North State Journal — Vol. 3., Issue 3

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2018

Inside 6 NC teams start NCAA Tournament play, Sports

JONATHAN ERNST | REUTERS

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson returned from a diplomacy tour of Africa Tuesday after he was fired by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. See story on page 8.

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

Republicans struggle to salvage congressional seat in Pennsylvania Canonsburg, Pa. It’s now up to Pennsylvania voters in the special congressional election between small-government Republican, and Trump supporter, Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb, a pro-life, pro-gun, prounion Democrat. Both national parties have invested heavily with more than $10 million in outside money flowing into the race. Biden and Trump campaigning there over the weekend. Polling showed the two in a dead heat Tuesday morning with polls scheduled to close at 8 p.m. Trump carried the district in 2016 by twenty points.

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

U.S. picking up Taliban interest in Afghan peace talks Kabul The United States is picking up signs of interest from Taliban elements in exploring the possibility of talks with Kabul to end the more than 16-yearold war, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday as he made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered talks without preconditions with the Taliban insurgents last month. The U.S. stepped up assistance to the Afghan military and greatly increased air strikes against the Taliban as part of a regional strategy in a bid to break the stalemate and force the insurgents to the negotiating table.

Fitness app Strava overhauls map that revealed military positions San Francisco Fitness-tracking app Strava says it will restrict access to an online map that shows where people run, cycle and swim and remove some data after researchers found out that it inadvertently reveals military posts. The map drew worldwide attention in January when academics, journalists and private security experts used it to deduce where military personnel were deployed, by looking on the app for workout locations in war zones.

LEAH MILLIS | REUTERS

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr speak before the funeral service for Billy Graham in Charlotte, on March 2.

USDA helps cotton producers maintain, expand domestic market Program targeted to support rural cotton-growing communities applauded

by N.C. farmers looking to supplement infrastructure and production costs, recoup losses from recent natural disasters

By Emily Roberson North State Journal MEMPHIS — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced last week at the 66th Annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking action to assist cotton producers

through a Cotton Ginning Cost Share (CGCS) program in order to expand and maintain the domestic marketing of cotton.

“America’s cotton producers have now faced four years of financial stress, just like the rest of our major commodities, but with a weaker safety net,” Perdue said. “In particular, cotton producers confront high input and infrastructure costs, which leaves them more financially leveraged than most of their colleagues. That economic burden has been felt by the entire cotton market, including the gins, cooperatives, marketers, cottonseed crushers, and the rural See COTTON, page 2

NC GOP calls for fed to investigate Cooper pipeline fund N.C. Republicans have asked a federal court to investigate whether the governor may have violated the law in the ACP mitigation fund

is managed and budgeted by the elected N.C. General Assembly. In addition, money for environmental mitigation was already built into the contract with the owners of the pipeline.

“Did the governor in some way threaten to extort, implied or direct

By Donna King - it doesn’t have to be a direct call for North State Journal extortion - but somehow make those power companies believe… that the RALEIGH — The chairman of permits would not be issued should the N.C. Republican Party, Robin this fund not be established,” said Hayes, and its executive director, Woodhouse. “If the power compaDallas Woodhouse, filed a request nies are entitled to the permits, they Tuesday in federal court calling for are entitled to the permits. That is an investigation of the agreement the law. It is a horrific precedent between the Atlantic Coast Pipe- to think that any private business, line, LLC and N.C. Governor Roy or private citizens could be denied Cooper that provides a $57.8 million permits and government rights…by fund the governor’s office says was somebody in this fashion.”

The request was filed in a letter for environmental mitigation and economic development in the ar- to the office of the U.S. Attorney eas impacted by the pipeline’s con- for N.C.’s Eastern District and sent struction. The fund was announced by courier to U.S. Attorney General the day before final permits were Jeff Sessions. It says that the process issued by the Department of Envi- around securing funds raises red ronmental Quality that allowed the flags that it may have violated the interstate project to move forward. federal Hobbs Act. The Act essenDEQ has said that there was no co- tially codified “pay to play” making ordination between the issuance of it illegal to limit the interstate flow the permits and the agreement over of goods and services for money, calling it “actual or attempted robthe fund.

“Calling for a federal investiga- bery or extortion” by public officials. tion of a sitting governor is a seri- Since the Hobbs Act became law, ous matter and not taken lightly. eight governors have been convicted However, the conduct of Governor of violating it.

“It’s certainly the type of thing, if Cooper regarding the $58 million pipeline fund designed to be under I were still a federal prosecutor, that his sole control appears to be that I would want to take a look at. It worst example of pay to play politics doesn’t pass the smell test at a minintended to benefit him personally imum,” said former federal proseand/or politically,” said Woodhouse. cutor and Raleigh attorney, Kieran “A serious look by federal investi- Shanahan.

“From public reports there is gators is warranted," he added.

The fund has been controversial more than enough reason that a fedas lawmakers in the N.C. General eral prosecutor would want to look Assembly question how the agree- at it,” he added.

The mitigation fund was presentment came about and whether the governor asked for the money in ed to the state by Cooper’s office in exchange for the permits and why February as money to boost ecothe money bypassed the statuto- nomic development and environry state budgeting process. Money coming into the state generally See NC GOP, page 2

INSIDE The state government explores ways to make schools safer.

Jones & Blount

5

20177 52016 $2.00

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North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

A2 WEDNESDAY

3.14.18 #119

NC’s House District 3 is a race to watch ahead of May primary Rep. Walter Jones (NC3) faces a tough primary against Craven County Commissioner Scott Dacey

“The whole state.

The whole story.”

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COTTON from page 1 communities that depend upon their success.”

Under the program, which is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), cotton producers may receive a cost share payment, which is based on a producer’s 2016 cotton acres reported to FSA multiplied by 20 percent of the average ginning cost for each production region.

Perdue added, “I hope this will be a needed help as the rural cotton-growing communities stretching from the Southeastern U.S. to the San Joaquin Valley of California prepare to plant.

This infusion gives them one last opportunity for assistance until their Farm Bill safety net becomes effective.”

CGCS payments are capped at $40,000 per producer. To qualify for the program, cotton producers must meet conservation compliance provisions, be actively engaged in farming and have adjusted gross incomes not exceeding $900,000. FSA will mail letters and pre-filled applications to all eligible cotton producers, with a sign-up deadline of May 11, 2018.

By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — N.C.’s Congressional District 3 is one of the more closely watched races in the nation as long-time Congressman Walter Jones faces two challengers in the May 8 Republican primary. Jones has already announced that this is his last re-election bid, and no Democrat has filed in the district, so the winner of the primary takes all.

Jones has represented the area since 1994, most recently beating Democrat Ernest Reeves in 2016 with 67 percent of the vote. Jones has veered from party-line votes repeatedly, particularly over the past year, voting against the Obamacare repeal bill and being one of 12 Republicans who voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Jones said he was concerned about how much it would add to the federal deficit. No other Republican in the Washington delegation from N.C. voted no.

“Congressman Mark Meadows, head of the Freedom Caucus — he is strongly supporting Congressman Jones, he has campaigned for him,” said Doug Raymond of the Jones campaign. “He and Congressman Jones are saying the same thing, they knew that Jones’ vote was not going to be the deciding vote, it had enough votes to pass.

It was a vote of conscience to try to draw attention to the mounting deficit and that’s exactly what it did.”

Jones faces Republicans Scott Dacey and Phil Law in May. Law lost to Jones in the 2016 Republican primary, but Dacey is a relative newcomer to high-profile N.C. races like this one. Campaign finance reports show that, as of Dec. 31, 2017, Jones had about $100,000 in cash on hand for his campaign. Dacey has outraised him, ending 2017 with $224,000 cash on hand.

“I am so thankful for the support of 200+ grassroots donors.

They all agree that Walter Jones is simply out of touch with our district — and that’s why they have contributed to the campaign,” Dacey said in a press release.

Dacey is currently vice-chairman of the Craven County Commissioners and served at various levels within the county GOP. He also served as finance chair for the NCGOP in 2006. He was formerly a partner in northern Virginia-based lobbying firm Pace LLC. He also served as the chief of staff for the National Indian Gaming Commission, and in the Bush White House as legislative liaison to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“I valued my time working on behalf of the Indian tribal governments throughout the United States, helping them access better health care for their members, address education needs on their reservations and to protect their tribal lands for future generations,” said Dacey.

“They are historically the most disadvantaged and forgotten segment of our society. It has been a sincere honor to work and learn from these tribal leaders.”

Dacey was initially asked to consider running for Congress many years ago by Jones himself during a dinner in Washington, D.C. “That conversation sparked my interest in serving as a county commissioner. However, over time my frustrations with his service have grown,” said Dacey.

“Once I started to recognize how little support Jones was giving President (Donald) Trump, I’d had enough.”

Now, Jones has started a series of radio ads criticizing Dacey’s big donations to Republicans and Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Speaker Paul Ryan, as “funding the establishment,” but Dacey did not donate to Trump.

“We believe that the evidence is there that this is nothing but a campaign strategy,” said Raymond. “That he really doesn’t support Trump but he claims to because he knows the people here do.”

“It shows once again that he is out of touch and has no idea what I’ve done,” said Dacey.

“I was in eastern N.C. during the election putting up signs for Trump, greeting his family when they visited and shared with them the concerns of people in our communities.”

Jones’ campaign is also focusing on his “independence” from the party initiatives. In addition to his “no” votes on the tax cuts and Obamacare repeal, he was the first Republican to co-sponsor the “Protecting Our Democracy Act,” a Democrat bill calling for a bipartisan citizen commission to investigate Russia collusion in the 2016 elections and any possible involvement with the Trump. One other Republican has co-sponsored the bill, along with 198 Democrats. But his supporters say that Jones casts votes of conscience, usually conservative, but sometimes not, in order to draw attention to issues he believe are critical.

Raymond says he’s a workhorse, not a show horse.

“We don’t poll — we’ve seen over the last few years, polling can be skewed,” said Raymond.

“Walter polls every week when he goes to the grocery store and runs into people. That’s just the kind of guy he is. He’s very reflective of the low-key work ethic of the folks here. … He goes about doing what he thinks is right.

We don’t sit around thinking about how are we going to spin what you do, but he’s not going to change who he is to garner a few more votes.”

Dacey also started running local radio ads, calling Jones a “roadblock to President Trump’s agenda” and offering Jones’ voting record for download on his campaign website. The ads attempt to link Jones’ policy agenda to that of Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“These ads help us begin to spread a very clear message across the district,” Dacey said.

“And that is that when Walter Jones actually shows up to vote, he votes against President

May 8 is the primary election date across the state Trump and against the interests of his constituents. I’ll support the president and vote in the best interests of eastern North Carolinians as their new congressman.”

Jones filed five bills in February that he says are aimed at “draining the swamp” by putting restrictions on use of congressional funds for vehicle leases or first-class airline flight and limiting staffers and members ability to lobby on Capitol Hill.

“You’ll never hear anybody say he’s part of the establishment that’s because he’s always done this,” said Raymond. “Votes on the deficit, votes on foreign aid, he’s not afraid to stand up.”

Jones’ bucking of party leaders isn’t new. In 2015, Jones and Congressman Mark Meadows (NC-11) were two of 25 lawmakers who voted against thenHouse Speaker John Boehner for another term at the helm of the U.S. House. Boehner was ultimately re-elected, but the defections weakened his leadership authority.

“They just know that that’s Walter,” said Raymond of District 3 constituents. “They know that occasionally he’s going to go against the party, against the establishment, to stand up for something he feels passionate about. And that contrasted with someone who is a career lobbyist for Indian casinos who’s given $170,000 to establishment candidates.”

Jones also opposed the Iraq War, despite his initial support for it after Sept. 11, 2001. He demanded in a public 2006 House Armed Services Committee meeting that former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle “apologize” to the nation for “misleading” lawmakers on grounds for the war. Jones also made national news when he requested that the U.S. House cafeteria replace French fries on the menu with “freedom fries.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee has not yet waded into the fight with big money for Jones but says, “We will do what we need to keep our incumbents in Congress,” according to NRCC regional press secretary Maddie Anderson. Speculation is widespread that outside Republican groups are likely to come in strong for both candidates ahead of the primary.

Congressional District 3 is a relatively conservative area of eastern N.C. Most of the district voted for Trump in 2016, except Pasquotank County, which voted for Hillary Clinton. Jones is N.C.’s longest-serving representative in the U.S. House, having been elected with Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) during the 1994 Republican sweep and the GOP’s Contract with America, led by Newt Gingrich.

Effect on NC growers Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler echoed Perdue’s sentiments, and believes the CGCS program will provide a welcome supplement for provisional and infrastructure costs, especially in the wake of hardships from recent natural disasters.

“Cotton farmers in North Carolina have experienced several years of low cotton commodity prices, and coupled with the weather they have had during the past three years including Hurricane Matthew, any help they can receive is much appreciated,” said Troxler. “The cotton industry has not had an adequate safety net to compensate for the conditions they have seen, and hopefully this will be a bridge to get them to another crop.”

Troxler said that the department does not have projections yet for 2018, but notes that production in 2017 was up from the 2016. For 2017, 367,000 acres of cotton was harvested, up 112,000 acres from 2016. The yield per acre averaged 961 pounds per acre in 2017, compared to 315 pounds per acre in 2016. A total

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORGAN HOWARD, DOWN EAST FARMS INC, DEEP RUN, LENOIR COUNTY

“Cotton farmers in North Carolina have experienced several years of low cotton commodity prices, and coupled with the weather they have had during the past three years…any help they can receive is much appreciated.”

– N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler of 735,000 bales of cotton were produced in 2017, up 114 percent from 343,000 bales in 2016.

Some of those 2016 numbers reflect weather impact on the crop.

