North State Journal — Vol. 2., Issue 51

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 51

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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

Inside Blue Devils, Tar Heels back in the top 5, Sports

JOSHUA ROBERTS | REUTERS

The U.S. Capitol building is lit at dusk ahead of planned votes on tax reform in Washington, on Dec. 18..

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

EPA nominee withdraws after NC senators oppose nomination Washington, D.C. A former chemical industry consultant nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency’s chemical safety office has withdrawn his nomination.

Michael Dourson notified the administration last week after Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) raised concerns about his past work and possible conflicts of interest. Dourson worked as a consultant for DuPont and subsidiary Chemours and had assessed some chemicals, including PFOA, used to make nonstick surfaces, to be safe at levels far higher than considered acceptable by the EPA. Chemours is currently under investigation for a spill of GenX, a replacement for PFOA, into the Cape Fear River.

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

Fed lifts ban on studies that enhance germs Washington, D.C. The federal government on Tuesday lifted a 2014 temporary ban on funding germ research in which scientists deliberately make them more transmissible or deadly. The ban covered any new “gain-of-function” experiments that enhance pathogens like avian influenza, SARS and the MERS viruses. Critics say the research could be used in bioterrorism if it fell into the wrong hands.

However, the National Institutes of Health issued new guidelines and says it’s important to help scientists understand and develop effective countermeasures “against rapidly evolving pathogens that pose a threat to public health.”

A procedural objection by Senate Democrats as the chamber began debate means a second vote, or a “Motion to Concur,” by the House on Wednesday morning is expected to give final passage to the biggest tax overhaul in 30 years

By Donna King North State Journal

South Carolina capital first city to ban gun bump stocks Columbia, S.C. South Carolina’s capital could become the first U.S. city to ban the use of bump stocks, a gun accessory that has drawn national scrutiny after being found among the Las Vegas mass shooter’s arsenal in October. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said the city council was expected in a vote on Tuesday night to approve an ordinance barring the devices, which allow semiautomatic rifles to fire hundreds of rounds a minute like fully automatic machine guns.

U.S. House will likely vote again on tax bill, Senate expected to pass it

JOSHUA ROBERTS | REUTERS

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions stands during a news conference to discuss “efforts to reduce violent crime” at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 15.

Sessions creates Charlotte crime task force U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says Charlotte and western Pennsylvania have rising crime rates and collaboration between federal, state and local officers can reverse the trend

By Donna King North State Journal CHARLOTTE — Attorney General Jeff Sessions says that Charlotte and western Pennsylvania are two cities that the U.S. Justice Department thinks are most in need of federal help with crime fighting. Sessions was in the Charlotte area on Tuesday at the U.S. Attorney’s office to announce a new strategy. The Charlotte Violent Crime Task Force will create a collaboration

between federal state and local law enforcement officers and will be assigned to the FBI Charlotte Division Headquarters.

“We are well aware that 85 percent of law enforcement officers in America are state and local,” Sessions said. “These are the officers that have the critical street-level intelligence regarding the criminal element in our communities — who we should target first — and we are pairing that with the federal resources.

“To the communities that are suffering, we are marshalling our resources and we will be relentless in our pursuit of violent criminals that are victimizing your neighborhoods.”

Sessions thanked the local Charlotte law enforcement and Andrew Murray, U.S. attorney for Western North Carolina.

See SESSIONS, page A8

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives approved sweeping tax cut and reform legislation on Tuesday, sending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) to the Senate, where lawmakers almost immediately began debate.

However, a procedural objection

by Senate Democrats stopped the process and forced the House to plan another vote Wednesday.

The Senate was expected to pass the bill late Tuesday, sending it over to the House for a “motion to Concurr” on Wednesday morning. The biggest overhaul of the U.S. tax system in more than 30 years could be signed into law by President Donald Trump by the end of the week.

With Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin watching from the gallery, the House initially passed the bill Tuesday afternoon by a vote of 227-203.

The plan includes across the board cuts for companies and individual taxpayers. It repeals the mandate in the Obamacare health system that requires people to buy health insurance or face a steep fine. Eliminating the Obamacare mandate was an addition that got more lawmakers on board as the conference report came down the

INSIDE Candidates for the N.C. legislature are gearing up their campaigns.

Jones & Blount

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20177 52016 $2.00

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home stretch.

Another change was the amount of the corporate tax cut.

Both the House and Senate passed plans that would reduce the corporate tax rate from the highest in the industrialized world at 35 percent to 20 percent. However, to make up for revenue, House and Senate negotiators decided on 21 percent.

The change will have some impact on growth, according to Adam Michel, policy analyst for economic studies at The Heritage Foundation. “This could cut into the growth that Americans were promised, but it is still a big improvement,” Michel said.

What’s in the bill?

The final conference report doubles the standard deduction to $12,000 for single and $24,000 for married filers, increases the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) caps deductions of state and local taxes at 10 percent, doubles the child tax credit to $2,000 and increases the number of people who qualify for it. It also lowers the mortgage interest deduction cap to $750,000 for new mortgages, reduces the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, and allows a 20 percent “pass-through” deduction for business owners earning less than $315,000 a year. While it doesn’t repeal the controversial estate tax, it does double the estate tax exclusion.

It also allows popular 529 account savings to be used for K-12 education, but the Senate Democrats objected to this, and two other provisions, just before the vote in the Senate. They could be struck from the measure unless See TAX BILL, page A2

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

A2 WEDNESDAY

12.20.17 #107

NC ranks 33rd in U.S. healthiest states While the state climbed four spots since 2014, more work is ahead

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

“Elevate the conversation” Visit North State Journal online! nsjonline.com jonesandblount.com nsjsports.com carolinabrewreview.com chickenbonealley.com

RALEIGH — While North Carolina has made great strides in overall health and the health care industry over the years, the state still has areas needing improvement. North Carolina needs more doctors and rural residents need more access to providers. Perhaps most importantly, North Carolinians need to take a more active approach to their health care.

The United Health Founda-

tion’s annual America’s Health Rankings ranked North Carolina No. 33 in its list of the healthiest states in the U.S. The rankings are based upon the World Health Organization’s definition of health: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Behaviors, community and environment, policy, and clinical care all play roles in determining health outcomes. United Health named Massachusetts the healthiest state in the nation and Mississippi the least.

States have unique successes and challenges. Some states are seeing improvement in areas where the nation struggles as a whole, such as drug deaths, smoking, obesity and diabetes.

Others are seeing a significant rise in infant deaths.

In 2017, the United States saw a rise (3 percent) in the premature death rate or the number of years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population. Why is this significant and concerning? The United States’ premature death rate steadily declined from 1990 to 2015 by 20 percent.

Part of the rise is due in part to the increase in cardiovascular and drug deaths by 2 and 7 percent, respectively.

Where does North Carolina fall? Here’s a breakdown of the state by the numbers: Overall ranking: 33 (Per 100,000 population) Premature deaths: 7,889

Cancer deaths: 196.9 Cardiovascular deaths: 254.3 Drug deaths: 14.0 Infant deaths: 7.2 per 1,000 live births While North Carolina placed in the Top 10 in the nation for a decline in premature deaths, the state followed the national trend in experiencing a rise in cardiovascular and drug deaths. The state ranked just shy of the top 10 for its increase in drug deaths.

There is a national need for dentists, primary care physicians and mental health providers to deliver essential and preventative care services as well as treatments in rural areas. This disparity is prevalent in North Carolina as it ranks in the bottom third of the nation for its growing needs in the health field.

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

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Editor Cory Lavalette Managing/Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor

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JOSHUA ROBERTS | REUTERS

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks after the House of Representatives passed tax reform legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 19.

TAX BILL from page A1 60 members of the Senate vote to uphold them.

Overall though, Republicans and economists say the package will boost the economy and job growth. They also see the measure as key to retaining their majorities in the House and Senate in elections next November.

"Today, we give the people of this country their money back.

This is their money, after all," House Speaker Paul Ryan said shortly before the vote.

How did N.C. vote?

North State Journal

@nsjnews

N.C.’s representatives in the U.S. House voted along party lines with one exception. Twelve Republicans voted “no” on the tax cut bill and N.C.’s Walter Jones was one of them. Jones also voted against the earlier House version of the bill. As it moves to the Senate, N.C.’s senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have voiced past support for the plan.

“History shows us that pro-

“This vote fulfills our commitment to cut taxes on American families and provide American businesses with muchneeded tax relief.”

— Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (NC-10). growth tax cuts give us tremendous job growth, more opportunities and increased wages for working families,” said Rep. Richard Hudson (R- N.C. 8).

“This is our generation’s chance.

With this historic tax cut, low and middle-income families will have more take-home pay and more opportunity to achieve the American dream.”

“For the last three decades, hardworking American taxpayers have been weighed down by an unfair, complicated, and bur-

AARON P. BERNSTEIN | REUTERS

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts at news conference following the weekly policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 19..

densome tax code. With today’s passage of H.R. 1, that cumbersome tax code is now a thing of the past,” said Virginia Foxx (R-N.C. 5).

What about the debt?

Democrat leaders allowed no defectors among their ranks, unanimously voting against the tax reform bill. While they did not offer an alternative, they say the bill will widen the income gap between rich and poor Americans, while adding $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years to the mounting $20 trillion U.S. national debt.

“Properly designed tax reform will lead to a larger economy and higher wages. Each of these economic benefits can result in more tax revenue,” wrote Michel. “Tax reform that grows the economy could result in more than $130 billion of new federal revenue in every year outside the current budget window.”

Pelosi and democrats disagreed saying the economic ben-

efits are overblown and call the individual tax cuts “temporary” because they would expire within ten years if Congress decides not to extend them. Lawmakers say the sunset was built into the bill so it could pass with a simple majority under Senate rules.

"This monster will come back to haunt them," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said on the House floor.

By 4 p.m. the Senate had taken to the floor to begin debate on the historic legislation. Republicans control the 100-seat Senate by only a 52-48 margin and can afford to lose support from no more than two party lawmakers. Republican Senator Jeff Flake was still undecided on Tuesday. Senator John McCain, who has brain cancer, was spending time with family in Arizona.

Vice President Mike Pence took the precaution of rescheduling a trip to Egypt and Israel for January so he would be on hand this week in case his tie-breaking voting power is needed to ensure Senate passage of the bill.

Want to learn more about North Carolina Agriculture?

The First Furrow www.FirstFurrow.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, Decmeber 20, 2017

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BUSINESS Ding Yuhua, chairman of Triangle Group Co., an international tire manufacturing company from China, presents Gov. Roy Cooper with a gold gift as a symbolic gesture of the partnership between the Chinese company and North Carolina.

LAURA ASHLEY LAMM | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

n.c.

FAST FACTS Sponsored by

The N.C. Commerce Department’s Rural Economic Development Division, created in 2013, was established to improve the economic well-being and quality of life of North Carolinian's with particular emphasis on rural communities. The Division, directed by an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, has a number of grant programs and planning services to assist rural counties and rural census tracts: Disaster Recovery Grants, Rural Grants Program, Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development (CDBGED) , Industrial Development Fund / Utility Fund, Appalachian Regional Commission, NC Main Street Center, and Rural Planning.

Approved Logos

This week, we highlight how the N.C. Main Street Center’s “Downtown Associate Community Program” works for communities across North Carolina:

The NC Main Street Center's newest initiative,

the Downtown Associate Community Program launched in May 2015. This program will be the process through which North Carolina communities can become affiliated with the NC Main Street Center to receive downtown revitalization services.

Like other programming the NC Main Street provides, the Downtown Associate Community Program is based on the National Main Street Center's downtown revitalization model using the Four Point Approach™. It will provide eligible communities interested in downtown revitalization with the tools to build a sustainable organizational foundation that will strengthen their downtown development efforts.

Eastern NC strikes deal for tire plants, resulting in 800 jobs Edgecombe county receives early Christmas gift as officials announce investment in partnership with Triangle Tire for two new manufacturing plants

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal TARBORO — Poised to be one of the largest investments in Eastern North Carolina, Triangle Tire Co. announced Tuesday it will invest $580 million to build two plants in Edgecombe County, and create 800 new jobs for residents.

“Triangle Tire, a world-renowned and respected company in China has selected Edgecombe County, North Carolina for its first-ever American manufacturing facility in Edgecombe County,” said Gov. Roy Cooper, whose hometown is Rocky Mount in neighboring Nash County.

“I know what defines our area of the state — our commitment to community, our sense of purpose, our unshakable dedication to getting the job done — When the people of rural North Carolina put our minds to something, nothing can stand in our way,” he added. “We are here today because the character and reputation of the people here are clear to those on the other side of the world.”

In addition to the 800 new jobs Triangle Tire will bring to Edgecombe County, the company will provide a $2.4 billion economic impact to the state of North Carolina.

A state committee that administers large corporate tax breaks approved plans to coax Triangle Tire to rural Edgecombe County, about 65 miles east of Raleigh.

The $580 million plant is the first in the United States for the Weihai, a China-based maker of tires for passenger vehicles, trucks and buses and heavy equipment.

Triangle Tire could get up to $152 million in state and local tax breaks, worker training and other incentives if it meets hiring targets. The jobs are projected to pay an average wage of $56,450 a year, well above a county average of $32,642.

