The Rant

11/02/2024

UPDATE (5:31 p.m.): The ticket link to this event now says Vance and Donald Trump Jr. will appear at the Raleigh Exec Jetport in Sanford, and does not list the former president as a speaker.

ABC 11 and other outlets who have reported that Trump would be part of the rally haven’t updated their stories, but have noted elsewhere that Trump will be in Kinston on Sunday.

ORIGINAL POST: Traffic in the Deep River area should be interesting on Sunday.

Former president Donald Trump and his 2024 running mate J.D. Vance will campaign in Sanford on Sunday, multiple outlets are reporting. The duo will appear at Shelton Aviation at the Raleigh Executi…

11/01/2024

Fellow teachers, parents and students remember Kim Ashby, a dedicated, compassionate math teacher who cared about more than her students’ grades.

Ashby is one of many still missing in western North Carolina more than a month after Hurricane Helene.

SanLee Middle School put up yellow ribbons outside of its main entrance in the days following the disappearance of teacher Kim Ashby, who has been missing for more than a month following Hurricane …

10/25/2024

There are three more chances to catch Lee County High School’s “The Little Mermaid” ... tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. Learn more:

Want to go? Lee County High School’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. continues tonight at 7 p.m. and will have shows at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students…

10/24/2024

Through Wednesday, just over 27 percent of Lee County's eligible voters had cast a ballot. Early voting continues through November 2, and Election Day is November 5.

By Richard Sullins | [email protected] A week after early voting began in North Carolina, voter turnout is setting records statewide – and in Lee County – as people try to beat the cro…

10/23/2024

Stark and the victim had been in a long term relationship and lived together, sheriff's deputies said.

Randall Lee Stark, courtesy of Lee County Sheriff’s Office Lee County sheriff’s deputies have charged a Lemon Springs man with murder in connection with the death of his partner. Randal…

10/21/2024

In addition to being the chairman of the Lee County Republican Party, Womack is president and founder of something called the North Carolina Election Integrity Team.

A CBS News report released Monday shows Jim Womack, chairman of the Lee County Republican Party and a North Carolina “election integrity” activist, listing “Hispanic sounding last…

10/18/2024

Lee County Schools' leadership remains at odds with the county board of commissioners over funding priorities.

By Richard Sullins | [email protected] The Lee County Board of Education has tabled any further discussion on the idea of a possible joint maintenance facility with Lee County government until aft…

10/16/2024

Early voting starts Thursday. Read about your candidates for the Lee County Board of Education before going to cast your ballot.

There are eight candidates for four seats on the Lee County Board of Education in the 2024 election. The top four candidates will win seats on the board, and the election will decide partisan contr…

10/15/2024

Early voting begins Thursday. Read about your candidates for the Lee County Board of Commissioners before going to cast your ballot.

There are six candidates for three seats on the Lee County Board of Commissioners in the 2024 election. The top three candidates will win seats on the board, and the election will decide partisan c…

10/09/2024

Downtown Sanford will enjoy a full day of live music, food, craft vendors, fireworks, and much more this weekend.

Sanford’s annual StreetFest & Fireworks celebration will fill downtown’s streets on Saturday. Held annually on the second Saturday of October, StreetFest & Fireworks offers a fu…

10/08/2024

Super cars, rarities and even some tractors thrown in.

👇 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center

Organizers hope to follow up successful inaugural show with bigger crowd, more cars The goal of the inaugural Triple Crown Charity Car Show — held in September last year at the Dennis A. Wicker Civ…

10/03/2024

The proposal includes 184 homes and more than 35,000 square feet of commercial space.

The Sanford-Lee County Planning Department’s Technical Review Committee will consider in October a proposal that would place 184 homes and more than 35,000 square feet of commercial space on …

10/01/2024

Fall is in full swing, and October is here. Be sure to mark your calendars and stay connected for all fall offerings from Lee County NC - Parks & Recreation.
🌟 Upcoming Winter Registrations: October 7
🏀 Athletics & 🤸‍♀️ Gymnastics – Get ready for winter fun! Registration opens soon, so don’t miss out on signing up for the most popular programs. https://lcncpr.recdesk.com/
🎬 Movies in the Park: Double Feature on October 11 @ 6 p.m.
Enjoy a family-friendly evening under the stars with two great films back-to-back. Bring your blankets and chairs for a perfect night out in the park. 🍿🌙
Stay tuned for more updates! 🙌

10/01/2024

Kicking October off with stories of the strange and unknown. Recent release of government documents pertaining to UFOs show Sanford has a history when it comes to unidentified flying objects.

