News Releases

For additional information, please contact Communications Specialist Courtney Heaton at 910-692-7021.

PAGES OF THE PINES AUTHOR FESTIVAL RETURNS MARCH 21 WITH BESTSELLING AUTHOR FEATURE
The Pages of the Pines Author Festival returns to Southern Pines on March 21, bringing together local and regional writers, readers, for a day celebrating storytelling, creativity, and community — highlighted by a featured talk from New York Times bestselling author Megan Church. Read the full release here.

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES CLOSES ON NEW TOWN HALL 
The Town of Southern Pines officially closed on the purchase of its new Town Hall on Wednesday, December 17, marking a significant milestone in the Town’s long-term planning for facilities and service to citizens and other customers. Read the full release here.

FRIENDS OF SOUTHERN PINES PUBLIC LIBRARY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES WEEK IN OCTOBER
Southern Pines Public Library and the Town of Southern Pines will celebrate the Friends of the Library during the week of October 19–25, 2025, as part of the 20th annual National Friends of Libraries Week. Read the full release here.

FREIGHT DEPOT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Town of Southern Pines seeks proposals for the lease and use of the historic Railroad Warehouse & Freight Depot structure located at 305 NW Broad Street in downtown Southern Pines. Read the full release here.

SOUTHERN PINES POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES DEPUTY CHIEF PROMOTION
The Southern Pines Police Department is pleased to announce Captain Robert Heaton will promote to the rank of Deputy Chief. Read the full release here.

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES AND FIRST BANK ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT FOR PURCHASE OF DOWNTOWN PROPERTY
The Town of Southern Pines and First Bank are pleased to jointly announce that the Town will purchase the First Bank Corporate Office property at 300 SW Broad Street in downtown Southern Pines. Read the full release here.

THE SOUTHERN PINES POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES 2025 CALEA REACCREDITATION
On August 9, 2025, the Southern Pines Police Department was again awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Read the full release here.

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES INSTALLS ARTISTIC CROSSWALK IN MEMORIAL PARK
The Town of Southern Pines is proud to unveil a new artistic crosswalk on Memorial Park Court, bringing both color and safety improvements to one of the Town’s most active community spaces. Read the full release here.

SOUTHERN PINES TURNS HEAT INTO HAPPY WITH "OPERATION: COMMUNITY COOL-OFF": JULY 25, 2025
As Southern Pines braces for a week of dangerous heat advisories, the Town is launching “Operation: Community Cool Off.”  Read the full release here.

SOUTHERN PINES TRAILS AND GREENWAY REMAIN CLOSED AS REPAIRS BEGIN: JULY 14, 2025
The Town of Southern Pines is reminding residents that Martin Dog Park and all trails and greenways, except those at Whitehall, remain closed until further notice. Read the full release here.

CORRECTIVE STATEMENT REGARDING JULY 6 PUBLIC SAFETY NOTIFICATIONS: JULY 10, 2025
On July 6, 2025, the Town of Southern Pines shared public safety information related to Tropical Storm Chantal through social media, CodeRED, and a media release. Read the full release here.

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES RESPONSE TO TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL: JULY 7, 2025 
On July 6, Tropical Storm Chantal brought 8 to 10 inches of rain to Southern Pines in just a few hours. Unlike typical storms, Chantal stalled directly over our area, resulting in intense, highly localized rainfall.  Read the full release here.

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES RESPONSE TO TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL: JULY 6, 2025 
Tropical Storm Chantal brought intense, fast-moving rainfall to Southern Pines, causing severe flash flooding in parts of the community on Sunday, July 6; rainfall estimates were as high as 7-8".  Read the full release here.

SOUTHERN PINES COUNCIL PROPOSES RENAMING POOL PARK TO HONOR LEGACY OF J. PLEASANT HINES. 
The Town of Southern Pines Council is scheduled to vote on Tuesday, July 22nd to rename Pool Park in honor of J. Pleasant Hines, the first Mayor of incorporated West Southern Pines. Read the full release here.

