Governor and first lady shop at Moore County small businesses weeks after power grid attack

CARTHAGE, N.C. (WTVD) -- We're days away from Christmas and Moore County was on the list of places to shop for Governor Roy Cooper and first lady Kristin Cooper.

The couple were patronizing stores and grabbing gifts weeks after an attack on the local power grid knocked out electricity to thousands for several days.

Small business owners in Carthage said they were thrilled to have the Coopers calling attention to their business and the hardship they got through during the holiday shopping season.

"It has been quite painful," Country Bookshop Manager Kimberly Daniels Taws said. "We lost a lot of days. At least books are not perishable like my friends who own restaurants, but I really appreciate the governor coming."

"We know that people have taken it on the chin," Gov. Cooper said referring to the deliberate attack on two substations in the county. "It is so frustrating to see this attack on entire community that plunged 40,000 plus people into darkness and one thing I do know is we're going to learn from this," said Cooper.

The investigation into the power grid attack continues; nobody has been arrested yet.

ABC11 reached out to the Moore County Sheriff's Office for an updated on the investigation and we're waiting to hear back.

Cooper said federal, state and local officials are leaving no stone unturned to find out who planned and carried out the attack, and what their motive was behind the attack.

He said steps are currently being taken to strengthen security on the power grid and he's spoke a couple of times recently with the secretary of Homeland Security.

"It's a little more complex as to how much you invest in security in certain places and that assessment is going on right now. I do believe some changes are being made already and we do need to have a national conversation about this -- what additional federal requirements should be made," Cooper said.

While those efforts are underway, residents are also building the community back up after someone tried to take it down.

"It wasn't easy for a lot of people, a lot of people were sick during the time, but nonetheless we all make it through," Pinehurst resident Sandra Cole Chambers said.

"Everyone is kind of focusing on shopping online from the local places and now this week, everyone is kind of showing out full force," Reagan Adams said.