According to O.A. Cleveland

NC GOP from page 1 mental repairs in the eight counties where the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will pass, on its way from West Virginia and Virginia. Those counties are North Hampton, Halifax, Nash, Wilson, Johnston, Sampson, Cumberland and Robeson counties.

Cooper is from Nash County.

However, as the agreement is written and signed by Cooper’s lawyer, William McKinney, the $57.8 million would be distributed by as-of-yet unnamed board members appointed by the governor. Republican lawmakers called it a “slush fund” for Cooper to dole out to projects supported by his political base.

“The governor’s party has a number of different constituencies, just like we do,” said Hayes. “There are people who are very much opposed to this pipeline. Governor Cooper felt the heat, he saw the light. Then he, very disappointingly, came up with this slush fund and the trail leads directly to ‘I need to do something to satisfy my base.’ The trail becomes clear and now it’s up to us to follow it to its logical conclusion.”

The governor’s office criticized lawmakers’ inquiries, saying that they were putting the money for poor areas of eastern N.C. in jeop-

“It definitely sends a very negative message to businesses potentially looking at North Carolina .… that you are going to have to pay to play if you want to get permits that, if you meet the requirements, you might otherwise be eligible for.”

— Robin Hayes, chairman of the N.C. GOP ardy. The project is expected to provide $48 million in labor income and more than $80 million in additional economic activity annually.

Cooper’s office pointed out that Virginia also has a mitigation fund agreement with ACP owners Dominion Energy and Duke Energy for a similar amount, but in that case the Virginia Department of Natural Resources administers the fund through non-profit mitigation partners.

In an interview earlier this month, Cooper’s chief strategist, Ken Eudy, told Triangle television station WRAL that the mitigation fund agreement was an effort to bypass the legislative budgeting process, and the state treasury, because of the trust breakdown between the N.C. executive branch and the legislature.

The General Assembly appears not to trust Cooper either. In February, the legislature passed H.B. 90, which phased in last year’s class size mandate, but also sends the entire $57.8 million-dollar mitigation fund to the school systems in the eight counties impacted.

The call for an investigation from Republicans comes as Cooper also faces a challenge to some of the permits issued for the pipeline. The petition against Cooper’s Department of Environmental Quality alleges that the four permits issued by the state for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline “did not meet proper procedures,” “acted arbitrarily” and “failed to act as required by law or rule.”

It was filed by Francis DeLuca, former head of the conservative Civitas Institute, and contests permits and approvals, including an air quality permit that he says results in harm to air quality.

of the industry publication Cotton Grower, analysts are bullish in upcoming domestic market forecasts. He notes that if exports continue to hold at 85 cents per pound for “old crop” (already harvested and under contract) cotton, prices could easily reach the 90 cents per pound this year.

Growing consumer growing demand for natural products, along with a Chinese crackdown on pollution from polyester manufacturing facilities has recently tilted the decades-long polyester-cotton price competition in favor of cotton.

Troxler also addressed the potential effects of the Trump administration’s recent tariff announcements, saying growers will simply have to wait and see. “It is too early to tell, but traditionally when tariffs are levied there has been a retaliation on agricultural commodities. We hope that doesn’t happen.”

Industry expert Cleveland is optimistic about the overall stability of the global cotton market in a potential trade conflict, saying, “The tariff question is not particularly important to cotton’s bottom line.”

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

A3

BUSINESS

Workers clean up around the steel slab roller line at the Novolipetsk Steel PAO steel mill in Farrell, Pennsylvania, on March 9. Global markets continue to react this week to President Trump’s initiation of new steel and aluminum import tariffs last week, in response to what he characterized as “aggressive foreign trade practices.”

AARON JOSEFCZYK | REUTERS | FILE

n.c.

FAST FACTS Sponsored by

GE Aviation, a global manufacturer of aircraft engines and components, will create 146 full-time jobs over four years at its facilities in Asheville and West Jefferson, Governor Roy Cooper announced last week. The company will invest nearly $105 million to add production capacity supporting its revolutionary ceramic matrix composite (CMC) line of engine components.

“North Carolina welcomes innovators who drive our economy forward,” Governor Cooper said. “GE Aviation and their North Carolina employees have a long history of accomplishment in our state and this expansion will put even more people to work building the next generation of innovative products for the aerospace industry.”

GE Aviation’s Asheville and West Jefferson facilities are part of the company’s Aviation Supply Chain. The Asheville plant, opened in 2014, was the company’s first site to mass produce CMC components for jet engines.

The ceramic components, which are lighter and stronger than conventional materials, enhance engine performance and offer lower fuel and maintenance costs.

GE Aviation currently employs more than 1,700 people in North Carolina. Of the 146 new positions, 15 will go to Ashe County and 131 to Buncombe County.

Salaries for the new jobs will vary by position but will average $48,214, well over the average wage of $39,192 in Buncombe County or the average wage of $31,705 in Ashe County.

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G20 forecast sees record growth threatened by looming trade war

By Leigh Thomas Reuters

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Sponsored by

PARIS — Trade tensions are threatening the best global economic growth outlook in seven years, the OECD said on Tuesday, adding that four U.S. rate rises are likely this year as tax cuts stoke the world's biggest economy while Brexit will drag on Britain.

While broadly more optimistic than only a few months ago, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned a trade war could threaten the outlook, and forecast that UK growth would lag CARLOS BARRIA | REUTERS | FILE all G20 countries due to Brexit uncertainties.

President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Updating its outlook for the attend the Women’s Entrepreneurship Finance event during the G20, the OECD, which groups G20 leaders summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 8.

34 of the world's leading economies, raised its global growth The OECD said high inflation forecast for 2018 and 2019 to Fiscal Easing would eat into UK household in3.9 percent — the highest since The OECD forecast the U.S. 2011 — from a previous estimate economy would grow 2.9 per- come while business investment of 3.6 percent for both years. cent this year and 2.8 percent in would slow in the face of uncerThe higher forecast was in 2019, with tax cuts adding 0.5- tainty over Britain's future relapart due to expectations that 0.75 percentage points to the tionship with the EU. In contrast, stronger growth U.S. tax cuts would boost eco- outlook in both years. nomic growth there, it said.

Against that backdrop, the in France and Germany boosted "We think the stronger econ- Federal Reserve would probably the outlook for the broader euro omy is here to stay for the next have to raise interest rates four zone to 2.3 percent for this year couple of years," acting OECD times this year as inflation picks and 2.1 percent in 2019. Previchief economist Alvaro Pereira up, Pereira said. Previously the ously, the OECD had forecast told Reuters. "We are getting OECD had estimated three growth of 2.1 percent and 1.9 percent respectively. back to more normal circum- hikes would suffice this year.

Fiscal easing in Germany's stances than what we've seen in With tax cuts boosting the the last 10 years." economy this and next year, the coalition agreement was seen Rebounding global business OECD forecast the upper bound lifting growth in the euro zone's investment would keep global of the target federal funds rate biggest economy to 2.4 percent trade growth at about 5 percent could reach 3.25 percent by the this year (+0.1 percentage point) this year, the OECD forecast. end of 2019 from 1.5 percent and 2.2 percent in 2019 (+0.3).

President Emmanuel MaHowever, it said the global currently. cron's social welfare, tax and laeconomy was vulnerable to an Britain was seen missing out eruption of trade tensions af- on the global upturn, lagging bor market reforms would help ter the Trump administration all other G20 countries with France narrow the gap with imposed import tariffs on steel growth of only 1.3 percent this Germany, with growth forecast and aluminum, a move that is year. That was higher from a at an 11-year high of 2.2 percent expected to prompt retaliation November forecast of 1.2 per- (+0.4) before easing to 1.9 perfrom Europe and others. cent due to the broader global cent in 2019 (+0.2).

With the euro area economy "This could obviously threat- improvement. resilient, rising inflation would en the recovery. Certainly we With Britain due to leave the believe this is a significant risk, European Union next year, its allow the European Central so we hope that it doesn't mate- economic growth was seen eas- Bank to reduce its bond purrialize because it would be fairly ing to 1.1 percent in 2019, un- chases gradually this year and damaging," Pereira said. changed from the OECD's No- subsequently phase out its negative interest rate policy, the For a table of forecasts: vember estimate.

OECD said.

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Find Joyful Noise Where You Least Expect It What do a general store in Fountain and a barbershop in Drexel have in common?

At least two things. For starters, they’re both in North Carolina public power communities. Both are also home to some amazing musical performances in places you’d least expect them.

In downtown Fountain, a laidback little town between Wilson and Greenville, you’ll find the R.A. Fountain General Store, its floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with creations by mostly local artists. On weekend nights, you’ll also find as many as 100 people from in and around town gathered for some of the area’s finest acoustic music by greats like Lightnin’ Wells.

Just off I-40 between Hickory and Morganton is another laid-back little town called Drexel. On Saturdays at Drexel Barber Shop, some folks might stop by for a haircut, but most of them show up for the bluegrass. What started with then-owner Lawrence Anthony picking his guitar between customers has become a decades-long tradition of local musicians and residents gathering in the shop for what are now considered legendary picking sessions. Lawrence’s son Carroll, the shop’s owner since 2009, says, “It feels like a family get-together every weekend.”

To learn more about R.A. Fountain General Store and Drexel Barber Shop and the talented folks who keep them singing, just search for them on Facebook.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

A4

Murphy

Saint Patrick’s Day is March 17 Across N.C. this weekend communities will celebrate Saint Patrick, born in the late 4th century. Patrick was one of the most well-known Christian missionaries in history. At the age of 16 he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders at his family’s estate in Britain.

The attackers brought him to Ireland, where he escaped after six years. He believed his calling was to return to Ireland as a Christian missionary, beginning in 432. By his death in 461, the island was almost entirely Christian. Early Irish settlers in America brought the Irish tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s feast with them to the colonies. The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City in 1762.

SOURCE: WWW.HISTORY.COM

Shamrock Run Asheville

March 17, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

to

St. Patrick’s at South Creek: Fifty Shades of Green

30th Annual Shamrock Run

Nebo

Downtown March 17, 7-11 a.m.

South Creek Vineyards & Winery March 17, 1-5 p.m.

jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount

Officials take steps to ensure school safety across the state

DPAC March 18, 3-5:30 p.m.

By NSJ Staff

28th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Wearin’ ‘O the Green Festival

STATE LEADERS are urging local law enforcement and school districts to work closely together to ensure that all North Carolina schools are safe and offered state tools and resources to help.

The Governor’s Crime Commission and the State Emergency Response Commission will apply their expertise to prioritize school safety, Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks announced last week.

In addition, Governor Roy Cooper and Secretary Hooks sent letters last week asking school superintendents, local law enforcement agency heads, charter school principals and independent schools to work together and with the state to prevent further school tragedies.

“We are shocked and saddened as we learn more about the school shooting in Parkland, Florida last month. This was a senseless act of violence. We mourn for the lives lost, their families and friends, and pray for the community at large as they deal with this tragedy,” Governor Cooper said in the letter. “But thoughts and prayers alone will not prevent this from happening again. We must work together to ensure that our schools are safe places for children to grow and learn.”

Secretary Hooks briefed members of the Governor’s Crime Commission on the issue of school safety last week,

Nags Head

Beach Road March 18, 1 p.m.

Raleigh

March 17, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Green River Revival Charlotte

Celtic Woman: Homecoming

U.S. National Whitewater Center March 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Fayetteville

Crown Theatre March 15, 7-9 p.m.

Pinehurst

Tufts Park March 17, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Charlotte

The three leaf clover was used by St. Patrick to symbolize the Holy Trinity. The clover demonstrates how the three entities, the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit could be separate as well as one. Your odds of finding a lucky four leaf clover about 1 in 10,000!

Manteo

Durham

Rich & Bennett’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

Did you know?

Jones & Blount

Celtic Woman: Homecoming

Mocksville

Uptown March 17, 12-10 p.m.

St. Patrick’s Festival St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival

Emerald Isle

March 17, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wilmington

Downtown March 17, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

SOURCE: WWW.CATHOLIC.ORG

WEST

PIEDMONT

Schools hope civics activity replace walkout

Second threat in a week at West Henderson Henderson County For the second time in a week, police were dispatched to West Henderson High School after receiving reports of a threat. Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were taken into custody after the second incident, on March 9.

The two male students were heard in the hallway telling other students of plans that involved “shooting up the school.” Both were charged with charged with communicating a threat of mass violence at an educational facility. A week earlier, another West Henderson student was charged with communicating threats against a pair of students at Rugby Middle School.

Madison County In response to the school shooting in Florida, students around the country are planning a mass walkout on March 14. In an effort to head off the protest, schools in Madison County are scheduling a “civics instruction activity” to honor the victims and discuss ways to make schools safer.

“Through this approach, students and staff will be provided an opportunity to participate in a meaningful learning activity in a safe environment without the need to punish students for disrupting the learning environment,” Superintendent Jim Causby said.

WLOS TV

WLOS TV

Wrong-way driver hospitalized after crash McDowell County A head-on collision on Interstate 40 near Old Fort sent one driver to the hospital on March 10. A driver headed in the wrong direction on the highway — west on the eastbound lane — colilded with a second vehicle at about 11:30 p.m. The driver, who was charged with DWI, was hospitalized with what were termed “significant injuries.”

A total of four people, two with significant injuries, were transferred to the hospital.

WLOS TV

Ex-con prohibited from running for sheriff Buncombe County Michael Morgan’s candidacy for Buncombe County Sheriff came to an end when the county’s Board of Elections removed him from the ballot at an emergency meeting on March 6. The 64-year-old Morgan was running as a Libertarian, but a state law prohibiting ex-convicts from holding the office of sheriff made him ineligible. Morgan was convicted of manslaughter in 1984. The elections board took action when it learned of his conviction.