SOUTHERN PINES POLICE CAPTAIN ROBERT HEATON GRADUATES FROM FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY.
On June 5, 2025, two-hundred and thirty-nine law enforcement officers graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Read the full release here.

WEST SOUTHERN PINES HISTORIC PRESERVATION UPDATE
The Town of Southern Pines will host an update on the efforts to list three West Southern Pines iconic structures on the National Register of Historic Places. The update will take place on Thursday, April 24 at the E.S. Douglass Community Center starting at 5:30pm. Read the full release here.

LIBRARY SEEKS LOCAL AUTHORS
The Town of Southern Pines Public Library is seeking local authors to participate its upcoming Pages of the Pines festival. Pages of the Pines celebrates local authors and features workshops, opportunities for writers to connect to new audiences, and more, this multi-day event takes place annually at the Southern Pines Public Library. This year's festival takes place on Saturday, May 3 at 10am. Read the full release here. 

WATER PLANT TO CHANGE SANITATION IN MARCH
The Town of Southern Pines Water Treatment Plant will temporarily change the method of disinfection in our public water supply March 1st through April 1st. The water plant normally uses Chloramine, a controlled mixture of Ammonia and Chlorine, to disinfect the water. Read the full release here.

UNTREATED WASTEWATER RELEASE
The Town of Southern Pines (Moore County) had a discharge of untreated wastewater on 12/9/2024 of an estimated 4150 gallons along a sewer easement, adjacent to Inverness Rd. The untreated wastewater was discharged into an unnamed tributary of McDeeds Creek. The Town Utilities Division was notified of the event at approximately 4:30 p.m. on 12/9/2024. All efforts to mitigate wastewater release were taken. Repairs were completed and system returned to service at approximately 5:30 p.m. on 12/9/2024, and cleanup/sanitizing efforts were conducted. Read the full release here. 

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
“Make Them Work for You!” The theme for this year's event is "Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You!" Taking place October 12-16, Fire Prevention Week is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), and Southern Pines Fire Marshal Ken Skipper is excited about the focus on smoke  alarms. “Smoke alarms provide crucial early warnings in case of fire giving families precious time to escape safely," he said. "However, they only work if they’re properly installed, tested regularly, and maintained.” Read the full release here. 

LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS DEPLOY TO ASSIST STORM VICTIMS
Four firefighters from Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Pinehurst departed this morning to assist departments in McDowell County, NC respond to the devastation left by Hurricane Helene. An Emergency Deployment Order was issued by the State of North Carolina for assistance and to relieve exhausted crews. Read the full release here. 

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES TO TEST GENERATORS AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS
With Hurricane Season in full swing, the Town of Southern Pines will test generator capacity throughout the municipality's many facilities. Staff in those buildings will continue to work throughout the testing which will run from 9am to 3pm Thursday, August 8. This is a previously scheduled test. Read the full release here. 

PARKS & RECREATION WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR
The Town of Southern Pines has welcomed Greg Thompson as Director of Parks & Recreation. Thompson is a native of Moore County and has fond memories of enjoying the parks and resources in the area as a child. Read the full release here. 

DYING SYCAMORE ON BROAD STREET TO COME DOWN TOMORROW 
What remains of a nearly 100 year of sycamore tree in front of 180 SW Broad Street will be removed tomorrow, June 7. Read the full release here. 

KNOLL ROAD MULTI-MODAL TRAIL INITIAL DESIGN OPEN HOUSE AND PUBLIC HEARING
The Town of Southern Pines will host an open house and public hearing regarding the proposed Knoll Road Multi-modal Trail. The open house will take place from 3-6pm on Tuesday, June 4 at the Longleaf Golf and Family Club, welcoming all Southern Pines residents. Town Engineer James Michel and representatives from the engineering and design firm Kimley-Horn will be present to discuss the initial trail design. Kimley-Horn, contracted for the trail's design, conducted a traffic study late last year. Read the full release here. 

LIBRARY ANNOUNCES SUMMER READING PROGRAM
The Southern Pines Public Library's summer reading program fREADom kicks off June 1st from 10am-noon at the Sunrise Theater's greenspace. The event includes live music, free t-shirts, tote bags for summer fun, and refreshments. The fREADom program encourages children of all ages to develop a passion for reading. Readers of all ages can log books read, write reviews, and attend special programing. Last summer, more than 900 readers participated in the program. Online pre-registration is now at www.sppl.net. Read the full release here.

