Chatham News & Record Vol. 148, Issue 45

VOLUME 148 ISSUE 45 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAMON HAIMOFF / AMERICA250 VIA AP

The red, white and blue New Year’s Eve ball is meant to honor the U.S.’s 250th year.

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Times Square features patriotic ball BRIEF this week drop for New Year, America250 kickoff Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect told FBI he targeted U.S. political parties because they were “in charge” Washington, D.C. The man accused of placing two pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol told investigators after his arrest that he believed someone needed to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen. He also said he wanted to target the country’s political parties because they were “in charge.” That’s according to a memo filed by the Justice Department on Sunday that argues that Brian J. Cole Jr. should remain jailed as the case moves forward.

Trump indicates U.S. “hit” facility tied to alleged drug boats Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump indicated the U.S. has “hit” a facility in South America as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela. But the U.S. has offered no other details. Trump made the comments in what seemed to be an impromptu radio interview Friday. Trump said that on Dec. 24, the U.S. “hit” a facility that he seemed to suggest alleged drug-ferrying boats originate from. “I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard.”

2026 is the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence By Susan Haigh The Associated Press AFTER THE CRYSTAL ball dropped on New Year’s Eve in New York City, it rose again,

mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. “I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said America250 Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspiration-

al celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.” Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning a second ball drop event See BALL, page A7

Volunteering with children can build character, create lasting family memories Giving back can be rewarding for kids By Cathy Bussewitz The Associated Press NEW YORK — When Cami Teacoach’s son turned 3, she set out to find volunteer opportuni-

ties they could do together. He made Valentine cards for senior citizens. They hiked and picked up trash. He helped harvest produce at community gardens and made seed balls out of mud, throwing them into the forest to promote wildflower growth. Teacoach had reached out to many organizations looking

for volunteer projects that she could do with her young child, but most places said no, so she came up with her own. “Everyone was like, ‘A 3-year-old can’t do that,’” Teacoach said. “And I was like, ‘No, I swear, he really can if you would just give him a chance.’” Volunteering with children

More thrifting, fewer returns: Early trends that defined shopping this holiday season “I think [fewer returns is] very indicative of consumers and how conscientiously they’ve purchased.” Vivek Pandya, lead analyst, Adobe Digital Insights

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sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off months of celebrations for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, offered an early glimpse of what’s ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and small, planned nationwide to

Buyers spent more time on research and building lists By Anne D’Innocenzio The Associated Press NEW YORK — The shopping rush leading up to Christmas is over and in its place, like every year, another has begun as millions of people hunt for post-holiday deals and get in line to return gifts that didn’t fit, or didn’t hit quite right. Holiday spending using cash or cards through Sunday has topped last year’s haul, ac-

cording to data released this week by Visa’s Consulting & Analytics division and Mastercard SpendingPulse. But growing unease over the U.S. economy and higher prices in part due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs have altered the behavior of some Americans. More are hitting thrift stores or other discounters in place of malls, according to data from Placer.ai. The firm tracks people’s movements based on cellphone usage. And they’re sticking more See TRENDS, page A2

can instill confidence in youngsters, teach social and problem-solving skills and provide unique ways for families to bond. During the holiday season, many people seek such opportunities, looking for ways to give back. See VOLUNTEER, page A3

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

THURSDAY

1.1.26 #123

Man dead, 2 police officers hurt in shooting during custody exchange in Mint Hill The officers are in stable condition

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CRIME LOG Dec. 22 • Jostin Josue Ramirez-Duarte, 18, of Durham, was arrested for larceny of a firearm. • Brooklyn Nicole Craig, 24, of Pittsboro, was arrested for felony aid and abet. • Franklin Miles Young, 45, was arrested for breaking and entering, misdemeanor larceny and damage to property. Dec. 23 • Noe Wuilfredo Perla, 25, was arrested for possession of marijuana, speeding, driving while license revoked, operating vehicle without insurance, window tinting violation, expired registration card/tag, expired inspection, reckless driving to endanger, discharging firearm on educational property, gun on educational property, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and assault on a female. • Jeffrey Warren Marley, 48, of Bear Creek, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault on a female. • Vincent Edward Locklear, 62, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny. Dec. 24 • Justin Lee Morse, 58, was arrested for larceny of motor vehicle, possession of stolen goods/property, obtaining property by false pretense, identity theft and felony larceny. Dec. 26 • Wade Hampton Farrish, 72, was arrested for domestic violence protective order violation, assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, felony assault on handicapped person, break and enter to terrorize or injure and felony assault on individual with disability. • Melvin Jerome Glover, 61, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. • Carlos Alfredo Hernandez, 34, was arrested for felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, driving while license revoked, expired registration card/tag, possession of drug paraphernalia and expired inspection. Dec. 27 • Glenda Yamileth Garcia-Perez, 22, was arrested for simple assault, domestic violence protective order violation and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

The Associated Press MINT HILL — A man was shot and killed Friday after firing at police in a suburb of Charlotte during a child custody exchange, authorities said. Two Mint Hill police officers were also wounded in the shooting Mint Hill Police said in a statement on social media. Mint Hill officers were called to the exchange at an Edi-

ble Arrangement store around 10:45 a.m. Friday. Authorities said the man pulled out a gun and started shooting and officers fired back. Police say he died in the exchange of gunfire. Employees at Empire Pizza nearby were on a smoke break and saw two officers go inside the store, then saw one of them leading the other outside with blood on their hands and face, manager Kevin Phayme told reporters at the scene. Police initially said the officers were in critical condition and a few hours later updated

TRENDS from page A1 closely to shopping lists and doing more research before buying. That may explain why returns so far are down compared with last year, according to data from Adobe Analytics. Here are three trends that defined the holiday shopping season so far. Weaker holiday season for traditional gift giving Americans are still spending on gifts, yet increasingly that shopping is taking place at thrift and discount stores, according to data from Placer.ai. That’s likely forcing traditional retailers such as department stores to fight harder for customers, Placer.ai said. Clothing and electronics that traditionally dominate holiday sales did have a surge but struggled to grow, according to Placer.ai. Both goods are dominated by imports and thus, vulnerable to tariffs. For example, traffic doubled in department stores during the week before Christmas, from Dec. 15 through Sunday, compared with the average shopping week this year. But traffic in the week before Christmas this year fell 13.2% compared with 2024. Traffic surged 61% at traditional sellers of only clothing in the week before the holiday compared with the rest of the year. But again, compared with the runup to Christmas last year, sales slid 9%. Some of that lost traffic may have migrated to the so-called off-price stores — chains like TJ Maxx. That sector had a sharp seasonal traffic bump of 85.1% and a gain of 1.2% in the week before the holiday. But it was thrift stores that were red hot, with traffic jumping nearly 11% in the week before Christmas compared with last year. “Whether hunting for a designer deal or uncovering a one-of-a-kind vintage piece, consumers increasingly fa-

$187.3B From Nov. 1 to Dec. 12, online sales rose 6% over last year

vored discovery-driven experiences over the standardized assortments of traditional retail,” Shira Petrack, head of content at Placer.ai, said in a blog post Friday. Thrift stores broaden their appeal In the past it may have seemed gauche to gift your mother a gently used sweater or a pair of pants from a local thrift store, but seemingly not so amid all of the economic uncertainty and rising prices, according to Placer.ai. Through the second half of 2025, thrift stores have seen at least a 10% increases in traffic compared with last year. That suggests that environmental concerns as well as economic issues are luring more Americans to second-hand stores, Placer.ai said. Visits to thrift stores generally do not take off during the holidays, yet in the most recent Black Friday weekend, sales jumped 5.5%, Placer.ai. reported. In November, as customer traffic in traditional apparel stores fell more than 3%, traffic in thrift stores soared 12.7%, according to Placer.ai. The thrift migration has altered the demographics of second-hand stores. The average household income of thrift customers hit $75,000 during October and November of this year, a slight uptick from $74,900 last year, $74,600 in 2023 well above the average income of 74,100 in 2022, based on demographic data from STI:PopStats combined with Placer.ai data. U.S. sales at thrift chain Savers Value Village’s rose 10.5% in the three months ended Sept. 27 and the mo-

their conditions to stable. They said more information about the shooting will be released later. Crime scene technicians were seen on television footage taking photos inside the store and examining evidence outside. A statement from Edible Arrangements said the company didn’t have any information Friday evening indicating the shooting involved anyone with its store and was still trying to talk to the franchise owner. Mint Hill is a suburb of about 27,000 people about 12 miles east of Charlotte.

mentum continued through October, store executives said in late October. “High household income cohort continues to become a larger portion of our consumer mix,” CEO Mark Walsh told analysts. “It’s trade down for sure, and our younger cohort also continues to grow in numbers. ” Fewer returns, so far For the first six weeks of the holiday season, return rates have dipped from the same period a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics. That suggests that shoppers are doing more research before adding something to their shopping list, and they’re being more disciplined in sticking to the lists they create, according to Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. “I think it’s very indicative of consumers and how conscientiously they’ve purchased,” Pandya said. “Many of them are being very specific with how they spend their budget.” From Nov. 1 to Dec. 12, returns fell 2.5% compared with last year, Adobe reported. In the seven days following Cyber Week — the five shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, returns fell 0.1%. From the Nov. 1 through Dec. 12, online sales rose 6% to $187.3 billion, on track to surpass its outlook for the season, Adobe reported. Between Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, returns are expected to rise by 25% to 35% compared with returns between Nov. 1 through Dec. 12, Adobe said, and it expects returns to remain elevated through the first two weeks of January, up 8% to 15%. This is the first year that Adobe has tracked returns. Still, the last week of December sees the greatest concentration of returns: one out of every eight returns in the 2024 holiday season took place between Dec. 26 and Dec 31, a trend expected to persist this year, Adobe said.

CHATHAM

happening Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:

Jan.3 Holidays at Carolina Tiger Rescue 2-4 p.m. Spend the holidays with the cats at this nonprofit rehab center. Tickets are $32 each. Contact 919-542-4684 to order tickets. 1940 Hanks Chapel Road Pittsboro

Jan. 9 Chatham Chamber Lunch and Learn 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each session features a select expert speaker and a catered lunch. For more information, contact Rebecca at 919-771-7530. 120 Mosaic Blvd., Suite 120 Pittsboro

Jan. 10 Bluegrass Jam Circle 10 a.m. to noon This free acoustic jam session is open to musicians and singers of all ages and skill levels. There is no admission fee, and the public is welcome to attend. Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Jan. 14 Poetry at The Plant 5-8 p.m. Original poetry presented by regional artists. For more information, contact Lisa at 919-548-6884. The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

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New York subway ends MetroCard era, switches fully to tap-and-go fares It replaced the venerable subway token in 1994 By Philip Marcelo The Associated Press NEW YORK — When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest transit systems. Now, more than three decades later, the gold-hued fare card and its notoriously finicky magnetic strip are following the token into retirement. The last day to buy or refill a MetroCard is Dec. 31, as the transit system fully transitions to OMNY, a contactless payment system that allows riders to tap their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay fares, much like they do for other everyday purchases. Transit officials say more than 90% of subway and bus trips are now paid using the tap-and-go system, introduced in 2019. Major cities around the world, including London and Singapore, have long used similar contactless systems. In the U.S., San Francisco launched a pay-go system earlier this year, joining Chicago and others.

MARY ALTAFFER / AP PHOTO

MetroCards upended how New Yorkers commute The humble MetroCard may have outlasted its useful life, but in its day it was revolutionary, says Jodi Shapiro, curator at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which opened an exhibit earlier this month reflecting on the MetroCard’s legacy. Before MetroCards, bus and subway riders relied on tokens, the brass-colored coins introduced in 1953 that were purchased from station booths. When the subway opened in 1904, paper tickets cost just a nickel, or about $1.82 in today’s dollars. “There was a resistance to change from tokens to something else because tokens work,” Shapiro said on a recent visit to the museum, housed underground in a decommissioned subway station. “MetroCards in-

A subway rider swipes his MetroCard in a turnstile as he enters the 34th Street subway station in 2007.

troduced a whole other level of thinking for New Yorkers.” The Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched public campaigns to teach commuters how to swipe the originally blue-colored cards correctly, hoping to avoid the dreaded error message or lost fares. Officials even briefly toyed with the idea of an quirky mascot, the Cardvaark, before coming to their senses. The cards quickly became collectors items as the transit system rolled out special commemorative editions marking major events, such as the “Subway Series” between baseball’s New York Mets and the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series. At the time, a fare cost $1.50. Artists from David Bowie and Olivia Rodrigo to seminal New York hip-hop acts, such as the Wu-Tang Clan, the Notori-

ous B.I.G. and LL Cool J, have also graced the plastic card over the years, as have iconic New York shows like “Seinfeld” and “Law & Order.” “For me, the most special cards are cards which present New York City to the world,” said Lev Radin, a collector in the Bronx. “Not only photos of landmarks, skylines, but also about people who live and make New York special.” Perfecting the correct angle and velocity of the MetroCard swipe also became something of a point of pride separating real New Yorkers from those just visiting. During her failed 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. senator from New York, took an excruciating five swipes at a Bronx turnstile. In fairness, her chief Democratic opponent at the time, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a native Brooklynite, didn’t even appear to realize tokens had been discontinued. Cost savings, lingering concerns Unlike the MetroCard rollout, OMNY has required little adjustment. Riders reluctant to use a credit card or smart device can purchase an OMNY card they can reload, similar to a Metro-

Card. Existing MetroCards will also continue to work into 2026, allowing riders to use remaining balances. MTA spokespersons declined to comment, pointing instead to their many public statements as the deadline approaches. The agency has said the changeover saves at least $20 million annually in MetroCard-related costs. The new system also allows unlimited free rides within a seven-day period because the fare is capped after 12 rides. It’ll max out at $35 a week once the fare rises to $3 in January. Still, new changes come with tradeoffs, with some critics raising concerns about data collection and surveillance. Near Times Square on a recent morning, Ronald Minor was among the dwindling group of “straphangers” still swiping MetroCards. The 70-year-old Manhattan resident said he’s sad to see them go. He has an OMNY card but found the vending machines to reload it more cumbersome. “It’s hard for the elders,” Minor said as he caught a train to Brooklyn. “Don’t push us aside and make it like we don’t count. You push these machines away, you push us away.” John Sacchetti, another MetroCard user at the Port Authority stop, said he likes being able to see his balance as he swipes through a turnstile so he knows how much he’s been spending on rides. “It’s just like everything else, just something to get used to,” he said as he headed uptown. “Once I get used to it, I think it’ll be OK.”