Police find “moon rocks” in drug bust Catawba County A new drug has found its way to Catawba County. Police raided a home in Sherrills Ford last week and seized a product known as “moon rocks.”

The rocks are cannabis buds, dipped in hash oil and sprinkled with kief, marijuana shake and marijuana wax.

The rocks are more potent, because of a higher concentration of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Governor offers reward in murder

Myrtle Beach credit union can cross border

Alamance County Angelina Louise Vaughn was arrested on multiple felony charges after allegedly embezzling more than $600,000. The 41-year-old was arrested after a tip from her employer, Front Edge Marketing. Vaughn admitted to sheriffs that she had changed her pay rate from $18.00 an hour to more than $60 for the past two years. It’s one of the largest fraud and embezzlement cases the Alamance Sheriff’s Office has ever handled.

Northampton County Gov. Roy Cooper has offered a $5,000 reward for information on the death of a 24-year-old Northampton woman.

Shawnte Williams, of Garysburg, was found on U.S. Highway 301 last May. After an autopsy found multiple gunshot wounds, police treated the death as resulting from foul play. As the case passed the 10-month mark without any answers, the governor offered a reward for any information that leads to an arrest.

Brunswick County Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., can now serve customers in Brunswick County, N.C. The National Credit Union Administration ruled this week that Carolina Trust can expand its field to include customers in the Tarheel State. The bank made the request after opening a branch in Little River, just south of the N.C. border, and saw a large number of Brunswick residents attempt to open accounts.

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Guilford County Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will expand to Guilford County later this month. The program, started by the famous country-western singer, provides free books for children.

Families in the 27405, 27406, 27260 and 27262 zip codes can sign up for Parton’s program and receive a children’s book each month until their children turn five years old.

Parton started the library in 1995 and gave away her 100 millionth book in February.

GREENSBORO NEWS & RECORD

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Woman charged with embezzling $600,000

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Dolly Parton expands library into area

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CREDIT UNION JOURNAL

Arrest made in 31-year-old murder case

Candlelight vigil held for “angel of Pender County”

Drug busts continue in Craven County

Iredell County Michael Arthur Hand was arrested last week and charged in connection with a 1986 murder of a 15-year-old girl. Tracy Gilpin’s body was found on Oct. 22, 1986 in a park in Plymouth, after being reported missing three weeks earlier. Her death was ruled a homicide, resulting from a massive skull fracture. Hand was arrested at his home in Iredell County last Friday after an investigation that included the Massachusetts State Police.

Pender County Residents of Burgaw held a candlelight vigil outside the county courthouse at 7 p.m. on March 10 in memory of Paitin Fields. The 5-year-old girl was raped and murdered last year. “She’s our angel of Pender County,” said organizer Jaime Whitmore. “We want to bring awareness that justice still has not been served.” Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Craven County A week after police arrested 19 members of a drug ring, deputies made 10 more arrests on Monday. Police say the 29 people are all members of the same operation and that more arrests may be forthcoming as they continue to investigate the illegal sale and use of drugs in the area. The latest arrests included felony charges for trafficking heroin, possession with intent to sell cocaine and possession with intent to sell marijuana.

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announcing that the Commission will convene a special committee to collaborate on solutions to improve school safety.

“Tragically, school shootings have become too common an occurrence in this country. It is imperative that we utilize every resource available to examine and address threats to our children and educators,” Secretary Hooks said.

Secretary Hooks also asked the State Emergency response Commission to convene a special committee charged with enhancing school safety. In a letter to Commission Vice Chair Michael Sprayberry, Secretary Hooks tasked the new group with identifying resources and making recommendations to address potential threats, and promoting best practices for incident response throughout the state’s school systems.

For its part, the General Assembly is seeking to address the issue by creating a new committee to consider new policies surrounding school safety, crisis response and emergency procedures. House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) announced the formation of the state House Select Committee on School Safety on February 20, 2018, following the Florida school shooting.

The first meeting of the House Select Committee on School Safety will be held Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 9:00 am in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building.

Elon poll shows NC teachers largely against guns in classrooms

By NSJ Staff In the wake of the February 14th shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, several states have considered arming teachers as a school safety measure.

Seeking to gauge N.C. teachers’ opinions regarding carrying guns in the classroom, Elon University conducted a representative survey of public K-12 teachers in North Carolina between February 28th and March 5th, 2018.

The survey, conducted using a list sample of teachers and two modes of contact: email and live-interviewer telephone (cell phone and landline), had a sample size of 379 with a margin of error of +/- 5.03%. Teachers in this survey were identified using a combination of state pension system and voter regis-

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tration records, and all teachers interviewed were registered North Carolina voters.

Teachers were asked whether they think allowing teachers to carry guns is a good or bad idea, the effect on the learning environment, if they themselves would want to carry a gun, and about their own experience and skill level with firearms. Additionally, teachers were asked if they would support a variety of other possible policy reforms related to increased school security.

The results were as follows: 78% said teachers carrying guns in school was a bad idea, 73% said they would not carry a gun at school if it were legal, and 61% said they would feel less safe carrying a gun in the classroom. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed said that they had little to no experience with firearms.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor | Troy Kickler, deputy opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

We will have 5% GDP growth again in America!

Young people may finally see what a booming economy looks and feels like.

THE GREAT THING about making predictions is that people only remember when it is correct and the vast number of prognosticators were wrong. Unless the prediction is so out-of-bounds proven wrong that it is never forgotten as one of the greatest bone-headed predictions ever.

Such as when Nobel Prize-winning economics professor Paul Krugman on Election Night 2016 said: “If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is ‘never.’”

Ouch.

Economists get ridiculed, deservedly so, for breathlessly predicting “10 of the last three recessions!” However, in 2008, before the greatest Crash since the 1930s, hardly any economist was sounding any alarm bells.

Many were caught on tape saying how great everything seemed at the time and smooth sailing was ahead for the American economy “for the foreseeable future.”

Ouch again.

One private economic guru has made the following argument against the backdrop of an army of professional economic forecasts predicting an average of 2.5% quarterly and annual GDP growth for the next 3-5 years: “We will see economic growth rates well in excess of 3 percent on a quarterly and yearly basis for the foreseeable future!”

His reasons for the extra economic growth are as follows: Lowering corporate tax rates to 21 percent from 35 percent will raise retained earnings (profits) in American businesses by $2 trillion over the next 10 years, according to former Reagan economic advisor Martin Feldstein, now at Harvard.

Adding to that pool of available cash to invest is the immediate expensing of capital equipment in the first year versus depreciating such assets over three, five, seven or 10 years. Depreciation is a complicated concept for nonaccounting types, but pairing off the cost of buying modern new equipment against current year revenues in one year is far better than spreading it out over a number of years.

Cash kept in year one will be much larger due to the tax protection offered by immediate expensing even though new, more efficient machines will be financed over a number of years.

Under old depreciation rules, companies had to account for future

tax payments on their balance sheets for several years. With immediate expensing of new equipment, their deferred tax liability goes way down, which means they can borrow more money to buy more modern equipment to replace more old and inefficient broken-down equipment.

Productivity rates go up across every industry sector that buys new equipment. When productivity goes up, wages go up; people take home more money in real wage growth on top of the $1,000 to $2,000 tax cuts that are perennial in effect now and a vicious cycle starts to feed on itself upward in a positive manner.

The lower 21 percent tax rate will repatriate, or bring back, to the U.S. $2-3 trillion in corporate profits corporations have held in Europe for a long time instead of being taxed at the previous high 35 percent rate.

Large subchapter S corporations will convert to C corporations to take advantage of the new lower corporate tax rate.

Wage growth should exceed 3 percent later in 2018 when these changes work their way through the economy.

We should see slightly higher rates of inflation, but that is a good sign after close to a decade of near zero inflation which reflected the relatively dormant state of the economy from 2008 to 2017.

The capital expenditures of the corporate sector will supercharge companies that build plants and equipment.

“We may see several quarters where economic growth exceeds 5 percent,” says this expert.

If he is “wrong” and it is “only” 4 percent, that is far better than any growth rate we have seen since 2000. Young people may finally see what a booming economy looks and feels like.

To their benefit.

EDITORIAL | TROY KICKLER

Three delegates who helped shape the NC Constitution

Cowles, Galloway and Hood helped form the 1868 N.C. Constitution.

Until April 29, this important document is on display at the N.C. Museum of History for a rare viewing opportunity.

INDIVIDUALS INFLUENCE events and ideas. This statement seems obvious. But many people, whether the sentiment is spoken or not, believe that circumstances dictate every personal outcome. Circumstances are indeed powerful influences. Yet, individuals are not helpless.

During this 150th anniversary of the 1868 N.C. Constitution, I am reminded of three individuals: James Walker Hood (1831-1918), Abraham Galloway (1837 -1870) and Calvin Josiah Cowles (1821-1907). All three were state convention delegates. The body of 120 delegates elected Cowles president of the convention.

A Cumberland County delegate, J.W. Hood was born in Pennsylvania to a free black family. Although never an apprentice, he worked various odd jobs as a youngster. (He was once kidnapped, with the intent to be sold into slavery.)

In 1864, Hood traveled to North Carolina as a missionary. He was instrumental in increasing the growth of the American Methodist Episcopal Zion denomination.

Later as a bishop, he traveled frequently and widely. He also helped establish what is now Livingstone College in Salisbury.

Although now a separate institution, Hood Theological Seminary is named after the state constitutional convention delegate.

The missionary was politically active. As a delegate, he played an instrumental role in developing the homestead and public school provisions of the 1868 North Carolina Constitution. From 1868-71, he later served

as assistant state superintendent of Public Schools and assistant superintendent of the North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau. In 1872, the active Republican served as a national delegate to the party convention.

Of particular note, Hood promoted two social issues — temperance and equal treatment of races in public transportation.

Before his arrival in North Carolina, for instance, the courageous 20-something was once kicked off a streetcar five times in one night — in New York City.

Born a slave, Abraham Galloway escaped to freedom in 1857. During the Civil War, he returned to North Carolina, but as a spy.

During the war, he promoted equal suffrage and later served as an agent of the National Equal Rights League. While helping build the Republican Party in North Carolina, he was state constitutional convention delegate from New Hanover County. He later was later elected to serve two terms as a state senator.

Calvin Cowles was born into a Surry County small merchant family. Cowles had little formal schooling. A lifelong autodidact, he learned by reading, running his various businesses and from others’ guidance.

Cowles expanded his merchant business and started selling herbs such as sage to butchers, ginger to bee keepers and sassafras roots to Shakers in New York. What many deemed to be an ill-advised “risky business” turned out to be a successful one with a national network.

According to one historian, Cowles built “the largest root and herb business south of the Potomac.”

Mining also interested Cowles. Before the war, he was a land speculator and learned what he could about mining. He promoted the western counties of North Carolina as potential mining sites.

As a Whig Unionist, Cowles opposed secession, in part because he feared, no doubt, that the conflict would disrupt negatively his businesses. Even so, during the Civil War he served as postmaster. Yet, he never took an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. He was eventually removed from that position in 1863.

He later signed the oath.

In 1868, he was elected as a Wilkes County delegate to the state constitutional convention and later its president. He later took the oath to the Union and tried to get pensions for Union veterans from Wilkes County. In the business sector, he later tried during the 1880s to “restore the South’s only mint.”

Cowles, Galloway and Hood helped form the 1868 N.C. Constitution. Until April 29, this important document is on display at the N.C. Museum of History for a rare viewing opportunity.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018 COLUMN | TED RALL

COLUMN L. BRENT BOZELL III AND TIM GRAHAM

Divide and conquer

The U.S. is the Great Global Disruptor.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE, the song urges. But, the United States won’t have it.

Olympic diplomacy seems to be working on the Korean Peninsula. After a pair of South Korean envoys visited Pyongyang, they issued a promising communique.

“The North Korean side clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize,” the statement said. Considering that the Korean crisis and a derpy emergency management official had Hawaiians jumping down manholes a few months ago, this news comes as a relief.

Then comes the rub. The South Korean statement continued: “[North Korea] made it clear that it would have no reason to keep nuclear weapons if the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed.”

In other words, the DPRK is saying — reasonably — they’ll get rid of our nukes, but only if we promise not to invade them. That guarantee would have to be issued by two countries: South Korea and the United States.

This would directly contradict long-standing U.S. foreign policy, which clearly and repeatedly states that the use of military force is always on the table when we don’t get our way in an international dispute.

Kim Jong-Un has good reasons to be afraid of us. In a speech to the UN, President Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea. President George W. Bush declared them a member of the “Axis of Evil.” We invaded and currently occupy Iraq — after deposing and enabling the execution of Iraq’s president. Last week, Bush’s UN ambassador John Bolton published a legal argument for nuking North Korea without provocation.

Believe it or not, this is the soft side of U.S. foreign policy.

For decades, South Korea has tried to de-escalate its relationship with the North, not infrequently expressing its desire to end formal hostilities, which legally never ended after the Korean War, and move toward the long-term goal of a united Korea under a single government. And for decades, the United States has stood in the way, awkwardly trying to look reasonable as it opposes peace.

“South-North talks are inextricably related to North Korea-United States relations,” South Korean President Kim Dae Jung said in 2001, after Bush canceled dialogue with the North. The South, dependent on more than 20,000 U.S. troops stationed along its northern border, was forced to suspend reunification talks too.

The Reagan Administration pressured its South Korean ally to break off reunification talks in 1985.

Richard Nixon did the same thing in 1974. After Nixon’s resignation later that year, President Gerald Ford opposed

a UN resolution to demilitarize the border by withdrawing U.S. troops.

Even Mr. Reasonable, Barack Obama, refused to listen to South Koreans who want peace (and to visit long-lost relatives in North Korea). “The United States of America will maintain the strongest military the world has ever known, bar none, always. That is what we do.” What Obama would not do was allow North and South Korea to sit down and work out their differences. Before talks, Obama said, North Korea would have to denuclearize. After which, of course, there would be no need for talks because, hey, regime change is fun!