“Triangle owns a state-certified enterprise technology development center, a state-level industrial design center, and postdoctoral scientific research station platform. Currently, Triangle’s manufacturing capacity is over 22 million tires, and the products have been exported to the overseas market, covering more than 180 countries and regions,” said Ding Yuhua, chairman of the Triangle Group Co. Triangle manufactures more than 5,000 speculations including commercial, off-road, and radius jumbo tires. Triangle’s business partners include Caterpillar, Volvo, GM, Nissan, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo, Doosan, and Case New Holland among others.

“What makes us more grateful and proud is that the State of North Carolina is where the first powered airplane flight was made in history. The more I know about North Carolina, the more strongly I feel North Carolina is the right choice for Triangle,” said Ding.

“North Carolina’s strategic position in the manufacturing industry market is also an important reason for Triangle’s investment decision,” he continued.

Ding noted North Carolina’s position on the Atlantic Coast, cost-effective maritime transportation, diligent, enthusiastic and working-age population, healthy economic development environment, and a well-established education system and foundation were all critical reasons in selecting the state for Triangle Tire’s North American home.

Edgecombe County was selected by the Triangle Group for its community and environmen-

$2.4 bil.

n.c.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Sponsored by

the economic impact of Triangle Tire plants for N.C. tal values that coincide with that of the tire company.

“We were impressed by the community’s protection of the environment, the care for the community residents and the focus on education and training, which are all in line with Triangle’s idea of developing and consuming low-carbon environmental protection products, and are consistent with Triangle culture of ‘integrity, innovation, diligence, and caring for the people,’’ said Ding.

Cooper praised the company’s innovation and talent, and its ability to help move North Carolina forward.

“These are the jobs of tomorrow and our workforce here must be up to the task. I believe they are and so does Triangle. The men and women who work here will blaze new trails in the manufacturing sector,” said Cooper.

“The leaders of Triangle are convinced our workers have what it takes in part because we share the Triangle’s commitment to innovation, education and excellence,” he added.

The company said in a disclosure to the Shanghai Stock Market last month that construction would start next year on a twophase plan to first build a factory producing 5 million passenger cars a year. That would be followed by production lines churning out 1 million commercial vehicle tires a year. The company added that construction is expected to take two to three years for each project.

The Triangle factory marks at least the third Chinese tiremaker to build production plants in the U.S.

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Don’t let 60-degree days in December fool you. The North Carolina winter chill will eventually stick around, and that can mean higher energy bills. To help you avoid winter bills that give you chills, here are some easy, money-saving tips: • Set your thermostat to 68 F. Each degree above 68 can add 3 to 5 percent to your heating costs.

• If you have a furnace, install a programmable thermostat and set it to turn the heat down at night and when you’re away.

• Avoid using space heaters in large areas or for long periods of time.

They are not nearly as efficient for heating large areas as your central unit.

• Set a monthly reminder to check your air filters, and change them when they’re dirty.

• When you’re not using your fireplace, keep the damper closed tightly. An open damper is like an open window.

• On sunny days, open your drapes and blinds and let the sun warm your home.

For more tips, visit the NC Public Power channel on YouTube, and follow @ElectriCitiesNC on Twitter and @ElectriCities on Facebook.

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

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North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Murphy to Manteo

Jones & Blount jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount

Judge panel overturns solar farm decision

North Carolina Peanuts North Carolina is home to 1,400 peanut farms. What many don’t know about the peanut is that it’s actually not a “nut” but botanically classified as a legume, and they contain properties of both the bean/lentil and tree nuts. The three leading counties for peanut production in North Carolina are Martin, Pitt and Bertie due to the fact they grow best in sandy, loamy soils. From April to October, North Carolina farmers produce around 175,000 tons of peanuts on roughly 100,000 acres. The large kernel North Carolina peanuts are marketed mainly as a snack peanut in the shell product. Exports include

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Canada, Europe and China.

While the longest-standing peanut farm in North Carolina is unknown, Poplar Grove Plantation in Wilmington claims to be the longest operating peanut farm in the United States. Peanut farmers usually prefer to grow other crops as well — like corn, cotton or tobacco — but choose their best land for growing peanuts. The crop must be rotated on various plots of land throughout the years, and peanuts are an intensive crop that also cost quite a bit to produce. In the United States, peanuts are the No. 1 snack consumed, accounting for 66 percent of the snack nut market.

By Donna King North State Journal On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals overturned a decision that had allowed Currituck County to stop construction of a solar farm.

The decision reversed an earlier Superior Court ruling that OK’d the county’s effort to block Currituck Sunshine Farm and solar developer Ecoplexus from building a 20-megawatt solar facility on the former Goose Creek golf course in Grandy, which was foreclosed on in 2012. While the county planning board originally greenlighted the project, residents around the former golf course objected and the county commissioners denied the permit for the project.

The solar companies took the issue to court where a Superior Court sided with the commissioners and said in December that the county could deny their permit.

The solar companies appealed and won the backing of the Court of Appeals panel Tuesday, which issued similar decisions on solar farm projects in Lincoln and Robeson counties.

“Currituck County is certainly disap-

Fast facts • Eating peanuts, peanut butter and nuts five or more times per week can cut heart disease risk by up to 50 percent based on a large number of large population studies.

These include Harvard’s Nurses Study (British Medical Journal, 1998) and Loma Linda’s Seven Day Adventist Study (Archives of Internal Medicine, 1992).

• Current research indicates that many of the minerals found in peanuts — copper, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, potassium, selenium, zinc and calcium — may have protective effect of coronary heart disease.

pointed, in as much as the location is not appropriate for a solar facility,” said Currituck County attorney Ike McRee. “I will be reviewing the decision with the Board of Commissioners.”

Ecoplexus is a San Francisco-based company with offices in New York and Durham.

The company has similar projects in five states, including 10 in N.C. Residents testified in the case expressing concern about increased flooding when retention ponds were filled in and about the general lack of oversight in the solar farm industry. The three-judge panel was not convinced.

“Petitioners argue the board improperly denied their application for a use permit, as their application was supported by competent, substantial and material evidence,” read the decision. “Petitioners assert this prima facie showing entitles them to a use permit under the standards in the UDO, and the opponents of the solar farm did not present competent or material evidence sufficient to overcome or rebut this prima facie showing. We agree.”

The N.C. Utilities Commission must still approve the project.

Jones won’t seek re-election WEST

Haywood to get 4 more deputies though federal grant

Authorities warn of jury summons scam Buncombe County The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office says some residents have received what authorities call a scam phone call saying they have failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a fine to avoid being arrested. Residents are then asked to pay for the fines with a credit card over the phone. The sheriff’s office asks that anyone receiving the call contact authorities at 828-2506670.

WLOS

Dam labeled “high hazard” by the state Polk County The Polk County Board of Commissioners recently received a report from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that said maintenance items at Lake Adger’s Turner Shoals Dam must be monitored and addressed. The 100-year-old concrete reportedly has surface deterioration and cracks that seep water. The report said that DEQ classified the dam as a “high hazard” because of likely high property damage and loss of life if it fails. They are waiting for a structural analysis before beginning a year of repairs that should cost $3 million.

TRYON DAILY BULLETIN

Haywood County The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to hire four more deputies. The department says the $480,963 grant will put four full-time patrol deputies on the beat assigned to develop and enact a strategic community policing plan.

Sherriff Greg Christopher said the help is needed to combat the counties growing opioid epidemic.

“We applied for it last year and missed it, so this year we worked hard to get it because we understand what we have to deal with,” Christopher told the Smoky Mountain News. “These deputies will assist with developing a strategic plan to combat opioid abuse.”

SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

PIEDMONT

Police search for thief stealing deliveries

Atlanta airport shutdown felt in N.C. Wake County This week N.C. airports are handling the backlog of passengers displaced after Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport shut down over the weekend. The nation’s busiest airport stopped all flights because of a power outage on Sunday. Among the bright spots in the Atlanta story is Chick fil-A’s decision to open and serve thousands of stranded passengers on a Sunday. Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy personally helped hand out sandwiches. Officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport say that passengers had to be rerouted through other cities from N.C., but that security lines and flight schedules were expected to resume to normal holiday crowds by Wednesday.

WRAL

Whooping cough cases have doubled

Campbell’s Soup to buy Snyder’sLance

Henderson County Public health officials are reporting a jump in whooping cough cases in Hendersonville. As of Friday, there were 42 cases confirmed, up from 21 cases on Dec. 8. Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through bodily fluids. Officials warn that even those who have been vaccinated can come down with it symptoms, but they may be milder.

Mecklenburg County Campbell Soup will spend $4.87 billion in cash for Snyder’s-Lance, the company said on Monday. Campbell Soup is based in Camden, N.J. Paying $50 per share, the company is spending a premium at nearly 7 percent over its stock value. The Lance Packaging Company was founded in 1915 in Charlotte by Philip Lance and Salem Van Every. Today it is one of the largest manufacturers of snack foods in the country.

TIMES CITIZEN

WSOCTV

Guilford County Police in Gibsonville are on the lookout for a suspect believed to be stealing deliveries off of the town’s front porches. The Guilford County Sherriff’s office released surveillance video of a white male believed to be the suspect and his vehicle. They warn residents that the holidays are prime season for such thefts, so they recommend requiring a signature for deliveries or having your purchases delivered to your workplace, and using real-time tracking to know when a package has arrived.

FOX 8

By NSJ Staff

EAST Kimery hearing continued until April 2018 Onslow County On Monday, the man charged with disposing of the body of 3-year-old Mariah Woods, knowing she had not died of natural causes, had his hearing continued until 2018. Adolphus Earl Kimrey, 32, is facing charges of obstruction of justice, second-degree burglary, larceny after break-in and possession of stolen property. His case was not heard Monday and calendared for April. Prosecutors say they will try to get the case before a grand jury before then.

Pitt County A new bookmobile made its debut Monday afternoon after suffering engine failure in May. The Pitt County Board of Commissioners welcomed the new bookmobile at its meeting Monday evening. The mobile library will travel roads in Pitt County three days a week stopping at childcare facilities and adult group homes. It was funded by the Pitt County Government, the Friends of the Sheppard Memorial Library, the James J. and Mamie Richardson Perkins Trust, and the Sarah Elizabeth Olschner Estate.

WITN

JACKSONVILLE DAILY NEWS

New Roadhouse restaurant to open

Fayetteville City Rescue Mission closes

Marine acquitted in case of teen’s death

Cumberland County The Fayetteville City Rescue Mission suddenly closed on Friday, posting a sign advising those receiving mail there to find another address. Executive Director Gladys Thompson took a leave of absence from the helm of the mission in August, closing its bank account and saying that items and money appeared to be missing from the facility. However, it continued to operate until Friday, providing hot meals and clothing to the homeless in the Fayetteville area. It is not affiliated with the city.

Onslow County A jury in Onslow County on Monday determined that Marine Staff Sgt. Joshua Block was not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Block was accused of driving his vehicle into 16-year-old Dixon High School student David Palacio at a bus stop on Dawson Cabin Road in Jacksonville in March. Palacio was crossing the street to board his school bus.

FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER

New bookmobile hits the road

New Hanover County The building that used to house the Saltworks II has been totally renovated, according Dixie Grill owner Brian Mayberry. Mayberry has plans to open the new Roadhouse restaurant this week, serving soups, salads and sandwiches. Earlier this year, Mayberry opened his second restaurant, Caprico, in downtown Wilmington.

WILMINGTON STAR NEWS

WNCT

RALEIGH — Rep. Bert Jones (R-Rockingham) announced via Facebook over the weekend that he will not seek re-election in 2018.

“It has never been my ambition to seek a long political career,” Jones wrote. “Public service has been a part of my greater calling to serve the Lord. In the midst of the great challenges of our time I have sought

Second Republican will run for District 1 House seat

to be a good servant leader by God’s grace.”

“I will not seek re-election to the legislature in 2018. I am satisfied knowing that a like-minded, well-qualified friend is ready to serve, one who shares the Christian, conservative values I have promoted.

He plans to announce his candidacy very soon.”

Jones is in his fourth term in the N.C. House, initially serving as an independent before switching to the GOP.

Former Greenville mayor to run for District 8 seat

By NSJ Staff

By NSJ Staff

HERTFORD — The new six-county House District 1 field got a bit more crowded this week after a second Republican announced plans to pursue the seat in the N.C. legislature next year.

Candice “CV” Hunter, 45, of Hertford told the Daily Advance on Friday that she will file for the GOP primary. A former TV anchor, Hunter would run against former state ferry director Eddy Goodwin.

Incumbent Bob Steinburg had already announced that he will seek election to the Senate seat for the district, running in the Republican primary against Clark Twiddy of Dare County. The newly redrawn District 1 covers Chowan, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Bertie, Washington and Camden counties.

GREENVILLE — Greenville City Council member Kandie Smith announced this week that she will file in March to run for the District 8 seat as a Democrat. A former Greenville mayor, Smith will run for the Pitt County seat currently held by Republican Rep. Susan Martin. Martin had already announced in November that she would not run for re-election.

The District 8 lines are part of the redistricting plan under review in federal court, but would only encompass Pitt County, instead of Pitt and Wilson.

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

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

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Federalist 51 for the 21st century

There are two ways to form the United States: a single republic or a compound republic.

WITH APOLOGIES to James Madison for editing down and paraphrasing his masterpiece for modern eyes, ears and sensibilities “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?