Kennedy Center criticizes musician who canceled performance after Trump name added to building By Steven Sloan The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The president of the Kennedy Center on Friday fiercely criticized a musician’s sudden decision to cancel a Christmas Eve performance at the venue days after the White House announced that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the facility. “Your decision to withdraw at the last moment — explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure — is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution,” the venue’s presi-

VOLUNTEER from page A1 But often nonprofit organizations seek helpers who are at least 18 years old. Finding volunteer work to do as a family with young children can be challenging, but there are opportunities if you persist. “There’s a million different ways to help people and volunteer. So many families want to do this and literally just don’t know where to start,” said Polly Lagana, executive director of Volunteer New York!, which connects people with service opportunities. “In a turbulent time in our world, families — and parents in particular — are very interested in showing their kids how they can help out and how they can give back.” Children excel at activities such as sorting coats, packing groceries and following through on tasks, said Sapreet Saluja, executive director of New York Cares, which works with organizations to develop volunteer programs in New York City. “I’ve been very impressed with the detail-orientation and the precision and the following of directions and the care that some kids I’ve seen, as young as 6, take to the tasks that they’re doing,” Saluja said. “It’s been explained to them that this is to benefit someone, and it’s important, and they’re following the directions and they want to get it just right. And in many cases, they’re more detail-oriented than the adults, which I

dent, Richard Grenell, wrote in a letter to musician Chuck Redd that was shared with The Associated Press. In the letter, Grenell said he would seek $1 million in damages “for this political stunt.” Redd did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A drummer and vibraphone player, Redd has presided over holiday “Jazz Jams” at the Kennedy Center since 2006, succeeding bassist William “Keter” Betts. In an email Wednesday to The Associated Press, Redd said he pulled out of the concert in the wake of the renaming. “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to

cancel our concert,” Redd said. He added Wednesday that the event has been a “very popular holiday tradition” and that he often featured at least one student musician. “One of the many reasons that it was very sad to have had to cancel,” he told the AP. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year naming the center as a living memorial to him. Grenell is a Trump ally whom the president chose to head the Kennedy Center after he forced out the previous leadership. According to the White House, Trump’s handpicked board approved the renaming, which scholars have said vio-

think is very inspiring.” To get started, look for organizations in your community that match volunteers with family-friendly projects and reach out to ask if there’s a minimum age requirement. Here are some other ways to involve little ones in projects that help the community.

Sharing food

Provide choices Children prefer to have agency and information to make a decision, so include them when you’re choosing an activity, Lagana said. “Let them know what problem you’re trying to fix in your community and maybe one or two options of how that problem can be fixed,” Lagana said. “For example, you can explain there are people who don’t have enough food, and children in the hospital who might not have blankets, and then ask, ‘Which one do you think you want to help out with?’” she suggested. Consider volunteering for a mission that you can explain to your child, such as cleaning up litter at a park. “Kids are unbelievably curious. They ask questions about what they’re doing, what they’re seeing, what they’re feeling, what they’re hearing, and it opens up a dialogue,” Saluja said. “It helps you see even at a young age some of the challenges that society is facing, and it gives you agency to know that you can be a part of the solution.”

Children understand hunger, and they can help alleviate the problem. They can sort grocery boxes at a food pantry or help deliver sustenance to home-bound individuals. Aviva Davis was about 8 years old when she and her brother Brendan began helping her parents deliver Meals on Wheels to senior citizens and medically frail individuals in Denver. Initially, they rode in the car with their parents and helped bring food to the door. When they were older, they took turns driving. “It definitely opened my eyes to what the world is like outside of our bubble. We saw all sorts of different things and I saw not everyone lives the same way,” said Davis, now 17. “But even at such a young age I could realize it’s amazing what we’re doing that we could help people that aren’t as lucky as we were.” Davis became a resource at school for fellow students looking to volunteer. She still does monthly meal deliveries with her parents. “It’s a great chance for us to catch up as a family,” said her father, Seth Davis. “When we’re not all on our phones, you get some pretty cool quality time.” Her brother is now in college, but when he’s home, they do deliveries altogether. “The older they get, the harder it is to get that time together,” said their mother, Bonnie

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

Workers add President Donald Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts after a Trump-appointed board voted to rename the institution in December. lates the law. Kennedy niece Kerry Kennedy has vowed to remove Trump’s name from the building once he leaves office, and former House historian Ray Smock is among those who say any changes would have

to be approved by Congress. The law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

Davis, who found the Meals on Wheels opportunity after extensive research.

one to bring them treats like that.” The project also helped the teens learn social skills and meet people in various stages of life and health conditions, Stephanie Bernaba said. “We went to the first couple of places, and I was really scared, because I’m more of a shy person,” Matthew Bernaba, now 15, said. “For the first couple of deliveries I was more to myself, and as we kept going, we talked more with the veterans and got to hear great stories from them.”

Create your own opportunities When Teacoach couldn’t find organizations willing to accept her toddler, she started a group in Pittsburgh called VolunTOTs, which creates service opportunities for children as young as 3. The children and their parents pack 500 boxes of groceries to distribute to families in need, play bingo with seniors in nursing homes and make dog treats for an animal rescue center, among other projects. Parents have told Teacoach their children’s conduct improves after volunteering. “They feel so good about themselves, they were a helper, and that translates into better behavior,” she said. Stephanie Bernaba’s family started “Tough Cookies,” a project where they bake and deliver cookies to veterans, when her son Matthew was in eighth grade and had to complete a service project for school. “Going up to the houses, it was very nice because they’re mostly living alone. A lot of their family or friends died,” said Michael Bernaba, 14, now a freshman at The Prout School in Wakefield, Rhode Island. “It’s just nice to be there and bring it to them. ... They were very happy, especially for some-

Friends make it fun Children can be more willing to try new activities with a buddy, so consider signing up with people you know. You can also connect with a nonprofit in need of a service and invite other families over to do a project together, as Lagana’s friends have done, organizing clothing donations or assembling snack packs in living rooms. Bonnie Davis organized a drive for menstrual supplies, and families gathered in her backyard to assemble the baskets. She also turned half of her son’s graduation party into a volunteer project assembling kits of bean soup. “It’s a win for everybody. You get quality time, you’re raising your children with what feels like good values, and people benefit,” she said.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | ANDREW RAMONA TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

New Year’s resolutions (of a dog) Every dog might have his day, but not every day is a good day.

RAMONA HERE, a.k.a., Andrew’s house wolf. He’s been busy lately, so I’m taking over his usual column. Though dogs tell time according to the lunar calendar — how else to know when to howl at the moon? — I am aware that humans are about to enter a new year. Many of my friends who walk on two legs will make resolutions about what to do or not. I feel that I can provide some guidance from my furry perspective. First, relish the bone. When someone gives you a gift, don’t question it. Chew to your heart’s content. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Why else would there be rawhide, which is evidence that God loves us and wants us to be happy? I should know — do I need to remind you of what spells “dog” backward? Second, stretch every time you get up and turn around three times before you lie down. You need transition time between one thing and the next. No one is getting any younger. Easy does it, big fella. Third, every dog might have his day, but not every day is a good day. Heaven forbid, someone might give you a bath. You might have to go to the vet and get a shot. Someone

you love might feel down. You can sit at their feet to offer comfort, even if you can’t stop the pain. You might rest your head on their knee or lick their face. Maybe there are more appropriate human actions to show support and compassion, but you get the idea. Fourth, even if you find yourself leashed, there is no excuse for not wagging your tail. Yes, there are things beyond your control, and sometimes you might even be yanked away from a particularly interesting bit of roadkill, but while you can’t control everything, you can decide to be grateful. I’m just sorry that you don’t have a tail to express yourself. Finally, greet every loved one who comes home. What a gift to return to a place full of food, warmth and love. Again, be grateful. Just think, you could have been born as a cat! Love, Ramona Ramona’s owner’s latest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Being resolute on resolutions Unless it’s a resolution to not eat so much rutabaga, I’m probably not going to do all that well there, either.

ONE OF THESE days — or years — if I can ever get smart — or organized — enough, I’m going to save the New Year’s Resolutions I feebly make and even more feebly try for a short time to keep each new year. That way all I’ll have to do to fit right in and be a practicing member of society in good standing is just rehash them every year. Neither, of course, is likely to ever happen. I neither can find them, if I do write them down, nor can keep them. The prospect of finding them is awesome in light of the disaster that is my study. And keeping them … well, unless it’s a resolution to not eat so much rutabaga, I’m probably not going to do all that well there, either. The whole question of resolutions brings up a question about the nature of life anyway, as in why we do it. The answer, I think, is found somewhere in the human personality of wanting to do better. But really the question is “better than what … or who?” Do I want to do better at my golf game, of which there isn’t one for that matter, than I normally do? Then I need to play more. Do I want to do “better” than Tiger Woods at golf? Then I need to shed 25 years, 50 pounds, dye my hair and play more. Or do I want to do better at, say, eating? Already I think I’m pretty good at that, which is one reason you won’t see me posing in the Christmas ads. But what does “better” mean. I already think I’m about as good as anybody in consuming, so

maybe “better” means less so I’ll look good and then get into some of the clothes ads. Resolutions, to be anywhere near valid and helpful at all, must be, the experts tell us, realistic and attainable. That way, if I just say I want to play golf better, then even if I do, I won’t know it unless I play a lot and at the same time say, “I want to knock 100 strokes of my average nine-hole score.” Then if I succeed in getting, say, 50 of them gone, then I’ll know I’ve been at least half successful. With that in mind, I offer a resolution or two in hopes I can find them a year from now … and see how they turned out. I resolve to play no more golf; that should be easily measurable. I haven’t in years; lousy shoulders and several surgeries mean I couldn’t hit a ball 50 yards if my life depended on it. I do resolve not to overload on rutabaga. I resolve to get more beauty sleep; I think that one is obvious. And, finally, I resolve not to make any more resolutions. Finding them and finding I didn’t do so well at keeping them is beginning to damage my fragile psyche. And I don’t want that to happen, especially right here at the start of a new year. Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN

Houston, we have a problem

I’m outing my lifelong chocolate debauchery.

HOUSTON, WE have a problem Explanation forthcoming. Trust me. Yes, it’s true, I’m outing my lifelong chocolate debauchery. Currently smitten with utterly delicious and oh-so caffeinated, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, Deservedly, these little nuggets of otherworldly-ness (and caffeine!) serve as the top rung on my chocolate debauchery ladder. A twofer. I love it. Also competing strongly for first rung status are dark chocolate-covered almonds. Last, but never, ever, least, dark chocolate-covered crystallized ginger. Heaven dressed in chocolate and ginger. Deliciously contemplating my imminent debauchery, my hand was holding up my chin on the living room table, and then it happened! I turned slightly, and in so doing, accidentally swept most of the dark chocolate-covered espresso beans off the table, onto the floor. No! No! No! Wait, does hope live? Is the five-second rule still viable? You know, the one where food dropped on the floor, for as little as five seconds, is still safe to eat? Houston’s well-known Methodist Hospital, online, says no, definitely “no way.” Utterly dashed. (But I did vacuum yesterday …) Google (what does she know, anyway), adds that bacteria adheres, in zero seconds, to dropped food. Houston, we have a problem … Houston Methodist Hospital, this outcome is entirely your fault! I’m faced with the loss of my so-looked-forward-to chocolate

oblivion, now littering my living room floor. The errant chocolate espresso beans, lying on the floor? Is this an inherent message from a punishing universe? “Do not inhale those chocolate happiness drugs!” Reality check, reality check! Do I hear the decided implication that I should be more adult in my food temptations? Got it in one! Wounded! Truly, truly, wounded … There are certainly times, yes, I need to be prudent, true enough. On the other hand, periodically bouncing off walls in chocolate happiness is, well, a human thing, and I love it. Gotta have compassion for my imperfections (right?), and I can certainly live with chocolate debauchery as one of them. Join me? Oh, bless you universe, I just remembered. Thank you, thank you! Many eons ago, when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, my mother explained that swallowing a little Texas dirt never hurt. (Builds up my immunity, she said.) The years slid by, filled with my periodic Houston Methodist Hospital unapproved food habits. And look at that, I’m still here! Mom seems to have batted 100% on this one. Lowering myself to the floor, fingers happily reaching out for the awaited chocolate debauchery. (Mom did say it was OK, remember?) Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

An employee at Exquisito Chocolates selects bonbons for a client in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami last August.

MARTA LAVANDIER / AP PHOTO

COLUMN | MICHAEL GLASSNER

Left’s war on free speech moving from social media to TV Americans understand that anonymous speech is a cornerstone of liberty.

WHEN ELON MUSK bought X, formerly Twitter, and refused to comply with the global censorship regime, he became a target overnight — especially for European Union bureaucrats determined to reassert control over online speech. The EU’s latest effort to slap X with a $140 million penalty is just the most recent example of that campaign. The EU claims the fine is due to X allowing users to purchase verification checkmarks without the platform independently confirming their identities. Americans understand that anonymous speech is a cornerstone of liberty. From the Federalist Papers onward, anonymity has protected dissent, whistleblowers and political minorities. But Europe does not afford such freedom. That’s why Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the EU’s X fine, suggesting it is retaliation for Musk’s refusal to censor speech at the EU’s direction. In 2023, the EU opened an investigation into the company for “disinformation,” and Musk drew the ire of European regulators for refusing to remove an interview with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump from his platform. Musk is, of course, an outlier in the tech world. Most of his peers in the industry genuflect to the demands of various governments and are willing to restrict disfavored views. The House Judiciary Committee formally detailed the relationship between tech giants and the Biden administration, which repeatedly demanded that Americans’ views be taken offline. According to the committee, it suppressed or took down the views of doctors, scientists and commentators who did not align with the government narrative that COVID originated from a pangolin sold at a wet market in China — not a laboratory in Wuhan. From shifting search results to “fact-checkers” that tech companies employed to discredit skeptics, Big Tech and its market dominance played a critical role in censoring Americans. This is the real lesson of the last five years: The power to decide what billions of people see is the ultimate form of control. That is one of the reasons Trump expressed concern about Netflix potentially gaining control of one of its most prominent rivals, Warner Bros. Discovery — the company that owns HBO Max and the entire HBO catalog. If Big Tech showed us anything over the last five years, it’s how ruthlessly willing it is to silence, throttle and bury any story, voice or idea that threatens the approved narrative, even when those ideas later turn out to be true. Now

imagine that same censorship strength, only this time it’s not coming from a search engine or a social platform you can (in theory) walk away from. It’s coming from inside your television. Netflix already has 301 million subscribers, and the merger will create a 400 million-subscriber base, making Netflix the most powerful cultural ministry the world has ever seen. What Silicon Valley did to information with algorithms and shadow-bans, this new mega-studio will do to imagination itself — quietly, seamlessly and with a smile from the next autoplay. If Big Tech taught us how easy it is to kill a story, a merged Netflix–Warner will teach us how easy it is to destroy an entire worldview, one canceled series, one “content moderation” decision, one algorithm tweak at a time. And this time, there will be almost nowhere left to escape. Netflix has built an empire on content that consistently promotes left-wing ideologies, striking multimillion-dollar deals with Barack and Michelle Obama to produce politically charged documentaries and making multimillion-dollar investments in films spotlighting progressive figures, such as the $10 million acquisition of “Knock Down the House,” which celebrates socialist firebrand Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other insurgent socialist Democrats. Critics such as film reviewer Armond White have characterized the platform as a “propaganda machine” for its relentless promotion of social justice narratives. White termed the marriage between Netflix and the Obamas as the creation of a new Ministry of Propaganda. That Ministry will expand exponentially should this deal be consummated and approved by the government. Where Big Tech once limited speech with bans and shadow banning, this new giant will regulate thought itself: deciding which histories are retold, which heroes are celebrated and which taboos are normalized for the next generation. Michael Glassner is chief operating officer for Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

TERENCE P. JEFFREY

In a gloomy winter, read a couple of classic books AFTER CHRISTMAS is over and the sunrises start getting earlier and the sunsets later in the Northern Hemisphere, there are still two months of scarce daylight and lowering skies ahead. Here’s a suggestion for how to fill the gloomy hours with uplift: read. Read some great books, returning perhaps to those you ploughed through on school assignments so many years ago. Discover one of the pleasures of aging — how serious books turn out to be more interesting and enriching than what you remember from dutifully ploughing through them years ago. Sit in a comfortable chair, turn off the television, remove distracting earbuds, leave your smartphones and tablets charging quietly on a desk, and resist the temptation to check your messages one more time. Open up a book and give yourself uninterrupted hours to become immersed in a world created by a great writer many years ago. I’ve been following this advice the last couple of winters after I started reflecting on how, despite being in two serious book groups, I was spending too much time reading ephemeral stuff and wasn’t reading anything serious beyond some excellent book group selections. I decided to concentrate my reading on weekends, spending long hours interrupted by little but leg-stretching and avoiding the difficulty of recalling the plot when reading just a chapter or two in the evenings just before bed. “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” Leo Tolstoy wrote in the opening words of “Anna Karenina.” So I began with two books about families: Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov” and Thomas Mann’s “Buddenbrooks.” “Karamazov” I had read as a teenager around the time the Hollywood movie version was released. “Buddenbrooks” I went through two decades ago. Reading them as an adult was a far richer experience, both emotionally and as a contrast in national character. The two books are set at opposite ends of the Baltic Sea: the German book in the orderly commercial Hanseatic port of Lubeck, the Russian in a town resembling Dostoevsky’s ramshackle provincial hometown of Staraya Russa. For last winter, I recalled Ernest Hemingway’s comment that “all American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called ‘Huckleberry Finn.’” I remembered it as the sequel to “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and the story of a pleasant picaresque journey, and, of course, I had often heard how it was banned from school reading lists because of its frequent use of the N-word. What I wasn’t prepared for was, first, the book’s scathing denunciation, veiled as humor or just everyday observation, of slavery. It was published in 1884, less than a decade after the nation basically abandoned Reconstruction and its noble goal of achieving equal rights for black people. Reading it first as a teenager, I also didn’t remember the story of a boy becoming a man, mentored by Jim, the slave to whom he initially condescends and once nearly betrays. I paired it with two other books of adolescent boys on picturesque but perilous journeys: Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” written as a boys’ book that I read as a seventh grader in a boys’ school, and Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim,” set in British India. Both are stirring narratives set in exotic locations that are easier to envision if you’ve done some tourism in the Caribbean and the subcontinent. Were they both influenced by “Huckleberry Finn”? Maybe. Stevenson and Kipling, 15 and 30 years younger, respectively, than Twain, each dropped in on him on cross-country American trips and were received warmly, and each of them and Twain became mutual admirers. There was more contact between American and British writers in the late 19th century than I would have guessed — and a readiness by at least some Brits in admiring Twain as a model. This year, with fellow members of a book group, I have spent dark afternoons and long evenings on the 767 pages of Anthony Trollope’s “The Way We Live Now.” It was written in five months in 1873 and centered on a fabulously wealthy but crooked financier, and it features the author’s characteristically vivid female characters contemplating bad choices in marriage. I plan on soon rereading, after three or four decades, Honore de Balzac’s “Lost Illusions,” also with a dubious financier in the background. Both books also have delicious descriptions of businesses the authors knew firsthand, publishing and journalism. Trollope shows an untalented female author trying to arrange, with editors of major publications, favorable reviews of her dreadful books. One ends up proposing marriage and advising her not to write a second novel. Balzac shows the young protagonist’s sudden success as a scandal-mongering journalist in Paris, and then being disgraced when it’s discovered that his sources are fictitious. Unhappy families in provincial, perilous journeys in picturesque territory, financial and literary scandals in booming capitals: Great writers of the past take us to places and introduce us to people who, despite having been imagined years ago, turn out to be vaguely familiar to what we see around us now. And they’re readily available: Just sit down with a volume in hand in a comfortable chair. In the meantime, happy New Year. Terence P. Jeffrey is editor in chief of Newsbusters.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

obituaries

SPONSORED BY DONALDSON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY We offer an on-site crematory with many options of Celebration of Life services, Traditional, and Green Burials. Call us to set an appointment to come by and learn more.

Clyde Jones Dec. 24, 2025 Artist of Bynum, North Carolina Clyde Jones, “The Critter Man,” a beloved artist and longtime resident of Bynum, North Carolina, passed away on December 24, 2025, leaving behind a rich legacy of creativity, generosity, and quiet influence. Known for his distinctive artistic voice with his sculptures and paintings, and deep connection to his community, Clyde’s work and spirit touched the lives of many. An artist in the truest sense, Clyde approached his craft with curiosity, patience, and reverence for process. His work reflected a deep attentiveness to the world around him-its textures, histories, and both animal and human stories. Whether working independently in his studio or engaging with others, Clyde believed art was not only something to be made, but something to be shared. Clyde was a familiar and cherished presence in Bynum. He could be found daily roaming the town on his riding lawnmower. He was part of a larger tradition of artists who understand community as both inspiration and responsibility.

396 West St., Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-542-3057 | www.donaldsonfunerals.com Friends, fellow artists, and IN MEMORY neighbors remember him as thoughtful, observant, and quietly generous with his time MARGARET “PEGGY” CRUTCHFIELD WHITE and his art. He inspired others to look more closely, work more DEC. 4, 1926 – DEC. 21, 2025 honestly, and trust their own creative instincts. Margaret “Peggy” Crutchfield White, 99, of Siler City, passed away Sunday, December 21, 2025. Beyond his paintings and Peggy was born in Chatham County on December 4, 1926, to Charlie and Dora Hudson Crutchfield. critter sculptures, Clyde’s In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Franklin Ross White, Sr.; an greatest contribution may infant son; 5 brothers, Lacy Crutchfield, George Crutchfield, John Crutchfield (Sadie), Tommy (Dodie) have been the way he lived as and Alfred Crutchfield; 5 sisters, Annie Shelton (Carl), Bertha Jones (Eugene), Ruby Dillion (Stan), an artist—steadfast, curious, Martha Parks (Shell), Virginia Kennedy (Sarah); brothers-in-law, William T. White, Gerald White and grounded in the moment. (Laverne); sister-in-law, Martha Jane Routh (John). His conversations, creativity, humor and joy for life left a Peggy lived a full life. She was a strong wonderful lady, a homemaker and professional seamstress lasting impression on those where she would make outfits and especially bridesmaid dresses. She retired from Wrenn Memorial fortunate enough to know him. Library, Peggy drove the Bookmobile for several years. She later ended her retirement to go back and Clyde Jones’s art remains be a greeter at Walmart so she could talk to people. She loved to read anything she could get her hands as a testament to his life on and spending time outside gardening. She always enjoyed making road trips to visit her daughter and vision, and his presence and granddaughter at the beach. She was fondly called Moma White by all the friends of her children. will continue to be felt in the She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. creative spaces and shared Peggy is survived by her 2 sons, Frank White, Billy White (Polly) all of Siler City; and her daughter, memories of Bynum, the Kathy White of Leland, NC; grandchildren, Quent White (Jamie), Nikki White, David White, Natasha Triangle, North Carolina, Cook (Rodney), Julie Sellers (Brian), and Kaitlyn White (Andre). She is also survived by many great and beyond. He will be deeply missed and fondly grandchildren, Charlie, Jennifer, and Lila White, Lauren Kelly (Sabrina), Jordan Kelly (Kendall), Devon remembered. and Peyton Kelly, Olivia and Fisher Sellers, Madison and Piper Cook, and Andre Perkins, III; and 2 great Clyde is survived by his great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. Special caretaker Alice Conen. brother, Robert Jones, and his A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. nieces and nephews, Loretta Brady, Marie Nordeck, Mark Velasquez, and Robert Earl KAREN WOOD GASTER Jones. He is predeceased by his mother, Hattie Dixon Jones; JULY 23, 1967 – DEC. 20, 2025 his father, James William Jones; his brother and sister, Jimmy Karen Wood Gaster, 58, of Moncure, passed away at her home on Saturday, December 20, 2025, and Dorothy; and his dog surrounded by her loving family. Speck. Karen was born on July 23, 1967, in Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, the daughter Visitation and Funeral of the late Jimmy Eugene Wood and Gloria Holland Wise. She was preceded in death by her father; Service will be held on Sunday, her brother, Kevin Eugene Wood; her paternal grandparents, Dan and Alice Wood; and her maternal January 4th, 2026, at Solid grandparents, Elwood and Belle Holland. Rock Baptist Church, 3903 Karen retired from the University of North Carolina after 33 years of dedicated service. She US Hwy. 64 W, Pittsboro, NC 27312. especially enjoyed fishing trips to the coast and time spent with her family. Visitation with Family- 1:00 A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday December 27th, at New Elam Funeral Service- 2:00 Christian Church with the Rev. Jim Brady and the Rev. Gerald Hart officiating. Burial will be immediately Karen is survived by her mother, Gloria Holland Wise of New Hill, NC; her husband, Todd Alan Gaster thereafter at Hickory Mountain of the home; her son, David A. Gaster of Austin, TX; her daughter, Amber N. Gaster of Moncure; her Chapel, 201 Hadley Mill Rd., granddaughter, D’Anna A. Evans of Moncure; her stepfather Larry Wise; and her niece, Kimberly Wood Pittsboro, NC 27312.

of New Hill, NC.

Photo By Michael Edward Smith - Used By Permission

ESTER BRITT HUSSEY JULY 29, 1933 – DEC. 24, 2025

WWII Navy veteran Ira ‘Ike’ Schab, one of last remaining Pearl Harbor survivors, dead at 105 He was just 21 at the time of the attack By Jennifer Peltz and Jaimie Ding The Associated Press WORLD WAR II Navy veteran Ira “Ike” Schab, one of the dwindling number of survivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died. He was 105. Daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs told The Associated Press that Schab died at home early on Dec. 20 in the presence of her and her husband. With his passing, there remain only about a dozen survivors of the surprise attack, which killed just over 2,400 troops and propelled the United States into the war. Schab was a sailor of just 21 at the time of the attack, and for decades he rarely spoke about the experience. But in recent years, aware that the corps of survivors was dwindling, the centenarian made a point of traveling from his home in Beaverton, Oregon, to the annual observance at the Hawaii military base. “To pay honor to the guys that didn’t make it,” he said in 2023. For last year’s commemoration, Schab spent weeks building up the strength to be able to stand and salute. But this year he did not feel well enough to attend, and less than three weeks later, he died. Born on Independence Day in 1920 in Chicago, Schab was the eldest of three brothers. He joined the Navy at 18, following in the footsteps of his father, he said in a February interview for Pacific Historic Parks. On what began as a peaceful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, Schab, who played the tuba in the

USS Dobbin’s band, was expecting a visit from his brother, a fellow service member assigned to a nearby naval radio station. Schab had just showered and donned a clean uniform when he heard a call for fire rescue. He went topside and saw another ship, the USS Utah, capsizing. Japanese planes roared through the air. “We were pretty startled. Startled and scared to death,” Schab recalled in 2023. “We didn’t know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it.” He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun above. His ship lost three sailors, according to Navy records. One was killed in action, and two died later of fragment wounds from a bomb that struck the stern. All had been manning an anti-aircraft gun. Schab spent most of the war with the Navy in the Pacific, going to the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, and then the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan. After the war, he studied aerospace engineering and worked on the Apollo spaceflight program as an electrical engineer for General Dynamics, helping send astronauts to the moon. Schab’s son also joined the Navy and is a retired commander. Speaking at a 2022 ceremony, Schab asked people to honor those who served at Pearl Harbor. “Remember what they’re here for. Remember and honor those that are left. They did a hell of a job,” he said. “Those who are still here, dead or alive.”