Why, a sane person might ask at this point, would U.S. policymakers want to risk World War III over two countries that repeatedly say they want to make peace and get back together?

For my money, a 2007 analysis by the geopolitical think tank Stratfor comes closest to explaining what’s really going on inside the Beltway: “The basic global situation can be described simply. The United States has overwhelming power. It is using that power to try to prevent the emergence of any competing powers. It is therefore constantly engaged in interventions on a political, economic and military level.

The rest of the world is seeking to limit and control the United States. No nation can do it alone, and therefore there is a constant attempt to create coalitions to contain the United States. So far, these coalitions have tended to fail, because potential members can be leveraged out of the coalition by American threats or incentives.”

The U.S. is the Great Global Disruptor. For example, Iran is the emerging hegemon in the Middle East. The U.S. undermines Iran with trade sanctions, props up rivals like Saudi Arabia with aid, and deploys U.S. troops next door in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Similarly, the U.S. keeps China off balance by propping up Taiwan and setting up new U.S. bases in the region. We play India against Pakistan, Europe against Russia.

A united Korea would create a new power center, potentially a new economic rival, to the U.S. in the Pacific Rim. So the U.S. uses threats (“totally destroy”) against the North and incentivizes the South (free border security).

It would almost be funny if it weren’t so sick. Here’s to the day the two Koreas see through us.

Ted Rall’s brand-new book is “Meet the Deplorables: Infiltrating Trump America,” co-written with Harmon Leon. His new book, “Francis: The People’s Pope,” is the latest in his series of graphic novel-format biographies.

COLUMN | WALTER E. WILLIAMS

LEAH MILLIS | REUTERS

President Donald Trump makes an announcement about a presidential proclamation placing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports while surrounded by workers from the steel and aluminum industries at the White House in Washington.

Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs

Politicians love having seen beneficiaries and unseen victims.

THERE ARE A COUPLE of important economic lessons that the American people should learn.

I’m going to title one “the seen and unseen” and the other “narrow welldefined large benefits versus widely dispersed small costs.” These lessons are applicable to a wide range of government behavior, but let’s look at just two examples.

Last week, President Donald Trump enacted high tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum.

Why in the world would the U.S. steel and aluminum industries press the president to levy heavy tariffs?

The answer is simple. Reducing the amounts of steel and aluminum that hit our shores enables American producers to charge higher prices.

Thus, U.S. steel and aluminum producers will earn higher profits, hire more workers and pay them higher wages. They are the visible beneficiaries of Trump’s tariffs.

But when the government creates a benefit for one American, it is a virtual guarantee that it will come at the expense of another American — an unseen victim. The victims of steel and aluminum tariffs are the companies that use steel and aluminum. Faced with higher input costs, they become less competitive on the world market. For example, companies such as John Deere may respond to higher steel prices by purchasing their parts in the international market rather than in the U.S. To become more competitive in the world market, some firms may

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move their production facilities to foreign countries that do not have tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum.

Studies by both the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition show that steelusing industries — such as the U.S. auto industry, its suppliers and manufacturers of heavy construction equipment — were harmed by tariffs on steel enacted by George W. Bush.

Politicians love having seen beneficiaries and unseen victims.

The reason is quite simple. In the cases of the steel and aluminum industries, company executives will know whom to give political campaign contributions. Workers in those industries will know for whom to cast their votes. The people in the steel- and aluminum-using industries may not know whom to blame for declining profits, lack of competitiveness and job loss. There’s no better scenario for politicians.

It’s heads politicians win and tails somebody else loses.

Then there’s the phenomenon of narrow well-defined large benefits versus widely dispersed small costs.

A good example can be found in the sugar industry. Sugar producers lobby Congress to place restrictions on the importation of foreign sugar through tariffs and quotas. Those import restrictions force Americans to pay up to three times the world price for sugar. A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that Americans pay an

extra $2 billion a year because of sugar tariffs and quotas. Plus, taxpayers will be forced to pay more than $2 billion over the next 10 years to buy and store excess sugar produced because of higher prices.

Another way to look at the cost side is that tens of millions of American families are forced to pay a little bit more, maybe $20, for the sugar we use every year.

You might wonder how this consumer rip-off sustains itself.

After all, the people in the sugar industry are only a tiny percentage of the U.S. population. Here’s how it works. It pays for workers and owners in the sugar industry to come up with millions of dollars to lobby congressmen to impose tariffs and quotas on foreign sugar. It means higher profits and higher wages. Also, it’s easy to organize the relatively small number of people in the sugar industry. The costs are borne by tens of millions of Americans forced to pay more for the sugar they use. Even if the people knew what the politicians are doing, it wouldn’t be worth the cost of trying to unseat a legislator whose vote cost them $20 a year.

Politicians know that they won’t bear a cost from sugar consumers. But they would pay a political cost from the sugar industry if they didn’t vote for tariffs. So they put it to consumers — but what else is new?

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

Squashing free speech on campus LEFTISTS IN THE TRUMP ERA claim to be the guardians of the First Amendment against an allegedly authoritarian president. But over the last few years, leftists have been the authoritarians on campus, squashing speeches by speakers they deem “fascist” and claiming that ideas they don’t agree with are somehow tantamount to “violence.”

The latest example came from Lewis & Clark College in Portland — the alma mater of Monica Lewinsky.

On March 5, the local Federalist Society welcomed Christina Hoff Sommers, author of “The War Against Boys” and “Who Stole Feminism?”

A gaggle of leftist groups scribbled a letter in which they demanded the college cancel this speaker and her “violence.” They claimed, “under the guise of ‘open debate’ and ‘free discourse,’ the Federalist Society ... (invited) a known fascist to our campus to encourage what we believe to be an act of aggression and violence toward members of our society who experience racial and gendered oppression.”

No members of the public or

Conservatives cannot and will not accept lectures from the left about “democracy dying in darkness” while it shuts down — or beats up — people it doesn’t like. reporters were allowed to attend, just law school students. When Sommers arrived to speak, the leftists tried to block the entrance to the room. Once the speech began, they prevented Sommers from talking by shouting things like “Microaggressions are real” and “No platform for fascists.”

Sommers says Janet Steverson, a law professor and — paging George Orwell — dean of “diversity and inclusion” at the school, asked her to “wrap up” her speech and take questions, and Sommers said she only made it halfway through her speech.

Halfway is better than not at all.

This “resistance” is happening all over. In October, Seattle University’s law school revoked its co-sponsorship of an immigration debate hosted by its chapter of the Federalist Society.

Shortly after that, the Texas Southern University law school canceled a Federalist Society chapter event that was to feature conservative State Rep. Briscoe Cain. Protesters yelled: “No hate anywhere! You don’t get a platform here!” and “When a racist comes to town, shut him down!” The college president shut it down, alleging the meeting was not authorized.

No one in the national media covered this week’s outrage with Sommers — except New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss, in a piece titled “We Are All Fascists Now.” Inside the Times, other writers want Weiss removed. They can’t have “neocons” on staff.

Instead, papers like The Washington Post prefer covering speeches by actual neo-Nazis. On March 6, it was covering Richard Spencer’s speech at Michigan State University — due to legal challenges, it was allowed to go on, although attendance was very poor, and it was scheduled during spring break to minimize disruption. Nevertheless, the Post wrote almost 1,000 words on this fiasco. It began: “Fights broke out between white supremacists and protesters Monday as anti-fascist activists, students and community members converged in and around Michigan State University to counter a speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer.” Everywhere these racists go they draw more protesters than supporters.

This sentence perfectly summed up the left: “Josh Lown, a protest organizer and graduate student at Michigan State, said midday Monday that they were hoping to avoid violence while disrupting Spencer’s appearance as much as possible.” Even so, protest organizers “posted an image on social media playing off the university’s ‘Spartans will ...’ campaign, showing a still from a video of a man punching Spencer.”

Conservatives cannot and will not accept lectures from the left about “democracy dying in darkness” while it shuts down — or beats up — people it doesn’t like.

L. Brent Bozell III is the president of the Media Research Center.

Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Nation & WORLD

NEWS IN IMAGES

SERGEI KARPUKHIN | REUTERS

A child from the indigenous community “Yamb To” (Long Lake) is seen at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1.

China allows Xi to remain president indefinitely, tightening his grip on power Beijing China removed presidential term limits from its constitution on Sunday, giving President Xi Jinping the right to remain in office indefinitely, and confirming his status as the country’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong died more than 40 years ago.

China’s ruling Communist Party announced the proposed amendment only last month and there was never any doubt it would pass as parliament is packed with loyal party members who would not have opposed the proposal.

Nun fighting sale of convent to Katy Perry dies in court Los Angeles An 89-year-old Roman Catholic nun who has battled pop star Katy Perry for years over the sale of a Los Angeles convent collapsed and died during a court appearance, according to media reports and supporters.

Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, one of two aging nuns who were fighting the sale of the 8-acre convent, died on Friday during related legal proceedings in Los Angeles County Court, Fox affiliate KTTV reported.

Estate of Oklahoma man killed by reserve deputy to receive $6 million Tulsa, Okla.

Officials in Tulsa County, Okla., have agreed to pay a record $6 million to the estate of an unarmed black man who was fatally shot in 2015 by a white volunteer sheriff’s deputy who thought his pistol was a Taser, federal court documents showed. Robert Bates, an insurance executive who was a reserve deputy, was convicted of manslaughter for killing Eric Harris in an incident that was caught on video and was one of a series that raised questions about racial bias in U.S. policing.

Gunman in deadly California siege was decorated veteran treated for PTSD Yountville, Calif.

Details emerged on Saturday about a decorated former U.S. serviceman who took three women hostage at a California veterans home where he had undergone treatment for PTSD, in a standoff that ended when police found him and his captives dead. The Veterans Home of California in Yountville, the largest such facility in the United States, was the scene on Friday of the latest mass shooting to rock a country still shocked by the slaughter last month of 17 people at a Florida high school.

BERNADETTE BAUM | REUTERS

People walk to work in Midtown Manhattan during the third winter storm in two weeks early morning in New York City, March 13.

Trump fires chief diplomat Tillerson after clashes, taps Pompeo President Donald Trump asked for Tillerson resignation on Friday so a new team would be in place for proposed North Korea talks

By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton and Reuters WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday after a series of public rifts over issues including North Korea and Russia, replacing his chief diplomat with loyalist CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

The biggest shakeup of Trump’s Cabinet since he took office more than a year ago, which the president announced on Twitter, comes as the administration prepares for an unprecedented meeting with the leader of North Korea.

Trump tapped the CIA’s deputy director, Gina Haspel, to replace Pompeo at the intelligence agency.

Tillerson’s departure caps months of tensions between the Republican president and the 65-year-old former Exxon Mobil chief executive.

On Monday, Tillerson blamed

JONATHAN ERNST (L), AARON P. BERNSTEIN (R) | REUTERS | FILE

A combination photo shows U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 8, and Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Feb. 13 respectively.

Russia for the poisonings in England of a former Russian double agent and his daughter. Earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders refrained from saying Moscow was responsible.

Tillerson was reported to have privately called Trump a “moron” in July after the president suggested a 10-fold increase in the U.S.

nuclear arsenal. Tillerson declined to directly address whether he had made the comment, although a State Department spokeswoman later issued a denial.

A senior White House official said Trump asked Tillerson to step down on Friday but did not want to make it public while he was on a trip to Africa. Trump’s announce-

ment came only a few hours after Tillerson landed in Washington after a trip that had been cut short.

The official said Trump works well with Pompeo, a former Republican congressman from Kansas, and wanted him in place before the U.S. president’s planned talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and trade negotiations.

Tillerson had no diplomatic or political experience before becoming secretary of state. He appeared out of the loop last week when Trump announced he would meet with North Korea’s Kim. U.S. stock index futures pared their gains and the dollar also trimmed gains versus the yen while extending losses versus the euro amid the news.

“Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen.

Congratulations to all!” Trump said on Twitter.

Tillerson joined a long list of senior officials who have either resigned or been fired since Trump took office in January 2017. Others include strategist Steve Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn, FBI Director James Comey, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, health secretary Tom Price, communications directors Hope Hicks and Anthony Scaramucci, economic adviser Gary Cohn and press secretary Sean Spicer.

Trump supports narrow fixes to gun laws White House puts onus on courts regarding raising age limits

By Roberta Rampton Reuters WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump will support a set of changes to gun laws that are narrower than the more sweeping changes he had considered after the country’s latest mass school shooting, senior officials told reporters on Sunday.

Opting for a plan the administration officials described as “pragmatic,” Trump backs legislation proposed in Congress aimed at providing more data for the background check system — a database of people who are not legally allowed to buy guns. On the issue of raising the age limits to purchase guns, Trump tweeted Monday that he will wait for judicial decisions before acting.

“On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly),” he wrote on Twitter.

A commission headed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will study the age limit issue, along with requiring background checks at gun shows or on the internet.

The Justice Department will also provide an unspecified amount of grants to states that want to train teachers to carry guns in school — an idea already in place in a small number of states and backed by the National Rifle Association gun rights lobby.

Trump has said he believes

armed teachers would deter school shootings and better protect students when they happen.

The president, who championed gun rights during his 2016 campaign, vowed to take action to prevent school shootings after a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14.

The shooting reignited the national debate over gun rights.

Students who survived the attack have pressured politicians to institute stricter gun control and plan a march in Washington on March 24.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Trump’s plan “tiny baby steps designed not to upset the NRA” and said Democratic senators would push for broader measures.

Trump met with the NRA privately at the White House twice last month as he weighed his response to the shooting — including the day after an unusual televised meeting where he chided lawmakers for being afraid of the group and challenged them to develop comprehensive legislation.