If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary either.

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and then oblige it to control itself.”

How do we separate powers among three branches of our government? Each branch must have some ability to keep others in their proper place. It is a sad but honest reflection on human nature that such counterbalances are necessary to control abuses of government power.

The will of the people must be the primary control on government.

However, human history shows the importance of using opposite and rival interests to frustrate the ill motives of some leaders.

To insure liberty, each branch should have a clear purpose of its own and as little influence on the selection of members of other branches as possible. Members of each branch should not be totally dependent on another branch for remuneration. If the executive or judiciary were not independent of Congress, their independence in every other function would be diminished.

Subordinate distributions of power of government should serve as a check on other departments to protect individual rights. The remedy is to divide the legislature into different branches and force competition among the branches to best govern. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates.

Strong legislative authority requires that it should be divided. The weak constitutional powers of the executive requires that it should be strengthened with veto power over the legislature. The Senate should have the power to override a president since he may be lacking in courage or spirit or may be a tyrant.

The people should almost always select government officials. In the judiciary, however, we need highly trained lawyers who should be selected in a way that guarantees we get the best judges possible.

There are two ways to form the United States: a single republic or a compound republic.

In a single republic, all power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government as in monarchies.

In our compound republic, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between state and federal governments, and then subdivided among distinct and separate departments. A double security arises to the rights of the people: the different state and federal governments will control each other, and at the same time, each will be controlled by itself.

A republic must guard the people against oppression by its elected leaders. It also must guard the minority interests against injustice from the majority.

If a majority is united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure. Minority rights can be protected by: 1) creating a separate force outside of government to support the minority; or 2) having so many separate groups of citizens that an unjust majority will never happen.

The first method prevails in monarchies. A power independent of the government might support the rightful interests of the minor party but one day turn to support the oppressive majority party.

The United States will exemplify the federal combined republic.

Civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. The more interests and sects, the more security will abound for everyone.

If stronger factions can unite and oppress minority factions, anarchy will reign as in a state of nature. Any government too weak to protect the rights of a minority today will be too weak to protect the rights of the majority tomorrow.

A small state on its own might one day be destroyed by its own internal factions. Without the protection offered the people of that state by their federal rights, they would be defenseless.

As the United States grows over time, a coalition of a majority of the whole society could seldom take place on any other principles than those of justice and the general good, versus narrow sectarian or religious differences. The larger the society, the more duly capable it will be of republican self-government.

This view must particularly recommend a proper federal system to all friends of republican government.

EDITORIAL | TROY KICKLER

Richard Weaver was a North Carolinian of consequence

Although a prolific writer, he feared that what he considered a banal phrase — “ideas have consequences” — would be forever linked with his name.

“FEW MEN have been as important in the intellectual renaissance of American conservatism as Richard M. Weaver.” After the North Carolinian’s premature death in 1963, these words appeared in an issue of a student publication, New Individualist Review.

Using a milder tone, the esteemed conservative thinker Russell Kirk remarked in National Review that Weaver’s “Ideas Have Consequences” (1948) was “one of the first works in the revival of conservatism in America.”

While in graduate school, I had heard about Weaver. In one class, readings included Murray Rothbard’s “Panic of 1819” and Russell Kirk’s “The Conservative Mind.” Weaver was not on the readings list, though. Even so, I wanted to learn more about the former NC State instructor who later taught at the University of Chicago.

That summer, I took my recently purchased copy of “Ideas Have Consequences” with me on vacation to the beach. After reading the first chapter, and rereading a few paragraphs to ensure that I understood Weaver’s thoughts, I determined that the slim volume’s dense and multilayered content was not a “beach read.”

I decided my leisure time should be spent reading something else.

As I put the book away, I recalled the opening remarks: “There is ground for declaring that modern man has become a moral idiot.” Anyway, I’d read the University of

Chicago publication when I had a chance. And I did.

The University of Chicago Press wanted to replicate its successful publication of Friedrich Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom” (1944). The press director planned for a large initial press run and a big budget promotional effort. He had also secured the endorsements of the likes of not only Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich, but also Cleanth Brooks and Allen Tate.

A couple years prior to publication, the idea for Weaver’s book generated discussions with William Terry Couch, the director of University of North Carolina Press, who later became the director of the University of Chicago Press. Weaver wanted to publish his dissertation, but Couch later rejected the idea because the dissertation had a limited, regional focus. In the editor’s view, Weaver needed to apply his conclusions broadly to the modern world. Weaver did so.

The process of choosing a title, however, caused a row between Couch and Weaver.

Initially, Weaver titled his work “Steps Toward the Restoration of Our World.” It was later changed to “The Adverse Descent.”

Couch, however, insisted on “Ideas Have Consequences,” and Weaver thought about going elsewhere with his manuscript rather than be associated with what he deemed a boring title. He eventually stayed with the University of Chicago Press.

The book had initial, lackluster sales.

Advertising was prevalent, but reviews were unsurprisingly mixed. Even though Weaver worried that negative reviews might affect his career, the university offered him a contract and promoted him to assistant professor. He then became even more prolific.

He wrote for numerous journals, including “Sewanee Review” and “Hopkins Review.”

He wrote “Elements of English Grammar,” “Visions of Order” and “The Ethics of Rhetoric.” He indeed was a rhetorician.

His articles such as “Responsible Rhetoric” and “Language is Sermonic” are thought provoking. He philosophized regarding politics, too, in essays such as “How to Argue the Conservative Cause.” Weaver disagreed with those who focus all their attention on the “waverers, the fence straddlers, or the ones who have not yet made up their mind.” In messaging, Weaver did not want to “dilute the dose for the queasy stomach.”

Although a prolific writer, he feared that what he considered a banal phrase — “ideas have consequences” — would be forever linked with his name. He was prophetic, and his ideas influenced generations.

North State Journal for Wednesday,December 20, 2017

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GUEST OPINION | ROBERT E. MOFFIT

Who wouldn’t have coverage if the Obamacare mandate is repealed

Repeal of the Obamacare mandate will not result in social catastrophe.

THE PROSPECT that Congress might zero-out Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty in the pending tax bill has sent Affordable Care Act defenders into flights of pessimistic rhetoric, up to and including the charge that “thousands will die” as a result.

The argument by which that attention-grabbing conclusion is reached runs something like this: Health insurance coverage reduces mortality.

The mandate expands insurance coverage.

Therefore, the mandate reduces mortality, and consequently, removing the mandate will increase mortality.

Indeed, none other than Harvard economist and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers recently deployed that argument, claiming that eliminating Obamacare’s mandate tax penalty in the tax bill would result in the death of 10,000 people per year.

In response, University of Chicago economists Casey Mulligan and Tomas Philipson argued that research on the connection between insurance coverage and mortality has found no more than a weak linkage between the two. They note that part of the explanation may be “that lack of coverage does not necessarily imply lack of lifesaving care as hospitals cannot turn away emergency-care patients without coverage.”

Summers, joined by professor Jonathan Gruber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a prominent “architect” of Obamacare, then fired back, doubling-down on Summers’ original claim.

At one level, this is a classic argument among academics — complete with each side accusing the other of basing its case on a “selective” use of evidence in the professional literature. What, however, should the rest of us make of it?

To start with, a recent review of the academic literature on the subject finds a mixed bag, but with the strongest link between coverage and health outcomes in cases where health insurance coverage improves access to care, “particularly among people with lower incomes and chronic conditions.”

That makes sense. Having health insurance makes less of a difference to people with higher incomes who can afford to pay for more of their medical care directly. Similarly, the difference between being insured versus uninsured appears to be marginal to the healthy person with an infrequent need for care — though going without health insurance can turn out to be a bad bet if a major illness or accident strikes.

That leads us to the crucial, practical question that this academic debate largely misses: Who are the people that would no longer have health insurance if the mandate penalty were repealed?

For that we turn to the source of the projected coverage losses: the Congressional Budget Office.

Setting aside for the moment the — entirely separate — debate over the accuracy of the CBO’s specific numbers, the agency projects that eliminating the mandate penalty will result in roughly 13 million fewer Americans having coverage by 2027. Of that number, the CBO estimates that 5 million fewer people will be enrolled in individual market coverage; 5 million fewer in Medicaid; and more than 2 million fewer in employer group coverage.

Notice what the CBO is not saying. The CBO is not saying that those Americans will “lose” coverage.

Rather, the CBO is saying — absent the mandate penalties — those Americans will voluntarily forego enrolling in health coverage.

The CBO is explicit on this point: “Those effects would occur mainly because healthier people would be

less likely to obtain insurance and because, especially in the nongroup market, the resulting increases in premiums would cause more people to not purchase insurance.”

This is a crucial point. Healthier people are less likely to die a premature or preventable death than unhealthy people, regardless of income or health insurance status.

That explains the CBO’s somewhat counterintuitive projection that, without a mandate penalty, millions of poor people will turn down the offer of free Medicaid coverage. The reason is they don’t think they need it (because they are healthy) and if they become ill and seek care at a hospital, they know the hospital will enroll them in Medicaid to get paid.

Indeed, it is also why, long before Obamacare came along, that there was a persistent and notable gap between the number of people eligible for Medicaid and the number of people enrolled in the program.

It also explains the CBO’s other counterintuitive projection: that eliminating the mandate penalty will generate higher tax revenues.

While not collecting mandate penalties brings in less revenue, the CBO projects there will be new revenues coming from the healthy people who decide to turn down tax-free employer health insurance in exchange for higher (taxable) cash wages. Presumably, the CBO thinks being healthy and very much alive are basic prerequisites for expecting those folks to generate additional tax revenues.

Repeal of the Obamacare mandate will not result in social catastrophe. Supporters of the mandate would have a more compelling argument if millions of poor and sick persons would be thrown out of their existing coverage, struggling with potentially fatal chronic illnesses and unable to get insurance to maintain continuous access to regular care. But that is not what the CBO is projecting.

The CBO’s argument is hardly compelling, to say the least, when the cohort of the future uninsured are healthy people who simply choose not to buy Obamacare coverage because they believe they don’t need it or want it.

However, while keeping the individual mandate in place is not the answer, there are actions lawmakers can take to make health insurance more affordable, and more flexible in terms of providing a wider variety of plans that match people’s needs with their desired prices.

Achieving this will require the elimination of costly federal rules that artificially drive up health insurance premiums; for instance, current mandates on what insurance plans must cover drive up prices for all, even those who would want a more limited health insurance plan.

Already, rising insurance costs today threaten continuation of health insurance coverage among millions of middle-class Americans in the individual and small group markets who are ineligible for taxpayer subsidies. It’s time for lawmakers to make changes that give cheaper insurance options for those who want it—and time to stop forcing all Americans to purchase expensive health insurance they may not need or want.

Robert E. Moffit, a seasoned veteran of more than three decades in Washington policymaking, is a senior fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Health Policy Studies. This column was originally published in The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | WALTER WILLIAMS

Fascism and communism

The reason leftists give communists ... a pass is that they sympathize with the chief goal of communism: restricting personal liberty.

BEFORE THE QUESTION, how about a few statistics? The 20th century was mankind’s most brutal century. Roughly 16 million people lost their lives during World War I; about 60 million died during World War II. Wars during the 20th century cost an estimated 71 million to 116 million lives.

The number of war dead pales in comparison with the number of people who lost their lives at the hands of their own governments.

The late professor Rudolph J. Rummel of the University of Hawaii documented this tragedy in his book “Death by Government: Genocide and Mass Murder Since 1900.”

The People’s Republic of China tops the list, with 76 million lives lost at the hands of the government from 1949 to 1987. The Soviet Union follows, with 62 million lives lost from 1917 to 1987. Adolf Hitler’s Nazi German government killed 21 million people between 1933 and 1945. Then there are lesser murdering regimes, such as Nationalist China, Japan, Turkey, Vietnam and Mexico. According to Rummel’s research, the 20th century saw 262 million people’s lives lost at the hands of their own governments.

Hitler’s atrocities are widely recognized, publicized and condemned. World War II’s conquering nations’ condemnation included denazification and bringing Holocaust perpetrators to trial and punishing them through lengthy sentences and execution.

Similar measures were taken to punish Japan’s murderers.

But what about the greatest murderers in mankind’s history — the Soviet Union’s Josef Stalin and China’s Mao Zedong? Some leftists saw these communists as heroes. W.E.B. Du Bois, writing in the National Guardian in 1953, said, “Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature. ... The highest proof of his greatness (was that) he knew the common man, felt his problems, followed his fate.”

Walter Duranty called Stalin “the greatest living statesman” and “a quiet, unobtrusive man.” There was even leftist admiration for Hitler and fellow fascist Benito Mussolini.

When Hitler came to power in January 1933, George Bernard Shaw described him as “a very remarkable man, a very able man.”

President Franklin Roosevelt called the fascist Mussolini “admirable,” and he was “deeply impressed by what he (had) accomplished.”

In 1972, John Kenneth Galbraith visited Communist China and praised Mao and the Chinese economic system. Michel Oksenberg, President Jimmy Carter’s China expert, complained, “America (is) doomed to decay until radical, even revolutionary, change fundamentally alters the institutions and values.” He urged us to “borrow ideas and solutions” from China. Harvard University professor John K. Fairbank believed that America could learn much from the Cultural Revolution, saying, “Americans may find in China’s collective life today an ingredient of personal moral concern for one’s neighbor that has

a lesson for us all.” By the way, an estimated 2 million people died during China’s Cultural Revolution.