Ester Britt Hussey, age 92, peacefully went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 surrounded by her family. Born on July 29, 1933, in Moore County, Ester lived a life marked by faith, love, and quiet service to others. Ester dedicated many years of hard work to Ithaca Industries, where she remained until her retirement. She was married to the love of her life, Charlie Bee Hussey, for 60 wonderful years until his passing, and together they built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and unwavering devotion. Selfless by nature, Ester gave freely of her time and talents. She was known for making countless meals, opening her home, and dropping everything to care for those who were sick or in need. She loved people deeply—through comforting hugs, kind words, and her unforgettable cooking. Her generosity was never loud or showy, but steady, sincere, and heartfelt. Ester was deeply grounded in her faith. She loved her church and remained actively involved throughout her life, rarely missing a Sunday. Her walk with Christ was evident not only in her words but in how she lived—faithfully serving others and modeling a true servant’s heart. Family meant everything to Ester. She loved and treasured each of them, often speaking with pride about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and celebrating their accomplishments. Her joy was found in their lives, their stories, and the time spent together. Ester finished well. She truly lived a servant’s life, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, and compassion that will continue to inspire all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie Hussey; her parents, Barney and Cora Britt; her sisters, Dora Cagle, Jane Brady, and Helen “Tootie” Gordon; and her brothers, Robert Britt and Roy Britt

CHESTER “BUSTER” JOSEPH PEGRAM MAY 8, 1952 – DEC. 23, 2025 Chester “Buster” Joseph Pegram, age 73, passed away peacefully at his home on December 23, 2025, in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina. Buster was born on May 8, 1952, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to the late Edward Elijah Pegram and Mary Elizabeth Newby Pegram. He was raised in the Catholic faith and carried those values of compassion, generosity, and kindness throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved granddaughter, Sierra Pegram; his sisters, Monica Pegram, Mary Ann Hodgin, and Patricia Simmons; and his brothers, Benedict Pegram, Michael Pegram, and Roger Pegram. He is survived by his devoted wife, Cynthia “Cindy” Nunn Pegram, of the home; his sons, Chester “Buster” Joseph Pegram, Jr. of Climax, Christopher Elijah Pegram (Jeri) of Liberty, David King of Greensboro, and Christopher King (Lauren) of Browns Summit; his daughter-in-law, Abigail Pegram of Snow Camp; his sister, Sarah Haynes of Randleman; his brother, Steven Pegram and wife Janice of Reidsville; his grandchildren, Miranda Agee, Samantha Hylton, Jewel Lineberry, and River Pegram; and his great-grandson, Lennox Hylton. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Forrest Pegram and Carol Pegram; his brothers-in-law, David Simmons and Joe Hodgin; many loving nieces and nephews; and Gary and Rita Nunn, with whom he shared a special bond.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamnewsrecord.com

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

Betty Reid Soskin, oldest National Park Service ranger, dead at 104 She was hired as a ranger when she was 85 The Associated Press RICHMOND, Calif. — Betty Reid Soskin, who rose to national fame as the oldest National Park Service ranger and used the spotlight to talk about the African American experience during World War II, has died. She was 104. Her family and the park service announced her death through social media, saying she was surrounded by loved ones at her home in California when she died last Sunday. They did not release a cause of death. “She was a powerful voice for sharing her personal experiences, highlighting untold stories, and honoring the contributions of women from diverse backgrounds who worked on the World War II Home Front. Thank you for your service, Ranger Betty,” the park service said in a statement. When she was 85, the longtime community activist was hired as an interpretive ranger at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California. The site at a former shipyard and other parts of the working-class city honors American civilians, including the women who worked in war-related industries, who worked on the homefront during the war. Soskin helped plan the park while working as a state legisla-

BEN MARGOT / AP PHOTO

National Park Service Ranger Betty Reid Soskin smiles during an interview at the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, in 2016. tive aide. She played a key role in shaping and designing the park by ensuring that it included the oftentimes overlooked contributions of black men and women. They include the 202 black sailors who were killed in the July 1944 explosion at Port Chicago, on the northeastern flank of San Francisco Bay, where they were assigned to a segregated unit, loading munitions onto cargo ships bound for the Pacific Theater. Unsafe working conditions led 50 survivors of the blast to refuse loading munitions. They were court-martialed and convicted of mutiny in a trial that exposed system-

ic racial inequality in the Navy. As a black woman, Soskin worked as a clerk for the all-black boilermaker’s union in Richmond. She advocated for telling the stories of the “non Rosies” who didn’t get to help build the battleships because of the color of their skin. “Rosie the Riveter represents the white woman’s experience on the homefront during the war, but as a woman of color, I was never recognized for my work,” she wrote in an October 2020 essay for Newsweek. “I had never understood that I had been involved in the building of the ships. Because at the time, I was 20 years old. I

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She explored her nine decades of living through extraordinary moments of history in her 2018 autobiography “Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life.” Her experiences included opening Reid’s Records, an influential black-owned record store in Berkeley with her first husband, Mel Reid, and being the first black family to live in suburban Walnut Creek. Someone burned a cross on their lawn, she wrote, but her family refused to move. She pointed out that the same community that tried to drive her family away elected her 20 years later to serve as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention. “That is how fast social change occurred,” she said. At the park, her weekly lectures drew large audiences. They also garnered national attention, including the chance to introduce then-President Barack Obama at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 2015. In 2008, Glamour Magazine named her one of its women of the year. “I became a ranger when most people retire so I had no idea what it required of me, but it opened up a lot of opportunities that would have been closed to me otherwise,” she wrote in her essay. She retired on March 31, 2022. Soskin is survived by two of her four children: Bob and Dorian Reid.

didn’t realize what my role was until I began to go back and recount it for others. It was rather amazing.” Those who got to meet Soskin during visits to the park took to social media last Monday to say it was an honor and that she was an amazing woman. One described her as a jewel of the park system, while others said she served as a great inspiration for young rangers. Born in 1921, Soskin wore many hats throughout her life — a mother, daughter, musician, author, political activist, wife, record store owner, songwriter, painter, grandmother, great-grandmother, prolific blogger and more, as her family recounted. Her family posted on social media that she had led “a fully packed life and was ready to leave.” While a public memorial has yet to be announced, the family said people can share their affection for Soskin through donations to a school that had been renamed in her honor: Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante, California. She had just celebrated her birthday with a visit to the school in September, cheers erupting as she waved to excited children. In 1995, Soskin was named Woman of the Year by the California State Legislature, and about a decade later, she received the National WWII Museum’s Silver Service Medallion.

BALL from page A1 July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said. It will mark the first time in 120 years there will be a ball drop in Times Square that doesn’t occur on New Year’s Eve, she said. A New Year’s Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound, 5-foot-diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year, the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, was unveiled. It measured about 12 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds. The only years when no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout” during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square. This year, the stroke of midnight also marked the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country.

On Thursday, America250 participated in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” It featured three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country’s past, present and future. “We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California,” Rios said. “This has to be community-driven, this has be grassroots. We’re going from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.” President Donald Trump has also announced the “Freedom 250” initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary. Rios said she sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months, from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as an opportunity to unite a politically divided nation. “If we can find something for everyone ... having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.”

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A8

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

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A9

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified on the 20th day of November 2024, as Executor of the Estate of Scobie I. Arnott, Sr., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18th day of March 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 18th day of December 2025. Roger W. Arnott, Executor of the Estate of Scobie I. Arnott, Sr. c/o Gwendolyn C. Brooks, Kennon Craver, PLLC 4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF CHATHAM THE UNDERSIGNED, having qualified on the 18th day of December, 2025, as Executor of the ESTATE OF PETER JAMES MEEHAN, Deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before March 26, 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 25th day of December, 2025. PRUDENCE F. MEEHAN EXECUTOR ESTATE OF PETER JAMES MEEHAN c/o Jennifer Dalman, Attorney Walker Lambe, PLLC Post Office Box 51549 Durham, North Carolina 27717

THE CHATHAM NEWS: 12/18; 12/25; 1/1/2026; 1/8/2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CARaOLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of MATTHEW T. FLYER AKA MATTHEW THOMAS FLYER, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before March 19, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 18th day of December, 2025. Lynn Marie Flyer Executor of the Estate of Matthew T. Flyer aka Matthew Thomas Flyer 177 Pine View Acres P.O. Box 535 Goldstone, NC 27252 Leigh Anne Kasia Wyatt Early Harris Wheeler LLP 1912 Eastchester Drive, Ste 400 High Point, NC 27265 336-884-4444 Publication dates: December 18, 25, 2025; January 1 and 8, 2026.

LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC On Monday, January 12, 2026, at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold the following legislative public hearings in person at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West, Pittsboro: ZTA-2025-02 – A town-initiated text amendment codifying the town’s technical review committee in Section 9.7 of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). This committee is made up of internal and external staff tasked with review of multiple types of development processes. This proposed UDO text amendment formalizes the processes and specifies the composition of the committee. 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. embers 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 January 12, 2026, with written comments or to sign up to speak at the legislative hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 5424621 ext. 1104, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Chad Eric Sexton late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 2nd day of December, 2025. Yvonne Sexton Goldston, Administrator Of the Estate of Chad Eric Sexton 1102 N. Hampton Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JENNIFER GODFREY SCOTT 25E000648-180 ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Jennifer Godfrey Scott, deceased of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 12, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. This 11th day of December, 2025. Amber Paige Bonde, Administrator, c/o The Walls Law Firm, 5511 Capital Center Dr., Ste 180 Raleigh, NC 27606. Chatham News & Record: December 11, 18, 25 2025; January 1, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to Ellen L. W. Proctor, Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson, c/o Patrick E. Bradshaw, Attorney for the Estate, at Bradshaw Robinson Slawter & Rainer LLP, PO Box 607, Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 11th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 11th day of December, 2025. Ellen L. W. Proctor Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson Patrick E. Bradshaw Bradshaw Robinson Slawter & Rainer LLP PO Box 607 Pittsboro, NC 27312 (For Publication: 12/11, 12/18 and 12/25/2025 and 1/1/2026)

Notice to Creditors

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ALL Persons firm and corporation having claims against Patsy Louise Wolfe Truelove, deceased of Chatham County, N.C. 24E001659-180, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 19, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 18th day of December, 2025. Ralston Lane Truelove, Executor, C/O Horsley Law Firm, P.A. 5720 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 101, Raleigh, NC 27609, 919-847-3880.

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000588-180 The undersigned TERRY WALLACE, having qualified on the 24TH Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOHN ROMIE WOMBLE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 18th Day OF MARCH 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 18th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. TERRY WALLACE, EXECUTOR 866 JUNO ROAD BROADWAY, NC 27505 Run dates: D18,25,J1,8p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JERRY WILLIS MOODY FILE NO. 25E000339-180 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jerry Willis Moody, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 18, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 18th day of December 2025. Scarlett M. Blue, Executor 148 Morrison Bridge Rd Vass, NC 28394 The Chatham News December 18, 25, January 1 and 8, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000651-180 The undersigned ROBIN ZENICK, having qualified on the 26TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BEVERLY A. WHITBECK, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. ROBIN ZENICK, EXECUTOR 725 S. CLARKSON ST. DENVER, CO 80209 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000653-180 The undersigned TATANISHEA AMINA BRANTLEY, having qualified on the 26TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DALLAS IRVIN JACOBS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. TATANISHEA AMINA BRANTLEY, ADMINISTRATOR 302 LACE CAROL LANE ELGIN, SC 29045 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000629-180 The undersigned REBA THOMAS, having qualified on the 25TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LOUISE HARTON STULTZ, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. REBA THOMAS, EXECUTOR 2459 WALTER BRIGHT RD. SANFORD, NC 27330 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000659-180 The undersigned DELTABLUE LEFLEUR CHEVALIER, having qualified on the 2ND Day of DECEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of RICHARD MINTER NORWOOD, III, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. DELTABLUE LEFLEUR CHAVALIER, EXECUTOR 91 WELDON DRIVE NORTH CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#09E000257-180 The undersigned SHIRLENE THOMAS, having qualified on the 10TH Day of DECEMBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of JAMES ERNEST THOMAS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 18th Day OF MARCH 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 18th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025. SHIRLENE THOMAS, ADMINISTRATOR 3800 OLD US #1 NEW HILL, NC 27562 Mail to: ARLENE RAINEY 209 TREVOR RIDGE DR. HOLLY SPRINGS, NC 27540 Run dates: D18,25,J1,8p

FORECLOSURES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CHATHAM COUNTY 25 SP 000169-180 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Alvin Ray Marguerat and Alice Kimberly Marguerat, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $342,087.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (“MERS”) as beneficiary, as nominee for Calcon Mutual Mortgage LLC dba One Trust Home Loans, Mortgagee, dated March 9th, 2022 and recorded on March 10th, 2022 in Book 2289, Page 0573, and subsequently modified by Loan Modification recorded on February 14th, 2023 in Book 02348 at Page 0158, Chatham County Registry. Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Chatham County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

24SP001109-180 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CHATHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Barry D Edwards and Sandra B Edwards to Trste, Inc, Trustee(s), which was dated January 16, 2003 and recorded on February 24, 2003 in Book 997 at Page 902, Chatham County Registry, North Carolina. Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 8, 2026 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Chatham County, North Carolina, to wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY SITUATED IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MATTHEWS IN THE COUNTY OF CHATHAM AND STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN A DEED DATED 12-28-1983 AND RECORDED 12-29-1983 IN BOOK 466 PAGE 569 AMONG THE LAND RECORDS OF THE COUNTY AND STATE SET FORTH ABOVE.

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Chatham County, North Carolina, at 2:00PM on January 6th, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 24, which is 7.320 acres gross, minus 0.994 acres R/W netting 6.326 acres, more or less, as shown and described on the Plat and Survey entitled “Major Subdivision for Maple Springs Estates Phase 3, Sheet 1” for Lots 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, prepared by Charles Eliason, RLS dated the 22nd day of March 1999, and revised March 29, 1999 and recorded in Plat Slide 99-241, Chatham County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more accurate description. Being the same property conveyed to Alvin Ray Marguerat and spouse, Alice Kimberly Marguerat from Matthew F. Grillo and spouse, Virginia C. Slane, by General Warranty Deed dated July 6, 2021, and recorded July 6, 2021, in Book 2228, Page 0235. Parcel #72505 / PIN 8658-00-99-5022 (Lot 24, Maple Springs Estates) Property address commonly known as 88 Maple Springs Ln., Bear Creek, NC 27207. Together with improvements located

And being more particularly described by metes and bounds according to said Deed as follows: FIRST TRACT: Lying and being in Matthews Township, Chatham County, North Carolina, and more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron spike in the center of U.S. Highway #421, Elizabeth C. Saunders southeast corner and running thence with Saunders’ line North 00 degrees 20’ West 503.48 feet to an old iron stake, Lyndal Joines Estate’s southeast corner; thence with Joines’ line North 00 degrees 20’ West 417.47 feet to an old iron stake and pointers, Jeff Joyce’s southeast corner; thence with Joyce’s line North 00 degrees 20’ West 539.06 feet to an iron stake in McPherson’s line; thence with McPherson’s line South 83 degrees 10’ East 421.86 feet to an iron stake the northwest corner of Parcel B as shown on a plat entitled “Division of a Portion of the Glosson & Esther Dale Edwards Land”, dated August 6, 1981, by James D. Hunter, R.L.S.; thence with the western margin of Parcel B South 09 degrees 26’ West 600.00 feet to an iron stake, Fred Burton’s northwest corner; thence with Burton’s line South 9 degrees 26’ West 1,500.37 feet to a point in the centerline of U.S. Highway #421; thence with the centerline of U.S. Highway #421 North 66 degrees 08’ West 42.96 feet; thence continuing with the centerline of U.S. Highway #421 North 67 degrees 03’ West 135.56 feet to a railroad spike, the point and place of BEGINNING, and containing 10.00 acres, more or less, and being all of Parcel A as shown on a plat hereinbefore referred to.

hereon; said property being located at 88 Maple Springs Lane, Bear Creek, NC 27207 Tax ID: 0072505 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions

existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Alvin Ray Marguerat and Alice Kimberly Marguerat . PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental

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

SECOND TRACT: BEGINNING at an iron stake, Fred and Sharon Burton’s northwest corner and being designated Point 31 on a plat entitled “Division of a Portion of the Glosson and Esther Dale Edwards Land”, by James D. Hunter, R.L.S., dated August 6, 1981, and running thence with the eastern margin of Parcel A as shown on said plat North 09 degrees 26’ East 600.00 feet to an iron stake in McPherson’s line; thence with McPherson’s southern boundary South 83 degrees 10’ East 348.75 feet to an iron stake; thence continuing on South 83 degrees 10’ East 46.34 feet to an iron stake, the northwest corner of Gary and Brenda Edwards; thence with Gary Edwards’ western line South 17 degrees 33’ West 655.02 feet to an iron stake, Fred Burton’s northeast corner; thence with Burton’s northern line North 74 degrees 48’ West 303.74 feet to an iron stake, the point and place of BEGINNING, and containing 5.00 acres, more or less, and being all of Parcel B as shown on a plat hereinbefore referred to.

RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

§ 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 3476 Old US Hwy 421 N, Siler City, NC 27344. A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/ or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Barry D. Edwards. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 25-002138-01

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-21473-FC01

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

How Christian artists are winning over listeners, entering pop’s mainstream Christian and gospel music is growing while other genres struggle

Brandon Lake poses for a portrait in Nashville, Tennessee, last month.

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press NEW YORK — It is one of the most surprising music stories of the year. While streams of new music — releases from the last 18 months — were down from last year, one genre is on the rise: Christian and gospel music, according to industry data and analytics company Luminate’s 2025 Midyear Report. Jaime Marconette, Luminate’s vice president of music insights and industry relations, said the shift is led by acts like Forrest Frank, Brandon Lake and Elevation Worship, who are connecting with a “younger, streaming-forward fan base” that’s 60% female and 30% millennial. In fact, for the first time in 11 years, two contemporary Christian music songs — Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” and Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Jelly Roll — broke through the Billboard Hot 100’s all-genre Top 40, placing them in direct competition with mainstream artists. It’s also why traditionally secular artists like Jelly Roll, Killer Mike and T.I. are nominated in Christian music categories at the forthcoming 2026 Grammys — the lines are blurring. An evolving Christian music sound “Christian music (is) unlike any other genre that’s defined by a sonic component. Christian music is defined by its lyrical component,” says Holly Zabka, the president of Provident Entertainment, a Sony Christian music subsidiary. “It’s not limited to a narrow definition. It’s a lyrical component that can appeal to anyone’s musical preference.” From a label perspective, she’s interested in pursuing artists that “don’t have to fit within that narrow lane of Christian bookstore and Christian radio. It can be rap, hip-hop, it can be rock, it can be country, and that’s appealing to a broader audience because it’s what they’re already listening to,” she

and artist, while giving both a sense of purpose. “In a world that has become so self-focused and self-centered, the freedom of saying ‘Wow, I can actually lean on someone else for a while,’ or ‘There’s something that is actually greater than me,’” she says. “And the purpose of Christian music, for me, is to bring hope to people.” Brown theorizes that people relate to his Charlotte, North Carolina-based CCM collective because of “how fundamentally we’re rooted” in their local church. “It’s easy to connect because we’re just church people,” he says. A crossover moment

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

says. “Very few people listen in a vacuum and only listen to one genre.” But for many years, CCM jas held a reputation for being unimaginative — what writer John Jeremiah Sullivan infamously referred to as “excellence-proof” — for its tendency to mimic and water down popular, contemporary mainstream sounds for a religious audience. “Absolutely there’s been an improvement in quality,” says Zabka. “When all the music has to live side by side on these streaming platforms, we can’t just be the cheap alternative. ‘Oh, you like Taylor Swift? You will like this lesser version offering in the Christian genre.’ We want to be the greatest art.” “You have to imitate before you innovate,” Chris Brown, singer and worship leader at Elevation Worship, jokes. “There’s not as many rigid lines stylistically within Christian music as maybe there was 10 years ago or certainly like 20, 30 years ago.” “There was a period of time where people idealized Christian music as like, ‘OK, we’re going to have this look, we’re

going to sound like this,’” says two-time Grammy-winningChristian and pop musician Lauren Daigle. “There’s so much more artistry now. People are very expressive. They’re able to share their creativity. And that also comes with different types of people represented.” Why Christian music is connecting now Zabka says her genre is experiencing “a special moment and … a perfect storm.” Streaming and the ability to connect on social media have democratized music discovery, she says, allowing CCM to compete with secular music. That, partnered with what she views as “a resurgence of faith” in young people, is responsible for the interest. The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center. A new class of millennial and Gen Z Christian influencers, too, are aiming to connect with young people.

“Christian music has also shifted in its authenticity of the lyrics,” Zabka adds, making the music more relatable than previous iterations of the genre, which often featured a neat message of “everything is going to be OK, just follow Jesus” in 3 ½ minutes. Now, she says, “their songs are much more authentic and real and honest. ‘Life is hard. Breakups are hard. Bad things happen,’ and that provides a level of hope that other music doesn’t provide for the listener.” Daigle points out that artists like Lake are performing in huge stadiums — categorical proof that Christian artists are growing in popularity. “I think a lot of people are looking at the world and … they find fortitude in this music, and they find a sense of strength in this music, and they find truth in this music,” she says. Daigle also theorizes that because “Christian music points to something else” — to God — instead of focusing on individual issues or the ego of the performer on stage, it evens the playing field between listener

Lake, who is nominated for three Grammys in 2026, including “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” believes people are connecting with Christian music now because that’s simply the purpose of religious music. “The reason why people are turning their ear toward those kinds of songs right now is because that’s what they were made for,” Lake says. “People are finding in these songs — they’re finding themselves, their spirit, connecting with the spirit of God. … Those songs aren’t just entertainment; they tee up an encounter.” “I love all kinds of music,” he continues, “but if you have a song that carries that kind of message, it’s just super charged, you know? It does something deeper.” He also believes this may be the start of a crossover moment, where more Christian artists will be welcomed into other genres and mainstream spaces. “I pray it’s just the beginning,” he says. “And I pray that it takes over.” Jelly Roll agrees. “I think there really is a revival happening in America right now where people are being re-presented the Gospel in a digestible way. And it doesn’t seem as finger-waggy and ‘You’re all going to hell,’ you know?” he says. “I really don’t care when the organized religions wave their finger at me,” he continues. “I’m just glad to see the message, the Gospel getting presented.”

Italian authorities arrest 9 for allegedly $8.2M funding Hamas through charities Millions of euros were said to be funneled to the group The Associated Press ROME — Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestin-

ian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said in a statement Saturday. The suspects are accused of sending about 7 million euro or $8.2 million to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas,” the statement said. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president

of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization.” The European Union has Hamas listed on its terror list. According to Italian prosecutors, who collaborated with other EU countries in the probe, the illegal funds were delivered through “triangulation operations” via bank transfers or through orga-

nizations based abroad to associations based in Gaza, which have been declared illegal by Israel for their ties to Hamas. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi wrote on X that the operation “lifted the veil on behavior and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favor of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organizations.”

The suspects are accused of sending the money to organizations linked to Hamas

There was no immediate comment from the suspects or the associations. In January 2025, the European Council decided to extend existing restrictive measures against 12 individuals and three entities that support the financing of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Police officers inspect a charitable association supporting Palestinian civilians in Milan, Italy, on Saturday after Italian investigators have arrested nine people suspected of raising millions of euros for Hamas.

CLAUDIO FURLAN / LAPRESSE VIA AP

CHATHAM SPORTS Top Chatham sports storylines of 2025 Relive historic wins and state title victories from the year By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record DRAKE POWELL GETS DRAFTED TO THE NBA The former Northwood star made his dreams come true when the Atlanta Hawks (pick traded to the Brooklyn Nets) drafted him 22nd overall on June 25. Through Dec. 18, Powell is averaging six points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 48.8% from the floor in 17.7 minutes per game. He has reached double-digit scoring four times. SEAFORTH WRESTLING WINS BACK-TO-BACK STATE INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT TITLES The Hawks owned the 2A tournament for the second straight year thanks to 132-pound senior Layne Armstrong winning his second straight title and junior Jordan Miller (113 pounds) and junior Gabe Rogers also capturing the gold. Senior Ethan Kuball (215 pounds) finished as a state runner up, and two other Seaforth wrestlers placed. SEAFORTH BOYS WIN FIRST INDOOR AND OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD STATE TITLES Seaforth’s boys broke through for its first indoor and outdoor track and field state titles. The 4x400 team, seeded seventh for the event, sealed the outdoor title over Brevard in a valiant win. Senior Jack Anstrom finished his career with nine individual titles across cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Drake Powell takes a phone call after being drafted into the NBA.

NORTHWOOD BOYS’ BASKETBALL REACHES THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME After losing a five-star in Powell, Northwood bounced back with a 30-3 record and made its third state title appearance since 2021. The Chargers won four playoff games by double digits. Junior Cam Fowler stepped up in a huge way this season, averaging 20.5 points per game. SEAFORTH SOFTBALL WINS FIRST PLAYOFF GAME ON WALK-OFF RBI Tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning against Whiteville in the first round, Annika Johansson flied out for the second out, sending Abigail Johnson to second base and Kaylynn Long to third. Emma Grace Hill, who had already notched two hits, doubled to send Long in for the winning score. That win started a run to the third round in the See 2025, page B2

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Left, Seaforth’s Emma Grace Hill sends a pitch during the Hawks’ first playoff victory over Whiteville in the 2025 2A playoffs. Right, Seaforth’s Layne Armstrong jumps into his father Ryan’s arms after winning his second straight individual state title.

WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP

Cardinal Gibbons boys, Charlottesville girls take Charger Classic titles By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

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Boys’ Basketball NORTHWOOD FELL to Cardinal Gibbons 73-45 in the First Bank Charger Classic championship game on Dec. 22. The Chargers had no answer for Cardinal Gibbons junior Ben Whitney who scored 21 points. Whitney knocked down four of the Crusaders’ 14 threes, including two four-point plays. Leading up to the championship game, Northwood defeated Felton Grove 80-45 and Hillside 81-45. Senior Cam Fowler recorded a 28-point, 12-rebound double-double against Hillside. Seaforth opened conference play with two big wins over Carrboro (65-26) on Dec. 16 and Cedar Ridge (61-34) on Dec. 18. Chatham Central earned its first conference victory over College Prep and Leadership 72-54 on Dec. 19 behind 15 points each from Brooks Albright, Jameson Douglass and Simon Sabbagh. Conference standings as of Dec. 22 (overall, conference) Central Tar Heel 1A: T1. Southern Wake Academy (7-3, 1-0); T1. Woods Charter (5-3, 1-0); T1. Clover Garden School (3-6, 1-0); 4. River Mill (1-10, 1-1); T5. Ascend Leadership (2-

3-pointers for the Crusaders against Northwood ter; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Chatham Central Girls’ basketball

NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS, FRIENDS & ALUMNI ASSOCIATION / FACEBOOK

Cardinal Gibbons’ boys took home the 2025 First Bank Charger Classic title. 9, 0-1); T5. Central Carolina Academy (0-7, 0-2); T5. Chatham Charter (7-4, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Northwood (7-4, 1-0); T2. North Moore (2-5, 0-1); T2. Eastern Randolph (1-6, 0-0); T2. Jordan-Matthews (5-5, 0-0); T2. Southwestern Randolph (35, 0-0); T2. Uwharrie Charter (3-4, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: T1.

Bishop McGuinness (8-2, 1-0); T1. South Stokes (7-0, 1-0); T1. North Stokes (2-6, 1-0); T4. Winston-Salem Prep (3-5, 1-1); T4. Chatham Central (9-3, 1-1); 6. College Prep and Leadership (3-8, 1-2); 7. South Davidson (07, 0-2) Big Seven 4A/5A: T1. Seaforth (5-4, 2-0); T1. Orange (1-6, 1-0); T1. J.F. Webb (4-6, 1-0); T1. South Granville (4-4, 1-0); T5.