At that meeting, Trump embraced suggestions to close loopholes for gun buyers seeking to avoid the background check system, raise the age limit for buying rifles, and find ways to temporarily seize guns from people reported to be dangerous.

But his initial enthusiasm for restrictions was not shared by many of his fellow Republicans in Congress, wary of measures that could be viewed by some voters as infringing on their constitutional right to own guns, particularly leading up to the November congressional elections.

Trump has now embraced a pro-

LEAH MILLIS | REUTERS

President Donald Trump talks about gun safety in schools during a meeting with local and state officials about improving school safety at the White House in Washington, Feb. 22. posal from John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, and Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, which is supported by many but not all Republicans.

“We believe this legislation is important, is useful in improving the background check system — and can pass virtually immediately if there is not obstruction in Congress,” a senior administration official said on a conference call.

Trump will call on state governments to allow law enforcement officials to obtain court orders to temporarily seize guns from people reported to be dangerous, officials said.

The administration will provide technical help to state governments looking to pass those laws.

Trump vowed to address mental health issues after the shooting, but his administration’s recom-

mendations for reforms included no concrete details, other than reviewing health and education privacy laws.

It will be up to the commission led by DeVos to study an assortment of other ideas, such as rating systems for violent entertainment, best practices for school buildings and security, and ideas for improving mental health services.

Trump has also backed a ban on “bump stocks,” accessories that enable semiautomatic rifles to fire hundreds of rounds a minute. Bump stocks were used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, which took place in October in Las Vegas.

On Saturday, the Department of Justice formally submitted a regulation to ban bump stocks that would not need congressional approval.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2018

SPORTS

The Hurricanes are searching for a new general manager, B4

BRAD PENNER | USA TODAY SPORTS

Guard Joel Berry II and the Tar Heels begin the defense of their national title on Friday afternoon against Lipscomb.

the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT

Heels start NCAA title defense in Charlotte

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

State boys and girls basketball champions crowned

Carolina’s run to the ACC title game earned it a No. 2 seed and a home state advantage

Raleigh/Chapel Hill Eight high schools from North Carolina claimed NCHSAA state basketball titles last weekend in boys and girls championship games held in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

In the 1A girls title game, Mount Airy blew out Pamlico County 69-32 to win a second straight title. The Pamlico County boys team suffered a similar fate, losing 70-46 to Winston-Salem Prep in the 1A championship game. In 2A, the North Pitt girls won their third title with a 6342 win over North Wilkes, while Forest Hills won an elusive title on the boys side with a 63-59 win over Greene Central. Northern Guilford won a second straight 3A girls title with a 60-52 win over Jacksonville. In the boys 3A championship game, Cox Mill edged Northside-Jacksonville 65-63 to earn a second straight title. In 4A play, the Northwest Guilford girls beat Southeast Raleigh 44-36 to win for the second year in a row, and Independence beat Heritage 71-60 to earn a second straight boys title.

Duke heads north for tournament’s first weekend

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Blue Devils play Iona on Thursday with potential second round game against Oklahoma or Rhode Island

Four N.C. teams earn bids in women’s NCAA Tournament Indianapolis NC State and Elon will go head-to-head in Raleigh, two of four North Carolina colleges that earned bids to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Wolfpack (24-8) are the top-seeded team from the state, earning a No. 4 seed in the Kansas City bracket and a Friday rematch with the 13th-seeded Phoenix (25-7) — NC State won the first meeting 70-57 on Dec. 16. Duke (22-8) earned a No. 5 seed and plays 31-3 Belmont in Athens, Ga., in the first round on Saturday. N.C. A&T, a No. 15 seed with a 23-8 record, faces South Carolina (26-6) in Columbia, S.C., on Friday.

Both Duke and NC Central are in the Albany bracket. Two ACC teams, Notre Dame and Louisville, joined UConn and Michigan State as No. 1 seeds.

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal

MICHAEL SHROYER | USA TODAY SPORTS

Blue Devils senior guard Grayson Allen will attempt to win his second title in his final season at Duke.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal AS ONE of the nation’s top teams for most of the season, Duke seemed to be a lock to play close to home for the first weekend. A loss to UNC in the ACC Tournament semifinals may have given the Tar Heels the spot in Charlotte, however, sending Duke north.

The Blue Devils, the Midwest’s No. 2 seed, opens NCAA Tournament play in Pittsburgh with a Thursday game against the Iona Gaels in the round of 64. The game will tip off at 2:45 p.m. on CBS Mike Krzyzewski shrugged off the added travel, however, saying the team was just happy to be there.

“That’s the beauty of it,” he said. “There’s so much excitement. To see the teams get so excited, our team get excited and to get a No. 2-seed. We’re very proud of that. Everyone — well not everyone — will say we wish we would go here. Look, there are a lot of people that wish they were one of the 68 teams. We’ve done this now, for our program, I think, the 34th time, and it never gets old. It’s exciting, and I’m really happy and proud for my team.”

See DUKE, page B3

“The tournament does not care at all about what you’ve done before this.

All it cares about is winning.”

— Grayson Allen, Duke senior guard

NORTH CAROLINA may have lost to top-ranked Virginia in the ACC tournament championship game Saturday, but it still came home from Brooklyn feeling like winners.

Not only did the Tar Heels’ three-win run to the tournament final help them regain a confidence shaken by an ill-timed twogame losing streak to end the regular season, but it also put them in position to play the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in Charlotte.

That’s no small matter considering UNC’s postseason history in the Queen City.

The Tar Heels, seeded second in the West Region, are a perfect 6-0 in NCAA play under Williams in the arena now known as the Spec-

trum Center. They have yet to lose in 16 tournament games in N.C. since Williams’ arrival in 2003.

But the venue is only part of the reason Williams is so optimistic about his team’s chances, as it begins defense of its national title and a third straight Final Four appearance Friday afternoon against America Sun Conference champion Lipscomb.

“My team is getting better,” the Hall of Fame coach said after Saturday’s loss. “We’ve got some bigger goals in front of us, and we’ll need to get back to work this week after giving them some rest.”

UNC’s most noticeable improvement in Brooklyn came on the defensive end of the court, an area that hasn’t always been its strong suit this season.

The Tar Heels limited all four of their ACC tournament opponents to less than 42 percent shooting from the floor, with two of them — Syracuse and Miami — finishing well below that mark.

They were especially effective at limiting the damage done inSee UNC, page B3

Keatts has Wolfpack back dancing in his first year on the job If NC State can survive its first round game against Seton Hall, a likely matchup with top-seeded Kansas awaits

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal NC STATE’S early ouster from last week’s ACC Tournament was disappointing, but it had little effect on the Wolfpack’s chances of getting into the field for the tournament that’s the goal of every college basketball team.

Still, having missed out on the last two NCAA tournaments, junior forward Torin Dorn wasn’t taking anything for granted until the bid became official Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve never been able to watch the selection show with hopes my team would be in it, so it was fun,” Dorn said. “A little nervous ... but

once you see your name on that board, it’s like relief. We’re in!”

For State, the accomplishment of getting into the NCAA’s field of 68 as the No. 9 seed in the Midwest Region is heightened by the fact the team was picked to finish 12th in the ACC going into the season.

Only three players on the team’s roster — seniors Abdul-Malik Abu and Lennard Freeman along with graduate transfer Allerik Freeman — have played in an NCAA Tournament game, making Thursday’s opening round matchup against No. 8 Seton Hall a special occasion for first-year coach Kevin Keatts and his team.

“It means a lot,” Keatts said Monday. “We don’t take it for granted.”

At the same time, Keatts is determined for his team to enjoy the experience and not come out See N.C. STATE, page B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

B2 WEDNESDAY

3.14.18

TRENDING

Jeff Compher: East Carolina agreed to part ways with the athletic director.

Compher came to ECU in 2013 and was part of the Pirates’ transition to the American Athletic Conference.

His decision to fire popular football coach Ruffin McNeill and replace him with Scottie Montgomery, who has gone 3-9 in each of his first two seasons in Greenville, surely contributed to his departure.

Torrey Smith: The Carolina Panthers took a first step in retooling their receiver corps, trading for the Eagles wide receiver in exchange for defensive back Daryl Worley. Smith caught 36 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns in the 2017 regular season and added 13 receptions for 157 yards and one score in the Eagles’ playoff run to the Super Bowl crown. To get Smith, the Panthers gave up Worley and assumed about $5 million in cap money.

Ndamukong Suh: The defensive tackle will be cut by the Dolphins, according to several media reports.

Suh, 31, signed a sixyear, $114.4 million contract with Miami in 2015, but managed to lead the Dolphins to the postseason just once and earned one Pro Bowl nod. Miami’s run defense ranked 29th last season, a testament to Suh’s struggles with the 6-10 Dolphins. The move came just a few days after the team agreed to trade receiver Jarvis Landry, who led the NFL in receptions, to Cleveland for two draft picks.

beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

PGA

Englishman Paul Casey surged to victory at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday as Tiger Woods came tantalizingly close to ending his five-year drought. Woods, who finished one stroke behind Casey, lamented a “couple of putts here and there” that could have led to his 80th PGA Tour victory. His solid performance, however, provided further proof that he is a force again after last April’s spinal fusion surgery on his lower back.

NICOLE SWEET | USA TODAY SPORTS

“It hurts to lose any game, but to lose to that team is not cool.”

Duke freshman forward Marvin Bagley after UNC knocked the Blue Devils out of the ACC tournament Friday in a 74‑69 decision.

JASEN VINLOVE | USA TODAY SPORTS

NBA

NHL GREG M. COOPER | USA TODAY SPORTS

“I think the locker room was the most excited I’ve ever seen our players in all the years we’ve been in there.”

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim after the Orange learned it had earned an NCAA Tournament bid.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

6 North Carolina schools that earned bids to the men’s NCAA Tournament: North Carolina, Duke, NC State, UNC Greensboro, Davidson and NC Central. That ties the record, originally set in 2002, for most N.C. teams to make the Big Dance when Duke, State, Wake Forest, Davidson, UNC Wilmington and Charlotte made the tournament.

BOB DECHIARA | USA TODAY SPORTS

TOMMY GILLIGAN | USA TODAY SPORTS

Capitals sniper Alexander Ovechkin joined an elite group Monday night, becoming the 20th player in NHL history to reach 600 goals. The 32-year-old Ovechkin is the thirdyoungest player to reach the 600-goal mark — only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux reached it faster.

Ovechkin scored in Washington’s 3-2 win over Winnipeg.

Hornets backup point guard Michael Carter-Williams will undergo seasonending surgery to repair a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder, the team announced Friday. Carter-Williams, 26, suffered the injury in the first half of the Hornets’ loss to the Toronto Raptors two weeks ago. He averaged career lows with 4.6 points, 2.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 52 games.

NFL

GEOFF BURKE | USA TODAY SPORTS

Former Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins looks like he’s found a new home, reportedly agreeing to a three-year, $86 million fully guaranteed contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins spent the last six seasons with Washington, the team that drafted him in the fourth round in 2012 out of Michigan State. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016.

Always Dry. Always Comfortable.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

B3

UNCG, Davidson, NCCU look to pull upsets in NCAAs Three schools part of a record-tying six from N.C. to earn tournament bids

By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE STATE of North Carolina placed six teams in the NCAA Tournament this season, tying a record the state set back in 2002.

NC State, Wake Forest, Duke, Davidson, UNC Wilmington and Charlotte all made the dance 16 years ago, and three of those teams are back to help get a share of the record this season, as well.

NC State and Duke were atlarge picks, as was defending national champion North Carolina. The other three schools in the state all won their respective conference tournaments to make it into the NCAAs. Davidson The Wildcats upset Rhode Island in the championship game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament to punch their ticket for the first time since 2015. Davidson is making its 14th trip to the Big Dance, and the Wildcats were the third team from 2002 to also receive one of the half dozen NCAA bids the state earned this year.

• First round: Davidson travels to Boise as a No. 12 seed and will have plenty of attention, as the team drew fifth-seeded Kentucky.

The Lexington Wildcats have a huge, loud fanbase as well as a roster stocked with elite freshmen who will be playing in the NBA soon.

Davidson is a trendy upset pick, however, thanks to its strong outside shooting — five players have hit at least 37 percent of their

threes this year — and its ability to take care of the ball and avoid turnovers.

• Possible second-round matchups: Assuming the Charlotte Wildcats advance, they’ll meet the winner of No. 3 Arizona and No. 13 Buffalo. Arizona has yet another NBA lottery quality freshman in DeAndre Ayton.

• Possible paths after week one: Davidson has made improbable NCAA runs before. This year, the Sweet 16 would likely bring the top team in the nation in Virginia. No. 2 Cincinnati or No. 3 Tennessee would be the last hurdle to making the Final Four.

UNC Greensboro Wes Miller’s Spartans won the Southern Conference to earn the school’s third NCAA bid and first since 2001.

• First round: Like Davidson, UNCG heads to Boise. The Spartans are a 13-seed and will match up with No. 4 Gonzaga, who played North Carolina in the National Championship Game last season.

The Zags may not be quite at the level of last year’s national finalist, but they are riding a 14game winning streak dating back to Jan. 18. Gonzaga is a 30-win team with balanced scoring — five players average between 11.3 and 13.4 points per game. Johnathan Williams, who scored nine points with five rebounds against the Tar Heels last April, is the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker.

• Possible second round matchups: An upset of the Zags would take UNCG to a game against the winner of Ohio State and South Dakota State. The No. 5 Buckeyes are the likely foe.

GEOFF BURKE | USA TODAY SPORTS

Davidson topped Rhode Island for the Atlantic 10 conference tournament title, earning a No. 12 seed and a first round NCAA Tournament matchup against Kentucky.