OWNERS OF UNLEASHED DOGS TO GET CITATIONS
The Southern Pines Police Department is increasing patrols in and around the Town's parks and trails in order to enforce Ordinance 99-12: Leash and Clean Up After Pets. This comes after an unleashed dog, being walked by its owner in the Whitehall tract of Reservoir Park attacked another resident causing injury. The victim, who suffered two puncture wounds has not filed an official police report. "This has been building for many years," states Reagan Parsons, Town Manager for Southern Pines. "We have repeatedly asked dog owners to respect the rules. We have been very accommodating and respectful and yet some people have yelled, sworn at, and continually ignored signage and the courteous efforts by parks staff to educate them regarding the rules." Read the full release here.

TOWN HOLDS BUDGET HEARINGS; RELEASES PROPSED BUDGET
The Town of Southern Pines Town Council will hold two public hearings on the proposed FY24-25 Town budget. The first hearing is Tuesday, May 14 at 6pm. That meeting will be held in the C. Michael Haney conference room at the Police Station. The second hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 11 at the E.S. Douglass Community Center, also at 6p.m. The public is invited to review the proposed budget and to make comments at either of the hearings. Printed copies of the budget is available at the Town of Southern Pines Administration, Finance, and Library buildings for review. The documents are also posted online https://sopinesnc.info/budget. Read the full release here.

WATER EARNS HIGH MARKS
The Town of Southern Pines recently released its annual water quality report for 2023 noting safe drinking water without any violations of contaminant levels. Southern Pines routinely monitors for over 100 contaminants in our drinking water. Some include: Turbidity: the measure of cloudiness, which is a good indicator filter system effectiveness; Fluoride: water additive which promotes strong teeth; Copper and lead: from corrosion of household plumbing systems and erosion of natural deposits; and Chlorine: water additive to control microbes More information and the full report are available at https://sopinesnc.info/qualitywater. Read the full release here. 

TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES TO FLUSH AND TEST HYDRANTS
Over the six to nine weeks, the Town of Southern Pines will be flushing and testing fire hydrants throughout the Town as part of a biennial requirement by the National Fire Protection Association. The process will begin Sunday, May 5 in the southern part of the Town. Crews will generally work their way north working in zones starting with Zone 1 this weekend, followed by Zones 2 and 5 likely by mid next week. Read the full news release. See the Hydrant Zone Map.

CHARACTER DISTRICT IDENTIFICATION PHASE 2 REPORT
After hosting two rounds of input from small group discussions in each of three Character Districts, Town staff have started working on text amendments to the Unified Code of Ordinances to address commercial development. A report highlighting the input from the first and second round of discussions can be found at https://sopinesnc.info/CharacterDistricts. Read full news release.

WORK ON WATER TRANSMISSION LINE REQUIRES WATER CONSERVATION
The Town of Southern Pines will continue work on the water transmission lines under Highway 1 Tuesday, March 12 and Saturday, March 16. Tuesday's work will happen overnight starting at 9pm Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday at 3am. The work on Saturday will take place during the day and residents are being asked to limit unnecessary water use during the day. The work, originally scheduled for last Saturday, was postponed due to the high amount of rain. Read full news release. 

TEMPORARY CHANGES TO SOUTHERN PINES WATER DISINFECTION
The Town of Southern Pines Water Treatment Plant will temporarily change the method of disinfection in its public water supply March 1, through April 1, 2024. The water plant normally uses Chloramine, a controlled mixture of ammonia and chlorine, to disinfect the water. Throughout March, we will use chlorine only, also known as “Free Chlorine” which is a stronger disinfectant. As a result, users may experience a slight change including a noticeable odor and slight discoloration. Read full news release.