Durham School of the Arts (5-5, 0-1); T5. Cedar Ridge (1-7, 0-2); T5. Carrboro (0-8, 0-2) Power Rankings (Dec. 15 through Dec. 22): 1. Northwood; 2. Chatham Charter; 3. Seaforth; 4. Chatham Central; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Woods Charter Previous rankings: 1. Northwood; 2. Chatham Charter; 3. Seaforth; 4. Woods Char-

Northwood fell to Charlottesville (Virginia) 62-41 in the First Bank Charger Classic championship game on Dec. 22. Charlottesville’s Elaina Pierce scored 19 points. Leading up to the tournament final, Northwood defeated Riverside-Durham 52-14 and Felton Grove 55-23. Seaforth edged Carrboro 54-45 on Dec. 16 and dominated Cedar Ridge 61-26 on Dec. 18 in its first two conference games. Jordan-Matthews snapped a three-game losing streak with a 55-20 win over Central Carolina Academy on Dec. 18. Sophomore Zuri Nava led the way with 11 points and six steals. Conference standings as of Dec. 22 (overall, conference) See ROUNDUP, page B3

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

Siler City announces expansion to Bray Park The park will feature new multipurpose fields By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY PARKS AND RECREATION / FACEBOOK

Bray Park will get an additional four multipurpose fields.

THE TOWN OF Siler City announced an expansion to Bray Park on Dec. 18. Four new multipurpose fields will be added to Bray Park after the Town Board of Commissioners approved the project in a recent meeting. The new fields will accommodate a variety of sports and activities, including soccer, football, team practices and community events. “This expansion will allow the department to serve more families, support increased participation and reduce scheduling limitations across current facilities,” the Town explained in a release. Construction and planning efforts are “underway,” and the Town will share updates on the project as it progresses.

“This expansion will allow the department to serve more families, support increased participation and reduce scheduling limitations across current facilities” Town of Siler City “This project directly aligns with the Board of Commissioners’ current strategic priorities by enhancing quality of life by expanding recreational amenities for youth, families and community members,” said the Town’s release. “Supporting economic development through facilities capable of hosting regional tournaments and high-impact events, while investing in sustainable community infrastructure that meets longterm growth needs.”

2025 from page B1 Hawks’ first playoff appearance. JORDAN-MATTHEWS FOOTBALL COMPLETES HISTORIC SEASON Jordan-Matthews won five games for the first time since 2013 and started 4-0 for the first time since 2010. The Jets made their first playoff appearance since 2013 and hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2009. SEAFORTH FOOTBALL ERASES LATE DEFICIT TO WIN FIRST PLAYOFF GAME Seaforth trailed 28-14 with two and a half minutes left. Junior quarterback Duncan Parker hit senior Nick Gregory for a touchdown, and Seaforth made the two-point conversion to make it a 28-22 game with a few ticks over one minute remaining. The Hawks snagged the following onside kick, and with 18 seconds left, Parker found senior Patrick Miller for the game-winning score. SEAFORTH VOLLEYBALL COMPLETES COMEBACK TO REACH SECOND STRAIGHT STATE TITLE GAME Seaforth was on the brink of elimination down 2-0 at Person in the 5A East regional final. The Hawks flipped a switch in the third set, winning 25-16. They won the fourth set 25-15 and punched their state title ticket with a 15-12 win in the final set.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Above, Jordan-Matthews’ Jakari Blue leaps into the end zone in the Jets’ 2025 season-opening win over Carrboro. Right, Daisy Collins poses in her Texas gear after committing to the Longhorns in October. She made the USA National Team a month prior. WOODS CHARTER VOLLEYBALL MAKES HISTORIC RUN The Wolves went 24-2 in the fall, notching the most wins in program history, and they reached the regional final for the first time. Woods Charter went on a 22-game win streak leading up to its playoff loss. JARIN STEVENSON COMES HOME After two seasons with Alabama, former Seaforth basketball star Jarin Stevenson transferred to his hometown of Chapel Hill to play with North

Carolina. Stevenson has been a crucial piece to the Tar Heels’ early success, especially with his defensive contributions. DAISY COLLINS MAKES USA NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER Woods Charter swimmer Daisy Collins made the 202526 USA National Team for the open water event. She was one of five North Carolinians (male or female) to make the team. The multi-time state champion and Texas commit broke the state 1A/2A meet records for the 200 free and 500 free in the winter.

COURTESY DAISY COLLINS

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

Chatham Central athletics receives thousands in grant money The local school was gifted the Sports Matter Grant on Dec. 16 By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record BEAR CREEK — Chatham Central received a financial boost during halftime of its varsity girls’ basketball game against Jordan-Matthews on Dec. 16. The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation presented the school with a $25,000 Sports Matter Grant, which will go towards Chatham Central’s athletics program. Chatham Central received a nomination for the reward because it “believes in the transformative power of sports” and is “making a difference in the lives of young athletes on and off the field,” per release. Created by the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation in 2014, the Sports Matter program

$2.5 million Value of equipment given to young athletes by the Sports Matter program in 2024

aims to provide more opportunities for the youth to play sports. Since its inception, the program has helped keep 3 million kids in athletics and has committed over $100 million to teams and organizations. Before the presentation of the grant, Dick’s representatives helped facilitate shooting games with Chatham Central students, and winners earned prizes. Chatham Central football coach and assistant basketball coach Derrin Little swished a halfcourt shot during the festivities. The Foundation focuses on breaking down barriers in equipment costs, infrastruc-

ture, local league costs and registration fees for kids to have more access to athletics. In 2024, the Sports Matter program contributed $2.5 million in equipment (94,000 pieces of equipment) for youth in the communities it impacted. It supported 20 field and play space projects in low-income communities, impacting over 93,000 kids that year. Furthermore, the program gave $8.9 million in grants to support more than 970 under-resourced youth sports leagues, and it helped cover registration costs for over 13,600 kids across more than 35 sports in the United States last year. Chatham Central Athletic Director Kevin Park, left, Principal Mary Margaret Dark, right, and football coach Derrin Little, center, receive the grant from Dick’s representatives on Dec. 16.

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

ROUNDUP from page B1 Central Tar Heel 1A: T1. Southern Wake Academy (3-2, 1-0); T1. Woods Charter (6-4, 1-0); T1. Clover Garden School (4-4, 1-0); 4. River Mill (1-10, 1-1); T5. Ascend Leadership (0-8, 0-1); T5. Central Carolina Academy (1-7, 0-2); T5. Chatham Charter (3-8, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Northwood (7-5, 1-0); T2. North Moore (0-8, 0-1); T2. Eastern Randolph (1-5, 0-0); T2. Jordan-Matthews (2-8, 0-0); T2. Southwestern Randolph (71, 0-0); T2. Uwharrie Charter (9-1, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: T1. College Prep and Leadership (11-0, 3-0); T1. North Stokes (34, 1-0); T3. South Stokes (4-7, 0-1); T3. South Davidson (0-7, 0-1); T3. Chatham Central (6-5,

East Carolina quarterback Chaston Ditta looks to pass during the the Pirates’ 23-17 win over Pittsburgh in Saturday’s Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland.

0-2); T3. Bishop McGuinness (8-2, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: T1. Durham School of the Arts (5-5, 1-0); T1. Orange (4-3, 1-0); T1. South Granville (4-4, 1-0); T1. Seaforth (7-1, 2-0); T5. J.F. Webb (3-6, 0-1); T5. Cedar Ridge (2-8, 0-2); T5. Carrboro (3-6, 0-2) Power Rankings (Dec. 15 through Dec. 22); 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Woods Charter; Chatham Charter; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Chatham Charter Previous rankings: 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Jordan-Matthews; 4. Chatham Central; 5. Woods Charter; 6. Chatham Charter Wrestling Boys Jordan-Matthews went 3-2

in the Grapple at the Grove hosted by Providence Grove, defeating Bishop McGuinness 54-17, East Surry 4140 and earning a no-show win. The Jets fell to Western Guilford and Providence Grove. Northwood picked up two wins over North Moore (4733) and Wake Prep (78-0) on Dec. 17. Top individual performances: Seaforth’s Jordan Miller took first in the 120-pound weight class at the Tiger Holiday Classic on Dec. 23. Chatham Central’s Carson Williams placed first in the Eagle Invitational Tournament 157-pound division. In the same tournament, Chatham Central’s Jorge Gomez placed second in the 175-pound weight class.

GAIL BURTON / AP PHOTO

ECU takes advantage of 5 turnovers, wins 23-17 in the Military Bowl The win over Pitt gives the Pirates back-to-back bowl wins in Annapolis By Noah Trister The Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Chaston Ditta threw two second-half touchdown passes, and East Carolina overcame an inadvertent whistle that negated a long touchdown in a 23-17 victory over Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl on Saturday. ECU faced fourth-and-1 from its own 32 in the third quarter when Marlon Gunn Jr. shed a couple of tacklers and went all the way to the end zone. That would have put the Pirates up 17-7, but the play was called back because of a whistle, and Gunn was credited with a 14-yard gain instead. Two plays later, Ditta fumbled on a sack by Pitt’s Rasheem Biles, who recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the end zone to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead. The Pirates rebounded quickly when Ditta threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Smith, and ECU led the rest of the way. The Pirates won the Military Bowl for a second straight year after beating NC State in 2024. “Some folks were upset we were coming back to Annapolis two times in a row, but if we come up here and get wins every time, I’ll come back every year,” ECU coach Blake Harrell said. Down by six in the fourth quarter, Pitt was driving when Mason Heintschel’s pass was intercepted by Kevon Merrell — the Panthers’ fifth turnover of the game — and run back 70 yards to the Pitt 15. A field goal pushed the lead to nine. The Panthers managed a field goal with 1:23 left to make it a one-possession game, but an onside kick was unsuccessful. Pitt had enough timeouts to force a punt, and the Panthers took over at their own 20 with 57 seconds left. An offensive pass inter-

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ference penalty derailed that last-ditch drive. Ditta started this game after ECU quarterback Katin Houser announced recently he was entering the transfer portal. The Pirates (9-4) also lost their offensive and defensive coordinators, but they took advantage of four Pitt fumbles. The Panthers (8-5) also turned the ball over on downs twice. “You turn the ball over five times, and then two on downs, that’s a total of seven if you count turnovers on downs,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “It’s hard to win any football game against any opponent, period.” The first quarter was played almost entirely in Pitt territory, but ECU’s Nick Mazzie was well short on a 51-yard fieldgoal attempt. The Pirates then recovered a fumble at the Pitt 27 but ended up turning the ball over on downs themselves. ECU led 3-0 when Pitt finally produced a successful drive, taking a 7-3 advantage when Heintschel threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Raphael Williams Jr. with four seconds remaining in the half. The Panthers started the second half with the ball, but a fumble by Heintschel gave ECU possession, and on the next play, Ditta found Smith for a 47-yard touchdown. The takeaway Pitt: It was the final game for defensive coordinator Randy Bates, who is retiring after more than four decades in coaching. His defense gave up a couple of big plays but also produced a touchdown of its own. Holding ECU to 23 points was pretty good considering the Pirates started seven drives in Pitt territory. “Field position, we might have lost that by 200 yards,” Narduzzi said. ECU: It was a stellar performance by the defense, which had four takeaways — the other was on special teams — and four sacks.

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The best of the NSJ years We celebrate 10 years in print with a look at the top sports performers of the last decade North State Journal staff AS WE FINISH the 25th year of the 2000s, several media outlets have come up with best of lists for the first quarter of the 21st century. At the North State Journal, we are focusing on another milestone. We started publishing in 2016, meaning this is the end of our 10th year in print. So we’d like to take this moment to look at the best of North Carolina sports in the NSJ’s first decade. College Football: The state hosted 10 Belk/Duke’s Mayo Bowls and 10 ACC championship games. North Carolina teams played in a total of 46 bowls, led by NC State, Wake and App State (eight each) and seven conference title games (ACC and Sun Belt). With plenty of apologies to the large number of snubs, here are our all-decade teams. • QB: Drake Maye, Ryan Finley • RB: Nyheim Hines, Michael Carter, Darrynton Evans, Will Shipley

TYLER KAUFMAN / AP PHOTO

Wilson, Joe Giles Harris, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis, D’Marco Jackson • CB: Chandler Rivers, Mark Gilbert, Essang Bassey, Aydan White • S: Nick Anderson, Tanner Ingle, Divine Deablo, Tanner Muse

• DT: Dexter Lawrence, DeWayne Carter, Alim McNeill, Larry Ogunjobi • LB: Chazz Surratt, Payton

• Tre Jones • Paolo Banchero • Armando Bacot • RJ Davis

• Cooper Flagg

College basketball: North Carolina teams made six Final Four trips, two more than any other state. Here’s a look at the All Americans from the state over that time.

• DE: Bradley Chubb, Carlos Basham, Alex Highsmith, Nate Harvey

• Vernon Carey Jr.

• P: Trenton Gill

• TE: Cam Serigne, Justin Joly

• C: Garrett Bradbury, Grant Gibson

• Chris Clemons

• Kyle Filipowski

• Return: Greg Dortch

• OG: Chandler Zavala, Willie Lampkin, Tony Adams, Sean Maginn

• RJ Barrett

• PK: Nick Sciba

• WR: Zay Jones, Josh Downs, AT Perry, Kelvin Harmon, Jakobi Meyers, Sage Surratt

• OT: Ikem Ekwonu, Graham Barton, Zach Tom, Tyler Jones

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

Left, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton celebrates after a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints. Right, Duke’s Zion Williamson accepts the 2019 Oscar Robertson award for player of the year.