3 NCAA Tournament appearances for NC Central under coach LeVelle Moton in the last five seasons • Possible paths after week one: The West Region shifts to Los Angeles for week two, and the Spartans would likely need to find a way to get past No. 1 seed Villanova. No. 3 Michigan and No. 2 North Carolina — Miller’s alma mater — loom on the other side of the region.

NC Central LeVelle Moten’s Eagles won the MEAC and head to the NCAAs for the second straight year and third time in team history.

• First round: Central’s tournament run starts two days earlier than most other teams. The Eagles were one of the teams chosen for the First Four in Dayton and will play Texas Southern, who won the SWAC with a losing record. A win there draws Xavier, the No. 1 seed in the West.

Texas Southern isn’t a pushover however. The team lost its first 13 games of the year, playing a murderers’ row of a nonconference schedule that included Syracuse, Clemson, Kansas, Baylor, Oregon and TCU. The team has gone 15-6 since. Texas Southern is led by Charlotte native Donte Clark, a UMass transfer who

led the team with 18.6 ppg.

Xavier is a tough reward for whichever team wins that opening game. The Musketeers are playing close to home in Nashville and enter with a 28-5 record and one of the nation’s best players — Trevon Bluiett, who averages 19.5 points per game.

• Possible second-round matchups: A second-round matchup would mean that NC Central made tournament history, becoming the first 16-seed to beat a No. 1. The Eagles would then draw the winner of the 8/9 game between Missouri and Florida State.

Possible paths after week one: Next up would be No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 5 Ohio State, or possibly UNC Greensboro. The Tar Heels are also in a North Carolina-heavy West Region.

UNC from page B1

JASON GETZ | USA TODAY SPORTS

Wendell Carter Jr. and the second-seeded Blue Devils start their NCAA run in Pittsburgh.

DUKE from page B1 Not that staying in the state would have been any guarantee of success for the Blue Devils.

While Duke has started runs to the national title in Greensboro (1992 and 2001) and Charlotte (2015), Duke has also suffered first-round upsets to Mercer — as a three-seed in Raleigh — and Lehigh — as a two-seed in Greensboro—in recent years.

So Duke heads to the state of Pennsylvania for the seventh time. The Blue Devils are 6-0 in previous NCAA games in the state, with all of them coming in Philadelphia.

• First round: Iona is making its third straight trip to the NCAAs after winning the MAAC Tournament. The Gaels were the fourth seed but went on a run in the conference tourney. They are led by second-team All-MAAC guard Rickey McGill, who averaged 13.5 points and 5.6 assists.

Iona also features 3-point shooter Schadrac Casimir. The Gaels can score but have a defense that ranks in the 200s. It will take several career nights and a masterful game plan from coach Tim Cluess for the Gaels to hang with Duke.

• Possible second-round matchups: Assuming Duke ad-

vances, the Blue Devils will face the winner of No. 7 Rhode Island and No. 10 Oklahoma. URI won the Atlantic 10 regular season but was upset by Davidson in the conference tourney’s title game.

In one of those coincidences that always seem to happen in the NCAA second round, the Rams are coached by Dan Hurley, brother of legendary Duke point guard Bobby Hurley. Oklahoma was one of the last at-large teams to make the cut after struggling down the stretch. Should the Sooners advance to play Duke, the game would match two of the best freshmen in the nation: Duke’s Marvin Bagley III and Oklahoma’s Trae Young.

• Possible paths after week one: If chalk holds, Duke will get a Sweet 16 rematch with Michigan State in Omaha. The Blue Devils beat the No. 2 Spartans at the Champion’s Classic in November, and coach Tom Izzo has been Mike Krzyzewski’s punching bag for more than a decade.

K has won seven straight against Izzo, dating back to 2005, including wins in the 2013 Sweet 16 and 2015 Final Four. TCU and Bobby Hurley-coached Arizona State are also potential Sweet 16 foes.

At the top of the region are No. 1 Kansas, No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Clemson. Krzyzewski will not be

looking past the Gaels, however.

“That’s the only focus,” he said.

“It’s not hard for me, and we’ve already talked to our team about it.

You cannot — well, you can look ahead, and then you’ll be looking at a lot of things because you won’t be playing anymore. Each game is a championship game.

That’s how I’ve tried to do it.”

Krzyzewski’s senior leader, Grayson Allen, has also learned that lesson. After winning a title as a freshman, Allen has also tasted an early departure, losing to South Carolina in the round of 32 last season.

“You have to have blinders,” Allen said. “You can’t even talk about what’s going to happen next, can’t talk about what’s going to happen in the next round, can’t even think about it. We can’t fill out a bracket, can’t picture playing who, where, what.

You have to focus on one game at a time.

“I know that from this being my fourth tournament and from watching Duke teams in the past and other schools,” Allen continued. “It happens every year, when teams get upset. As far as records go, everyone’s 0-0 right now. The tournament does not care at all about what you’ve done before this. All it cares about is winning.”

side by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, the ACC’s Rookie and Player of the Year, thanks in part to the elevated play of their own freshman big man, Garrison Brooks. UNC was even better at defending its traditional Achilles’ heel, the 3-point shot, until running into a Virginia buzz saw in the championship game.

But as good as the Tar Heels were, senior guard Joel Berry said that they’re going to have to be even better to have any chance at making it to the final game of the next tournament.

“Like I always say, we can score the ball. We have people that can score. It’s just about can you stop other people from scoring,” Berry said. “When we’re playing defense and we’re out there just running around and being active and competing, it’s hard to stop us. That’s why each and every time whenever I get a chance, I just let them know we’ve got to get stops, we’ve got to get stops, because that’s what it’s all about.”

If any team should know what to expect now that tournament time is here, it’s UNC. Four of its five starters have national championship rings to their credit.

And now, because of their close call in Brooklyn, they also have increased motivation.

“We can’t look at it as being a disappointment of losing tonight.” senior Theo Pinson said in the aftermath of the Virginia game. “I think it will have us come back even more hungry going into the (next) tournament.”

Here is the road that faces the Tar Heels in this year’s NCAA tournament: • First round: Lipscomb (23-9), 2:40 p.m., CBS. The Atlantic Sun tournament champion Bisons play an up-tempo style that has helped

“We have people that can score. It’s just about can you stop other people from scoring.”

— Joel Berry II, UNC senior guard them average 82.6 points per game under fifth-year coach Casey Alexander. This is the first NCAA tournament appearance for the small private school from Nashville. This should be a good matchup for UNC, which also likes to get up and down the court, just with better players.

• Possible second-round matchup: The Tar Heels would play the winner of a first-round game between seventh-seeded Texas Tech (20-11) and No. 10 Providence (2113). The Red Raiders have size and balance with six players averaging at least nine points and have some impressive wins to their credit — including victories against NCAA teams West Virginia, Auburn and Kentucky. The Friars feature a senior star in Kyron Cartwright and are hot, having beaten top-seed Xavier in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament before taking another No. 1 seed, Villanova, to overtime in the final.

• Possible paths beyond week one: The West Regional is in Los Angeles, where UNC would face No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Houston, No. 11 San Diego State or No. 14 Montana in the Sweet 16. Xavier is the top seed in the West, but a possible national championship game rematch with Gonzaga, the No. 4 seed, is a realistic Elite Eight possibility. No. 5 Ohio State is also a team to watch from the upper half of the regional bracket.

BRAD PENNER | USA TODAY SPORTS

UNC’s Roy Williams is trying to become the first coach to win back-to-back titles since Billy Donovan guided Florida to consecutive NCAA wins in 2006 and 2007.

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Hurricanes’ GM search could go in several directions With Ron Francis kicked upstairs, new Carolina owner Tom Dundon could take several paths in replacing him

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes new majority owner, Tom Dundon, made his first big move last week, announcing that Ron Francis will be moved to president of hockey operations and the team would hire a new general manager.

Dundon has said his and Francis’ styles didn’t mesh, and the new GM will report directly to the owner — meaning Francis has been essentially pushed aside in the decision-making process.

So where does Dundon go from here? The good news is there are several candidates, some on the rise, others with NHL experience and success, and some off-the board picks. Here’s a breakdown of some of the options.

In-house candidates The Hurricanes have two other former NHL GMs on the payroll, though both would likely be long shots to get the job.

Don Waddell, the president of the Hurricanes’ parent company Gale Force Sports & Entertainment, orchestrated the sale of the team from Peter Karmanos Jr. to Dundon and was the former GM of the expansion Atlanta Thrashers. The team, however, had little success in Waddell’s decade at the helm, reaching the postseason just once when the Thrashers won the 2006-07 Southeast Division title. He was let go by the franchise when the team was sold to True North and relocated to Winnipeg.

Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk is a pro scout and adviser to the Hurricanes, a job he took following his dismissal as GM of the Dallas Stars. The Stars finished out of the playoffs in all four of Nieuwendyk’s years running the team.

He did have some success in the later rounds of the draft, most notably taking John Klingberg in the fifth round in 2010, but whiffed on three of his four first round picks.

Another option is Mike Vellucci, the current Hurricanes assistant GM and coach of the Charlotte Checkers. Vellucci has the Checkers on pace to make the playoffs, and he has a history of success as a GM in the Ontario Hockey League with the old Plymouth Whalers. There is, however, a Karmanos connection there, and Dundon will probably want fresh eyes overseeing everything.

Experienced candidates The biggest name available is two-time Cup-winning GM Dean Lombardi. Lombardi helmed the Sharks from 1996 to 2003, guiding them to five playoff appearances sandwiched around two seasons

Triangle’s attempt to reach fourth straight title game will fall short NSJ’s Shawn Krest and Brett Friedlander each took a crack at how they see the 2018 NCAA Tournament unfolding. Each have a Triangle team reaching the Final Four, but both picked a coach who will cut down the nets for the first time.

SHAWN KREST Wild about Arizona

LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL | FILE

Ron Francis is out as general manager of the Hurricanes after nearly four years of building the team’s roster. outside the postseason, but never got out of the second round. He fared better in Los Angeles, where he won two Cups with the Kings (2012, 2014) and was behind the drafting of countless NHLers, including Anze Kopitar, Drew Dougthy, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and Alec Martinez, to name a few. Lombardi, however, depleted the farm system with deadline deals in recent years, trading away picks and prospects for Cup runs, plus he missed big on several free agent signings before being fired after last season.

Don Maloney is another experienced option, having GM’d the Islanders in the mid-1990s and the Coyotes for nearly a decade. He made the playoffs three times with the payroll-limited Coyotes, but was let go in 2016 and now serves as a scout for Calgary.

Julien BriseBois and Paul Fenton, assistant GMs in Tampa Bay and Nashville, respectively, are also on the radar of any team looking for an up-and-comer. BriseBois is just 41 and worked for both the Canadiens and Lightning front offices.

Fenton is a former teammate of Francis, playing 34 of his 411 NHL games with the Whalers, and has been David Poile’s right-hand man in Nashville since the late ’90s.

Assistant GMs Steve Greeley, in his first year with the Sabres, and Tom Fitzgerald, now with the Devils after time in the Penguins’ front office and 17 seasons as a player, have both reportedly received interest from Carolina. Dallas’ Les Jackson has been with the team since its Minnesota North Stars days, so he might be entrenched there. He is, however, highly respected and a possibility.

On-the-rise candidates

Off-the-board candidates

Here’s where things get interesting. Two high-profile candidates are Leafs assistant GMs Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter. Even if current Toronto general manager Lou Lamoriello doesn’t return to the position at the end of his contract this season, only one of these young guys can get the job. The 32-yearold Dubas, who thrived with the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds using an analytics-based approach, would seem like a perfect fit, but may be the front-runner in Toronto.

Hunter, former orchestrator of the powerhouse London Knights of the OHL, could also be a prime — and hungry — candidate.

The Hurricanes have already asked permission to speak to Kings assistant GM Mike Futa, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. Futa, however, has reportedly pulled his name from consideration.

One intriguing name is NHL Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, currently an adviser with the Panthers.

Pronger was the second overall pick by the Whalers in 1993, but made his mark mostly with St. Louis, Philadelphia and Anaheim, winning the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP in 2000 with the Blues and a Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Ducks. Forced to retire due to post-concussion syndrome, Pronger previously worked for the NHL’s Player Safety office.

Laurence Gilman, a former executive with the Canucks, has been mentioned as a possible candidate as well.

And you can never rule out Pierre McGuire, the former Whalers coach and current broadcaster who seems find his way from time to time into talk of general manager vacancies.

What a difference a few hours makes. After watching Virginia look like chess masters on its way to the ACC title in Brooklyn, it was tough to imagine any other team cutting down the nets in the Final Four.

Then the brackets were unveiled.

If the seeds hold, Virginia will face Arizona in the Sweet 16, and it’s entirely possible that the Cavaliers’ magical season will end there. Arizona spent a portion of the season as the No. 2 team in the nation and, despite plenty of offcourt drama related to the FBI’s investigation of college basketball, few teams are as dangerous on the court. The Wildcats feature the nation’s best NBA prospect — center DeAndre Ayton — and Arizona pushes tempo and hits from outside. If that sounds similar, it’s because it’s a near replica, from raw numbers to KenPom

ratings, of the two teams to beat Virginia this season — West Virginia and Virginia Tech.

So assuming Arizona takes care of Virginia, things look wide open in all four brackets.

North Carolina and Duke, both two seeds, are strong candidates, but both have landmines ahead, including injuries. The Tar Heels may have to play without Cam Johnson, while Duke’s Trevon Duval and Wendell Carter Jr. are both hobbled. They also each have rematches from the nonconference schedule in the Sweet 16 — UNC against Michigan and Duke against Michigan State — that could derail them.