WHITEHALL AT RESERVOIR PARK TO OPEN FIRST UPGRADED TRAIL FOCUSED ON EARLY LITERACY
The Town of Southern Pines invites the community to celebrate the opening of our newest trail - the Story Walk at Whitehall at Reservoir Park! The story path starts at the Whitehall parking area at 490 Pee Dee Rd and follows the story and new upgraded path around to Elizabeth Rounds park, ending at the playground. The festivities begin at 4pm on Wednesday, January 10^th with a ribbon cutting led by the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, along with hot cocoa, cookies, and kids crafts. The first book, “Something, Someday” by Amanda Gorman, centers on giving back and contributing to our community, so town staff asks those who are able to bring items like coats, hats, and gloves to donate to the local Coalition for Human Care. Read full news release. 

CHRISTMAS TREE BURN DEMONSTRATION
In an effort to raise awareness about the potential dangers of neglecting Christmas tree maintenance, The Town of Southern Pines Fire & Rescue Department is collaborating with the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal, North Carolina Safe Kids and Lowe’s Home Improvement of Southern Pines to host a Christmas tree burning demonstration. The event will take place at Station 82, located at 7850 NC 22 Hwy Southern Pines, NC 28387, on December 8^th, commencing at 10 am. Read full news release. 

TOWN COUNCIL TO APPOINT RESIDENT TO VACANT SEAT
The Town of Southern Pines is accepting applications for appointment to the Town Council. The selected resident will serve the remaining two years of Taylor Clement's term until the election of 2025. "Serving on the Town Council has been an enormous privilege," noted Mayor-elect Taylor Clement. "If you share my love for Southern Pines, serving on the Council is the ultimate way to give back to the community.” Applications are being accepted through Friday, December 15 by the Town Clerk. Town Council will review the applications and decide on a process and timeline to proceed. Read full news release.

NEW ADDITION OF "CANINE CUBBY" TO MARTIN DOG PARK
The winter 2023 class of the Moore County Leadership Institute (MCLI) has collaborated with the Town of Southern Pines to bring a heartwarming addition to the local community: a "Canine Cubby" donation shed at Martin Dog Park. The "Canine Cubby" is designed to function like a food pantry. The community-supported cubby helps pet owners in need by providing access to new or gently used pet supplies, toys, and food for their furry companions. Read full news release.

RESERVOIR PARK INCLUDED IN 2023 AMBIENT LAKES MONITORING PROGRAM
Reservoir Park is part of this year's Ambient Lakes Monitoring Program (ALMP) led by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. ALMP inspections are routine and completed on a 5-year rotating schedule across the state. Reservoir Park is one of about 160 lakes included in the ALMP rotation. Park visitors may see staff from the department's Water Resources division this summer. Read full news release

TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES MASTER PLAN FOR WHITEHALL AT RESERVOIR PARK
On Tuesday, May 9th, the Southern Pines Town Council gave their unanimous approval to the master plan for "Whitehall at Reservoir Park." During a public hearing, Assistant Town Manager Jessica Roth and Parks & Recreation Director Cindi King emphasized the plan's focus on providing passive recreation opportunities while also protecting the longleaf pine forest and red-cockaded woodpecker habitats. Read full news release

TOWN COUNCIL SCHEDULES PUBLIC HEARING ON WHITEHALL MASTER PLAN
The Southern Pines Town Council will host a public hearing on the Whitehall master plan on Tuesday, May 9th at 6pm in the E.S. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Town staff will present the recommended master plan for enhancing Whitehall to provide public passive recreation. Read full news release

SOUTHERN PINES EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR YMCA FACILITY
The Town of Southern Pines is suspending any further formal action to convey approximately 8.4 acres of property to the YMCA of the Sandhills and will instead evaluate other suitable locations. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES TOWN COUNCIL CONDEMN HATRED AND DISCRIMINATION
At their February 14, 2023 meeting, the Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution that condemns all forms of discrimination and bias. The Town affirms that all individuals should be treated with respect and we recognize the value and contributions of all. Read full resolution.