• Brice Johnson • Grayson Allen • Justin Jackson • Luke Kennard • Marvin Bagley III • Luke Maye • Joel Berry II • Zion Williamson

NFL: The Carolina Panthers were just returning from their last trip to the Super Bowl when NSJ went to press for the first time. Here’s a look at the last 10 years. Twenty players have thrown a pass for the Panthers, including three punters, three receivers and a running back. Eleven have started a game. Cam Newton leads in yards (11,462) and touchdowns (69), followed by Bryce Young (7,971 and 21). In yardage, the top five includes Teddy Bridgewater (3,733), Sam Darnold (3.670) and Kyle Allen (3,588). For scoring passes, it’s Allen (19), Darnold (16) and Bridgewater (15). A total of 64 Panthers have carried the ball, led by Christian

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

UNC’s Drake Maye carries the ball during a 2022 game. McCaffrey (3,980 yards, 32 TDs) and Chuba Hubbard (3,664 and 23). Newton (1,829 and 20), Jonathan Stewart (1,504 and 15) and Rico Dowdle (1,007 yards) round out the top five. Young and Darnold (7 each) are fifth in touchdown runs. Seventy-nine Panthers have caught passes, led by DJ Moore (5,201 yards, 21 TDs) and McCaffrey (3,292 and 18). Next for yardage are Greg Olsen (2,152), Curtis Samuel (2,087) and the

former Robbie Anderson (now known as Robbie Chosen, 1,821 yards). Devin Funchess (16) is third in touchdowns, followed by Samuel (14), Olsen and Tommy Tremble (10). Brian Burns is the sacks leader, Shaq Thompson the tackles leader and Donte Jackson the interceptions leader. As we approach the end of our official 10 years in February, we’ll continue to look at the state’s top sports moments of the NSJ years.

50 years since lawyer’s decision unlocked free agency in Major League Baseball, changing sports forever Salaries have increased by 112-fold since free agency began

“It didn’t take long for us to see that there was a lot of money to be spent in buying talent and then we started seeing: My talent is worth a lot.”

By Ronald Blum The Associated Press NEW YORK — Sports were turned upside down 50 years ago by a man who never threw or kicked a ball. A lawyer with expertise in labor relations struck down Major League Baseball’s reserve clause, which had bound players to their teams since the 1870s. No one could have predicted then that the 65-page decision issued Dec. 23, 1975, by arbitrator Peter Seitz — who later compared baseball owners to “the French barons of the 12th century” — would lead to an upheaval that made thousands of players multimillionaires. “The real floodgates opened after that,” former pitcher David Cone said. “Players were finally, in all walks of life, in all sports, were finally able to see what, hey, what free agency really looks like. There was all the doom and gloom back then from one side that said: ‘This is going to ruin the game. It’s not sustainable.’ And actually, it was just the opposite. It made the game better.” Baseball’s average salary was $44,676 at the time of the decision, $260,909 in current dollars, and climbed to about $5 million this year, a 112-fold increase. Seitz’s decision was followed by free agency upheavals in the NFL, NBA, NFL and European soccer. Curt Flood had lost a lawsuit arguing for free agency in 1972 when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld baseball’s antitrust exemption, ruling it was up to

Steve Rogers, All-Star pitcher and union official

AP PHOTO

Baltimore Orioles Dave McNally, a free agency pioneer, delivers a pitch in a 1974 game. Congress to make any change. In December 1974, Catfish Hunter was set free on a technicality when Seitz concluded Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley failed to make a $50,000 payment into a long-term annuity fund as specified in the pitcher’s contract. Following a bidding war, Hunter signed a five-year contract with the New York Yankees for about $3.2 million. “We saw this huge contract, it was like reading from another world,” recalled former All-Star

pitcher Steve Rogers, among the first beneficiaries of free agency and later a long-time union official. “The magnitude was just unheard of, the number of dollars that were guaranteed to him. It didn’t take long for us to see that there was a lot of money to be spent in buying talent and then we started seeing: My talent is worth a lot.” Language in each player agreement stated the club could “renew this contract for the period of one year on the same terms,″ except that the salary

could be cut by as much as 20%. After playing the 1975 season under renewals, Andy Messersmith of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dave McNally of the Montreal Expos maintained in a grievance the renewal period was one year only and they should be declared free. Following a three-day hearing that generated an 842-page transcript and 97 exhibits, Seitz urged owners to settle the case as late as Dec. 9. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn urged owners to fire Seitz before a deci-

sion, but management’s Player Relations Committee refused because it was afraid of bad publicity. Seitz ruled for the union. Management fired Seitz that afternoon and vowed to overturn the decision in federal court. Seitz’s decision was upheld in February 1976 by U.S. District Judge John W. Oliver and affirmed the following month by an 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel of Judges Floyd Robert Gibson, Gerald Heaney and Roy Laverne Stephenson. That July 12, players and owners agreed to a four-year collective bargaining agreement creating one-time free agency for all players after 1976 or 1977 and going forward after six seasons of major league service, which is still in place. Future Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers were among the first players to gain free-agent riches. “The difference between winning and losing was billions and billions of dollars, maybe tens of billions of dollars,″ Moss, who died last year, said in 2020. “I think one can make a case that we’ve spent the last two-plus decades trying to reestablish some reasonable equilibrium,″ then-commissioner Bud Selig said in 2000.

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SIDELINE REPORT NCAA FOOTBALL

Baker, Smothers lead area players in transfer portal NC State running back Hollywood Smothers announced his intention to transfer one day after the Wolfpack’s season-ending win in the Gasparilla Bowl. The sophomore will also explore NFL options during the offseason. Also transferring is UNC quarterback Bryce Baker. The East Forsyth standout committed to UNC last year and chose to stay after Bill Belichick took over as coach. However, he never played in a game despite the Tar Heels’ struggles with consistency at the position.

NFL

Chiefs’ move to Kansas leaves Missouri fans heartbroken Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs announced plans to move from Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri to a new domed stadium in Kansas. The decision follows Kansas lawmakers approving a bond package to cover up to 70% of the new stadium’s costs. Missouri lawmakers had tried to keep the Chiefs with their own funding package but were outbid. The move marks the second time in a decade that Missouri has lost an NFL team.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Vanderbilt’s Lea wins coach of the year Nashville Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year at the college football awards. Lea led the Commodores to wins over four ranked opponents and a school-record 10 wins. Lea, a linebackers coach at Wake Forest in 2016 under head coach Dave Clawson, has a 26-35 record at Vanderbilt since 2021 and has led the team to back-to-back bowls, just the second multiyear bowl streak in school history.

NFL

Steelers’ Metcalf suspended 2 games following altercation Pittsburgh The NFL has suspended Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf for two games following an altercation with a fan during the team’s victory over Detroit. CBS-TV cameras captured the confrontation between Metcalf and a fan during the second quarter of Pittsburgh’s 29-24 win over Detroit. The fan leaned over the railing and exchanged words with Metcalf before Metcalf ended the confrontation by swinging his right arm in the vicinity of the fan’s face. It’s unclear how much contact Metcalf’s arm made with the fan.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Notre Dame, USC pause longstanding rivalry, Irish add BYU to 2026 schedule South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame and Southern California’s iconic college football rivalry is on hold. The Fighting Irish filled their last 2026 open date with a game against BYU. The decision leaves the USC game off the schedule. Notre Dame and USC officials said they recognize the rivalry’s importance and are working to bring it back. The series began in 1926 and was paused during World War II and the 2020 pandemic. Negotiations have become more challenging since USC joined the Big Ten, but both schools express a desire to continue the tradition.

MATT KELLEY / AP PHOTO

Brad Keselowski is introduced to fans prior to May’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR’s Keselowski suffers broken leg in skiing accident The former champion is expected to recover in time for the Daytona 500 By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, a former Cup Series champion who is now co-owner of RFK Racing, broke his right leg while on a ski trip, the team announced. Keselowski underwent surgery last Thursday, and doctors told him to expect a quick recovery that will have him back for the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. He is winless in 16 starts in the showcase race as he enters the final years of his driving career. “Life has a way of reminding you to slow down,” Keselowski posted on social media with photos of him in the hospital surrounded by his wife and children, an image of the

break, and video of him using a walker. “Grateful for my family by my side, an excellent medical team, and the ability to take a few steps forward today. Focused on Daytona. Bonus — I’m now bionic!” Keselowski did not reveal the extent of his injury or what bones are broken. Keselowski, who turns 42 just days before the Feb. 15 “Great American Race,” is entering his 17th full season of racing at the top Cup Series level. He spent the bulk of his career at Team Penske but purchased a stake in Roush Fenway Racing in 2022 and became an owner/driver of the rebranded team. The organization is reeling from last week’s fatal plane crash that killed longtime Roush driver Greg Biffle and six others, including his wife and two children. Biffle had retired by the time Keselowski joined the team.

“First and foremost, our hearts remain heavy with the news of yesterday’s tragic events,” the team said. “The RFK Racing family, as well as the NASCAR community, as a whole, continues to keep those close to The Biffle Family and all those affected in our thoughts. Albeit untimely, we feel that in the interest of transparency we share RFK Racing co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski suffered a broken leg while on a ski trip with his family Thursday.” The team called the surgery “routine” and said doctors expect a “a quick and full recovery.” Keselowski broke his ankle in 2011 when he crashed during a test session and won a Cup Series race at Pocono just days later. “I’m grateful to the medical team who took great care of me and for the support system around me,” Keselowski said

in a statement. “I’m motivated to get back to full strength as quickly as possible and will work relentlessly to be ready for Daytona.” Keselowski won the 2012 Cup Series championship for Penske and has 36 career victories at NASCAR’s top level. He won the Xfinity Series title in 2010 and 39 races in NASCAR’s second-tier series. He has won one points-paying race since leaving Penske as he works to help rebuild RFK into the once-proud organization founded by Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush. Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, missed six races in the 2023 season when he broke his leg in a snowboarding crash early in the season. Kyle Busch missed 11 races when he broke his leg in a crash at Daytona in 2015 but recovered to win the Cup championship that year.

Gerard flew across 2 oceans, 2 seas; payoff was invitation to Masters The former UNC and Ravenscroft golfer finished second in Mauritius

Ryan Gerard watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press RYAN GERARD LEFT his home in south Florida at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 for a trip he never imagined taking this year, and one he certainly didn’t regret. He returned home nine days and some 20,000 miles later after stops that included Italy on his way to a small island off the coast of Africa, and an eight-hour layover in Paris on the way back that gave him enough time to see the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre-Dame Cathedral. “I am looking at the Eiffel Tower,” Gerard said by phone. “Pretty sick.” Oh, and along the way he picked up an invitation to the Masters. That green envelope — Augusta National doesn’t do evites — might not be there right away, but in the final Official World Golf Ranking for the year, the 26-year-old Gerard will check in at No. 44. And it’s all because of his decision to play one more tournament, even if that meant flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

get to the Mauritius Open, the final tournament this year on the European tour and Sunshine Tour schedule. Despite some 36 hours of travel — he got to his hotel at 1 p.m. local time last Monday — Gerard opened with rounds of 68-69 and was tied for fifth. He was No. 57 in the world and needed a two-way tie for fourth to crack the top 50. “I figured I’d have one more crack at that and give it my best shot,” he said after the second round. “Then I could hang my hat on giving it my all for the season, and the top 50 by the end of the year to get into the Masters. So that’s kind of a kick in the pants to come 10,000 miles from Florida and tee it up. It wasn’t on the bingo

card at the start of the season, for sure.” And then, bingo! He posted a 63 at Heritage La Reserve Golf Links the next day to take the lead. He wound up in a playoff with scorching hot Jayden Schaper, the South African who has won the last two tournaments by making eagle in a playoff. “I would have loved to win,” Gerard said. “But it was an unbelievable shot.” The consolation for Gerard was a big one — his first Masters. Augusta was on his mind when Gerard played the RSM Classic at Sea Island last month — the final PGA Tour stop of the year — when he was No. 49 in the world. And then he missed the cut.

“I was looking Friday afternoon and was like, ‘Hey, does it make sense to go do anything?’ I was going to try to play the Nedbank (in South Africa), but the tournament deadline was the day before I missed the cut,” Gerard said. The Alfred Dunhill was out because that was the weekend his good friend and former UNC teammate Ben Griffin was getting married. Last on the list was Mauritius. He had heard enough about Mauritius from Christo Lamprecht of South Africa that he checked the schedule, did the math and signed up. Gerard had already done a fair bit of traveling after he narrowly missed out on the Tour Championship. He played in Ireland and England, Japan and Abu Dhabi. Clearly, he’s willing to travel. This summer, he flew across eight time zones from Scotland to Lake Tahoe and then won the Barracuda Championship for his first PGA Tour title. What’s another trip with so much on the line? Gerard wasn’t down to his last chance. He would have had three months to start 2026 to either win or do well enough to get into the top 50, but he saw an opportunity. “Figured I got nothing better to do,” he said. “It seemed like a cool thing, made sure it worked logistically and just went for it.”

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entertainment

CODY JACKSON / AP PHOTO

Fernando Dávila, a colorblind painter, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at his gallery in Doral, Fla. on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025.

From red donkeys to vibrant art: Colorblind painter Fernando Dávila’s colorful journey The artist paints in color through specially developed glasses By Cody Jackson The Associated Press DORAL, Fla. — When Fernando Dávila was 8 years old in Colombia, he failed a drawing class because he painted donkeys red. There was a reason for that: He is colorblind. Now the 72-year-old Dávila is an established and respected artist whose vibrant paintings have been exhibited in South America, Europe and the United States. “I have the most wonderful job in the world, which is painting every morning,” Dávila said from his studio in a Miami suburb. “To mix colors. To have joy to share with the world, that’s really my passion.” He started off painting only in black and white until he was around 30 years old because of his colorblindness, a congenital condition which makes it difficult for people to tell the difference between certain colors, particularly red and green, and shades of color. There is no

“I think color is one of the most important things in life. And especially for me.” Fernando Dávila

cure for the condition, which for Dávila also makes the colors pink, violet, turquoise and yellow-green confusing. Since the mid-1980s, Dávila has painted in color through the help of glasses developed by an ophthalmologist in New York, where Dávila was living at the time. One lens is transparent and the other is shaded red, and they help him discriminate between contrasting shades that normally blur together. With the lenses, he can see almost two-thirds of the colors, but without them he only sees around 40% of the colors. Dávila compared his condition to having a box of chocolates but only being able to eat a sample of the selection. He says he has such a strong desire to see every color.

“It’s something that I miss in my life, that if somebody says, ‘Look at this flower,’ which is bright, bright pink, I want to do it,” he said. “It’s something that comes from my heart so passionately. I can feel the vibration of color.” Colorblindness runs his family. A grandfather and some great uncles only saw in black and white, while his mother and her three sisters also were colorblind even though the condition is rarer in women. His two brothers also have trouble discriminating between colors. Dávila has spent his career in Colombia, New York and Florida. He was awarded the “Order of Democracy” by the Colombian Congress in 1999 for his contribution to the arts. He also has published two hardcover books and many catalogues about his paintings, and his work has appeared at major auctions including Christie’s and Sotheby’s. His paintings include romantic images of men and women embracing and landscapes, often using the color blue as a foundation. “I think color is one of the most important things in life,” he said. “And especially for me.”

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

this week in history

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nd

Alaska get statehood, Theodore Roosevelt dies, Nancy Kerrigan clubbed JAN. 1 1808: The federal law prohibiting the importation of enslaved people to the United States took effect. 1818: Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was first published in London, when Shelley was 20 years old. 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, declaring that all enslaved people in rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” 1892: The Ellis Island Immigration Station in New York formally opened, processing nearly 700 immigrants on its first day. JAN. 2

*Must set up Auto Draft for 2nd Month. Offer valid through February 28, 2026.

1890: President Benjamin Harrison appointed Alice Sanger as the first female White House staffer amid a growing movement for women’s rights. 1942: The Philippine capital of Manila was captured by Japanese forces during World War II. 1959: The Soviet space-

craft Luna 1 launched, becoming the first spacecraft to escape Earth’s gravity.

JAN. 6

JAN. 3 1777: Gen. George Washington’s army routed British troops at the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey, a key turning point in the Revolutionary War. 1920: Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the contract of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, beginning a championship era for the Yankees and decades of heartache for Red Sox fans. (The Red Sox ultimately broke the “curse” in 2004, winning their first World Series in 86 years.) 1959: Alaska was officially admitted as the 49th U.S. state.

DOUG MILLS / AP PHOTO

President Bill Clinton’s Senate impeachment trial began on Jan. 7, 1999, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

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JAN. 5

1853: New Yorker Solomon Northup regained his freedom after being kidnapped in Washington, D.C., and forced into slavery in 1841; he later told his story in his memoir, “Twelve Years a Slave.” 1948: Burma, now known as Myanmar, marked its independence from Great Britain. 1965: President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered his State of the Union address outlining the goals of his “Great Society” initiative.

1925: Democrat Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming took office as the nation’s first female governor. 1953: Samuel Beckett’s two-act tragicomedy “Waiting for Godot,” considered a classic of the Theater of the Absurd, premiered in Paris. 1957: President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed assistance to countries to help them resist communist aggression in what became known as the Eisenhower Doctrine.

1919: Former President Theodore Roosevelt died in Oyster Bay, New York, at age 60. 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his State of the Union address, outlined the “Four Freedoms”: freedom of speech and expression, freedom to worship God in one’s own way, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. 1994: Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked at Detroit’s Cobo Arena; four men, including the ex-husband of rival Tonya Harding, were imprisoned for their roles. JAN. 7 1610: Astronomer Galileo Galilei observed three of Jupiter’s moons for the first time and a fourth days later. 1979: Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the communist Khmer Rouge government blamed for the deaths of about 1.7 million people. 1999: President Bill Clinton’s Senate impeachment trial began on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted the following month.

Perry sued for sexual assault by actor in ‘Madea’ film The filmmaker and Hollywood giant has been sued twice in recent months By Jonathan Landrum Jr. The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Tyler Perry was sued for sexual assault by an actor who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” marking the second lawsuit in recent months accusing the filmmaker and studio mogul of leveraging his power in Hollywood to make sexual advances. Mario Rodriguez filed the lawsuit last Thursday in California, alleging Perry subjected him to repeated unwanted sexual advances over several years, including sexual battery and assault at Perry’s Los Angeles home. Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million in damages and also has sued Lionsgate, which distributed the 2016 film, accusing the studio of turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged misconduct. Lionsgate did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. In a statement, Perry’s lawyer denied the allegations. According to the complaint, Rodriguez was approached in 2014 by a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles who said Perry wanted his phone number to discuss an acting role. Per-

“I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner.” Tyler Perry

ry later encouraged Rodriguez to audition for “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” telling him, “I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner,” the lawsuit claims. After Rodriguez was cast, he was invited to Perry’s home, where Perry allegedly touched him inappropriately while they watched a movie. The lawsuit describes additional alleged incidents in 2016, 2018 and 2019, including one encounter in which Perry allegedly attempted to unbuckle Rodriguez’s pants and another in which Perry placed Rodriguez’s hand on his genitals. The complaint says Perry gave Rodriguez $5,000 on multiple occasions following the encounters. Rodriguez says he resisted the advances and ultimately decided to file suit after learning of similar allegations made by another actor, Derek Dixon. Dixon sued Perry in June, alleging the filmmaker groped him while Dixon worked on Perry’s television series “The Oval” and “Ruthless.” That lawsuit,

solutions

JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Tyler Perry, pictured at the BET Awards on June 9 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, is being sued by a male actor for sexual assault. which was originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, has reportedly since been moved to

federal court in Georgia, where Perry’s studio is based. Rodriguez’s lawsuit includes

claims of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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famous birthdays this week Christy Turlington is 57, Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones hits 80, Nicolas Cage turn 62 THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. JAN. 1 Filmmaker Frederick Wiseman is 96. Actor Frank Langella is 88. Musician Country Joe McDonald is 84. Actor-comedian Don Novello is 83. DJ Grandmaster Flash is 68. JAN. 2 Filmmaker Todd Haynes is 65. Baseball Hall of Famer Edgar Martínez is 63. Actor-singer Tia Carrere is 59. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 58. Model Christy Turlington is 57. Actor Taye Diggs is 55. Actor-comedian Dax Shepard is 51. Musician Trombone Shorty is 40. JAN. 3 Musician Stephen Stills is 81. Musician John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) is 80. Actor-director Mel Gibson is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller is 62. Singer and television personality Kimberley Locke is 48. Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning is 45.

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Katie Couric speaks at this year’s Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival at Spring Studios in New York. The TV journalist and former “CBS Evening News” anchor turns 69 on Wednesday.

JAN. 4 Actor Dyan Cannon is 89. Guitarist John McLaughlin is 84. Author-historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is 83. Country singer Patty Loveless is 69. Singer Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) is 66. Actor Julia Ormond is 61. JAN. 5

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Musician Kenny Loggins, pictured performing at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, turns 78 on Wednesday.

Actor Robert Duvall is 95. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is 85. Actor Vinnie Jones is 61. TV personality Carrie Ann Inaba is 58. Rock singer Marilyn Manson is 57. Actor-filmmaker Bradley Cooper is 51. Actor January Jones is 48.

ley is 62. Actor Norman Reedus is 57. Actor-comedian Kate McKinnon is 42. Businessman Eric Trump is 42.

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Actor-comedian Rowan Atkinson, who played Mr. Bean, is 71. Golf Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez is 69. TV chef Nigella Lawson is 66. Football Hall of Famer Howie Long is 66. Football Hall of Famer Charles Ha-

Musician Kenny Loggins is 78. Actor David Caruso is 70. TV journalist Katie Couric is 69. Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is 65. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is 63. Actor Nicolas Cage is 62.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 1, 2026

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Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood star in season 3 of “The White Lotus.”

Pop culture in 2025: A ring for Taylor, ill-timed KissCam, whatever ‘6-7’ means Monster British rock band Oasis reunited for world tour By Jocelyn Noveck The Associated Press DICTIONARIES DEFINE things. It’s their job. So when Dictionary.com pronounced “67” as its 2025 word of the year, you’d think they would have, well, defined it. But no. “We’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means,” they told us of this year’s “linguistic time capsule.” But that’s just how pop culture works, isn’t it? Who’s to explain why parents alone in their cars were suddenly singing “up up up” from that “KPop Demon Hunters?” song? Despite our new obsessions, though, some things remained constant — by which we mean Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, of course. It seems like every year gets bigger for Swift. But in 2025, she put a bow — or ring — on it with Travis Kelce, announcing “your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” So from the inexplicable to the familiar, here’s our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane: JANUARY They may not be Tayvis, but they’re a delightful couple just the same: Zendaya and Tom Holland are engaged. Let’s hear it also for Demi Moore, who wins a Golden Globe for her wild performance in “The Substance.” At the bookstore, fans go wild for “Onyx Storm,” the third installment of Rebecca Yarros’ romantasy series. A Nirvana reunion highlights FireAid, a fundraiser for relief efforts following the Los Angeles wildfires. FEBRUARY “Salutations!” says Samuel L. Jackson, introducing Kendrick Lamar, the first solo hip-hop artist — and Pulitzer winner — to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. (P.S. Is that Serena Williams?) At the Grammys, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department present Beyoncé with her best album trophy for “Cowboy Carter” —

the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammy history becomes the first black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century.

“Speak out for what you believe and what you feel. Or don’t. You have to live with yourself.”

MARCH

Robert Redford

It’s Oscar month! All hail to Sean Baker’s victorious, Brooklyn-set “Anora” and its star, Mikey Madison. Also scoring an acting prize is Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist” — who probably should have found another place to put his chewing gum. “Wicked,” an audience favorite, misses out on big prizes, but its stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, perform a rousing opening number.

gered supporters of the slain Charlie Kirk. The world says goodbye to Robert Redford, Hollywood’s golden screen idol. OCTOBER

Osbourne, and beloved “Cosby Show” actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

“So, how was your October?” “Oh, 6-7.” That’s apparently how one should use the new viral term — accompanied by that palms-up gesture. You know who has better moves than that? Bad Bunny, who hosts the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.” In Swift updates, her new album “The Life Of A Showgirl” sets sales records. Another sad loss: Diane Keaton, famous for her fedoras, vests and especially “La di da, La di da.”

AUGUST

NOVEMBER

Let’s just give this whole entry to pop culture’s biggest “Love Story” — because, baby, she said yes! Taylor-Travis skeptics eat their words when the couple announces their happy news, in what’s destined to become one of the most liked posts in Instagram history. It’s the fairytale culmination of a courtship that began during the Eras Tour and for two years captivated millions around the world but especially Swifties, the pop star’s loving and fiercely protective fan base.

Are we at the end of the yellow brick road? The “Wicked” press tour, which reached all ends of the universe actual and fictional, wraps with the release of Jon M. Chu’s second installment, “Wicked: For Good.” The reviews are much less, er, enthusiastical this time, but the movie defies gravity at the box office. That’s not enough for Jonathan Bailey, aka Fiyero, who is named People’s Sexiest Man Alive.

APRIL The blender! The poisonous fruit! The lizard! And Sam Rockwell! The Thailand-set third season of “The White Lotus” is certainly a talker. Katy Perry may be wishing she’d headed to Thailand rather than outer space: Her Earth-kissing return from an 11-minute trip on a Jeff Bezos Blue Origin rocket is widely mocked — even by Wendy’s, which writes on X: “Can we send her back.” On Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour, a star has emerged — 13-year-old Blue Ivy. MAY A crisis, at Cannes! The film fest bans nudity on the carpet — do they think this will halt the “naked dress” phenomenon? Bonne chance. Also at Cannes, Tom Cruise again shows he’ll risk life and limb to entertain, this time atop a classic biplane in “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.” Across the ocean, the Met Gala turns its focus to menswear and black style over the centuries. “It took a minute,” says an approving Spike Lee. “You belong with me,” Swift sings, buying back the rights to her first six albums. Finally, cue the “Chicago Pope” memes — in honor of the first American pope, Leo XIV. Later this year, he’ll reveal his Wordle strategy. JUNE “The world will know you as pop stars — but you will bemuch more than that.” Like, perhaps,

ASHLEY LANDIS / AP PHOTO

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26 in Kansas City, Missouri. the surprise, multigenerational hit of the summer? “KPop Demon Hunters” starts streaming this month, and in August will give Netflix a big box office win with its singalong screenings. On TV, it’s a new season of love — “Love Island USA,” that is, chronicling the goings-on at a luxury villa in Fiji. It’s the album cover that launched a thousand conversations: Some are offended when Sabrina Carpenter illustrates her “Man’s Best Friend” album with a photo of her on all fours, with a man holding her hair. Is it offensive, a purposeful joke, or nothing at all? JULY Oasis begins a reunion tour, and the Gallagher brothers are still getting along! “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” goes the much-discussed advertisement, and American Eagle insists it’s about the denim. CBS says it will end Stephen Colbert’s show in May 2026 — a move that will remove from air one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics. We cannot leave July behind — although at least two people would have loved to — without mentioning the saga of the Coldplay KissCam. Finally, within six days, the world loses three ’80s icons: mustachioed wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, heavy metal godfather Ozzy

SEPTEMBER Proving once again that Hollywood loves stories about itself, the Emmys heap awards on Seth Rogen’s movie-biz satire “The Studio.” Also triumphing is “The Pitt,” the edgy medical drama starring beloved “ER” veteran Noah Wyle that beats out the mighty “Severance.” Perhaps the biggest Cinderella story of all: 15-year-old Owen Cooper, the youngest Emmy winner in more than 40 years for the searing “Adolescence.” Also, this month, Jimmy Kimmel is temporarily suspended by ABC bosses for comments that an-

DECEMBER One award after another! Excuse the rather obvious pun, but it’s the perfect one to describe momentum in the Oscars race. While some films see their fortunes fade on Golden Globe nominations day, the emerging favorite is “One Battle After Another,” director Paul Thomas Anderson’s father-daughter saga of political resistance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and newcomer Chase Infiniti. Its success also lends a victory to Warner Bros. in the middle of its Netflix acquisition deal — which, at year’s end, is in a holding pattern, facing antitrust challenges and a hostile takeover effort from Paramount.