Shawn’s Predictions Final Four: Villanova (East); Arizona (South); Duke (Midwest); Xavier (West) National Championship Game: Arizona over Duke

BRETT FRIEDLANDER Virginia is for winners The perception among national columnists and the TV talking heads is that there’s no clear-cut favorite in this year’s NCAA tournament. But after watching Virginia’s passiveaggressive domination of the ACC last week on the way to the conference tournament title in Brooklyn, I have to disagree.

The Cavaliers aren’t the bluecollar team they’re perceived to be. And they have a lot more going for them than that suffocating pack line defense.

They’re a talented group that’s as efficient on offense as anyone in the country. They just do it at a slower pace and with more discipline than most.

While this is could be the year coach Tony Bennett finally gets UVA over the top into a Final Four, there’s a good chance his Cavaliers won’t be the only ACC team showing up

in San Antonio.

Defending national champion North Carolina is the most likely candidate because of a favorable draw in the West, where it is the No. 2 seed to a shaky No. 1 Xavier. Duke also has the potential to get to San Antonio, but with a Midwest Region gauntlet that could include a Sweet 16 matchup with Michigan State and an Elite Eight meeting with Kansas, it won’t be as easy.

Meanwhile in the East, top-seeded Villanova has the experience and matchups to make another serious run at the national title.

Brett’s Predictions Final Four: Villanova (East); Virginia (South); Michigan State (Midwest); UNC (West) National Championship Game: Virginia over Villanova

N.C. STATE from page B1 tight like it did in last Wednesday’s ACC Tournament loss to Boston College in Brooklyn.

The Wolfpack (21-11) finally loosened up and began looking more like itself during the final 10 minutes of that game. But after falling behind by as many as 16, it was never able to come all the way back and win.

“I don’t know the other 67 teams that are in there and what they’re going to do, but we’re going to go into this tournament and try to have the most fun that we can have this week,” Keatts said. “We’re going to prepare, and I want our guys to be excited about it. All I’m going to ask our guys to do is what we’ve asked them to do all year, just to come out and play hard and compete.”

In Seton Hall, the Wolfpack will play an experienced postseason team that will be making its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

Should it advance, State would earn a date with the region’s top seed, Kansas. It’s a similar scenario to the one it faced three years ago, when the Wolfpack upset Villanova to advance to the Sweet 16.

This year’s team already has experience beating highly rated opponents, with victories against Arizona, Duke and North Carolina to its credit.

Not that Keatts or his players have the luxury of looking that far ahead.

“If you don’t compete like it’s your last game ... you’ve got to leave everything on the floor for 40 minutes,” Keatts said. “You don’t wor-

Guard Sam Hunt and the Wolfpack earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play Seton Hall in the first round.

ROB KINNAN | USA TODAY SPORTS

ry about the next game; you don’t worry about rest. You have to stay in the moment and worry about that particular game.”

Here’s how State’s potential NCAA Tournament road shakes out: • First round: No. 8 Seton Hall (21-11), Wichita, Kan., Thursday, 4:30 p.m., TBS. The Pirates are nearly a mirror-image of the Wolfpack — good enough to beat NCAA Tournament teams Texas Tech,

Butler and Providence, but also inconsistent enough to lose to Big East bottom feeders Rutgers and Georgetown. One area in which Pirates will have an advantage is NCAA Tournament experience, having gone in each of the past two seasons.

• Possible second-round matchup: If State is able to survive its first-round game, a date with top-seeded Kansas awaits barring an upset of historic proportions.

The Jayhawks, who play 16th-seeded Penn on Thursday, are coming off their record 14th-straight Big 12 championship using a four-guard attack led by Wooden Award candidate and Raleigh native Devonte Graham. There could potentially be a chink in Kansas’ armor if its one big man, Udoka Azubuike, isn’t able to play after missing the Big 12 Tournament with a knee injury.

• Possible paths beyond week

one: It’s a long shot, of course, but if State were able to upset the Jayhawks and move on to the second week in Omaha, it could potentially face ACC rival Clemson — a team it split two games with this season — in the Sweet 16. Other possibilities include No. 4 Auburn, No. 12 New Mexico State and No. 13 College of Charleston. The top teams on the other side of the bracket are second-seeded Duke and No. 3 Michigan.

the good life

WEDNESDAY

3.14.18

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL

play list

IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

March 16 “One Night in Memphis” The Walker Center, Wilkesboro Journey back to 1956 for an unforgettable evening with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. “One Night in Memphis” recreates the Sun Studios jam session featuring these iconic musicians. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased through The Walker Center box office.

March 16-18 Cape Fear Wildlife Expo Crown Arena, Fayetteville The Cape Fear Wildlife Expo is an action-packed event with interactive activities for all ages.

The expo features decoy carving demonstrations, hand-crafted duck and turkey calls, wildlife art, hunting and fishing projects and much more.

March 17 8th Annual Assault on BlackRock Fisher Creek, Sylva

TYLER GOLDEN | NBC

Britton Buchanan, from Stanford, performs on NBC’s “The Voice” in the blind audition round.

All the right notes Sanford native represents North Carolina on NBC series ‘The Voice’

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal RALEIGH — Season 14 of The Voice, the popular reality singing competition on NBC, kicked off this month, and an 18-year-old from Sanford made the cut.

Britton Buchanan won over judges Adam Levine, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton singing “Trouble” by Ray Lamontagne. During Buchanan’s performance, Shelton, Keys and Levine all turned their chairs for him at the same time. However, this season brings a new twist in the form of the “block” button.

Shelton hit his button for Buchanan and simultaneously “blocked” Levine. Each coach gets one block per season and when the “block” button is hit, it prevents another judge from being selected as that contestant’s coach.

Going into the competition, Buchanan was hoping for Levine as his coach, but in a twist of fate thanks to Shelton, he walked away on Team Alicia.

“I was extremely flattered that Blake decided to use his block on me,” said Buchanan. “It was crazy.

It was kind of surreal and I wasn’t expecting him to give the block to a person at all. I don’t know if it really factored into the decision. Alicia is a great salesperson, and she roped me right in with everything that she said. She pretty much had me in the palm of her hand as soon as she started talking.

“I wanted to (be selected by Adam Levine) going in, but I’m super crazy happy with the decision that I made. I don’t know if I would change it now,” he added.

Growing up, Buchanan followed his intuition toward guitar and musical theatre. His parents introduced him to ’70s and ’80s rock and folk music. When he was 13, he joined a classic rock band and a year later won a songwriting contest that gave him the opportunity to record with renowned engineer John Davenport, whose credits include Robert Palmer’s “Riptide” album, as well as Bruce Springsteen’s album “Born in the

“It is very humbling and it’s like weird in the best way possible because I’m not used to attention.”

— Britton Buchanan

Experience the extreme seven-mile trail run on BlackRock. Runners will race through the Plott Balsam Mountains as they summit BlackRock and the 2,770-elevation gain. The race begins at 8:00 a.m.

Southern Farm Days Boys & Girls Homes Complex, Lake Waccamaw See the workings of decades old farm equipment at Southern Farm Days. Attendees can watch live demonstrations and meet exhibitors as they learn about daily activities and life on the farm. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. and tickets are required for admission.

Disc Golf Tournament Round Peak Vineyards, Mt. Airy Benefit Surry County Farmers’ Markets with a disc golf tournament at the beautiful Round Peak Vineyards. Tournament participants and spectators can enjoy a variety of local vendors while learning more about their local farmers’ markets.

Tournament check-in and registration begins at 9:00 a.m.

March 17-18 PHOTO COURTESY OF NBC STUDIOS

U.S.A.” Springsteen continues to have an influence on the young singer.

“The day before I decided to go to audition, I was listening to the E Street Radio,” said Buchanan. “I’m a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. And this interview came on with Tom Hanks and Bruce, and Tom asked him what it would take for a person to make it today, and Bruce responded with, you had to be desperate enough to take every shot that comes your way. And the next day, I was contacted, and I decided to go to Charleston for an audition and here I am right now.

It was really kind of an impulsive decision. And it was obviously the best decision I’ve ever made regarding music,” One song in front of four judges on national television has spawned a whole new realm of attention for the teen from Stanford.

From interviews to news outlets to social media followings.

“It is very humbling and it’s like weird in the best way possible be-

cause I’m not used to attention,” said Buchanan. “I don’t get it at home. It’s brand new and it’s weird in the best way possible and I love it, and I would not mind having an entire career built on these things.

All the comments have just been awesome. And I read everything, and I try to respond to everything because the support means so much to me. It’s just — it’s crazy.

“I thought that I would just sing in bars for the rest of my life. I’m not really the biggest fan of myself at all, and that’s OK. I think it pushes me to try to just work harder so I can be satisfied with what I do. If you ask me if I ever thought I would get anywhere doing what I was doing, no, never. But hey, I’m definitely not complaining,” Buchanan added.

“I’m just going to ride the wave and see what happens. I’m just going to strap on my seatbelt and go for a ride, you know, and then see what happens.”

The Voice airs on NBC at 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday nights.

237th Anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse Observance Greensboro Celebrate the 237th Anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse with a series of commemorative events. The special program features Revolutionary War music by the Guilford Courthouse Fife & Drum Corps, firearms demonstrations, a ceremonial wreath-laying and much more.

Military Through the Ages Bentonville Battlefield, Four Oaks Discover the evolution of the American military at Bentonville Battlefield. Reenactors will showcase the transformation of America’s military over the centuries, including various weapons demonstrations. This special event is free and begins at 10:00 a.m. each day.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

B6

NeCessities! history marked March 15, 1941

March 16, 1919

March 17, 1967

Blossom of dogwood tree official state flower

Last whale killed off the North Carolina coast

Glory days at Winston-Salem State University

The General Assembly designated the dogwood as the state flower. In choosing the dogwood the General Assembly called the bloom “a radiantly beautiful flower which grows abundantly in all parts of this State.” Four species of dogwood are native to North Carolina. Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood, grows on a tree, and can be found during spring in most parts of the state, and is the flower with which most people are familiar. Cornus racemose, the grey dogwood, grows on a bush can and be found in the northern Piedmont, and Cornus asperifolia, the roughleaf dogwood, is found along the southeast coast. The alternate-leaf dogwood, Cornus alternifolia, was once found in the Piedmont, but now can only be seen in the mountains. The dogwood is both the official state tree and flower of Virginia, and the state tree of Missouri.

The last whale killed by North Carolina fisherman was caught near Cape Lookout.

Whaling was practiced in North Carolina since the colonial era, and the first evidence for whaling in North Carolina comes from a 1666 commercial whaling license issued by Peter Carteret, the assistant governor of the North Carolina colony. The industry quickly became prosperous with English and Scottish settlers setting up fisheries up and down the coast to catch and process whales for their meat, oil and bone. North Carolinians played an active role in this industry although their participation was most often shore-based as opposed to oceanic. By the early 20th century, as Americans turned to gasoline and kerosene for their heating and lighting needs, and to synthetic substances for greasing, whale oil fell into disuse and the shore-based whaling industry collapsed.

The Winston-Salem State University Rams bested the Southwest Missouri State University Bears 77-74 at the NCAA Division II national men’s basketball championship game in Evansville, Indiana. In so doing, WSSU became the first historically black college in the nation to win a national championship. The championship was the highlight of a 30-1 season for the Rams, and represented a comeback from the Rams’ third-place finish in the CIAA tournament behind North Carolina A&T and Howard. WSSU player Vernon Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, who would later go on to a stellar pro career with the Baltimore Bullets and New York Knicks, largely led the team to victory and earned honors as NCAA Division Player of the Year and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors as result. Hall of Fame winning coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, who coached the men’s basketball at WSSU for nearly 50 years, also earned top honors as NCAA Division II College Coach of the Year.

ENTERTAINMENT

O.J. Simpson gets tongues wagging, but ‘American Idol’ wins on TV A more than 10 year-old interview in which O.J. Simpson gave a hypothetical account of how he might have murdered his ex-wife fired up social media, but Americans proved more interested in watching the return of “American Idol,” television ratings data on Monday showed. Some 10.3 million Americans watched the two-hour premiere of “American Idol” on ABC on Sunday night, compared with 4.4 million who tuned in to see rival Fox broadcast the 2006 tape in a show called “O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession?,” according to Nielsen.

Apple Music hits 38 million paid subscribers Apple’s streaming music service now has 38 million paid subscribers, up from 36 million in February, the company said on Monday. Apple is locked in race for subscribers with Amazon, Google and others as streaming music becomes the dominant form of paid music consumption.

Apple’s number compares to 71 million premium subscribers at the end of 2017 at industry leader Spotify, which plans to list shares in the coming weeks on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SPOT.

Markle carries out first royal engagement with UK’s Queen Elizabeth Prince Harry’s American fiancée Meghan Markle on Monday took part in her first official royal engagement with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth since the couple announced they were getting married last year. Markle joined her husband-to-be and Britain’s other senior royals including Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and his elder brother Prince William and his wife Kate at London’s Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth service.

Has Spotify answered its royalty problem?

Madcap British comedian Ken Dodd dies at 90

In its much-anticipated filing to go public last month, Spotify revealed revenue growth was outpacing costs, suggesting the music streaming service was striking deals with the music industry that defeat the central tension in its business model.

Spotify launched in 2008 and is now available in more than 60 countries, but a big question mark over its model remains whether it can find enough subscribers and other revenue to pay for the mountain of royalty fees to record labels and artists.

British comedian Ken Dodd, wellknown to the country’s television audiences for his spiky hair, buck teeth and “tickling stick,” has died aged 90, his publicist said on Monday. Dodd achieved fame in theaters in the 1950s with a madcap humor and a relentless barrage of off-the-cuff ripostes.

His style, which later brought him television and radio fame, owed much to music hall tradition.

‘Black Panther’ tops ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ in Disney-dominant weekend

By Dave McNary Variety LOS ANGELES — “Black Panther” remained superheroic in its fourth weekend at the North American box office with $41.1 million at 3,942 locations, easily topping the opening weekend of fantasy-adventure “A Wrinkle in Time” with $33.5 million at 3,980 sites, estimates showed Sunday.