More recent praise for murdering tyrants came from Anita Dunn, President Barack Obama’s acting communications director in 2009, who said, “Two of my favorite political philosophers (are) Mao Zedong and Mother Teresa.”

Recall the campus demonstrations of the 1960s, in which campus radicals, often accompanied by their professors, marched around singing the praises of Mao and waving Mao’s Little Red Book. That may explain some of the campus mess today.

Some of those campus radicals are now tenured professors and administrators at today’s universities and colleges and K-12 school teachers and principals indoctrinating our youth.

Now the question: Why are leftists soft on communism? The reason leftists give communists, the world’s most horrible murderers, a pass is that they sympathize with the chief goal of communism: restricting personal liberty. In the U.S., the call is for government control over our lives through regulations and taxation. Unfortunately, it matters little whether the Democrats or Republicans have the political power. The march toward greater government control is unabated. It just happens at a quicker pace with Democrats in charge.

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

SUSAN ESTRICH

The president and Israel E ALWAYS used to put a “moving the embassy” plank in W the Democratic platform even though we never expected it to happen — or even thought it should before the larger issues about Jerusalem were resolved. I think the first time was in 1980, to try to show up Jimmy Carter, the incumbent president, whom my candidate, Sen. Ted Kennedy, was challenging. It made sense in terms of domestic politics. It made no sense to our foreign policy people.

I can’t say whether, in hindsight, Donald Trump’s big announcement — an announcement is what it is, not a move — will be seen to have helped or hindered the peace process. I don’t know whether putting negotiations in the hands of his son-in-law, who has Trump’s ear, will turn out to be wise or not. I don’t know whether the president cares enough to know enough to be able to do what no president before him has done, but which all of them have believed requires the intensive personal involvement of the president.

I was at the White House the day that President Bill Clinton came back from negotiating with thenPrime Minister Ehud Barak and then-PLO Leader Yasser Arafat at Wye Plantation. I have never seen him so frustrated. This was an issue he cared deeply about, an agreement he so much wished to reach. When I visited him the week before he left office, he was still engaged in talks.

If it were easy, he would have done it.

They have to want peace, too.

It is hard to imagine any plan for a peaceful resolution of the situation that would begin with an announcement, out of nowhere, sure to inflame the Muslim world...

Addressing the Middle East, I have always thought, requires care and attention, not necessarily to “solve” the situation but to at least not make things worse. Israel is a democracy with its own courts and elected officials, some of whom we might not vote for if given the chance. The role of the United States is not to control their politics but to broker a solution that will do everything possible to secure peace for Israel with fair and secure boundaries. This means the two-state solution, everyone has assumed, but fixing boundaries will be almost as difficult as dealing with Jerusalem. Obviously not easy. It certainly was not when Arafat was at the table, even though the president himself was also there, pushing the Israeli leader to meet his demands.

Many things about Trump worry me. His handling of Israel is one of them. I know he says that he loves Israel. He is a zayde, and all that.

As someone who also loves Israel, I appreciate what I think is an honest sense of connection. His choice for ambassador, who stunned some of us with frank comments he made before he was appointed, is said to be smart and fair-minded, as good a choice as any, my friends say.

But when he up and announces that he’s going to move the embassy to Jerusalem when in fact he is not going to do that anytime soon — his announcement just convinced everyone that we have already sided with Israel, causing calls for intifada on the West Bank and earning condemnation from the U.N. Security Counsel — you have to ask whether Trump has a secret plan or no plan at all for the Middle East.

Because it is hard to imagine any plan for a peaceful resolution of the situation that would begin with an announcement, out of nowhere, sure to inflame the Muslim world — a statement that you were recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the embassy, without any mention, agreement, joint control or guaranteed access to the holiest sites for both Muslims and Christians. Of course, they know we are on Israel’s side, but it is a question of degree; of whether we are open to solutions that might require significant compromises by Israel as well; a question requiring diplomacy of the most delicate and highest order, of the late Richard Holbrooke at his best. What is Donald Trump doing?

A8

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Nation & WORLD Speeding train derails kills 3, amplifies safety criticism

NEWS IN IMAGES

By Tom James Reuters

NIR ELIAS | REUTERS

An Ultra Orthodox Jewish man lights candles on the last night of the holiday of Hanukkah outside his home at Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood Dec. 19.

France, U.S. ‘determined’ to up pressure on Iran over ballistic weapons Paris France and the United States are determined to “vigorously” raise pressure on Iran over its ballistic missile program, including possibly through sanctions, Foreign Minister JeanYves Le Drian said during a visit to Washington. Le Drian was in the American capital on Monday to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special adviser Jared Kushner.

UK counter-terrorism police arrest four, send in bomb disposal team London An army bomb disposal team was sent to a house in northern England after police arrested four men on Tuesday on suspicion of planning acts of terrorism. Three men, aged 22, 36 and 41, were held after raids at their homes in Sheffield and a 31-year-old was detained at an address in nearby Chesterfield.

Court of Appeals judge resigns amid allegations San Francisco Alex Kozinski, a U.S. federal appeals court judge based in San Francisco, resigned Monday after the court’s chief judge initiated an inquiry into harassment accusations. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge said he was retiring immediately to avoid being a distraction for the federal judiciary. The Washington Post says 15 women have come forward to accuse Kozinski, 67, of subjecting them to inappropriate sexual conduct or comments. A self-described Libertarian, Kozinski criticized his fellow judges opinion in March which blocked President Donald Trump’s travel ban.

SESSIONS from page A1 This year he’s met with law enforcement leaders in 33 cities with spiking crime rates, and Charlotte made that list with 85 murders in the Queen City so far in 2017.

That’s up from 68 in 2016.

“Sadly, this beautiful city has not been immune to the problems either,” said Sessions. “Over the past two years the violent crime rate is by nearly a quarter here after remarkable progress. Robbery is up by a third, assault is up 29 percent, murders are up a staggering 36 percent.”

A similar federal/state collaboration led earlier this year to the Charlotte-area arrest of 83 suspected members of the United Blood Nation gang, which is linked to crimes including drugs, illegal weapons and murder.

Sessions said that the city’s violent crime rate is on a threeyear climb. In the late 1990s, Charlotte’s violent crime rate was 1,600 crimes per 100,000 people.

ILYA NAYMUSHIN | REUTERS

Nikolai Vasilyev, 64, dressed as Father Frost, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, water-skis along the Yenisei River outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on Dec. 19.

Trump lays out national security strategy with ‘America First’

By Steve Holland and James Oliphan Reuters WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s administration said on Monday that Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries globally, but stopped short of accusing Moscow of meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

The criticism of Russia, laid out in a new national security strategy based on Trump’s “America First” vision, reflects a view long held by U.S. diplomats that Russia actively undermines American interests at home and abroad.

“Through modernized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world,” said the document.

“Russia uses information operations as part of its offensive cyber efforts to influence public opinion across the globe. Its influence campaigns blend covert intelligence operations and false online personas with state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media users or ‘trolls,’” the document said.

Trump has frequently spoken of wanting to improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even though Russia has frustrated U.S. policy in Syria and Ukraine and done little to help Washington in its standoff with North Korea.

In a speech laying out his strategy, Trump noted that he received a call from Putin on Sunday to thank him for providing U.S. intelligence that helped thwart a bomb attack in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.

Trump said the collaboration was “the way it’s supposed to work.”

“But while we seek such opportunities of cooperation, we will stand up for ourselves and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before,” he said at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington.

The audience of about 650 people frequently applauded the speech. It included the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, several Cabinet secretaries, lawmakers, military personnel and officials from the intelligence community and other agencies.

Trump strategy Congress mandates that every U.S. administration set out

In 2015, it hit 589 crimes, and in 2016 the rate jumped to 732. Another jump is expected when the 2017 data is complied.

“These are not just numbers,” said Sessions. “They are moms and dads and daughters and spouses, friends and neighbors, empty places at Christmas dinner, holes in the hearts and souls of victims that will never close. And this doesn’t mention the 64,000 people last year who died of drug overdoses in this country.”

Battling a spiking crime rate was a key part of Trump’s campaign for the White House, especially bringing high-level criminals to justice. Trump vowed to crush the notoriously violent MS-13 gang and referred to gang members as “animals” and “thugs.”

As a result, Sessions and the Justice Department have made gang crime a primary front, pushing to break up cross-border criminal organizations. MS-13, which the department says has more than 30,000 members worldwide

JOSHUA ROBERTS | REUTERS

President Donald Trump delivers remarks regarding the Administration’s National Security Strategy at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington D.C., on Dec. 18.

its national security strategy. The new Trump strategy is influenced strongly by the thinking of top national security officials, said one official involved in preparing the document.

The Republican president’s strategy reflects his “America First” priorities of protecting the U.S. homeland and borders, rebuilding the military, projecting strength abroad and pursuing trade policies more favorable to the United States.

Talking points sent to U.S. embassies worldwide on what diplomats should say about the new strategy makes clear that the official U.S. position is tough on Russia.

An unclassified State Department cable, seen by Reuters, said: “Russia tries to weaken the credibility of America’s commitment to Europe. With its invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, Russia has demonstrated a willingness to use force to challenge the sovereignty of states in the region.”

Harry Kazianis, an analyst at the conservative Center for the National Interest think tank, said, “While things with Moscow might be warm and fuzzy for the moment, President Putin will not take too kindly to being labeled as what essentially amounts to as an enemy of America.”

It drops Democratic former President Barack Obama’s 2016 description of climate change as a U.S. national security threat.

Trump has vowed to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord unless changes are

“I am not going to accept a rising crime rate, and I know you won’t either. …

We can do this. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

— Jeff Sessions, attorney general and 10,000 in the United States, is a prime focus of that effort.

Last month a federal/state collaboration brought down the leader of a Boston-based unit of MS-13, Rafael Leoner Aguirre, a Salvadoran, convicted of racketeering conspiracy. The crackdown led to charges against 61 people, prosecutors said, with 23 pleading guilty.

Leoner Aguirre, who illegally immigrated from El Salvador in 2013, faces up to 20 years in pris-

made to it.

The Trump administration lumps together China and Russia as competitors seeking to challenge U.S. power and erode its security and prosperity.

The singling out of China and Russia as “revisionist powers” also comes despite Trump’s own attempts to build strong relations Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A senior administration official said Russia and China were attempting to revise the global status quo — Russia in Europe with its military incursions into Ukraine and Georgia, and China in Asia by its aggression in the South China Sea. Russia denies the allegations that it meddled with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Trump has been working with Xi to exert pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The administration warned that intellectual property theft by China is a national security problem.

“We need to protect data in different ways. We need to ensure that the legislation we have, like CFIUS, is up to date and reflects the kinds of strategic investments that are taking place by other countries,” an administration official said.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews the purchase of U.S. assets by foreign companies, has recently taken a strong stand against technology transfers to Chinese companies.

on and will be subject to deportation following any prison term.

At the national level, the executive branch has also taken new steps to tighten the FBI’s criminal background check system in the wake of increased gun violence and criticism after several high-profile mass shootings this year.

Following the Nov. 5 shooting in Texas by Devin Kelley, a former Air Force serviceman who had a 2012 conviction for domestic assault, Sessions directed the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives “to do a comprehensive review of the NICS and report back to me the steps we can take to ensure that those who are prohibited from purchasing firearms are prevented from doing so.”

Since that directive, The Air Force has conducted a review of 60,000 cases going back to 2002 involving service members to see how many have not been reported to law enforcement and what

DUPONT, Wash. — An Amtrak train carrying 86 people derailed on Monday as it took a corner on a new stretch of track in Washington state at more than twice the speed limit, sending passenger cars tumbling from a bridge and killing at least three people.

The train was on its inaugural run on a faster route from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, when 13 of its 14 cars jumped the tracks and tumbled onto a major highway near the town of DuPont.

In addition to the three fatalities, about 100 people were taken to nearby hospitals, of whom 10 had serious injuries, Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Brooke Bova told a news conference.

Seven motor vehicles were also involved in the accident, and fragments of the bridge were left scattered on the highway..

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that a data recorder recovered from a rear locomotive showed the train was traveling 80 miles per hour in a 30 mile-perhour zone when it jumped the track at a curve leading up to the bridge.

The fatal derailment could intensify scrutiny of the national passenger railroad company's safety record, which was already under harsh criticism following a series of fatal incidents.

Just last month, the chairman of the NTSB issued a scathing critique of Amtrak's culture, saying a future breakdown was likely, and the board made nine safety recommendations.

"Amtrak's safety culture is failing and is primed to fail again, until and unless Amtrak changes the way it practices safety management," NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said in a statement on Nov. 14.

Sumwalt's statement was made when the NTSB issued its findings on a fatal Amtrak accident in April 2016 in Pennsylvania, in which a train struck a backhoe working on railroad tracks killing two maintenance workers and injuring 41. It occurred a few miles south of the site of a May 2015 derailment in which eight people were killed and more than 200 injured.

On Monday, a U.S. congressman from Washington state called attention to the slow rollout of Positive Train Control, a system designed to automatically stop a train to prevent derailments caused by excessive speed, collisions with another train or passage through misaligned tracks.