The Rant's Richard Sullins digs in to unearth stories of these unexplained aerial phenomena.

U.S. GOVERNMENT RECORDS REVEAL THAT SANFORD HAS BEEN HOME TO MULTIPLE‘UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS’ AND PLAYED A ROLE IN THE COUNTRY’S EARLY RESPONSE TO SIGHTINGS By Richard Sullins It’s a story tha…

09/30/2024

Search crews continued looking for SanLee Middle School teacher Kim Ashby, missing since Friday after her home along the Elk River in western North Carolina was washed away by flooding from Hurricane Helene.

Kim Ashby, a middle school math teacher at SanLee Middle School in Sanford, remains missing today after floods caused by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina on Friday swept away her and her …

09/30/2024

There's no shortage of needs to be met in western North Carolina right now. Here's how you can help from Lee County.

Several groups in Sanford and Lee County are stepping up to gather and deliver aid to communities in western North Carolina facing devastation from Hurricane Helene. The Visit Sanford Welcome Cente…

09/29/2024

Kim Ashby teaches seventh grade math at SanLee Middle School.

A Lee County woman who teaches at SanLee Middle School is missing after the recent flooding in western North Carolina, according to social media reports. Kim Ashby and her husband were in Elk Park,…

09/26/2024

Link Boykin was a leader in Sanford's early African American community, and is responsible for building several historic structures and homes, many of which still stand today. The Sanford Railroad House Museum will lead a free tour of many of those buildings at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 6.

The Sanford Railroad House Museum will lead a tour of some of Sanford’s earliest homes and other buildings on Sunday, October 6. Arnold Lincoln “Link” Boykin built several histori…

09/26/2024

Salmon has previously served as a District Court Judge, a Lee County magistrate, and a term in the N.C. House of Representatives.

Local attorney Brad Salmon was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve as District Court Judge for District 12 covering Lee, Harnett and Johnston counties. “I am humbled by this appointment…

09/22/2024

The pastor's request for county government to ban drag shows - his second in under a year - was apparently connected to an event held in October 2023. There have been no documented or even alleged cases of child abuse at any of the drag shows held in Sanford in recent years, and the commissioners appeared to have little appetite for taking any action.

By Richard Sullins | [email protected] A local pastor appeared for a second time before the Lee County Board of Commissioners last week to implore them to ban so-called “drag queen” sh…

09/18/2024

Williams had been suspended as administrator in 2023 pending an investigation into financial and human resources matters and parted ways with the school sometime after that. Williams is also a former Democratic chairman of the Lee County Board of Education.

Dr. Shawn Williams, a former administrator at the MINA Charter School in Sanford and a one-time Democratic chairman of the Lee County Board of Education, was charged Tuesday with three counts of em…

09/16/2024

Republican Kirk Smith, chairman of the Lee County Board of Commissioners, claimed to the local elections board in August that Lee County voters were already receiving unrequested absentee ballots "for their deceased family members." Meanwhile, the State Board of Elections recently approved the mailing of those ballots beginning on Friday.

By Richard Sullins | [email protected] North Carolinians who wish to cast an absentee ballot in 2024 can look for their ballots to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service in late September, now th…

09/16/2024

The gift represents the largest single private donation to the new agricultural marketplace, on which leaders expect to break ground soon.

By Richard Sullins | [email protected] The Ruby and Ernest McSwain Worthy Lands Trust has made a gift of $1 million toward the final phases of construction of the new Sanford Agricultural Marketpl…

09/11/2024

It's that time of year again. Visit the Lee Regional Fair beginning today through Sunday for just $5 per person.

The Lee Regional Fair opened Wednesday and will run through Sunday, September 15. Now in its 86th year of being hosted by the Sanford Lions Club at the Fairgrounds on Weatherspoon Street, the fair …

09/11/2024

Gordon welcomes Cliff Wheeler back to the podcast to talk about what he’s been up to over the past year, as well as the ways Carolina Indie Fest has evolved over the years. The Cliff Wheeler Band headlines night one of Indie Fest on Friday, September 20 at Hugger Mugger Brewing in downtown Sanford.

Gordon welcomes Cliff Wheeler back to the podcast to talk about what he’s been up to over the past year, as well as the ways Carolina Indie Fest has evolved over the years. The Cliff Wheeler …