SOUTHERN PINES RECEIVES GRANT TO HIRE SIX ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on February 15 that the Southern Pines Fire Department (SPFD) has been awarded a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) Grant. The grant totals $1,101,559.20 and will be distributed to the Town over three years in order to help pay for the expenses to hire six additional firefighters. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES FIREFIGHTERS RECOGNIZED FOR LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS
Multiple personnel from the Southern Pines Fire & Rescue Department were recognized for actions they took on July 4, 2022 that saved the life of a female resident whose house caught fire in the middle of the night. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES AWARDED $75,000 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GRANT TO STUDY AND DOCUMENT HISTORIC WEST SOUTHERN PINES ASSETS
The National Park Service has awarded the Town of Southern Pines a $75,000 Underrepresented Community Grant. Southern Pines was the only municipality in North Carolina to receive this grant and will use it to help survey and document important historic assets in the West Southern Pines community. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES FIRE DEPARTMENT EARNS IMPROVED ISO RATING
After completing a rigorous inspection by the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Southern Pines Fire Department's ISO classification has improved to a Class 2 within the town limits. The ISO is an independent score that helps to determine how the fire department is doing against ISO standards and its ability to protect the community. The ISO rating is one factor that determines property insurance costs and this improved rating could help Southern Pines residents and businesses see lower premiums. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES TO HOST COMMUNITY IDEAS EXCHANGE WORKSHOP
The Town of Southern Pines is hosting a Community Ideas Exchange Workshop on Tuesday, September 20^th at the E.S. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. The workshop is one of the first community-wide engagement events for the update to the Town’s Comprehensive Long Range Plan (CLRP).  The interactive event will include various stations where community members can engage in planning activities and discussions which are designed to gather public feedback and ideas about the future of Southern Pines. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES RECOGNIZED FOR 31 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Southern Pines for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2021. The GFOA Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. 
Read full news release. 

SOUTHERN PINES SEEKS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FOR CLRP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Town of Southern Pines has recently launched the process to update its Comprehensive Long-Range Plan (CLRP). The current plan was originally adopted in 2010, with an update in 2016, and guides policy decisions and future land uses. It also establishes both a long-term vision for the community and helps inform decisions on individual development proposals. Read full news release.  

SOUTHERN PINES CURBSIDE GLASS RECYCLING ENDS JUNE 30TH
As of July 1, 2022, the Town of Southern Pines will no longer collect glass in the curbside recycling bins. This change is due to the increasing costs and challenges of processing glass. With this change, the final recycling collection that may contain glass will be the last week of June. If glass is observed in the curbside bin after July 1, the hauler will not empty the bin and will instead tag the bin for the customer to either remove the glass or dispose of all the items in bags for collection in the garbage bin. Read full news release.   

SOUTHERN PINES NAMES MIKE CAMERON SECOND ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
The Town of Southern Pines adopted its FY 22-23 budget during the Town Council meeting on June 14. As part of his recommended budget, Town Manager Reagan Parsons shared with Council his intent to add a second Assistant Town Manager (ATM) to the management team by promoting current Fire Chief Mike Cameron. Cameron’s transition will take effect on July 1 with the beginning of the new fiscal year. Read full news release.    

SOUTHERN PINES ADOPTS 2022-2023 BUDGET AND HOLDS PROPERTY TAX RATE
Following a series of public hearings and a budget retreat with senior staff, the Southern Pines Town Council voted June 14 to approve the FY 2022-2023 budget. The general fund budget is balanced at $24,764,819, which represents an increase of approximately $1.5 million from the amended FY 21-22 budget. Along with the budget, Council also voted to hold the property tax rate at $0.40 for the sixth consecutive year. Read full news release.     

SOUTHERN PINES APPOINTS BETH ROBERTSON AS NEW TOWN CLERK
The Southern Pines Town Council appointed a new Town Clerk, Beth Robertson, during its meeting on February 2, 2022. Robertson has worked for the Town since January 2015 and was appointed Deputy Town Clerk last spring. She has been serving as the Interim Town Clerk since the position was vacated last fall. Read full news release.   

SOUTHERN PINES HONORS TOWN STAFF WITH SERVICE AWARDS
Town of Southern Pines employees recently gathered to recognize staff members who achieved a service award during 2021. The Town’s annual service awards program honors those individuals who achieved a five-year increment of service over the past year to the Southern Pines community. Read full news release.