cavaliers previously beating the Scots in Laurinburg 8-3 back on Sept. 11.

Cross Country on Tuesday

The Scots had a meet on their schedule at Richmond on Tuesday night. The three teams registered were Scotland, Richmond and Pinecrest. No results from the competition have been posted as of now, continue to check back here: SAC #6 2024 - Meet Results (milesplit.com) for when they become available.

Scotland will have a few days off before hosting a meet on Tuesday night. It will be there first competition in Laurinburg since Sept. 10.

LAURINBURG —The St. Andrews men’s soccer team was defeated in a close 3-2 conference battle with Milligan University on Wednesday afternoon in Laurinburg. The Knights fall to 3-5-1 (1-4-1 against AAC opponents) with the loss while the Buffaloes remain without a loss and improve to 6-0-3 (4-0-2 in conference games) with the victory.

All of the goals came during the first 39 minutes of action. St. Andrews never had a lead as Milligan scored first and the teams alternated goals the entire way.

The Knights got their goals from Tomas Canale, who also had an assist during the game, and Jayden Robinson. Juan Bautista Quarleri Gil had an assist as well. The Buffaloes got their three goals from Elies Simo, Simen Haraldstad and Justin Madejski (the game winner and assisted by Alexsander Krogh). Kai Slinn picked up assists on the other two Milligan goals.

Cristobal Romero had a busy day in net for St. Andrews, facing 10 shots on goal and stopping seven of them. Adria Alles only faced two shots on goal for the Buffaloes and didn’t make any saves but still ended up getting the victory to remain perfect (3-0-0) on the season.

St. Andrews will have a few days off before hosting another conference opponent in Bryan College on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The two teams have not yet faced each other this season.

Women’s soccer shutout at home by Milligan

The Knights fell to the Buffaloes on Wednesday afternoon 3-0. St. Andrews remains winless on the season and falls to 0-10 (0-7 vs conference teams) with the loss while Milligan improves to 5-4-2 (5-1-1 in conference play) with the victory.

The Buffaloes got all of their goals during the first half of the game. Three different players scored: Natalie Roper, Kara McDaniel and Mariah Shull. They also had two players get assists: Amber McCleskey and Sarah Buckner.

The Knights had five shots on goal as a team, three of which came from Anais Blanco (Emma Hicklin and Kaitlyn Davies also each registered one). Akyla Walcott played the majority of the game in goal for Milligan (82:15) and made five saves. Jaydin Sanchez made eight saves on 11 shots against for St. Andrews.

The Knights will have a relatively short turnaround, facing conference foe Bryan College at home on Saturday for a noon start. The two programs have not faced one another yet in 2024.

If you’ve ever had a difficult time understanding an insurance policy or your Explanation of Benefits statement, you’re not alone. Insurance can be confusing. If you’re having trouble understanding an insurance document or don’t know how to deal with your insurance company when you have a claim, I have some good news for you.

We have an entire group of dedicated consumer experts at the Department of Insurance whose full-time job is to help you understand insurance-related issues so you can make informed decisions for you and your family. They’re here to help you if you have questions about insurance, need to file a complaint or want to report suspected insurance fraud.

We aim to respond promptly, clearly and courteously to your insurance-related questions and complaints, assist you in resolving those complaints whenever possible, and help you understand your options for dealing with insurance-related matters.

We seek fair treatment of all parties in insurance transactions. We are here to serve you.

Here are some of the things we can do:

— Forward a copy of your complaint to your insurance company and require the company to provide a response/explanation.

— Review the company’s response for compliance with applicable North Carolina statutes, regulations, and policy requirements.

— Require the company to take corrective action if we determine that the company’s position does not comply with applicable requirements.

— Help you understand your insurance policy.

— Recommend courses of action that you can take to resolve your problem if we do not have the regulatory authority to resolve it ourselves.

— If your situation involves a health plan’s noncertification decision (denial based on lack of medical necessity), refer you to the Department of Insurance’s Healthcare Review Program (HCR Program), for further guidance.

Here are some of the things we cannot do:

— Act as your legal representative in or out of court.

— Intervene in a pending lawsuit, on your behalf.

— Consult with you if you are represented by an attorney unless we have your attorney’s written permission.

— Regarding a dispute between you and your insurance company, establish:

• Who was negligent or at fault.
• The value of a claim or the amount of money owed to you.
• The facts surrounding the claim (that is, who is being truthful when there are differing accounts of what happened).
• The facts regarding any other disagreement between you and another party.
• Address plans or companies that are not subject to the insurance laws of North Carolina, or that are governed by other state agencies.
• The North Carolina Department of Insurance pledges to seek fair treatment of all parties in insurance transactions. We are here to serve you.

