School Lockdowns Lifted After Inmate Escape in Hoke County
On Wednesday, two inmates escaped from the Hoke County Detention Center by covering a barbed wire fence with a sheet during recreation time. The deputies launched an immediate search and placed Hoke County High, Upchurch Elementary, and J.W. McLauchlin Elementary schools on lockdown as a safety precaution. The suspects, Jonathan Oxendine (33) and Charles Locklear (27), were detained within an hour, and the lockdowns were promptly lifted. All students and staff remained safe throughout the incident.
Read more: Hoke County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Update
Aberdeen Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
Following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 62-year-old Joseph Robert Beckley of Aberdeen was arrested on multiple felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Moore County investigators, aided by the State Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Crimes Unit, arrested Beckley on Tuesday. He faces eight felony counts and is currently held on a $125,000 secured bond, with a court date set for November 13.
Full story: Moore County News
Asheboro Police Seek Two Women After $7,500 Ulta Beauty Perfume Theft
Two women are wanted for stealing 51 bottles of perfume valued at $7,500 from Ulta Beauty on October 9. Police describe one suspect wearing a black jacket, jean shorts, and black-and-white tennis shoes; the other wore a green ball cap, mask, green jacket, black leggings, and white crocs. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Randolph County Crime Stoppers.
Details here: WFMY News 2 report
Moore County Commissioners Approve 2025 Land Use Plan
The Moore County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a new Land Use Plan designed to preserve the county’s character, historical sites, and rural agricultural land, while guiding sustainable growth. Developed with extensive public input over several years—including sessions in local high schools—the plan emphasizes balanced development through the Small Town Model, encouraging mixed-use communities that prevent urban sprawl. Some recommendations were removed to comply with state laws that limit local zoning authority. Commissioners highlight that farmland acreage has actually increased, now making up 25% of county land, and that growth has been managed with existing infrastructure.
Learn more: Sandhills Sentinel
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