Chatham News & Record Vol. 148, Issue 47 by North State Journal

VOLUME 148 ISSUE 47 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Fixing the problem Ashley, a staff member with the Spay Shuttle, weighs a cat while Chatham Sheriff’s Animal Resource Center vet tech Kristin Recknagel handles paperwork during a spay/neuter clinic on Jan. 9. The event, held in partnership with the Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic of the Sandhills, served six dogs and nearly three dozen cats.

the

BRIEF this week

Tillis to visit Denmark as Trump focuses on Greenland A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation is headed to Copenhagen later this week to show unity with Denmark amid tensions over Greenland. Sen. Chris Coons is leading the trip, which includes at least nine members of Congress, including North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. They plan to meet with Danish and Greenlandic officials on Friday and Saturday. Coons emphasized the importance of the U.S.Denmark alliance, especially after recent statements by President Donald Trump about acquiring Greenland. Tensions have grown as Trump suggests taking Greenland to prevent Russian or Chinese control. Danish and Greenlandic leaders insist Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.

DHS ending temporary protected status for Somali immigrants President Donald Trump’s administration is ending temporary protected status for immigrants from Somalia. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Tuesday that conditions in the horn of Africa nation, one of the world’s poorest, no longer meet the standards of the program. The move affects hundreds of Somalis in the U.S. under TPS. Their existing protections expire March 17. Congress created TPS in 1990, and Somalia has been designated as a TPS nation since 1991.

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Construction for Hillsboro Street widening slated for this year The roadworks project will take an estimated three years to complete By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Town of Pittsboro is preparing for upcoming traffic disruption due

to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s latest project. At its Jan. 12 meeting, the Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners was presented with an update on the NCDOT’s Hillsboro Street widening project, which plans to widen 1.8 miles of Hillsboro Street from Launis

Street to Powell Place Lane. Along that stretch, the project will widen the street with two, 12-foot lanes along with a continuous center turn lane. It will also add curb and gutter improvements with subsurface stormwater drainage, fivefoot sidewalks on the western side and a 10-foot multiuse path on the eastern side, along with

intersection and collector road upgrades. “The pedestrian facilities will provide a full connection from downtown Pittsboro up to Powell Place on both sides of Hillsboro Street,” said NCDOT Project Team Lead Morgan DeWit. NCDOT is also planning to See PITTSBORO, page A7

Family stories take root in ‘Black Mingo’ Nell Smith’s debut novel draws on generations of Lowcountry history and memory By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record WHAT BEGAN as family stories passed down through generations in a tiny South Car-

olina town have grown into a published novel — and the opening chapter of what may one day become a trilogy. “Black Mingo,” written over the course of just 21⁄2 months, is the debut novel by Nell Smith, a North Carolina resident now living in Mebane. The book draws deeply from oral histories rooted in Ridgeland, South Carolina, where much of her ex-

tended family lived within a few miles of one another. “It just flowed,” Smith said. “I started writing in early September, and by mid-November, the book was done.” Set in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, “Black Mingo” is a work of historical fiction and mystery that leans into darker territory. The novel introduces a wide cast of characters moving

Buddhist monks, their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace “My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace.” Bhikkhu Pannakara

The nineteen monks are sleeping in tents every night By Deepa Bharath The Associated Press A GROUP OF Buddhist monks and their rescue dog are striding single file down country roads and highways across the South, captivating Americans nationwide and inspiring droves of locals to greet them along their route. In their flowing saffron and ocher robes, the men are walking for peace. It’s a medita-

tive tradition more common in South Asian countries, and it’s resonating now in the U.S., seemingly as a welcome respite from the conflict, trauma and politics dividing the nation. Their journey began Oct. 26 at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas and is scheduled to end in mid-February in Washington, D.C., where they will ask Congress to recognize Buddha’s day of birth and enlightenment as a federal holiday. Beyond promoting peace, their highest priority is See WALK, page A10

through a landscape defined by towering live oaks, slow-moving water and long-buried secrets. Trouble presses in from every direction, fueled by ambition, desperation and the belief that nothing is ever quite enough. The characters’ willingness to take whatever they want drives the story forward — until the See NOVEL, page A3

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

THURSDAY

1.15.26 #125

CHATHAM NC Zoo, aquarium mourn happening losses of beloved animals Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:

C’sar the elephant and Asta the otter died in recent weeks

Jan. 17

Chatham News & Record staff

“Join the conversation” Chatham News & Record www.chathamnewsrecord.com

North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Copyright 2026 Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Asheebo Rojas Sports Reporter Ryan Henkel Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer BUSINESS David Guy Advertising Manager Chatham News & Record (USPS #101160) is published weekly, 52 weeks a year, by North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, NC 27344 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344 CONTACT US For a vacation hold or to report a delivery problem: 919-663-3232 To place a classified or display ad: 919-663-3232; Fax: 919-663-4042 To submit a news tip or correction: 919-663-3232; news@chathamnewsrecord.com

