Rollin’ at Bowman
Tim Brown (15) and William Byron (24) compete in the Clash at Bowman Gray on Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series’ first event at the classic Winston-Salem track since 1971.
the BRIEF this week
Trump orders creation of U.S. sovereign wealth fund, says it could own part of TikTok Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the U.S. to take steps to start developing a governmentowned investment fund that he said could be used to profit off of TikTok if he’s successful at finding the company an American buyer. Trump signed an order on his first day office to grant the Chinese- owned TikTok until early April to find a domestic partner or buyer, but he’s said he’s looking for the U.S. to take a 50% stake in the massive social media platform. He said Monday in the Oval Office that TikTok was an example of what he could put in a new U.S. sovereign wealth fund.
Trump talks so much even stenographers struggle to keep up Washington, D.C.
The most obvious shift from Joe Biden to Donald Trump has been the flood of talking from the White House. Trump is speaking publicly far more than his predecessor, overwhelming his opponents and leaving them struggling to get a word in edgewise. Even the White House stenographers responsible for transcribing a president’s remarks are racing to keep up with him. According to Factbase, Trump spoke 81,235 words in his first week in office, up from 24,259 in the same timespan for Biden. The Republican president’s admirers and critics agree that he’s skilled at harnessing the country’s undivided attention.
$2.00
Hostage from Chapel Hill finally released from Gaza
“Be strong for me.”
Aviva Siegel’s parting words
to her husband
Fifteen months after being abducted, Keith Siegel is free
By Melanie Lidman The Associated Press
JERUSALEM — Three men held hostage in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months were freed Saturday, bringing to 18 the number of captives released by militants since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began Jan. 19.
Among those freed was Yarden Bibas, 35, the father of the two youngest hostages in Gaza, whose plight has become a rallying cry for Israelis. The Bibas sons — 4 years old and 9 months old at the time of their abduction — and their mother, Shiri, are still in captivity, and feared dead.
Shiri Bibas and the two children are the last woman and children held in captivity in Gaza who have not been confirmed dead by Israel.
The other hostages released Saturday were American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, and French-Israeli Ofer
This undated photo provided by Hostages Family Forum shows Keith Siegel, who was abducted and brought to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023.
Kalderon, 54, also household names in Israel after highly visible campaigns to free them.
Keith Siegel, from Chapel Hill, was abducted with his wife, Aviva Siegel, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a communal farming village heavily damaged by the attack. She was freed during the November 2023 ceasefire deal and has cam-
See HOSTAGE, page A2
Trump administration opens college antisemitism probes
Columbia, Berkeley, and Northwestern are among the schools being investigated
By Collin Binkley The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday. It’s part of President Donald Trump’s promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with
universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department’s power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of
“This
administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses.”
Craig Trainor, U.S. Department of Education
Chapel Hill streamlines affordable housing process
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News and Record
CHAPEL HILL — The town of Chapel Hill is working to simplify its affordable housing funding process.
At its Jan. 29 meeting, the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a resolution to grant the town manager the authority to establish and administer a unified local affordable housing funding program.
Previously, Chapel Hill had three local affordable housing funding sources, and each was managed as separate funds.
In order to streamline the process for distributing funds, the resolution was presented that establishes one set of priorities, eligibility requirements and allocation process in order to simplify it
See COUNCIL, page A3
THe UNC golf team will get a new facility at Finley Golf Course
JAMES JACKSON FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
HOSTAGES FAMILY FORUM VIA AP
We stand corrected To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.
CRIME LOG
Jan. 29
• Phillip Wesley Wilson, 45, of Sanford, was arrested for larceny of merchant emergency door, possession of stolen property, and breaking and entering.
• Joshua Kendall Lowe, 33, of Moncure, was arrested for harboring a fugitive.
• Sylvia Alicia Freeman, 37, of Siler City, was arrested for simple assault and domestic violence.
Jan. 31
• Justin Alexander Martin, 39, of Hillsborough, was arrested for assault causing serious bodily injury.
• Luis Alberto Ibarra-Ortega, 26, of Dunn, was arrested for communicating threats and simple affray.
Feb. 2
• Daquan Taires Brooks, 28, of Pittsboro, was arrested for larceny after breaking and entering, and breaking and entering.
New mortgage scam targets Chatham homeowners
The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the FBI to investigate fraudulent loans
Chatham News & Record staff
A SOPHISTICATED mortgage fraud scheme targeting Chatham County homeowners has prompted a joint investigation by local law enforcement and federal authorities.
The scam specifically targets residents who have paid off their mortgages, with criminals using stolen iden-
HOSTAGE from page A1
paigned across the world for the release of her husband and other hostages.
Keith Siegel worked as an a occupational therapist and loves spending time with his grandchildren, according to the forum representing the hostage families. Aviva Siegel said that she was held hostage with her husband during her 51 days in captivity. She said she took
• 5515 Rives Chapel Church Road (Siler City), 2.607acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $300,000
• 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 acres , 3 bed/2 bath, $525,000
• 557 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 12.802 acres, 3 bed/3 bath, $2,500,000
• 4147 Siler City Snow Camp Road (Siler City), 57.43 acres, 5 separate living spaces, $2,750,000 LAND
• 170 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000
• 188 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000
RESIDENTIAL
• 4662 Buckhorn Road (Sanford), 1.31 acres, 2 bed/1 bath, $200,000
• 1115 Manco Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 14 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $500,000
• 873 Arrowhead Loop (Pittsboro), 11.06 acres, 3 bed/3.5 bath, $705,000
• 83 Karen Calhoun Road (Pittsboro), 4.36 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $800,000
Share with your community! Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@ chathamnewsrecord.com.
The weekly deadline is Monday at Noon.
tities and forged documents to obtain fraudulent loans, according to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators say the scheme involves a falsified South Carolina notary stamp, along with counterfeit state IDs and fabricated pay stubs. Several warning signs have already emerged in the community, including unexpected insurance notices and reports of unknown individuals photographing properties.
The Sheriff’s Office advises residents to monitor their credit reports regularly and
comfort from having her husband by her side as they were moved from tunnel to tunnel, the two given almost no food or water. Her parting words to him were, “Be strong for me.”
In the ceasefire’s first phase, a total of 33 hostages in Gaza will be released in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The ceasefire and release of hostages has sparked both hope and fear among Israe -
exercise caution when using online credit monitoring services, noting that sponsored search results may lead to unreliable or fraudulent websites.
Residents who suspect they’ve been targeted can contact the major credit bureaus to freeze their credit or report fraud to Equifax (888-5487878, equifax.com), Experian (888-397-3742, experian.com) or TransUnion (800-916-8800, transunion.com).
The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who notices suspicious activity to contact them immediately at 919-542-2811.
lis. Many worry that the deal could collapse before all the hostages return or that those released will arrive in poor health. Others worry that the number of captives who have died is higher than expected.
Some 250 people were taken hostage during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Around 80 remain in Gaza, although at least a third are believed to be dead. The others were released, rescued or their bodies were recovered.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:
Feb. 6
Anime, Ramen and Sake Watch Party
6-8 p.m.
Join Koshu Sake every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for an Anime, Ramen and Sake Watch Party! Movie selections are announced a few days before each event on their Facebook page. You must be 21 with an ID to consume sake. Part of the Chatham County Craft Beverages & Country Inns Trail.
The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro
Opinionation Trivia at House of Pops
6-8 p.m.
Join House of Hops every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for Opinionation Trivia. This Family Feud-style trivia game is so much fun! Play at 6 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. for two chances to win $15 or $25 House of Hops gift cards. More events at House of Hops; part of Chatham County’s Craft Beverages and Country Inns Trail.
112 Russet Run Suite 110 Pittsboro
Feb.
7
Lego Club –Best for Ages 2+
4-5 p.m.
• 37 E Cotton Road (Pittsboro), 0.996 acres, $100,000
• 327 Poplar Trail (Siler City), 5.022 acres, $150,000
• 9311 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 4.602 acres, $225,000
• 9231 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 5.630 acres, $250,000
• Tract 1 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 15.123 acres, $227,000
• Tract 2 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.425 acres, $262,000
• 323 Wagon Trace (Pittsboro), 10.255 acres, $325,000
LAND
• 0 Panama Terrace (Durham), 0.420 acres, $29,000
• 0 Moonrise Meadow Drive (Siler City), 20.66 acres, $160,000
• 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21 acres, $825,000
• 00 Hamlets Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 118.742 acres, $4,250,000
• 639 Hills of the Haw Road (Pittsboro), 5.2470 acres, $450,000
• 0 Chatham Church Road (Moncure), 15.94 acres, $750,000
• 0 Pasture Branch Road (Rose Hill), 29 acres, $1,250,000
• 8636/8710 Johnson Mill Road (Bahama),182.888 acres, $3,240,000
• 0 US 64 W (Siler City), 9.670 acres, $4,500,000
• 0 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 75.4330 acres, $17,000,000
COMMERCIAL IMPROVED
• 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 acres, $1,350,000
COMMERCIAL IMPROVED
• 1311 Old US 421 S (Siler City), 3.7410 acres, $260,000 Commercial Unimproved
• 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 acres, $1,000,000
• 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 acres, $4,500,000
THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
What Can You Do on Your Property in Chatham County?
Join us for a weekly free build Lego session in the Holmes Meeting Room. Work alone or in a team. Create from scratch and tell us about your creation! Duplo blocks are available for our youngest builders. Contact Youth Services at 919-545-8085 for more information.
197 N.C.-87 Pittsboro
Vino!! Wine Shop Tasting
5-7 p.m.
Weekly free tastings at Vino!! Wine Shop are hosted every Friday. Experts share their picks of wines with varied pricing and from diverse locations. Tasting details, including which wines will be served, are shared on their Facebook page and in their newsletters. All tastings and events at Vino!! Wine Shop; part of Chatham County’s Craft Beverages and Country Inns Trail.
89 Hillsboro St, Suite D Pittsboro
Feb. 12
Jazz Night at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills
6-9 p.m.
Every Wednesday night from 6-9 p.m., the Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also offers their Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights. Reservations are highly recommended.
480 Hillsboro St.
Suite 500 Pittsboro
Chatham deputies deliver hurricane aid to Asheville
Groups raised $2,300 for communities still rebuilding after Helene
Chatham News & Record staff
TWO CHATHAM Coun-
ty deputies drove three hours west last week to deliver supplies and gift cards to Asheville communities still rebuilding from Hurricane Helene’s destruction last fall.
The donations — about $2,350 in cash and gift cards, plus clothing, diapers and other essentials — came from a drive organized during January’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day events by the Chatham Community NAACP and Community Remembrance Coalition-Chatham.
Deputies Reggie Griffin and Felix Jiminez transported the
$2,350 in cash and gift cards collected for hurricane survivors
supplies on Feb. 1 to Varick Chapel AME Zion Church in Asheville, which is coordinating local relief efforts.
Mary Nettles, who heads the Chatham Community NAACP, said attention to the region’s ongoing recovery has waned in recent months.
“The communities in western North Carolina continue to need everyone’s help now that the national attention seems to have declined,” Nettles said. “This tragedy could have happened in our area.”
The drive collected gift cards for Food Lion, Walmart and Walgreens, along with
clothing, baby supplies, emergency kits, paper goods and bottled water. Students from Seaforth High School and Woods Charter School contributed, as did members of Mitchell Chapel AME Zion Church.
Griffin said the long drive was worth it to help fellow North Carolinians still struggling to recover.
“In times of crisis, it’s not about where you’re from — it’s about coming together to help those in need,” he said. “We’re all one community, and if we can ease someone’s burden, even just a little, then it’s worth the effort.”
While no future drives are currently planned, Nettles urged Chatham residents to stay engaged with recovery efforts in the western part of the state.
COUNCIL from page A1
for applicants as well as reduce administrative burdens.
“The affordable housing allocation strategy is really focusing on outlining the administrative processes that staff will follow when allocating, specifically, our local affordable housing funding,” said Affordable Housing Manager Emily Holt. “Council will continue to have the authority and final say in what that money goes to, this just will say what are we doing to release the money, how are we looking at the money and how are we considering the money when we make a recommendation to council.”
The resolution also gives the town manager the authority to approve allocations up to
$100,000 or less not to exceed $400,000 per year.
“There are times when a funding decision needs to be made very quickly below a certain level,” said council member Theodore Nollert. “There are also times when a policy change or an action needs to be taken and also there’s the additional oversight of the manager’s office.”
Eligible activities that affordable housing funding can be utilized for are the construction of new affordable housing, land acquisition/banking, rehabilitation, redevelopment, future development planning and rental, utility and relocation assistance.
The town’s priorities for projects are also ones that serve households earning less than 50% of area median in-
come (AMI), ones that focus on high-impact projects, those serving vulnerable populations, those accessible to frequent public transit and projects with flexibility in their background checks for potential tenants.
The council also approved a special use permit request for the construction of a new golf training facility at Finley Golf Course.
“The Finley Golf Course is currently used by both the public and the UNC golf teams,” said Principal Planner Tas Lagoo. “There’s already one golf team-related facility on the site, and UNC is proposing to build an additional training facility to serve the golf team.”
The 13,000-square-foot facility will be utilized by both the men and women’s golf teams at UNC.
Milli, a 6-year-old female, and Binx, a 4-year-old male, are beginning to explore their new habitat.
NC Aquarium adds rare otter pair to breeding program
A female otter from Hong Kong brings valuable genetics to Fort Fisher
Chatham News & Record staff
A PAIR of endangered Asian small-clawed otters made their debut this weekend at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s Otters on the Edge habitat, marking a significant step in the facility’s endangered species breeding program.
The female otter, Milli, carries rare genetic traits that could help sustain the species’ captive population. Born to wild parents who were confiscated by Hong Kong authorities, the 6-year-old arrived at Fort Fisher in January 2024. Her mate, 4-year-old Binx, came from an Association of Zoos and Aquariums facility in Florida last fall.
Shannon Anderson, Fort Fisher’s lead otter keeper, said the pair has already shown promising signs of compatibility.
“Milli and Binx immediately showed signs of attraction to each other, which is important
“The current facility is just not big enough,” said UNC Senior Associate Athletic Director Rick Steinbacher. “It’s nowhere near the size nor amenities of most varsity training programs, and it no longer really meets the needs of the programs.”
In addition, the current facility also sits at the end of the public driving range.
“As it’s currently set up, the public and the team are both hitting toward each other ,which was another driver for this project,” said McAdams Civil Engineer Kody Trowbridge. “The golf course has been recently renovated and a new driving range was constructed, and the new team facility will be located closer to the main clubhouse and the team will be hitting out into an
as offspring from this pairing represent a new chapter in the Aquarium’s work to save this vulnerable species,” Anderson said.
The new pair follows the facility’s previous breeding success with otters Leia and Quincy, who produced three female pups in May 2022 and three more pups — one female and two males — in January 2023. That family group has since moved to the North Carolina Zoo, where they will be housed in the upcoming Asia continent exhibit.
The new otters will have access to a habitat featuring a waterfall and pond, though Anderson emphasized they won’t be rushed into public view.
“These otters are new to their environment and while we are excited that the community may have a chance to meet them, we are giving them space to explore and decide whether they want to be in the public habitat,” she said.
The aquarium maintains another pair of otters, mother and son Asta and Ray, in a separate habitat.
area that is not part of the public driving range.”
According to Steinbacher, the current plan for the old facility is for it to most likely become a golf academy.
“We’re really, really proud that we’re the host of the fastest-growing junior golf program in the state, so we think that it could be a wonderful place for more golf clinics for golf pros to teach children, adults golf lessons and do things like that,” Steinbacher said.
Even though a golf facility is an approved use on the property, due to the anticipated land disturbance for the project exceeding 40,000 square feet, a special use permit is required per town policy.
The Chapel Hill Town Council will next meet Feb. 12.
Deputy Felix Jiminez of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office stands with Janice Prince Horton and Lawrence Moser in front of Varick Chapel AME Zion Church in Asheville.
COURTESY PHOTO
COURTESY PHOTO
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
News and negativity
There is a Buddhist parable about someone in a fancy Tesla who cuts you off to take the last parking space. You respond by visualizing that vehicle as a docile cow. Your anger melts away.
The following is based on a few emails I’ve received, formatted as an advice column and anonymized to protect confidentiality.
Dear Pastor, I often get frustrated when reading the news, but I know this is not a Christian response. How can I learn to be less angry and more loving?
Signed, Pissed off in Pittsboro
Dear Pittsboro,
To begin, I don’t think that anger is a bad thing, nor do I think it is unchristian. True enough, anger can lead to violence. Hear me clearly: I’m not justifying any abuse, whether physical, verbal or emotional.
Anger is a surface or secondary emotion, meaning it is a response to a deeper or primary feeling. Therefore, we should not suppress or deny it. The way to unearth what’s going on inside you is to get curious about your feelings. Not all anger is the same. There is a Buddhist parable about someone in a fancy Tesla who cuts you off to take the last parking space. You respond by visualizing that vehicle as a docile cow. Your anger melts away. However, there is also such a thing as righteous anger. According to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, compassion for suffering is the foundation of righteous anger. You wish to channel this anger to make a positive change. A Bible verse comes to mind: “Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Eph. 4:26). Perhaps you
are familiar with this idea of not going to sleep angry; it’s excellent advice for marriage, parenting and many other relationships. The heart of the teaching is to use your anger in constructive ways to serve the greater good.
On Saturday, Feb. 1, I gathered with a group of concerned citizens in front of the Chatham County Justice Center in Pittsboro. I could feel the anger from the crowd even from a distance. There were posters expressing solidarity for transgender people and immigrant rights.
I carried my own anger that the financial freeze of international funds for health organizations was crippling lifesaving care for some of the poorest people in the world, including sick babies, children, widows and orphans.
In Pittsboro, the first speaker shared about her loving relationship with a woman and how difficult it had been to raise their children before their marriage was legal; another man spoke of his father, a black pastor in Raleigh during the 1960s and the struggle for Civil Rights. While anger was a motivating factor for these people to speak, their words were rooted in compassion for the vulnerable. They had experienced fear and suffering. They didn’t want our society to go backward.
As they spoke, something changed in the crowd. Fists and jaws unclenched; by the end, there were smiles, handshakes and hugs. Anger might cause us to gather, yet it is love that will carry us forward.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.
Furry little rodent vs. high-tech gadgets
The issue with all that is that some folks put more stock in the little guy than in the weather forecasters with all their high-tech gadgets. That has to drive them bonkers.
THROUGHOUT MY YOUNG LIFE, there have been many things I wanted to be and do, both professionally and personally.
It’s been interesting how some of them turned out happening while others were far from the mark.
For instance, on the professional level, as a youngster, when I realized I would never pitch in Yankee Stadium or even be on the grounds crew, sweep the stands or clean the toilets, I decided I wanted to be the next great sports writer. I did write some sports stories as a youngster, most notably Pittsboro High School football and basketball game recaps for the Chatham Record in the 1960s when Mr. Willie Morgan was the editor.
In the early 1970s, after I had flunked out of Carolina for the umpteenth time and Alan Resch had hired me to replace Mr. Willie, I covered Northwood games. When the late Jack Shaner was coaching football there, he called me “Grantland Rice” (look it up if you don’t know). I, in turn, called him Knute Rockne (again, look it up if you don’t know who he was). While in that period of my life, I saw what I think is the best high school football game I ever saw: Northwood vs. Jordan-Matthews in 1971. Northwood came back from a 13-7 fourth-quarter deficit to win 20-13. All the stands were packed, and fans were standing around the field five- and six-deep. As things turned out, I never made it to my dream job upon graduating from high school — a job with the Durham Morning Herald to cover UNC football, sit in the Kenan Stadium press box on Saturday afternoons, eat fried chicken box lunches and get paid for it all. Forty years in vocational ministry was nowhere on my radar at the time.
I’ve often wondered about that turn of events, not that I’m unhappy. Quite the opposite. But as Ol’ Man Winter,
despite the past few days being an early sign of spring, we need to remember he hasn’t left yet, I wonder about some other professions, namely Weather Geek, especially as folks pay attention to the groundhog around now.
You know the story. When Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania or Sir Walter Wally in Raleigh or whomever sticks his furry little nose out of the ground on Groundhog Day, if he sees his shadow, we’re in for six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, well, then better days are coming. The issue with all that is that some folks put more stock in the little guy than in the weather forecasters with all their high-tech gadgets. That has to drive them bonkers.
In an effort to do my part and be a good citizen, I would like to suggest a more accurate forecasting system than the groundhog. I call it “Bob’s Weather String,” and it works like this:
I have a piece of string tied to a tree limb right outside my study window. That way, I can forecast the day’s weather without having to go outside; instead, I just sneak a peek at the string.
If it’s hanging sideways, that means we’re going to have high winds. If it’s wet, expect rain. If it’s hanging all frayed, that means dry conditions. If it’s all white, we’re having snow. If there is smoke coming from it, it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. If it’s gone, watch out for tornadoes or hurricanes.
I hope this brief explanation will be a help to those considering meteorology as a career and those of us who just want to know tomorrow’s weather.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
Time capsule, redux? No way!
Each success bolstered the confidence of my, formerly, technologyintimidated XX chromosomes.
I WAS BROUGHT UP as a Southern girl during an era of black patent leather shoes, poodle skirts, bouffant hairdo’s (OMG, the hairspray!) and home economics. Home Ec, as it was fondly (and not so fondly) called, was a high school requirement, an eponymous symbol for many things female during that bygone era. If in possession of a females’ two X chromosomes, oh wow, you couldn’t graduate and pursue higher education without the “art and science of home management.”
Uh huh …
And, boys? Boys, with both X and Y chromosomes, were assigned to Shop, “home repair and craftsmanship, useful skills that could potentially be parlayed into a career.”
Uh huh ... Fortunately, I was blessed with an assertive mother during my high school years. She persuaded the educational overseers that my participation in High School forensics, instead of Home Ec, would do no lasting damage to my double-X chromosomes. There it was, clear as day. A culturally perceived handicap due to my female chromosomal makeup. Gifted with two X chromosomes, but alas, no male Y chromosomes, this female could not take Shop. (No research appears to support negative impacts of a female’s XX chromosomes on her capable use of a hammer and nails)
Handicapped by this social prejudice regarding my chromosomal make-up and tool use, I hit an educational wall. Ergo, most life skills under the rubric of Shop were punted into my daunting red zone of “I can’t do that!” A decade or two past my own experience, a high school female’s two X chromosomes no longer seemed to
need protection from all-things Shop. Sigh.
As time passed, my intimidation regarding building and technology skills held fast. My default mode consisted of: I’m intimidated by all things building and technical (cuz “I’m a girl”); and I’m gonna call someone else to do it for me! That second one was a consistent winner through the years until ... this pandemic thing came along.
Due to social isolation, all avenues for outside help dried up. A solo voyage began. I figured “what the heck!” and reframed Shop -like conundrums as play time, imbued with my newly found, nonjudgmental, curiosity. The spice of curiosity offered me just enough derring do to explore previously dreaded Shop challenges. My long-internalized dictum of “I can’t do this” was given a one-way ticket to Disneyland.
My computer quandries? Nipping right along with those as well. Try this. Yep, that worked! On to the next snarl. Each success bolstered the confidence of my, formerly, technology-intimidated XX chromosomes. Neighbors began asking me, of all people, for computer software assistance. Me!
My double-X chromosomes were standing up straighter than ever they had before. And that old, incessant mantra of mine, “I can’t do this because I’m a girl,“ grew quite a significant backbone. (Smile)
Lessons learned? Curiosity and the spirit of fun became safe paths to problem solving. (I mean, really, why not have fun, even if I fail?) However, the biggest driver was, and is: run like crazy from any cultural shibboleths that paint you as less than you actually are.
(You aren’t!)
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
Better trade deals for North Carolinians means excluding nonessential industries
A price increase due to tariffs would hurt North Carolinians trying to rebuild their lives and finances.
NOW THAT DONALD TRUMP has taken the oath of office, expectations are high among his supporters in North Carolina and across the country. Those supporters are eager for him to clean up the mess left behind by his predecessor. I hope his next four years in office will be an economic windfall for the nation, and Trump can make that a reality through strategic, sensible economic policies.
A crucial step Trump promised on the path to prosperity includes negotiating better trade deals. Like any good deal, pragmatism should be involved, especially regarding the president’s proposed tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico. As the author of “The Art of the Deal,” Trump is the man we want at the negotiating table.
He is right to push for a more fair playing field with these trading partners. However, unless certain industries are excluded, there is a risk of forcing higher prices on North Carolina families with tariffs alone.
Inflation has been no joke in North Carolina; a High Point University study found that 52% of residents said inflation concerns were affecting their spending decisions. A price increase due to tariffs would hurt North Carolinians trying to rebuild their lives and finances, many of whom voted for Trump in the fall.
We’ve already seen evidence that Trump is looking closely at how best to achieve his desired outcomes on issues across the board without negatively impacting everyday Americans. Tariffs are no different, and it is
clear that Trump wants to utilize tariffs to achieve his goals without harming regular, nonstrategic consumer goods.
By excluding nonessential sectors that don’t pose a security threat to the United States, he greatly reduces the risk of inflating prices for Americans who have suffered enough paying for expensive goods. Toys, for instance, are mainly produced in China and Mexico before being exported to the U.S. Those countries have the infrastructure to deliver safe, inexpensive, quality toys. A broad tariff policy could easily hike those prices for families here. Toys are not the strategic industry Trump is after, but sweeping tariffs could wipe out small businesses and jack up prices at more prominent brands, leaving consumers with fewer options and higher prices.
This scenario contradicts Trump’s campaign promises to keep prices down for American consumers. Children and small retailers shouldn’t be caught in the crossfire of a trade war, but only applying tariffs to sectors with high stakes can guarantee such an outcome never happens.
Trump soundly won North Carolina because voters are confident that he will deliver on stabilizing the economy. I firmly believe in better trade deals to help accomplish this, just as the president will do the right thing and apply his tariffs wisely when negotiating.
Brandon Barnes is CEO of Capital Games LLC in Raleigh.
Trump it is
IT’S ENOUGH to make you — and certainly me — sick.
In the midst of a national tragedy, he can’t help himself. At a time when almost nothing was known for certain about the cause of the terrifying plane crash in Washington, D.C., he couldn’t stop himself from playing the blame game.
There was absolutely no evidence that it had anything to do with the federal government’s DEI policies — some of which were initiated by him — but that didn’t stop the president from claiming that they did.
How about offering some comfort to the families of the victims? How about promising Americans that he will do what it takes to make the skies safe?
That’s what a leader should do, without regard to party or politics.
But Donald Trump is not that kind of leader, and it’s painfully clear that he won’t do what it takes. He’s too busy trying to decapitate the federal workforce. He’s still in campaign mode, looking to score points against his foes, running for president instead of being president. He’s so keen on divide and conquer that he lacks the skill or inclination to unify and comfort a grieving and frightened country.
The crash comes on the heels of Trump’s Muskian effort to slash the federal workforce. While the air traffic controllers are, reportedly, not the targets of the buyout plan, they have been the subject of a hiring freeze and are clearly overworked. One thing we learned as a result of the crash is how lucky we are that there haven’t been more. The number of near misses in midair above Reagan National Airport is simply terrifying. Knowledgeable folks have apparently been warning for some time about the risks of a fatal crash, with good reason. Is Trump going to do anything about that?
Trump has castigated federal employees, as if people who devote their lives to public service are serving someone else. They serve us. They are literally lifesavers. Really, is the air too clear, the water supply too clean, the skies too safe? Are cars too safe? Is the food we eat too healthy?
What will cutting 2 million federal workers do to those of us — which is all of us — who depend on those federal employees to protect us from the hazards that individuals cannot deal with on our own? What will it do to the most vulnerable among us, who literally depend on federal programs to survive?
And what will it do to the morale of people who have spent their entire careers doing the public’s work, to those who have depended on the civil service system to protect them from having to choose sides every four years in order to keep their jobs? As is clear from his high-level appointees, for Trump, experience and accomplishments don’t count for anything at all. All that matters, quite literally, is loyalty to Trump. What else qualifies a Pete Hegseth to run the Defense Department, or a Tulsi Gabbard to run all our intelligence operations, or RFK Jr. to be in charge of public health?
It is painful to watch Republican senators turn themselves into pretzels in these confirmation hearings. They know better, but they are cowards. Will they do their jobs, or are they too afraid of Elon Musk and his money — and the threat to primary anyone who doesn’t toe the line — to insist that the people who run the federal bureaucracy have more than their loyalty to Trump to qualify them?
Checks and balances don’t mean much if the people who are supposed to be applying those checks and providing that balance are afraid to be seen as disloyal. So far, it is only the judiciary that has had the guts to say no to Trump. And what scares me most is that at the end of the day, a president who has shown such contempt for the rule of law will not obey the law.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.
Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com
obituaries
Wayne Andrews
Aug. 17, 1937 – Feb. 2, 2025
Wayne Andrews, 87, of Staley died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, February 2, 2025.
Wayne was born August 17, 1937 in Chatham County NC to the late James Clyde and Fallie Reitzel Andrews. In addition to his parents, Wayne was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years Patricia “Trish” Petty Andrews and his brother James Clyde Andrews Sr.
Mr. Andrews was a lifelong member of Moon’s Chapel Baptist Church where he was a Deacon and taught Sunday School. He was recently honored as the oldest member of the church, which is a testament to his deep commitment to faith and community.
Wayne was the owner of Wayne’s Alignment Service from 1975-2018 where customers from around the state sought out his valued skill and integrity.
In addition to his devotion to his church, Wayne was a distinguished figure in the world of motorsports where he was known as “Winding Wayne”, the name given to him by Jack Rhyne the announcer at Rockingham Speedway. He was crowned the NASCAR Grand American Champion in 1972 and earned the title of SCCA South Atlantic Road Racing Champion in both 1985 and 1986. His contributions to racing were celebrated with his induction into the Mt.
Airy Sports Wall of Fame and the Caraway Speedway Wall of Fame. Wayne was also a founding member of the Chatham Street Rod Association, where he enjoyed driving his 1933 Ford Pickup.
After he hung up his racing helmet he returned to his childhood love of flying.
Wayne was a member of EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and built an experimental Sonex airplane in his basement and flew it on a regular basis. Wayne was a passionate and generous person when it came to his love for flying. Sharing that experience with anyone interested, including local Cub Scout troops, must have been a thrilling way to spread his enthusiasm and teach others about aviation.
Wayne’s legacy also includes his active involvement in the Masonic Lodge where he was a Master Mason in the Siler City Lodge 40.
Wayne had a wide circle of friends and deeply loved his family and is survived by four sons: Dennis (Donna), Keith (Kelly), Kevin (Michele), and Greg (Melanie) Andrews; and Lori Andrews; eight grandchildren: Allison Moody, Ashley Hudson, Lane Andrews, Samantha Andrews, Austin Andrews, Grayer Andrews, Audrey Andrews, and Hayes Andrews; and four great-grandchildren: Sophia Moody, Parker Moody, Cal Hudson, and Lyla Hudson.
A visitation will be held February 7, 2025 at Moon’s Chapel Baptist Church, 175 Moon’s Chapel Church Road, Siler City, NC 27344, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm with a Celebration of Wayne’s life following at 12:30 pm.
The family request memorials be made in lieu of flowers to Moon’s Chapel Cemetery Fund.
Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Andrews family.
Online Condolences may be made at www. smithbucknerfh.com
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamrecord.com
IN MEMORY
HORACE BERNARD “BARNEY” COLLINS
NOV. 2, 1937 – JAN. 18, 2025
Horace Bernard “Barney” Collins went to Heaven on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 from his beloved cabin in Pittsboro, NC.
Barney was born in Durham County in what was Watts Hospital on Nov.2nd, 1937. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Collins and Elizabeth Collins Higgs, and his sister, Betty June Moore.
He enjoyed eating breakfast with his “Geezer Buddies” on Thursday mornings at Al’s Diner or Virlie’s in Pittsboro. He was a NASCAR nut and a diehard Tarheel Basketball and Football fan.
He built a log home with his wife, Jackie, which took three years and four months to build their happy place.
Barney leaves behind his wife of 25 years,
Jackie Riggsbee, his former wife and friend, Martha Collins and former wife and friend, Judy Collins and seven children, James “Jay” Collins and wife, Flo; Wendy Gay Watkins; Lee Collins and wife, Kim; Leonard Collins and wife, Maria; Lyle Collins and wife, Yeu Li; Ashley Collins Cox; Britt Collins and wife, Erin; and three step-children: Kim Kendrick and husband, Mike; Traci Carr and husband, Ross; Kenneth Riggsbee and wife, Carolyne; 19 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, 1 great grandson, 3 loving nieces and 1 nephew. Barney’s Celebration of Life will be at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 2016 Mt. Carmel Church Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27517 on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025 with visitation at 1:00 pm and service at 2:00 pm.
Dick Button, Olympic great
and voice of skating, dies at
of loss
By Barry Wilner and Dave Skretta
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Dick Button was more than the most accomplished men’s figure skater in history. He was one of his sport’s great innovators and promoters, the man responsible not only for inventing the flying camel spin but describing it to generations of fans.
He was an athlete and actor, a broadcaster and entrepreneur.
“Dick was one of the most important figures in our sport,” said Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic champion. “There wasn’t a skater after Dick who wasn’t helped by him in some way.”
The winner of two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships, Button died last Thursday in North Salem, New York, at age 95. His death was confirmed by his son, Edward, who did not provide a cause, though Button had been in declining health.
“The two-time Olympic champion’s pioneering style and award-winning television commentary revolutionized figure skating,” U.S. Figure Skating said. “His legacy will live on forever. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
His death further shook a tight-knit figure skating community already reeling from last Wednesday night’s crash of an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter outside Washington, D.C., that killed everyone on board. Two teenage skaters, their mothers and two former world champions who were coaching at the Skating Club of Boston — where Button also skated and which he remained close to the rest of his life — were among the 14 people killed from the skating community.
The trophy room at the Skating Club of Boston is named in Button’s honor, and the club has hosted the Dick Button Artistic Figure Skating Showcase, which is designed to promote the beauty and innovation of skating as an art form.
Button’s impact on figure skating began after World War II. He was the first U.S. men’s champion — and his country’s youngest at the time at age 16 — when the competition returned in 1946. Two years later, he took gold at the St. Moritz Olympics, back when the competitions were staged outdoors. He performed the first double axel in any competition and became the first American to win the men’s event, paving the way for future champions such as Hamilton, Brian Boitano and Nathan Chen.
“By the way, that jump had a cheat on it,” Button once said. “But listen, I did it and that was what counted.”
That first Olympic title began his dominance of international skating, and U.S. amateur sports in general. He was the first figure skater to win the prestigious Sullivan Award in 1949 — no other figure skater won it until Michelle Kwan in 2001.
In 1952, while still a student at Harvard, Button won a second gold at the Oslo Games, making more history with the first triple jump (a loop) in competition. Soon after, he won a fifth world title, then gave up his eligibility as an amateur to perform in shows; all Olympic sports were subject to an amateur-professional division at the time.
“I had achieved everything I could have dreamed of doing as a skater,” said Button, who had earned a law degree from Harvard in 1956. “I was able to enjoy the Ice Capades and keep my hand in skating, and that was very important to me.”
With a frank and often brutally honest style, Button became an Emmy Award-winning TV analyst, helping viewers learn not only the basics but also the
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nuances of a sport unfamiliar to most casual fans. He became as much a fixture on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” as Jim McKay and the hapless ski jumper that went tumbling down the slope.
“Dick Button is the custodian of the history of figure skating and its quintessential voice,” Boitano, the 1988 Olympic champion, said in Button’s autobiography. “He made the words ‘lutz’ and ‘salchow’ part of our everyday vocabulary.”
After the 1961 plane crash that killed the entire U.S. figure skating team on the way to the world championships, which then were canceled, Button persuaded ABC Sports executive Roone Arledge to televise the 1962 event on “Wide World.” That’s when he joined the network as a commentator and took figure skating to a mainstream television audience.
Button later ran professional events that provided skaters an avenue to profit from their ability once their competitive careers were over. The World Professional Figure Skating Championships, the Challenge of Champions and others provided Hamilton, the dance team of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Kurt Browning, Katarina Witt and others a new platform to perform.
Button even tried his hand at acting, performing in such shows and films as “The Young Doctors” and “The Bad New Bears Go to Japan.” His studio, Candid Productions, helped to produce made-for-TV programs such as “Battle of the Network Stars.”
“Dick Button created an open and honest space in figure skating broadcasting where no topic or moment was off-limits,” said Johnny Weir, the three-time U.S. champion and current NBC Sports figure skating analyst. “He told it like it was, even when his opinion wasn’t a popular one. His zingers were always in my mind when I would perform for him, and I wanted to make him as happy and proud as I would my coaches.”
The American figure skating community has faced a week
NC Supreme Court upholds law giving more time for child sex abuse suits
of
Victims
sexual abuse were given a two-year lookback period to file suit
By Gary D. Robertson
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s highest court upheld last Friday a law that gave adult victims of child sexual abuse two additional years to seek civil damages, rejecting arguments that the temporary window violated constitutional protections for those facing claims that otherwise could no longer be pursued in court.
In a case involving a local school board sued by three former students years after an ex-high school coach was convicted of crimes against team members, the state Supreme Court ruled the General Assembly was able to enact a key provision within the 2019 SAFE Child Act that was also signed by thenGov. Roy Cooper.
Before the law, victims of sexual abuse before age 18 effectively had until turning 21 to file such civil claims against perpetrators. Now such victims have until they’re age 28. But the issue before the court in the Gaston County case was the provision that gave other child sex abuse victims whose time period to sue ended the ability to file valid law-
suits for damages from January 2020 through December 2021.
Supporters of the provision said it allowed victims to ensure their abusers and institutions that allowed abuse to happen pay for the damage, and that abusers are called out publicly. At least 250 child sex abuse lawsuits were filed in North Carolina under that one-time lookback period, according to a board legal brief.
A divided state Court of Appeals panel in 2023 had already upheld the two-year window as constitutional.
The board’s attorney had argued the lookback period vio-
“Our precedents confirm that the General Assembly may retroactively amend the statute of limitations for tort claims.”
Chief Justice Paul Newby
lated the North Carolina Constitution by stripping away fundamental rights protected from retroactive alterations by
Chatham County Aging Services Weekly Activities Calendar
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North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby speaks at the Legislative Building in Raleigh in July 2024.
does not apply here, he added.
“Our precedents confirm that the General Assembly may retroactively amend the statute of limitations for tort claims,” Newby wrote, referring to civil actions in which someone seeks monetary compensation for harm by another.
The coach, Gary Scott Goins, was convicted of 17 sex-related crimes in 2014 and sentenced to at least 34 years in prison. The former student-athletes sued the Gaston County Board of Education and Goins in 2020, alleging he sexually assaulted them on multiple occasions. Goins was later dismissed as a defendant in the current lawsuit, according to court documents.
Lawyers for the state helped defend the 2019 law in court. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and his predecessor — now Gov. Josh Stein — praised the ruling in a news release.
the legislature. He also said that upholding the litigation window would make it impossible in some cases to mount vigorous defenses given the passage of time and destroyed records.
Writing last Friday’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Paul Newby said a review of previous versions of the state constitution showed that a current provision barring “retrospective laws” expressly applies only to retroactive criminal and certain tax laws. And another constitutional provision that can be used to strike down laws that violate a person’s “vested right”
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To see if you qualify, call our appointment line at 919-545-8427. You may qualify and not even know it!
Since 2002, 30 states and the District of Columbia revived previously expired child sex abuse claims with limited or permanent expansions of claim periods, according to CHILD USA, a think tank advocating for children.
Associate Justice Allison Riggs recused herself from last Friday’s case, as she wrote the 2023 Court of Appeals opinion while she served on the intermediate-level appeals court. That ruling was largely upheld by the state Supreme Court.
Associate Justice Anita Earls wrote her own opinion Friday that while supporting the outcome criticized harshly the majority for backing Newby’s methodology of evaluating whether a law is constitutional.
investigations, which stem from complaints. Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating “toothless” resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
“Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses,” said Craig Trainor, the agency’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn’t provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The searing hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia’s Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern’s negotiations with student protesters a “stunning capitulation.”
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was “glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students.”
Trump’s order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week’s order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
“The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found,” said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. “The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump’s renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools.”
“The department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found,” Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights
MARCO POSTIGO STOREL VIA AP
Students with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment block the entrance of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University after taking it over during violent protests last April in New York.
MAKIYA SEMINERA / AP PHOTO
REAL ESTATE
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Town of Siler City
The following items will be considered by the Siler City Board of Commissioners as legislative hearings. The hearings will be conducted during the Board of Commissioner’s regular meeting on Monday February 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the court room located in the Siler City Town Hall at 311 N. 2nd Ave. R24-1101: Wren Industries, Inc. (applicant), proposing a General Rezone of an approximate 22.5 acres of property located at 14240 US 64 W and further identified as Parcel ID: 14267 from H-C, Highway Commercial to A-R, Agricultural Residential Legislative Public Hearings
These items were reviewed and recommended for approval by the Siler City Planning Board at their December 9, 2024, regular meeting.
The proposed item is available for review by contacting Timothy Mack at tmack@silercity.org or 919-726-8626. All persons interested in the outcome of this item are invited to attend the legislative hearing and present comments, testimony, and exhibits on the above referenced item. Interested parties may also submit written comments. Written comments can be submitted by email to tmack@silercity.org. Individuals desiring to speak may sign up by registering their name and information on the sign-up sheet, located outside the entry doors to the court room. The Town of Siler City will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of materials for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings.
This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Kimberly Pickard at 919-726-8620, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, or kpickard@ silercity.org for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Kimberly Pickard al kpickard@silercity.org o 919-726-8625 o en 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of ALICE MARIE PARSONS, late of Chatham County, North Carolina (25E000026-180), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before April 30, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 30th day of January, 2025. Rachel (Parsons) Klemek Executor of the Estate of Alice Parsons 17941 Sky Park Circle, Ste E Irvine, CA 92614
(For publication 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20/2025)
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of LOIS CAMILLA CHRIETZBERG, late of Chatham County, North Carolina (25E000032-180), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of May 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 30th day of January 2025. Aletha Chrietzberg Executor of the Estate of Lois Camilla Chrietzberg c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(For publication: 01/30, 02/6, 02/13, 02/20/2025)
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having qualified on the 30th day of January 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Bunni Susan Hall, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 6th day of April, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.
This is the 31st day of January 2025. Megan Bean, Executor of the Estate of Bunni Susan Hall 2350 Everette Dowdy Road Sanford, NC 27330
Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: February 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th 2025.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, February 17, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department office. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync.gov by selecting the heading County Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Input/Hearing Sign Up. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: Testimony is required to be given under oath during the evidentiary hearing for the following item: Quasi-Judicial Request: A quasi-judicial public hearing for a Special Use Permit (SUP) requested by Chatham County Facilities and Construction for a new EMS station to be located on Parcel No. 62221 (2.3 acres) and 94711 (.69 acres), located at 9251 US 15-501 N, Baldwin Township. Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions. Notice to people with special needs: If you have an audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided. If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312. Please run in your paper: February 6th and 13th, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
25E000041-180 NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
The undersigned, David Cunningham, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Stephen H. Dorenkamp, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of May 7th, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 6th of February, 2025.
Administrator
David Cunningham c/o Marie H. Hopper
Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Edward Wain Hutton a.k.a. Edward Wain Hutton, Jr.
CHATHAM File No.: 25E000013-180
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Edward Wain Hutton a.k.a. Edward Wain
Hutton, Jr., deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before April 28, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 23rd day of January 2025. Patrick Sean Kaye, Executor, in c/o Kellie Corbett, Attorney, at Carolina Family Estate Planning, 201 Commonwealth Court, Suite 100, Cary, NC 27511.
Publication Dates: January 23, 2025 January 30, 2025 February 6, 2025 February 13, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Mary Anne Hutton a.k.a. Mary Anne Bridget Hutton a.k.a. Mary Anne Kaye a.k.a. Mary Anne Bridget Koenig CHATHAM File No.: 25E000015-180 ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Mary Anne Hutton a.k.a. Mary Anne Bridget Hutton a.k.a. Mary Anne Kaye a.k.a. Mary Anne Bridget Koenig, deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before April 28, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 23rd day of January 2025. Patrick Sean Kaye, Limited Personal Representative, in c/o Kellie Corbett, Attorney, at Carolina Family Estate Planning, 201 Commonwealth Court, Suite 100, Cary, NC 27511. Publication Dates: January 23, 2025 January 30, 2025 February 6, 2025 February 13, 2025
LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC
On Monday, February 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold the following legislative public hearing in person at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West, Pittsboro: AMENDED AND RESTATED AFFORDABLE HOUSING ELEMENT (Chatham Park Master Plan) – The Town of Pittsboro has engaged Chatham Park with the goal of updating the Affordable Housing portion of the additional elements which addresses affordable housing and workforce housing, or optional land donation in lieu thereof, to be provided for Chatham Park as set out in the original element adopted in 2021. The hearing will be held in person. The public can also watch the hearing live on the Town’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@townofpittsboronc/ streams. Members of the public must attend in person if they wish to speak at the hearing. Contact the Town Clerk, Carrie Bailey, by 4:00 PM on February 10, 2025, with written comments or to sign up to speak at the legislative hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 5424621 ext. 1104, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Robert Edward Parks, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 23rd day of April, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 14th day of January, 2025. John L. Klink, Jr., Administrator CTA of the Estate of Robert Edward Parks 1649 W. Third Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of John Richard Weston aka John Richard Weston-Jones, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 30th day of April, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment.
This 30th day of January, 2025.
BRIAN FRANCIS WILKINSON, EXECUTOR
ESTATE OF JOHN RICHARD WESTON AKA JOHN RICHARD WESTON-JONES
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Howard Billy Kidd, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of May, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 30th day of January, 2025.
Sherry F. Kidd, Executor of the Estate of Howard Billy Kidd 1279 Bowers Store Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000003-180
The undersigned, ROBERT LISLE ROCKETT, having qualified on the 3RD Day of JANUARY, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of SHARYN TRACEY ROCKETT, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16TH Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 16TH DAY OF JANUARY 2025. ROBERT LISLE ROCKETT, ADMINISTRATOR 186 LINDO JOHNSON RD. PITTSBORO, NC 27312
Run dates: J16,23,30,F6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF Betty Lucille Riddle FILE NO. 24E001660-180
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Betty Lucille Riddle, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before (April 25, 2025), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This January 23, 2025. Carl Driver, Executor c/o Gregory S. Davis, Law Office of Gregory S. Davis, PLLC, 525. S. White St, Wake Forest, NC 27587
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF CHARLES MAURICE BENNETT
CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO. 25E000028-180
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Charles Maurice Bennett deceased, Ancillary Administration in Chatham County, North Carolina are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before May 2, 2025 or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 30th day of January, 2025. Lois E. Bennett, Ancillary Executor 193 Hampton Loop Davenport, FL 33837
Attorney, Daniel B. Finch Envisage Law 2601 Oberlin Road, Suite 100 Raleigh, NC 27608
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000035-180 The undersigned, MILDRED ELIZABETH RITTER, having qualified on the 21ST Day of JANUARY, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DELMA
EUGENE RITTER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 30TH Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 30TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025. MIDRED ELIZABETH RITTER, ADMINISTRATOR 697 BISH ROAD STALEY, NC 27355 MAIL AFFIDAVIT TO: THE LAW OFFICE OF LEWIS FADELY, PLLC 119 N FIR AVE. SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: J30,F6,13,20p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000044-180
The undersigned, JOANN THOMAS, having qualified on the 24TH Day of JANUARY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MARGIE S. BOONE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 30TH Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 30TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025. JOANN THOMAS, EXECUTOR 229 HILLSBORO ST. PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: J30,F6,13,20p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E001595-180
The undersigned, CATHERINE ANN DORIN-BLACK AND DANIEL BROOKS DORIN, having qualified on the 7TH Day of JANUARY, 2025 as CO-EXECUTORS of the Estate of DENNIS DANIEL DORIN, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 7TH Day of MAY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 6TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025.
CATHERINE ANN DORIN-BLACK, CO-EXECUTOR 1211 HUMMINGBIRD HILL RD. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517
DANIEL BROOKS DORIN, CO-EXECUTOR 5601 NORTH OCEAN BLVD., BOX 17
MYRTLE BEACH, SC 29577
Run dates: F6,13,20,27p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#24E001538-180 The undersigned, MICHAEL R. SMITH, having qualified on the 31ST Day of DECEMBER, 2024 as ADMINISTRATOR CTA of the Estate of FRANCES SMITH, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 23RD Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 23RD DAY OF JANUARY 2025. MICHAEL R. SMITH, ADMINISTRATOR CTA 5291 NC HWY 87N PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: J23,30,F6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000030-180 The undersigned, CYNTHIA F. MASON, having qualified on the 17TH Day of JANUARY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of KAY ELKINS COOK, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 30TH Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 30TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025. CYNTHIA F. MASON, EXECUTOR 1613 RENO SHARPE STOR RD. BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 Run dates: J30,F6,13,20p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000007-180 The undersigned, SANDRA COOK, having qualified on the 7TH Day of JANUARY, 2025, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MAE HICKS STOVALL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16TH Day of APRIL 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 16TH DAY OF JANUARY 2025. SANDRA COOK, EXECUTOR 378 BENJIE WILLIAMS RD. STALEY, NC 27355 Run dates: J16,23,30,F6p 24SP001073-180
property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on February 13, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Chatham County, North Carolina, to wit: THE LAND REFERRED TO IN THIS EXHIBIT IS LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF CHATHAM AND THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN DEED BOOK 597 AT PAGE 218 AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT NUMBER 7, AS SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT ENTITLED, “SURVEY FOR PAMELA V. LEE” PREPARED BY BRACKEN & ASSOCIATES, RLS, DATED JUNE 8, 1992, AND RECORDED IN PLAT SLIDE 92-249, CHATHAM COUNTY REGISTRY, TO WHICH PLAT REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE FOR GREATER CERTAINTY OF DESCRIPTION. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.
Said property is commonly known as 220 N Richardson Rd, Siler City, NC 27344.
due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.
Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.”
of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Veritas Capital, Ltd. Liability Co. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by
American bald eagles
having a moment, ecologically and culturally
It was also just made America’s national bird (really!)
By Mike Catalini
The Associated Press
WEST ORANGE, N.J. —
Along the long road from American icon to endangered species and back again, the bald eagle — the national bird of the United States, often seen against a clear blue sky — is having a moment.
The eagles find themselves in an environmental updraft of sorts since the early 2000s, when the federal government took the thriving birds off its endangered species list with more states following suit. Culturally, too, the animals are soaring.
In December, then-President Joe Biden signed legislation making the raptor the country’s national bird (Thought that was already the case? More in a bit). New Jersey became the latest state to delist the bald eagle as endangered in January, citing a remarkable comeback for the creatures associated with strength and independence — and that occupied just a single nest in the state decades ago. And to the chagrin or elation of football fans, the Philadelphia Eagles will be vying for a championship in the Super Bowl this weekend.
How did the storied birds find their way back? As with so many tales, it’s complex.
Their well-being was intertwined with an insecticide
The story — there was a single nesting pair in New Jersey in the 1980s and roughly 300 now, for instance — centers on the banning of DDT, a chemical insecticide with environmental
side effects that included thinshelled eagle eggs. That touched off a cratering in the number of eagles across the country, and officials prohibited the pesticide in 1972.
To rebuild the birds’ numbers in their historic range across the country, conservationists imported birds from places where their populations were stable, including from Canada. Early on, they also removed eggs from nesting birds’ nests, replacing them with artificial ones for the eagles to “incubate” while the real eggs were safely hatched outside the nest before being returned, as eaglets for their parents to raise according to Kathy Clark, the head of New Jersey’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program.
“They’re one of the few conservation success stories of animals that almost went extinct on our continent,” said Maia Edwards, the science director at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Alaska. “And so I think now it’s really important to make sure people know that story and learn from it,”
“They’re one of the few conservation success stories of animals that almost went extinct on our continent.”
Maia Edwards, science director, American Bald Eagle Foundation
Clark, whose work with the birds spans decades and includes the period when their numbers were so small they lived only in a remote part of the state, said the eagles have taught officials a number of lessons. One is that they’re “fairly adaptable” and now live across densely populated (with people) New Jersey — from suburban Bergen County near New York to the wetlands along the shore in the south.
She recalled the story of one fledgling eagle in a suburban town — New York Giants territory, as it were, sorry, Eagles fans — that found itself on a backyard woodpile and walking
around the street. Volunteer observers worried over the bird’s well-being, given the realities of suburban living. But a year later, observers spotted the eagle, identified by a band. It had apparently made it.
“Those birds that have that tolerance to live like in such a densely human structured environment is something I have a hard time understanding,” she said. “They’re Jersey birds. You got to have attitude, right?”
The birds do face dangers as they expand into suburbia, though. Jilian Fazio, director of the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in suburban northern New Jersey, said the zoo rescues a number of birds hit by cars. One bird, a male named Freedom, perched atop a branch in his enclosure at the zoo recently and called out loudly. He was found dangling by a rope, left with an injury that renders him unreleasable, Fazio said.
There are threats, as well. Habitat preservation and clean, open water, since the eagles feed heavily on fish, is a worry, but there’s also the current outbreak of avian influenza or bird flu. Clark says officials are going to maintain surveillance amid the outbreak.
A resurgence in popularity, too
Beyond the birds coming off endangered lists, they made headlines recently for finally getting their due as the county’s national bird, an oversight left undone in law because the bald eagle was already on the national seal and many thought it already had that status, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who sponsored legislation that Biden signed last month.
She and colleagues worked with Native American and veterans groups to get buy-in for the legislation, she said, and
it passed the typically divisive House and Senate last year with no dissent. The birds are revered in a number of Native American cultures as symbols of strength, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, according to Paul Apodaca, a retired academic who specializes in folklore and mythology.
The eagles’ perch as symbols of the country contributes to their conservation, with experts considering them an “umbrella species,” whose need for large open spaces and waterways helps preserve lesser known wildlife.
“Americans are always going to have that sort of personal relationship with bald eagles,” Clark said.
New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, a native of Philadelphia Eagles territory, took his two young sons to the NFC championship game last week, a memory he said they won’t forget. “Let’s never forget that Bald Eagle was officially named America’s national bird at the same time the Eagles are headed back to the Super Bowl,” he said in a text message.
Experiencing seeing a bird in the wild or even as you’re driving along a business-lined highway can leave an impression.
Dan Day, a birder who’s spotted bald eagles some 50 times in recent years both on nature walks and just driving around suburban New Jersey, remembered never having seen the birds as a kid growing up in Cleveland. Now a New Jersey resident and Philadelphia Eagles fan, he regularly goes out in his green “Birds” cap and binoculars.
“Just the mere thrill of seeing one — a lot of people just have never, ever looked at one,” he said. “It really elevates your day to see a bald eagle.” Enjoy watching them, experts say, but give them space, too. Because rescuing animals threatened with extinction is expensive, uncertain work. Said Clark, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection official: “I don’t think I ever will lose that perspective of being on the brink there, not knowing if you’re going to be able to save the species.”
SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO
A bald eagle named Freedom calls in West Orange, New Jersey this January.
CHATHAM SPORTS
Northwood boys ride explosive start to complete regular season sweep over Hawks
Cam Fowler led the Chargers with 25 points
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — Northwood got its “fun” night started early by building a huge first quarter lead and not looking back in a 69-40 win over rival Seaforth on Friday, sweeping the regular season series over the Hawks.
“I think we played with a lot of energy,” Northwood coach Matt Brown said. “Our defense was on point tonight, and the guys were hungry.”
Seaforth has yet to beat Northwood in the boys’ edition of the Battle of the ‘Boro rivalry.
Junior guard Cam Fowler scored 13 of his team-high 25 points in the first quarter. He has scored at least 25 points in six games this season.
Fowler knocked down two 3s while also going to the line multiple times in the first eight minutes, leading to a 25-10 North-
“Not many teams share it like we do or play like we do. It’s pretty cool and fun to play with.” Hayes Burleson
wood lead going into the second quarter.
All of the Chargers’ starters recorded a point in the first quarter as the team shot 73% from the field in the period. Going up against Seaforth’s zone, Northwood passed up good looks for even better shots, leading to a plethora of assists and eight different Chargers in the scoring column for a 53% field goal percentage throughout the entire game.
“We were doing everything we do right,” Fowler said. “We work on it all the time in practice. Sharing the ball, cuts, 45 cuts, kickout 3s, coming to 2 feet. We work on a lot of stuff, and it’s showing.”
Said senior guard Hayes Burleson, “Sometimes, Brown will put us in drills where we
can’t dribble at all, and it’s frustrating during practice, but it obviously gets us a lot better. And it goes with chemistry. We just have great chemistry. Nobody’s selfish.”
Junior forward Chad Graves took full advantage of his size in the paint, shooting 6 of 8 from the floor for 15 points. That marked his 10th game of the season scoring in double figures.
“I first give credit to Coach Poulos,” Brown said. “He’s been working with Chad for the last month and a half now. Coach Poulos is an awesome skill development guy. I think Chad is finally clicking and understanding. He’s taking coaching well, but he’s also slowing down. I
Leonard leads Seaforth past Northwood
The senior made six 3s, and Gabby White poured in 18 points
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — Seaforth junior Katie Leonard scored a career-high 28 points to help the Hawks beat rival Northwood on the road 54-28 Friday and sweep the regular season series.
Leonard made 6 of 10 3s and shot at a team-high 63% clip while also swiping four steals. Her 12 fourth quarter points helped turn a 39-24 lead at the end of the third quarter to a 26-point lead by the final buzzer. It marked Leonard’s 13th game this season with double-digit points.
“My teammates were giving me confidence,” Leonard said.
“If I’m open, they’re like, ‘Shoot it. Shoot it.’ I was hitting it, so I wasn’t going to stop.” Leonard kept Seaforth afloat in a slow offensive start,
“My teammates were giving me confidence.”
Katie Leonard
scoring six of the Hawks’ 10 first quarter points. Seaforth found itself trailing 11-10 going into the second quarter, but Leonard once again delivered with two 3s to flip the script and lead Seaforth back on top 23 -17 at halftime.
Northwood continued to make it a close game with Seaforth in the third quarter, getting the deficit down to as few as three points halfway through the period. However, Leonard hit a 3 with three minutes left in the quarter to put Seaforth ahead 30-24, and it sparked a 12-0 run to put the Hawks’ lead back to double digits.
“It’s good to see her in such a high, knocking down shots,
Seaforth wrestling goes to third round of playoffs
The top-seeded Hawks dominated South Lenoir and North Pitt at home
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — No. 1 Seaforth took care of business in the first and second rounds of the NCHSAA 2A dual team wrestling playoffs, beating No. 16 South Lenoir 70-9 and No. 9 North Pitt 58-17. Seaforth advanced to the third round for the second straight year.
“I liked the drive, the excitement and the willingness to not quit,” Seaforth coach Ryan Armstrong said after the two duals. “These boys are firing. They’re peaking at the right spots, and the whole team didn’t quit.”
The no-quit mentality arguably showed up the most in the second round against North
“These boys are firing. They’re peaking at the right spots, and the whole team didn’t quit.”
Ryan Armstrong, Seaforth wrestling coach
Pitt. Harrison Compton (190 pounds) came up huge with a third period fall for Seaforth, which led 12-5 prior to his matchup with North Pitt’s Wisdom Mason. Mason took down Compton early in the match and held control over him on the mat, but Compton worked his way out and retaliated with his own takedown. Mason also escaped, leading to a back-and-forth battle all the way until the third period
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Seaforth’s Peyton Collins (23) defends the Northwood inbounds pass during the Hawks’ win over the Chargers last week in the girls’ Battle for Pittsboro.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD Northwood’s Cam Fowler flies in for a dunk during the Chargers’ win over Seaforth.
Tracking milestones for Chatham County’s basketball players
Karaleigh Dodson hit 1,000 points on Jan. 30
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
JUDGING BY THE eye test, it’s no secret that Chatham County’s basketball players can get buckets.
But this season, there’s been players proving it by the stats test, too.
Chatham County athletes have been hitting the 1,000 career points milestone throughout the year. Seaforth senior Peyton Collins hit the mark against Cedar Ridge on Nov. 26, and Northwood senior Beau Harvey hit the mark against Southeast Alamance on Jan. 27. Against North Moore on Jan. 30, Chatham Central’s Karaleigh Dodson also joined the 1,000-point club. But she might not be the last one to do so this season.
Northwood junior Cam Fowler might be next in line as he sits at 885 career points as of Sunday. This season, Fowler is averaging 20.8 points per contest, scoring at least 20 points in just over half of the Chargers’ games this year.
If he hits his average in every game after Friday’s win over Seaforth, Fowler can reach 1,000 points in six games. After playing Graham on Tuesday, Northwood will have two regular season games remaining, meaning Fowler could reach the milestone by the end of the conference tournament or in the state playoffs.
Seaforth junior Katie Leon-
885
Career points for Northwood’s Cam Fowler
ard isn’t too far off either, sitting at 835 points as of Sunday. Leonard is averaging 12.5 points per game, giving her a timeline of 14 games if she hits her average in each outing after Friday. Seaforth will likely have to reach the state title game, and Leonard might need some above-average games to have a shot at hitting 1,000 points this season, but she could very well make up ground with the way she’s been playing lately.
Leonard has scored above her average in four of Seaforth’s last six games prior to Tuesday’s game at North Moore. She showed how quickly she can fill up the scoring column when she’s on fire from beyond the arc against Northwood on Friday, making six 3s in a career-best 28-point performance.
Chatham Charter senior Brennan LaVelle is on watch for 1,000 points as well. The senior forward is approaching 900 points while averaging 14 points a night this season. LaVelle could have very well hit the mark earlier in his career, but he endured a season-ending injury toward the end of last season that forced him to miss some games. Even with the injury, though, LaVelle has reached 520 rebounds in his career.
ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Seaforth’s Harrison Compton (top) got a key win over North Pitt’s Wisdom Mason to allow the Hawks to advance in the state tournament.
WRESTLING from page B1
when Compton completed the pin and gave his team a more comfortable 18-5 lead.
“I knew I had it from the start,” Compton said. “I had that confidence. Of course, things don’t always go as planned, but I had the game plan in my head, and I just knew if I just stuck to it, stuck to my training and just be me, then I could wrestle back. I had no doubt in my mind I was going to win that match.”
Caden Brewer (150), on his 18th birthday, also had a huge moment in the final match against North Pitt. The Hawks had already secured a team win, but Brewer found himself in a tight battle with Oscar Hernandez-Real. Tied at nine points apiece with just seconds remaining in the third period, Brewer escaped from Hernandez-Real’s grip at the buzzer to get the match-winning point.
“We believe we train harder than anybody else in the state, and I knew I wasn’t tired,” Brewer said. “I just knew that if I kept going, I was going to
Seaforth senior Gabby White could be in range for 2,000 career points. As the leading scorer in her school’s short history, White is 269 points away from the 2,000 mark as of Sunday. She’s averaging 19.1 points per game this season, giving her about 14 games to get there should she consistently hit her
and making the right plays,” Seaforth senior guard Gabby White said. “It’s just only going to motivate us and help us in the long run.”
White finished the night as the Hawks’ second leading scorer with 18 points, and she notched her seventh double-double of the year with a team-high 12 rebounds. The Virginia signee struggled in the first half, though, shooting 3 for 11 and committing multiple turnovers before the break.
Northwood did a good job of denying White and the Seaforth offense easy looks at the rim and playing with high intensity on the defensive end early on. The Chargers built an 11-5 lead in the first quarter and looked to be in control to start the game.
“They were doing a really good job speeding us up and putting ball pressure on us,” Seaforth coach Charles Byrd said. “I was just telling the girls to slow down, calm down, let the ball work and the shots will come for us.”
White found other ways to contribute outside of scoring by crashing the boards and coming way with four steals and a block in a solid defensive performance. Her shots began to fall in the second half in which she shot 4 for 7 from the field and scored 10 points.
average throughout the rest of the season. That much time isn’t guaranteed, though, so it will take some nights with well beyond 19 points to get there. With regard to more milestones beyond 1,000 points, Chatham Central’s Reid Albright just hit 1,500 points after scoring 31 in a win over
“I knew starting off after my first couple of misses that it was going to be a tough game for me offensively,” White said. “Just making sure I’m still in the game, helping my teammates and training them up, making sure I do my part defensively and getting Katie the ball so she could knock down shots.”
For Northwood, things started going downhill offensively in the second half. The Chargers shot under 20% from the floor and scored just 11 points in the last two quarters, including four points in the fourth quarter.
“I thought our zone worked really well for us,” Byrd said. “We decided to run with that and stay up in our press to kind of slow them down so they couldn’t just run up on our defense. Combining those two, making them shoot jump shots over the top and then getting rebounds worked really well for us.”
With the loss, Northwood fell to a 12-6 overall record and 7-4 in the Mid-Carolina 1/A/2A conference (third place). The defeat against the Hawks marked the Chargers’ second loss in a row after a bad loss to Southeast Alamance earlier in the week.
Sitting at 10th in the NCHSAA 2A East RPI standings as of Sunday, Northwood is in a good spot in regard to playoff seeding. After playing Gra-
Graham on Friday. Albright is also well over 668 career rebounds, which is impressive for a 6-foot-1 guard, and he’s at 351 assists as of Sunday.
His teammate, Brennen Oldham, has been impressive in the rebounds, too, with 746, and Dodson is well over 500 rebounds in her career.
ham on Tuesday, the Chargers have two favorable games at home against Cummings on Friday and at Chatham Central the following Tuesday that could give them some extra momentum going into the conference tournament and the state playoffs. Seaforth, on the other end, extended its win streak to 18 and improved to 18-1 overall, including an 11-0 record in conference play as of Sunday (first in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A). Outside of a nail-biter against Southeast Alamance on Jan. 7, the Hawks haven’t experienced much resistance since starting conference play, and they sit at second in the 2A East RPI standings.
With the possibility of playing for first place in the conference against Southeast Alamance on Friday and the conference and state tournaments coming soon, Seaforth might have found it to battle in a closer game once in a while.
“It was really good for us to have to deal with that adversity,” Byrd said. “I think we came out in the second half and responded very well.” Said Byrd, “We’ve got to play at a high level all the time. Even if we’re missing shots, our intensity, our energy, how we’re out there playing and limiting our turnovers is still very important.”
get out. I just kept telling myself that.”
Seaforth finished the dual against North Pitt with eight pins.
Against South Lenoir in the first round, the Hawks scored six points for every win with the exception of two dominant technical falls by Brewer and Jordan Miller (113). South Lenoir’s Hayden Tyndall (157) pinned Carter Kearney to give the Blue Devils a 6-5 lead after two matches, but three straight pins rom Alex Hinchman (165), Judge Lloyd (175) and Harrison Compton (190) put the Hawks back in control.
Three straight forfeits by the Blue Devils in the 215-, 285- and 106-pound matches also helped Seaforth to a large win. Further down in the 2A East bracket, No. 13 Northwood lost to No. 4 Louisburg in the first round 53-30. Louisburg lost to No. 12 Southeast Alamance in the second round, sending the Stallions to Seaforth for a conference rematch Wednesday. In the 1A East bracket, No. 10 Chatham Central lost to No. 7 Eastern Randolph 59-21.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Northwood senior Beau Harvey (2) scored his 1,000th career point on this shot against Southeast Alamance.
GIRLS from page B1
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Seaforth’s Katie Leonard (11) battles Northwood under the boards during the Hawks’ win last week.
County athletes win regional swimming, indoor track titles
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Chatham Charter, the third-place team in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference, avenged its prior loss to second-place Woods Charter by beating the Wolves 48-39 on Jan. 27. The Knights went on to win their third and fourth games in a row with a 69-15 win over Ascend Leadership on Jan. 28 and a 74-51 victory over Triangle Math and Science on Jan. 30.
Woods Charter also bounced back with two straight wins after the loss, beating Ascend Leadership 70-33 on Jan. 29 and Discovery Charter 61-59 Friday.
Seaforth, the fourth-place team in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference, held a 4135 lead over second-place Chatham Central on Jan. 28 with just five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Bears put together a late - game run to steal a 52-43 win. Senior guard Reid Albright poured in 20 points and 11 rebounds, and senior forward Brennen Oldham recorded 20 points and eight rebounds.
The Bears won two more conference games during the week by blowouts, beating North Moore 78-38 and Graham 81-59. Albright recorded his eighth double-double of the season against Graham with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Four Chargers scored in double digits in Northwood’s 88-45 rout over Bartlett Yancey on Jan. 28. Junior guard Cam Fowler recorded his first of two 25-point games in the same week, while sophomore guard Josiah Brown poured in 14 points (three made 3-pointers), senior guard Isaiah Blair scored 13 and senior guard Hayes Burleson contributed 11. Week of Jan. 27 Power Rankings: 1. Northwood; 2. Chatham Central; 3. Seaforth; 4. Chatham Charter; 5. Woods Charter; 6. Jordan-Matthews Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (overall, conference) (as of Sunday): 1. Northwood (19-2, 13-0); 2. Chatham Central (15-2, 10-2); 3. Southeast Alamance (14-4, 8-3); 4. Seaforth (9-10, 6-5); 5. Cummings (5-12, 4-6); 6. Jordan-Matthews (6-11, 4-7); 7. Bartlett Yancey (4-10, 3-9); 8. Graham (2-14, 1-9); 9. North Moore (4-12, 1-9) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Southern Wake Academy
31
points for Albright in Chatham Central’s win over Graham
(18-4, 8-0); 2. Woods Charter (10-5, 6-1); 3. Chatham Charter (15-8, 6-2); 4. Clover Garden School (7-9, 4-4); 5. Triangle Math and Science (4-14, 3-5); 6. River Mill (2-20, 1-8); 7. Ascend Leadership (3-12, 0-8)
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
After benefiting from a Bartlett Yancey forfeit, Seaforth beat Chatham Central 53-28 on Jan. 28 behind 15 points apiece from senior guards Gabby White and Peyton Collins and junior guard Katie Leonard.
The Bears took care of business over North Moore 69-40 on Jan. 30 and Graham 6630 Friday and had huge individual performances. Senior forward Karaleigh Dodson scored her 1,000th point against the Mustangs, and senior guard Chloe Scott had two monster games with 28 points against North Moore and a career-high 30 points over Graham.
Chatham Charter won over Woods Charter 43-32 on Jan. 27 to sweep the regular season series. The Knights beat Ascend Leadership 56 -26, but their six-game winning streak was snapped in a 38-25 loss to Triangle Math and Science on Jan. 30.
Woods Charter followed the loss to Chatham Charter with a 48-26 win over Ascend Leadership on Jan. 29 and a 40-39 victory over Discovery Charter Friday. Junior Wesley Oliver scored 24 points in both games.
@CHATHAMCENTRAL / X
SWIMMING
Seaforth’s boys finished second at the 1A/2A Central NCHSAA regional championship on Jan. 30, and the Hawks’ girls finished fourth as a team. Northwood’s girls finished ninth. Northwood’s boys finished 12th, and Chatham Central’s boys finished 20th. In the 1A/2A East regional, Woods Charter’s girls finished 16th, and the boys finished 10th. Here are the county’s individual regional champions: Boys: 200-yard medley relay (Mikel Kokas, Evan Hep -
Jordan-Matthews snapped its four-game losing streak with a 45-22 win over North Moore on Jan. 28. Senior Kelsey Morris led the way with 13 points. The Jets took a disastrous 79-0 loss to Southeast Alamance Friday. Week of Jan. 27 Power Rankings: 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Chatham Charter; 5. Woods Charter; 6. Jordan-Matthews Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (18-1, 11- 0); 2. Southeast Alamance (16 -2, 10 -1); 3. Northwood (12 - 6, 7-4); 4. Chatham Central (10 - 6, 6-5); 5. Cummings (4 - 9, 4-6); 6. Jordan-Matthews (4 -14, 4-7); 7. North Moore (4 - 9, 2-7); 8. Graham (3-12, 1-8); 9. Bartlett Yancey (0-11, 0-7) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): T1. Chatham Charter (10-13, 7-1); T1. Triangle Math and Science (11-7, 7-1); 3. Clover Garden School (13-4, 6-2); 4. Woods Charter (8-6, 3-4); 5. Southern Wake Academy (5-8, 3-5); 6. River Mill (3-19, 2-7); 7. Ascend Leadership (2-15, 0-8)
Central Electric sponsoring two youth to attend basketball camp this summer
Central Electric awards two Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships annually to local students in Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, or Randolph counties.
A young man will be selected to attend the Carolina Basketball School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a young woman will be selected to attend the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp at N.C. State University in Raleigh.
To be eligible to apply, the student must be in the sixth or seventh grade during the upcoming school year, have permission from a parent or guardian to attend the overnight camp and must provide their own transportation if selected to attend.
Scan the QR code or visit CEMCPower.com for more information or to apply. The deadline for applications to both camps is March 31.
burn, Benjamin Lajoie, Colton Roberts, Seaforth, 1:44.19); 200 free (Colton Roberts, Seaforth, 1:50.45); 200-yard individual medley (Benjamin Lajoie, Seaforth, 2:00.42); 100 fly (Benjamin Lajoie, Seaforth, 54.16); 100 free (Evan Hepburn, Seaforth, 48.67); 500 free (Colton Roberts, Seaforth, 5:00.83); 100-yard breaststroke (Evan Hepburn, Seaforth, 57.33); 400 free relay (Benjamin Lajoie, Colton Roberts, Ken Gatimu, Evan Hepburn, Seaforth, 3:27.37); 50 free (Jesse Eskelund, Chatham Central, 22.27) Girls: 200 free (Daisy Collins, Woods Charter, 1:51.05); 500 free (Daisy Collins, Woods Charter, 4:51.62); 100 fly (Sydney Burleigh, Seaforth, 59.73); 200 free (Abigail Emrich, Northwood, 1:56.43); 500 free (Holly Thesing, Northwood, 5:28.45)
INDOOR TRACK
Here are Chatham County’s conference champions from the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A Indoor Championship on Jan. 29.
from page B1
think his mind is finally slowing. He’s catching up to his body.”
Other key contributions came from Burleson, who finished the game with eight points, senior guard Beau Harvey, who poured in five points, and senior guard Isaiah Blair, who contributed five points. Sophomore guard Josiah Brown also scored five points.
Coming out of halftime with a 40-17 lead, Northwood once again leaned on Fowler, who scored 12 third quarter points to put the Chargers’ lead at 30 before the final eight minutes.
Fowler was an and-one machine, pumping up a loud Northwood crowd and his teammates with energy throughout the night.
Vibes were high in the rout, especially with Brown, who’s usually hard on his guys, sharing smiles on the sideline.
On the Seaforth sideline, though, there wasn’t much to be happy about.
The Hawks struggled to get anything going offensively against Northwood’s zone, shooting just 31% from the floor and taking only 15 shot attempts in the first half. Turnovers were also an issue for Seaforth as they led to numerous transition buckets.
Senior guards Noah Lewis and Nate Emerson finished as the Hawks’ leading scorers with eight points each.
“This past week, we’ve made some tweaks here and there to
Boys
Team champion: Seaforth (128 points)
Individual champions: 1,000-meter run (Nathan Smith, Seaforth, 2:50.40); 1,600-meter run (Waylon Vose, Seaforth, 5:07.97); 3,200-meter run (Will Cuicchi, Seaforth, 11:02.62); 55-meter hurdles (Asher Aldridge, Seaforth, 8.18); 4x800-meter relay (Seaforth, 8:55.14); High jump (Luke Waldstein, Northwood, 6 feet); Triple jump (Marcus McKoy, Jordan-Matthews, 40-08.00);
Girls
Team champion: Seaforth (165 points)
Individual champions: 500-meter dash (Athena Dispennette, Jordan-Matthews, 1:29.64); 1,000-meter run (Emily Jump, Seaforth, 3:10.63); 1,600-meter run (Claire Morgan, Seaforth, 6:15.40); 3,200-meter run (Juana Jimenez, Seaforth, 13:01.11); 4x400-meter relay (Seaforth, 4:24.41); 4x800-meter run (Seaforth, 11:37.92);
make it a little more difficult for teams to play against us,” Brown said. “We play a funky type of defense. A couple of them are really weird that’s really hard to grasp.” Northwood has limited opponents to fewer than 50 points 14 times this season as of Sunday. Seaforth dropped its 10th game of the year with the loss (910 overall, 6-5 in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference), losing its second game in a row after falling to Chatham Central earlier in the week. With the exception of one tough matchup remaining against Southeast Alamance Friday, the Hawks have a good chance of finishing the regular season on a high note with the bottom of the conference left on the schedule. A win over the Stallions could provide a boost in playoff seeding. Moving to 19-2 overall and 13-0 in conference play with its eighth straight win, Northwood feels like everything is coming together with its regular season nearing its end. After playing Graham on Tuesday, the Chargers have a good chance of finishing undefeated in the conference with a home game with Cummings on Friday and another tough battle at Chatham Central in the regular season finale the following Tuesday.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” Burleson said. “We’re playing really good basketball. We’re sharing the ball. Just watch a lot of high school basketball. Not many teams share it like we do or play like we do. It’s pretty cool and fun to play with.”
Chatham Central’s Jesse Eskelund won the boys’ 50 freestyle at the 1A/2A Central NCHSAA regional championship.
BOYS
SIDELINE REPORT
RACING
Ford vs. Ferrari: Blue oval brand to return to top level of endurance racing and Le Mans
Charlotte Ford Motor Company will return to the top level of prototype sports car racing in 2027. The automaker will be back in the World Endurance Championship series with a factory team that will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford had four consecutive overall victories at Le Mans from 1966 and 1969 under the late Carroll Shelby. That dominance led to a rivalry with Ferrari. Ford pulled out of competition after 1969 but celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first Le Mans victory with a return to the endurance event in 2016.
TENNIS
Hall of Famer Shriver’s trophies back after being taken in stolen car amid LA fires
Los Angeles International Tennis Hall of Fame member Pam Shriver has her trophies back. Shriver said she regained the dozen or so pieces of hardware that were in a car stolen from the hotel where she was staying after evacuating from her home during the outbreak of the devastating wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. Shriver won 21 Grand Slam doubles championships, a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and a total of 111 doubles titles. Shriver, now a TV commentator, was inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
NHL Rangers get center
Miller from Canucks in multiplayer deal
New York
The New York Rangers acquired veteran center J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks in a multiplayer deal. The Rangers sent center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and a conditional draft pick to Vancouver. New York also received defensemen Jackson Dorrington and Erik Brannstrom. The Canucks were expected to trade either Miller or Elias Pettersson after a reported rift between the two stars.
The 31-year- old Miller was drafted by the Rangers and played for New York for six seasons before being dealt to Tampa Bay in 2018.
NBA Raptor fans continue trend of booing U.S. national anthem at pro sporting events
Toronto Fans at a Toronto Raptors game have continued an emerging trend of booing the American national anthem at sporting events in Canada. Fans booed the anthem Sunday after similar reactions broke out Saturday night at NHL games in Ottawa, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta. Those instances happened hours after President Donald Trump threatened import tariffs on America’s northern neighbor. U.S. national anthem boos in Canada are rare but not unheard of, especially when tied to world events. The tariffs have since been delayed until March 4.
NFL officials spotting the football not going away despite new tech
No technology can help determine forward progress
By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press
THE NFL WILL engage its Competition Committee on technology to take virtual line-to-gain measurements next season, but officials will continue to spot the football. There’s no current technology being considered that would help determine forward progress, which became a point of contention after Bills quarterback Josh Allen was stopped short on a sneak on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 32-29 loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game. The league tested Sony’s Hawk-Eye tracking services for virtual line-to-gain measurements in the preseason and in the background during the regular season. The optimal tracking system notifies officiating
instantly if a first down was gained after the ball is spotted by hand.
The key word is after. This technology replaces the chain measurement. The NFL has long used two bright orange sticks and a chain — the chain gang — to measure for first downs. That method would remain in a backup capacity.
“What this technology cannot do is take the place of the human element in determining where forward progress ends,” NFL executive Kimberly Fields told The Associated Press last Friday. “There will always be a human official spotting the ball. Once the ball is spotted, then the line-to-gain technology actually does the measurement itself. So I think it’s probably been a point of confusion around what the technology can and can’t do. There will always be a human element because of the forward progress conversation.”
Fields said an average of 12 measurements took place each week during the regular season. The new technolo-
Orioles spending but avoided big risks — and also rewards
The team increased its payroll but didn’t make a splashy acquisition
By Noah Trister The Associated Press
BALTIMORE — It was around this time last year that the Baltimore Orioles made their biggest offseason move, trading for right-hander Corbin Burnes.
That turned out to be a one-year rental when Burnes went to Arizona via free agency in late December. Now the Orioles are running out of time if they want to replace him with a bona fide ace before spring training.
“We like where we’re at, but we still have time on the clock before the offseason’s over,” general manager Mike Elias said.
“There are still free agents. The trade market sometimes happens very late. I can’t forecast that or handicap it, but there’s still those possibilities.”
In their first offseason under new ownership, the Orioles have done some spending, but they haven’t pulled off anything as bold as trading for Burnes. Baltimore has added outfielders
Tyler O’Neill and Dylan Carlson, starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Suga-
“I
think we’ve elevated the payroll continuously since the beginning of the rebuild.”
Orioles GM Mike Elias
no, reliever Andrew Kittredge and backup catcher Gary Sánchez. Aside from O’Neill, none of those acquisitions came with more than a one-year commitment from the team.
As a result of those moves — plus raises to arbitration-eligible players — Baltimore’s payroll now ranks 15th in the majors. That’s a notable jump for a team that was near the bottom not too long ago, but the Orioles still have very little money committed for 2026 and beyond.
There may be some logic to keeping future expenditures low at a time when Baltimore has several young standouts — Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Grayson Rodriguez and Jordan Westburg among them — who could cost a lot to sign long term.
“There’s positives to it when you have year-to-year flexibility,” Elias said. “But I’m expecting that will evolve and maybe not remain the case. Maybe this
“What this technology cannot do is take the place of the human element”
NFL executive Kimberly Fields
gy would’ve dropped the time spent to measure from 75 seconds to 35 seconds.
NFL balls have been equipped with Zebra microchips since 2017, powering the NFL’s Next Gen Stats data product. The chips are also affixed to players’ pads. They provide various data and metrics that help clubs, media and fans with player evaluation and analysis of team performance. But these chips can’t determine where a player was tackled, whether a player is down by contact or which team gained possession of a loose ball to the precision necessary for officiating use.
The league also began using boundary line cameras in
Week 5 to assist with replay reviews. The cameras were installed in each of the 30 stadiums along the end line, goal line and sideline. Usage was limited to scores, plays with under two minutes remaining and turnovers.
Discussion for expanding its use to coaches’ challenges and replay assist is ongoing and would have to be approved by the Competition Committee.
Fields said the league also experimented with providing back judges smart watches to assist with objective information so they can make decisions faster, specifically as it relates to the play clock.
“We want to make the game efficient and more accurate,” Fields said. “The things that we do around technology, if it’s not going to make the process better, if it’s not going to assist our officials, then we shouldn’t be doing it. Everything that we do is going through a rigorous testing process to make sure we are making things easier and more efficient.”
time next year, we’re talking about something different.”
For now, the Orioles haven’t locked up any of their young stars, and the lack of long-term deals on the roster comes with its own cost. For example, Baltimore is set to pay the 41-year-old Morton and 35-year-old Sugano a combined $28 million this year. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees signed All-Star Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract — an average of $27.25 million per year.
Fried’s deal might very well be riskier than what the Orioles did, but there’s a reason pitchers like that command longer contracts. Baltimore’s success in 2025 may come down to whether the rotation holds up after losing Burnes and adding
only short-term solutions in free agency.
As the Orioles wade slowly into deeper spending waters, owner David Rubenstein made news recently when he told Yahoo Finance that he wishes baseball had a salary cap. He did not sound like an owner eager to go on a spending spree. Instead, increasing the payroll has been more of a gradual process.
“I think we’ve elevated the payroll continuously since the beginning of the rebuild,” Elias said. “We’ve talked about it all along. Obviously that was before David Rubenstein and his group bought the team, but after they purchased it, it certainly, like I’ve said, kind of expanded our options in a great way.”
TERRANCE WILLIAMS / AP PHOTO
Baltimore Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias looks on before a game against the Texas Rangers last season.
ASHLEY LANDIS / AP PHOTO
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) stops Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) short of a first down during the AFC championship game.
ESPN extending media base-rights with the ACC through 2035-36
The deal would have expired in 2026 if the 10-year option wasn’t picked up
By Aaron Beard The Associated Press
ESPN EXERCISED its option to extend a base-rights media deal with the Atlantic Coast Conference through 2035-36, aligning the timeline with a second deal that covers their partnership for the ACC Network.
The network and the ACC announced the extension last Thursday in a welcome, but not unexpected, development for the league amid questions about revenue and its long-term future.
ESPN had a deadline of Feb. 1 to decide whether to pick up the option for the base rights for 2027-36, a wrinkle that emerged during Florida State’s lawsuit against the league regarding exit fees for a potential departure to another conference.
That base-rights deal covers events broadcast on primary properties like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ABC, and generally involves financial payouts laid out in contracts. A person familiar with the contracts said the second deal specifically covered the ACC Network through 2035-36 regardless of whether ESPN picked up the option on
the base rights, a detail first reported by The Athletic.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity last Thursday because the league hasn’t released unredacted information for its ESPN deals.
Now both parts of the deal are set to run another 11 years.
“The ACC is a pillar of ESPN’s leading commitment to college sports and we are thrilled to continue the partnership over the next decade,”
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.
The extension comes with FSU and Clemson both in legal fights with the league tied to the grant-of-rights agreement in 2016 — timed with the deal to announce the ACC Network’s August 2019 arrival — that seeks to deter defections by schools seeking more revenue with other leagues. That has led ACC commissioner Jim Phillips to talk openly about searching for ways to enhance revenue, such as discussions with ESPN as a partner to enhance the value of the media-rights deal and potentially create more revenue from it.
For example, Phillips has said the league’s addition of Stanford, California and SMU through expansion for this season created $600 million in additional incremental revenue through the media-rights deal.
“The resolve from both par-
ties to further enhance the partnership through innovation and creativity to continue to drive additional value remains our top priority,” Phillips said in a statement with the extension announcement.
Phillips has also been open about discussions of changes to the revenue distribution model used by league schools. Just last year, the league launched its “success initiative” that allows league schools to keep more money generated by their own postseason success instead of sharing it evenly with the rest of the league.
Phillips has also talked openly about the league’s efforts to find more revenues for its members while facing a widening gap behind the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences.
According to tax documents, the ACC distributed an average of $44.8 million to its 14 football-playing members (Notre Dame receives a partial share as a football independent) and $706.6 million in total revenue for the 2022-23 season. That came at a time of record revenues for the league, yet the ACC ranked third behind the Big Ten ($879.9 million revenue, $60.3 million average payout) and SEC ($852.6 million, $51.3 million) in the most recent filings, and ahead of the smaller Big 12 ($510.7 million, $44.2 million).
Wesley Oliver
Woods Charter, girls’ basketball
Woods Charter’s Wesley Oliver earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Jan. 27.
The junior guard recorded back-to-back 24-point games in the Wolves’ two wins over Ascend Leadership and Discovery Charter on Jan. 29 and Jan. 31, respectively. In a one-point win over Discover Charter, Oliver also grabbed a team-high 11 steals.
Oliver has been Woods Charter’s go-to player this season, leading the team with 16.4 points per game. She’s also been very active on the defensive end with 5.3 steals per night, and she’s led the Wolves to their most wins since the 2021-22 season.
MATT KELLEY / AP PHOTO
Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips smiles during his news conference at ACC media days.
‘Mad Men’ star Hamm honored, roasted as Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Man of the Year
The theater group dates back to 1844
By Michael Casey The Associated Press
ACTOR JON HAMM, who rose to fame as ad executive Don Draper on the AMC series “Mad Men” and more recently appeared in “Fargo” and “Landman,” was honored last Friday as the 2025 Man of the Year by Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
The theater group, which dates to 1844 and claims to be the world’s third oldest still operating, said Hamm will receive his Pudding Pot award at a celebratory roast. Afterward, he was set to attend a performance of Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 176th production, “101 Damnations.”
“I can’t believe there are so many people here,” Hamm said after accepting his Pudding Pot award. “Did you all seriously think I was dead? This is such a wonderful honor.”
Before accepting the Pudding Pot, Hamm endured a roasting at the hands of two members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. They mocked his height, poked fun at the fact he had not won an Academy Award and suggested many previous winners were better looking.
BOOK REVIEW
“I can’t believe there are so many people here. Did you all seriously think I was dead? This is such a wonderful honor.”
Jon Hamm
To make their point, they even had him take part in a contest with someone wearing a Paul Rudd mask, the 2018 winner of the award. Hamm also participated in a trivia contest with a piece of deli meat on a table — who the presenters suggested had won the 2017 Academy Award for production design.
The best bit, though, was making Hamm channel his “Mad Men” character, Don Draper, and pitch several items. Among them was selling car insurance to a baby driver and a pen to a woman who had just landed her dream job and was promptly fired. Then, there was selling a lifetime voucher for bath time with Harry Potter.
“Hi, do you love Daniel Radcliffe? How about Harry Potter?” Draper asked an excited woman on stage. “I would say let’s sit in a tub together but that sounds like, A, terrifying, and B, marginally illegal.”
Afterward at a press conference, Hamm credited “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels with bringing out his funny side and said Don Draper was the most challenging and fun character that he has ever played. He also cast doubt on the prospect of his character Monty Miller on “Landman” being resurrected.
“Usually when you’re surrounded by your loved ones on a hospital bed and they’re crying and the machine has a flat line on it, it’s not great,” he joked.
Hamm is best known for starring in “Mad Men,” but he has had a storied acting career. Among his achievements, he received Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his portrayal of Sheriff Roy Tillman in the FX series “Fargo,” he has starred in several movies, including “Bad Times at the El Royale,” and he has hosted “Saturday Night Live” three times.
Other recent Man of the Year winners have included Barry Keoghan last year, Bob Odenkirk in 2023 and Jason Bateman in 2022.
“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo has been named Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ Woman of the Year Award. She will receive her award Feb. 6.
Hedge fund manager — hunted by FBI, Russian oligarch — flees into wilderness
Joseph Finder’s latest novel is “The Oligarch’s Daughter”
By Bruce DeSilva The Associated Press
PAUL BRIGHTMAN, a former hedge fund manager, has been keeping a low profile, changing his name to Grant Anderson and making a modest living as a boat builder in a small New Hampshire town. But Paul fears it’s only a matter of time before he’s found.
The FBI is hunting him. The CIA would like a word. And a wealthy Russian oligarch has put a price on his head. One of the oligarch’s thugs is the first to find him. Barely escaping with his life, he flees into the northern New England wilderness.
Five years earlier, when Paul was working on Wall Street, he fell in love with and subsequently married a beautiful photographer named Tatanya, unaware at first that her father was a Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin.
from his estranged father, a reclusive survivalist living off the grid in the wilds of the Allegheny Mountains.
In the latter, he accepts his new father-in-law’s offer of a job, gets pressured to make illegal investments based on inside information, and becomes alarmed when two of his co-workers disappear. The FBI recruits him, he gets caught spying, and he has to run for his life.
With a master’s degree in Russian studies and his membership in the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, Finder is very much at home with this tale of what some are now calling the new Cold War. The writing is tight, the suspense is unrelenting, and the romance between Paul and Tatanya is well handled as well.
In “The Oligarch’s Daughter,” his 17th thriller, Joseph Finder alternates two suspenseful timelines — the present as Paul struggles to stay alive and the recent past in which we learn how he got into this fix in the first place. In the former, he finds himself relying on skills he absorbed
The plot is complex, even by thriller standards, but the author handles it so well that the reader is unlikely to get lost. However, it has so many twists and surprises that he might have been better served by eliminating a couple of them.
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS VIA AP
“The Oligarch’s Daughter” is Joseph Finder’s 17th thriller.
this week in history
Mary, Queen of Scots beheaded, Beatlemania, Abraham Lincoln born
The Associated Press
FEB. 6
1778: During the American Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance in Paris.
1862: During the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.
1899: A peace treaty between the United States and Spain ended the Spanish-American War and ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States.
1921: “The Kid,” Charlie Chaplin’s first feature-length film, was released across the United States.
1952: Britain’s King George VI, 56, died. He was succeeded as monarch by his 25-year-old eldest daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II.
FEB. 7
1904: The Great Baltimore Fire began; one of the worst city fires in American history, it destroyed more
than 1,500 buildings in central Baltimore.
1943: The government abruptly announced the wartime rationing of shoes made of leather.
FEB. 8
1587: Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded after she was implicated in a plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
1693: A charter was granted for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg in the Virginia Colony.
1910: The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.
1915: D.W. Griffith’s controversial epic film “The Birth of a Nation” premiered in LA.
1936: The first NFL draft was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia.
1971: NASDAQ, the world’s first electronic stock exchange, held its first trading day.
FEB. 9
1825: The House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
1943: The World War II battle of Guadalcanal in the southwest Pacific ended with an Allied victory over Japanese forces.
1964: The Beatles made their first live American television appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” broadcast from New York on CBS.
FEB. 10
1763: Britain, Spain and France signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years’ War (also known as the French and Indian War in North America).
1936: Nazi Germany’s Reichstag passed a law investing the Gestapo secret police with absolute authority, exempt from any legal review.
Patti Smith apologizes for canceling show after collapsing onstage
The veteran singer and poet had been suffering from migraines
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa and Hillel Italie
The Associated Press
SAO PAULO — Veteran singer and poet Patti Smith has reassured fans that she is “fine” after collapsing during a presentation in Brazil and later returning to apologize to the audience for ending her show early.
“I’m fine. You can hear I’m fine,” she told The Associated Press when reached by phone. “The whole thing has been grossly exaggerated.”
“I was checked out by an excellent doctor and was absolutely fine. Please do not accept any other account. With all the strife in the world, this explainable incident does not merit so much attention,” Smith posted.
Smith has been in Sao Paulo for a two-day presentation of the “Correspondences” project with the Berlin-based group Soundwalk Collective. During the performance, she recited some of her writings alongside musicians.
Soundwalk Collective said that Smith had suffered from an intense migraine for the past couple of days but “still wanted
solutions
to be there for all of us and you and perform.” The group posted a statement, signed by them and Smith, to their Instagram stories. “Patti is now recovering
2005: North Korea boasted publicly for the first time that it possessed nuclear weapons
FEB. 11
660 B.C.: Tradition holds that Japan was founded as Jimmu ascended the throne as the country’s first emperor.
1847: American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio.
1963: American author and poet Sylvia Plath was found dead by suicide in her London flat. She was 30.
1975: Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party.
1979: Followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran.
FEB. 12
1554: Lady Jane Grey, who claimed the throne of England for nine days, and her husband, Guildford Dudley, were beheaded after being condemned for high treason.
1809: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in a log cabin in Hardin (now LaRue) County, Kentucky.
1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, was founded.
strongly but our caring doctors say she needs a little more time to be at her best,” the artists said.
Smith collapsed about 30 minutes into the event while reading a text about climate change, according to local media. She fell on stage and remained there for a few minutes before receiving assistance.
“She clearly felt dizzy. She started moving backward and fell in a way — I think she tried to support herself on the microphone or the music stand. And everything fell on top of her. It was a bizarre scene,” Micheline Alves, a journalist who was sitting in one of the front rows, said in a phone interview.
Alves said that a doctor, who was in the audience, went onstage to check on Smith. “After a few minutes, we saw that she wasn’t unconscious. She got up on her own,” Alves added.
She was then placed in a wheelchair and taken backstage. She later returned in a wheelchair and apologized, video on local media showed.
“Unfortunately, I got sick, and the doctor said I can’t finish. So we will have to figure something out. And I feel very badly,” Smith said.
The audience responded in English: “Don’t be! We love you!” The artist then sang “Wing” and “Because the Night” a capella.
“It was very beautiful because she was very sad, very vulnerable about not being able to do the show,” said Alves.
ABDELJALIL BOUNHAR / AP PHOTO
Legendary singer- songwriter Patti Smith collapsed onstage while giving a presentation on climate change in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
AP PHOTO
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born on Feb. 12, 1809.
*Must set up Auto Draft for 2nd Month.
famous birthdays this week
Beloved children’s author Judy Blume turns 87 on Wednesday.
Tom Brokaw is 85, Roberta Flack turns 88, Mia Farrow celebrates 80
The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week: FEB. 6
Actor Mike Farrell is 86. Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 85. Actor-director Robert Townsend is 68. Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) is 63. Singer Rick Astley is 59.
FEB. 7
Actor James Spader is 65. Country singer Garth Brooks is 63. Actor-comedian Eddie Izzard is 63. Actor-comedian Chris Rock is 60.
FEB. 8
Composer-conductor John Williams is 93. Broadcast journalist Ted Koppel is 85. Actor Nick Nolte is 84. Author John Grisham is 70. Rock singer Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe) is 64.
FEB. 9
Actor Janet Suzman is 86. Singer Carole King is 83. Singer Barbara Lewis is 82. Actor Joe Pesci is 82. Author Alice Walker (“The Color Purple”) is 81. Actor Mia Farrow is 80. Country singer Travis Tritt is 62.
FEB. 10
Actor Robert Wagner is 95. Singer Roberta Flack is 88. George Stephanopoulos is 64. Actor Laura Dern is 58. Actor Elizabeth Banks is 51.
FEB. 11
Actor Tina Louise (“Gilligan’s Island”) is 91. Actor Philip Anglim (“The Thorn Birds”) is 73. Singer Sheryl Crow is 63. Actor Jennifer Aniston is 56.
FEB. 12
Author Judy Blume is 87. Country singer Moe Bandy is 81. Guitarist Steve Hackett (Genesis) is 75. Actor-talk show host Arsenio Hall is 69.
JACK PLUNKETT / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Rocker Axl Rose, pictured performing with Guns N’ Roses in 2019, is 63 on Thursday.
MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO
Tom Brokaw, anchor of “NBC Nightly News” from 1982 to 2004, celebrates 85 on Thursday.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Amy Schumer expecting; Kevin Costner celebrates park; Pharrell, Jay-Z made of Lego
John Coltrane’s
“A Love Supreme” turns 60 with an anniversary deluxe release
The Associated Press
AMY SCHUMER leading the R-rated comedy “Kinda Pregnant” and “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner narrating a docuseries about Yosemite National Park are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: The estate of saxophonist John Coltrane offers an anniversary edition of his album “A Love Supreme,” Pharrell Williams’ life story is told using Lego pieces in the unconventional documentary “Piece by Piece,” and Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh star in the romantic drama “We Live In Time.”
MOVIES TO STREAM
Schumer leads the R-rated comedy “Kinda Pregnant” on Netflix. In the film, her character Lainy starts wearing a fake “bump” and telling everyone she’s pregnant, jealous of her best friend who is actually gestating a human. Naturally, she meets the man of her dreams in this state. Will Forte, Jillian Bell, Damon Wayans Jr. and “Ginny and Georgia’s” Brianne Howey also star.
It’s hard to believe that the Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, demon carousel horse meme only happened last year. This is not the meditation on time that John Crowley was going for with his romantic drama “We Live In Time,” about new love, family, cancer and ambition, but with subjects as heavy as those it’s also OK to have a bit of fun with it. The movie makes its Max debut Friday. I found myself mostly dry- eyed when I reviewed it last year, hung up on some of the more unbelievable story points, writing “The main reason to see ‘We Live In Time’ is not the promise of crying or the realities of having a young kid, though, but the quietly affecting performances from Pugh and Garfield. … It is charming and
silly and sometimes cringey — other people’s relationships always are.”
Williams’ life story is told using Lego in Morgan Neville’s unconventional documentary “Piece by Piece,” which begins streaming on Peacock on Friday. In his review for The Associated Press, Mark Kennedy wrote that it, “is a bright, clever song-filled biopic that pretends it’s a behind-the-scenes documentary using small plastic bricks, angles and curves to celebrate an artist known for his quirky soul. It is deep and surreal and often adorable. Is it high concept or low? Like Williams, it’s a bit of both.”
MUSIC TO STREAM
Six decades ago, Coltrane released “A Love Supreme,” a revelatory work of modal and spiritual jazz largely considered to be the singular saxophonist’s greatest collection and certainly his most popular. On Friday, listeners can reexperience the album with “A Love Supreme: 60th Anniversary Edition,” out via Impulse! Records. And if streaming isn’t enough — they’re released a limited-edition vinyl version, too.
The Dominican singer-songwriter Natti Natasha is tomor-
row’s talent today, effortlessly marrying reggaeton,
and pop. That’s evidenced by her forthcoming project pro
sexy “Quiéreme Menos” deserves a place on your playlist — she even performed that one live at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade last year. If it is great enough for the most delicious holiday, it is great enough for all.
SHOWS TO STREAM
Kaitlyn Dever stars in a limited series about the underbelly of the wellness industry. “Apple Cider Vinegar,” premiering Thursday on Netflix, is not about the fermented juice that is credited for its health benefits. This ACV is based on the true story of Belle Gibson, an Australian woman who pretended to be a cancer survivor, thanks to clean eating and organic foods. Alycia Debnam-Carey and Aisha Dee co-star.
Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in the film
“We Live In Time.”
ti Natasha en Amargue.” “Tu Loca” is modern Música tropicale balladry; the slow and
In 2022, Costner narrated a docuseries on Fox Nation marking the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park. He’s back as an executive producer, host and narrator of a three-episode sequel called “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.” The Oscar winner retraces Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir’s Yosemite exposition, which helped to inspire Roosevelt’s conservation efforts. It premieres Saturday.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
The Middle Ages were rough on pretty much everyone, but consider poor Henry, the hero of 2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance. His whole family in 15th century Bohemia got murdered by mercenaries, so he spent the game on a mission of vengeance. Henry’s back for more in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, now fighting for the resistance that’s trying to restore the king to his throne. The developers, Prague’s Warhorse Studios, say this new chapter is “historically accurate” — so there’s none of the sorcery you might expect in a medieval role-playing game. It’s all about who wields the fastest sword, though you may want to take a break now and then to have a mug of mead and admire the lush Bohemian landscape. Join the battle on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
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duced by Romeo Santos, “Nat-
Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams voice Lego characters in “Piece By Piece,” streaming Friday on Peacock.
PETER MOUNTAIN / A24 VIA AP
BEN KING / NETFLIX VIA AP
Kaitlyn Dever stars in “Apple Cider Vinegar,” coming to Netflix on Thursday.