"We don't know that it could have saved lives ... but it is a disappointment to me that we're not further along in the implementation of installing PTC, positive train control," Representative Denny Heck, a Democrat, told CNN. Congress had mandated the implementation of Positive Train Control nationwide by the end of 2015, then extended that deadline until the end of 2018 when its installation became more complex than anticipated.

changes need to be made. A report released to lawmakers by the Department of Defense found that all military services “consistently” failed to submit fingerprint data and final disposition reports for 60 percent of the convicted offenders reviewed. The Air Force announced recently that it is making procedural reforms.

“The Air Force is sharing all lessons learned with the other services,” Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

In his Charlotte speech, Sessions also pushed back against recent increased scrutiny of police officers.

“It’s critical to our success in fighting crime that we know that the police are not the problem, they are the solution to the problem,” he told the Charlotte law enforcement crowd.

“We have your back, you have our thanks, merry Christmas and God bless.”

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

Bird of play UNC Wilmington introduced its new live mascot, an osprey named Stormy, prior to Sunday’s home game against Furman at Trask Coliseum. Stormy is a 2-year-old osprey, or seahawk, who has been with the Cape Fear Raptor Center since 2015. He was brought to the center after being blown out of his nest during a thunderstorm. The volunteer-run center performed surgery to repair his wing, but he is not able to fly well enough to fish and could not be released back into the wild.

Read about how UNCW is adapting to its new basketball coach. B3

PHOTO COURTESY UNC WILMINGTON ATHLETICS

the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT

SPORTS

NFL

Panthers’ Davis suspended 2 games, apologizes for hit Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis was suspended two games by the NFL on Monday for his blindside hit that resulted in a concussion for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.

Davis is expected to appeal the suspension, multiple outlets reported. The 34-year-old apologized to Adams over social media for the hit following an interception during the third quarter of Sunday’s game at Bank of America Stadium.

Davis was penalized for the hit but remained in the game.

Adams, who suffered his second concussion of the season, criticized the hit on Twitter, leading to Davis’ apology. “I understand your frustration and I do apologize for the hit!”

Davis wrote. “In no way was I trying to hurt you. … I truly respect you as a player and I made a mistake!”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Tar Heels climb to fifth in poll, right behind Duke Villanova (11-0) remained atop the AP poll for the second straight week, receiving 45 of 65 first-place votes from the media panel.

Michigan State (10-1), which has won nine in a row since falling to Duke, stayed at No. 2 and received 15-first-place votes. Arizona State collected the remaining five and climbed past the Blue Devils for third.

Duke was ranked fourth, followed in order by North Carolina (10-1), Miami (9-0), Kentucky (9-1), Texas A&M (9-1), Xavier (10-1) and West Virginia (9-1).

Duke, UNC take different paths to top of the rankings Talented Blue Devils have some growing pains, Tar Heels overcome injuries

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal

JIM DEDMON | USA TODAY SPORTS

Panthers owner Jerry Richardson watches his team during the Sunday’s game at Bank of America Stadium.

Richardson investigation casts shadow on 10-4 Carolina Panthers Owner has relinquished day-to-day operation of the team amid misconduct accusations The Sports XChange CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers are 10-4 and it’s almost like that accomplishment has been overshadowed to some degree.

There have been plenty of distractions, with the most recent the status of owner Jerry Richardson, who has come under scrutiny involving alleged workplace misconduct. He announced he intends to sell the team.

“I think what we have to do now is let it take its course,” head coach Ron Rivera said Monday of the investigation.

From within the locker room, the Panthers were largely defending Richardson though pointing out they are not familiar with the specifics of the allegations.

“One thing about it, Mr. Richardson has been an unbelievable source in my life,” quarterback Cam Newton said. “I can’t speak on anybody else, but ... I See RICHARDSON, page B4

DUKE AND North Carolina are both ranked among the nation’s top 25 college basketball teams this week.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the combined histories of the neighboring rivals. It is, however, somewhat unexpected considering the expectations placed on each when the season began and the paths they have taken to get back to their lofty, familiar perch near the top of the polls.

The third-ranked Blue Devils were the consensus No. 1 team back in early November, a dream team stocked with four of the best freshmen in the game surrounding a talented (though tempestuous) senior leader and coached by a man who has won more games than anyone else in his profession.

The No. 4 Tar Heels, on the other hand, were a team due for

See RANKINGS, page B4

“All I know is what Mr. Richardson has been for me and that has been very supportive.”

— Ron Rivera, Panthers coach

RANDY SARTIN | USA TODAY SPORTS

Guard Joel Berry II and the Tar Heels haven’t lost since a disappointing outing against Michigan State.

NC State suspends starting point guard Johnson indefinitely NC State announced Saturday that sophomore point guard Markell Johnson has been suspended indefinitely. Shortly before tip of the Wolfpack’s Saturday afternoon game against UNCG, the school released a short statement saying, “Markell Johnson has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct. We will not have further comment on this matter at the current time.” Johnson had started the 10 previous games at point guard for NC State.

a makeover after losing three starters from last year’s national championship squad.

Though it started the year just inside the top 10 at No. 9, coach Roy Williams’ team appeared destined to become an afterthought both in the ACC and nationally after projected starters Joel Berry and Cameron Johnson went down with preseason injuries.

That perception was solidified even after Berry returned early from his broken shooting hand when UNC shot a school-worst 24.6 percent in a lopsided 63-45 loss to Michigan State in the finals of the PK80 tournament in Portland, Ore. But the Tar Heels (10-1) have played well since then, winning five straight in impressive fashion. With young big men Garrison Brooks and Sterling Manley making rapid progress and Johnson scheduled to return from his knee injury any day now, the defending champs are starting to look formidable again.

Their come-from-behind 7873 victory despite a hostile atmo-

INSIDE North Carolina A&T became the first MEAC team to complete an undefeated season by beating Grambling State in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday to finish 12-0 and win the HBCU crown for the second time in three years. The Aggies got a 1-yard touchdown run from quarterback Lamar Raynard, the MEAC Player of the Year, in the game’s final minute to take a 21-14 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Raynard threw for 225 yards and a touchdown, while running back Marquell Cartwright rushed for 110 for NC A&T. B3 BRETT DAVIS | USA TODAY SPORTS

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

B2 WEDNESDAY

12.20.17

TRENDING

Greg Dortch: The Wake Forest freshman receiver was named to the USA Today Freshman All-America Team.

Dortch had 53 receptions for 722 yards and nine touchdowns, pacing the Demon Deacons even though he missed the team’s final four regular season games due to an abdominal injury.

Greg Olsen: The Panthers tight end had nine receptions and 116 receiving yards in Sunday’s home win over Green Bay, his first 100-yard game since Oct. 10, 2016. That was also the last time Olsen reached nine catches.

Olsen came into the Packers game with just four receptions for 38 yards in four starts, but looked to be back to form in the win.

Darian Roseboro: NC State’s defensive lineman said on Twitter he would return to the Wolfpack for his senior season in 2018. Roseboro’s decision matches the one teammate Bradley Chubb made last season. Chubb went on to win the Bronko Nagurski Award as college football’s best defensive player as a senior this year.

Mark Price: UNC Charlotte announced last Thursday that the school has fired coach Mark Price just nine games into his third season with the 49ers. Assistant coach Houston Fancher, a former head coach at Appalachian State and assistant at UNC Wilmington, was named interim coach.

In its first game since the coaching change, Charlotte won 69-50 at ECU on Monday for its first road win of the season.

beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

MEDIA

John Skipper resigned on Monday as president of ESPN due to a problem with addiction. “I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction,” Skipper, who was also Disney Media Networks co-chairman, said in a statement. George Bodenheimer will be the sports network’s acting chairman for the next 90 days, ESPN said in a statement. He had been its president from 1998 to 2011 and executive chairman until May 2014.

KEVIN HOFFMAN | USA TODAY SPORTS

“That’s nepotism.

I wouldn’t do it.”

Hurricanes coach Bill Peters, after he was pressed about his job status and asked, “How owner Bill Peters would look at coach Bill Peters?”

MICHELLE MCLOUGHLIN | REUTERS

JEREMY BREVARD | USA TODAY SPORTS

“You’re overshadowed by the ACC. To come in and win a game against an ACC opponent is a big deal to our program.”

UNC Greensboro coach Wes Miller after the Spartans’ upset NC State 81-76 on Saturday.

HOCKEY

17 Goals for Charlotte Checkers right wing Valentin Zykov in just 26 games, tied for the American Hockey League lead. Zykov, who was acquired by the Carolina Hurricanes from the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 28, 2016, also leads the league in power play goals with 11, three more than second place Chris Terry — a onetime Hurricanes draft pick and player — of Laval.

MLB

NFL

JEROME MIRON | USA TODAY SPORTS

DALE ZANINE | USA TODAY SPORTS

Running back Ezekiel Elliott is back with the Cowboys after serving the sixth and final game of his suspension for violating the NFL’s personalconduct policy. Elliott, who led the league in rushing last season, rejoined the team Monday. Dallas lost its first three games without Elliott before winning the past three.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Matt Kemp from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for four players and cash considerations, the Dodgers announced Saturday.

Heading east to Atlanta are first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy and infielder Charlie Culberson.

NBA

The Hornets bounced back from three consecutive losses, knocking off the Knicks in Charlotte 109‑91 on Monday and improving to 11‑19.

Frank Kaminsky came off the bench to lead the Hornets 24 points while both Michael Kidd‑Gilchrest (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Dwight Howard (11 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles. The Hornets play three of the next four at home before heading west for a four-game all‑California road trip.

JEREMY BREVARD | USA TODAY SPORTS

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North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

NC A&T completes perfect season Aggies take HBCU title with Celebration Bowl win and become the first MEAC team to go unbeaten

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal NC A&T scripted a perfect ending to a perfect season Saturday by scoring in the final minute to beat Grambling 21-14 at the Celebration Bowl.

Quarterback Lamar Raynard got into the end zone on a 1-yard sneak with 38 seconds remaining at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to complete the first unbeaten season in MEAC history and give the Aggies their second Historically Black Colleges and Universities national championship in the last three years.

They also won the title in 2015 with a victory against Alcorn State in the inaugural Celebration Bowl.

“I’m just extremely proud of our players and the job our coaching staff has done,” A&T coach Rod Broadway told NCATAggies.com after the game. “It’s an awesome feeling right now to be 12-0 and to win our second national championship in three years at A&T. I’m happy for our school. We’ve come a long way.”

The Aggies (12-0) may have come a long way since suffering through two straight winless seasons in 2006-07. But Saturday, they only had to traverse half a field

to earn their place in history after taking over near midfield with just under two minutes remaining.

A&T drove 56 yards on seven plays for the decisive touchdown.

It’s a drive that almost ended before it had a chance to get started.

On the first play, Raynard dumped a pass over the middle to running back Marquell Cartwright, who dropped the ball as he turned up field. Believing it was a fumble, Grambling picked it up and returned it into A&T territory.

The play was ruled an incomplete pass on the field and upheld upon review, allowing the Aggies to retain possession. Six plays later, they were celebrating.

“That’s how championships are won,” Raynard said. “when you’re able to get the winning score late by putting the ball in the end zone and end the season 12-0 which is an unbelievable feeling.”

While the turnover that didn’t happen helped save the day for A&T, it was the Aggies’ defense that put it in position to earn the victory by taking the ball away three times — including an interception in the end zone by freshman defensive back Mac McCain on the opening possession of the second half.

It was McCain’s sixth interception of the season.

A&T took advantage of the break by driving the length of the field for the go-ahead touchdown, with Cartwright breaking into the open field for the final 30 yards.

SWAC champion Grambling (11-2)

B3

BOWL PREVIEWS | SHAWN KREST

DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL

“It was a grind. But to do it with your brothers and the people you love, makes it worth it.”

— Jeremy Taylor, NC A&T linebacker tied the game on a 29-yard touchdown pass from its conference Player of the Year quarterback, DeVante Kincade, to receiver Martez Carter.

Kincade passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 95 more yards to provide the Tigers with the majority of their offensive production.

Raynard, the MEAC Player of the Year, threw for an identical 225 yards and a score while his former high school teammate Cartwright accounted for 110 yards on the ground. Wide receiver Elijah Bell caught 10 passes for 95 yards, including an acrobatic catch that set up the winning touchdown on a play in which Raynard faked spiking the ball to stop the clock.

“Twelve and oh doesn’t come easy,” All-MEAC linebacker Jeremy Taylor said. “It was a grind. But to do it with your brothers and the people you love, makes it worth it. I graduated last week, so now I have a degree and these championships to take with me from A&T.”

Appalachian State vs. Toledo Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. Saturday, Dec. 23, 7 p.m.

ESPN Preview: App State (8-4, 7-1 Sun Belt) becomes the second Sun Belt team ever to go to three straight bowl games. Marshall did it from 1997-2002. Toledo (11-2, 7-1 MAC) faces App for the second straight season. The Mountaineers won last year’s Camellia Bowl, 31-28.

Players to watch: App State running back Jalin Moore led the Sun Belt with 912 rushing yards, including nine scores. Defensive lineman Tee Sims had 9.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and two fumbles recovered. Toledo’s Logan Woodside led the MAC with 3,758 passing yards, eighth-best in the country. Senior cornerback Trevon Mathis had three interceptions and seven pass breakups to win the team’s Defensive MVP award.