What had been pegged as a close contest among Disney titles for first place turned into a relatively easy victory for “Black Panther.” The Marvel title declined only 38 percent and generated the third-highest fourth weekend of all time, trailing only “Avatar” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

With $562 million in 24 days, “Black Panther” is now the seventh-highest domestic grosser of all time. It’s the first film since “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to lead the North American box office for four straight weekends and it’s grossed $1.08 billion worldwide, 21st highest of all time.

“A Wrinkle in Time” opened in line with Disney’s projections, which were slightly lower than the industry consensus. Critics were mostly unimpressed with a 42 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences gave “Wrinkle” a B CinemaScore. The $100 million-plus budgeted film is depending on family audiences to support the film in the coming weeks to push it into profitability.

A total of 37 percent of audiences gave “Wrinkle” an “excellent” rating with another 38 percent rating it “very good,” according to comScore/Screen Engine PostTrak. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst with comScore, noted that the key 13- to 17-yearold demographic gave it an 83 percent combined score in those two categories. “That is very strong and makes sense with the PG rat-

ing, the subject matter and young people’s love for the book,” he added.

Based on Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 classic fantasy novel, “A Wrinkle in Time” stars Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Zach Galifianakis, Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. The film follows a young girl (Reid), her step-brother (Deric McCabe) and a friend (Levi Miller) as they embark on a journey that spans time and space in search of her missing father.

The weekend marks the first time in recent memory that films both led and directed by African-Americans have nabbed the first and second place spots at the box office. Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” starring Daniel Kaluuya, led the box office its opening weekend in February 2017, with $33.3 million. The wide release of “Hidden Figures,” starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae, opened at No. 1 in January of the same year with $22.8 million.

Dave Hollis, president of worldwide distribution for Disney, told Variety that “Black Panther” and “A Wrinkle in Time” accounted for inclusion through their portrayals of strong female and minority characters.

“Audiences respond to seeing themselves on the big screen, and it’s good business for us,” he added. “Representation and inclusion matter.”

Hollis also predicted that “A Wrinkle in Time” has the next four weekends during spring vacations from schools. He noted that Disney has traditionally opened a family film in early March to take advantage of the family demographic, as it did last year with “Beauty and the Beast” and in 2016 with “Zootopia.”

Overall domestic box office was $137 million, down 17 percent

ANDREW KELLY | REUTERS

A group of men gather in front of a poster advertising the film “Black Panther” on its opening night of screenings at the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 cinemas in Manhattan, New York, on Feb. 15.

“Audiences respond to seeing themselves on the big screen, and it’s good business for us,” he added.

“Representation and inclusion matter.”

— Dave Hollis, president of worldwide distribution for Disney from the same weekend a year ago when “Kong: Skull Island” opened with $61 million. But year-to-date box office is up 7.4 percent to $2.31 billion, according to comScore.

That gain comes largely from “Black Panther” and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

The opening of Aviron Pictures’ “The Strangers: Prey at Night” led the rest of the pack in third with $10.5 million at 2,464 venues.

Directed by Johannes Roberts, the horror sequel to 2008’s “The Strangers” stars Christina Hendricks, Martin Henderson, Bailee Madison, and Lewis Pullman.

Fox’s second weekend of Jennifer Lawrence’s spy thriller “Red Sparrow” followed in fourth with $8.2 million at 3,064 sites with a 52 percent decline. “Sparrow” has topped $31 million in its first 10

days.

Warner Bros.’ third weekend of R-rated comedy “Game Night” finished fifth with $7.9 million at 3,061 locations, declining only 24 percent to lift its 17-day total to $45 million. Sony’s fifth weekend of “Peter Rabbit” came in sixth with $6.8 million at 3,112 venues to push the family comedy past $93 million domestically. MGM’s second weekend of “Death Wish” followed in seventh with $6.6 million at 2,882 sites to give the Bruce Willis reboot nearly $24 million in 10 days.

Entertainment Studios’ action-thriller “The Hurricane Heist” opened softly with $3.2 million at 2,402 locations and tied for eighth place with Paramount’s third weekend of sci-fi horror movie “Annihilation” at 1,709 screens.

Sony’s 12th weekend of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” rounded out the top 10 with $2.8 million at 2,157 sites. Its 82-day total has hit a remarkable $397.3 million, good enough for the 30th spot on the all-time domestic list.

Nash Edgerton’s “Gringo” grossed a pallid $2.6 million at 2,402 locations to finish 11th.

The Amazon Studios and STXfilms’ action comedy stars David Oyelowo as a business man who works for a company that had developed the “weed pill” and is sent to Mexico to handle the manufac-

turing of the product but ends up getting kidnapped by a drug cartel. The cast also includes Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried and Thandie Newton.

Fox Searchlight’s 15th weekend of “The Shape of Water” followed in 12th with $2.4 million at 1,552 venues, up 63 percent as the studio added 720 screens of Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy drama, which won best picture and best director at the Academy Awards.

“Shape” has grossed $61 million in 101 days.

Focus Features’ thriller “Thoroughbreds” opened with a quiet $1.2 million on 549 screens. Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke portray childhood friends who reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Cory Finley makes his directing debut with the film that features Anton Yelchin in his final on-screen role.

The actor died at age 26 in a freak accident in 2016.

Fox showed sneak previews of its gay romance “Love, Simon” on Saturday night ahead of its opening next weekend in about 2,400 locations. Warner Bros. is also launching action-adventure “Tomb Raider,” starring Alicia Vikander, in around 3,600 locations. Both face formidable competition from the fifth weekend of “Black Panther,” which could contend again for first place.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

B7

TV networks plot multiple documentary tributes to MLK Jr.

By Brian Steinberg Variety LOS ANGELES — NBC News and MSNBC will run a two-hour documentary centered on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the latest TV project to be announced around the legendary civil rights leader in the 50th anniversary of his 1968 assassination.

NBC News will debut “Hope & Fury: MLK, The Movement and The Media” on NBC on March 24 at 8 p.m. and on MSNBC March 25 at 9 p.m. The two-hour documentary examines how King and leaders of the civil rights movement used print and visual media, especially television, to spark Americans’ awareness of racial inequality. Andrew Lack, chairman of NBC News, is executive producer.

Other TV networks have planned separate projects that examine King’s life and work. HBO’s “King in the Wilderness” looks at

Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream,” speech during the Aug. 28, 1963, march on Washington, D.C. FILE PHOTO

the final chapters of King’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. The documentary de-

buts April 2 at 8 p.m. on HBO. Meanwhile, Viacom’s Paramount Network will present “I Am MLK Jr.,” an original documentary from filmmaker Derik Murray,

slated to air April 4 at 9 p.m.

The NBC News effort will show how protesters using social media today employ similar strategies to the ones utilized by King and

movement leaders. The film also highlights how today’s protesters communicate directly to mass audiences via digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter and tell their stories firsthand by broadcasting unfiltered footage in real time.

“By the brilliant design of Dr. King and the movement’s leaders, each chapter of the civil rights struggle played out dramatically on the evening news,” said Lack, in a statement. “Powerful images beamed into living rooms haunted Americans and eventually brought about historic change.

Today’s movements have smartphones and live streams — but they still depend on the sheer force of video and pictures to tell a story and move people to action.”

The documentary film was produced and directed by Rachel Dretzin and Phil Bertelsen, and is narrated by Lester Holt, anchor of “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.”

TAKE NOTICE RANDOLPH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 17 SP 355 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kenneth Wayne Cruthis and Thelma Lee Cruthis to The Fidelity Company, Trustee(s), dated the 14th day of February, 2003, and recorded in Book 1805, Page 0470, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 27, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a new iron pin in the southwesterly right of way line of Grey Drive, the southeast corner of Lot 17 of Carraway Hills, Map No. 3, map of which is recorded in Plat Book 11, Page 58, Randolph County Registry; running thence along the southwesterly right of way line of Grey Drive South 25 degrees 34 minutes 06 seconds East 110 feet to an established iron pin; running thence South 64 degrees 20 minutes 00 seconds West 199.96 feet to an established iron pin in the line of Lot 30 of Carraway Hills, Map No. 3, Plat Book 11, Page 58; running thence along the line of Lots 30 and 29 of Carraway Hills, Map No. 3, North 25 degrees 40 minutes 00 seconds West 110 feet to a new iron pin, the southwest corner of said Lot 17 of Carraway Hills, Map No. 3; running thence along the south line of said Lot 17 North 64 degrees 20 minutes 00 seconds East 200.15 feet to the point and place of Beginning, the same containing approximately 0.51 acres as shown on survey prepared by Mark Terry & Associates, Inc. dated February 20, 1998, entitled “Survey for Kenneth Wayne Cruthis and Thelma Cruthis”. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3777 Grey Drive, Sophia, North Carolina.

The above described property is a portion of Lot 16 of Carraway Hills, Map No. 3, map of which is recorded in Plat Book 11, Page 58, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina.

Parcel ID Number: 7725487510 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a) (1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1223729 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: March 14, 2018 and March 21, 2018

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 16 SP 381 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Frederick W. Goad and Anna H. Goad, (Frederick W. Goad, deceased) to

NC Titles, Trustee(s), dated the 26th day of October, 2006, and recorded in Book RE 1997, Page 1932, and Re-recorded in Book RE 2004, Page 2057, and Modification in Book RE2333, Page 1364, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 27, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lot 4 of the Gaddy Place Phase Three a plat of which is recorded at Plat Book 43 Page 31 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Randolph County North Carolina being the identical property as conveyed to Frederick W Goad and wife Anna H Goad on 03-211996 in Book 1449 Page 611 in the Randolph County Public Registry Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6587 Leah Justine Drive, Trinity, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a) (1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

South 13 deg West 231 feet with the East side of Callicut Street to the beginning, and being Lots Nos. 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and 111 of Morningside Park Subdivision as shown by plat recorded in Plat Book 4, Page 16, in the office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 434 Callicut Street, Asheboro, North Carolina.

Assessor’s Parcel No: 7761416746 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a) (1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1193173 (FC.FAY)

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by April H. Hollifield and Robert W. Whitaker (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): April H. Hollifield) to The law offices of Daniel A. Fulco pllc, Trustee(s), dated the 13th day of March, 2008, and recorded in Book RE2069, Page 104, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 27, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot No. 10 of The Winchester Subdivision, a plat of which is duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Randolph County, North Carolina in Plat Book 32 at Page 70. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 120 Winchester Court, Trinity, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a) (1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

PUBLICATION DATES: March 14, 2018 and March 21, 2018

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 17 SP 451 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by James Edwin Hall to Constance R. Stienstra, Trustee(s), dated the 21st day of October, 2009, and recorded in Book RE2153, Page 427, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 27, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The following described property: A tract or parcel of land in Asheboro Township, Randolph County, North Carolina, described as follows: Beginning at a stake on the east side of Callicutt Street at a point 225 feet North 13 deg East from the northeast intersection of Thomas Street and Callicutt Street, the common corner of Lots Nos. 75 and 103; thence South 58 deg East 208 feet to a stake, the common corner of Lots Nos. 118 and 103; thence North 13 deg East 288 feet to a stake, the common corner of Lots Nos. 111 and 118; thence North 75 deg West 200 feet to a stake on the East side of Callicut Street, the Northwest corner of Lot No. 111; thence

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1229349 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: March 14, 2018 and March 21, 2018

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 16 SP 332

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1190734 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: March 14, 2018 and March 21, 2018

STANLY NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 7 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Charles F. Crawley, (Charles F. Crawley, deceased) (Heirs of Charles F. Crawley: Charles Franklin Crawley, Jr., Robert Crawley and Unknown Heirs of Charles F. Crawley) to BNC Credit Corp., Trustee(s), dated the 20th day of July, 2015, and recorded in Book 1532, Page 722, in Stanly County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Stanly County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on March 28, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Stanly, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The following real property situate in County of Stanly and State of North Carolina, described as follows: Beginning at an iron stake on North side of Montgomery Avenue, the Southwest corner of Lot No. 119, and runs thence N. 4-50 E. 150 feet to an iron stake, thence S. 85-10 E. 100 feet to an iron stake; thence S. 4-50 W. 150 feet to an iron stake on North side of Montgomery Avenue; thence with North edge of said avenue N. 85-10 W. 100 feet to the beginning, and being all of lots Nos. 119 and 118 of Oakdate, the J. M. Brown property, as shown on a map of the same filed in the register’s office for Stanly County in Plat Book 1, Page 123, and surveyed by Heath Kluttz, April 18, 1955. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 421 Montgomery Avenue, Albemarle, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a) (1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be

issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE. c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1230746 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: March 14, 2018 and March 21, 2018

WAKE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 144 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Jason M. Ancrum to Jerone C. Herring, Trustee(s), dated the 27th day of March, 2002, and recorded in Book 9353, Page 2732, and Modification in Book 14198, Page 2157, and Modification in Book 15744, Page 116, in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in the City of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 19, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 7 of the Meadows at Eaglechase Subdivision, Phase Five, as same is shown on a plat thereof recorded in Book of Maps 1990 at Page 965 in the Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 5405 Kincross Court, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE \c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1231581 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: March 7, 2018 and March 14, 2018

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 14, 2018

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SOLUTIONS FROM 03.07.18

Experience It All. All In One Place. #AllinOnePlace 50 Years of NC Arts Council in All 100 Counties State Parks and Recreation Areas North Carolina Aquariums Historic Sites North Carolina ZOO Museums of History, Art and Science Libraries and Archives North Carolina Symphony

dncr.nc.gov/AllinOnePlace

Happy New Year!

I wish you all the best in 2018 as you experience everything North Carolina has to offer.

Secretary Susi H. Hamilton

NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

NC DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES