North State Journal — Vol. 1., Issue 18

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 18

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2016

www.NSJONLINE.com

the Sunday News Briefing

Miss North Carolina 2015 Kate Peacock, right, waits backstage with Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen 2015 McKenzie Hansley, left, during preliminary competition for the 2016 Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh on Thursday, June 23.

Retired NC Marine wins 7-Eleven franchise Richlands, N.C. What would you do if you won a 7-Eleven franchise, free of charge, and you could put it anywhere in the United States you wanted? Richlands, N.C., native Jean Cetoute is living that reality, having won this year’s 7-Eleven Operation: Take Command contest, the second year of the contest’s operation. Cetoute, an immigrant from Haiti, served in the Marines for 20 years and retired in 2014. He plans on opening the store near his family in New York.

Wake County sees huge increase in population North Carolina UNC’s Carolina Population Center report showed the state’s biggest cities are rapidly growing. The five largest population increases includes Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Greensboro. Cary saw the highest population increase of 18 percent. According to the report, Jacksonville, Rocky Mount, Elizabeth City, Laurinburg and Roanoke Rapids saw a loss in population. The study looked at population growth between 2010 and 2015.

Rafting center closes after testing positive for braineating amoeba Charlotte Mecklenburg County officals say test results came back positive for an amoeba that killed an Ohio woman earlier this week at the National Whitewater Rafting Center in Charlotte. The center has voluntarily shut itself down, suspending all water activities.

Lauren Seitz was on a church group trip at the rafting center when her raft flipped over.

The amoeba, officially known as Naegleria fowleri, can be found in warm, fresh water and enters the brain via the nostrils.

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

governor’s race

Coming soon to Carter Finley: Tuffy II Raleigh NC State Athletics unveiled its newest live mascot, a Tamaskan puppy named Tuffy II to follow his father’s pawsteps. To read more about 12-week-old Tuffy II, visit nsjonline.com

INSIDE Find out the incredible story behind the winner of the 2016 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. B1 Did the Charlotte Hornets make the right move on draft night 2016? B1 Sports This eastern N.C. company delivers outdoor lifestyle gear right to your doorstep. C1 the good life

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Emergency overdose treatment now available statewide

By Josh Hyatt North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina became the third state in the country to make naloxone available statewide when its standing prescription order was signed Monday by Gov. Pat McCrory.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist drug that the governor’s office says has already saved 3,300 lives in the state. It is available as both an injection and as a nasal spray.

Sen. Louis Pate (R-Wayne), the primary sponsor for the legislation, says he backed the order because over the last few years it’s become quite evident that many in the state are abusing opioids and overdose deaths have become a bit of an epidemic. The legislation passed through the House 112-0 and the Senate 48-0.

“Administering this naloxone gives them a second chance because it’s been proven highly effective in combating the overdose and brings them back within a couple of minutes,” Pate said. “So I’m convinced that’s the proper thing to do. I believe that everyone in the General Assembly feels the same way because it passed both the House and the Senate by unanimous votes.”

According to the governor’s office, more than 1,000 people die each year in N.C. from heroin and prescription opioid overdoses and one of every four autopsies performed by state medical examiners are on drug overdoserelated deaths.

The statewide standing order is authorized by the state health director, Dr. Randall Williams, See OPIOIDS, page A8

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Gov. Pat McCrory, left, and Attorney General Roy Cooper, right, shake hands before a gubernatorial candidate forum.

McCrory, Cooper face off in first gubernatorial debate

By Jeff Moore North State Journal

PHOTO COURTESY OF NC State Athletics

OPIOIDS

CHARLOTTE — Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and challenger Attorney General Roy Cooper faced off in Charlotte Friday marking their first true gubernatorial debate of the 2016 campaign season.

Presenting their respective cases for election in November to the N.C. Bar Association, the candidates answered questions on mental health, education, the economy and the I-77 toll lane controversy.

McCrory continued his focus on the improving North Carolina economy as evidence that his policies of reforming state government are working to better the lives of North Carolinians.

“We knew we needed strong leadership, and I needed a strong team, to rebuild North Carolina and make it great again, and that’s what we’ve done in a short three years,” said McCrory. “We’re now one of the fastest growing economies in the United States of America.”

McCrory discouraged a return to the policies of his predecessors he believes Cooper represents.

“Now is not the time to take

the state back to the good ol’ boy system, raising taxes, have an inefficient government, high unemployment and no teacher pay raises,” said McCrory.

Cooper, a Democrat, also maintained emphasis on education and the need for a change in leadership, presenting his values as what’s needed to help the working poor and teachers across the state.

“I believe North Carolina is in desperate need of positive, knowledgeable, effective leadership in the governor’s office,” said Cooper. “I think Gov. McCrory has failed us.”

The media panel also asked the candidates about the effects of the controversial House Bill 2 on the state.

“This is now a national issue,” said McCrory in reference to the myriad court cases considering the issue of gender definitions and federal discrimination policy.

“Roy Cooper believes that if a boy who thinks he’s a girl, but still has the anatomy of a boy, can go into a girl’s shower in our middle schools, and our high schools, and our universities.

I strongly disagree with those See DEBATE, page A2

property rights

Map Act ruling highlights land owners’ decades long struggle

By Jeff Moore North State Journal

RALEIGH — A farm located off Lake Wheeler Road in Wake County has been in the family of 89-year-old Winifred Arnold and her sister-in-law, Helen Arnold Walton, 82, for more than a century. But the Arnolds’ ability to develop their property or sell it at fair market value dissolved in 1997 when the land was encompassed in a N.C. Department of Transportation map for a possible I-40 corridor.

All that was possible because a decade earlier, in 1987, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Map Act,

allowing for the adoption of official transportation corridor maps that limited the ability of property owners within a map’s boundaries to develop or improve their land. The legislation intended to temper the costs to the state when buying land for future roads, but the unintended consequences have been plaguing affected property owners for years.

Under the Map Act, property that falls within an approved corridor is unable to be developed or improved in such a way that makes the land more valuable — in other words, more costly for the See MAP ACT, page A8

Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

From left, Winifred Arnold talks with her sister-in-law Helen Walton Thursday, June 23 at her home on Sugg Farm Road. Their properties — located in the proposed I-40 corridor — is affected by the Map Act.

Legislation would ban convicted child sex offenders from playgrounds and rec centers

On Murphy to Manteo, page A5

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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NS J

THE BACKSTORY

datebook

“If I was them [European Union] I would start to worry about what they need to do to keep Denmark, Holland and a number of other countries on board.”

June 28, 8 a.m.

High Point Chamber of Commerce

— U.K. M.P. Nigel Farage

BizLinks! Networking Group for Triad Professionals

“The people of the United Kingdom have exercised the sacred right of all free peoples.”

1634 N. Main Street, High Point

June 28, 7 p.m.

College Planning Workshop

“I think the country requires fresh leadership. I do not think I can be the captain to take the country to its next destination.”

Waxhaw Women’s Club

Coffee with the President Moore County Chamber of Commerce 10677 HWY 15-501, Southern Pines

June 30, 11:45 a.m.

PowerLunch, Airport Update Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce 15801 Northstone Club Drive, Huntersville

we stand corrected To report an error or a suspected error email corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

Visit North State Journal online! nsjonline.com jonesandblount.com nsjsports.com carolinabrewreview.com chickenbonealley.com

North State Journal ISSN: 2471-1365 Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Managing Editor Drew Elliot Opinion Editor Will Brinson Sports Editor Jennifer Wood Features Editor Published each Sunday by North State Media, LLC 819 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603 Inquiries: 866-458-7184 Annual Subscription Price: $250.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North State Journal, 819 W. Hargett St., Raleigh, N.C. 27603.

— French Pres. Francois Hollande

— U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron

200 East South Main Street, Waxhaw

June 29, 7:30 a.m.

— GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump

— U.K. M.P. Boris Johnson

“The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States ...”

— U.S. Pres. Barack Obama

“We respect their decision, and we stand by them, just as they have always stood by us.”

— U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)

Britain exit from European Union has impact on both sides of the Atlantic

By Donna King North State Journal LONDON — The world and financial markets were caught off guard Thursday when Britons voted by a 51-48 percent margin to leave the European Union after 40 years as a member. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced he would resign over the vote.

Some North Carolinians, say the vote doesn’t really come as a surprise. Former ambassador to Denmark Jim Cain, a High Point, N.C., native, said scare tactics from those trying to keep Britain in the E.U. may have backfired.

“I think there was a negative reaction to what appeared to be an orchestrated effort by media elite by the centralized governments of the world, and I’m including here the Obama Administration, who tried to manipulate and scare the voters, they came across as desperate and people saw through it,” Cain said.

The vote results blindsided investors, who had expected Britain to elect to stay in E.U. Mainland European equity markets took the brunt of selling as investors feared the vote could destabilize the 28-member bloc by prompting more referendums.

Upon opening Friday morning stock markets all over the world dropped, with European bank stocks suffering their sharpest one-day drops ever.

The British pound plummeted by 18 U.S. cents at one point, to its lowest since 1985. The euro slid 3 percent as investors feared for its very future, and sterling was last down 7.6 percent. Because early polls favored the Stay position, analysts say traders had been planning for a different outcome.

On Friday many were trying to unwind from their positions.

“The degree of volatility we saw today was extreme. The pound saw the single largest day of volatility in its history, ” said Brent Scliano, Chief Investment Officer for First Citizens Bank. “You’re going to see

TOBY MELVILLE | REUTERS

Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), makes a statement after Britain voted to leave the European Union in London, Britain, June 24.

the market shift into next week, as traders try to figure out if there’s more to come. You’re talking about the second largest economy in Europe deciding that it was more beneficial to no longer participate in the European Union.”

Some investors have even been speculating that the plunge in sterling could benefit Britain’s economy. Britain’s big banks recovered about half their initial 30 percent in losses later in the day.

“It’s going to make the market for America goods more robust because the E.U. is not an agency to promote the market for U.S. and other goods, and it’s going to strengthen our relationship with NATO, because it’s going to give the U.K. an even stronger voice within Europe,” said Cain.

However, the vote led to Cameron’s announcement Friday that he would resign in October.

“I do not think it would be right for me to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination,” he added, appearing

DEBATE from page A1 actions and the courts are now going to decide,” said McCrory.

Cooper accused McCrory of laying blame on the “left wing, media and President Obama.”

“We need to get rid of House Bill 2 and we need to go forwards,” Cooper said.

In light of the Islamist terror attack in Orlando and some factions’ focus on further gun control as a solution, the candidates were asked what they would do to prevent such atrocities. While both pointed to mental health as a priority focus, differences in their views on gun rights were plain to see.

Cooper voiced support for expanded background checks and criticized McCrory and the General Assembly for expanding concealed carry rights within the state.

“It is important for us to make sure that we take steps within the state to keep guns out

to choke back tears before walking back through the black door of No. 10 Downing Street with his arm around his wife, Samantha.

Cameron led the aggressive campaign to stay in the European Union, arguing that the U.K. is safer and more prosperous as a member. He enlisted the help of U.S. President Barack Obama who, in an unusually strong intervention into British politics, warned that the close NATO ally would be “in the back of the queue” for a trade deal with the United States if it dropped out of the E.U. On Friday, he took a different tone.

“The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision,” Obama said in a statement. “The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship.”

The U.S. president’s threat may have moved the needle on the vote, but critics say not in the direction

of the hands of criminals, potential terrorists and the mentally ill,” said Cooper. “You do that by enforcing the laws on the books.”

McCrory lamented the difficult threat of homegrown terrorists, pointing to his experience on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Committee under President George W. Bush. McCrory also voiced support for Republican Sen. Richard Burr’s efforts to give law enforcement more tools in tracking communications, and pointed to federal refugee programs as a risk to North Carolina.

“We don’t even know who [the refugees] are,” said McCrory. “We need leadership that will support efforts to combat this terrible terrorism that’s impacting our country and could come to North Carolina.”

The candidates also battled over taxes, with McCrory championing the state’s new-found competitiveness under recent Republican tax reduction reforms that bring jobs, and Cooper

he intended.

“One of the reasons I voted for leave was because President Obama came over here and tried to tell me what to do,” said a cab driver in London on Friday.

The campaigns on both sides drew passionate crowds and triggered record U.K. voter turnout, drawing people to the booths that may not have otherwise participated. Google released that U.K. searches for “what happens if we leave the European Union?” more than tripled in the last 24 hours.

“This was a signal to those who want to centralize state power. That even in this modern age, that’s not what people want and it’s not what people need,” Cain said. “It sends a message to America and to the current occupant of the White House.

I am no fan of unaccountable, centralized, statist governments run by bureaucrats, and that is what the E.U. had become.”

As world leaders try to determine what’s next, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the U.S. is ready to work with Britain.

“While there will be a great deal of discussion in the coming days and weeks about what the ‘Leave’ win means for them and for us, our friends and allies in the U.K. should know this: we respect their decision and we stand by them, just as they have always stood by us,” said Burr.

U.K. faces a long road in implementing the referendum.

Whomever takes the reigns after Cameron in October faces two years and extensive negotiating to untangle from the E.U., plus the added complication of any developments that follow the vote in other member countries.

“While we are optimistic they can hold it together, the underlying stability of the E.U. is certainly right now in question,” said Scliano.

Reuters contributed to this report.

lamenting that the tax cuts most benefit the high income earners while leaving lower earners with fewer tax credits to claim.

On education, McCrory boasted of teacher pay raises and freedom in education.

“We had the largest teacher pay increases in the country,” McCrory said. “We’re about to pass more increases, sometime next week in the budget.”

Cooper expressed his desire to take the teaching profession to the top of the priority list and increase state education spending levels, while pointing to his education platform.

“I have a complete, specific education proposal that is essentially cradle to college,” Cooper said, directing people to his campaign website for the proposal.

Voters will have at least one more chance to assess the candidates via a debate before the election.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY the DASHBOARD ROBERT SELIGSON

Information exchange can mean better health s the old adage goes, knowledge is power. We A might tweak that to say more

complete knowledge may mean better health for you.

The more comprehensive and complete the information your doctor has about your health care history — especially in an emergency when you may not be seeing your regular physician — the better they will be able to care for you.

With this in mind, last fall the North Carolina General Assembly created the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Authority (NCHIEA). This new entity will oversee a statewide, secure computer system called a health information exchange (HIE), a private, encrypted network that adheres to all federal and state privacy and security laws. The technology enables any doctor, who participates in the HIE and with whom you have a relationship, to share information electronically and better coordinate your care.

This new statewide authority will allow information on your prescriptions, allergies, lab and test results, image reports, conditions, diagnoses, and vaccination history to be securely shared between systems.

Hospitals, large health care systems and many physician practices already have electronic medical records, but most often the various systems don’t ‘talk’ to each other.

This new statewide authority will allow information on your prescriptions, allergies, lab and test results, image reports, conditions, diagnoses, and vaccination history to be securely shared between systems.

When the entire health care team has complete information, there will be fewer repeat tests and procedures, less paperwork, fewer medical errors, and improved patient safety and health outcomes. All of which will result in reduced health care costs over the long term.

The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) has long supported an HIE and continues to work closely with the new HIEA to help it reach its full potential.

This is especially important now since sharing of such information is key to the success of the state’s Medicaid reform initiative. In fact, the legislation requires all physicians who treat Medicaid patients to be connected to the HIE by Feb. 1, 2018.

Much work needs to be done to ensure that doctors, hospitals and health systems are financially and technologically able to tap into the HIE in order to submit and retrieve information on behalf of their patients. Success will mean a healthier bottom line for the Medicaid program and, most importantly, a healthier population.

Robert W. Seligson executive vice president and CEO of the North Carolina Medical Society. He also serves as CEO of the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation.

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The North Carolina Gazette, North Carolina’s first newspaper, was first published in New Bern

67%

of residents in small U.S. communities read local newspapers ranging from one to seven days a week

5

the number of Spanish newspapers in North Carolina

Source: Editor and Publisher Magazine

Ticketmaster settlement includes vouchers for free concerts

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

After losing a class action lawsuit, Ticketmaster has been offering monetary compensation and ticket vouchers to future concerts.

or all those times Ticketmaster customers grumbled about the added F fees tacked on to already-pricey tickets,

they finally have some vindication.

A class-action settlement in Schlesinger v. Ticketmaster has awarded vouchers and credits to customers of the ticket outlet good on select events due to “deceptive and misleading” fees on purchases made between Oct. 21, 1999, and Feb. 27, 2013.

Each customer can receive up to 17 vouchers (each good for two tickets to select shows at Ticketmaster’s Live Nation shows), 17 $5 UPS vouchers for customers who used mail delivery, and 17 $2.25 credits on primary ticket purchases from the retailer.

What does that mean and how do you find out if you benefit from the suit?

First off, log on to your account at Ticketmaster.com, go to the “Your Account” page and click on the “Active Vouchers” link on the left side. There you’ll see a list of any discount or ticket codes available to you. The information is not available on the Ticketmaster app or mobile site, so be sure to log in on a computer browser. If you only have access via a mobile phone or tablet, remove the “m.” from the beginning of the URL on your mobile device’s browser to see the full site.

While the $2.25 credits can be used on any primary ticket purchases from Ticketmaster (not from their resale site) and the $5 UPS voucher is good toward future UPS ticket delivery charges, the free ticket vouchers (again, good for two tickets per voucher) are only good on select concerts. All discount codes must be used on or before June 18, 2020, according to the settlement.

As of June 23, the 685 shows that were deemed eligible had all been sold out, meaning no more vouchers would

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

be accepted.

Ticketmaster strikes up agreements with individual venues to sell tickets.

It also offers marketing and data collection to assist with sales.

Carolina Theatre in Durham is in year two of a new five-year pact with Ticketmaster after an initial three-year agreement, Joe Student, the theater’s director of live events, said.

“Certainly there are people who try to avoid fees and buy at the box office,” Student said. “I don’t know how frequently we get flat-out complaints [about fees]. I think a lot of times people just either decide to buy or if they think the fees are more than they want to spend, they don’t buy.”

Carolina Theatre is not directly impacted by the settlement since it is not a Live Nation — a subsidiary of Ticketmaster — venue, and Student said he didn’t foresee the costs of the payout in the case trickling down to venues or consumers.

“I really don’t think it will impact our relationship with Ticketmaster at all,” he said.

Other than going right to a venue’s box office, there are few options outside of using Ticketmaster to purchase tickets to many shows. In the past, record stores might sell tickets to events, but the rise of the internet hurt both that industry and made buying tickets at home easy, Student said.

“A lot of those vendors have been eliminated now just because of the prevalence of people buying online,” he said. “And that’s really what drives this more than anything else. It’s often accessed as convenience fees, and you’ll see it that way, and that’s truly what it is.

“If you think about it, the idea that you can sit down at your desk now and you can buy tickets for something is convenient as opposed to have to go to a retailer or a venue ... or wait until the day of the show.”

Small town businesses find they don’t face change alone

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal WILLIAMSTON, N.C. — Rural North Carolina thrives on having successful small businesses to keep the community moving forward as economic changes have altered the footprint of the Eastern part of the state. In order to do so, partnering with state agencies for grants and resources has proved fruitful in a time of economic uncertainty.

“Many people who grew up in the 1960s in the East remember these small towns as being vibrant communities.

Now we face challenges of economic development — we need jobs, we need a work force and we need things for them to do,” said Al Chesson, owner of A.R. Chesson Construction Co. in Williamston.

Chesson was among those who attended the N.C. Competes Jobs Tour Wednesday in Williamston. The tour is a project of the N.C. Department of Commerce, designed as a series of face-to-face workshops to help small business owners identify tools for success available from the state, including development and planning, selecting grants to match their needs, and ultimately applying for those grant funds.

“We know jobs come first. Eighty percent of jobs in America are small business jobs and, at one time, all large companies were small businesses,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III. Studies have found businesses are looking for financial assistance, the ability for a building to be refurbished, support from local agencies, and employees to fill vacancies among others.

“One of the challenges of being a small business owner is the workforce. We want to attract good employees that want to live here,” said Chesson. “The people we attract grew up here in Eastern North Carolina. They return here to work, hunt and fish, and then remain stable employees because they enjoy the parameters of living in the East.”

Chesson Construction has been in business in Martin County for 35 years offering more than 40 employees with jobs on the company’s commercial and industrial projects.

Through the vast range of possibilities made possible through the Department of Commerce, Chesson and other business owners in his county were able to band together to refurbish an old building and turn it into a usable site.

Al Chesson stands in front of the Senator Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center which his construction company worked on in Martin County on June 22.

LAURA ASHLEY LAMM | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Metcore Industrial Solutions, a manufacturer of highprecision sheet metal components and assemblies for use in agriculture and other industries, was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Department of Commerce’s vacant building category to support the reuse and refurbishment of a vacant building in Williamston. The grant is part of a total capital investment of $881,000, which allowed the facility built in 1986 and unoccupied for three years, to be repurposed.

Metcore then selected Chesson Construction to complete the design and renovation of the building, thus supporting local small business and bringing a new industry to the community. The construction is complete and Metcore now employs 12 workers.

“The Department of Commerce has been available to help support elected officials, economic developers and business owners in connecting us with the right people to help us find grants and programs that support our projects here,” said Chesson.

The Commerce Department says that part of the economic development process is helping businesses know where to look for help. Its website contains information on programs to help revitalize buildings, improve downtown main streets, and train and educate the workforce.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 29, 2016

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North State Journal for Sunday, June 29, 2016

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SPECIAL NEEDS

SOAR, Balsam Camp Ginger Cascades, Lenoir Camp Spring Creek, Bakersville Camp Talisman, Zirconia Victory Junction, Randleman

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TRADITIONAL CAMPS

YMCA Camp Cheerio, Glade Valley Camp Highlander, Horse Shoe Camp Caraway, Sophia Camp Cedar Cliff, Asheville Camp Ridgecrest, Ridgecrest Camp Willow Run/Willow Springs, Littleton Camp Dixie, Fayetteville, NC Camp Rockfish, Parkton, NC Summer Adventures at the Eastern 4-H Center, Columbia YMCA Camp Kanata, Wake Forest

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WEST

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Work to stem Hemlock tree deaths making progress Transylvania and Henderson counties Hemlock tree restoration efforts are making progress, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture.

The hemlock woolly adelgid is blamed for the deaths of thousands of North Carolina hemlock trees across western North Carolina over the past two decades, but recent efforts are showing promise for the trees’ longterm survival.

“The hemlock woolly adelgid has decimated Carolina and eastern hemlocks by sucking the sap of young twigs and causing tree death,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler after an update Wednesday at DuPont State Recreational Forest.

“No single method is going to restore hemlocks to long-term health, so we’re focused on bringing together all the knowledge and support at our disposal to solve the problem.”

The Hemlock Restoration Initiative has helped treat thousands of trees on conserved and stateowned lands, assisted with the release of more than 6,000 beetles that eat hemlock woolly adelgids, cohosted a forum on biological control agents, and informed dozens of landowners about how to treat their own trees.

N.C. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

28 Western Carolina University Marching Band Symposium, Cullowhee 29 University of North Carolina, Greensboro (UNCG)

Summer Music Camp, Greensboro

24 American Dance Training Camps,

Black Mountain/Asheville 25 PineCone Youth Bluegrass Camps, Cary 26 University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA)

Summer Programs for High School Students, Winston-Salem 27 School of Rock Performance Camp, Charlotte

Buncombe County The Asheville City Council held an open special meeting with public comment on whether to start regulating street performers, or buskers, in the downtown area.

Speakers lined up to argue regulations.

Among the possible new rules, buskers would have to register for a city permit and sign up for a specific location.

Opponents say the rules would impede the performers’ ability to earn money and add to the character of Asheville.

MOUNTAIN XPRESS

Lawmakers consider zip line bill after camp accident Allegany County A year after a 12-year-old camper, Sanders Burney, was killed in a ziplining accident at Camp Cheerio, the legislature will decide on requiring zip line inspections at camps. The Zip Line and Challenge Course Safety Act, sponsored Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover), who is Burney’s cousin, would require annual inspections of equipment, a training standard for staff members and reports on all accidents. It would apply to any zip line open to the public. Since the accident Camp Cheerio has permanently closed its zip line.

WUNC

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PERFORMING ARTS & FINE ARTS

Asheville considers regulating street performers

RALEIGH — Legislation working its way through the General Assembly this week would ban registered sex offenders who are deemed a threat to children from schools, day care centers, churches, playgrounds, recreation parks and other places when children are potentially present.

Sen. Buck Newton (R-Wilson) introduced The Jessica Lunsford Restoration Act, named after a 9-year-old girl from Gastonia who was abducted from her home in Florida and murdered by a convicted sex offender in 2005. John Couey, who lived nearby, was sentenced to death and three consecutive life sentences for her murder but died of natural causes in 2009 before he was put to death by the state.

Newton’s bill is a narrower version of an N.C. law passed in 2008 that a federal judge recently ordered police not to enforce. Judge James Beatty, of the 4th Circuit Court, said it violated the rights of convicted sex offenders because it was “too vague” by applying to all sex offenders. Attorney General Roy Cooper, Democratic candidate for governor, defended the law to the court. “[The] Defendant’s decision not to provide expert testimony or statistical reports to the Court was somewhat unexpected,” Beatty said in an April order. “Defendants stated at the status conference that it would not be difficult to find an expert to support their case.

Yet, Defendants chose not to seek out

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ADVENTURE CAMPS

Camp Seafarer (Girls Only), Arapahoe Camp Sea Gull (Boys Only), Arapahoe Camp Green Cove for Girls, Tuxedo North Carolina Outward Bound, Asheville Camp Ginger Cascades, Lenoir Camp Arrowhead for Boys, Zirconia WB Surf Camp – Wrightsville Beach Eagle’s Nest Camp, Pisgah Forest

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With the high summits, winding trails, and crisp mountain air in the west, and the quiet coves, sandy shores, and sunny days in the east, North Carolina is home to many world-renowned summer camps. It’s no surprise that campers return year after year to experience the best of N.C. ­— from academics to adventure — ­ and make a few campfire memories along the way.

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TEEN TOUR & TEEN TRAVEL

30 Adventure Treks, Flat Rock 31 Camp Broadreach Teen Adventures, Raleigh 32 Sea Turtle Camp, Topsail Island ACADEMIC 33 34 35

Governor’s School West, Salem College, Winston-Salem Governor’s School East, Meredith College, Raleigh Summer Ventures in Science & Mathematics (ECU), Greenville

PIEDMONT A sparkling smile for the mugshot Gaston County A Charlotte man is facing three larceny charges after allegedly stealing nearly $2,000 in teeth-whitening strips from a Target store. Lionel Jay Thomas, 47, of Charlotte, is accused of taking 38 boxes of the strips over three incidents last weekend. Police said none of the merchandise has been recovered. In March, the Target store was hit over four days of thefts claiming $2,500 in merchandise. Police say Thomas wasn’t believed to be involved in those incidents, as he was incarcerated at the time for larceny and obtaining property by false pretenses convictions. He was paroled in May. THE GASTON GAZETTE

Inmate convicted of directing kidnapping of prosecutor’s father Polk County An inmate serving a life sentence in an N.C. prison was convicted Tuesday on four kidnapping charges for orchestrating the 2014 kidnapping of the father of the prosecutor who put him behind bars, officials said.

Prosecutors say Kelvin Melton, 51, arranged the kidnapping through a mobile phone from his cell at the Polk

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INFOGRAPHIC BY CECE PASCUAL

36 Summer Ventures in Science & Mathematics (UNCW), Wilmington 37 Summer Ventures in Science & Mathematics (UNC Charlotte), Charlotte 38 North Carolina State University Engineering Summer Program, Raleigh

Correctional Institution in Butner.

Melton was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole on a charge related to being a violent habitual felon, his attorney, Laura Beaver, said.

U.S. Attorney spokesman Don Connelly said co-conspirators of Melton’s, who was a member of the “One Eight Trey Blood” gang, mistakenly went to the home of Frank Janssen looking for his prosecutor daughter, Colleen Janssen. Janssen was rescued by FBI after being held for four days. Eleven people were arrested for the crime with nine pleading guilty.

ROBESONIAN

EAST New Bern doctor arrested for trafficking opium, stalking

Fayetteville City Council votes unanimously to pursue downtown baseball stadium

Craven County New Bern doctor Sanjay Kumar was arrested on two charges of trafficking opium and five counts of stalking Tuesday. Kumar is a physiatry doctor and head of New Bern Medicine and Sports Rehabilitation. He was arrested at a traffic stop and, with a search warrant, police found “trafficking levels of controlled substances.”

Cumberland County The Fayetteville City Council voted 10-0 Wednesday night to make an area behind Prince Charles Hotel their focus for a 5,000-seat minor league baseball stadium.

The Houston Astros want to begin negotiating to bring a Class A-Advanced ball club. The Astros extended the proposal deadline to Aug. 19.

NEW BERN SUN JOURNAL

Wake Forest family welcomes identical triplets Wake County The Fradel family of Wake Forest recently brought their month-old identical triplets home. Doctors say the chance of identical triplets is about one in a million. The family spent the week at home, but paused for an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday. Parents Gavin and Kimberly say they can tell Grace, Stella and Emily apart by painting their toenails different colors. The Fradels already have a 2-year-old, Gavin Jr., who has Down syndrome.

They say the community support they’ve received has been vital to adjusting to their new family.

ABC11

FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER

Kill Devil Hills hit-and-run shows need for pedestrian safety

Pharmaceutical company Alcami to expand to Port City

Dare County After a hit-and-run last week, the importance of pedestrian and bicyclist safety became a conversation for Kill Devil Hills residents. An exchange student who was riding a bike was hit from behind by a vehicle.

Police charged Jacob McCarthy, 26, of Manteo with DWI and felony hitand-run. According to the Center for International Career Development, most exchange students walk or ride bicycles to their jobs, and there generally aren’t any sidewalks.

New Hanover County Alcami announced plans Tuesday to expand and bring more jobs to Wilmington. City leaders said the pharmaceutical company is growing 10 percent per year and currently employs about 350 people, with plans to add at least 50 employees by the end of 2016.

Alcami also added a 5,000 square foot laboratory.

an expert even after repeated inquiries from the Court regarding whether they desired to do so and after the Court expressly stated that it believed that Defendants’ evidentiary offering was inadequate to carry their burden in this case.” Cooper’s office says they are appealing Judge Beatty’s ruling.

“Our Attorney General has dropped the ball on another issue,” Newton said in a press conference Monday, where he introduced the new bill. “Attorney General Cooper and his office were not doing a good job defending the bill. Something had to be done to keep our children from these dangerous sex offenders.”

Newton, the Republican candidate for attorney general, wrote the bill to ban registered child sex offenders from places where regularly scheduled educational, recreational and social programs for youth take place. They would also have to stay more than 300 feet away from places that are intended primarily for minors, like schools and day cares. The 2008 bill applied to all registered sex offenders, not just those who had committed crimes against children.

Several similar laws have passed in other states, increasing the ability to track and limit convicted child sex offenders access to certain facilities.

The laws were championed by Jessica’s father, Mark Lunsford. Newton will face Democratic attorney general nominee Josh Stein in November, as Cooper challenges incumbent Pat McCrory for governor.

House says common core math proposal doesn’t add up North State Journal RALEIGH — The N.C. Senate’s proposal to create an alternative track to Common Core math was rejected by the House this week. The senate bill would’ve allowed high school students a choice between a traditional math instruction track for classes like geometry and algebra, or the Common

Core math implemented in 2012.

The bill was proposed in response to parent complaints that Common Core math is unnecessarily complicated and sets kids’ math progress back.

Opponents of the proposed second track say it stretches small schools’ resources too thin. A conference committee will now try to hash out a compromise measure.

TWC NEWS

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North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Drew Elliot, opinion editor | Ray Nothstine, deputy opinion editor EDITORIALS | Drew Elliot

Citizens win, big government loses at the N.C. Supreme Court The Map Act came about from from a preference for the needs of government over the rights of citizens.

The North Carolina Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Kirby v. N.C. DOT makes it clear that when the government puts severe restrictions on what you can do with your own property, it must compensate you for the lost value.

Oh, did you think that was already the case, and everyone knew it? Not so. Under the terms of the Map Act, a bad law that the Democrat-controlled legislature passed in 1987, the state can place a “hold” on a landowner’s property, preventing what Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby, who wrote the opinion in the 7-0 decision, called citizens’ “fundamental rights to improve, develop and subdivide their property.”

The Map Act came about, as many bad laws do, from a preference for the needs of government over the rights of citizens. Until the Kirby decision, the N.C. Department of Transportation could keep road-building costs down by preventing landowners from making their land more valuable in almost any way. The cruelest part? The restrictions are placed with no time limit and no obligation that the state actually build anything. In the case of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway, one of the projects at issue in the case, restrictions on property owners have been in place since 1997.

Landowners sued N.C. DOT, claiming their property effectively had been taken in 1997. The N.C. DOT said that it was just following the Map Act, and that it wasn’t really taking the land, just reserving it for a future taking, if at all.

Attorney General Roy Cooper’s attorneys made the case for the DOT. That fact would not normally warrant a mention, since it is the Department of Justice’s job to defend the state in court. But under the Cooper Rule, the attorney general has said — and shown — that he defends only those laws with which he agrees. When he had the opportunity to defend House Bill 2, for instance, Cooper declined, saying the law was embarrassing and would “set North Carolina’s economy back.” So under the Cooper Rule, we can conclude that he is a proponent of the Map Act and the harm to landowners that it sanctioned. Apparently Cooper thinks missing out on a few rock concerts is more economically important than land sitting idle for decades. That’s embarrassing.

Cooper’s support for the Map Act is not that surprising. His campaign is built on the slogan that the state is “on the wrong path.” He certainly can’t be talking about jobs, budgeting, and the economy, which — contrary to catastrophes predicted by the left — have vastly improved under conservative policies.

No, big-government proponents like Cooper want to be able to establish a plan — road projects, who can shower with whom at the YMCA — without worrying about pesky property rights and harm to a few citizens now and then.

But Cooper’s not the only one in hot water over the Map Act. The N.C. House unanimously passed a repeal bill in 2015. The Senate, which had its own reform plan, refused to agree. Thus property owners had to resort to the courts to claim what is, by right, theirs. House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger could have solved this issue, but failed to do so.

A solution does not necessarily mean doing away with N.C. DOT’s “protected corridors” altogether. Keeping costs down on road projects is, as the Supreme Court noted, a worthy government objective. And with reasonable time restrictions and legitimate opportunities for landowner relief, a reconstituted Map Act could balance those priorities appropriately.

LETTERS Thank Dorothy Park for more than money Dorothy Dent Park, president emeritus of the charitable Park Foundation, passed away this week at the age of 103. Mrs. Park was an exceptional woman according to all who knew her. Her accolades have been touted around the country, and almost all of the headlines relate to her monetary philanthropy.

For some of us at the North State Journal, the impact of Park is personal. Opinion Editor Drew Elliot and I are direct beneficiaries of her vision. Drew was the recipient of the Roy H. Park Fellowship to UNC Chapel Hill and I received the Park Scholarship to N.C. State University.

Both scholarships were established in memory of Roy Park, Mrs. Park’s husband. But the creation of these programs came under the leadership of Mrs. Park and her vision for helping college students become leaders and contributors to society.

At N.C. State, her support of comprehensive education meant exposing undergraduates to economics, humanities, and science – regardless of their major. It was her true gift to students. As we remember a remarkable woman, let’s remember that her contributions had as much to do with vision and purpose as dollar signs.

Neal Robbins Publisher, North State Journal

BE IN TOUCH Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 819 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, N.C. 27603. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

visual VOICES

EDITORIALS | Ray Nothstine

Redacting the truth on terrorism The Islamic State had publicly celebrated the Orlando attack already.

Lynch herself continues to say the exact motive is unknown.

It’s been a terrible week for the Justice Department and Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Somebody in the Obama Administration thought it was a good idea to scrub references to Islam in the 911 calls made by the terrorist who caused the death of 49 Americans at a gay bar in Orlando this month. The shooting was the largest American death toll for a terrorist attack since 9/11.

Some in the national media, usually quite cozy with the administration, along with other responsible Americans pushed for a full release of the transcripts, which still substituted “God” for “Allah.”

An example of the initial redacted transcript reads: “I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [in Arabic], on behalf of [omitted],” Mateen said to the 911 dispatcher.

To compound the problem, Lynch refused to say who was responsible for editing the tapes while simultaneously claiming the goal of the department is to provide the “greatest transparency” on the attacks. The excuse Lynch provided: “The initial thought was we did not want to provide a further platform for the propaganda of the killer.” Does she really think Islamic terrorism is small and isolated?

Does Lynch really feel additional publicity to the motive might cause a global crisis to spread? The Islamic State had publicly celebrated the Orlando attack already. Lynch herself continues to say the exact motive is unknown.

As if channeling the civil rights movement, Lynch too called for “more unity” and “love” to combat “terror” and “hatred.” Except effective tactics of non-violence work only against the kind of people and government steeped in a conscience and an ethical worldview.

Certainly this excludes the Islamic State, homegrown radicalized Islamists, and mass-murderers.

Predictably, the White House could only issue denials of any involvement to the fiasco and had already shifted once again to domestic gun-control efforts and vague notions of “hate.” The White House has already made it known that they often find out about scandals within their administration by reading about it in the news along with the rest of Americans.

The inability to speak the truth about terrorism is, of course, absurd. Obama would rather obscure the motive because he would much rather focus on gun control and partisan politics. Why the grandiose effort to obfuscate and pivot away from the truth of the text?

The whole fiasco is a reminder that many Americans do and should distrust their government. Forty-nine Americans lost their lives in Orlando, and the federal government sees it as an opportunity to control the media narrative for political purposes. In his “Notes on Virginia,” Thomas Jefferson wrote, “It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.”

Distrust of the George W. Bush administration helped to usher in the Obama presidency. There were high hopes from many and a promise to be the “most transparent administration in history.”

However, Washington is more morally and financially broke than ever. The purpose of government used to be to protect and empower the people, not shield them from reality or even basic facts about what is going on in their own country.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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Guest Opinion | christine mumma

The time is ripe for criminal justice reform in North Carolina

Battleground North Carolina

The N.C. Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice is working to develop proposed reforms for the court system as a whole and criminal justice in particular.

efore the 2008 election, North Carolina’s outcome in the presidential B contest was almost always a foregone

A

t the national level, there is vigorous bipartisan support for significant criminal justice reform. The issues being discussed include overcriminalization, overuse of prisons as a repository for the mentally ill and those with substance abuse problems, a pre-trial release system that results in lengthy periods of incarceration based on lack of money to post bail rather than guilt, and an indigent defense system that fails to provide the basic defense necessary to ensure that poor people are treated fairly by the government.

Criminal justice reform is one of the few issues that garners support from groups on both sides of the political aisle, including Koch Industries and the Cato Institute on the right and George Soros and Open Society Foundations on the left. As Mark Holden, general counsel of Koch Industries, has stated, “[w]e need to address issues such as overcriminalization, excessive and disproportionate sentencing, [and] inadequate indigent defense that is inconsistent with the Sixth Amendment.”

To the attorneys and others who work in North Carolina’s criminal justice system, it appears that the bipartisan dialogue and support for reform has not reached our great state, even though state-level criminal justice systems touch far more lives and face the same issues as

the federal system. Our jails hold not only dangerous criminals, but also people who suffer from mental illness and drug addiction or who are simply too poor to pay a bondsman.

North Carolina is now the only state in the nation that treats all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in criminal court, often subjecting them to the life-long stigma of a criminal conviction for errors in judgment that are the hallmark of adolescence. And the court-appointed lawyers who provide representation for poor people who are constitutionally entitled to representation at state expense — over half of the people in the criminal justice system — have seen their pay significantly reduced and their caseloads increased while being expected to meet the demands of an increasingly complex body of criminal law.

The reduced resources have put an unsustainable strain on both the private lawyers who accept court-appointed cases and full-time public defenders.

Not surprisingly, a recent poll conducted by Elon University revealed that 64 percent of North Carolinians believe that low-income people are treated worse by the courts than those with resources.

North Carolina needs to join the national, bipartisan effort to improve our criminal justice system. Fortunately, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin has put into motion a vehicle

for real reform — the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice — which is working to develop proposed reforms for the court system as a whole and criminal justice in particular.

The NCCALJ is examining the investment that needs to be made to strengthen indigent defense, the need to send 16- and 17-year-olds to specialized courts for juveniles rather than adult criminal court, and the need for a rational pre-trial release system. The commission will hold a series of public hearings in August, and will finalize recommendations in time for the 2017-18 legislative session.

The proposals from the commission will represent the result of significant work by a large number of people from a variety of backgrounds, all of whom share a common interest in and commitment to improving the justice system.

North Carolina’s citizens need to urge our leaders to take this opportunity to make needed improvements to our criminal justice system.

Christine Mumma is executive director of the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence, and serves on the Commission on Indigent Defense Services as an appointee of the North Carolina Senate. From 2002 to 2007, she was also the executive director of Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake, Jr.’s Criminal Justice Study Commission.

Columnist | Michael Munger

Can we bear arms? ave you read the Second Amendment?

It’s short: “A well regulated militia being H necessary to the security of a free state, the right

The N.C. Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice is working to develop proposed reforms for the court system as a whole and criminal justice in particular.

Jonathan Kappler

of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

Some read it as being “about” state militias; but then why “right of the people”? Others claim “arms” means muskets, more familiar to the Founders. But then the First Amendment must protect only movable-type hand presses. If the First Amendment protects Twitter, the Second Amendment protects modern weapons.

On the other extreme some read only the imperative: “not be infringed.” But then why “well regulated”? The First is imperative: “Congress shall make no law…”; the Second Amendment isn’t.

My own view is that the Supreme Court got the Second Amendment right, finally, in the 2008 Heller case, overturning some remarkably dumb aspects of the 1939 Miller decision. Heller recognizes (it was always there!) a presumptive individual private right to own — and “bear,” meaning actually carry — arms. But Heller preserves substantial latitude for legislative assemblies to impose restrictions, rules, and conditions.

So the only actual question is which restrictions, rules and conditions? The media isn’t much help.

Many have taken to fibbing, decrying “assault rifles” (they aren’t) that “fire eight rounds per second” (maybe three, for semi-automatic guns).

At best, the media call these vague “weapons that should be banned” assault-style guns, or AR-15style rifles. Style? Really? If it matters, the gun in Orlando was completely different, a SIG Sauer MCX, more like an AK-47 than an AR-15. But it was not automatic, not a machine gun, not an assault rifle. It looks like a military gun (is that style?), but it’s one round per pull of the trigger.

It happens I have a nice 9 mm Beretta pistol. According to the gun-ban zealots, it is an “assault-style rifle.” Yes, really: It is semi-

automatic (one round per trigger pull, just like the gun in Orlando), and it has a magazine that holds more than seven rounds. It’s not surprising that gun defenders go on offense when a ban on “assault rifles” is so vague it includes the forcible confiscation of target pistols.

To me, “well regulated” sounds like a driver’s license. No one can be banned from driving, without cause. But behave irresponsibly, or fail to get enough training and skills to drive well, and you don’t get to drive. I think guns ownership is analogous. We can’t impose universal, and foolishly vague, restrictions on the ownership of modern guns. But we can require registration, background checks, classes and tests to show proficiency, and threaten forfeiture if the right is used irresponsibly or to endanger others, even through negligence.

Gun ownership is a right that relates to a basic republican duty to participate in the governance, and the defense, of the community, and it is attached to responsibilities. Chicago — with heavy gun control — had nearly 7,000 gun homicides in 2015. Murder is illegal, but if someone wants to commit a crime, committing another crime to obtain a gun is no deterrent. Chicago would likely to do well to expand gun ownership — “well regulated” — rather than try to restrict it.

Finally, I understand that none of the rules I’m proposing would have prevented the Orlando attack. Even a total ban wouldn’t stop a determined terrorist from using a pressure cooker or gasoline bomb, or obtaining a gun illegally.

But that’s not the point. We can’t prevent individual events after they have happened. We should be developing a comprehensive vision of what the right to keep and bear arms, and regulating it well, would look like. We should go back to the Second Amendment, both parts.

Michael Munger is a professor of and director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program at Duke University.

conclusion. In 2008, the concept of North Carolina as a presidential battleground state was so unfamiliar to the national press that I heard stories saying they kept pulling their reporters out of the state, then sending them back. President Obama ultimately eked out a 0.4 percent win over Sen. John McCain. The 2008 presidential race in North Carolina was the second-closest in the country (just behind Missouri, which McCain very narrowly won).

In 2012, North Carolina was more squarely on the electoral radar. While Obama narrowly lost North Carolina in that election, it was once again the secondclosest contest in the country (Florida was a bit closer), and more was spent on TV advertising here — $97 million — than all but three other states (Florida, Virginia, and Ohio).

That brings us to 2016. Barring some cataclysmic event, the Republican nominee will be Donald Trump and the Democratic nominee will be Hillary Clinton. It’s time to take stock: is North Carolina a battleground state once again?

Several major national media outlets maintain race ratings for each state in the presidential contest. Reporters and analysts aggregate data and talk with sources across the political spectrum in order to come up with their ratings.

Of the eight credible organizations that have released race ratings, seven of them have North Carolina a “toss up” and one categorizes the state as “leans Democratic.”

At this point, there is broad consensus that North Carolina is competitive.

Clinton’s campaign has spent $3.7 million on ads in N.C. in June and July

And while it’s still relatively early yet, there is enough polling data for two frequently cited websites to have polling averages for the presidential contest in North Carolina. In the Real Clear Politics polling aggregator, Trump has a 1 point lead in the state, and the Huffington Post/ Pollster data set has Trump with a slightly larger average lead of 1.7 points. In polling terms, it’s hard to distinguish that data from a tie, especially at this early date in the political calendar.

Perhaps the most valuable asset a campaign has is the candidate’s time.

Where a presidential candidate is holding campaign events is an important sign of which states they perceive as winnable with enough effort, and we recently got a couple of good indications that both the Trump and Clinton campaigns see North Carolina as within reach. Donald Trump held a rally in Greensboro on June 14, and Hillary Clinton came to Raleigh on June 22. If we see repeat visits from the candidates, this won’t be because they just love North Carolina barbeque.

And along these lines, hallmarks of most modern presidential campaigns are TV ads and large staffs strategically located in campaign field offices around contested states. It’s a bit early yet for General Election campaign advertising to start in earnest and a complete network of campaign offices to be built out, but how many ads you see and how many staffers are hired will give you a good sense if the campaigns believe the state is within reach or not. One clue: Clinton’s campaign has spent $3.7 million on ads in N.C. in June and July, the third most of any state so far.

Finally, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010, the quickly established new normal in races is for well-financed outside organizations to spend heavily on ads and other activities once reserved for political parties and campaigns. Already we’ve seen one notable Democratically aligned outside organization — Priorities USA — commit to spending $9 million on TV ads in North Carolina through the election.

Judging by the actions of the candidates, their campaigns, and the data available to us at the moment, it seems clear that North Carolina begins the General Election phase of the 2016 campaign among the battleground states. However, in the context of modern presidential campaigns, things can change rapidly and conventional wisdom can fall by the wayside quickly. Just because the best information available to us now points in this direction, it’s not locked in that trajectory. For now, it appears both sides are suiting up in the Tarheel State.

Jonathan Kappler is a graduate of the N.C. Institute of Political Leadership and earned a master’s degree in public policy from American University and a political science degree from Appalachian State University. He lives in Chapel Hill.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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NATION& WORLD Clinton focuses on economy, jabs Trump at Raleigh campaign rally

Race-based college admission decisions upheld

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — The Hillary Clinton rally Wednesday at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds started off with some botched national anthem lyrics, but the Democratic presidential candidate’s message was crystal clear.

In introducing Clinton, former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, state Rep. Chris Sgro and others promised a united party and country that, under a Clinton presidency, would rebuild the middle class, the nation’s infrastructure and the economy.

“Here in N.C., we put our stock in doers, not big talkers,” the 79-year-old Hunt said.

“Hillary Clinton is a doer. She doesn’t play a doer on TV like some …. she is a doer. And she fits our N.C. motto where we say ‘where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great.’ We can do that for America.”

Absent from the rally were two top-ofthe-ticket Democrats, Attorney General Roy Cooper and Deborah Ross, who are the Democratic challengers for governor and U.S. Senate, respectively. Clinton did give a nod to both, along with several other Democrats running for office.

Clinton’s 49-minute speech primarily addressed the economy, with the former secretary of state, senator and first lady taking aim at conservative economic thinking, infrastructure, the cost of higher education, stricter taxing of corporations and the rich, women’s wages, affordable childcare, and enacting polices that “match how you actually work and live in the 21st century.”

Much of Clinton’s speech focused on building: from building cohesion in the Democratic party after a contentious primary with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, to literally rebuilding America’s roads and bridges and, in doing so, helping restore the middle class.

Clinton promised to make the next generation of “good-paying jobs” a priority in her first 100 days in office.

“The heart of my plan will be the biggest investment in American infrastructure in decades,” she said.

Clinton pointed to her plan being a catalyst in rebuilding the middle class. It’s a plan, she said, her opponent Donald Trump does not have.

“He has no real strategy for creating jobs, just a string of empty promises,” she said of the presumptive Republican nominee.

Clinton was instroduced by Durham teacher Alicia Wilkerson, a mother of five, who spoke about how Clinton’s efforts helped shape her and assist her on her path to adulthood. Wilkerson was a beneficiary of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which assists families who cannot afford private insurance but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Wilkerson used the program, which Clinton has tak-

OPIOIDS from page A1 who told the North State Journal that the drug will cost about $125 for the nasal-delivered version of the drug and about $65 for the injectable version but that both should be covered by most private insurance companies and both will cost about $3 through Medicaid.

“Now anyone in North Carolina who’s concerned can go in and ask for this anonymously and have it available if they think the situation should arise,” Williams said. “It literally could be the difference between life and death for a loved one or an acquaintance.”

Williams highly recommends the nasal version of naloxone saying, although it costs more, it has over twice the half-life of the injection (2.5 hours for the spray, 1 hour for the injection) and is especially convenient for those averse to needles or those who may be panicked in an overdosing situation.

Williams said it’s especially important to note that the effects of many opioids will outlast the deterrence from any antagonists and that you should always call 911 in the situation of an overdose even if the naloxone recipient appears to be feeling better.

“The difference would be that sometimes, when you reverse people with the spray, after a short period of time if they have enough opioids on board they will revert back to respiratory repression,” Williams said. “That’s why we always emphasize that you should call 911.”

Law enforcement in the state has been carrying and utilizing naloxone on the job since the Good Samaritan Law was signed in 2013. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department alone has administered more than 600 doses since 2014. The number of lives saved by naloxone-reversed overdoses exceeded

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Hillary Clinton, presumptive Democratic nominee for president, speaks during a campaign event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds on June 22.

en credit for from back when husband Bill Clinton was president, to get insurance for her children.

Sgro, the recently appointed state representative (D-Greensboro), executive director of Equality NC, and the only openly gay member of the state legislature, also took aim at Trump during his brief remarks.

“I even heard he said the gays are with him. I have a message for him: we are with her,” he said in repeating one of Clinton’s campaign slogans.

Clinton also found time at the end of her speech to return fire at Trump, who has continued his “Crooked Hillary” theme in speeches and on social media.

“He’s going after me personally because he has no answers,” Clinton said.

Other than one person who chanted “Donald Trump” a few times during Clinton’s speech, the event was free of protests.

Four roadside protesters yelled and waved signs at cars at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road following the rally, but they were matched by four pro-Clinton counter-protesters.

For one North Carolina resident, who wished to only be known as Jane, the rally was one of the few places she felt politically comfortable. She only offered that she was from “a couple counties away” from Raleigh. Her experience highlights the divide in North Carolina — where Barack Obama won in 2008 but lost in 2012 — and why it is certain to be one of the general election’s battleground states.

“I would even be hesitant to wear a Hillary button in that county,” she said.

the number of overdose deaths in N.C. in 2015.

Eddie Caldwell, the executive vice president and general counsel for the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, said that although many in law enforcement have been carrying naloxone for a few years now, that they cannot be everywhere at once. He says this will help in situations where they cannot arrive in time, or in areas of the state where the local law enforcement agencies have not been funded to purchase the drug.

“Naloxone will save the life of someone that is about to die without adverse consequences,” Caldwell said.

“Saving lives is something that someone in public safety puts as the highest priority.”

Madeline Gray | north state journal

The first batch of Naloxone arrives at Hayes Barton Pharmacy in Raleigh.

Naloxone can be used in emergency situations to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

“This is one of the few places I can wear a Democrat pin.”

Many other attendees were converted Obama supporters who voted for the current president over Clinton back in the contentious 2008 Democratic primary, but have since joined the Clinton ranks, hoping to turn the “purple state” back to blue in November.

“I was an Obama supporter. That was a tough one,” Kadie Blackman, 26, of Raleigh said.

Blackman — who is originally from Asheville and was 18 when Obama ran the first time — said it is important for Clinton to deliver her platform, but she also has to show she won’t be bullied by Trump’s rhetoric.

“I think she has to do both,” Blackman said. “I think she definitely has to push back against Trump. But I definitely think she needs to stay on message, too. I think that smart people need to hear what she’s really about. That’s what makes her different from him.”

Barbara Clark of Raleigh preferred Clinton avoid engaging Trump in name-calling.

“I want her to stay on message, let someone else beat on the ground. ... We want her to rise above all that garbage,” Clark said.

Still, Clinton had some one-liners reserved for Trump in her closing remarks.

“We can’t let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos,” Clinton said. “We need to write a new chapter in the American dream, and it can’t be Chapter 11.”

map ACT from page A1 N.C. DOT to eventually purchase. Making matters worse, there was no time limit on the maps, nor was there any guarantee that a proposed corridor would actually be developed and landowners bought out.

This has placed the land of families like the Arnolds in a financial purgatory.

“Our problem is ‘When?’” said Winifred Arnold in an interview inside the log cabin that her husband built on the family farm. “[DOT says] we’re gonna do this in 2000; we’re gonna do this in 2002. It’s almost year by year. We can’t sell the property without telling people that, you know, the road maybe coming through.”

After years of dealing with the uncertainty and feeling their property rights had been violated, Winifred’s son, David Arnold, read in the newspaper about a family in Forsyth County who were dealing with the same issue. That family, the Kirbys, had had enough and were suing the DOT. David Arnold looked up the attorney taking the case, Matthew Bryant of the firm Hendrick, Bryant, Nerhood, Sanders and Otis in Winston-Salem, and called him to describe their situation, ultimately joining the suit.

“The right to own property is as old as the republic we live in,” said David Arnold. “You have the right to improve your property, subdivide it, build on it, or dispose of it if you choose. Those rights were taken away with no explanation other than, ‘You’re in the corridor, we’ll get to you at some point in time.’”

In Bryant, David Arnold may have found just the person to do something about it.

“When we told them they had the right to sue the state for what it has done to their property, their eyes just lit up,” Bryant said of the Arnolds and the hundreds of property owners who eventually joined the suit. “They passed a law with the intended consequence of stymieing entire areas of our state. No other state in the union imposes on its citizens what we imposed on these people.”

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the practice of considering race in college admissions, rejecting a white woman’s challenge to a University of Texas affirmative action program designed to boost the enrollment of minority students.

The court, in a 4-3 ruling written

by Justice Anthony Kennedy, decided in favor of the university in turning aside the conservative challenge to the policy, by saying that the consideration of race, while not allowed to be a quota, could be part of a holistic, total package approach to judging admissions. Justice Elena Kegan recused herself because she had been solicitor general during the early phases of the case.

The Supreme Court was for the second time weighing a challenge to the admissions system used by the University of Texas at Austin brought by Abigail Fisher, who was denied entry to the school for the fall of 2008. A ruling in favor of Fisher could have required that schools remove race considerations from the college admissions process. The UNC system has not responded to the decision and it is unclear how it might affect admission decisions in North Carolina.

SCOTUS deals a blow to Obama’s immigration policy The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked President Barack Obama’s plan to grant work permits to millions of illegal immigrants in order to spare them from deportation.

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Obama called the split 4-4 ruling “frustrating.”

The divided court decision reflected the respective justices’ conservative and liberal philosophical temperaments, on a case brought by 26 states, led by Texas, that sued to block Obama’s 2014 executive action on immigration that bypassed Congress. The states objected to a Department of Homeland Security directive that expanded deportation protections to include the parents of individuals brought to the U.S. illegally as minors.

The directive created DAPA, which keeps undocumented parents of citizens and residents with legal status from being deported. States objected that Obama didn’t send the change in immigration policy through the legislative process and a lower court agreed. The Supreme Court ruling wasn’t a full decision but simply read, “the judgment is affirmed by an equally divided Court.”

David Arnold was relieved to know someone was at least willing to fight for property owners like his mother and aunt.

“Most of the older generation believe the state was gonna take care of them. They were gonna treat their citizens with courtesy and respect and fairness, and that is not the case here,” he said. “They should be ashamed.”

Approaching her 90th birthday in October, Winifred Arnold still mows the lawn on the land. But she knows at her age it is not best to live alone, so she intends to move to Wilmington to live with her son.

However, finances dictate that they must sell their share of the farm to be able to afford an addition to the house for his mother to live in.

The Map Act dictates that a fair market price for their land is out of the question.

“We had an offer on the trailer park a few years back,” said David Arnold of a small section of the Arnold family’s land. “He offered exactly half of what the tax value was.

You know, that money is incredibly important to maybe living a better life.”

The indefinite nature of the corridor proposals is what bothers the Arnolds the most.

“There have been people that have literally died while this thing has been going on,” David Arnold said.

Bryant doesn’t think anyone should be subject to such uncertainty at the hands of the state. The N.C. Court of Appeals and, as of this month, the N.C. Supreme Court, agreed. The high court ruled unanimously in favor of the property owners and against the N.C. DOT. The state agency was represented by lawyers from the state Department of Justice, who defended the very law Attorney General Roy Cooper helped pass decades ago as a state representative.

“Your future should not be in the hands of a person at a desk that can’t see and can’t understand,” Bryant said. “That’s why we have the court system and it works.

Hopefully we’ve restored some faith in the system.”

the Sunday Sideline report

big rock

1. Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram go 1-2; a record 14 foreign-born players are picked in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft.

2. Rory McIlroy pulled out of the 2016 Olympics, citing Zika concerns.

3. Chicago Bulls traded former MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks for Jerian Grant, Robin Lopez and Jose Calderon.

4. Argentina bounced U.S. Men’s National Team in the Copa America semifinals with a 4-0 win.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers made NBA history coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to beat the Golden State Warriors.

@BoopStats: Ben Simmons is 2nd overall No. 1 since 1979 to not have played his final college game in NCAA Tournament (1998, Olowokandi) @McIlroyRory: This isn’t right for anyone on that golf course. If it was me I wouldn’t hit another shot until this farce was rectified.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE BIG ROCK TOURNAMENT!

The Ashley Lauren crew, captained by Mark Annis, at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, N.C. on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. !

SPORTS nba draft

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal

@MarcJSpearsESPN: Melo had his best years with talented PGs like Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson & Andre Miller. A healthy Derrick Rose is big lift for Melo.

ark Annis had no aspirations of making the leaderboard when he set out on the Ashley Lauren M in his first Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in 2006.

College BASKETBALL

NC State adds Markell Johnson for 2016 NC State picked up another player in what has quickly become a very promising offseason for Mark Gottfried’s squad, adding Johnson, who reclassified for 2016 and plans to enroll in Raleigh this fall.

The Wolfpack’s 2016 recruiting class is now ranked No. 7 in the country by both 247Sports. com and Scout.com.

NHL

Expansion team officially given to Las Vegas for 2017-18 Hockey is headed to Sin City as the league announced earlier in the week it was awarding an expansion team to Las Vegas in time for the 2017-18 season. The Las Vegas franchise — name still TBD, may we suggest Gamblers? — will be the first professional franchise in the gambling capital of America, signaling a major sea change in the way professional sports leagues approach sports betting.

NBA

LeBron plans return to Cleveland Despite rampant speculation about his future, LeBron James said straight from “the horse’s mouth” he plans on returning to Cleveland for the 2016-17 season after helping bring the Cavaliers their first championship and the first major professional sports title for Cleveland since 1964.

James has an opt-out in his contract and is expected to use it but could very well likely re-sign a similar deal with the Cavs this offseason due to the expected salary cap increase.

Annis family honors Ashley Lauren at Big Rock with win

Brad Penner | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Malachi Richardson (Syracuse) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-two overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.

Hornets draft pick Richardson won’t be around for long

By Brian Geisinger North State Journal hortly before the 2016 NBA Draft began Thursday S night, the Charlotte Hornets made what many will call a perplexing trade. The Hornets agreed to ship the No. 22 pick in this year’s draft, which would end up being Malachi Richardson of Syracuse, out west to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for shooting guard Marco Belinelli.

The story was first reported

by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Charlotte had to make the draft pick for Sacramento because the trade can’t go through until after July 1.

Belinelli is a good long-range shooter, especially from the corners, but he struggled in 2015-16 with the Kings. The Italian averaged 10.2 points and 1.9 assists,

with career-low numbers from the field (38.6 percent) and on 3-pointers (30.6 percent). He won a title in 2014 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, when he had a career-year and sizzled from the corners (44.4 percent).

It’s tough to figure what exactly the roster will look like come October, but Belinelli should be better than a season ago. The Kings were a hodgepodge of ill-fitting parts. They were also a total dumpster fire, and Belinelli drowned amongst those flames.

A nine-year veteran, Belinelli is under contract for the next two seasons. He will make $6.3 million next season, and $6.6 million in 2017-18. He’s well-traveled, too: the Hornets will be the seventh team Belinelli has played for. He’s a shooter, and you really can’t have enough of that skill on See nba, page B8

One decade later, the Ashley Lauren topped the podium with a 621.4-pound blue marlin.

“You can’t make that kind of stuff up,” Annis said.

“We’ve grown so much as a crew and don’t have the same budget as some of these other boats. So to pull that off means so “So backing into much to all of us.”

Big Rock Landing Having the Ashley Lauren atop the leaderboard was a dream of Annis and with a fish and his family for years. The boat was named taking the lead after his daughter, who passed away in 2005 of Krabbe Disease before the Ash- gave me such a ley Lauren set out for her first Big Rock sense of pride. voyage in 2006.

The crew saw the journey come full To have it hold circle in more than one way, with the Big that lead for Rock serving as its crowning achieve- the rest of the ment. While he wasn’t able to have his daughter there to celebrate, Annis made tournament was history by winning both the Keli Wagner a dream come Lady Angler (KWLA) Tournament and Big Rock with his wife and best friends true.” by his side.

Mark Annis “It’s really hard to explain how magical that whole experience was,” Annis said. “Obviously we were very lucky to get the bites and lucky to get the fish to the boat without any problems. We got so caught up in the moment, but made sure we did everything right on the boat and at the scales.”

See big rock, page B8

inside

Geoff Burke | USA TODAY SPORTS images

When the Washington Redskins hired Jay Gruden to be their ninth head coach since Joe Gibbs (including Gibbs again), no one was entirely sure he would be the answer in D.C. But two seasons into his tenure, the Redskins already have a division title and look like one of the NFC’s steadiest franchises. Sean Labar looks at how Gruden changed Washington. B6

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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NS J beyond the box score

06.26.16

potent quotables

NBA Finals

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers shut down the city with their championship parade on Wednesday. An estimated 1.3 million fans,

Ben Afleck: The actor and noted Boston Sports fan defended Tom Brady and the New England Patriots during a profanitylaced rant on Deflategate during the series premier of Bill Simmons’ new show, Any Given Wednesday, on HBO.

including dignitaries like Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, were in attendance to toast the 2016 NBA champions.

Ken Blaze | USA TODAY Sports

Tuffy II: NC State introduced Tuffy II, a Tamaskan puppy, as the next live mascot for the Wolfpack.

Cam Robinson: A Louisiana district attorney dropped drug and weapon charges against Alabama’s star offensive tackle.

USGA: Everyone from Tiger Woods to Rory McIlroy voiced their displeasure with the USGA’s handling of Dustin Johnson’s final round penalty in the U.S. Open.

Big 12: The Big 12 issued a statement in the wake of the Baylor scandal requesting that the school release all documents related to sexual assault investigations.

Messi: Lionel Messi had one incredible goal and two assists in Argentina’s win against the United States in the Copa American semifinals on Tuesday in Houston.

J.R. Smith: The Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard did not wear a shirt for any of the team’s celebrations in Oakland, Las Vegas or Cleveland after winning the NBA title.

“I’m not wearing a shirt. Don’t ask.”

Cavs guard J.R. Smith, who appeared shirtless after Cleveland won the NBA title, on showing up to the hometown parade without a shirt.

Aaron Josefczyk | Reuters

MLB

NC State

MMA

54 Number of years old Herschel Walker was when on Wednesday he announced he planned to compete in another mixed martial arts fight. deflategate

18 Number of f-words Ben Affleck used in a rant against the NFL for its decision to suspend Tom Brady four games during an appearance on Bill Simmons’ new HBO show, Any Given Wednesday.

Charles LeClaire | USA TODAY SPORTS images

nc state athletics

Former UNC catcher Jacob Stallings recorded his first Major League hit on Tuesday, an RBI double in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants.

Stallings, a Pittsburgh Pirate, is also the son of new Pittsburgh Panthers basketball coach Kevin Stallings.

NC State football unveiled throwback uniforms to honor the 50th anniversary of Carter-Finley Stadium. The diamond design, first introduced by Dick Sheridan in 1986, was worn by the Wolfpack for 14 seasons. NC State will wear the alternates against Notre Dame on Oct. 8.

U.S. Open

Charles LeClaire | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Dustin Johnson finally broke through with his first major victory in the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. Johnson could not avoid controversy, even in victory, as he was assessed a one-stroke penalty after the round.

The voice of North Carolina Politics

LIVE: Monday - Friday, 9am - 11am at ChadAdamsShow.com

Listen to the North State Journal every Monday on the Chad Adams Show

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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nfl

Ed Szczepanski | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Greg Olsen

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) can’t make a fingertip catch with Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris (25) defending in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.

keeps priorities straight amid busy offseason The North State Journal also spoke with Panthers team trainer Jennifer Brunellini about health in heat

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal reg Olsen is used to busy offseasons, but his G year has been especially soaked

up coming off a Super Bowl appearance and a season where he was the Carolina Panthers leading receiver.

Olsen played kickball with Kicks for a Cure, golfed at Quail Hollow Club and drove a pace car around Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Panthers tight end also found time to speak during the 12th Annual Gatorade Beat the Heat program, geared toward teaching the importance of hydration.

Olsen and Panthers Team Nutritionist Jennifer Brunellini spoke with the North State Journal about the program, Olsen’s hectic offseason and expectations for the upcoming season from the Offense Defense Summer Football Camp.

North State Journal: So what exactly does this program teach growing players?

Brunelli: It’s something that is so advantageous for young athletes that simply don’t know what they need to do when they come out and compete in full pads in the heat. Greg and I were able to speak to them about our experiences from two separate vantage points and really give them knowledge they might not gain from other venues. We want to make sure injury risk lowers and their bodies can respond in extreme heat.

What are your responsibilities with the Panthers?

North State Journal: After making the Super Bowl last season, how different has this offseason been for you?

Olsen: I think the biggest thing is there’s obviously a lot more expectations and eyeballs on you at all times. There are a lot more people who want a piece of you. Anytime you find success — individually or as a team — I think you see that happen. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of these things, but at the same time, you have to make sure you prepare and have your body right to make sure you’re ready for the battle of a 16-game season. It’s a good problem to have, I’ll say that.

How do you find time for yourself in your busy schedule during the offseason?

Oh, I always have plenty of time for myself and my family.

I don’t take [on] anything I don’t want to do or [that] takes away from my main priority — which is my family and football career. It helps that I don’t really have a lot of hobbies, so I choose to spend my time helping kids and hopefully making an impact in their lives.

You jokingly said earlier this offseason we’re seeing the “phase out” of Greg Olsen. How many years do you feel like you have left in the tank?

That’s a good question. I think, at this point in year 10, you

Jeremy Brevard | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Greg Olsen take it year by year. I feel pretty good and I try to take the best care of myself that I can. I’ll know when that time’s up. It’s definitely not right now, and I don’t see it happening any time in the too near future. As long as I can play at a high level, I’m gonna ride this thing until it’s done.

What was the feeling like at OTAs this year compared to last year?

Obviously there’s a lot more hype around the team and heightened expectations, but I think from an approach standpoint nothing can change.

We have to have that same head down approach we’ve had the last 4-5 years because it’s gotten us to this point. Staying that course is sometimes difficult when everyone is patting you on the back telling you how great you are, but I think we have the right guys to do that.

moments are and that nothing’s guaranteed. I think it changed our priorities and made me realize just how important family truly is when you find yourself in a situation like that.

It’s been incredible and a heck of a journey that has really put things in perspective for me.

He’s taught us more than we’ve taught him at this point.

Did you always want to play tight end growing up?

I didn’t play tight end until I got to high school. Growing up, I was always a running back until I realized I was too tall and skinny to do that a higher level.

(Laughs) My dad switched me over to tight end and here we are in the NFL still doing what I love.

Do you ever wish you were still playing running back?

After your son, T.J., battled through a heart defect in 2012, how did that change you both on and off the field?

No no no. I think I’d have to find another job if I had to rely on being a running back.

I don’t live in fantasy land and think I can make the cuts those guys do. I play tight end and let everybody else do their job.

It’s been an incredible learning experience for our entire family about just how precious those

What are your expectations for the Panthers this season?

Position: Panthers Tight End Age: 31 Hometown: Paterson, N.J. College: Miami Accolades: Two-time Pro Bowler (2014-15), SecondTeam All-Pro (2014-15), Ed Block Courage Award (2015), PFWA All-Rookie Team (2007)

I expect us to do well, of course. There’s no reason that we shouldn’t, but there’s still a lot of work that has to go on between now and then. We can’t just show up and have the same results as last year. That’s not how it works.

How important is the return of Kelvin Benjamin (back from a knee injury) for this team?

I think it’s crucial. Anytime you can get back a player that had such a huge impact like he did in 2014, it helps our team exponentially. Seeing him back out there gradually getting up to speed is huge for this organization. He looks great already, so it’ll be nice to see him back in training camp.

It’s grown tremendously. We went from in the last 4-5 years from four of us to 11, and it gets bigger every day around the NFL. I think partnering with an organization like Gatorade really gives me a chance to help young players learn why having more than just water is so important to being a great athlete. These guys are asked so much and put their bodies through the ringer. So to see them feel a difference from what we’re doing makes it all worth it.

How much have things changed for athletes across all levels with the knowledge and science that we have now in sports?

Oh, I mean Gatorade is at the forefront at all times. They give us the opportunity to assess what needs are and meet them.

We’re seeing the knowledge base really grow across all sports in the college and pro level, which gives us the opportunity to keep moving forward and makes our job better every day.

How busy is the offseason for a team nutritionist leading up to the fall?

We do a lot of bloodwork on athletes and make sure that we are giving them a regimen that is individually based for every player. There’s a lot of prep for massive quantities of eating in Spartanburg, S.C. going on right now. (Laughs) That really allows us to figure out what kinds of foods will benefit each individual and really allows us to narrow down their specific needs.

Greg Posi Age: Hom Colle Acco Pro ( Team

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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NBA 2016 Draft North State Journal staff

MADE THE DRAFT

Kevin Jairaj | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Robert Hanashiro | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Robert Deutsch | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Geoff Burke | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Marcus Paige

Brandon Ingram

Brice Johnson

Malcolm Brogdon

Michael Gbinije

Picked No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers Duke -Freshman - SF; 6-9 190 pounds PPG: 17.3 RPG: 6.8 APG: 2.0

Picked No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers North Carolina - Sr. - PF; 6-10 230 pounds PPG: 17.0 RPG: 10.4 APG: 1.5

Picked No. 36 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks Virginia - Sr. - SG; 6-5 215 pounds PPG: 18.2 RPG: 4.1 APG: 3.1

Picked No. 49 overall by the Detroit Pistons Syracuse - Sr. - SG 6-7 200 pounds PPG: 17.5 RPG: 4.1 APG: 4.3

Ingram, a freshman from Kinston, N.C. became the 21st lottery pick in Duke history when he was taken No. 2 overall by the Lakers. All of those lottery picks came under head coach Mike Krzyzewski and are NBA Draft records for both a school and a head coach.

“His best basketball is still ahead of him,” Krzyzewski said. “I have absolutely loved coaching Brandon because he is a no-maintenance player who loves and respects the game.

Ingram became the ninth one-and-done Duke freshman to be drafted. All nine went in the first round and eight were taken in the lottery. Duke has had five freshmen drafted in the last three years.

“He played in a, some would say, highly-respected program,” said Lakers GM and former Tar Heel Mitch Kupchak, tongue-in-cheek.

Ingram was expected to be one of the top two picks in the draft. Concerns over his size — he tipped the scales at about 190 pounds — was the only negative on his scouting report and likely allowed LSU freshman Ben Simmons to edge him out for the top spot.

Ryan Kelly, who finished his Duke career in 2013, played for the Lakers last year, but he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next week.

How He Fits: The Lakers are one of the youngest teams in the NBA. Following the retirement of Kobe Bryant, this team’s nucleus centers around two other lottery picks: Julius Randle (No. 7 in 2014) and D’Angelo Russell (No. 2 in 2015). Ingram seems like a lock to get buckets no matter what system you put him in, but he should function nicely under first-year coach Luke Walton’s motion offense. Ingram averaged 0.94 points per possession on isolation plays in Durham, which is darn good, and you can just envision him flying off pin-down screens for catch-and-shoot opportunities. The Lakers will be bad again next year, and they owe their 2017 first round pick to Philadelphia. But with Ingram in the mix, they can officially move forward on this rebuild.

If Jordan Clarkson leaves in free agency, don’t be surprised to see Kinston’s finest lead the Lake Show in scoring.

Because Johnson stayed at UNC for all four seasons, the Tar Heels’ big man is one of the older players in this year’s draft. But the 25th pick flourished in his final season with the Tar Heels, broke out into a consistently dominant player, bolstered his draft stock and helped his team advance to the national championship game.

Johnson was UNC’s first consensus first team All-American since 2009 after posting 17 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in his senior season.

Johnson finally became a force in the paint, leading the ACC in double-doubles with 23.

With 416 rebounds, Johnson also broke Tyler Hansbrough’s UNC single-season record, and he became the first Tar Heel to put up 600 points, 400 rebounds, 50 blocks, 40 steals and a FG percentage of .600 in a season.

With the pick, the Orangeburg, S.C. native became the 47th Tar Heel selected in the first round. Johnson joins a big

crew of ACC alums playing for the Clippers including Wake Forest’s Chris Paul and Duke’s Austin Rivers and J.J. Redick.

How He Fits: Johnson is one of the most NBA-ready players entering the league this summer, and he gets rewarded with the job of playing next to Chris Paul. Johnson is a monster rebounder, a skill that translates well into the pro circuit, and he has a turnaround jumper that should function as his go-to move in half-court sets. Johnson can also fly for a big guy. He will run the floor, fill lanes and get easy buckets off dishes from CP3.

The Clippers may be at a fork in the road this summer, though. They’re an amazing offensive team, and their four best players are all under contract, but they’re clearly a step below the Western Conference’s elite: Golden State, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

It’s possible Doc Rivers could shake up this roster before next season.

Though Malcolm Brogdon isn’t as flashy as some of the other prospects in this year’s draft, the former Virginia guard is a mature and stable pick fo r the Bucks. An efficient player, Brogdon was a big part of Virginia’s success last season as he could both distribute the ball and knock down his own shots. The Atlanta native finished his career as UVA’s ninth all-time leading scorer and was a first-team All-American after his senior season.

Against Miami, and George Washington last season, Brogdon put up a career-high 28 points, and he scored at least 20 points in 18 games.

He averaged a career-high 18.2 points per game and became the first player to be named both the 2015-16 ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He helped the Cavaliers hold opponents to an ACC-low 59.6 points per game. The Bucks aren’t getting a player that will posterize opponents, but his athleticism and efficiency make him a solid NBA prospect.

How he fits: Brogdon is a lockdown defender who can pass it and play multiple spots on the floor, which means he’ll fit Jason Kidd’s vision for a positionless utopia nicely. The Bucks have a young roster filled with a collection of longarmed freaks, including one of the Greek variety: Giannis Antetokounmpo, a 6-11 bundle of pipe cleaners and liquorice and fast-twitched muscle fibers. The former Cavalier isn’t a sniper from the perimeter, but he’s a good shooter, and that’s something Milwaukee desperately needs. The Bucks finished dead last in the league in three-point attempts and makes. If Brogdon can become a consistent perimeter shooter, he will make a lot of money playing in the NBA. Second round picks don’t always make the final roster, but Brogdon, 23, is a highly regarded prospect, and could be ready to play on opening night. Guards O.J. Mayo, Greivis Vasquez and Jerryd Bayless are all headed into unrestricted free agency, which could certainly improve Brogdon’s chances of carving out a niche on this squad.

When Michael Gbinije made the decision to transfer away from Duke, people thought he was pretty crazy.

Though he wasn’t an impact player in his first season and his playing time would’ve been limited with talented incoming freshman classes, Gbinije left a Duke team that eventually ended up with a national championship in what would’ve been his senior season. But the decision paid off for Gbinije when he led Syracuse to an improbable Final Four appearance, and was even further solidified when he was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 49th pick Thursday night. With the pick, the Pistons made Gbinije only the second player to be drafted after transferring from Duke. The first was Eliot Williams, drafted in the first round of the 2010 draft.

Gbinije thrived at Syracuse, averaging 17.5 points per game and knocking down 91 of 232 attempted 3-pointers last season. Named to both first team

UNDRAFTED PLAYERS

Bob Donnan | USA TODAY SPORTS images

All-ACC and All-ACC defensive team, the THIS height wing is a well rounded player. Though he’s typically listed as a wing, Gbinije is a versatile player capable of also playing point guard and small forward.

How He Fits: Gbinije, selected

by Detroit at No. 49 overall, just turned 24 years-old. The 6-7 guard, who started his college career at Duke before transferring to Syracuse, is rangy and a quality shooter.

He’s older than a lot of NBA players, which means he has a chance to contribute right away for Stan Van Gundy’s Pistons. Detroit ran more pick-and-rolls than almost any other team in the NBA last season. If Gbinije’s shooting translates, and if he proves he can play point guard, a spot may open up for him in the rotation. Reggie Jackson is locked in as the team’s starting point guard, but veteran Steve Blake is a free agent.

This is Gbinije’s opportunity.

Picked No. 55 overall by the Brooklyn Nets North Carolina - Sr. - PG; 6-2 175 pounds PPG: 12.6 RPG: 2.5 APG: 3.8 Just before midnight Thursday night, Marcus Paige got a phone call from the Utah Jazz by way of the Brooklyn Nets’ 55th pick to make for the biggest surprise — at least locally — in the 2016 NBA draft.

Though Paige was a leader throughout his four years at UNC, he lacked the size to be a big time NBA prospect. The 6-2 point guard had a standout sophomore campaign, including a career-high 35 points and seven 3-pointers in a win against N.C. State. He averaged 17.5 points per game and led the ACC in free throw percentage. Injuries kept him from repeating and growing the success of his sophomore season, but Paige returned closer to that form in his senior season and finished with 1,844 career points and a school record 299 3-pointers. What he lacks in size, Paige more than makes up for in basketball acumen and leadership. As the first three-time team captain in program history and fourtime team defensive player of the year, Paige possesses the hustle necessary to make it on an NBA roster. The Jazz have

a deep point guard rotation and Paige will need all of that hustle to crack the rotation.

How He Fits: The day before

the NBA Draft took place, the Utah Jazz were involved in a three-team trade with Atlanta and Indiana. In the transaction, Utah acquired veteran point guard George Hill from the Pacers. Hill is a defensive maven and a great three-point shooter, especially from the corners. He will be the team’s starting point guard, and function as a secondary creator along with primary ball-handlers Gordon Hayward and former Duke star Rodney Hood.

Beyond Hill, Utah has three other point guards on their roster under contract for next season: Dante Exum, the No. 5 pick in 2014 who is coming off a torn ACL, Shelvin Mack and Raul Neto, who played in 81 games last season. Paige is a good shooter and a capable distributor out of pick-and-roll action, but a crowded backcourt in Utah will complicate the former Tar Heel’s initial foray into the league.

ALL UNDRAFTED TEAM

Anthony (Cat) Barber

Marshall Plumlee

NC State - Jr. - PG; 6-2 190 pounds PPG: 23.5 RPG: 4.6 APG: 4.5

Duke - Sr. - C; 7-0 250 pounds PPG: 8.3 RPG: 8.6 APG: 1.1 BPG: 1.6

For the second year in a row, an All-ACC guard left NC State with a year of eligibility remaining and then went undrafted (Trevor Lacey being 2015’s example). Sixty players were drafted on Thursday night, and none of them were named Cat Barber.

Look, we all know Cat can ball. He was spectacular during his junior season in Raleigh, when he averaged a ridiculous 23.5 points per game.

Barber is an jet with the ball in his hands, and he was one of the fastest players in the draft pool.

However, questions and concerns over his size, build and passing loom.

Going undrafted is disheartening, but it’s not exactly the worst thing for Cat’s pro prospects.

Barber worked out for a lot of teams leading up to the draft, which could help his case, too. There’s a chance he can catch on with a roster as an undrafted free agent. Plenty of quality players find their way into the league by going this route ­— think Jeremy Lin or Ish Smith. Barber’s lack of a 3-point shot hurts, but if he can play pick-and-roll, then he can find work in the league.

Duke center Marshall Plumlee wasn’t selected in the 2016 NBA Draft. The redshirt senior showed remarkable improvement during his time at Duke, improving his scoring from 2.2 points per game as a junior to 8.3 last season. His rebounds showed a similar jump, from 2.4 to 8.6.

The 7-foot, 250-pounder led the Blue Devils on the court and showed effort and intensity around the basket. He had several visits during the pre-draft evaluation process, including workouts for the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers.

Plumlee will likely get a look in summer league and training camp from some NBA team. His older brothers are both in the NBA: Miles is a forward for the Bucks, and Mason starts for Portland. In addition to his family connections, several current and former Blue Devil teammates were outspoken on social media about Plumlee’s NBA readiness, including Amile Jefferson and Justise Winslow.

Plumlee also plans to pursue a career in the military. He went through Army ROTC training while in college and plans to serve in the reserves. The Army allowed him to put off any commitments until after his professional basketball career, however.

Rob Kinnan | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Cat Barber was far from the only big name who didn’t get a call on NBA Draft night.

In fact, a starting five can be made of undrafted players who made All-America teams.

Kansas forward Perry Ellis was named a second-team AllAmerican by the AP, the NABC, CBSSports.com and USA Today.

Robert Hanashiro | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Like Ellis, Iowa power forward Jarrod Uthoff was a consensus second-teamer.

The USBWA and Sporting News had him on the second team, while the AP, NABC and USA Today had him on the third team.

Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell was a third-teamer on the AP and NABC AllAmerica squads, as well as CBS. USA Today had him as a secondteamer.

Point guard Fred VanVleet was one of the keys to Wichita State’s ascension to one of the top teams in the nation in 2014.

As a sophomore, VanVleet was named third-team AllAmerican by The Sporting News and NABC.

In 2015, Gonzaga sharpshooter Kyle Wiltjer was a consensus second-team AllAmerican. Like Van Vleet, the former Kentucky wildcat wasn’t named to an AllAmerica team as a senior.

Cat wasn’t the only top ACC player to be snubbed by the NBA, either. All-ACC second teamers Sheldon McClellan (Miami) and Damion Lee (Louisville) also went undrafted, as did third teamers Marcus Georges-Hunt (Georgia Tech), Anthony Gill (Virginia), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame) and Angel Rodriguez (Miami).

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

B6 redskins

Jay Gruden more than a stop-gap coach in Washington

By Sean Labar North State Journal hen the Redskins hired Jay Gruden two seasons ago, W reaction was mixed. He had the

pedigree both familial — as the brother of Super Bowl winning coach Jon — and in terms of his actual résumé. The younger Gruden developed an explosive offense in Cincinnati, helping morph Andy Dalton from average to an upper-tier quarterback.

Gruden’s football acumen wasn’t an issue, but as a first-year head coach taking over a team with depleted resources and a nightmare-ish quarterback situation in one of the toughest markets in America, nothing was guaranteed. Gruden was the ninth head coach hired by Dan Snyder since Joe Gibbs departed, including a second tenure from Gibbs himself.

In short, Gruden’s hiring wasn’t a major splash. But like any change in the nation’s capital, hope and promise lingered.

Gruden struggled in his first season. He inherited a situation in which Robert Griffin III consumed most major decisions.

Griffin struggled mightily, and it reflected on the coaching staff.

The Skins finished 2014 with a (4-12) record and Washington fans began to wonder if this was just another failed attempt to rejuvenate the franchise. A oneyear run for Gruden wasn’t out of the question.

The start of the 2015 campaign became a turning point.

Empowered by the front office and GM Scot McCloughan,

Gruden reversed his offseason course and named Kirk Cousins starter for the entire season.

Griffin was given third-string duty and the second-year head coach sent a message to the locker room and the fan base with one swift move.

He was there to win. And the best players would see the field, no matter how many of their jerseys were sold in the swanky team stores lining Fed Ex Field.

This move likely saved Gruden’s career. Out of nowhere, the Redskins were moving in the right direction.

A 9-7 record, capped with an NFC East division crown and a home playoff game was one of the biggest surprises of the 2015 season. It ranked right behind “Kirk Cousins leads the NFL in completion percentage” in terms of shock factor. Ask anyone around the organization — a drastic change took place.

“I love Jay to death,” Redskins’ Pro Bowl right tackle Trent Williams said recently. “He’s a great coach and a great players coach, but at the same time you can see him getting comfortable in the role where he will stop practice and get on you.

“You understand that he’s a player’s coach, but we have to respect his opinion at this time and know that we need to pick up whatever he says we need to do. He gets the message across, and as grown men, we need to do that. He’s come a long way just like anybody else, the more experience you get at the position, the better off you are. We can definitely see the growth in him

Geoff Burke | USA TODAY SPORTS images

as well.”

No offense to Mike Shanahan, Jim Zorn or even Marty Schottenheimer, but the best players on the squad weren’t gushing about most former Redskins coaches in recent history. Gibbs was the exception. They loved Gibbs, and love Gruden.

That’s not to compare Gruden to the Hall of Fame coach. He’s got his own style, but it’s a style that fits a former player and a young coach who understands the art of smart, modern coaching. It isn’t uncommon to see Gruden scrapping as a defensive back during passing drills, or smashing into linemen in the

trenches during practice. These are the kind of things Pete Carroll does in Seattle. This is the relationship Bruce Arians has with his players in Arizona.

If Cousins has a dreadful 2016 season and Washington plummets to the bottom of the NFC East, Gruden could easily be back on the chopping block. But every NFL coach knows they’re the owners of year-to-year jobs.

It’s just the nature of the beast.

Washington’s offseason continues to focus on the progression of Cousins. But it’s important to note Gruden developed an offense designed to set quarterbacks up for success. He

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden stands on the field during day one of minicamp at Redskins Park.

handed the second-year starter an offensive coordinator in Sean McVay who is quietly regarded as one of the best X’s and O’s guy in the building. He brought in a quarterbacks coach in Matt Cavanaugh who was responsible for bringing out the best in Bears QB Jay Cutler and helping mold Joe Flacco.

Gruden has a long way to go.

The NFL is a fickle beast. But he’s made all the right moves thus far, and another winning season may set Washington up for some long-term stability, something that felt unreachable just a few seasons ago.

NHL

Canes kick off 2016-17 with six-game road swing

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal ALEIGH — The NHL released its 2016-17 schedule R Tuesday, and the Carolina

Hurricanes open with six games on the road before making their home debut Oct. 28 vs. the New York Rangers.

The opening road trip will include four straight in Canada to start the regular season: Oct. 13 at Winnipeg, Oct. 16 at Vancouver, Oct. 18 at Edmonton and Oct. 20 at Calgary. All four teams missed the playoffs last season.

Carolina has two five-game home stands (Nov. 10-20 and Feb. 17-26) and plays 16 back-toback games, including closing the campaign with a home game vs.

St. Louis and the season finale at Philadelphia.

Carolina has 11 Friday home games, 10 of which will be at a 7:30 p.m. start time (compared to the normal 7 p.m. puck drop), and 26 of the team’s 41 home dates fall on Friday, Saturday and

Sunday. The Hurricanes’ five-day break in the schedule — brokered between the league and player’s association as part of the agreement to move to 3-on-3 overtime hockey last season — will come Feb. 12-16.

• December will provide a big test for Carolina. The month opens with roads games against two Original Six foes (Dec. 1 at Boston, Dec. 3 at Rangers), a home tilt with Tampa Bay on Dec. 4, then a three-games-in-four-days road gauntlet in California (Dec. 7 at Anaheim, Dec. 8 at Los Angeles, Dec. 10 at San Jose). Four home games in the middle of the month give Carolina a chance to catch its breath, but road games in Pittsburgh (Dec. 28) and Tampa Bay (Dec. 31) sandwich a home matchup with Chicago (Dec. 30) to close out 2016.

• If you like seeing top-end talent, February is the month to watch the Hurricanes. Carolina begins the month hosting Edmonton

vs. Toronto), Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury (Feb. 21 vs.

Pittsburgh), and Aaron Ekblad (Feb. 28 at Florida). Toss in former second overall pick Tyler Seguin (Feb. 11 at Dallas) and the possibility of 2008 top pick Steven Stamkos bolting Tampa Bay for a new destination (Toronto?), and Carolina’s young defense will get a workout against some of the game’s most talented players.

James Guillory | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters (C) looks on from behind the bench against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at PNC Arena. The Canadiens won 4-2.

(Feb. 3), a team that, as of before Friday’s draft, boasts four of the last six first overall picks.

They then face other former No. 1 selections John Tavares (Feb.

4 at Islanders), Alex Ovechkin (Feb. 7 at Washington), Nathan McKinnon (Feb. 17 vs. Colorado), expected 2016 first overall pick Auston Matthews (Feb. 19

• For the old-school hockey fan, the Canes and Islanders will return to the halcyon days of the NHL with a true home-and-home set on March 13-14. Carolina plays in Brooklyn Monday before returning home to host the Isles the following night. With Carolina hoping to climb the standings, it’s a pair of games that could have significant playoff and seeding implications late in the season. A Metropolitan Division matchup in the midst of the playoff chase could make for a postseason-like atmosphere, especially for the March 14 game in Raleigh.

Carolina Hurricanes 2016-2017 regular season schedule Day Date Thu. Oct. 13 Sun. Oct. 16 Tue. Oct. 18 Thu. Oct. 20 Sat. Oct. 22 Tue. Oct. 25 Fri. Oct. 28 Sun. Oct. 30 Tue. Nov. 1 Sat. Nov. 5 Sun. Nov. 6 Tue. Nov. 8 Thu. Nov. 10 Sat. Nov. 12 Tue. Nov. 15 Fri. Nov. 18 Sun. Nov. 20 Tue. Nov. 22 Thu. Nov. 24 Sat. Nov. 26 Sun. Nov. 27 Tue. Nov. 29 Thu. Dec. 1 Sat. Dec. 3 Sun. Dec. 4 Wed. Dec. 7 Thu. Dec. 8 Sat. Dec. 10

Opponent Time at Winnipeg 8 p.m. at Vancouver 10 p.m. at Edmonton 9 p.m. at Calgary 9 p.m. at Philadelphia 7 p.m. at Detroit 7:30 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers 7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia 5 p.m. at Ottawa 7:30 p.m. at Nashville 8 p.m.

New Jersey 6 p.m. at New Jersey 7 p.m.

Anaheim 7 p.m.

Washington 7 p.m.

San Jose 7 p.m.

Montreal 7:30 p.m.

Winnipeg 5 p.m. at Toronto 7 p.m. at Montreal 7:30 p.m. at Ottawa 7 p.m.

Florida 6 p.m. at N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. at Boston 7 p.m. at N.Y. Rangers 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay 5 p.m. at Anaheim 10:30 p.m. at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. at San Jose 10:30 p.m.

Day Date Tue. Dec. 13 Fri. Dec. 16 Sat. Dec. 17 Mon. Dec. 19 Thu. Dec. 22 Fri. Dec. 23 Wed. Dec. 28 Fri. Dec. 30 Sat. Dec. 31 Tue. Jan. 3 Thu. Jan. 5 Fri. Jan. 6 Sun. Jan. 8 Tue. Jan. 10 Fri. Jan. 13 Sat. Jan. 14 Tue. Jan. 17 Fri. Jan. 20 Sat. Jan. 21 Mon. Jan. 23 Thu. Jan. 26 Sat.-Sun. Jan. 28-29 Tue. Jan. 31 Fri. Feb. 3 Sat. Feb. 4 Tue. Feb. 7 Sat. Feb. 11 Fri. Feb. 17

Opponent Time Vancouver 7 p.m.

Washington 7:30 p.m.

Buffalo 7 p.m.

Detroit 7 p.m. at Buffalo 7 p.m.

Boston 7:30 p.m. at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.

Chicago 7:30 p.m. at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.

New Jersey 7 p.m. at St. Louis 8 p.m. at Chicago 8:30 p.m.

Boston 5 p.m.

Columbus 7 p.m.

Buffalo 7:30 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders 8 p.m. at Columbus 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh 7 p.m. at Columbus 5 p.m. at Washington 7 p.m.

Los Angeles 7 p.m.

NHL All-Star Weekend, Los Angeles Philadelphia 7 p.m.

Edmonton 7:30 p.m. at N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m. at Washington 7 p.m. at Dallas 2 p.m.

Colorado 7:30 p.m.

Day Date Sun. Feb. 19 Tue. Feb. 21 Fri. Feb. 24 Sun. Feb. 26 Tue. Feb. 28 Wed. March 1 Fri. March 3 Sun. March 5 Tue. March 7 Thu. March 9 Sat. March 11 Mon. March 13 Tue. March 14 Thu. March 16 Sat. March 18 Sun. March 19 Tue. March 21 Thu. March 23 Sat. March 25 Tue. March 28 Thu. March 30 Sat. April 1 Sun. April 2 Tue. April 4 Thu. April 6 Sat. April 8 Sun. April 9 *home games are in bold

Opponent Time Toronto 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh 7 p.m.

Ottawa 7:30 p.m.

Calgary 3 p.m. at Florida 7:30 p.m. at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.

Arizona 7:30 p.m. at Arizona 8:30 p.m. at Colorado 9 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m.

Toronto 7 p.m. at N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m.

Minnesota 7 p.m.

Nashville 7 p.m. at Philadelphia 7 p.m. at Florida 7:30 p.m. at Montreal 7:30 p.m. at New Jersey 7 p.m.

Detroit 7 p.m.

Columbus 7 p.m.

Dallas 7 p.m. at Pittsburgh 5 p.m. at Minnesota 8 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m.

St. Louis 7 p.m. at Philadelphia 7 p.m.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

B7

MLB

Raleigh’s bishop keeping an eye on the Cubs

By Shawn Krest North State Journal rigley Field, with its ivy-covered walls and a W history dating back to the early

20th century, is considered one of baseball’s cathedrals. In April, Chicago Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur soaked in baseball religion along the baseline when he was introduced to fans at the team’s home opener.

A few days earlier, and 800 miles to the southeast, Szczur’s cousin stood on the altar of a real cathedral, leading Holy Week Mass.

The red-hot Cubs own the best record in baseball. This season offers them a tremendous shot at making their first World Series since 1945 and potentially snapping a 108-year title drought.

The team has endured more than a century of losing baseball and many believe the Cubs are a cursed franchise.

The Cubs showed signs of progress last year, winning 97 games and advancing to the National League Championship Series.

This year, thanks to young bats like defending Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant and a strong pitching staff led by Jake Arrieta, the team has a nearly 10-game edge on the National League Central and a .671 winning percentage.

But superstitious Cub fans may point to another reason for the team’s success, especially since the rebirth coincided with adding connections to the highest level of the Catholic Church.

“My first cousin is Matt’s mom,” says Michael Burbidge, the Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh. “His mom and I grew up together in Philadelphia.”

Szcur’s family moved to Cape May, New Jersey, down the shore from Philly, but he returned to the City of Brotherly Love to play football and baseball at Villanova, Burbidge’s alma mater.

“My dad, my brother, my family all followed him and watched his games in college,” Burbidge said. “My cousins. All of them were there.”

Burbidge himself was busy pursing his career in the Catholic Church and didn’t get to watch as much baseball as he’d like at the

Matt Marton | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Chicago Cubs left fielder Matt Szczur (20) hits a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Wrigley Field.

time. For someone who grew up with the sport, it was a tough sacrifice to make.

“I played baseball growing up,” Burbidge says. “But more interesting than that, I was an umpire.”

For several summers, the future priest and bishop called balls and strikes, working his way up through youth leagues and considering it for a career path.

“I was an umpire, actually, until two years before becoming a priest,” he says. “I actually thought I was going to be an umpire — for real. I was going to go to umpiring school and all that stuff.”

“Being an ump helped me to be a good bishop,” Burbridge adds with a grin. “Because I still make close calls, and I still get booed.

So I’m used to it.”

Burbidge eventually chose the cloth, although he says he really didn’t have much of a choice.

“I just knew that (umpiring) was not going to give me the happiness I was looking for,” he says.

“When the Lord wants you, he’s relentless. I couldn’t stop thinking about being a priest, so I thought I’d try it. I went to seminary, and I’ve been a priest for more than 30 years.”

Burbidge still occasionally pulls the blue umpiring shirt out of mothballs. He’s served as guest umpire for seminary softball games.

“He’s also reffed pickup basketball games at the seminary,” says Ken Tanner, a church worker who also did radio play-by-play for the Durham Bulls for several seasons.

Other than that, his sports

fix comes from following Szczur, who is technically his first cousin once removed. The family bond has helped him to shift baseball loyalties.

“I was always a big Phillies fan and big Eagles fan,” he says. “That was my childhood. I went to Connie Mack Stadium, Veterans Stadium, the new ballpark. My dad and I had season seats for the Eagles for 20 years.”

Now it’s all Cubs for the bishop, however.

“Everyone in the diocese office is a Cubs fan,” Tanner says.

Szczur has served as a reserve outfielder each of the last two years, although he’s had a few moments in the sun this year.

“He’s having a good year,” Bishop Burbidge says. “He’s hit some key home runs, and he’s doing very well.”

On April 6, just after Villanova beat UNC on a buzzer beater in the National Championship Game, manager Joe Maddon decided to play the hot hand and give Villanova alum Szczur a rare start, in honor of the win. Szczur responded with two hits, including a solo home run.

“He loves the manager (Maddon),” Burbidge says. “It’s a young team. He seems really happy, and we’re happy for him, because you know, it’s not an easy life for these guys to work their way up.”

Having worked his own way up, along an equally challenging path, Burbidge would know.

The only thing he’s not sure of is just how much help he’ll be in exorcising the Cubs’ curse.

“I don’t think I can do much,” he says. “I think they might need some more prayers.”

MLB

Bulls to bigs: Brian Snitker’s first month on the job

By Shawn Krest North State Journal rian Snitker looked at his lineup card and couldn’t B believe his eyes. He couldn’t

remember the last time he had so many names to choose from.

“Shoot,” he recalled, “I had five extra players the first game I managed here. I had a full bullpen. I’m used to having two relievers and maybe one guy extra on the bench.”

The date was May 17, and Snitker had just taken over as the Braves’ interim manager, following the firing of Fredi Gonzalez.

Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur described his new manager as a “Braves lifer”. He should know. Francoeur is in his twelfth Major League season, playing for his seventh big-league team. He played for Snitker at Double-A Greenville in 2004 and Mississippi in 2005.

The Braves first acquired Snitker, then a minor league catcher, during the 1977 season.

In his 40th year with the organization, 29 of them spent in the minor leagues, Snitker had finally gotten his shot to manage the major league club.

From 1982 to 2016, Snitker managed 2,610 minor league games for the Braves. He’d led a team at every level from Rookie League to Triple-A. His resume looks like a traveling salesman’s itinerary through the deep south — Anderson, Sumpter, Macon, Danville, Myrtle Beach, Richmond and, for three seasons, Durham.

Snitker managed the Bulls in 1983 and 1984. Then, after a brief stint as major league bullpen coach for Atlanta and a year with the Braves’ Sally League

team, he returned to Durham in 1987.

“Oh man, just the energy of that ballpark. They hadn’t moved yet (from the DAP to the DBAP),” Snitker said. “That old ballpark was just unbelievable. That was like baseball back in the day.

And the fans were so energized.

It was a young crowd that just came out to have a good time.”

“I went back and had lunch with (Bulls owner) Jim Goodmon earlier this year. It was just really good to see him and Matt West, who used to managed there and pitched for me. We all went out to lunch and just talked about the past.”

Twenty nine years after managing the Bulls, and shortly after his reunion lunch in Durham, Snitker joined a rare club. The Bulls have had 52 managers over their history. Only five have gone on to manage at the major league level. Snitker is the first since Grady Little, who replaced Snitker as Bulls manager, left the big league dugout in 2007. (Charlie Metro, Frank Skaff and Johnny Pesky, who all managed Durham in the 1950s, are the other Bullsto-bigs managers.)

Looking back after his first month on the job with Atlanta, Snitker said, “I’m a 60-year-old rookie, pretty much. I’m just learning the league and how to do things here.”

“I really didn’t have any expectations, because I really wasn’t prepared to take this job,until it came,” he added. “So it really hit me right off the bat. It’s a different routine than I’m used to.

Every level, when you go from rookie league to managing A ball to Double-A, all the way up the ladder, there’s always going to be changes. You’ve just got to get

Brett Davis | USA TODAY SPORTS images

used to the routines.”

The majors aren’t entirely new to Snitker. In addition to his 1985 stint as bullpen coach, he spent 1988 to 1990 in the same role. From 2007 until 2013, he coached third base for the Braves. Still, there’s a difference between coaching and managing.

“I’ve been up here 11 years,” he said, “but coaching, you focus on your job, not the total thing, like what’s going on now.”

More than two years removed from the major leagues, the biggest adjustment for Snitker is in learning personnel.

“I don’t really know the league as well as I’d like to yet,” he said.

“Bobby Cox told me, ‘You’ve just got to go around the league a couple times, and then you’ll feel a little more comfortable.’ “ As Snitker noticed on his first

day, he has a full complement of players to manage, unlike other levels, where managers often find themselves short-handed due to last-minute roster moves.

Snitker also needed to get used to National League baseball, since most of his games in the minor leagues had a designated hitter. The biggest adjustment, however, was in the sheer size of the organization he was managing.

“You’re just so much more involved in everything here,” he said. “Just the total day in and day out workings of everything.

You’ve got to deal with the media every day. It’s such a bigger scope. Every little thing is a big thing here.”

Having familiar faces around has helped with the adjustment.

Nineteen players on the Braves’ current 25-man roster previous-

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker (43) in the dugout before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Turner Field.

ly played for Snitker in the minor leagues.

“I mean that first day, in Pittsburgh, I addressed the team,” Snitker said. “I looked around the room and said, ‘Most of you guys have heard this before.’

I have had a lot of these guys.

They’ve all been great.”

Snitker doesn’t know if he’ll get the “interim” removed from his title or if he’ll be back in the minor leagues again after this season. In the meantime, he’s got plenty to worry about without pondering his long-term future.

“The whole game is different, more involved,” he said. “There are a lot more moving parts than in the minor leagues. Everything in the minors is a lot more simple, that’s for sure.

“It’s just one of those things where the more I do it, the better I’ll get.”

B8

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

Big rock from page B1 Finding the “Big One” Annis and the Ashley Lauren crew fought for nearly two hours before finally boating the mammoth blue marlin. Measuring at 119 inches, the marlin easily surpassed the 110-inch minimum.

However, Annis had no idea how his crew’s huge catch would weigh in once they reached the scales.

The 621.4-pound catch was shocking for even Annis, but it came so early in the tournament that he was still nervous.

On Friday, the final fishing day for the Ashley Lauren, two 500plus pound blue marlins were weighed by the Dawg Catcher and Viking 72.

“We knew we had already done all we could do,” Annis said. “It was out of our control by that point. But we were anxious on Friday just listening to what other boats were doing. Everyone was tense and had knots in our stomachs.

“That’s the least amount I’ve ever talked on a boat.”

Phillips echoed Annis’ emotions during the four days of competition after making the huge catch on Tuesday.

“I (didn’t) want to get ahead of myself because the tournament wasn’t over,” Phillips told reporters after the win. “Plus, I’m superstitious.”

Offshore fishing started as a hobby for Annis after finishing his wrestling career at NC State under head coach Bob Guzzo.

Annis qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 1988 and 1989 in the 118-pound division, but says he has since bulked up as an offshore fisherman.

While he was an athlete in other sports most of his life, Annis grew up dreaming of simply participating in the Big Rock Tournament. Winning it? That was an experience he never imagined.

“I grew up as a kid going down at my Uncle’s trailer watching the boats go out for this tournament,” Annis said. “So backing into Big Rock Landing with a fish and taking the lead gave me such a sense of pride. To have it hold that lead for the rest of the tournament was a dream come true.”

Images courtesy of the big rock tournament

The Ashley Lauren crew is introduced as the No. 1 team on the Big Rock Leaderboard during the second day of the competition.

“All I can ever do is think about her. It really feels like she’s a part of the boat. Seeing her name each time we go out is a reminder of how strong she was.”

Mark Annis

Keeping the team together Prior to heading to NC State, Annis met his wife, Kim, and current Ashley Lauren angler Doug Phillips at Garner High School — where they all three graduated in 1984. Kim released the second blue marlin to win the KWLA while the 621.4-pound blue marlin was reeled in by Phillips.

Mark and Kim currently live in Clayton while Phillips still resides in Garner. After 10 years of fishing with his wife and close friend, it was fitting for Annis to see both share the glory.

“Doug’s a big guy who’s worked outside all his life, but I’ll dare say that was a test of his

nba from page B1 your roster, but the trade is confusing.

On the surface, it looks as though Charlotte’s front office was hedging bets against what Courtney Lee — their starting shooting guard for the final 28 games and the playoffs last season, following a midseason trade with Memphis — will look for in unrestricted free agency.

A move to the Eastern Conference and Charlotte could help Marco, especially when you factor in getting to play alongside point guard Kemba Walker. He’s a minus defender, but Steve Clifford has a way of cobbling together a top-10 defense no matter the roster. On offense, though, where the Hornets like to pass it and chuck threes, he can find a home, likely as a reserve.

It’s worth remembering GM Rich Cho built up equity the last few years with the fan base, following a collection of successful transaction the last five years.

But giving up the No. 22 pick in the draft is a steep price to pay for a marginal player.

Money on their minds The Hornets won 48 games last season and made the playoffs for just the second time since the franchise rebooted in Charlotte.

The Buzz lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Miami Heat, but before getting bounced they

Ashley Lauren angler Doug Phillips embraces his family after reeling in what would be the winning marlin on June 14.

will,” Annis said. “Kim was the reason we won the first tournament. There’s usually some fussin’ on the boat, but we were all in sync during that whole week. I wouldn’t want to spend that time with anyone else.”

In terms of east coast tournaments, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Big Rock. Without a professional paid captain, the Ashley Lauren’s triumph was the definition of a long shot.

After beating out 124 other boats in the KWLA — a record for the tourney — no boat had

won their first playoff game in 14 years.

All of these are good signs, obviously. However, the postseason run pushed them out of the lottery, thus reducing the quality of their draft slot.

Complicating matters for Cho and owner Michael Jordan are all of the players Charlotte has hitting free agency — Lee isn’t alone in this distinction. Starting forward Marvin Williams (and his 152 3-pointers), 2014 AllNBA pick Al Jefferson, versatile, do-everything forward Nicolas Batum and backup point guard Jeremy Lin are all headed towards unrestricted free agency.

That’s 60 percent of the starting lineup, and according to Basketball-Reference, these players — including Lee — were worth nearly 21 of Charlotte’s 48 wins last season.

That’s a ton of talent all looking for big money at the same time as the league’s salary cap jumps to an unprecedented $94 million. Players, wisely, will cash in. For instance: Williams, who signed a two-year $14 million deal in 2014 with Charlotte, could be in line for a new contract that pays him between $1520 million annually.

Securing a viable NBA shooter for less than $7 million a year is a sneaky smart move.

Looking ahead to next year As of right now, the Hornets

ever gone on to even lead the Big Rock. So to overcome 173 other boats a mere eight days later was something that captivated the entire town of Morehead City, N.C. “It was just so special with how everybody supported us throughout everything,” Annis said. “It meant a lot to us, but it felt like everyone was behind us from Garner and Clayton to Big Rock.”

‘She never leaves us’ On Dec. 10, 2005, Ashley Lau-

ren Annis passed away after a long battle with Krabbe Disease.

Diagnosed with the fatal degenerative disorder of the nervous system at two and a half years old, Ashley passed away at 18.

“She went from being able to walk, talk and see to the point where she couldn’t do any of that when she was three,” Annis said.

“The final two years, she was basically on oxygen and we had to carry her wherever she went in a wheelchair.

“The only thing she could do was smile. But when I saw that

saiah J. Downing | USA TODAY SPORTS images

have $49 million committed towards the 2016-17 season, which sounds good until considering the team’s cap holds. Charlotte has over $65 million in holds currently still bogging down the books. The Hornets have bird rights for Batum, Lee and Jef-

Sacramento Kings guard Marco Belinelli (3) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

ferson, which means they could spend over the cap to sign them.

The same, however, can’t be said for Lin and Williams.

Even with the influx of new money, cap space is still precious, and just about every team can be a player in free agency if they so

smile, I knew better than to complain about anything else going on in my life. She taught me more than I ever had the chance to teach her.”

Naming the boat Ashley Lauren wasn’t just a decision made

by Annis. Phillips, who knew Ashley when she was born, used to dress up as Santa Claus before her passing 15 days before Christmas in 2005.

“Every time I fish on it, I feel her presence,” Phillips said.

Winning the Big Rock meant a huge payday of $662,995, which Annis said was split up between the crew and used to repair the Ashley Lauren. But Annis said he was fishing solely for immortality and to have the name “Ashley Lauren” written in stone twice on the Big Rock Fountain.

“When we’re out there, it’s really special,” Annis said, fighting back tears. “All I can ever do is think about her. It really feels like she’s a part of the boat. Seeing her name each time we go out is a reminder of how strong she was.

“She’s brought us good luck over the last 10 years. Being on that boat, she never leaves us.”

choose. This is where Belinelli makes sense. Lee currently has a $10.7 million hold. Charlotte could renounce that, let Belinelli and perhaps Jeremy Lamb absorb Lee’s minutes, and then use the money saved to bring back higher-priority players, like Batum, Lin and Williams. They also save a couple million by not having to sign a first round pick: Richardson will have a first-year salary of $1.2 million, thanks to the league’s rookie scale.

The front office will likely do all they can to bring back Batum, who will be coveted in free agency by a variety of teams. Toronto and Golden State have both come up in the rumor mill as possible landing spots outside of Charlotte for Batum. Charlotte will have to max out the versatile forward, which will be pricey (an average of $20 million annually), but that’s the cost of doing business in 2016 after a guy finished up a career year. Bringing back Batum is a necessity, no matter the cost.

Williams and Lin, both of whom were so important a season ago, are tougher to figure out.

It may not be possible to retain both.

Draft night did not have some of the, ahem, buzz Charlotte fans anticipated. However, a frugal move by Charlotte’s front office could pay off once free agency gets going.

timeless Pack your bags, it’s time for camp.

Tucked away in Arapahoe Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer have graced our coast for decades, welcoming campers from near and far for fun-filled summers.

See page C4

the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

outfitted & equipped N.C. State alumnus Will Kornegay and East Carolina alumnus Adam Whitehead launched the Sportsman's Box last year.

The business is a monthly curated delivery of hunting and fishing gear.

NS J SUNDAY

6.26.16

playlist June 25-July 2 N.C. 4th of July Festival Southport For more than 200 years, Southport has celebrated our nation’s Independence Day in a big way. A wide range of weeklong events make up the festival ensuring something for everyone – arts and crafts show, parade, car show, military exhibits, waterfront stage entertainment, military band concert, veterans recognition, naturalization ceremony, and fireworks. For those who enjoy some friendly competition there are events like the Freedom Run and the fireman’s competition. There are also children’s games, children’s entertainment, and beach day offerings - giving festival attendees plenty of options. nc4thofjuly.com

July 1-2 30th Annual Christmas in July Festival West Jefferson Visit historic downtown West Jefferson in Ashe County for the 30th Annual Christmas in July Festival. Friday night brings live music from two local bands performing a country/bluegrass and classic rock mix, with street dancing and food vendors from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday brings the full festival to life from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with arts and crafts, music acts featured all day playing bluegrass, old time, gospel, and country music, civil war reenactments, food, kids activities, street performers, a Christmas tree judging contest, tree bailing competitions, and wreath making demonstrations. christmasinjuly.info

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Out of the box business This eastern N.C. company equips outdoor enthusiasts with the gear they need for an adventurous lifestyle.

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

M

aybe it’s a cool spring morning as the sun just begins to peak through the trees when you hear the call of the gobble and the hair on your neck stands up. Maybe it’s sitting in the middle of a cold, murky swamp barely 32 degrees with a slight northeast wind blowing through the marsh. Maybe it’s the stillness of the land and the sounds of nature.

No matter the environment you seek most, one thing remains the same — the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of the catch, or the precision of the shot has you wanting to be at the top of your game.

“My love of hunting — I was born with it — it’s in the

Inside

blood. The day I was born my father went out to kill a buck, and his love of hunting trickled down to me,” said Adam Whitehead.

Whitehead and William Kornegay, both avid outdoorsmen, developed The Sportsman’s Box, a carefully designed package of goods to keep men and women enveloped in the sporting lifestyle while on the quest for the perfect trout, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, duck, or quail, to name a few.

“I started fishing at a young age with my dad. Going to the river and holding that fishing pole developed my passion,” said Kornegay.

They’ve taken their passion and turned it into a business. Kornegay, 30, graduated with a degree in business See EQUIPPED, page C6

Kick back, dig your toes in the sand, and crack open a good book — it is summer reading season and we have your list.

See page C3

July 2 Sweet & Spicy Day Charlotte Regional Farmers Market The Charlotte farmers market has something hot to liven up your meal for the 4th of July, along with a sweet treat to cool things down. The vendors in the Variety Shoppes at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market have what you are looking for and on July 2 they will showcase their culinary delights to help make your meals spicy or sweet. ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/ markets/charlotte

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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necessities history marked

sensibility

June 28, 1799

Courtside attire tips

Land agent and mapmaker John Strother measured the American Indian pictographs on Paint Rock in Madison County. Strother wrote in his diary on that day that the vertical formation was 107 feet tall. Paint Rock was created approximately 5,000 years ago during the Archaic Period.

June 29, 1905

Cumberland County native “Moonlight” Graham played in his first and only Major League Baseball game. His story came to national attention after being incorporated into the 1989 hit film Field of Dreams.

Born Archibald Wright Graham in Fayetteville in 1879, Graham was raised there and in Charlotte, where he honed his baseball skills.

July 1, 1939

Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only show cave, opened to the public. The caverns became an overnight success, as their development coincided with construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway in McDowell and Avery Counties in 1938. The natural limestone cave sits at the base of Humpback Mountain and showcases colorful mineral formations.

Information courtesy of N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Voices Contributors to this section this week include: Samantha Gratton Josh Hyatt Parker King Laura Ashely Lamm Alison Miller Amy Richards

Tell us Know a North Carolina story that needs telling?

Drop us a line at features@nsjonline.com.

By Jennifer Wood North State Journal imbledon begins tomorrow and the big W fashion news is that after eleven

years Ralph Lauren is updating their uniforms for the on-court officials, umpires, and ball boys and girls.

The updates for the young men and women charged with fetching all those missed shots include more technical apparel, moisture wicking fabrics, and pique knits. The umpires can look forward to a few tweaks that feel very traditional including wide leg pants and mother-ofpearl buttons for the women and a navy pinstripe and notch collar for the men.

As a spectator you are free of such close scrutiny, but that does not leave you off the hook style-wise. Whether attending a big event or your local gathering — think before you dress for a courtside day.

First of all, you are not participating — you are a spectator and as such you should dress like one. Save that adorable tennis dress or your matching shorts and polo shirt for the day you break out your racquet.

Next, think about where you will be sitting. How far will you need to walk to get there?

For goodness’ sake, wear flats.

To that end, you do not have to forsake fashion for your shoes, there are plenty of stylish footwear options to match your outfit. Do not think you can make an enjoyable day of it in heels — you will regret that decision.

A crisp white shirt dress is tennis watching perfection. Pair it with ballerina flats, shield the sun with your favorite shades or a small straw hat, add some color with an interchangeable scarf around the hat, and your look is complete.

For a more casual approach break out those sharp white shorts to pair with a classic striped sailor top. The French knew what they were doing inventing this piece, the style is enduring and can be interpreted into a cotton tee or a sweater.

With this look you may want to go old school with some Tretorn tennis shoes — they come in every color imaginable and give your look a throwback nod to vintage tennis attire.

Enjoy your day of watching serves and drop shots, just be sure to remember your sunscreen and you’re good to go.

accolades

The whole state.

The whole story. www.nsjonline.com

just a pinch share the Always eyeing your sister’s azaleas? Feeling covetous of your neighbor’s camellia bush? Lucky for you, late June is the time when semi-hardwood cuttings such as azaleas, cotoneaster, camellia, holly, pieris, red-tip photinia, and rhododendron should be taken. Propagation by stem cuttings is the most commonly used method to spread many woody ornamental plants. Stem cuttings of many favorite shrubs are easy to root. You don’t need a greenhouse to accomplish the task, but maintaining high humidity around the cutting is critical. If you’re only rooting a few clippings you can use a flower pot. In order to maintain high humidity just cover the pot with a milk jug cut in half or place it in a clear plastic bag.

In no time people will be asking you for cuttings to propagate in their own backyard.

the plate Grilled Romaine Salad Little Hen, Apex

Start to finish: 30 minutes (plus 2 hours for onion marinade Serves: 4 ½ white onion ¾ cup olive oil ¼ cup white wine vinegar 2 ounces slivered almonds 2 heads romaine ½ pound sliced aged ham such as mangalitsa or prosciutto 4 eggs 4 tablespoons olive oil ¼ teaspoon pimentón

“There are a few foods that shout summer, and to me, grilled romaine is one of them. Grilling adds a gentle char to the leaves and creates a variety of textures: crunch, crackle, and tasty wilt. The egg yolk is silky and satisfying, and the almonds lend a mild flavor and light crunch that elevates the dish. Varied but complementary flavors are very important to me. Acid is great in a salad of course, but it also perfectly complements the fat of the ham and egg.

Mangalitsa is some of the tastiest pork around.

It’s an Old World pig breed that’s indigenous to Hungary, but some artisan cured-meat producers, like Johnston County Hams here in North Carolina, have started using it. Pimentón is Spanish paprika. I like the subtle heat it adds to a dish, brightening the flavors and also playing very well with lemon.”

— Regan Stachler, Chef

Slice onion into half rings.

Whisk oil and vinegar together to make vinaigrette. Toss onions in vinaigrette and allow to marinade for two hours. Over medium heat, stir almonds in ungreased skillet until golden brown, then set aside. Clean and dry romaine, and halve lengthwise. Grill on cut sides, 30 seconds each. Remove from grill and immediately place an equal amount of ham on each romaine wedge. Cook eggs sunny side up and place on top of ham.

Heat olive oil in pan, sprinkle in pimentón, stir, and drizzle over the salad. Top with almonds and marinated onions.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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frolic family | Charlotte An outdoor view of the Discovery Place in downtown Charlotte. The Discovery Place is a hands-on science and education center.

PHOTOS BY EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

By Alison Miller For the North State Journal

Get soaked in a sprayground Thanks to Charlotte’s abundance of free spraygrounds, it’s easy for kids around the city to remain in an eternal state of sopping wet.

The one at Latta Park, in the quaint, family-filled neighborhood of Dilworth, is a fenced-in circle well-suited to younger kids. Between the neighborhoods of Elizabeth and Plaza-Midwood, Veterans Park sports a giant watery fun zone, shielded from the sun by a giant canopy. For a quick cool down in Uptown, stop by The Green and send your kids running beneath the giant fish fountains. And if they can’t get soaked enough at Cordelia Park’s sprayground in NoDa, an adjacent public pool charges just $1 per person to swim. Free.

Sing along at party in the park If you’re looking for Charlotte parents and kids on a Wednesday night in the summer, chances are you’ll find them at Uptown’s Romare Bearden Park, sprawled out on picnic blankets and dancing barefoot to Carolina beach music put on by an energetic party band on stage. The free concert series runs through September, and guests can bring in their own food and drink. Bonus: the park features waterfalls and a misting area. Free.

Peer at birds of prey The Carolina Raptor Center in Huntersville serves as a safe haven for 37 species of birds of prey, many of which were injured and sent here from other parts of the country. It’s also an important nesting site for barn owls and bald eagles. Take a walk on the ¾-mile long—and mostly shaded—Raptor Walk, stopping to eye owls, osprey, and other stoic, feathered friends. Plan your visit for a Saturday or Sunday, and you can chat with knowledgeable docents eager to introduce you to the red-tailed hawks or British barn owls resting on their gloved hands.

Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for kids ages 5 and up, and free for kids 4 and under.

Cool off at Discovery Place There are only so many hours you can spend outside before giving in to the cool confines of the air-conditioned indoors. At Discovery Place in Uptown you can take a breather while also experiencing the great outdoors, thanks to the museum’s IMAX® Theatre, where, through November 18, Robert Redford narrates moviegoers through a 40-minute tour of our country’s greatest open spaces in the film “National Parks Adventure.” Museum admission plus IMAX film is $22 for adults and $18 for kids.

Step back in time at Historic Rural Hill The roots of this historic site, nature preserve, and working farm stretch back to a Revolutionary War soldier named Major John Davidson and his wife Violet, who lived here and farmed the land. Today, it’s one of the last remaining rural stretches of Mecklenburg County, and its recreated buildings are staffed by volunteer historical interpreters. Festivals and events like the Rural Hill Scottish Festival & Loch Norman Highland Games (April), Food Truck Rally (July), and the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival (May) draw visitors by the thousands, but on a normal day, Historic Rural Hill is simply an outstanding place to take a walk and soak up some local history. Costs $6 for adults, $4 for kids 5-12, and is free for kids 4 and under.

Play at Freedom Park Nestled between the elegant, historic neighborhoods of Dilworth and Myers Park, 98-acre Freedom Park has long been considered Charlotte’s Central Park. With batting cages, baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, a lake, and a bandshell that hosts a summer jazz series, there’s enough here to wear a family out without spending a dime. The NFL Play 60 KidZone, constructed in 2013 and painted Panthers blue, allows kids to channel their inner Cam Newton on up and overs, a running half-pipe, timed 40-meter dash, and more.

Kids can also wander through a real-life retired steam locomotive, resting next to the park’s playground since 1959. Free.

A look at various body panels used on race cars in the Race Week exhibit of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

Hike Crowders Mountain For decades, young and old have scaled the peaks at Crowders Mountain State Park to peer at the Queen City from natural, highelevation viewpoints 25 miles outside of town. Start at the visitor’s center to learn more about these storied kyanite-quartzite formations, which once marked hunting boundaries for the Catawba and Cherokee Indians, then choose your route. The Crowders Trail connects to the Backside Trail, delivering you—via 336 wooden steps—to the summit of Crowders Mountain, while the Pinnacle Trail Loop leads to King’s Pinnacle. Both deliver unparalleled views of Charlotte and the surrounding Piedmont forest. Feel like staying longer? There’s a family backpack camping area accessible via a one-mile trail, and a nine-acre lake for fishing and canoeing. Park entrance is free; canoe rentals are $5 per hour; family backpacking camp sites are $10 per night.

Get creative at ImaginOn If their noses turn up at the idea of a “fun” trip to the library, your kids haven’t been to ImaginOn. A collaboration between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system, the Wells Fargo Playhouse, and the McColl Family Theatre, this Uptown standby has separate library spaces for babies, toddlers, elementary school-age kids, and teens.

Aisles of dusty tomes these are not: The Loft, for teens, is chockablock with young adult and graphic novels, comics, and magazines. Middle and high schoolers will also love Studio i, where they can tinker around on GarageBand, iMovie, and ICanAnimate. Each library area has its own schedule of free, interactive programs, from a hip-hop discussion forum to daily story time. This summer, don’t miss the special exhibit on Mr. Potato Head, designed for kids 3 – 8. Library access is free and theatre admission varies.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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timeless Camp Sea Gull & Camp Seafarer | Arapahoe Left, Campers and counselors sail on the Neuse River at Camp Seafarer. Right, Counselor Ben Soofer, right, helps camper Hunter Kidd, 8, left, secure his life jacket before going sailing at Camp Sea Gull.

Boats fill the dock area at Camp Sea Gull in Arapahoe.

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

A A

hoy, there!

Bugles sound the call to rise, the dining hall is prepared for the fellowship of friends eating family style, and the day ahead is for building character and honing skills while exploring the surrounding land and sea.

It’s summertime, and campers from across the globe have ascended on YMCA Camps Sea Gull and Seafarer in Arapahoe where they will have a freedom of choice to select activities, earn ranks by acquiring new skills on each activity, and receive coaching and support from counselors.

“We’re nautical camps; a friendly place where everybody is welcome,” said John Hyde, executive director of Sea Gull. “We offer values-based programing in that we teach campers good decision making, responsibility, courage, and integrity.”

Supported by the YMCA of the Triangle, Camp Sea Gull for boys was founded in 1948 by Wyatt Taylor. Seeing the growing need for a camp for girls, Taylor and his wife, Lil, opened Camp Seafarer, three miles down the road, in 1961.

The camps cover 350 acres with tall trees, wood cabins, and a beautiful view of the coastal waters of the Neuse River that stands ready for young sailors.

Activities are wide ranging from digging for shark’s teeth, shotgun shooting, golfing, horseback riding (girls camp only), zip lining, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, a climbing tower and of course, sailing. Not to mention, the activities in nature are endless.

“Campers are gaining independence and confidence through their abilities to make decisions during the day,” said Hyde.

“Campers are able to make friends, encounter challenges, and overcome those with the support of counselors.”

Campers are provided with green and blue books that serve as a road map for the activities offered at camp and allow them to document their ranking and accomplishments as they master skill sets. The green books spearhead activities on land, while the blue books represent activities at sea. Campers are earning rankings with the U.S. Sailing and U.S. Powerboating Associations.

U.S. Powerboating awarded 1,800 boating licenses last year and a third of those went to campers at Sea Gull and Seafarer.

“We believe what we are doing helps develop future leaders for the world,” said Lynn Moss, executive director of Seafarer.

Together the camps have a fleet of 250 boats, 225 trained staff from around the world, 700 students at each site in a given week, and a global representation from 38 states and 10 countries. There are twelve campers to a cabin with a 3:1 ratio of campers to counselors.

“We hand place students in cabins to create diversity among them. Campers in a cabin will have different economic, religious, cultural, educational, and racial backgrounds,” said Moss.

“They are learning to live in a community, and to understand and appreciate people with different backgrounds while learning to find things they have in common.”

Enrollment begins in October for the following summer, and the waitlist for this summer spans more than 500 hopeful campers.

Traditions are plentiful at both camps. Fireball candy serves as currency for the boys during the annual Fireball Carnival.

Girls have a candlelight banquet the last night of camp. Many campers are third and fourth generation attendees.

By the time “Taps” plays the call for lights out at night, the day has been spent creating memories, making new friends, empowering oneself, fine-tuning skills, and simply enjoying life in the great outdoors.

Campers line up with counselors as they prepare to go sailing at Camp Sea Gull on Friday, June 17 in Arapahoe. Campers learn sailing and golf, play tether ball and tennis, and participate in many other activities throughout the week.

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left, Margot Wickersham, 6, left, touches a fish held by Counselor Helen Kimble at Camp Seafarer on Friday, June 17 in Arapahoe.

Right, Balianna Honan, 6, left, shows Bella Yarbrough, 6, right, her creation during craft time. Campers learn archery and horseback riding, do crafts, and participate in many other activities throughout the week.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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Left, Campers and counselors sail on the Neuse River at Camp Seafarer. Right, Counselor Ben Soofer, right, helps camper Hunter Kidd, 8, left, secure his life jacket before going sailing at Camp Sea Gull.

ay, June 17 in Arapahoe. Campers learn sailing and golf, play tether ball and tennis, and participate in many other activities throughout the week.

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left, Margot Wickersham, 6, left, touches a fish held by Counselor Helen Kimble at Camp Seafarer on Friday, June 17 in Arapahoe.

Right, Balianna Honan, 6, left, shows Bella Yarbrough, 6, right, her creation during craft time. Campers learn archery and horseback riding, do crafts, and participate in many other activities throughout the week.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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the engine

Kia, Porsche rank highest in JD Power Initial Quality Study

behind the scenes Miss North Carolina | Raleigh

Miss Greater Carolina Ashley Underhill prays with other participants in the 2016 Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant during preliminary competition at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh on Thursday, June 23.

By Josh Hyatt North State Journal In an environment of heightened recall notices, it might be hard to believe that the new cars made today are likely of the highest quality they’ve ever been.

J.D. Power has been tracking this metric for the last 30 years via its annual U.S. Initial Quality Study, and 2016’s results released Wednesday show progress continues.

In the study, overall new-vehicle quality, which is measured by examining problems experienced by vehicle owners during the first 90 days of their ownership, shows new vehicles sold from the 2016 model year have improved in quality by 6 percent, compared to the 3 percent improvement experienced in 2015.

J.D. Power’s IQS ranks vehicle makes and models by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, or PP100. So, naturally, the lower the score, the better.

For the 2016 model year, Kia (83 PP100) and Porsche (84) had the best scores of all makes sold in the U.S., marking the first time a mainstream auto brand has beat a premium brand in the last 27 years of the study’s 30-year history.

“Manufacturers are currently making some of the highest quality products we’ve ever seen,” said Renee Stephens, J.D. Power’s vice president of U.S. automotive quality. “Tracking our data over the past several years, it has become clear that automakers are listening to the customer, identifying pain points and are focused on continuous improvement.

Even as they add more content, including advanced technologies that have had a reputation for causing problems, overall quality continues to improve.”

Twenty-one of the 33 brands in the 2016 study improved their quality score compared to last year’s results, with one remaining the same. For only the second time in 30 years, U.S. domestic brands collectively have lower levels of problems than all of their import counterparts combined.

And for the first time in a decade, mainstream brands have fewer problems than premium brands. This is reflected by those that followed Kia and Porsche in initial quality: Hyundai (92 PP100), Toyota (93) and BMW (94).

Toyota’s assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, where the Lexus ES is made, scored the best (15 PP100) on the rankings

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

By Parker King For the North State Journal

N N

orth Carolina’s capital city was coated in beauty queens this weekend as the Miss North Carolina pageant took to the stage. Rollers, make-up, charity platforms and dance routines were refined to a science over the last year, and now for the 41 queen and teen contestants from across the state it is show time.

But it’s more than bling and a great walk. To these women it’s the culmination of years of community service, hard work, working out, and strategy. All the contestants earned a spot on the Raleigh stage by winning a crown in preliminary pageants across the state this year. From Miss Wilmington to Miss Asheville, this stage is the grand prize. From here the winner competes for the Miss America title on September 13 in Atlantic City.

“Each division of competition; interview, talent, swimsuit, evening gown, onstage question, is a different percentage and you score the girl between a one and a ten,” explained Jennifer Vaden Barth, Miss North Carolina 1991. “They’ll say one to four is somewhat cognitively able to handle the questions but a five to seven can better handle this and so on ...These are on actual forms and they review all these forms, whether you are a veteran judge or brand new.

The judges will throw out the high and the low to get an average.”

The calculations determine more than just who gets the crown. It also means a chance to earn money for college.

“Scholarship is the cornerstone of this program.” Beth Knox, executive director of the Board of directors for the Miss N.C. pageants tells us. “over 50,000 dollars in this year alone will be awarded as scholarships.”

The Miss North Carolina contestants are ages 17 to 24, and the Miss Outstanding Teen contestants are ages 13-17. They competed each night this week with finals on Saturday, and the winner crowned after press time. (visit nsjonline.com and missnc.org for details on the 2016 Miss North Carolina) “In preliminaries you judge that girl on that particular stage of competition. Then, once you get ready for top ten, they have a top ten meeting. The state organization will review the job of Miss North Carolina, and once they do that they’ll give a composite score of how you think those top contestants will do as Miss North Carolina,” said Vaden Barth.

The new Miss North Carolina will spend the next several months getting geared up for Miss America. As part of the winner package, Miss North Carolina is provided a $15,000 scholarship, an apart-

Miss Cabarrus County Melanie Robinson adjusts her hair as the 2016 Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant contestants rehearse for the preliminary competition

ment, and car for the year of public appearances and training, plus a $1,700 goody basket of jewelry and other sponsor gifts collected by the sisterhood of the 78 former Miss North Carolina winners. But career and college are also big perks of the pageant process. Regardless of how far the girls make it, most say that scholarship money, interpersonal skills and professional contacts keep them walking the walk.

“I do think being in the Miss North Carolina program gives you skills for life,” said Kay Dickenson, hostess chair for the Miss North Carolina pageant. “It makes you a better speaker, it gives you confidence, teaches you time management, and how to put your best foot forward.”

Outgoing queen Kate Peacock plans to go back to Meredith and complete her psychology major and gain her K-6 teaching license.

EQUIPpED from page C1

from North Carolina State University while Whitehead, 26, graduated from East Carolina University as a health and fitness specialist.

They met through mutual friends one January morning while duck hunting.

Similar personalities, a zest for the outdoor life, and a shared vision for bringing quality products to the sportsman arena led to a partnership in developing a product that’s interesting and useful.

“We’re the first in the outdoor industry to do a box made for hunting, fishing, and shooting enthusiasts,” said Kornegay.

Ordering the Sportsman’s Box is simple.

Sign up online, receive a box by mail, and enjoy the goodies. Subscriptions range from $35 to $39 per month depending upon the subscription rate of choice – one, three, six, or twelve months of delivery. The company launched in April 2015, with the first boxes shipping in July of that year. It’s relatively new and quickly growing with 2,000 members across the United States and Canada.

Boxes contain three to five items that have been personally field tested. Ranging from tools, knives, and apparel to field snacks like jerky treats keep the customers coming back for more month after month.

Boxes are themed, and this month’s products are geared towards a “sportsman’s summer” with outdoor fishing and cooking supplies that include a Weston jerky board, Power Practical portable battery pack, South Bend fish scaler, and a fishing lure. A $73 value arriving on your doorstep for less than $40. All boxes are guaranteed to total a $70-$75 value.

“When you come home once a month, you won’t get a bill in the mail. You can sit on your front porch, treat yourself, and have a piece of excitement and professional gear to take with you on your next pursuit,” said Whitehead.

"We're the first in the outdoor industry to do a box made for hunting, fishing, & shooting enthusiasts."

— Will Kornegay

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Each month members of the Sportsman's Box receive a box containing three to five items that have been personally field tested.

They have enlisted 20 field operatives scattered around the nation to test gear, provide opinions, and help navigate what sportsman equipment is best for each state. Courtney Smith joined the team to serve as program manager and helps oversee the field operatives and philanthropic interests of the group.

Sportsman’s Box partners with Wounded Warriors in Action by allowing individuals to purchase a box to send to a veteran to enjoy on their next trip or visit to the outdoors.

“As sports men and women, if we aren’t out there learning, then we aren’t doing something right,” said Smith. “We encourage everyone to be outdoors and to connect with nature throughout the year no matter where they live.”

Whether you are looking for a mule deer in Arizona, a blackfish in Alaska, or mountain trout right here in North Carolina, the Sportsman’s Box will delight the outdoor adventurer of all ages and places.

North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

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summer reading editor's picks

fiction

Once upon a time, summer reading was assigned and sometimes dreaded.

Now that we’re all grown-up we can choose our own books.

I am a book nerd and have a tendency to hoard volumes around my home and on my tablet throughout the year, but something about the fresh afternoon sunshine of summertime brings about a particular itch for a new book in my hand and the desire for time to settle in and get lost in a story.

In order to be considered for summer reading, I weighed books released after April of this year. I tried to balance my personal preference for fiction by peppering in some nonfiction and made sure to include a couple of novels to look forward to next month.

I hope there’s a work here that makes you want to beg off obligations in lieu of just one more page—that, my friends, is the mark of a good story.

Fate Ball

by Adam W. Jones released March 2016 Because: Anything from North Carolina is worth a look. This is the first novel from Chapel Hill writer Adam W. Jones. “Fate Ball” is the story of how all consuming first love can be and the pain that can come with it when lessons unlearned follow along as two lives remain intertwined.

Fiction

Truly Madly Guilty

by Liane Moriarty releases July 2016

Because: Our ordinary lives are really quite extraordinary, and we seldom appreciate that until it is too late. Moriarty is the author that brought readers the can’t put down novels, “The Husband’s Secret,” “Big Little Lies,” and “What Alice Forgot.”

In “Truly Madly Guilty” she puts parenthood, marriage, friendship, and guilt under the microscope and stirs in the idea that our words left unsaid blare louder than the ones we do utter at full volume.

fiction

A Hero of France

by Alan Furst released May 2016

Because: A good fast-paced, engrossing suspense novel of intrigue and spies set to the tune of The French Resistance during World War II makes for perfect edge-ofyour-seat summer reading. Furst is known for his research and intricate detail, and it shines through in this novel.

nonfiction Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution

by Nathaniel Philbrick | released May 2016

Because: I’m a history geek, and our current Congress isn’t the first to be combative. Philbrick shines a discerning eye on the middle years of the American Revolution and the demise of Arnold. As we slide into Independence Day, reading about Washington’s ability to rise above all of it to win the war sounds uplifting.

Fiction

Miss Jane

by Brad Watson releases July 2016

Fiction

Modern Lovers

by Emma Straub released May 2016

Fiction

Because: We’re getting older, and this book just feels familiar. Plus, you’re likely to see it in your friend’s pool or beach bag, so go on and get ahead of them. Straub’s characters, once almost-famous former bandmates, are nearing 50 and all living in Brooklyn dealing with their various issues while their children are suddenly living the lives they feel like they were just living out a moment ago.

Enchanted Islands

by Allison Amend | released May 2016 Because: Did you know on the cusp of World War II a group of people were sent to the Galapagos Islands to colonize them? I had no idea about this tidbit of history, and I’d venture to guess you didn’t either. This novel is inspired by the memoirs of one of the women sent there, and it is a moving, adventurous, and at times, funny story of a person who became the heroine in her own life.

nonfiction

But What If We’re Wrong

by Chuck Klosterman released June 2016 Because: What if we are? And because sometimes you really need to expand your mind.

Klosterman interviewed some of the most imaginative thinkers of our time—from David Byrne, Richard Linklater, to Neil deGrasse Tyson—and asked them elementary questions in their respective fields.

In 300 years who remains as the defining figure of rock music?

Talk amongst yourselves.

Because: In no time Watson’s graceful prose will be required reading.

This novel takes us to rural Mississippi in the early 20th century where a woman born with a birth defect that delivered a fate of sterility would cause her to be deemed useless by society. Miss Jane Chisholm's life, shaped by the vivid natural world around her, is anything but barren.

fiction

Before the Fall

by Noah Hawley | released May 2016 Because: Hawley can write. This novel comes from the multi-award winning creator of the TV show “Fargo.” Think “Lost” with only two survivors, a suddenly wealthy little boy and an average guy are the only ones that make it out alive. The book plays out in flashbacks and builds by creating suspense, leaving the reader trying to figure out the connectivity our lives have to each other. Read it now before it is made into a movie – if it hasn’t already been optioned and green-lit – you can bet it is on the way.

COMING UP in the good life Preserved

You’ve been busy growing those fruits and vegetables, now it’s time to pick them and put them up. We’ve got a canning guide to help with your effort.

The food business

How one capital city catering company has grown and changed into a big business with a footprint across the state.

Horse power

Shepherd Youth Ranch uses the horses they rescue and train for their therapeutic programs with young people. We spent an inspirational afternoon observing the transformational power of a horse.

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North State Journal for Sunday, June 26, 2016

pen & Paper pursuits I reckon . . .

color AWAY!

Perquimans

Into the wild. There’s nothing like pitching a tent and taking a seat by the campfire. North Carolina parks invite campers to enjoy their wildlife year-round, but there’s something extra special about summertime. Join in on the fun and share your work with us using the hashtag #coloraway.

Your guide to what’s what, where, why, and how to say it.

This Northeastern N.C. county is pronounced per-QUIM-ans, and legend has it the name comes from the Yeopim Indians and means “land of beautiful women.” With 100 miles of shoreline on the Little River, Albemarle Sound, and Perquimans River the area is sure to provide some of our state’s loveliest water views.

Janric classic sudoku

Solutions to puzzles from 6.19.16

illustration for the north state journal | AMY RICHARDS