Fast fact: This is one of just three bowl games this year to match two conference champions and the only one that won’t take place on New Year’s weekend. App shared the Sun Belt crown with Troy, while Toledo won the MAC title game. The Cotton Bowl (USC vs. Ohio State) and Rose Bowl (Georgia vs. Oklahoma) are the others.

What to expect: App was the first team to win back-to-back bowls in its first two seasons of FBS eligibility. The Mountaineers will look to extend the streak to three years, but the MAC champion Rockets are going to be out to prove a point, after feeling shortchanged by the bid to the game in Mobile.

QUICK LANE BOWL

Duke vs. Northern Illinois Ford Field, Detroit Tuesday, Dec. 26, 5:15 p.m.

ESPN Preview: Duke (6-6, 3-5 ACC) returns to a bowl after a late-season spurt to become eligible. The Blue Devils have been to five bowls in the last six years. NIU (8-4, 6-2 MAC) heads to its ninth bowl in 10 years.

Players to watch: Duke linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American. He ranks fifth among active players in tackles per game and had 117 tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks this year. Sophomore quarterback Daniel Jones passed for 12 touchdowns while rushing for six. Northern Illinois defensive end Sutton Smith was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the nation in tackles for loss (29) and sacks (14). Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Childers took over at midseason and led the team to a 6-2 record as starter, winning MAC Freshman of the Year.

Fast fact: Northern Illinois tied for the NCAA lead with six blocked kicks, and its four blocked punts were one away from leading the nation. Earlier this month, Duke dismissed Austin Parker, who handled placekicking and punting all season, from the team and will be using William Holmquist, who has one PAT in his Duke career.

What to expect: The Blue Devils looked dead in the water in November, in the midst of a six-game losing streak. They rebounded with a furious finish to make a bowl. Expect them to come out motivated to bring back a win.

BRETT DAVIS | USA TODAY SPORTS

NC A&T running back Marquell Cartwright holds the offensive most valuable player trophy after Saturday’s victory against the Grambling State in the 2017 Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

BELK BOWL

Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte Friday, Dec. 29, 1 p.m.

ESPN

Seahawks adjusting in first season under new coach McGrath After learning under the wing of Roy Williams, UNCW’s new bench boss is navigating through a 2-7 start to the season

“It is going to take time.

It’s a process.”

— C.B. McGrath, UNCW coach

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal Devonate Cacok was boxed out as a rebound came off the rim in last Wednesday’s game at UNC Greensboro, but he went for the ball anyway. In doing so, he knocked UNCG’s James Dickey to the floor to earn a Flagrant 1 foul.

A few minutes later, with the score hopelessly out of reach, the UNC Wilmington star showed his frustration again as he pounded his fist on the court after being called for his fifth and final foul of the night.

It’s been that kind of season so far for the Seahawks.

At 2-7 with six straight defeats to begin new coach C.B. McGrath’s tenure, UNCW has already surpassed its loss total from all of last season under Kevin Keatts.

“Losing in any situation in frustrating, but I just have to keep my frustration to myself,” said Cacock, an undersized junior center who leads the team in scoring and rebounding. “Going to a new coach that’s completely different is something you’re going to have to get used to. I feel like it’s going to take time to adjust.”

The Seahawks figured to take a step back this season after Keatts left for NC State and four of the five starters that helped the team earn its second straight Colonial Athletic Association title and NCAA tournament appearance either graduated or transferred.

Because of that turnover, McGrath understood that the transi-

tion to his first head coaching assignment probably wouldn’t be an entirely smooth one.

That hasn’t made the situation any easier for either the former North Carolina assistant or his players, who despite their unsightly record have been competitive in all but two of their losses thus far — including a 71-58 setback to UNCG in which they led by as many as nine before running out of gas in the second half.

“I don’t know if I can put a progression timetable on it, (but) we are making progress,” McGrath said. “They are coachable. We’re trying to put things in on a daily basis, because it takes a long time to get everything in when it’s the first time they’ve ever learned it.

“In three years, I won’t have to keep putting stuff in because there will be some holdovers and they will be used to what we’re trying to do. It is going to take time. It’s a process.”

That process has been made a little more difficult by the disparity in styles between the one McGrath and his staff are trying to implement and the one favored by the previous regime.

Keatts, who learned at the side of former Louisville coach Rick Pitino, favored a frantic up-tempo attack and built a small, quick lineup that pressed all over the floor and went to the basket at every opportunity.

While McGrath also likes his team to play at a fast pace, his is

more of an inside-out philosophy — an approach that closely resembles that of his mentor, Roy Williams.

“I feel like it does have similarities,” Cacock said. “We’re trying to play fast, but even though we’re playing a different style we’re capable of winning. We just have to capitalize on what we do and just play defense.”

Besides Cacock, senior point guard Jordon Talley, senior forward Marcus Bryan and sophomore shooting guard Jaylen Fornes are the only returning players that saw significant playing time last season.

With so many new players being worked into a new system by a new coach, communication has naturally been a problem during the early going. There were several times during the UNCG game in which the players on the court didn’t hear or didn’t follow their coach’s directions.

That’s a situation redshirt sophomore guard Ty Taylor said needs to be addressed sooner rather than later with time running out before the start of the Seahawks’ conference schedule.

“You just have to learn on the fly,” said the Wichita State transfer, who is playing for his third staff in as many years. “We have great coaches and they put us in a position to win. As players we just have to go out there and execute.”

Despite the less than memorable start, McGrath said he’s enjoying the opportunity to finally run a program of his own after spending the past 23 years learning from one of the best in his profession either as a player or an assistant.

“You get all the emotions you had when you were an assistant coach, it’s just different frustrations, different pressures,” McGrath said. “I’m getting adjusted to it. I’m learning along the way, like anybody would.

“Obviously losing is not fun.

Being (2-7) is not what any of us wanted to be. Nobody is going to come walking through that door to add to our roster, so it’s going to be us. We’ve got to figure it out each and every day, keep getting better and keep making progress.”

Preview: Wake (7-5, 4-4 ACC) heads to its second straight bowl following a record-setting year on offense. Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 SEC) will play in a bowl for the ninth straight year, but the Aggies will have an interim coach — special teams coordinator Jeff Banks — after firing Kevin Sumlin following the regular season.

Players to watch: Wake quarterback John Wolford had a breakout year in his senior season. Behind Wolford’s passing and running, the Deacs are the third-most improved offense in the country, with a nearly 150 yards per game improvement over last year. They’ve scored a schoolrecord 404 points. Defensive end Duke Ejiofor ranked in the top 10 nationally in tackles for loss. A&M’s Tyrel Dodson needs three tackles in the game to become the first Aggie linebacker to have 100 in a season.

He also has 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and three interceptions.

Receiver Christian Kirk leads the team with 58 catches, 730 yards and seven touchdown catches. He’s also the only SEC player to return a kick and a punt for touchdowns this season.

Fast fact: Wake Forest has never beaten an SEC team in a bowl. The Deacs lost to LSU in the 1979 Tangerine Bowl and Mississippi State in the 2011 Music City Bowl.

What to expect: Wake got the bowl it wanted but may struggle with the opponent. The Aggies will be looking to make a good first impression on former FSU coach Jimbo Fisher, who takes over following the bowl.

SUN BOWL

NC State vs. Arizona State Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas Friday, Dec. 29, 3 p.m.

CBS Preview: The Pack (8-4, 6-2 ACC) nearly lost their head coach to Tennessee, but Dave Doeren decided to stay, and his near departure is forgiven. Arizona State (7-5, 6-3 Pac-12) fired coach Todd Graham and hired former NFL coach and ESPN announcer Herm Edwards after the season, but Graham will still coach the bowl game.

Players to watch: If he plays, instead of sitting out to prepare for the NFL Draft, Wolfpack defensive end Bradley Chubb will be the best player on the field. He’s this year’s winner of the Nagurski Trophy and the Hendricks Award. Running back Nyheim Hines rushed for 1,040 yards and added another 610 on kick and punt returns. ASU receiver N’Keal Harry is 19th in the country with 73 catches and 24th with exactly 1,000 receiving yards. Cornerback Chase Lucas was named a freshman All-American. He had 53 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups, while posting the fifth-lowest pass completion percentage allowed of any corner in the Pac-12.

Fast fact: NC State has never played in the Sun Bowl before, and this is its first game against a Pac-12 opponent since 1989, when the Pack lost to Arizona in the Copper Bowl. It’s last win over a Pac-12 team was at Arizona State in 1974.

What to expect: State fans didn’t want to be sent to El Paso, and the support level may be low for the Wolfpack. Still, the Pack appears to have more to play for than an ASU team in transition.

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Shocked Gatlin fires coach after doping claim Former U.S. sprinter and former coach of Justin Gatlin, Dennis Mitchell, speaks to reporters in 2012. Mitchell, a native of Havelock, allegedly offered performanceenhancing drugs to undercover reporters.

N.C. native Dennis Mitchell accused of offering PEDs to undercover reporters

By Mitch Phillips Reuters LONDON — World 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin said on Tuesday he was “shocked and surprised” at doping allegations made against his coach Dennis Mitchell, like Gatlin a convicted doper, but added that he had sacked him as soon as he heard about the issue.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph set up a sting where they claim Mitchell, the native North Carolinian from Havelock and former medal-winning sprinter who was previously banned for doping, and sports agent Robert Wagner had offered to supply performance-enhancing drugs to undercover reporters claiming to be making a movie featuring a doped athlete.

Gatlin, 35, who won the world title in London this year against a backdrop of jeering relating to his two doping bans, issued a statement via Instagram where he said: “I am not using and have not used PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs.

MIKE BLAKE | REUTERS

“I was shocked and surprised to learn that my coach would have anything to do with even the appearance of these current accusations. I fired him as soon as I found out about this.

“All legal options are on the table

as I will not allow others to lie about me like this.”

The Athletics Integrity Unit and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) have both said they are investigating the claims.

USADA said in a statement: “In-

vestigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers play a critical role in anti-doping efforts. We are presently coordinating with the Athletics Integrity Unit in order to investigate these claims fully.”

The International Olympic Com-

mittee said on Tuesday: “The IOC has full confidence that WADA will look very carefully into this matter.”

The Telegraph quoted International Association of Athletics Federations president Seb Coe as saying: “These allegations are extremely serious and I know the independent Athletics Integrity Unit will investigate in accordance with its mandate.”

In a statement to the Telegraph, Mitchell, who confessed on oath to using banned substances during his career, said: “I never suggested in any way that any of my current athletes used any banned substances or that I was familiar with training any of my current athletes with those substances.”

Wagner also denied being involved in doping but said he “played along” in the sting because he knew what was going on.

Gatlin has been a divisive figure in the sport throughout his career, which brought him Olympic 100m gold in 2004 and a host of other global medals. He served two doping bans for offences he has always denied and after his second comeback, was widely painted by the media as the bad guy going up against the sport’s darling, Usain Bolt.

In August, in Bolt’s final individual championship race, Gatlin took the 100-meter gold at the World Championships in London, with the Jamaican finishing third.

Panthers focus on football despite ownership drama, Davis suspension Team faces must-win games while distractions swirl around them

By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE CAROLINA Panthers are in a must-win situation as they approach the final two weeks of the season. The team is in the hunt for the NFC South Division title, although the rival Saints have the inside track on that crown. Carolina can also earn a wild-card berth in the playoffs as early as this weekend. Meanwhile, the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons are looking to leapfrog the Panthers in the NFC South and playoff pecking order.

All of that, however, is far down the list of things that the media wanted to know about when Panthers head coach Ron Rivera met with the media on Monday of game week.

Rivera spoke for eight minutes, 36 seconds. It wasn’t until the 7:42 mark, when the press conference was nearly 91 percent over, that anyone mentioned a player by name.

Instead, Rivera was asked about owner Jerry Richardson, the potential sale of the team, whether he’d spoken to Richardson, what he’d said to the players about the Sports Illustrated story detailing the owner’s misdeeds with company employees and whether he’d ever personally witnessed any of the alleged sexual or racial harass-

RICHARDSON from page B1 found a place, a refuge, with Mr. Richardson.”

Many of the Panthers addressed the questions revolving the 81-yearold owner following the Green Bay game, perhaps hoping to say what they can about the topic and then move on as the NFL carries out an investigation.

“Let it go through the process,” Rivera said. “All I know is what Mr. Richardson has been for me and that has been very supportive.”

The Panthers own the seventh 10-win season in franchise history.

Newton is playing as efficiently as any time in his career, and he’s trying to concentrate on that aspect of the season.

“I am just happy that we’re winning,” Newton said.

Things have moved quickly since Friday when the Panthers revealed they were investigating unspecified charges of workplace misconduct against Richardson, a former NFL player from Spring Hope who brought the NFL to North Carolina in 1995.

On Sunday morning, the league said it was taking control of the investigation and subsequent to that, Richardson said in a statement he is putting the team up for sale.

Then, Monday morning, the club announced Richardson was stepping away from the team with Tina Becker taking over as chief operat-

ment.

Needless to say, the Panthers’ ownership situation is a substantial distraction as the team enters the home stretch.

“I think, as we go forward, it’s important to remember that we’re here to play football,” Rivera said.

It’s the same message he delivered to the team after Richardson announced his intention to sell the team following the season.

