&
Moore’s Keep Christian Camp director Tom Lewis prepares for the dedication prayer at its grand opening last Thursday.
the BRIEF this
week
Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments, says prosecutor was illegally appointed
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging, was illegally appointed by the Justice Department. The rulings halt a pair of prosecutions that had targeted two of the president’s most high-pro le political opponents.
DOJ renews bid to unseal Epstein grand jury materials
The Justice Department has renewed its request to unseal Je rey Epstein sex tra cking grand jury materials after Congress approved the release of investigative materials related to the prosecution of the late nancier. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton signed a submission in federal court on Monday asking that the materials be released now that President Donald Trump signed the action requiring release of documents related to Epstein within 30 days. The DOJ said the congressional action was written to indicate an intent to override any contrary provisions of existing law.
$2.00
Nearby year-round camp continues expanding impact
By Bob Wachs For Chatham News & Record
JUST A FEW MILES beyond the Chatham-Moore County line sits a 195-acre plot of “dirt, trees and water” that’s becoming far more than a natural beauty spot.
It’s the site of Moore’s Keep Christian Camp, a place its management says is not just about that good-natured way they sometimes describe its natural environment but more about the environment of heart and spirit.
“Our vision,” said assistant camp director Cade Fields, “is to create a fun and safe place through the development and operation of a year-round Christian camp.”
Begun in 1986 at the urging of a local pastor as Camp Victory, a summer youth camp in a rented facility, Moore’s Keep’s steady growth is leading to not only children and youth summer camps but also to other activities. Each summer there are three weeklong sessions of both junior and senior camps. Included are traditional activities, arts and crafts, water sports at the Olympic-sized pool, kayaking on a nearby creek, go-karts, archery and marksmanship. There’s also a nurse on site, restrooms and showers, meals and a snack canteen. Due to its growth, the camp is
Commissioners approached on new recreational facilities
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — Chatham County could potentially be seeing two new recreational facilities.
The board held two public hearings at its Nov. 17 meeting, with the rst being for a proposed amendment to the Chatham County Zoning Ordinance to allow for the use of
recreational facilities in Light Industrial zoning districts. While the request stemmed primarily from a request by the lessees of the old Performance Bike warehouse on Old Lystra Road, who are looking to develop a recreational volleyball facility within one of the vacant suites, the amendment would
Siler City plans to launch downtown Wi-Fi pilot
“The main thing is we’re trying to provide a service to people that might not have access.”
Matthews
The three-month pilot will be primarily funded by the Innovate Chatham nonpro t
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
SILER CITY — The town of Siler City is proceeding with a potential pilot program to add public Wi-Fi to its downtown area. At the Siler City Board of Commissioners’ Nov. 17 regular business meeting, the board was presented with the framework for the pilot.
The pilot, which was brought forth by Innovate Chatham, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, would run for three months,
be accessible from North and South Chatham Avenue, and be based in the new Welcome Center.
Innovate Chatham is also proposing to bear the capital costs of the program, which they project to be around $11,000, with the town then taking over the costs for infrastructure support and operational expenses.
Per the nonpro t’s estimates, it would cost the town, at a maximum, around $1,800 for the three-month pilot.
“The main thing is we’re trying to provide a service to people that might not have access,” said Mayor Donald Matthews. “That’s the bottom line.
be wide sweeping for all Light Industrial districts.
“I’m not a developer but rather a dad and a volunteer and a resident of Chatham County,” said the applicant, Greg Smith. “With this small change, Chatham County has the opportunity to support a local nonprofit’s vision and, more broadly, enable others in similar circumstances to achieve comparable success.” Smith pointed to the growing frequency of up tted warehouse facilities within other
BOB WACHS FOR CHATHAM NEWS
RECORD
CRIME LOG
Nov. 17
• Nidaiya Tapulei Lauano, 18, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for simple assault.
Nov. 20
• Ezequiel Gomez-Perez, 23, of Siler City, was arrested for assault on a female.
• Yusef Jahi Crocket, 25, of Durham, was arrested for malicious conduct by prisoner.
• Luis Mario SantiagoLopez, 39, of Sanford, was arrested for felony larceny and tampering with antitheft components.
FACILITIES from page A1
local counties and also stated that the option to just simply request a downzoning for the property wasn’t really feasible as they are not the property owners.
“Former warehouses as well as larger commercial and industrial buildings are enjoying extended useful life by accommodating these less intrusive recreational facilities,” Smith said. “Up tting and repurposing an existing building o ers a strategic cost-e ective and environmentally responsible alternative to new green eld development. By leveraging existing infrastructure and reducing project complexity, owners, lessors and lessees can achieve faster delivery, lower risk and superior long-term value.”
“We’re looking to breathe new life into an existing facility while causing very minimal disturbances to the local area while doing so.”
According to Smith, the warehouse already has the parking to accommodate a recreational facility.
Following the hearing, the commissioners referred the item to the planning board for its review.
The Chatham County Planning Board is scheduled to next meet on Dec. 2.
Pittsboro Elementary teacher receives Milken Educator Award
The national honor came during the school’s 65th anniversary celebration
Chatham News & Record sta PITTSBORO — A fourth grade teacher at Pittsboro Elementary School received the 2025 North Carolina Milken Educator Award during a surprise announcement Nov. 19.
Shane Henderson, who has taught at the school for a decade, was presented with the award — which includes a $25,000 unrestricted prize — by State Superintendent Mo Green during the school’s 65th anniversary celebration.
Often called the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards recognize early- to mid-career educators who demonstrate exceptional talent and leadership. Unlike lifetime achievement awards, the Milken honors teachers for work already accomplished and the promise of what’s to come. Since 1987, more than 2,900 educators nationwide have received the award.
Henderson is the only North Carolina recipient in 2025, and he is the state’s 58th since joining the program in 1994.
“Recognizing one of our own with the prestigious Milken Educator Award is not just an
$25K
The award comes with an unrestricted cash prize
honor for the individual, it’s a re ection of the excellence we strive for every day in Chatham County,” said Anthony D. Jackson, superintendent of Chatham County Schools. Henderson grew up in Chatham County and worked his way from bus driver to instructional assistant before be-
coming a classroom teacher. He still maintains his CDL license to ll in as a driver when needed.
His fourth grade class recently achieved a 16-point increase in reading pro ciency and a 75% passing rate on endof-year assessments.
Beyond the classroom, Henderson leads the school’s Breakfast for Brainiacs club, serves as grade-level chair, and sits on both the School Improvement and behavior teams. He has also presented literacy strategies at the National School Boards Association’s Conference for Public Education Leaders.
CHATHAM happening
Nov. 29
Dec. 2
Dec. 6
Brightspeed’s
This family-friendly evening of Christmas activities includes photos with Santa, a train ride for kids, a concert featuring the Northwood High School Band and Choir, and the drone light show, which begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Philip H. Kohl MOSAIC Family Commons 457 Freedom Parkway Pittsboro
Dec. 8
Chatham County Board of Commissioners Regular Session 6 p.m.
Chatham County Agricultural and Conference Center 1192 US Highway 64 West Business Pittsboro
Dec.
12
Holiday in the Park 5-8 p.m.
This free indoor/outdoor event o ers a variety of holiday festivities, including the opportunity for letters to and photos with Santa, a tree lighting, hayrides, and a host of games and craft activities. Vendor applications are now being accepted; contact Leigh.Babcock@ chathamcountync.gov for information.
Northwest District Park 2413 Woody Store Road Siler City
PHOTOS COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS
Shane Henderson reacts as students reveal his $25,000 Milken Educator Award at Pittsboro Elementary School on Nov. 19.
From left to right, Pittsboro Elementary Principal Lemondre Watson, Shane Henderson and CCS Superintendent Anthony Jackson pose for a photo.
State Superintendent Mo Green, right, was on hand to celebrate both the school’s anniversary and the $25,000 Milken Educator Award.
Charlotte immigration crackdown goes on, Homeland Security says
More than 370 people have been arrested, DHS has said
By Gary D. Robertson and John Seewer The Associated Press
RALEIGH — A federal immigration crackdown centered around North Carolina’s largest city of Charlotte appeared to be tapering o last Thursday, local law enforcement leaders said, but a Homeland Security ocial insisted the arrests would not let up.
The North Carolina operation that began last weekend was the most recent phase of Republican President Donald Trump ‘s aggressive mass deportation e orts that have sent the military and immigration agents into Democratic-run cities — from Chicago to Los Angeles.
“The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon,” said Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
Both the local sheri and police department said earlier in the day that the crackdown, which has resulted in hundreds of arrests, appeared to be over less than a week after it began. Federal o cials have o ered few details about those arrested, or when and where agents will show up next.
But even as confusion swirled over whether Operation Charlotte’s Web was on or o in North Carolina, immigration enforcement actions are taking place nationwide, often with far less media attention than the Border Patrol surges. In one example, the Department of Homeland Security said last Thursday that Immigration
CAMP from page A1
now undertaking a major building program, which saw the dedication of a permanent multiuse facility last Thursday.
“That’s our rst permanent year-round housing,” Fields said. “We had been using large tents, but this will let us use the camp throughout the year. Already we’ve got a young adult event set for January and a youth retreat for February.”
Additional events planned for year-round include o -season events such as couples’ retreats, family camps, ladies’ conferences and father-and-son retreats. At the dedication and ribbon cutting, camp director Tom Lewis described Moore’s Keep as a “dream and a vision” on what had been “raw property” before many individuals joined what he referred to as “the original group of four — me, myself, I and God.”
At the dedication of the new complex, Lewis spoke with gratitude for the support of all involved, from local o cials to the people who cleared the site and constructed the building, known as the Village. It includes 10 dorm rooms with four bunk beds, allowing for 80 campers, as well as a Great Room for dining and chapel, an expanded nurses’ station, o ce space for sta , lobbies outside each set of rooms for Bible studies and devotion, and a separate apartment for the camp speaker.
Moore’s Keep’s architecture is built around a medieval theme of castles having a “keep” — a forti ed tower — with-
and Customs Enforcement had arrested roughly 3,500 people over a six-week span in Houston.
Mecklenburg County Sheri Garry McFadden said in a statement that federal o cials conrmed that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web ” had ended but that agents would continue operating as they have in the past.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police posted on social media last
in a castle to serve as a stronghold and last refuge during battles. Keeps were also often used for residences for the lord and his family as well as a place to store valuables and provisions, a thought that led to the name Moore’s Keep, along with the realization, Lewis laughingly said, that a block structure would be “rough and tough enough to handle 8-year-old boys.”
While all those activities and additions are an uptick in camp life, Fields said the real purpose of what goes on is about hearts, souls and minds.
“Our mission is to introduce people of all ages to salvation through Jesus Christ and disciple people through spiritual growth,” he said.
To that end, each day of Camp Victory includes not only numerous activities but also worship service and Bible study.
“Our cause is to win the hearts and minds of young people through the power of God’s Word and to send them into the world as ambassadors for Christ,” he said.
The camp’s growth is the result of vision, work and God’s blessings, Fields said.
“Mr. Tom (Lewis) and Miss Nicky (his wife) were volunteers at the rst Camp Victory in 1986,” he said. “They went back for 16 years until 2002 when they felt the Lord calling them into this full-time ministry, and Benchmark Ministries was created to sponsor the camp. Mr. Tom was in construction in the Raleigh-Durham area, and when God provided property for a permanent home in 2005, our
Thursday that it received “reliable information” that Border Patrol personnel involved with the operation had departed that morning.
Another statement attributed to an unnamed Homeland Security spokesperson said that federal agencies “continue to target some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens as Operation Charlotte’s Web progresses,” and that about 370 people have been arrested over ve days.
board of directors stepped up. Many of them were also in construction in the same area, and they’ve all been faithful to creating a camp where the Gospel is preached.”
Tom and Nicky Lewis have a lengthy connection with Chrisian camping from volunteering to now serving as management at Moore’s Keep.
“We’ve been going to camp for 39 years,” he said at the dedication, “and we’re still going.
“Since Camp Victory started in 1986,” Lewis writes on the camp’s website, “we have repeatedly witnessed the transforming power of the Gospel in the lives of hundreds of young people through this Christian camping ministry. We believe the Lord uses exposures to the wonders of His creation in a camp setting to speak to them individually. Without technology and the distractions of everyday life, campers are able to open their hearts and minds to hear His voice and to experience Him in ways that will impact them for eternity.
“Our goal is to continue to develop this facility to allow even more lives to be impacted by Christ.”
Additional information about the camp, whose main entrance is at 1200 Benchmark Road in Robbins, is available on its website at mooreskeep.org or by contacting camp director Tom Lewis at 919-815-7603 or at tomlewis@benchmarkministries.com.
“Everything we do here,” Lewis said, “is unapologetically intended to introduce young people to Jesus Christ.”
The Moore’s Keep Christian Camp just opened its new permanent facility last week.
Charlotte area and near the capital city of Raleigh.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, said last Thursday she was hopeful the enforcement operation was winding down.
“I’m relieved for our community and the residents, businesses, and all those who were targeted and impacted by this intrusion,” Lyles wrote on X. “As we move forward, it is essential that we come together— not as separate groups divided by recent events, but as one Charlotte community.”
North Carolina Republican Party spokesperson Matt Mercer called the crackdown a success.
Homeland Security leaders have said they brought the large operation to North Carolina because of so-called sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration agents.
The crackdown in Charlotte was met with some resistance and protests. About 100 people gathered outside a Home Depot store in Charlotte last Wednesday, where federal agents were spotted multiple times during the surge.
Arrests in Charlotte and the Raleigh area created a chilling e ect in immigrant neighborhoods — school attendance dropped, and small shops and restaurants closed to avoid confrontations between customers and federal agents.
Customers at a laundromat in Charlotte left behind their clothes in washers and dryers and ran out the doors after agents showed up over the weekend at nearby stores, said the laundromat’s owner.
Federal agents are expected to descend next on New Orleans for operation “ Swamp Sweep,” a monthslong crackdown in southeast Louisiana.
As many as 250 federal troops could arrive as soon as Friday for the operation expected to kick o at the beginning of December.
In North Carolina, agents — some heavily armed in tactical gear and unmarked vehicles — have carried out arrests in the
WI-FI from page A1
We’re trying to help out someone who may not have access at home.”
Innovate Chatham will seek out a contract for the work, but it will still need to come before the board fornal approval.
The board was also presented with data related to potential future youth spaces projects by the Chatham County Public Health Department.
“As a result of that 2024 Community Assessment, one of the top priorities that was listed was activities for youth and young adults,” said Youth Health and Tobacco Initiatives Lead Tia Brown.
According to the data, 11.1% of respondents from the assessment chose activities for teenagers and 18.5% chose parks and recreation as a top priority for improving community health.
“We need more activities in Siler City,” wrote one focus group respondent. “There’s nowhere to really hang out besides the ice cream places.”
In response, the Public Health department also conducted a youth input survey, with 66 eligible respondents (ages 14-25 and living in or near Siler City) completing it.
The survey results presented at the meeting ranked the top desired indoor and outdoor features respondents would hope to see developed.
Immigration o cials have blanketed the country since January, pushing detention counts to all-time highs above 60,000. Big cities and small towns across the country are targeted daily amid higher-prole pushes in places such as Portland, Oregon, where more than 560 immigration arrests were made in October. Smaller bursts of enforcement have popped up elsewhere.
For indoor features, comfortable seating, game tables, a stage for performances, gaming space and an art exhibit were the top responses.
For outdoor features, outdoor table games, a parkour park, a stage for performances, an outdoor movie screen and a skate park were the top responses.
The survey was circulated on social media, through yers and the department also attended local teen nights around the area and hosted a youth interest meeting, but the respondents were skewed mostly toward women, something the department acknowledged would have to be addressed better in a future feasibility study.
“For this project to be successful, we need to reach more people throughout the whole process,” said Health Promotion and Policy Division Director Dorothy Rawleigh. “Moving forward, we will work with whatever consultants are hired to make sure we continue to have opportunities to engage all relevant parties.”
In addition, the board also approved a reduction in the frequency of its meetings, going from twice a month to now just once a month starting in December.
The Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners will next meet Dec. 1.
MATT KELLEY / AP PHOTO
Former mayor of Charlotte Jennifer Roberts addresses the media during a protest outside of a Home Depot last Wednesday in Charlotte.
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
Thankful vs. grateful: A distinction
I begin most mornings — not all, I’m not perfect — by journaling, and I call to mind things that occurred the previous day.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE between being thankful and being grateful? In her book “Wake Up Grateful,” Kristi Nelson de es the common belief that “thankful” and “grateful” are synonymous: “Thankful” is a more immediate situational emotion often expressed for speci c favors or relief, while “grateful” implies a deeper, more emotional and long-term appreciation for kindness or bene ts received. This distinction is useful to me.
I begin most mornings — not all, I’m not perfect — by journaling, and I call to mind things that occurred the previous day. I am thankful for productive meetings and completed goals. If I journal long enough, I express thanksgiving for not only the highlights but also smaller encounters — drivers who let me merge onto the highway and strangers who hold the elevator open. This journaling practice helps me attune to little moments so that I might be thankful more often.
I also try to thank my loved ones for things like lending a hand with the chores. However, I feel more deeply for them than merely for what they do or don’t do. Their presence in my life is a blessing.
I am grateful for the gift of their lives, the gift of them. “Grateful” is derived from the same root as “grace,” meaning unmerited favor. You cannot earn or
accomplish grace. It is not an achievement but a given.
While I can express thanks for a situation when it occurs, gratitude is about the recognition that I am connected to the grace of things much older and greater than me. I love how Rumi, a Muslim poet, wrote, “The ocean takes care of each wave until it gets to shore.”
This Thanksgiving, I will spend a few days at the beach with my wife, our kids and members of our extended family. In previous trips, my young daughter has spent an entire morning lling up bucket after bucket with seashells. In her eyes, each one is more beautiful than the last. It’s true that every shell is unique, but she cannot possibly collect all the shells on the beach. She has to choose only a few to carry back to the house.
Perhaps I can draw an analogy to this distinction between thanksgiving and gratitude. I am thankful for so much in a day. I am grateful for the gifts, especially the people, that I carry with me as my precious and sacred treasures.
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, co ee drinker and student of joy.
Keep the right perspective as the year moves along
So it’s “that time of the year” again, time for Thanksgiving to get its 15 minutes of fame and then be put back onto the shelf again until next November Whatever.
IT’S THAT TIME of the year again. Comes around often.
As in every year.
It’s sort of like my boyhood friend and idol Bobby Joe High’s aged great-uncle Stuart “Stu” Pendus used to tell us boys about his birthday: “You know, I’ve been noticing something about my birthday … comes on Aug. 14 every year.”
How do I know it’s “that time of the year again?” Well, it’s because Halloween and its 40 pounds of candy has passed and the masks are put away for another year.
And later this week, we’ll have the Christmas buying emphasis known as “Black Friday” again, one more in what seems to be endless “Black Fridays” or “PreBlack Friday” or “Next Black Friday” or whatever the advertising and marketing people want to call it. They invite us to rush out to spend a truckload of cash on Christmas gifts since there aren’t many shopping days left until Christmas, your favorite item may be sold out if you don’t hurry and saddle up, and apparently there’ll never be another Christmas, at least according to the 11 pounds of advertising circulars in my Sunday paper all urging me to buy now.
Right now.
It wasn’t until just a few years ago I came to understand that “Black” Friday wasn’t a time of mourning but the day of the business year when many retailers turned the sales and pro t corner and went “into the black” on their business ventures.
So it’s “that time of the year” again, time for Thanksgiving to get its 15 minutes of fame and then be put back onto the shelf again until next November Whatever.
Permit me to make a statement here that capsules my feelings about the whole thing. I’m de nitely not against the American free enterprise system. It may not be a perfect system, but it’s leaps and bounds ahead of whatever is in second place.
Fundamentally, I believe if you’ve got the head and heart to work hard, you deserve what you can earn. One of my favorite mantras for life is, “Make all you can so you can give all you can.” But by the same token, it’s hard on my gentle spirit to see Thanksgiving Day relegated to one day of a parade and football game on TV and a big meal.
Maybe most folks do practice Thanksgiving as a way and not just a day. I hope so. But somehow it seems to me that when “count your blessings” comes to mind, most of us think more about a song by that name than we do about what the song means.
Let me urge us (that would be you and me) to think on this Thursday for a moment, about what and who we are thankful and grateful for … and then do the same thing on Friday, Black or otherwise. And then on Saturday and then on the next day and then … well, you get the idea.
Even if it’s that you’re thankful you can get out in the herd of humanity on Black Friday, just don’t lose Thanksgiving Day and the thanksgiving way along the way.
Out in front of the church I serve is a lighted sign identifying who we are as a group and containing space for messages and announcements.
Sometimes the messages are simply announcements, this or that event on this or that day at this or that time. At other times, the messages are food for thought, timeless even.
I’m going to ask the lady who operates the messages to put up one regarding this time of year and what it means, and it means a mouthful, pun intended: “On Thanksgiving Day, will you be thankful or just full?”
Worth thinking about … and then doing something about.
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
A runaway script
I’ve had many, many moons of instantly forming negative judgments of others. Just saying “remember the turtle” would not make much of a dent in my lifelong habit.
OH MY, that really nasty script I’m composing in my mind … Wait, wait, getting way ahead of things here. Let’s back up, OK?
Here we go.
The skies opened wide while driving home recently on a narrow, two-lane country road. Piles and piles of heavy rain, lashing my windshield. While I was carefully, and somewhat fearfully, negotiating this mass of wetness, a car pulled out of a driveway right in front of me. Yikes, that car, quickly, came to an unexpected stop! I panicked. As my late mother would say, my heart had taken up residence in my throat. I’m slipping and sliding, really, really wanting my car to get a grip on the slippery country road. OK, OK, yes, I was praying there was enough traction so I wouldn’t slide o the road and into the ditch. (Not fond of ditches at all.)
Skidded to a halt. No ditch-dunking in the o ng. (Hallelujah!) The other driver, who’d engaged in the sudden stop, opened his door and waved me around him. At this point, I was absolutely furious, and still scared, at what had just transpired. Geez, that stupid driver … Well on my way to composing a (none too friendly) script in my head, replete with searing judgments of the other driver. Yeah, yeah, I was cutting the other driver to smithereens in my mind’s quickly forming script. Slowly, I began to pull around his car. I suddenly saw the reason for his abrupt stop. A beautiful box turtle was inching across the road. My much maligned driver had scrunched to a sudden halt to avoid hitting the critter. Wearing no raincoat, he exited his car in this cascade of wetness, safely moving the box turtle to the other side of the road. My judgmental script evaporated. Poof. Gone. Opened my car window, stuck my head out in the rain, shouting “Thank you! Thank you!” several times. With feeling. Like the unknown gent (now soaking wet), with whom I was so angry just a moment ago, I’m a turtle lover. I’m such an ardent turtle rescue momma that I’ve narrowly avoided being hit by a car in my own mania to save a turtle. Nothing like going
COLUMN | DANNY GAINES
into a reactive mode when a turtle is at risk.
In my craze of “gotta save that turtle,” I literally slam on the brakes, jump out of my vehicle (usually forgetting to look both ways for oncoming cars) and barrel toward moving the turtle to other the side of the road. My overwhelming concern for saving the turtle somehow seems to subsume my own personal safety concerns. I try to remember my safety, but at that point, reactivity is in the driver’s seat. Sigh.
Oh, right, to cap it o , frightened turtles often pee on the hands of ardent Turtle Crossing Saviors. (Can’t the shelled one be frightened too?) Did I say I love turtles?
That very uncomplimentary script I’d written in my head regarding the stopped driver? Left me cogitating the reactive scripts I compose in my mind on the spur of the moment when I have no context, or understanding, of someone’s actions. Just diving, head rst, into that deep and judgmental hole of “they’re wrong!”
Once I made it home in one piece, thank heavens, I began to entertain the possibility that my dismissed negative script might be a curative for my rapid capacity to judge others. You know, “Remember the turtle!”
Not.
Who am I kidding? I’ve had many, many moons of instantly forming negative judgments of others. Just saying “remember the turtle” would not make much of a dent in my lifelong habit. However, as happens (thanks universe), I remembered lyrics from a song that o ered me a more patient way forward.
“Can we be like drops of water, falling on the stone ... that as time goes by, the rock will wear away” — Holly Near
Yep, my rock of instantly forming, hardcore judgments could start melting away, bit by bit, “as time goes by.” (Thank you Ms. or Mr. Turtle for opening that door.) Reminder: Quit picking on yourself, Jan. You’re human, like the rest of us.
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
Stablecoin loophole threatens North Carolina’s farm lending
Unlike Wall Street lenders, community banks know us by name.
I’VE SPENT my whole life in Chatham County. For over 20 years, I raised chickens, and now I tend cattle on those same rolling hills. Like most folks around here, I take pride in hard work, family and the values that connect us to the land.
North Carolina has over 74,000 farmers, and together we generate more than $103 billion in economic impact. Agriculture supports more than 736,000 jobs across the state. But what keeps the whole system running isn’t just the weather or commodity prices; it’s credit. Access to a ordable nancing is the lifeblood of rural communities, and that credit often begins at our local community banks.
Unlike Wall Street lenders, community banks know us by name. They’re built on local knowledge, which can’t be automated or outsourced to an app. When a farmer needs to buy feed or replace machinery, the community bank down the street looks beyond the numbers on a page. They understand our land, our history and our word. That’s what keeps family farms alive. But a quiet storm is brewing in Washington that could shake that foundation. Congress recently passed the GENIUS Act, which brought cryptocurrency, including stablecoin, into the nancial mainstream. Lawmakers wisely prohibited stablecoin issuers from paying interest, aiming to keep them separate from traditional deposits that fuel lending in the real economy. The idea was to allow innovation without draining the local deposits that banks use to make loans. Unfortunately, that line is already being crossed. Some digital-asset companies are skirting the rules by o ering “rewards” that mimic yield or interest. Call it what you want,
BE IN TOUCH
but interest by another name is still interest. And the danger is real. Treasury estimates show that, even without these gimmicks, stablecoins could reduce small-bank deposits by 6.4%, resulting in $19 billion less in small-business loans and $10.6 billion less in farm lending. If stablecoins begin paying full yields, the hit could be catastrophic — up to $62 billion less in agricultural loans nationwide.
That’s not some abstract number on a balance sheet. That’s fewer young farmers getting started. That’s equipment left unrepaired and elds left empty. That’s a loss of opportunity for the rural backbone of America.
We can’t let Wall Street disguise speculation as “innovation” while siphoning deposits from the banks that actually serve us. Congress must close the loopholes in the GENIUS Act and make it crystal clear: If a company acts like a bank, it should play by the same rules. Our farms, our businesses, and our communities depend on it.
I’ve seen plenty of change over my lifetime, and not all of it bad. But if we allow Washington to stand by while digital currencies drain the lifeblood from rural credit, we’ll pay for it in lost farms, lost jobs and lost communities. Let’s make sure the next generation of North Carolina farmers has the same chance to build a life on the land that we did.
Danny Gaines is a lifelong Chatham County resident who spent more than 20 years as a chicken farmer and continues to raise cattle today. He is a proud Farm Bureau member who has dedicated his life to agriculture and his local community.
Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.
Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com
COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI
Release of Epstein files
sets a horrible precedent
FORMER HARVARD
president Larry Summers has now lost virtually every professional association after a House committee released emails of his exchanges with child sex o ender Je rey Epstein. There are around 20,000 pages of them. Many of the correspondences are embarrassing. There’s going to be little, if any, sympathy for a wellknown elite who’s angered conservatives and progressives and befriends creeps. And perhaps Summers doesn’t deserve any.
If conspiracists don’t get what they’re after, they’ll simply claim that other les are being hidden.
Even so, there isn’t even a hint of illegality in those emails. There’s nothing suggesting that Summers participated in any kind of impropriety or conspiracy. The only purpose of the release was to destroy Summers.
Congress is about to release the so-called Epstein les, a trove of documents that were amassed during criminal investigations into the sex o ender who committed suicide in 2019. The contents are likely brimming with thousands of names of innocent people, many who have provided alibis or were never under any suspicion of sex tra cking or anything else. A signi cant portion of any criminal investigation consists of uncorroborated accusations that are oated by people on the periphery of the case, third-hand accounts, theories and rumors. This is why grand jury les are almost always sealed. We already know Epstein was a vile and depraved criminal. And no one should belittle the experience of his victims. Anyone, however, can make allegations. Even victims don’t always remember correctly. Even things a braggart like Epstein might have said may not be true. That’s why we have procedures and rule of law and statutes of limitations and trials. Moreover, the Epstein les will be lled with information obtained by law enforcement using warrants based on probable cause signed o by a judge for speci c reason. The warrants, which allow the use of government coercion, weren’t signed so that the public could have access to emails of every person he spoke with. Americans caught up in criminal investigations have a presumption of privacy. Those who continued their relationships with Epstein even after he was convicted of solicitation of prostitution from a minor are detestable. But fraternizing with criminals isn’t criminality itself. What principle stops future congresses from cracking open useful DOJ les and releasing any embarrassing secondhand conversations that involve their political enemies? Perhaps ask the people caught up in the “Russia collusion” investigations.
There’s apparently a widespread public belief that Epstein was tra cking underaged girls to a cabal of powerful people. As of now, there is only evidence that Epstein participated in sexual crimes himself. It is perfectly plausible that the nancier befriended celebrities and kingmakers on one hand and tra cked women for himself on the other. If journalists want to prove that Epstein was the kingpin of the New World Order pedo -ring, go for it. If authorities believe that his prosecution in Florida was corrupt, launch an investigation into misconduct. This isn’t an ancient case. Most of the victims are still alive. Most of the powerful people who are involved with Epstein are still alive. His sidekick is still alive and in prison. Investigate. But much of this is driven by rank partisanship. Democrats like to act as if President Donald Trump is engaged in some cover-up. Well, they had every chance to release the les during Joe Biden’s presidency. I’ve not seen a single Democrat explain why they didn’t. One suspects that if there were anything implicating Trump of genuine wrongdoing, we’d have seen them leaked long ago. House Democrats couldn’t even muster the votes to censure Stacey Plaskett, who exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. The whole thing is farce.
Republicans are no better. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s embarrassing press gaggle, featuring some of the world’s most vacuous “in uencers” waving empty “Epstein Files: Phase 1” binders around left the administration with a mess that’s now impossible to x.
The les, of course, will never be enough. There will be hundreds of ghosts to chase. If conspiracists don’t get what they’re after, they’ll simply claim that other les are being hidden. They’ll demand grand jury les — which are being protected by a judge, as they should be — be released.
If Americans want to speculate on Epstein, that’s their right. Maybe their theories will be proven correct. But longstanding norms regarding privacy and the presumption of innocence shouldn’t be trashed by cowardly politicians every time the mob howls.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.
obituaries
June Karen Phillips Price
March 16, 1957 –Nov. 23, 2025
Ms. June Phillips Price died peacefully on November 23, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina surrounded by her family.
Ms. Price is survived by her children, Karen Phillips (Gary) and Torris Price, Jr. Her siblings Donna P. Kivett (Ricky) and Burl Phillips, Jr. (Kristy), two grandchildren Whitney Keck (Sam) and Torris Price, III. She is preceded in death by parents, Burl Phillips, Sr and Jean Stephens Beal. June was born in Siler City, North Carolina and is graduate of the class of 1972 from Jordan-Matthews High School. Her children remember her as a kind and gentle mother who encouraged them to pursue their goals and was extremely proud of her grandchildren
IN MEMORY
and their accomplishments. June was a knowledgeable genealogist, who loved telling everyone how they were related. She was a generous and witty friend, who loved history and who was passionate about volunteering with Domestic Violence survivors. June was an active and dedicated member of the many genealogical groups and often volunteered at Chatham County Historical Museum when her health allowed.
A funeral is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 2 pm at Smith and Buckner Chapel, with visitation beginning at 1 pm, the Rev. Wayne Lamb will o ciate the ceremony. All are welcome to attend and celebrate June’s life.
In lieu of owers, please send donations to Piney Grove Church, c/o Piney Grove Crew at PO Box 9, Siler City, NC, 27344.
The family would like to thank all of her caregivers at Parkview Rehabilitation for their e orts, care, and dedication. The family would also like to extend their thanks and appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Cli Tilley for being good neighbors and friends.
Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Price family. Online condolences can be made at www. smithbucknerfh.com
ANNIE FAYE BRAXTON
FEB. 9, 1936 – NOV. 11, 2025
A graveside service was held November 11,2025, for Annie Faye Braxton who went to be with the Lord on November 5,2025. Faye was one of six children born to Annie Mae Hewett Bra ord and London Hadley Bra ord in Brunswick County in Shallotte, North Carolina on February 9, 1936. The family lived at Indigo Farms in Brooksville, S.C. In 1946, the family moved to Siler City, N.C. Faye held several part-time jobs while attending Siler City High School. After graduation, she married Charm F. Braxton, and they lived in Pittsboro, N.C. Faye worked at a hosiery mill until she began work at UNC in the bookkeeping department where she retired after 34 years. Everyone who knew Faye knew that she loved the Lord. She was an active member of Pittsboro Baptist Church for many years. Faye was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers L.H.(Joe) Bra ord, Jr. and Chester Lee Bra ord, Sr., her sisters Edna Earle Bra ord Scotton and Victoria Bra ord Wade. Faye is survived by 2 children, Janet F. Braxton and Jerry F. Braxton and one sister Shirley Ann Bra ord Johnson of Chesapeake, Va. and a host of many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Faye will be remembered for her love of her family, her love of her many friends, and for her love of her Lord and Savior.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamnewsrecord.com
Vietnam War POW Robert Stirm, seen in iconic ‘Burst of Joy’ photo with family, dead at 92
The picture won a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography
By Kathy McCormack
The Associated Press
IT’S THE ULTIMATE homecoming photo — a smiling family rushing to reunite with a U.S. Air Force o cer in 1973 who spent years as a POW in North Vietnam, his oldest daughter sprinting ahead with her arms outstretched, both feet o the ground.
“Burst of Joy,” the iconic black-and-white image capturing the Stirm family at Travis Air Force Base in California, was published in newspapers throughout the nation. Taken by Associated Press photographer Sal Veder, it won a Pulitzer Prize and has continued to resonate through the years, a symbol of the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
On Veterans Day, retired Col. Robert Stirm, seen in the photo in uniform with his back to the camera, died at an assisted living facility in Fair eld, California, his daughter, Lorrie Stirm Kitching, con rmed Thursday. He was 92.
“It’s right in my front foyer,” Kitching, 68, of Mountain View, said of the photo. She was 15 when that moment of her running to hug her father was forever preserved.
“Just the feelings of that and the intensity of the feeling will never leave me,” Kitching told the AP in an interview. “It is so deep in my heart, and the joy and the relief that we had our dad back again. It was just truly a very moving reunion for our family, and that feeling has never left me. It’s the same feeling every time I see that picture.
“And every day, how grateful I am that my father was one of the lucky ones and returned home,” she added. “That was really a gift.”
Stirm was shot down over North Vietnam
Stirm, a decorated pilot, was serving with the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron based in Thailand in 1967. During a bombing mission over North Vietnam that Oct. 27, his F-105 Thunderchief was hit, and he was shot three times while
parachuting. He was captured immediately upon landing. He was held captive for 1,966 days in ve di erent POW camps in Hanoi and North Vietnam, including the notorious “Hanoi Hilton,” known for torturing and starving its captives, primarily American pilots shot down during bombing raids. Its most famous prisoner was the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who also was shot down in 1967. McCain and Stirm had known each other. They shared a wall in solitary con nement and communicated through a tapping code.
“John McCain tapped in this joke. First time Dad laughed in jail,” Kitching said. “I just wish I knew what that joke was,” she said. “I’m sure it was something very ribald.”
Photo represented heartbreak for Stirm
Stirm, who was 39 when the photo was taken, told the AP 20 years later that he had several copies of it but didn’t display it in his house. He had been handed a “Dear John” letter from his wife, Loretta, by a chaplain upon his release.
“I have changed drastically — forced into a situation where I nally had to grow up,” the letter read in part. “Bob, I feel sure that in your heart you know we can’t make it together — and it doesn’t make sense to be unhappy when you can do some-
“And every day, how grateful I am that my father was one of the lucky ones and returned home. That was really a gift.”
Lorrie Stirm Kitching
thing about it. Life is too short.”
Stirm said the photo “brought a lot of notoriety and publicity to me and, unfortunately, the legal situation that I was going to be faced with, and it was kind of unwelcomed.”
The couple divorced a year after Stirm returned from Vietnam and both remarried within six months.
They came together for weddings and other family events. Loretta Adams died in 2010, of cancer. She was 74.
“It hurt really deeply,” Kitching said. “She told him she wanted to make the marriage work. But she was being up front and honest. So every story has two sides, and I know very well just how di cult it is to understand the two sides.”
Stirm retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years of service. He joined Ferry Steel Products, a business his grandfather started in San Francisco. He also had worked as a corporate pilot.
Released prisoner of war Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm is greeted by his family at Travis Air Force Base in Fair eld, California, as he returns home from the Vietnam War on March 17, 1973.
RICHARD G. LUBMAN VIA AP
Former U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Stirm poses while wearing his dress uniform in September 2019.
Appeals court upholds 2023 NC US House district map
The map has already been replaced by a newly redrawn map
By Gary D. Robertson
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Federal judges last Thursday upheld several U.S. House districts that North Carolina Republicans drew in 2023 that helped the GOP gain additional seats the following year. They rejected accusations the lines unlawfully fractured and packed black voters to weaken their voting power.
The order by three judges — all of whom were nominated to the bench by GOP presidents — didn’t rule on changes made last month to the 1st Congressional District that are designed to unseat Democratic Rep. Don Davis in 2026.
for Republicans that many black voters could not elect their preferred candidates.
“We conclude that the General Assembly did not violate the Constitution or the VRA in its 2023 redistricting,” they wrote in a 181-page order.
The judges convened a trial several months ago hearing testimony for a pair of lawsuits that challenged portions of maps redrawn in 2023. Last week’s decision focused on ve congressional districts: three in the Greensboro region and two in and around Charlotte, as well as three state Senate districts.
The judges also upheld the Senate districts.
“We conclude that the General Assembly did not violate the Constitution or the VRA in its 2023 redistricting.”
4th Circuit decision
the GOP lawmakers said “the circumstances surrounding the plans’ enactment and the resulting district con gurations and composition are consistent with the General Assembly’s non-racial motivations, which included traditional districting criteria, North Carolina law, and partisan performance.”
The ruling can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Spokespeople for Republican legislative leaders didn’t respond last week to emailed requests for comment. A lawyers group representing the state NAACP and others said it was disappointed with the ruling.
That alteration, completed at the urging of President Donald Trump as part of an ongoing national mid-decade redistricting fray, is still being considered by the panel. The judges heard arguments last Wednesday in Winston-Salem but didn’t immediately rule on whether they would block now the use of the 1st District and the adjoining 3rd District for next year’s election while more legal arguments are made. Candidate ling for the 2026 elections is set to begin Dec. 1. Many allegations made by the state NAACP, Common Cause and voters cover both 2023 and 2025 changes, in particular claims of voter dilution and racial discrimination violating the U.S. Constitution and Voting Rights Act.
won 10 of the 14 seats in 2024. Three Democrats chose not to seek reelection, saying it was essentially impossible to get reelected under the recast lines.
The 2023 map helped turn a 7-7 North Carolina delegation into one in which Republicans
Last Thursday’s ruling by 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Allison Rushing and District Judges Thomas Schroeder and Richard Myers rejected claims that GOP legislators drew lines in 2023 so skewed
The plainti s argued Republicans split and weakened the Greensboro region’s concentrated black voting population within multiple U.S. House districts. Then-Rep. Kathy Manning, a Greensboro Democrat, decided not to run again last year because her district shifted to the right. They also cited what they called packing black voting-age residents into a Charlotte-area congressional district that in turn helped Republican Tim Moore win an adjoining district.
Attorneys for Republican leaders argued that lawfully partisan — and not racial — considerations helped inform decision-making on the 2023 map. They pointed out that no information on the racial makeup of regions were used in drawing the lines. A 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision essentially neutered federal legal claims of illegal partisan gerrymandering going forward.
The judges’ order favoring
Still at issue are the changes made to the 1st and 3rd Districts that GOP legislators said are designed to create an 11-3 seat majority in 2026. Davis continues a line of black representatives elected from the 1st District going back more than 30 years. But he won his second term by less than 2 percentage points.
North Carolina is among several states where Trump has pushed for mid-decade map changes ahead of the 2026 elections. Last week, a federal court blocked Texas from using a GOP-engineered map.
Costelloe, Irish-American
He was appointed her personal designer in 1983
By Danica Kirka
The Associated Press
PAUL COSTELLOE, the Irish-American designer who dressed the late Princess Diana and became a stalwart of the London fashion scene, has died, his company con rmed. He was 80.
In addition to creating evening wear and other designs for Diana, Costelloe established a fashion house that celebrated luxurious fabrics and creativity. He worked in central London and with a family-owned manufacturing site in the Ancona region of central Italy.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Costelloe following a short illness,’’ his label said in a statement Saturday. “He was surrounded by his wife and seven children and passed peacefully in London.”
Born in Dublin in 1945, Costelloe was the son of a tailor who made raincoats at a factory in the city’s Rathmines district. He got his own start in the industry at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture fashion school in Paris,
but company lore suggests he learned as much by soaking up the era of designers Emanuel Ungaro and Pierre Cardin as he did in the classroom.
Costelloe began his career as an assistant to designer Jacques Esterel and later moved to Milan to work for British retailer Marks & Spencer when it tried to crack the Italian market. Though that e ort was unsuccessful, he stayed in Milan to work for the luxury department store La Rinascente.
Costelloe later moved to the United States, where he worked as a designer for the Anne Fogarty label.
He went on to establish his own rm, and the house now features a broad range, including womenswear, menswear, bags and accessories.
In 1983, Costelloe was appointed personal designer to Princess Diana — an association that continued until her death in 1997.
Costelloe’s royal connection began when one of Diana’s ladies-in-waiting noticed his designs and arranged a meeting, the designer told Irish broadcaster RTE earlier this year.
“I looked out at Hyde Park and I said: ‘God, this is it, Paul, you have made it!’” Costelloe recalled. Paul
HANNAH SCHOENBAUM / AP PHOTO
The North Carolina state House reviews copies of a map proposal for new state House districts during a committee hearing at the Legislative O ce Building in Raleigh in October 2023.
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TAKE NOTICE
for public inspection in the o ce of the Town Clerk, Town of Pittsboro Town Hall, 287 East Street, Suite 221, Pittsboro, NC. PB-25-596 – Turkey Creek CZ Amendment to PB-23-289. A legislative request by Kate Murdoch, McAdams Company, has been submitted petitioning an amendment to PB23-289 list of permitted uses in the M1-CZ district to include O ce, Medical/Dental and O ce Park, Medical/Dental. 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 pm on December 8, 2025 with written comments or to sign up to speak at the hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 542-4621 ext. 1104, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO. 13CvD000477-180
NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION COUNTY OF CHATHAM Plainti ,
vs. The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of J. N. RIVES a/k/a J. N. RIEVES a/k/a JOHN NATHANIEL RIVES, et al Defendants.
TO: The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of J. N. RIVES a/k/a J. N. RIEVES a/k/a JOHN NATHANIEL RIVES and spouse, if any, which may include CHARLENE LUNSFORD and spouse, if any, VANESSA A. MCBROOM A/K/A VANESSA ANITA FERGUSON’S SPOUSE, IF ANY, WAYNE GREEN and spouse, if any, STEPHEN J. GREENE and spouse, if any, AUSTIN O. RHODA, JR. and spouse, if any, JAMES HOPKINS and spouse, if any, BARBARA BROWN and spouse, if any, MARIE YVONNE FOUST and spouse, if any, KARRIE RIGGSBEE and spouse, if any, DELORES LUNSFORD and spouse, if any, LINDA BROWN and spouse, if any, EDWARD J. WALKER and spouse, if any, and JEMAL WALKER and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder
A pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication began on November 13, 2025.
The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on tax parcel(s) more completely described in the Complaint, to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes (assessments). Plainti seeks to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you may have in said property.
You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after the date of the rst publication of notice stated above, exclusive of such date, being forty (40) days after November 13, 2025, or by December 23, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service of process by publication will apply to the Court for relief sought.
This the __4th____ day of November, 2025.
ZACCHAEUS LEGAL SERVICES
By: ____________________________________
Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill
Attorney for Plainti
NC Bar #12852/56782
310 W. Jones St. P. O. Box 25 Trenton, North Carolina 28585 Telephone: (252) 448-4541
Publication dates: November 13, 2025 November 20, 2025 November 27, 2025
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having quali ed on the 28th day of October 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Mary Catherine Green, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of February 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.
This is the 29th day of October 2025. Keith Robert Green, Executor of the Estate of Mary Catherine Green PO Box 485 Pittsboro, NC 27312
Attorneys: Law O ces of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330
Publish On: November 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th 2025. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
24E000576-180
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
The undersigned, Jacelyn Schmid, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of John Wayne Hudson, 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 February 18, 2026, 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 20th day of November 2025. Jacelyn Schmid Administrator Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF CHATHAM THE UNDERSIGNED, having quali ed on the 13th day of November 2025, as Executor of the ESTATE OF JAMES REID MORRISON, JR., Deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before February 21, 2026, 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, the 20th day of November, 2025.
CATHERINE BARNETT ALEXANDER
EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JAMES REID MORRISON, JR. c/o Jennifer Dalman, Attorney Walker Lambe, PLLC Post O ce Box 51549 Durham, North Carolina 27717
NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION 25E000484-180
Having quali ed as Co-Executors of the Estate of Kathy Thompson Whaley of Chatham County, NC, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before February 27, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. Ellen Thompson Jones, Co-Executor Rachel Elizabeth Whaley, Co-Executor Janice A. Walston, Attorney PO Box 279 Wilson, NC 27894-0279
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of James Mack Gee late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 5th day of November, 2025. Henry Gee, Executor of the Estate Of James Mack Gee 2544 Siler City Glendon 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
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Helen Grace Oldham late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 5th day of November, 2025.
Victoria O. Phillips, Executor of The Estate of Helen Grace Oldham 2747 Edwards Hill Church 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
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS
CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Mary R. Parks late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 12th day of November, 2025.
Cheryl Ann Green, Executor of the Estate of Mary R. Parks 314 Pebble Beach Drive Mebane, North Carolina 27302
MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE
ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Patricia Hennessy, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ce of Munson Law Firm PLLC, P.O. Box 1811
Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 20th day of February 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment.
This 20th day of November 2025. RUSSELL BARKER, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF PATRICIA HENNESSY
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Co-Executors of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 20th day of November, 2025. John Riley Culberson, Co-Executor of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner 902 Mt. Vernon Hickory Mountain Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Ricky Gordon Culberson, Co-Executor of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner 140 Lay N Low Way Goldston, North Carolina 27252
MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE
ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Harry F. Knepp, Jr. late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
This the 20th day of November, 2025. Erin Knepp Warrick, Executor of the Estate of Harry F. Knepp, Jr. 149 Pike Drive NW Pikeville, North Carolina 27863 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Probate #25E000556-180
All persons, rm and corporations having claims against Carolyn Herberta Huckshorn , late of Chatham County, North Carolina are hereby noti ed to present them to Kristin Rae Huckshorn, as Executor of the decedent’s estate in care of Kendall H. Page, Attorney, 210 N Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 on or before the 6th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Bar # 14261 Notice to Run: 11/13/2025, 11/20/2025, 11/27/2025 & 12/04/2025
EXECUTOR’S NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY All persons having claims against the estate of Steve George Zimo, of Chatham County, NC, who died on June 2, 2025, are noti ed to present them on or before February 11, 2026 to Deborah Zimo, Executor, c/o Maitland & Sti er Law Firm, 2 Couch Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Michele L. Sti er MAITLAND & STIFFLER LAW FIRM 2 Couch Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Attorney for the Estate
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Personal Representative of the Estate of Patricia A. Milburn, deceased of Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 24th day of October, 2025, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ce of the attorney for the estate on or before the 8th day of February, 2026, or this Notice will be pled in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 6th day of November, 2025. Susan M. Meier, Personal Representative, c/o Christina G. Hinkle, Attorney for the Estate, McPherson, Rocamora, Nicholson, & Hinkle, PLLC; 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27707. Chatham News: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27
Notice to Creditors
All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Victoria Carol Stephan, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before February 15, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 13th day of November, 2025. Kevin Stephan Limited Personal Representative c/o W. Thomas McCuiston 200 Towne Village Drive Cary, NC 27513
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 25E000603-180 ALL persons having claims against Eric Charles Youmans, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Feb 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 27th day of November, 2025. CHE BOYD YOUMANS, EXECUTOR C/O Howard Stallings Law Firm PO Box 12347 Raleigh, NC 27605 N27, 4, 11 and 18
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF Barbara Russell Hardin All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Barbara Russell Hardin, late of Chatham, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit them to Paul Russell Hardin as Executor of the decedent’s estate on or before February 14, 2026, c/o Janet B. Witchger, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 13th day of November 2025. Paul Russell Hardin, Executor c/o Janet B. Witchger, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF EDGAR J. HARLOW All persons, rms and corporations having claims against EDGAR J. HARLOW, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit them to Gregory Herman-Giddens or James Wynkoop as Co-Executors of the decedent’s estate on or before February 16, 2026 c/o Gregory HermanGiddens, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named CoExecutors. This the 13th day of November 2025. Gregory Herman-Giddens, Co-Executor c/o Gregory Herman-Giddens, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000586-180 The undersigned, KRISTINA DAVIS BOGART AND KIMBERLY DAVIS YARBOROUGH, having quali ed on the 23RD Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BOBBY GENE DAVIS, SR., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 20th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2025.
KRISTINA DAVIS BOGART, EXECUTOR 906 TANGLEWOOD DR. EXT. SILER CITY, NC 27344
KIMBERLY DAVIS YARBOROUGH, EXECUTOR 407 CALLAWAY ST. SANFORD, NC 27330 Run dates: N20,27,D4,D11p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000304-180
The undersigned, JEFFREY SCOTT KLINKER, having quali ed on the 5th Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of CAROLYN SUE KLINKER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 13th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025.
JEFFREY SCOTT KLINKER, EXECUTOR 2197 LAUREL LAKE RD. SALEMBURG, NC 28385
Run dates: N13,20,27,D4p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000619-180
The undersigned, NORMAN M HILL IV, having quali ed on the 10th Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of CRYSTAL F. LONG, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 20th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2025.
NORMAN M HILL IV, EXECUTOR 1715 BAEZ CT. VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23464 Run dates: N20,27,D4,D11p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000538-180
The undersigned, MARIE O. JOHNSON, having quali ed on the 26th Day of SEPTEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DONALD CARSON OLDHAM, SR., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 13th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2025. MARIE O. JOHNSON, EXECUTOR 104 ROUNDROCK LANE SANFORD, NC 27330 Run dates: N13,20,27,D4p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000574-180
The undersigned, MICHAEL J. WERNER, having quali ed on the 29th Day of OCTOBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of IRENE PATRICIA WERNER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 6th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 6th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025.
MICHAEL J. WERNER, ADMINISTRATOR 115 WILLOWCREST DRIVE WINSTON SALEM, NC 27107 Run dates: N6,13,20,27p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000570-180
The undersigned, JENNIFER MORLEY, having quali ed on the 13th Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of NANNETTE MARIE BURGER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 6th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, 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, the 6th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025.
JENNIFER MORLEY, EXECUTOR 178 MORLEY WAY SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: N6,13,20,27p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Chatham County 25E000625-180 Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Chester Joseph Pletzke, Jr., late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned do hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claim against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned c/o Guido De Maere, P.A. at 100 Europa Drive, Suite 160, P.O. Box 3591, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 on or before the 20th day of February, 2026, or this notice will
Memories, stories, salesclerks during holidays
’Tis the season for humor, nostalgia and simple acts of kindness
By Erika Ho man For Chatham News & Record
SOMETIMES a simple encounter will unleash a whole host of memories from growing up. We visited our grandchildren, who live outside New York City, a few days before Thanksgiving. Although I grew up in New Jersey, I’ve lived in the South my entire adult life. All four of my kids were born in Siler City.
That Tuesday before Turkey Day, we went out to a mom-and-pop pizza joint just north of the Bronx. It was a busy place with the cook taking orders, handling cash, distributing large pizzas to the few tables and boxing others for takeout. I stood in a long line of regulars. Two elderly, pleasant black women were in front of me. One greeted the Italian man who served as cook, cashier, waiter, boxer and bottle washer, saying, “Wish your wife happy Thanksgiving for me.”
The big, gru guy, a dead ringer for someone out of “The Godfather,” grunted, “I killed her last night.”
The two cordial women paused for a moment. I burst out laughing. Then they chuckled and shook their heads as he handed them their takeout order.
I’d forgotten how funny Italian men are. I grew up with Italian kids, and they were every bit as comical as Raymond in “Everybody Loves Raymond.” That quick exchange in the little pizza shop hit me with déjà vu. When I took a bite of the greasy pepperoni slice — which I dutifully blotted with napkins — I remembered how good pizza
ZALUBOWSKI / AP PHOTO
Shoppers stop for a photograph by a Christmas tree illuminated in the courtyard of an outlet mall in New York.
tastes up here and how my dad swore New York and New Jersey pizzas were the best in the world. The greasier the better. Dad also loved Italian ices we used to buy from a makeshift stand in Plain eld, New Jersey, on humid summer nights.
Memories
I also appreciate simple stories. My son in North Carolina told me about his oldest child, a rambunctious 7-year- old boy who was invited to a friend’s house for dinner during Thanksgiving break. Before the meal, he bowed his head and asked to say the blessing. The other child’s mother later told
“She loves God. She loves God more than her own family.”
Harrison Ho man
my son how impressed they were with Harrison’s prayer. When they asked my grandson about it, he said he learned it from his grandmother — not me, but his maternal one from Colombia. Then he added matter-of-factly, “She loves God. She loves God more than her own family.” I burst out laughing. You
never know what young kids notice and repeat.
Sharing stories
Because my husband and I traveled Thanksgiving week, I fell behind on Christmas shopping. I have 10 grandchildren to buy for, plus in-laws, friends and others. I nally started the second week of December and went to a large store where I could nd kids’ craft projects, big Santa bags, picture frames, ornaments, storage boxes, reindeer antlers and more.
I walked to the cashier, a young, friendly woman. I told her I’d received coupons by email but hadn’t printed them.
She showed me how to access them on my phone. I wasn’t wearing my glasses and didn’t hit the right buttons the rst time. Patiently, she demonstrated again. She asked if I wanted plastic bags. I told her I did. Then she asked me to insert my credit card and told me the total.
“Not too bad,” I said.
“Well, in addition to the coupons, I gave you the senior discount.”
I didn’t ask how she knew I quali ed because, frankly, it’s obvious. I started pushing my cart away.
“I’ll take it to your car,” she said.
“You don’t need to do that. I can. My car is close.”
“I’ll help you load your things.”
“Not necessary. I can do it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want help?” she asked. I began to wonder how old she thought I was.
“I’m ne,” I said. “Thank you, though. Merry Christmas.”
I left, pushed my cart, loaded my car in the dark and returned the cart myself.
I didn’t need help, but I appreciated her kindness, which brings me to another hallmark of the season — the kindness of strangers.
Never underestimate the good feelings, the good tidings and the overall goodwill people can spark in others. Beyond the religious meaning of the season, what makes the holidays special is how we extend ourselves to others through humor, nostalgia and small acts of generosity. Santa and stockings and lawn decorations and lights and holiday parties are all wonderful, but spreading good cheer is the paramount gift and, to me, the true embodiment of the holiday spirit.
Care packages and cardstock turkeys: rst and second ladies visit Marines and their relatives
Melania Trump and Usha Vance went to Camp Lejeune last week
By Darlene Superville and Will Weissert The Associated Press
MARINE CORPS AIR STA-
TION NEW RIVER — Melania Trump and Usha Vance last Wednesday marked the Thanksgiving season by visiting with Marine Corps members in North Carolina and saluting the sacri ces of military families, who make up “the quiet strength of our nation,” the rst lady said.
The wives of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance used their rst trip together outside of Washington, D.C. to visit with students attending school at Camp Lejeune, the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast, and deliver upbeat remarks to some 1,600 uniformed, cheering Marines and their families at Marine Corps Air Station New River.
“Please know that our nation is thinking of you, praying for you and deeply grateful for your service,” Trump said of all service members stationed far from home during the holidays, speaking from a stage anked by parked tanks and helicopters.
Trump also stressed the growing importance of arti cial intelligence to the military, noting that “technology is changing the art of war.”
“Predictably, AI will alter war more profoundly than any technology since nuclear weapons,” she said, also noting that “we are moving from human operators to human overseers fast.”
Trump and Vance both recognized the just-passed 250th anniversary of the Marines, and the second lady said “military families are truly a model for our country and for my own family.” The vice president is a former Marine.
Brig. Gen. Ralph J. Rizzo Jr. said visits by dignitaries like the rst and second lady “matter because they show our families their service and sacri c-
es are seen and appreciated.”
Trump and Vance’s speeches followed school visits where they discussed AI with high schoolers and helped younger children with crafts, including making turkeys from cardstock and Elmer’s glue.
They listened to a presentation by students in an advanced placement research class from the Lejeune High School “Devilpups,” recalling the Marine Corps’ “Devil Dog” nickname, and had discussions about technological development.
Four female students demonstrated how they used AI to generate videos for their research into how electronic media affects sleep and adolescent wellbeing, as well as a study on social media addiction and how it a ects young people’s esteem and body image.
Trump and Vance later walked to the gymnasium, where students had assembled 2,000 care packages of goodies, including jerky sticks, for service members away from home. The rst lady told the crowd that she and the president always think of U.S. service members but “especially during the holidays.”
They also spent time with kindergarteners and rst-grade students at DeLalio Elementary School, entering classrooms where each table had been laid with folders from Be Best, Trump’s child-focused initiative. The folders held a puzzle, pen and sticker for each student, along with a bookmark from the second lady.
Trump told one girl in pigtails
that she was “beautiful.” The patriotic ribbon pinned to the girl’s light blue top meant one of her parents is on active deployment. Several of her classmates also sported the ribbon, as did many in the larger group of students making cardstock turkeys.
Trump also engaged in a lengthy conversation with a rst-grade girl before o ering: “Very nice. I love your story.”
Trump and Vance have appeared together at other public events, though not on the road. Most notably, they were together at the inauguration of their husbands at the U.S. Capitol in January.
Other joint appearances came at a White House event celebrating military mothers and a luncheon for Senate spouses, both in May; the opening night of “Les Misérables” at the Kennedy Center in June; and the president’s signing last week of an executive order to help foster children, which also came as part of Be Best.
Melania Trump has centered her work around children, launching Be Best during her husband’s rst term to focus on their welfare, online safety and opioid abuse.
Last month, she announced that eight children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war had been reunited with their families following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier this year, the rst lady lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing federal penalties for online sexual exploitation, often targeting young girls. The president signed the bill into law in May.
Usha Vance, a former lawyer, launched a “Summer Reading Challenge” to encourage students in kindergarten through eighth grade to read 12 books during the school break. Certi cates and prizes were promised to those who completed the challenge.
The second lady often accompanies the vice president on his trips and sometimes brings along their three young children.
DAVID
MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO
The rst and second ladies listened to students’ presentations during the visit.
MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO
Second lady Usha Vance met with students at DeLalio Elementary School on the Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville.
CHATHAM SPORTS
Seaforth’s Katie Leonard shoots a 3-pointer in the Hawks’ season-opening win on Nov. 21.
Leonard’s big night leads
Seaforth girls to rst win
The boys struggle to make shots in their rst loss
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
Girls: Seaforth 67, Middle Creek 24
PITTSBORO — Senior guard Katie Leonard’s hot hand led Seaforth to a season-opening blowout win over 6A opponent Middle Creek on Friday.
Leonard, a Cornell commit, knocked down ve 3s in a 23-point performance. In the rst quarter, she reached 1,000
career points, needing seven points to achieve the feat entering the game.
“It means a lot, especially when you do it at home,” Leonard said.
On her performance, Leonard, who dished out multiple assists, said nding open teammates helped create scoring opportunities.
Junior Lariah Rodgers nished as the Hawks’ second leading scorer with 11 points. Rodgers lived in the paint, hitting three of her four eld goals and knocking down a team-high ve free throws.
Sophomore guard Annika Johansson, who contributed seven points, led the defensive
e ort with nine steals.
“I just usually watch their eyes, watch what they do with the ball,” Johansson said.
Seaforth put the game away early, jumping out to an 11-0 lead and ending the rst quarter with a 24-8 advantage. After building a 31-point lead at the end of the third quarter, the Hawks didn’t allow another point in the nal period.
Nine di erent Hawks contributed to the scoring column. Senior guard Mia Moore nished the game with eight points (two 3-pointers), and junior Abigail Morgan notched six points o the bench.
Seaforth knocked down 11
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Woods Charter’s Campbell Blackburn takes a 3 in a win over Research Triangle on Nov. 17.
Woods Charter boys o to best start in over a decade
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
WOODS CHARTER won over Research Triangle 52 - 41 on Nov. 17, starting the season 2-0 for the rst time since 2013. Sophomore guard
“We came out with e ort and energy in the collective group and really cared about each other.”
Antonio Hayes, Seaforth coach
triples as a team.
“I think we played great,” Seaforth coach Antonio Hayes said. “We came out with e ort and energy in the collective group and really cared about each other.”
Boys: Middle Creek 58, Seaforth 32
An abysmal shooting night led Seaforth to a season-opening loss to Middle Creek on Friday.
The Hawks went 4 of 23 from beyond the arc with only three players logging points. After trailing by 13 points at
The performance center aims for an early 2026 hard launch
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
A NEW TRAINING facility will soon be available to local athletes.
halftime, the Mustangs outscored Seaforth 32-19 in the second half.
“When shots started not falling, it a ected us all around, particularly the defensive end,” Seaforth coach John Berry said. “We made some early. They made a couple, and then we tailed o , and they kept going.”
Seaforth struggled to slow down Middle Creek’s tandem of junior Brittain Queen, who nished the night with 21 points, and senior George Daniels, who recorded a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Most of the Mustangs’ offensive production came in the paint. Middle Creek made the same number of 3s as Seaforth and nearly doubled the Hawks’ output.
“You start missing shots, and then it goes back down to the defense,” Berry said. “All of a sudden, the rotations, the assignments and the speci c re -
“We want to make sure we are creating an impact in the community and help provide an a ordable space.”
Latonya Brown, SUPA owner 1st
Career double-double for Addison Goldston against Central Carolina Academy
Campbell Blackburn led the way with 14 points. Northwood fell short of former conference foe Southeast Alamance 70-62 in its sea-
son opener on Nov. 18. Sophomore Donnie Fairley led the Stallions with 21 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Southeast Alamance, which beat Northwood for the rst time in program history, swiped 11 steals as a team while committing six turnovers.
Chatham Central defeated Graham 70-60 on Friday, advancing to 2-0 before Thanksgiving.
See ROUNDUP, page B4
SUPA, or Supreme Athletics, a locally based track and sports training club co-founded by Latonya and Joshua Brown, has “soft launched” the SUPA Performance Center in Sanford. The facility, which is still undergoing construction, will feature a 50-foot-by-100 -foot multigame court that can be used for basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton and pickleball. It will also include a 30-meter track lane. SUPA will allow local teams and individuals to book time for training in early 2026. As of now, the facility, located at 1613 Fire Tower Road, is only open to the SUPA track club until construction is complete.
“We wanted to create or build something that was like a no-frill, low-cost option that would bene t everyone from small teams to coaches to trainers,” SUPA owner Latonya Brown said. “We’re still nding that there’s limited options for kids to work out without going way outside of the community.” This project is separate from
SUPA’s plans to build a more than 600,000-square-foot, multibuilding youth sportsplex in or near Chatham County. That proposed project includes features four eld houses, including North Carolina’s rst and only fully hydraulic banked indoor track, nine regulation-sized basketball courts (that can also be transformed into 18 regulation-sized volleyball courts), two multipurpose turf elds and a separate arena.
“This is just something that we wanted to work on to have an immediate impact on the community,” Brown said. Brown did not disclose the details of any updates with the sportsplex, but she said progress has “moved a lot further” since the Town of Pittsboro failed to pass a resolution of support for the facility in April. SUPA has been working on the performance center behind the scenes for a few years. ECO-Living, the design rm
Alexandria Zumano Garcia
COURTESY JORDAN-MATTHEWS WRESTLING / FACEBOOK
Jordan-Matthews, wrestling
Jordan-Matthews’ Alexandria Zumano Garcia earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Nov. 17.
Garcia completed a dominant run to earn rst place in the 120-pound division at the Red Wolf Classic over the weekend. She pinned two opponents, including a 31-second fall against Glenn’s Maria Medel-Ortiz in the semi nal, on the way to the championship match. Garcia defeated Northwest Guilford’s Rachel McMulkin by a 9-3 decision to take the top spot on the podium.
Garcia is 7-0 in nonforfeited matches as of Sunday.
Chatham locals win big at NC Senior Games
The weekslong state nals resulted in a long list of medalists
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
WHEN IT COMES to Chatham County’s own collecting medals, Father Time isn’t as inevitable as it seems.
During the North Carolina Senior Games State Finals, a total of 74 local athletes and artists won a combined 86 medals in competitions held at di erent locations around the state from Sept. 15 to Nov. 2. Amongst the dozens of top -three nishes, there were 40 gold, 20 silver and 26 bronze medals earned.
Each participant quali ed for the State Games based on their performance in the Chatham County Senior Games in the spring.
Here’s a list of all the local medalists from the State Games:
Gold: Michael Aldridge (billiards), Lew Ballard (tennis), Lew Ballard and Mary Anne Kendall (tennis mixed doubles), Steve Barrett (50-yard breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke), Herbert Blum and Joseph Tikvart (table tennis doubles), Michael Bollini (pickleball singles), doubles), Stan Cox (200 butter y), Carol Coyle (billiards), Sherry Croall (horseshoes), Emilio D’Arduini (800-meter run), Mary Jean Davidge (50 backstroke, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle), Linda Feinstein (singles table tennis), Robert Gluck (billiards), Anne Granath (500 freestyle), Roger Hinshaw (miniature golf), Michael Izquierdo (digital photography), Kendall (singles tennis), Richard Kerns and Chip Knudson (doubles tennis), Mike Livermore (woodturning), Carolyn Miller (singles cornhole), Denise Pickett (5K run), Jerry Pike (golf), Bill Powers (400-meter dash, 5K run), Vance Remick and James Van Voorhees (doubles pickleball), Michael Resnick (5K run), Bert Richmond and George Evans (doubles pickleball), Heather Rodin (singles table tennis), Pam Schoenfeld (singles tennis), David Schumann (200 backstroke, 500 freestyle), Lisa Schwartz (100 individual medley, 200 individual medley), Lauren Stevens (singles pickleball), Jennifer Zhang (singles
74
Local athletes and artists who won medals
table tennis), Jennifer Zhang and Robin Bradley (doubles table tennis) Silver: John Adamo (singles pickleball), Lew Ballard and Mary Anne Kendall (mixed doubles table tennis), Herbert Blum and Linda Feinstein (mixed doubles table tennis), Glenn Borie (Cycling 1-mile), Jan Cox (200 breaststroke), George Dennis and Douglas Ditter (doubles pickleball), Wayne Eckert (5K run), Linda Feinstein and Andrea Roltman (doubles table tennis), Anne Granath (50 freestyle), Thomas Hunter and Raymond McEntee (doubles pickleball), Richard Pickett (Cycling 1-mile and 5K), Bill Powers (100-meter dash), Bert Richmond (singles table tennis), Bert Richmond and Alan
Rom (doubles table tennis), Lisa Schwartz (100 freestyle), Debbie Shipley (billiards), Channah Silver (comedy/drama solo), Michael Stano (film photography) and Robert Stoll (softball throw, 1,500-meter run)
Bronze: Scott Anspach (5K run), Lew Ballard (golf), Rikki Barry (100 freestyle), Glenn Borie (5K & 10K cycling 5K run), Jeff Chafkin and John Adamo (doubles pickleball), Jan Cox (100 backstroke), Stan Cox (200 breaststroke), Emilio D’Arduini (1,500-meter run), Joanne Dearth and Leonard Stone (mixed doubles pickleball), Douglas Ditter (singles pickleball), Lorna Esteves (quilting, hand-stitched), Aaron Hall (200-meter dash), Lynne Hoerter (film photography), Kendall (singles table tennis), Randy Kivett (golf), Leslie Mackler (singles table tennis), Duane Millslagle (Cycling 1-mile, 5K & 10K, singles table tennis), Thomas Morris and Eddie O’Dea (doubles pickleball), Ruth Parks (sculpture) and Robert Stoll (800-meter run).
COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY AGING SERVICES
Jan and Stan Cox were responsible for four of 86 medals won by Chatham County representatives at the recently completed North Carolina Senior Games State Finals.
Local athletes make fall all-conference lists
Postseason awards were released with the end of fall sports
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record FOOTBALL
Big Seven 4A/5A
PATRICK MILLER (Seaforth), Nick Gregory (Seaforth), Duncan Parker (Seaforth), Max Hinchman (Seaforth), Alejandro Riley (Seaforth), Tyler Truesdale (Seaforth), Cole Seder (Seaforth), Jacob Winger (Seaforth), Nolan Greiner (Seaforth), Grant Knoll (Seaforth), Mason Pooley (Seaforth), Kieran Pooley (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
DeAntaye Smith (Jordan-Matthews), Jakari Blue (Jordan-Matthews), Kamarie Hadley (Jordan-Matthews), Nolan Mitchell (Jordan-Matthews), Grayson Cox (Northwood), Raje Torres (Northwood), Mickell Wilson (Northwood), Aidan Hohenwarter (Northwood), Ben Porter (Northwood), Omar Sanford (Jordan-Matthews, honorable mention), Max Hohenwarter (Northwood, honorable mention)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Gavin Williams (Chatham Central), Tyler Congrove (Chatham Central)
VOLLEYBALL
Big Seven 4A/5A
Josie Valgus (Seaforth), Ally Forbes (Seaforth), Abigail Valgus (Seaforth), Naomi Stevenson (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Lilli Hicks (Jordan-Matthews, honorable mention), Maggy Jaimes-Pulido (Jordan-Matthews, honorable mention), Shae Leighton (Northwood, honorable mention), Imani Henderson (Northwood, honorable mention)
Central Tar Heel 1A
Taylin Banbroook (Woods Charter, Player of the Year), Annabel Unah (Woods Charter), McKenna Sparrow (Woods Charter), Ceilia Brignati (Woods Charter), Taylor Hussey (Chatham Charter), Aaliyah Walden (Chatham Charter)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Addison Goldston (Chatham Central), Anali Perez (Chatham Central)
2025 matchup. Both athletes earned all- conference
BOYS’ SOCCER
Big Seven 4A/5A
John Daguerre (Seaforth), Zane McMahon (Seaforth), Jacob Wanderski (Seaforth), Jack Bali (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Andres Tepile Carrera (Jordan-Matthews), Samuel Basilio (Jordan-Matthews), Ruben Briones (Jordan-Matthews), Umberto Vargas (Jordan-Matthews), Emilio Rocha (Jordan-Matthews), Enrique Granados (Jordan-Matthews), Jeremy Alvarado (Jordan-Matthews), Aidan Swaine (Northwood), Calvin Britt (Northwood), Berkeley Godehn (Northwood), Kevin Fortin (Northwood)
Central Tar Heel 1A
Campbell Blackburn (Woods Charter, Defensive Player of the Year), Daniel Horil (Woods Charter), Odin Withrow (Woods Charter), Breylan Harris (Chatham Charter), Jackson Clark (Chatham Charter), Westin Phillips (Chatham Charter, honorable mention), John Whistle Spillman (Chatham Charter, honorable mention), Fischer Sellers (Chatham Charter, honorable mention)
Seaforth football players who earned all-conference honors
GIRLS’ GOLF
Big Seven 4A/5A
Annika Johansson (Seaforth), Emma Grace Hill (Seaforth), Tinsley Borland (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Briana Graham (Northwood), Taylor Thompson (Northwood)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Morgan Peele (Chatham Central)
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Big Seven 4A/5A
Mackenzie Wray (Seaforth), Ellie Kristiansen (Seaforth), Tatum Dell (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Central Tar Heel 1A
Makenzi Allen (Chatham Charter), Maggie Moody (Chatham Charter), Samantha Wilson (Chatham Charter, honorable mention), Jody Shreef (Chatham Charter, honorable mention)
GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY
Big Seven 4A/5A
Madison Putnam (Seaforth), Chloe Freeman (Seaforth), Katie Leonard (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Sydney Gray (Northwood, Runner of the Year), Ashley Perry (Northwood), Gabby Ghitta (Northwood), Shiloh Teta (Northwood), Penelope Faris (Northwood), Demoris Cruz (Jordan-Matthews)
Central Tar Heel 1A
So a Rodriguez (Woods Charter), Grace Murphy (Woods Charter), Leah Marshall (Woods
Mary-Maxton Andrews (Jordan-Matthews), Ruby Parks (Northwood), Yamilet Camacho (Jordan-Matthews, honorable mention), Titiana Escobar Umanzor (Jordan-Matthews, honorable mention)
Charter), Emily Scheidt (Chatham Charter)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Ansley Preslar (Chatham Central)
BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY
Big seven 4A/5A
Samuel Neil (Seaforth), Waylon Vose (Seaforth)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Jordan Wiley (Northwood, Runner of the Year), Coleman Wiley (Northwood), Easton Evans (Northwood), Austin Parenti (Northwood), Drew Yell (Northwood), Owen Zsuppan (Northwood), Leo Druest (Northwood) Coach of the Year: Krystal Pister (Northwood)
Central Tar Heel 1A
Torris Price (Chatham Charter, Runner of the Year), Eli Coleman (Chatham Charter), Adam Reese (Chatham Charter), Andrew Bednar (Chatham Charter), Josh Hayes (Chatham Charter), Holton Mody (Woods Charter)
Coach of the Year: Danny Martin (Chatham Charter)
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Jordan-Matthews’ Omar Sanford (15) chases Northwood’s Raje Torres (1) in a
honors.
SEAFORTH from page B1
sponsibilities that’s supposed to be carried out maybe don’t have as much vigor because they’re still upset that the shots aren’t falling.”
Despite their o ensive struggles, Seaforth was able to cut the de cit to single digits early in the third quarter, but it
for the performance center and the sportsplex, began to develop the Sanford site as a private gym for the owner of the property. However, the project stopped nearly a year ago with only the concrete and framing in place. Quincy Brown, owner of ECO-Living and the husband of Latonya Brown, then presented the opportunity of a future training facility to SUPA.
SUPA entered a management agreement with the site’s owner in which it has full control of the facility without ownership.
Brown emphasized how she wants the performance facility to be a “community hub” where people of all back-
couldn’t sustain the burst.
Senior Declan Lindquist led the Hawks with 15 points. Senior Campbell Meador poured in 13 points, and sophomore Jackson Butcher contributed four.
On top of shooting and defensive discipline, Berry wants to see his team improve in rebounding this season.
grounds can explore their physical and mental potential. SUPA plans to keep its booking prices low compared to other training facilities.
“Looking for spaces in the area for our track club, we found that some county facilities charge an excess of $250 per hour,” Brown said. “And it kind of made it impossible for a small youth sports organization to nd indoor space.
“We want to make sure we are creating an impact in the community and help provide an affordable space.”
SUPA also plans to o er up -to-date training equipment, such as tracking vests to monitor workout performances, in the facility.
Teams in NBA Cup this year running it up; rules make it good idea for them to do so
“If
you get a chance to put 40 points in the bank, you should do it.”
lem with teams trying to keep scoring in Cup games. He also wouldn’t have a problem if teams did it all the time.
ROUNDUP from page B1
Chatham Charter sophomore Breylan Harris scored a career-high 21 points in the Knights’ 61-47 win over Cornerstone Charter on Nov. 18. The Knights defeated Uwharrie Charter 49-29 Friday to earn their second straight win. Jordan-Matthews won its rst game of the year over Phoenix Academy 63-56 on Nov. 18. The Jets fell to Lee County for the second time this season 74-44 on Nov. 20. The Yellow Jackets had three players score in double digits, including an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double from senior Nick Farrow. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference)
Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Woods Charter (2-0, 0-0); 2. Chatham Charter (4-3, 0-0); 3. Southern Wake Academy (2-2, 0-0); 4. Clover Garden School (1-2, 0-0); 5. Ascend Leadership (2-4, 0-0); 6. Central Carolina Academy (0-3, 0-0); 7. River Mill (0-5, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Uwharrie Charter (1-2, 0-0); 2. Jordan-Matthews (1-2, 0-0); 3. Northwood (0-1, 0-0); 4. Eastern Randolph (0-0, 0-0); 5. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 6.
Southwestern Randolph (0-0, 0-0)
Greater Triad 1A/2A: 1. Chatham Central (2-0, 0-0); 2. South Stokes (2-0, 0-0); 3. Winston-Salem Prep (1-1, 0-0); 4. College Prep and Leadership (1-2, 0-0); 5. Bishop McGuinness (0-0, 0-0); 6. North Stokes (0-0, 0-0); 7. South Davidson (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Durham School of the Arts (3-2, 0-0); 2. J.F. Webb (1-1, 0-0); 3. Cedar Ridge (1-1. 0-0); 4. Orange (0-1, 0-0); 5. Seaforth (0 -1, 0-0); 6. South Granville (0-1, 0-0); 7. Carrboro (0-2, 0-0)
Girls’ basketball
Chatham Central dominated Central Carolina Academy 67-17 on Nov. 20. Sophomore Addison Goldston recorded her rst career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Jordan-Matthews lost another close battle to Lee County 36-30 on Nov. 20. The Jets have dropped three straight games, including two losses by six points or less, to start the season. Northwood opened its season with a loss to Southeast Alamance, the defending 2A state champions, 73-53 on Nov. 18. Chatham Charter split
By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press
THE GAME WASN’T over, though the outcome was decided. Milwaukee’s Myles Turner took a pass from Giannis Antetokounmpo and let y with a 3-pointer from the corner with about six seconds remaining.
It connected — for a 17-point lead.
In 78 of 82 games on the Bucks’ schedule this season, they would have just dribbled out the clock, ipped the ball to the referee and headed to the locker room.
But this is NBA Cup time, and one of the quirks in the four-game group stage portion of the tournament is a point-differential tiebreaker. Every point might make a di erence and cash is on the line for teams that advance. That’s why teams are running it up in Cup group stage games just in case the tiebreaker comes into play.
“Points di erential might matter,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said earlier this month after his team beat Utah by 40 in a Cup game and was still shooting 3s up by 44 in the nal minutes. “If you get a chance to put 40 points in the bank, you should do it.”
Consider this scenario from an Orlando-Boston game in Cup play: Magic guard Jalen Suggs rebounded his own
the week with a 29-19 win over Cornerstone Charter on Nov. 18, and a 55-17 loss to Uwharrie Charter Friday.
Sophomore Valentina Podolyanskaya’s 18 points led Woods Charter over Research Triangle 39-15 on Nov. 17. Podolyanskaya is averaging 14 points per game.
Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference)
Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Wodos Charter (3-1, 0-0); 2. Clover Garden School (1-1, 0-0); 3. Southern Wake Academy (1-2, 0-0); 4. Chatham Charter (2-5, 0-0); 5. Central Carolina Academy (0-3, 0-0); 6. River Mill (0-4, 0-0); 7. Ascend Leadership (0-4, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Uwharrie Charter (4-0, 0-0); 2. Northwood (0-1, 0-0); 3. Jordan-Matthews (0-3, 0-0); 4. Eastern Randolph (0-0, 0-0); 5. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 6. Southwestern Randolph (0-0, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: 1. College Prep and Leadership (3-0, 0-0); 2. Chatham Central (2-0, 0-0); 3. Bishop McGuinness (2-1, 0-0); 4. South Stokes (1-2, 0-0); 5. North Stokes (0 - 0, 0-0); 6. South Davidson (0-0, 0-0); 7. Winston-Salem Prep (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Sea-
missed 3-pointer and made a layup for Orlando with 2.4 seconds left in the game. The Celtics then threw a full-court pass and Payton Pritchard tried a layup, only to have it blocked by Franz Wagner with a half-second remaining. The Magic bench roared in celebration, as if the game was on the line. Orlando was winning by 13 points.
“It’s something you think about, absolutely,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Spoelstra and the Heat lost in New York in a Cup game last week, and the Knicks’ Landry Shamet passed up what probably would have been an easy layup in the nal seconds. His teammate, Josh Hart, wasn’t happy.
“Josh was cussing (me) out because I didn’t shoot the layup there at the end,” Shamet said in the on-court interview after New York’s 140-130 win. “I should’ve. He’s right. It’s important. This is important to all of us. It’s fun. It’s a fun new element to our league, and we want to be in the hunt for it.”
Golden State coach Steve Kerr has long wondered why teams just don’t keep playing until the end. He has no prob -
forth (1-0, 0-0); 2. Orange (1- 0, 0-0); 3. Durham School of the Arts (2-2, 0-0); 4. Carrboro (2 -2, 0-0); 5. J.F. Webb (0-1, 0-0); 6. South Granville (0-1, 0-0); 7. Cedar Ridge (0-3, 0-0)
Wrestling
Boys: Jordan-Matthews picked up three wins over Central Carolina Academy (48-33), Chatham Central (48-27) and Lee County (60-18) at its own quad meet on Nov. 18. Chatham Central fell to Central Carolina Academy 42-34 and defeated Lee County 54-18 in the same quad meet. Northwood fell to Chapel Hill (60-17) and West Carteret (48-26) in a quad hosted by Chapel Hill Friday.
Top individual performances: Seaforth’s Jordan Miller (120 pounds), Gabe Rogers (144) and Harrison Compton (190) earned rst-place nishes in their respective weight classes at the Red Wolf Classic over the weekend. Palmer Moad, also a Hawk, nished second in the 285-pound division.
Girls: Jordan-Matthews defeated Chatham Central (36 - 6) and Lee County (30-0) at its own quad on Nov. 18. Chatham Central beat Lee County 12-6 that same night.
Kerr remembers a game in 2016 where Jimmer Fredette — then of the Knicks — got fouled by Portland’s Meyers Leonard on a shot attempt with 0.8 seconds left in a game that the Trail Blazers were leading by 21 points. Leonard apologized not long afterward.
“Apparently, it’s also o ensive if your lead is cut from 20 to 18 or 17 late in the game,” Kerr said. “It’s just one of those dumb things that there’s no rule. I think it was kind of always understood that when the shot clock ran out, the other team kind of puts up their hands, you just dribble it out, and you don’t go and dunk it. That’s always kind of been understood, but it’s extended to beyond the shot clock now. So now, you’re supposed to take a turnover, and I’m not a believer in that.”
Knicks coach Mike Brown, a former Golden State assistant under Kerr, is fully aware of his former boss’ thoughts on why games should just be played out.
“I feel like I’m competitive — maybe not as much as Steve,” Brown said. “I feel that I’m trying to run up the score, but in the Cup situation it’s natural because of the point di erential. And I think at the end of games it should be the way that Steve says. You know, just freaking play.”
Top individual performances: Jordan-Matthews’ Alexandria Zumano Garcia defeated Northwest Guilford’s Rachel McMulkin in a 9-3 decision to earn rst place in the 120-pound division at the Red Wolf Classic. Seaforth’s Caroline Cook (138) and Sarah Tanner (132) nished fth at the Red Wolf Classic.
Swimming
Boys: Chatham Central’s Jesse Eskelund nished rst in the 100 free and the 50 free in a meet hosted at the Asheboro YMCA on Nov. 19.
Indoor track
Top individual performances: Northwood junior Benjamin Altenburg nished rst in the boys’ pole vault in the It’s About Time Invitational on Saturday with a mark of 15 feet, 6 inches. Chatham Charter’s Torris Price nished second in the boys’ 1,600 at the It’s About Time Invitational. Jordan-Matthews junior Athena Dispennette nished second in the girls’ 500 at the Franklinton High School Red Ram Polar Bear No. 2 meet. Teammate Kamarie Hadley earned second place in the boys’ long jump and triple jump.
CENTER from page B1
COURTESY SUPA
SUPA athletes work out in what will eventually be a brand new performance center.
Point di erential is a tie-breaker in the group stage of the tournament
ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during an NBA Cup game.
Chris Finch, Minnesota coach
SIDELINE REPORT
NFL Post on Boyd’s Instagram account says Jets cornerback breathing on his own Florham Park, N.J.
A post on New York Jets
cornerback Kris Boyd’s Instagram account said he has started to breathe on his own after being shot in midtown Manhattan last Sunday. Boyd’s Instagram Stories feature a picture of the special teams standout lying down in what appears to be his hospital bed, with the words “God is real, God is powerful” at the top of the image. The post came a few hours after Jets coach Aaron Glenn said he had spoken to Boyd and is con dent he will be OK.
NFL
Ex-Browns QB Kosar has new liver after more than year on transplant waiting list
Cleveland Former Cleveland Browns
quarterback Bernie Kosar has received a liver transplant after being on the waiting list for more than a year. The 61-year- old had been dealing with liver issues for years. He was diagnosed with cirrhosis and Parkinson’s disease last year. His transplant was delayed last weekend because of an infected donor organ. Kosar played in the NFL for 12 seasons, leading the Browns to three AFC championship games.
MLB
MLB’s new media deals with ESPN, NBC, Net ix total $800M annually
ESPN and Major League Baseball have reworked their media rights deal. ESPN has gained out-of-market streaming rights, while NBC and Net ix will air games under a new three-year agreement. NBC/Peacock will host “Sunday Night Baseball” and the Wild Card round, while Net ix will air the Home Run Derby and two additional games. The deals will average nearly $800 million annually. ESPN will still pay $550 million, with NBC’s deal worth $200 million and Net ix’s $50 million.
NHL Panthers’ Luostarinen to miss time because of cookout mishap
Miami The Florida Panthers are facing more injuries, including one from a grilling accident. Coach Paul Maurice sees this as a chance for growth. Forward Eetu Luostarinen is out and considered week to week due to the mishap. The Panthers don’t have a timeline for his return. Forward Cole Schwindt, claimed o waivers last month, is also injured and needs surgery for a broken arm. Schwindt will miss two to three months.
MLB Orioles trade pitcher Rodriguez to Angels for power-hitting out elder Ward
Baltimore The Baltimore Orioles acquired out elder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. The 31-year-old Ward hit a careerhigh 36 home runs this past season. Baltimore gave up the oft-injured Rodriguez, who was considered a potential ace for the Orioles but missed the entire 2025 season with elbow and lat problems. The 26-year- old Rodriguez is 20-8 with a 4.11 ERA in 43 big league starts.
Fight songs still ring true as college football tradition in face of ever-changing changes in sport
Stadiums use more recorded pop songs, but tradition still has an important place
By Larry Lage The Associated Press
ANN ARBOR, Mich. —
The sounds of college football have changed over the years, with pop culture songs becoming part of the show at stadiums across the country.
Fight songs, though, have withstood the test of time and still ring true.
From “Rocky Top” at Tennessee to “Fight On” at USC, school bands cranking up the familiar notes and rhythm and thousands of alumni joining the student body in belting out the long-familiar lyrics are a touchstone of the nostalgia surrounding the game itself. It’s a chance to cheer in common or at least try to shake o a disappointment.
Like the teams themselves, ght songs tend to spark much discussion on the topic of which one is the best of the bunch or at least the most familiar.
To Georgia Southern sport management professor Chris Hanna, “The Victors” at Michigan and “Notre Dame Victory March” are in the conversation for the mythical national championship of music.
“Those two have separated themselves,” said Hanna, who has studied and written about college ght songs. “Those are the two most popular and well known.”
Michigan’s familiar ght song dates to 1898 when a music student at the school, Louis Elbel, wrote it following the Wolverines’ 12-11 win over the University of Chicago for their rst Western Conference football title.
“Hail! Hail! to Michigan, the champions of the West!” Elbel wrote back when the Midwest was still more of a notion than the commonly known region it is now.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chad Smith, who grew up in suburban Detroit rooting for Michigan, used the ght song as part of his act when the Red Hot Chili Peppers made
“Fight songs ramp up your emotions because of the value you place on the connections to your school.”
Prof. Chris Hanna
a tour stop near Ohio State’s campus just for laughs.
“At the end of the concert, I came out, I said, `Hey, I think we got time for one more song. You guys want to hear one more song?’ And they’re like, ‘Yay,’” Smith recalled. “I’m like, ‘It’s a really good song. I think you’re really going to like this one.’”
Then, Smith started signing “The Victors,” and heard a chorus of boos before dropping the microphone and walking o stage.
“They screamed louder than they screamed all
night,” said Smith. “It was great.”
“Notre Dame Victory March,” written by Notre Dame graduates and brothers, Michael and John Shea, was copyrighted in 1908.
“If you’ve ever seen ”Rudy,” they have it humming in the background at practice,” said Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright, a former Fighting Irish star. “It’s just kind of lled with rich tradition.”
USC’s “Fight On,” was born in 1922 after students Milo Sweet and Glen Grant teamed up to create the iconic song kicked o by trumpets. It makes Hanna’s list of top ght songs along with Oklahoma’s “Boomer Sooner,” and “On Wisconsin!” Hanna was part of research on 130 Division I college football ght songs that found more than 90% of the songs had themes that included the name of the university, an exclamation and togetherness.
“Fight songs ramp up your emotions because of the value you place on the connections to your school,” Hanna said. “These songs are passed down by generations, and you learn them as kids.”
In recent decades, piped-in music has become the norm while marching bands take a break whether they want one or not.
House of Pain’s “Jump Around” at Wisconsin is now in its third decade of inspiring Badgers fans. “Mr. Brightside” at Michigan, “Callin’ Baton Rouge” at LSU and “Shout” at Oregon” are just a few that have become part of the gameday experience.
“Those are cool, obviously, but we don’t sing ‘Mr. Brightside’ after we win,” Davis said. “We sing ‘The Victors’ after we win. Even in the era of sound e ects and music, having the band right there playing ght songs, I think, is a really cool tradition in college football.”
Hamels, Braun, Kemp among 12 newcomers on Baseball Hall of Fame ballot
Carlos Beltran, A-Rod and Manny Ramirez head the list of returning players on the ballot
The Associated Press
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp are among 12 newcomers on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released Monday, and Carlos Beltrán heads 15 holdovers after falling 19 votes shy in 2025 balloting. Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy and Rick Porcello also are among the rst-time eligibles, joined by Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Nick Markakis and Hunter Pence.
Beltrán received 277 of 394 votes for 70.3% in the 2025 balloting, when Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected.
A nine-time All-Star, Beltrán hit .279 with 435 homers and 1,587 RBIs over 20 seasons with Kansas City (1999-2004), Houston (2004, ’17), the New York Mets (2005-11), San Francisco (2011), St. Louis (2012-13), the New York Yankees (2014 -16) and Texas (2016). He received 46.5% support in his rst ballot appearance in 2023, then rose to 57.1% in his second.
Beltrán was the only player cited by name in baseball Com-
70.3%
Vote share received by Carlos Beltran last year, just shy of the 75% needed for induction to the Hall of Fame
missioner Rob Manfred’s 2020 report concluding the Astros used electronics in violation of rules to steal signs during Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series title and again in the 2018 season. Three days after the report was issued, the New York Mets said Beltrán was out as their manager, just 21⁄2 months after he was hired. Other holdovers include steroids-tainted stars Alex Rodriguez (146 votes, 37.1%) and Manny Ramirez (135, 34.3%), along with Andruw Jones (261, 66.2%), Chase Utley (157, 39.8%), Andy Pettitte (110, 27.9%), Félix Hernández (81, 20.6%), Bobby Abreu (77, 19.5%), Jimmy Rollins (71, 18%), Omar Vizquel (70, 17.8%), Dustin Pedroia (47, 11.9%), Mark Buehrle (45, 11.4%), Francisco Rodríguez (40, 10.2%), David Wright (32, 8.1%) and Torii Hunter (20, 5.1%).
Pettitte is on the ballot for the eighth time after doubling support from 13.5% in 2024. A player can appear
on the ballot up to 10 times. BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by Dec. 31, and results will be announced Jan. 20. Anyone elected will be inducted on July 26 along with anyone chosen Dec. 7 by the hall’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot considering eight players whose greatest contributions to the sport were from 1980 on.
Hamels, a four-time All-Star, was 163-122 with a 3.43 ERA for Philadelphia (2006-15), Texas (2015-18), the Chicago Cubs (2018-19) and Atlanta (2020), pitching a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Cubs on July 25, 2015. He was MVP of the 2008 NL Championship Series and World Series as Philadelphia won its second title, its rst since 1980.
Braun, the 2011 MVP and a six-time All-Star, hit .296 with 352 homers and 1,154 RBIs for Milwaukee from 2007-20. He was suspended for the nal 65 games of the 2013 season for violations of baseball’s drug program and labor contract. A 50-game suspension for an alleged positive test in 2011 was overturned after Braun challenged the chain of custody of the urine sample.
Kemp, a three-time All-Star, batted .284 with 287 homers and 1,031 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-14, ’18), San Diego (2015-16), Atlanta (2016-17), Cincinnati (2019) and Colorado (2020). Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy are being considered by the contemporary era committee, along with Carlos Delgado, Je Kent, Gary She eld and Fernando Valenzuela.
DOUG MCSCHOOLER / AP PHOTO
Members of Notre Dame’s marching band perform during a Fighting Irish home game.
New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran smiles during a press conference in 2019.
Sheeran, whose label Warner
unauthorized use of its catalogue, performs during
this year.
Sony, Warner, Universal sign AI music licensing deals with startup Klay
Arti cial intelligence is transforming the music industry’s entire business model
By Kelvin Chan The Associated Press
LONDON — The world’s biggest music labels have struck AI licensing deals with a little-known startup named Klay Vision, the companies said last Thursday, the latest in a series of deals that underlines how the technology is shaking up the music industry’s business model.
Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, and their publishing arms, all signed separate agreements with Klay, according to an announcement posted on Warner’s website.
It comes a day after Warner inked two other deals involving arti cial intelligence, with startups Udio and Stability AI. There were few details released about the agreements or about Klay, which is based in Los Angeles, and what it does.
The deal terms will help Klay “further evolve music experiences for fans, leveraging the potential of AI, while fully re -
specting the rights of artists, songwriters, and rightsholders,” the announcement said.
Klay has been working with the music industry on a licensing “framework for an AI-driven music experience” and has built a “large music model” trained only on licensed music.
AI-generated music has been ooding streaming services amid the rise of chatbot-like song generators that instantly spit out new tunes based on prompts typed by users without any musical knowledge. The synthetic music boom has also resulted in a wave of AI singers and bands that have climbed the charts after racking up millions of streams even though they don’t exist in real life.
Warner, Universal and Sony had last year sued Suno and Udio, makers of two popular AI song generation tools, accusing them of exploiting the recorded works of artists without compensating them. But there are signs that the disputes are being resolved through negotiation.
Warner, which represents artists including Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, said last Wednesday that it resolved its copyright infringement litigation against Udio. The two companies said
“(The deal) will create new revenue streams for artists and songwriters, while ensuring their work remains protected.”
Warner Music Group
they’re teaming up to develop Udio’s licensed AI music creation service set to launch in 2026 that will allow users to remix tunes by established artists. They provided no nancial details on their agreement, which includes Warner’s recording and publishing businesses, but it will create “new revenue streams for artists and songwriters, while ensuring their work remains protected.”
It’s similar to an agreement that Universal Music Group signed last month with Udio, which triggered a backlash because Udio stopped users from downloading the songs they created.
Udio said it will remain a “closed system” as it prepares to launch the new service next year. If artists and songwriters choose to let their works be used, they’ll be credited and paid when users remix or cover their songs or make new tunes with their voices and compositions, the companies said.
Warner said last week that it was working with Stability AI on developing “professional-grade tools” for musicians, songwriters and producers.
ANDY KROPA / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Ed
Music Group settled a copyright dispute with Udio over
“Ed Sheeran’s Play: Live from New York”
this week in history
Grand Ole Opry debuts, George Harrison dies at 58, Napoleon crowns himself emperor
NOV. 27
1895: Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel signed a will allocating most of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes, honoring achievements in peace, physics, chemistry, literature and physiology or medicine.
1934: Bank robber Lester Joseph Gillis — better known as George “Baby Face” Nelson — was killed in a shootout with FBI agents in Barrington, Illinois.
1978: San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, a leading gay rights advocate, were shot and killed inside City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White.
NOV. 28
1520: Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reached the Paci c Ocean after navigating the strait that now bears his name.
1925: The Grand Ole Opry — then known as the WSM Barn Dance — debuted on Nashville’s WSM radio. It endures as the longest-run-
ning radio broadcast in U.S. history.
2001: Enron Corp., once the world’s largest energy trader, collapsed after would-be rescuer Dynegy Inc. backed out of an $8.4 billion takeover deal. (Enron led for bankruptcy protection four days later.)
NOV. 29
1864: A Colorado militia carried out an unprovoked assault on a Cheyenne and Arapaho encampment, killing an estimated 230 people in what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre.
1929: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinney completed the rst airplane ight over the South Pole.
2001: Former Beatle George Harrison died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58.
NOV. 30
1782: The United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris to end the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was completed in September 1783.
1936: London’s Crystal Palace exhibition hall was
France during a coronation ceremony at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Dec. 2, 1804.
destroyed by a massive re.
1993: President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, requiring a ve-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks for prospective buyers.
DEC. 1
1824: The presidential election was thrown to the U.S. House of Representatives after no candidate won more than 50% of the electoral vote.
1955: Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama.
1969: The U.S. government conducted its rst draft lottery
New coin honors Freddie Mercury, Queen singer’s 4-octave range
The front man died in 1991 of HIV at age 45
By Hilary Fox The Associated Press
LONDON — Britain’s Royal Mint is celebrating Freddie Mercury with a new coin design that marks 40 years since Queen’s iconic Live Aid concert performance.
The coin features an image of the iconic front man, head thrown back and holding the microphone stand mid-performance. A musical stave that runs around the edge of the coin represents his four-octave vocal range.
The rst coin was struck by Mercury’s sister Kashmira Bulsara at the Royal Mint in Wales last week.
“As Freddie died young, he didn’t get the chance of being awarded a royal medal for his talents in the music world. So to have a royal coin this way is wonderful and very tting,” she said.
“The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions through his music,” she added. “I think the design is very impressive and they managed to catch the most iconic pose of Freddie, which is so recognizable worldwide.” The Royal Mint’s director of commemorative coin, Rebecca Morgan, said the timing was perfect for Mercury to be
A UK coin has been designed to celebrate one of the greatest showmen of all time, Freddie Mercury.
celebrated with his own coin. She said fans had been “calling out” for it and “this felt like
solutions
for military service since World War II.
DEC. 2
1804: Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France in a ceremony at Notre-Dame de Paris.
1823: President James Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine, warning European nations against further colonial expansion in the Western Hemisphere and asserting separate spheres of in uence.
1859: Militant abolitionist John Brown was hanged for his raid on Harpers Ferry, an event that further in amed tensions leading up to the Civil War.
1942: Scientists led by Enrico Fermi achieved the rst arti cially created self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago.
DEC. 3
1947: Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire” opened on Broadway.
1967: A surgical team led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa, performed the rst human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky.
1979: Eleven people were killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum ahead of a concert by The Who.
“The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions through his music.”
Kashmira Bulsara, sister of Freddy Mercury
the year to do it” because it’s 40 years since he captivated audiences at the 1985 Live Aid concert, hailed by many as the greatest live gig of all time.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Mercury’s solo studio album, “Mr. Bad Guy.” Mercury died at age 45 in 1991, just one day after he publicly announced he was HIV positive.
The Royal Mint has issued special coins to celebrate other music legends including David Bowie, George Michael, Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney.
The coins are on sale on the Royal Mint website. Prices start at 18.50 pounds ($24.40) for an uncirculated 5-pound denomination version. A 2 oz. gold proof coin costs 9,350 pounds ($12,315) The Royal Mint said it will donate a special gold edition of the coin to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity that was started in the singer’s memory and donates funds to those living with AIDS and HIV.
FRANÇOIS GÉRARD VIA WIKIPEDIA Napoleon declared himself emperor of
*Must
famous birthdays this week
Howie Mandel turns 70, Woody Allen hits 90, Don Cheadle is 61, Julianne Moore turns 65
THESE celebrities have birthdays this week.
NOV. 27
Fashion designer Manolo Blahnik is 83. Film director Kathryn Bigelow is 74. Science educator and TV host Bill Nye (aka the Science Guy) is 70.
Actor Robin Givens is 61. Actor Michael Vartan is 57. Baseball Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez is 54. Actor Jaleel White is 49.
NOV. 28
Recording executive Berry Gordy Jr. is 96. Football Hall of Famer Paul War eld is 83. Former “Late Show” band leader Paul Sha er is 76. Actor Ed Harris is 75. Actor Judd Nelson is 66. Rock drummer Matt Cameron is 63. Comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart is 63.
NOV. 29
Filmmaker Joel Coen is 71. Actor-TV personality Howie Mandel is 70. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 65. Actor Kim Delaney is 64. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 63. Actor Don Cheadle is 61.
NOV. 30
Filmmaker Woody Allen is 90. Filmmaker Ridley Scott is 88. Historian and screenwriter Geo rey C. Ward is 85. Filmmaker Terrence Malick is 82. Playwright David Mamet is 78. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 73. Singer Billy Idol is 70. Actor- lmmaker Ben Stiller is 60. Singer Clay Aiken is 47.
DEC. 1
World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 86. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 81. Actor-singer Bette Midler is 80. Model-actor Carol Alt is 65. Actor Jeremy Northam is 64. Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Walker is 59.
DEC. 2
Actor Cathy Lee Crosby is 81. Film director Penelope Spheeris is 80. Actor Lucy Liu is 57. Tennis Hall of Famer Monica Seles is 52. Pop singer Britney Spears is 44.
DEC. 3
Singer Jaye P. Morgan is 94. Rock singer Mickey Thomas is 76. Actor Daryl Hannah is 65. Actor Julianne
65. Olympic
tor Brendan
Moore is
gure skating gold medalist Katarina Witt is 60. Ac-
Fraser is 57.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Bette Midler, recipient of the Distinguished Collaborator Award, pictured at the 25th Costume Designers Guild Awards in 2023, turns 80 on Monday.
JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Jaleel White, best known for his role as Steve Urkel, turns 49 on Thursday.
CHIANG YING-YING / AP PHOTO
Singer Britney Spears, pictured performing during her 2017 concert in Taipei, Taiwan, turns 44 on Tuesday.
the stream
‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Mickey 17,’ Kevin
Hart,
‘A
“The Beatles Anthology” documentary series lands on Disney+
The Associated Press
BONG JOON HO’S “Mickey 17,” a new batch of “Stranger Things’” nal season and Kevin Hart debuting a new comedy special on Net ix are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time this week: “Everybody Loves Raymond” gets a 30th anniversary special on CBS, the Hallmark’s special “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas” with Brad Paisley and Mickey Guyton, and a new Beatles documentary series hits Disney+.
MOVIES TO STREAM
Shih-Ching Tsou, the Taiwanese lmmaker known for collaborating with and producing several Sean Baker lms including “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project,” makes her solo directorial debut with “Left-Handed Girl,” about a single mother and her two daughters who return to Taipei to open a stand at a night market. Net ix acquired the lm after it was warmly received during the Cannes Film Festival, and Taiwan has already selected the lm as its Oscar submission. It begins streaming on Net ix on Friday.
Bong’s “Mickey 17” arrives on Prime Video on Thursday for some dystopian holiday viewing. In her review for The Associated Press, Jocelyn Noveck praised Robert Pattinson’s performance (or, rather, performances) as an expendable who is constantly being reprinted anew. She writes, “It’s his movie, and he saves it from Bong’s tendencies to overstu the proceedings. In an extremely physical, committed, even exhausting performance, Pattinson takes what could have been an unwieldy mess and makes it much less, well, expendable.”
OK, “The Last Duel,” streaming on Hulu on Sunday, might be four years old but it’s a far better option than, say, “Flight Risk” (on HBO Max on Wednesday). Ridley Scott’s medieval tale, written by Matt Damon, Ben A eck and Nicole Holofcener, is a brilliant spin on the historical epic told from three
Grand Ole Opry Christmas’
di erent perspectives, Damon’s Jean de Carrouges, Adam Driver’s Jacques Le Gris and Jodie Comer’s Marguerite. In his review for the AP, lm writer Jake Coyle wrote that it “is more like a medieval tale deconstructed, piece by piece, until its heavily armored male characters and the genre’s mythologized nobility are unmasked.”
MUSIC TO STREAM
In 2021, over Thanksgiving, Disney+ released Peter Jackson’s six-hour “The Beatles: Get Back” to its streaming platform. The gargantuan project provided fans with a deep-dive into the band’s “Let It Be” sessions — including footage of their entire rooftop concert, shared in full for the rst time. It was an ideal release date, to say the least. After all that delicious food, who doesn’t want to settle in for a lengthy journey into one of the greatest musical acts of all time? Well, in 2025, there’s yet another reason to be grateful: “The Beatles Anthology” documentary series is on Disney+. That’s nine episodes tracing their journey. Lock in.
’Tis the season for Hallmark holiday lms. And for the country music fanatic, that means
“‘The Last Duel’ is more like a medieval tale deconstructed, piece by piece, until its heavily armored male characters and the genre’s mythologized nobility are unmasked.”
Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
“A Grand Ole Opry Christmas.” The lm follows a woman forced to confront her musical past and heritage in the esteemed venue — and there may or may not be some time travel and Christmas magic involved. Stay tuned for the all-star cameos: Paisley, Megan Moroney, Guyton, Rhett Akins, Tigirlily Gold and more make an appearance. It’s now streaming on Hallmark+.
SERIES TO STREAM
It’s hard to believe that “Everybody Loves Raymond” has been o the air for two decades. The multicamera sitcom starred Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton as Ray and Debra Barone, a young married couple whose daily lives are interrupted regularly by Ray’s meddling parents, played by Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who live across the street. CBS recently
taped a 30th anniversary special, which is now streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal, it recreates the set of the Barone living room and features interviews with cast members including Romano, Heaton, Brad Garrett and Monica Horan. There will also be a tribute to Boyle and Roberts, who died in 2006 and 2016, respectively. It’s tting for the special to come out around the holidays because its Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes were top-notch. All nine seasons stream on both Paramount+ and Peacock.
“Stranger Things” is nally back with its fth and nal season. Net ix is releasing the sci- series in three parts, and the rst four episodes are ready to watch. Millie Bobby Brown says fans will “lose their damn minds” with how it ends.
Also, Hart has a new come-
dy special on Net ix. It’s called “Kevin Hart: Acting My Age.” The jokes center around, you guessed it, aging. A new “Family Guy” special on Hulu pokes fun at those holiday movies we all know, love and watch. It’s called “Disney’s Hulu’s Family Guy’s Hallmark Channel’s Lifetime’s Familiar Holiday Movie” and pokes fun at the commonly used trope of a big city gal who ends up in a small town at Christmas and falls in love. It drops Friday on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
Arti cial intelligence: friend to all humanity or existential threat to the planet? In A.I.L.A, Brazilian studio Pulsatrix leans toward the latter. You play as a game tester who’s asked to try out an AI-created horror story. But while you’re busy ghting o ghosts, zombies and ax murderers, the AI may be up to something more nefarious in the background — which could be bad news if you own a smart refrigerator. It all has the potential to be very meta, whether or not you welcome our new robot overlords. Play now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Comedian Kevin Hart’s new standup special, “Kevin Hart: Acting My Age,” is streaming now on Net ix.
AP PHOTO
“The Beatles Anthology,” a nine-episode documentary series, is now streaming on Disney+.