If you wish to report fraud, you may go to www.ncdoi.gov/fraud-control/report-insurance-fraud. Or you may call us at 919-807-6840 or toll-free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.

You may file a complaint by going to www.ncdoi.gov or by calling toll-free 855-408-1212 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

LAURINBURG — A California man is facing multiple drug charges after 155 pounds of marijuana was seized Monday following a traffic stop on Highway 74 Business in Scotland County.

Yongis Wang, 49, was arrested and charged with one count of trafficking marijuana, one count of maintaining a vehicle/dwelling place for a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to sell marijuana.

North Carolina Highway Patrol pulled over a vehicle for speeding Monday on Highway 74 Business at Highway 79, according to information submitted by the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office. Maj. Roger Alford, of the SCSO, assisted with the stop. During the stop, Maj. Alford did a brief investigation and had a K-9 Unit come to assist.

According to the SCSO, K-9 Ghost “had a positive hit on the vehicle.” After a search was conducted, the 155 pounds of marijuana was discovered and seized. The street value is $177,000, according to the sheriff’s office.

Wang was placed in the Scotland County Detention Center under a $500,000 secured bond.

LAURINBURG — Laurinburg man, Damon Mason Giles, is dead after being fatally struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Interstate 74.

Officers with the Laurinburg Police Department responded at 6 a.m. on Wednesday to a traffic accident on U.S. West near U.S. 401 involving a vehicle and pedestrian, according to information submitted by the LPD.

On arrival, officers observed an individual lying in the roadway unresponsive, according to the LPD. Scotland County EMS responded where the individual was pronounced deceased. Officers also observed a vehicle, a 2017 Nissan Murano in the roadway with heavy damage to the front bumper, hood and windshield. No injuries were reported from the driver of the Nissan.

An investigation revealed that the driver of the Nissan Murano, from Bladenboro, was traveling west on US Highway 74. The pedestrian, police later identified as Giles, a 44-year-old of Ninth Street in Laurinburg, crossed Interstate 74 traveling north over the eastbound lanes of travel and was attempting to cross westbound lanes wearing dark color clothing in an unlit area when he was struck by the Nissan Murano.

The N.C. Highway Patrol is assisting the Laurinburg Police Department in the investigation.

CLEVELAND, GA —The St. Andrews Knights women’s volleyball team was swept three sets to none on the road Tuesday night by conference rival Truett McConnell. St. Andrews falls to 0-14 (0-7 in conference games) on the season with the loss while the Bears improve to 5-10 (3-3 vs conference opponents) with the win.

The Knights were defeated in the three sets by scores of 25-19, 25-7 and 27-25. Truett McConnell was better as a team in many important statistics including kills (41-29), errors (committed three compared to 24 for St. Andrews) and also had a better hitting percentage in every set of the game.

Maddison Larrimore had 12 kills to lead the Knights while Faith Wilson also added nine of her own. Grace Farley had 23 of St. Andrews’ 29 assists while Bailey Zivitski had 20 digs to lead the team.

The team will return home for a pair of conference games on Friday and Saturday against Johnson and Union Commonwealth, respectively. The Knights have not yet faced either team during the 2024 season. They will also get one more shot at Truett McConnell on Oct. 29 at home for senior night.

PEMBROKE — The Department of American Indian Studies at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is inviting proposals for presentations and applications for student travel grants for the 20th annual Southeast Native Studies Conference (SNSC), to be held March 20-21, 2025.

For the first time, the SNSC includes applying for travel grants for students submitting a presentation proposal. Held annually since 2005, the SNSC is the only national conference dedicated solely to the unique histories and cultures of Southeastern Native Americans.

The proposal for papers, panels and poster presentations should address the study of Native Americans in the cultural area of the Southeastern United States. Topics may include academic or creative works on archaeology, education, history, socio-cultural issues, religion, literature, oral traditions, art, identity, sovereignty, health, etc. Creative works may include any written, visual, musical, video, digital or other creative production that connects to Indigenous Southeast peoples’ experiences, histories or concerns. Proposals are welcome from all persons working or doing research in the field. Only complete proposals will receive full consideration. Individuals may submit only one proposal.

Student travel grants of up to $1,000 are available to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students to cover the cost of traveling to present their research results at the conference. Travel award funds may be used for registration, travel expenses, per diem and lodging (three days, two nights).

The deadline to submit a proposal and student travel grant application is December 1, 2024.

Submit a presentation proposal and application for a student travel grant. A Google account is required to log in to complete the form.

Learn more about the Southeast Native Studies Conference at uncp.edu/ais/snsc

For more information about the Southeast Native Studies Conference, contact Dr. Mary Ann Jacobs, chair of American Indian Studies, at mary.jacobs@uncp.edu or 910-521-6266 or visit uncp.edu/ais/snsc.

Tempting as it might be for those who’ve long watched, worried and warned about the increasingly destructive impacts of climate change, the massive – what many are describing as “Biblical” – destruction wrought last week by Hurricane Helene is not a moment for lengthy “I-told-you-so’s.”

No, much as some might want to devote their energy to detailing how and why we’ve known for years that storms like Helene were and are fast becoming the new normal in our warming world, this is not the time for victory laps or settling old debating scores.

What’s needed now is action – forward looking action to tackle the crisis with every tool at our disposal.

And admittedly, it’s a daunting proposition.

When it comes to climate change and the way it’s rapidly remaking our world for the worse – more and more intense severe weather like Helene, rising oceans, species extinction, mass human migration — the temptation to throw up one’s hands in despair or surrender is powerful.

It’s the kind of despair that thousands of North Carolinians are feeling right now as they survey their wrecked homes and communities that will never be the same.

It’s the kind of surrender that one sees and hears in the voices of those who tell us that the solutions to the existential challenges we face are to crank up the air conditioner, and “drill, baby, drill” for still more fossil fuels.

And yet, as scientists have repeatedly and conclusively demonstrated, there are numerous vitally important things humans can and simply must do right away to slow global warming and better prepare for the huge challenges that a fast-warming planet poses.

First, of course, is rapidly ending our addiction to fossil fuels and dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Even if we were to meet the ambitious goals set forth by the Biden-Harris administration and various international bodies – goals that right now we seem unlikely to attain – the severe storms, intense droughts, searing summers, intense wildfires, and frightening weather swings are going to continue to get worse.

And that fact serves only to heighten the urgency of the second obvious imperative: making large new investments in infrastructure and sustainable energy systems.

Even for those who stubbornly cling to the fantasy that pollution-induced climate change isn’t real, Hurricane Helene just reenforced an undeniable message about infrastructure on a planet of more than eight billion people.

In other words, whether you accept the plain truth that climate change is making storms like Helene more frequent and intense or not, you can’t deny that when they happen, the destruction is greatly worsened by the fact that our fast-growing population continues to turn more and more once open and uninhabited land into urban hardscape.

In 1944, North Carolina maintained less than 12,500 miles of hard surfaced roads. Today, that number is well over 100,000 miles. Meanwhile, huge and growing segments of the population reside in suburban environments in which the miles of roads and utilities per household is extremely high. In such a radically transformed environment, handling even moderate storms requires vastly more careful planning and hardened infrastructure.

On Sunday, western North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards reported that 360 electric substations had been knocked out of commission by Helene and that “There is a high likelihood that the substations are not reparable, and replacement of the substation equipment will be necessary.”

And, of course, all of this sobering news comes only a few days after another storm — one so modest that it didn’t even claim a name — wreaked havoc on the North Carolina coast.

Fortunately, as noted above, it’s still not too late to act to save much of our state and nation as we know and love them. We have the resources and know-how to transform our energy system, preserve and protect more open space, and make inhabited areas vastly more resilient.

The trick, of course, is that these things will require a concerted, all-hands-on-deck effort — one that involves the public and private sectors working together to plan, to invest big dollars, and to make several important system changes. And that means electing leaders who will both be guided by science and resist the temptation to sacrifice our core public structures on the tax cut altar.

Less than a year ago, the North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that low pay was contributing to a 20% job vacancy rate — hardly the kind of numbers we’ll need to rebuild the west and make the rest of the state adequately resilient.

Next week, the North Carolina General Assembly returns to Raleigh and could, if its leaders mustered even a hint of the political vision and courage, make the necessary appropriations — in storm relief, renewable energy, urban planning and infrastructure — and jumpstart the actions that are so desperately needed. Adequate reserve funds are plentiful, and such legislation could win enormous bipartisan support.

Let’s hope they act ambitiously and that if they don’t, voters will keep in mind that climate change and our ability to withstand it will both be on the ballot this fall.

Editor’s note: The views in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Laurinburg Exchange.

LAURINBURG — The St. Andrews University campus was aglow Saturday night with luminaries and glow sticks as Live Like Madison, a local non-profit supporting pediatric cancer research, held their second annual Flaminglo Family Fun Run/Walk.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Live Like Madison founder Laura Fedak said that is the goal of this event.

“We are not trying to raise money with this event, but we want to raise awareness that cancer also affects children,” Fedak said. “Only 4 % of money raised for cancer research goes to pediatric cancer research. We want to help change that.”

The event started with games like basketball, soccer, cornhole and inflatable axe throwing set up around the large field in between the Vardell and LA buildings.

As the walk/run’s 8 p.m. start time neared, participants donned glow stick bracelets, necklaces, and lanyards included in the swag bags at the registration table. T-shirts and insulated cups were also included.

Before she signaled the start of the run, Fedak, founder of Live Like Madison, thanked the sponsors, volunteers, and participants for coming out and supporting the cause.

“We appreciate all of you here tonight,” Fedak said. “We could not do this without you.”

New to this year’s event was the 5k run while offering the option of a 1.5-mile walk. Last year, the course was 1.2 miles.

Winners of the 5k were ages 6-12, Emma Humble and Jonathan Reneau; ages 13-18, Jake Callahan; ages 40-49, Paige Humble and BJ Wilkins; and 50 and older, Lorie O’Brien and Tim Verhey. The overall winner was Emma Humble. Each received a medal for their victory.

More than 300 participants registered for the event which was originally scheduled on Sept. 14 but had to be postponed at the last minute due to unexpected torrential downpours. Many of these previously registered runners were unable to make it to the rescheduled event.

Another consequence of the storm was that over 1,500 luminaries were ruined, so there were fewer luminaries put out for this iteration. Each luminary represents a child who succumbed to cancer in the past year. A total of 80 luminaries were also purchased at $10 apiece by locals in memoriam of loved ones lost to cancer.

Live Like Madison, Inc. (LLM) is a 501(c)3 dedicated to raising funds for pediatric cancer research, supporting children and families impacted by the disease, and building awareness in communities through education and events. LLM was established to honor 7-year-old Madison Fedak who lost her life to osteosarcoma in December 2019 and was born out of a promise that Madison’s mother Laura made to her to do everything she could to fight the disease.

LLM’s programs include community blood drives in Madison’s hometown, Laurinburg, NC which potentially helped to save more than 4,000 lives to date. To learn more about LLM, visit livelikemadison.org

LAURINBURG — “Asé … Asé … Asé.”

“Asé really means Amen,” said Tyris Jones, Scotland County’s resident storyteller, as he led a crown of attendees of the Kuumba Festival in a libation ceremony. Jones said the ceremony, which included chanting “Asé” as he poured purified water was done to honor their African ancestors.

“Today I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me, those who struggled, those who shed blood, those who worked hard for me to be standing here today,” Jones said.

Sunshine dominated the skies Saturday during the Kuumba Festival held by the African American Heritage Committee Inc. The festival is in its 32nd year.

At the event, several food and craft vendors lined the rear of the I.E. Johnson Community Center, where the festival was held. But, the vendors served as a backdrop to the main purpose of the event which was to celebrate the creativity among African Americans throughout Scotland County. Jones led the crowd in song and dance, while others performed talents throughout the day.

“The Lord has given each of us some gifts, some abilities that we are able to be creative and that’s what we’re here today to celebrate,” said Darrel “BJ” Gibson,

For the second year in a row, the Kuumba Festival was held at the I.E. Johnson Community Center but what made this year’s event more significant was the fact that the facility is now open and functional. At last year’s festival, a plaque was unveiled detailing the historical significance of the facility, originally established as Lincoln Heights School in 1953 and later named the I. Ellis Johnson High School, then I. Ellis Johnson Elementary School. The school was the first public high school for African Americans in Scotland County.

“Go in it today and the come back, come back and come back and use I.E. Johnson. We’re not done with the facility, we’re not done with the parking lot, we’re not done with the grounds. We’re going to make it truly, truly great so please come back,” said April Snead, the Scotland County manager.

The event also served as a source of information as reflected in several informational booths showcasing local resources like information on health care and voter registration and photo identification assistance.

A Long March for Unity and Justice was held in conjunction with the festival, where participants marched 1.5 miles from the A.B. Gibson Center to the grounds of the festival. Support for public schools was just one of the issues the participants said they were marching for.

“If we are to change the schools of Scotland County it’s going to be because we come together and it takes such things as this to come together and recognize everyone to bring it back to the schools,” said Adell Baldwin, the superintendent for Scotland County Schools.

Kuumba is the sixth principal of Kwanzaa, which is a celebration of African-American culture, typically held Dec. 26-Jan. 1.