“Not to discount the serious nature of these allegations,” Rivera said. “For us and what we do here, we’re here to play football. I think it’s important to remember that.

These allegations don’t change what we do. We just have to go out and focus on getting ready for Tampa Bay.” Distractions are nothing new for the team. This year alone, the team has dealt with replacing its general manager shortly before the start of preseason practice, an injury to tight end Greg Olsen that kept him out for much of the year, offensive statements by quarterback Cam Newton in response to a question from a female reporter, the midseason trade of wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and the four-game PED suspension of defensive end Charles Johnson.

“I don’t know how much difference this is from some of the other things we’ve dealt with,” Rivera said.

Like most of those other situations, Rivera counseled his players that the less speculation they did about the future of Richardson and the team, the better.

“I told the guys I didn’t want a

ing officer. Becker, who had been executive director, owner’s office, has worked her way up the organization and was even a one-time cheerleader for the team.

In a statement issued by the team, Becker said: “These have been some of the most difficult days of my 19 years with the Panthers, but I am lifted up by the strong resolve and the commitment our employees have shown to this organization. Our team on the field is performing at a very high level, and I believe is bound for the Super Bowl. My immediate focus will be to ensure the corporate side of the organization performs at the same high level, while addressing the real concerns that have been raised in recent days.”

Following the announcement that Richardson would sell the team after the season, rapper and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs expressed interest on social media in purchasing the team.

He and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry — who played high school basketball in Charlotte and collegiately at Davidson — exchanged messages on Twitter about working together to buy the team.

It’s more realistic that one of the team’s current minority owners or another in-state power player — Speedway Motorsports chairman Bruton Smith or SAS co-founder James Goodnight — could make a bid.

JIM DEDMON | USA TODAY SPORTS

Panthers outside linebacker Thomas Davis was suspended two games by the NFL for a hit on Green Bay’s Davante Adams in Sunday’s win over the Packers.

lot of information out there,” he said.

Of course, the ownership drama isn’t the only outside distraction that could derail Carolina’s playoff run.

Later in the day, Pro-Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis was suspended for the final two games of the regular season, as punishment for a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked Packers wide receiver Davante Adams out of Sunday’s game.

The Davis hit and the possibility he would miss time was the only subject other than the Richardson situation that Rivera was asked about.

Davis was penalized for the hit, which was ripped by Green Bay after the game.

“From the reaction on the sideline a lot of the guys felt it was a dirty hit,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

“I think it was an unnecessary hit,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “So I am disappointed by that. (Davis is) a repeat offender so I am sure that the league will deal with him according to that.”

The length of the suspension was a surprise, and Davis intends to appeal in the hopes of reducing it to a one-game punishment. That would allow him to return for the season-ending game at Atlanta.

“If you see Thomas’ reaction, you know it wasn’t intentional to hit him that way,” Rivera said. “It was intentional — he wanted to block him. I just take it from the

RANKINGS from page B1

sphere at Tennessee on Sunday served notice that they’re ready for anything that’s thrown their way once the ACC schedule gets underway on Dec. 30 against Wake Forest.

“This will be good for us,” Williams said after watching is team clamp down defensively to rally from a nine-point deficit. “Every game in the ACC is like that. To have this experience and know we can pull it out, I think it will come in handy down the road.”

Duke also learned a valuable lesson in its most recent game, was back on Dec. 9 in its unusually early conference opener at Boston College.

Only unlike UNC, it came in a loss.

The Blue Devils (11-1) struggled early while falling behind the Eagles. It’s a similar pattern to the one they have followed several times this season.

Against Texas and Florida in the opposite bracket at the PK80 tourney and to a lesser extent on the road against Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Duke was able to flip the switch and ride the talents of blue chip freshmen Marvin Bagley III, Gary Trent and Wendell Carter — along with senior Grayson Allen — to pull out victories.

That didn’t happen in Chest-

“If we show up like we did and don’t play defense, that’s what’s going to happen, we’re going to get beat.”

— Grayson Allen, Duke senior guard nut Hill, as defensive breakdowns and the hot shooting of BC’s North Carolina connection Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson helped send the Blue Devils down to a stunning and eye-opening 89-84 defeat.

“It’s their first conference game so now they know what it’s like,” Allen said of his young teammates after the loss. “They know it’s no joke, that it’s a fight.

If we show up like we did and don’t play defense, that’s what’s going to happen, we’re going to get beat.”

Losing the game and falling from the No. 1 spot in the national polls gave coach Mike Krzyzewski the opportunity for a teaching moment he might not otherwise have gotten had his team come out on top.

“We’ve said before this game

way he reacted he did not intend to hit him high or in the head. Unfortunately, that was the result.”

Rivera met with the media before the suspension was announced by the league, but he seemed to think that Davis’ behavior after the hit would help prove his intentions were pure.

“The intent was not there,” Rivera said. “There wasn’t any showboating or taunting. In fact, I know, on the bench, he was upset about it.”

As the Panthers begin the crucial two-week stretch to end the season, it appears they’ll be without Davis for at least the first game.

Just one more distraction in a blizzard of them that rivals last week’s snow game in Buffalo.

and while we were winning those 11 games, there’s a lot of work to do.” Krzyzewski said. “This is a young group, being in game situations, we have a lot to learn.

It was just that we won and we played our butts off in order to win those 11 games, but it doesn’t mean we’re some finished product. We’re a young team that needs to keep learning, keep working and that’s what we’ll do.”

Duke has one more nonconference tune-up, Wednesday against Evansville, before diving headlong into ACC competition at home against Florida State on Dec. 30.

The state’s two other conference teams — NC State and Wake Forest — are also putting the finishing touches on their pre-ACC preparations.

The Wolfpack, which got off to a strong start with an upset of then-No. 2 Arizona in the Bahamas, hit a bump in the road last week with a loss to UNC Greensboro. Further clouding State’s prospects is the indefinite absence of point guard Markell Johnson, who is under suspension for an undisclosed violation of university rules.

The Deacons are following a different, more promising arc with six straight wins after opening the season with ominous losses to Georgia Southern, Liberty and Drake.

WEDNESDAY

12.20.17

NORTH

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Holiday weekend is ‘Pitch Perfect,’ Page 7

JOURNaL

the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

play list

Dec. 20-23 Iceless Skating Rink South Main Street, Hendersonville Experience the joy of ice skating without the ice on a synthetic ice skating rink. It’s a great way to learn how to skate, plus the ice won’t melt. The ice skating rink is a fundraiser for the Henderson County America in Bloom Committee.

“A Christmas Carol” at PlayMakers Repertory Company Chapel Hill Appreciate the magic of Christmas with the well-known tale of Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol,” presented

by PlayMakers Repertory Company. Show admission is $15 and is recommended for ages 9 and older. Run time is 80-90 minutes with no intermission.

Dec. 20-Jan. 1 PHOTOS COURTESY OF K9S FOR WARRIORS

Scott Smith, a Marine, poses with his dog Maddy.

Man’s best friend helps veteran cope K9s for Warriors pairs rescue dogs with PTSD-diagnosed former soldiers like Scott Smith

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal RALEIGH — A Marine, a dog and a PTSD diagnosis — here’s the story of how one veteran overcame his demons with the aid of his K-9 companion.

Scott Smith, 31, is a Tennessee native who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006 as part of the Marine Air Control Squadron 2.

“Serving in the military was always something I wanted to do,” said Smith.

Following two years of training and service, Smith volunteered to deploy to Iraq in August 2008. “(Being deployed) was nerve-wracking all the time, because you never knew what to expect,” he said. “We spent a lot of time in the middle of the flight line and we saw a lot of casualties and wounded soldiers coming in.

For lack of a better term, we blew them to bits. It was an extremely war-ridden country and depressing to see, but you had to remember you were there to do a job.”

Working with an air traffic control detachment, Smith was in charge of replacing and fixing communication radio equipment that was damaged by extreme use or heat. He was routinely on the lookout for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) hidden in trash and Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) bags along the roadside.

Returning home in March 2009, he continued to serve his country until he was honorably discharged in June 2010.

“When I got out the economy was terrible,” said Smith. “It was hard to find work and I was dealing with my own personal struggles and demons. I had a small son at home who was growing up without me, which is why I wanted to get out of the Marines.”

It was hard to find work and eventually, Smith took a job at the local Walmart busting shoplifters.

He used the GI Bill to fund a college degree. With his wife and son, he began a search for a new place to call home and a fresh start.

“We sat down and printed off a list of different cities and states, and we wanted to start someplace new,” he said. “Of all the places we came through, the Cary/Raleigh

area was at the top of the list.”

Smith and his family moved to Raleigh, and though he was creating a new life for himself following war, something was still not quite right.

“When I first came back, I didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I hadn’t been shot and didn’t have any limbs blown off, but there were things about my personality that I didn’t notice right away, but other people did. I was quick to temper, would get angry over little things, was becoming a hermit and avoiding talking to other people. I didn’t see myself fitting in with the normal societal setting.”

Through the assistance of Veterans Affairs, he was officially diagnosed by doctors as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a mental health problem that some develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life-threatening event.

According to Veterans Affairs, approximately 11-20 soldiers out of every 100 veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year.

“I remember crying when I found out. There’s no cure and I didn’t want to be labeled as a crazy guy back from war,” said Smith.

Smith was diagnosed in 2012.

He’s seen doctors and therapists, and now, five years later, is on his ninth medication to help treat his anxiety and depression — invisible wounds of war.

For veterans suffering from PTSD, visits to public places such a retail shops, grocery stores and malls filled with people can be extremely difficult.

“Where are all the exits? How many people in this building could overpower me?” he said of his thoughts. “Is someone in this building were to do harm, who would it be? What are people doing with their hands? Why is that backpack laying on the floor by itself?

“It’s things people don’t ever think about when they go into a store, but these things are constantly going through my mind.

These situations are mentally exhausting.”

Smith needed another coping

Festival of Lights at Tanglewood Park Tanglewood Park, Clemmons Ride along with family and friends through the magical display of holiday lights at the 26th annual Festival of Lights in Tanglewood Park. You can roast s’mores and visit the gift shop along the way. Admission is based on carload.

Dec. 21 North Carolina Symphony: Holiday Pops Pinecrest High School Auditorium, Southern Pines Come hear the splendid sounds of the North Carolina Symphony as they present classic Christmas and holiday arrangements for all to enjoy.

The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are available for purchase at the door.

Solstice Celebration Lantern Walk Riverwalk, Hillsborough Join the Hillsborough Arts Council for the second annual Solstice Lantern Walk on Hillsborough’s Riverwalk.

All are invited to bring their own white lantern with LED light (no flames allowed) to light up the night sky. The celebration begins at 5:30 p.m. and advance registration is required.

“On day 12 of training with Maddy, I knew I had found what I needed to recover.”

— Scott Smith mechanism and that’s where he found Maddy, a mix-breed dog, waiting to be his companion.

Smith was gifted a service dog from K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit organization in Ponte Vedra, Fla., which specializes in training dogs to serve veterans suffering from military trauma.

Maddy, Smith’s four-legged battle buddy, is helping aid him in ways traditional therapy and prescription drugs cannot.

“I’ve struggled for so long with PTSD,” said Smith. “I’ve gone through nine trials of medication with the VA, but didn’t see a difference with any of them. On day 12 of training with Maddy, I knew I had found what I needed to recover.”

Ninety percent of the dogs through the program are rescues

having been saved from euthanasia. Maddy, a rescue from Texas, and Smith were brought together Oct. 30. They completed 120 hours of on-site training through the K9 for Warriors program.

The training was extensive so Smith and Maddy could learn each other’s routines, and personalities, in addition to Smith’s PTSD triggers.

“During training, Maddy and I went to the mall. It was so overwhelming I could only stay seven minutes before leaving,” said Smith. “We’re progressing and working through situations daily.”

Smith is now able to go into smaller retail stores and even sit through half of a football game with the aid of Maddy. As his service dog, she goes to work with him at a local vending machine company. She helps him pick up his children from school.

“This was probably the best experience I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “There were tough parts during training, but it’s worth it because having Maddy changed my life and my family’s life for the better. I am now a part of the world again.”

Dec. 22 Christmas with the Annie Moses Band Franklin Bring the whole family to celebrate Christmas with the Annie Moses Band — a family of talented musicians, singers and songwriters. The band will perform a concert featuring holiday favorites that you are sure to enjoy. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $25.

Dec. 25 Christmas at The Ballantyne Hotel Charlotte Celebrate Christmas morning at the beautiful Ballantyne Hotel. Listen to live holiday music while enjoying a delicious buffet brunch that will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the hotel website for menu and reservation information.

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

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NeCessities! history marked Dec. 24, 1922

Dec.25, 1812

Ava Gardner born

The State Library of North Carolina is founded

Ava Garnder was born in Grabtown, a small farming community near Smithfield in Johnston County. Gardner moved around North Carolina as a child, but eventually graduated high school in Wilson County and began a program in secretarial studies at what is now Barton College.

Discovered by chance after her brother-in-law posted a picture of her in the window of his New York City studio, Gardner was offered a contract with MGM Studios. Since her mother would not allow her to head to Hollywood alone, both Garner and her sister moved to the West Coast in 1941. Appearing in mostly minor and silent parts during the first five years of her career, Gardner’s profile was raised significantly after her 1946 performances in “Whistle Stop” and “The Killers.” Gardner went on to make at least 55 movies, including “On the Beach” (1959), “The Night of the Iguana” (1964) and “Earthquake” (1974). She was also known for her marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. Gardner came back to Johnston and Wilson counties often throughout her life to visit family and friends, though she died while living abroad in 1990.

The Ava Gardner Museum and Festival, both in Smithfield, honor her.

The North Carolina General Assembly enacted the law that created what is now the State Library of North Carolina, to be administered by the secretary of state. The law called for the collection and safe keeping of books, documents, laws, acts and journals for the use of General Assembly members, state agency heads and Supreme Court justices. In 1831, most of the collection was destroyed in the State Capitol fire. The new State Library, which included a copy of John Lawson’s History of Carolina donated by former President James Madison, moved into the new State Capitol in 1840, and had a full-time librarian by 1843. In time it became a lending library for the entire state and participated in national and international book exchanges to enlarge the collection.

State Librarian Carrie Broughton was the first female head of a state agency in North Carolina. She expanded the collection, including the genealogy section, now recognized as one of the richest in the Southeast. The State Library remains the official repository for North Carolina government publications and provides information about North Carolina history, culture and demographics.

Dec. 26, 1985

Junior Johnson pardoned by Ronald Reagan Robert Glen “Junior” Johnson received a full and unconditional pardon from President Ronald Reagan for his 1956 conviction in federal court for moonshining.

Junior was caught firing up his father’s still and he became entangled in a barbed wire fence while trying to escape.

The conviction put Junior on a forced 11-month, three-day hiatus in a federal penitentiary from his other career as a rising NASCAR star. Johnson, like many early NASCAR drivers, got his first highspeed driving experience in a souped-up automobile loaded with illegal white liquor. He was a natural as a driver and has always made it a point of pride that the revenuers never caught him on the highway. He parlayed his experience on the backroads of North Carolina into one of the most successful careers in NASCAR history.

When Johnson retired as a driver in 1966, he became one of the most successful crew chiefs and owners in the sport’s history. He was also a thriving and respected businessmen in Wilkes County, having made lucrative investments in real estate, livestock and meat processing. Johnson was in the first group of five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

Dec. 23, 1794

Bald Head Island Lighthouse lit for the first time The Bald Head Island Lighthouse was lit for the first time.

The lighthouse, planning for which began in 1783, was the first one authorized in North Carolina (the second was Ocracoke for which plans began a year later). In 1789, Benjamin Smith, who recently had acquired the island, promised the state 10 acres for use as a site for a lighthouse.

Congress appropriated funds for the lighthouse in 1792. The state legislature levied a tax to help fund the beacon. Around 1812, the lighthouse was damaged beyond repair due to the effects of soil erosion. Congress appropriated $15,000 for a replacement. Daniel Way accepted the contract in July 1816 and finished the new lighthouse the following year.

Use of “Old Baldy,” as it is known, was discontinued in 1835.

The oldest lighthouse on the North Carolina coast, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

“Old Baldy” is distinctive for its eight-sided design. Modern restoration efforts have returned the lighthouse to its 19thcentury appearance.

get in the driver’s seat GM offers an early look at new Chevy truck

More than 3 million NC residents to travel during Christmas holiday

By Jarrett Renshaw Reuters

PHOTO COURTESY GENERAL MOTORS

The new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado model truck is shown.

By Joe White Reuters DETROIT — General Motors offered a sneak peek on Saturday of the next generation Chevrolet Silverado pickup, designed to haul big payloads of profits for the automaker when it launches next year.

The current Silverado is GM’s best-selling vehicle in North America, with sales of more than 500,000 vehicles last year. Analysts and company executives said it was also one of the manufacturer’s highest-profit model lines.

GM has disclosed investments of nearly $3 billion to upgrade factories in Michigan, Indiana and Mexico that build the Silverado and its GMC brand counterpart, the Sierra.

Until now, GM has disclosed few details of the new truck ahead of its official debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

GM said it revealed an off-road version of the Silverado at an event for loyal Chevy truck owners in Texas, a state whose residents buy a lot of large, high-priced pickup trucks.

GM, in a statement, said the new Silverado will have a high-strength steel bed floor and use “mixed materials” to achieve “a significant reduction in total weight.” Lighter weight usually translates to improved fuel economy.

Previously, GM executives signaled they did not intend to ape their top rival and build the new Silverado’s body entirely or mostly of aluminum, like Ford’s F-Series pickups.

Detroit automakers, under pressure to boost fuel efficiency and cut carbon emissions, are slashing the weight of their best-selling large trucks. Yet the companies do not want to compromise the load-hauling capability and luxury features that allow them to command prices that average $46,984 a vehicle, according to Cox Automotive.

Ford recently launched a luxury F-250 pickup that can have a sticker price as high as $94,455.

GM will offer eight versions of the new Silverado and more engine and transmission combinations than the current lineup, GM said.

Fiat Chrysler is expected to unveil the next generation of its big Ram 1500 pickup at the Detroit auto show.

NEW YORK and RALEIGH — U.S. travelers will hit the roads, rails and skies this Christmas holiday in their largest numbers on record, lured by cheap plane tickets and a growing economy, the nation’s largest motor advocacy group said on Thursday. North Carolina residents will also see an increase in their travel this year with more than 3 million people from the Tarheel State traveling for the Christmas holiday, an increase of 3 percent over 2016 totals.

Roughly 107.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during Dec. 23 through Jan. 1, a 3.1 percent increase from a year earlier and the most ever recorded, AAA said in a report.

That would be the sixth consecutive record high for the holiday season, the Florida-based organization said.

“More expensive gas prices are not swaying holiday revelers to stay home,” AAA Senior Vice President Bill Sutherland said. “We’ve seen the strong economy and growing consumer confidence fuel holiday travel all year long.”

The largest share of travel, roughly 90.7 percent, will be on

U.S. roads. Energy traders watch this activity closely because it accounts for 10 percent of global oil demand.

U.S. motor trips will rise to 97.3 million for this holiday season, the seventh consecutive annual increase, AAA said.

The group expects air travel to grow by 4.1 percent to 6.4 million trips, the highest since 2004 as passengers take advantage of lower ticket prices. In North Carolina, more than 170,000 will take to the skies for Christmas and New Year’s travel, a 3.5 percent increase over 2016.

Air travel now accounts now for 5.9 percent of all travel, following four consecutive years of share increases, AAA said.

For 2017, motorists are on pace to break the record for most vehicle miles driven on U.S. roads, helping spur potential record demand for gasoline.

U.S. gasoline demand and vehicle miles traveled both set records in 2016.

Gas prices jumped more than 10 percent after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, peaking on Sept. 8 at an average of $2.67 a gallon. Prices were at $2.45 a gallon on Thursday, up about 9 percent from a year earlier, AAA said.

ANDREW KELLY | REUTERS

People line up for security ahead of the holidays at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, on Dec. 23, 2016.

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

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ENTERTAINMENT ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ opens with galactic $450 million box office “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” burst into theaters with a staggering $450 million in global ticket sales in its opening weekend, confirming that the celebrated space adventure franchise remained a powerful force at the box office. The eighth movie in the “Star Wars” saga created by George Lucas in 1977 collected $220 million in the United States and Canada, according to box office estimates released by comScore on Sunday. The total ranked second only to the $248 million for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” two years ago.

MSNBC: TV host Matthews was reprimanded after woman’s 1999 complaint

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

FILM REVIEW: ‘PITCH PERFECT 3’

By Owen Gleiberman Variety LOS ANGELES — A great many people who now know the term “a cappella” probably didn’t before “Pitch Perfect,” the 2012 movie that charmed, annoyed and tickled us with its happy skewed fusion of sunburst harmony and junior-catfight kitsch. Yet the “Pitch Perfect” franchise hasn’t always stayed true to the spirit of a cappella. The first film mostly did: The Bellas, the allgirl superstars of Barden University, sang in pop competitions without accompaniment, and though the music was processed and Auto-tuned to within an inch of its life, we basically heard the sound of their voices spun together into sweet-and-sassy frozen-custard perfection.

In “Pitch Perfect 2” (2015), however, the synthesizers and drum machines took over: The numbers were bloated into a kind of soupy a cappella murk, and so was the movie, a low-camp effort that slogged on and on, well past the point when a film that treats pop singles like vocal ad jingles should have quit.

That makes “Pitch Perfect 3,” the final chapter of the trilogy, a return to form. (Yes, it’s a trilogy — though if this movie manages to crawl its way to $100 million domestic, I could see the Bellas coming out of retirement to win a spot on “The Voice.”) The new film doesn’t add anything revolutionary to the “Pitch Perfect” formula, and it’s an avid showcase for the personalities of its stars: the skeptically pert Anna Kendrick, the radiant and vivacious Hailee Steinfeld, and

the terrifyingly droll Rebel Wilson.

All three deserve better movies but make the most of this one.

The Bellas, long past their college days, are now out in the real world, stuck in the drudgery of dead-end jobs. Even Beca (Kendrick), having established herself as a record producer, gets canned from her latest gig after a run-in with an egregious white rapper in Rasta braids. So when the Bellas are invited, by one group member’s military father, to join a USO tour of Europe, they choose to seize the day.

At the airport, they run into a rival ensemble whose members actually play instruments, and this allows the Bellas to get back to their a cappella roots in a series of face-off medleys. The Bellas do party songs (a whip-cracking “Get the Party Started,” etc.), then challenge their rivals to do “songs by people you didn’t know were Jewish,” a medley that includes Blondie’s 1980 hit “Call Me” (which made me go ... really? And no, it wasn’t written by Chris Stein). The sequence succulently lays down the “Pitch Perfect” vibe, which walks a divine line between snark and sincerity: The songs are hooky bliss, served up with a heavily italicized frosting of hip-twitching feminist ’tude.

In a way, these movies are all about the glory of showing off, and the Bellas do it big-time when they perform Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” spinning around in red-and-white striped halter tops. They’ve got it together on stage, but after trashing the pad of DJ Khaled (playing himself), they use their wits to vault a series of absurdist soap-op-

era thriller obstacles.

Wilson’s Fat Amy — and it says so much about Wilson’s triumphantly hostile anti-P.C. energy that she’s called Fat Amy — has reconnected with her father, an Aussie gangster played by John Lithgow, who is such a good actor you would never guess he had ever been anything but an Aussie gangster. He’s after Amy’s $180 million inheritance (stashed by her late mother in the Cayman Islands), and when he kidnaps the Bellas and stows them on his yacht, there’s only one thing left for them to do: take over the joint by performing a version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” that’s all elegant come-hither thrusts. When Amy crashes down into the number with a fire extinguisher, turning it into “Die Hard with a Groove,” you’re momentarily in some version of junk-movie heaven.

John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks, now stepping back from her role as the director of “Pitch Perfect 2,” are on hand once again as the play-by-play commentators John and Gail, who are making an inept documentary film, and their whippersnapper repartee is funnier than anything in the last two Christopher Guest films.

As for Kendrick, she holds the picture together with her airy diligence. When the Bellas, up on stage for the last time, do a percolating rendition of George Michael’s “Freedom ’90,” it’s an assertion of victory that I took, as well, to be the actresses’ declaration of freedom from the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. They’ve had a good run, but enough! There are higher things to aim for than being fatally catchy.

Holiday Openings Dec. 22 “Downsizing” — When filmmaker Alexander Payne came up with the idea in 2006 of a future in which humans could opt to be 5 inches tall to live better lives, little did they know how timely the story would be in 2017. “Downsizing,” out in U.S. theaters on Friday and starring Matt Damon, shows a world in which people get “downsized” to live in environmentally friendly microcommunities only to end up with their dreams shattered.

“Father Figures” — Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers (Owen Wilson and Ed Helms) hit the road in order to find him.

Along the way, they learn more about their mother than they ever wanted to know.

Dec. 25 “All the Money in the World” — When director Ridley Scott decided to remove Kevin Spacey from his film “All the Money in the World” and reshoot it with Christopher Plummer, he did not just pull off an extraordinary feat.

Plummer’s performance as U.S. oil billionaire J. Paul Getty also subtly changed the tone of the movie about the sensational 1973 kidnapping of Getty’s 16-year-old grandson.

TV “Hardball” host Chris Matthews was reprimanded after he was accused in 1999 of making inappropriate comments about a female employee, and the woman was given a separation payment, MSNBC said on Sunday.

Representatives for Matthews, 72, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Luke Bryan’s ‘What Makes You Country’ debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Luke Bryan’s “What Makes You Country” album debuted in the top spot this week on the Billboard 200 chart, giving the country singer his fourth No. 1 album. According to Nielsen Music data released on Monday, Bryan sold more than 107,000 units of the album during a week in which Irish band U2 plummeted from last week’s top spot to 13th place with “Songs Of Experience.”

Weinstein denies blacklisting actresses Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino Harvey Weinstein on Friday denied barring actresses Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino from working on the movie adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” or blacklisting them from further projects.

Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 50 women, including Judd and Sorvino, was responding to remarks by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson.

NOT ALL VODKA IS MADE FROM POTATOES SWEET POTATOES ARE VEGETABLES VEGETABLES ARE GOOD FOR YOU

— YOU’RE WELCOME Covington vodka is available in 750 mL and 1.75 L. covingtonvodka.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, December 20, 2017

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