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CRIME LOG

ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo lost a longtime resident last month with the death of C’sar, an African bull elephant who had lived at the Asheboro facility for more than 46 years. At 51, C’sar was the oldest African bull elephant in the United States. He arrived from Kenya in 1978 as the zoo’s first elephant resident and died of natural causes. “C’sar was a living piece of history and a beloved member of our Zoo community,” said Diane Villa, interim director of the North Carolina Zoo. “His gentle presence and remarkable story introduced millions of guests to the wonder of wildlife and the importance of conservation. His longevity is a testament to the love and quality of care he received throughout his life.” C’sar made history in 2011 when he became the first elephant in the world to undergo successful cataract surgery. He later became the first elephant to receive custom-fitted contact lenses. “C’sar helped people understand why conservation matters,” said Rich Bergl, deputy director and chief mission officer of the zoo. “Because of him, guests have felt a personal connection to the challenges faced by wild elephants and have seen how we all have a role to play in ensuring the survival of elephants and other wild species.” N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell said C’sar “embodied everything that is wonderful about the North Carolina Zoo: conservation, education, and phenomenal animal care.”

Jordan Napoli-Cranford Performs Live 3-6 p.m. An opportunity to see local singer and musician Jordan Napoli-Cranford in person; Napoli-Cranford performs a variety of genres from pop to classic rock. NORTH CAROLINA ZOO PHOTO

C’sar had been at the North Carolina Zoo since age 4.

“His gentle presence and remarkable story introduced millions of guests to the wonder of wildlife and the importance of conservation.” Diane Villa, N.C Zoo interim director The zoo will announce plans to honor C’sar’s memory. Donations can be made to the C’sar Legacy Fund through the N.C. Zoo Society. The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, which along with the zoo is part of the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, also recently announced a loss. Asta, a 17½-year-old Asian small-clawed otter, died Jan. 7. Aquarium staff had been monitoring Asta’s health and placed her in palliative care after recent diagnostic tests. When age-related conditions progressed to a point where

her comfort could no longer be ensured, veterinarians humanely euthanized her. Asta had exceeded the typical life expectancy for Asian small-clawed otters in professional care, which is 12 to 15 years. Asta had been at the aquarium since 2020 and was known for twirling in the pool in the Otters on the Edge habitat. She was often seen juggling pebbles and shells or snuggling with her son, Ray. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Asta, an otter beloved by us and the community,” said Joanna Zazzali, aquarium director. “We are grateful for the outpouring of support and love for her, which has been comforting to us at the Aquarium.” Asian small-clawed otters are native to Indonesia, southern China, southern India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines. They are the smallest otter species and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to threats including habitat loss, the illegal pet trade, pollution and poaching.

Jan. 5 • Natalie Marie Howard, 42, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for misuse of the 911 system, assault of a government official/ employee and resisting a public officer. Jan. 7

• Travis Ellis Coleman, 39, of Siler City, was arrested for resisting a public officer, injury to personal property, unauthorized use of motor vehicle, assault of a government official/employee, communicating threats, possession of a controlled substance on prison/jail premises and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

• Gregorio Ramirez Aparicio, 46, was arrested for identity theft, assault of a government employee and possession of manufacture fraud ID. Jan. 9 • Christopher Lee Davis, 31, was arrested for second degree arson, assault of a government official/employee, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of pyrotechnics, fleeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine, reckless driving to endanger, driving while impaired, carrying a concealed gun, resisting a public officer, failure to heed light or siren, speeding, failure to report accident, unsealed wine/liquor in passenger area, larceny after breaking and entering, breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods/property and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jan. 10 Mikhail Domenique Bland, 34, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Professional storytellers recount tales from Pittsboro, Siler City, Bynum and “Deep Chatham.” Free admission, but donations are encouraged. Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Jan. 22 Bynum Bite Night at BFP If you are an area teen with an inner geek, embrace it with kids who have similar interests at this bimonthly event at BFP. There is a virtual reality (VR) headset on-site so you can go beyond this world for a short time. Bring your projects and games and be ready to discuss your personal passion of the moment! Questions? Call Helbragga (John G.) at 919-593-3559.

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.

Jan. 8

• Wisdom Ayodele Awodoyin, 25, of Durham, was arrested for resisting a public officer and second-degree trespassing.

7-8:30 p.m.

Jan. 24

• Robert Eugene Locke, 64, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor larceny.

• Timothy Maurice Mills, 58, of Siler City, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Milltown Yarns Presents: Chatham County Stories and Songs at BFP

Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

• Timothy Torel Richmond, 53, of Goldston, was arrested for stalking and domestic violence protection order violation.

• Gary Dean Austin, 65, of Denton, was arrested for driving while license revoked, operating a vehicle with no insurance and cancelled/revoked/suspended tags.

The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM

Asta, the 17-year-old Asian small-clawed otter, died on Jan. 7.

Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

Death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spikes to at least 2,000, activists say Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s calls for action were answered by protesters By Jon Gambrell The Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spiked Tuesday to at least 2,000 people killed, activists said, even as Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days after authorities severed communications during a crackdown. The number of dead, as reported by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, dwarfs that in any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. These demonstrations, which began in anger over Iran’s ailing economy, soon targeted the theocracy, particularly 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Images obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press from demonstrations in Tehran show graffiti and chants calling for Khamenei’s death — something that could carry a death sentence. Reza Pahlavi, the 65-year-old son of the shah who was overthrown in 1979, has emerged as a leading voice of the opposition, issuing calls from exile that protesters appear to be following. When he called for Iranians to take to the streets at 8 p.m. on Jan. 8 and 9, crowds answered nationwide. In a video posted Saturday, Pahlavi announced “a new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic.” “We stand on the threshold of reclaiming our beloved Iran,” he said. “The increase in gunfire against the people is not a sign of strength, but of fear — fear of collapse and an accelerated downfall.” He called on employees of state institutions and security forces to “stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people.” He also urged Iranians abroad to claim the country’s embassies, saying they “belong to the Iranian people” and should fly Iran’s prerevolution lion-and-sun flag. Protesters have answered that call as well, hanging the flag on Iranian embassies in cities including London and Paris. The soaring death toll may put increased pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to act after he warned Iran he might intervene militarily to protect peaceful demonstrators. Iran’s foreign minister has signaled that communication remains open with Washington but acknowledged the gaps between the nations remain vast. The activist group said 1,847 of the dead over more than two weeks of protests were protesters and 135 were government-affiliated. Another nine children were killed, and nine civilians it said were not taking part in protests also were killed. It said more than 16,700 people had been detained. Skylar Thompson of Human Rights Activists News Agency told the AP the new toll was shocking, particularly since it reached four times the death toll of the monthslong 2022 Mahsa Amini protests in just two weeks. She warned this toll would still rise. “We’re horrified but we still think the number is conservative,” she added. Soon after the new death toll became public, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” He added: “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” With the internet down in Iran, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The AP has been

Church News GREETINGS IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST Centennial AME Zion Church warmly invites you to our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Join us for a powerful afternoon as we unite in the community with guest speaker Rev. Anissa T. Little, Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. Come experience the spirit firsthand as we honor Dr. King’s legacy through worship, justice and equality. The church is located at 67 Milton Marsh Road in Bear Creek. Contact: Willia M. Thompson, Director of Christian Education Department

UGC VIA AP

With external communications heavily hampered by the government, very limited images and video are making it out of the Islamic Republic. unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government hasn’t offered overall casualty figures. Iranians’ calls gave a glimpse of life after being cut off from the outside world last Thursday night. Witnesses described a heavy security presence in central Tehran, burned-out government buildings, smashed ATMs and few passersby. Meanwhile, people remain concerned about what comes next, including the possibility of strikes after Trump said he could possibly use the military to defend peaceful protesters. Trump also has said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington. “My customers talk about Trump’s reaction while wondering if he plans a military strike against the Islamic Republic,” said shopkeeper Mahmoud, who gave only his first name out of concerns for his safety. “I don’t expect Trump or any other foreign country cares about the interests of Iranians.” Reza, a taxi driver who also gave just his first name, said protests remain on many people’s minds. “People — particularly young ones — are hopeless, but they talk about continuing the protests,” he said. Iranians reach out, but world can’t reach in Several people in Tehran were able to call the AP on Tuesday and speak to a journalist there. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back. The witnesses said text messaging still was down and that internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad. Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armor, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers, according to the witnesses. Police stood watch at major intersections. Nearby, the witnesses saw members of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force, who similarly carried firearms and batons. Security officials in plainclothes were visible in public spaces as well. Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, they said. Banks struggled to complete transactions without the internet, the witnesses added. However, shops were open, though there was little foot traffic in the capital. Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, where the demonstrations began Dec. 28, was to open Tuesday. However, a witness described speaking to multiple shopkeepers who said the security forces ordered them to reopen no matter what. Iranian state media had not acknowledged that order. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. It also appeared that security service personnel were searching for Starlink terminals as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings with satellite dishes. While satellite television dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in their homes and officials broadly had given up on enforcing the law in recent years. On the streets, people also could be seen challenging plainclothes security officials,

who were stopping passersby at random. State television also read a statement about mortuary and morgue services being free — a signal some likely charged high fees for the release of bodies amid the crackdown. Khamenei, in a statement carried by state TV, praised the tens of thousands who took part in pro-government demonstrations nationwide on Monday. “This was a warning to American politicians to stop their deceit and not rely on traitorous mercenaries,” he said. “The Iranian nation is strong and powerful and aware of the enemy.” State TV on Monday aired chants from the crowd, which appeared in the tens of thousands, of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Others cried out, “Death to the enemies of God!” Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge. Iran says it communicated with Washington Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the Qatar-funded satellite news network Al Jazeera in an interview aired Monday night, said he continued to communicate with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The communication “continued before and after the protests and are still ongoing,” Araghchi said. However, “Washington’s proposed ideas and threats against our country are incompatible.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s public rhetoric diverges from the private messaging the administration has received from Tehran in recent days. “I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said. “However, with that said, the president has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran.” Trump imposes tariffs on Iran trading partners Trump announced Monday that countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs from the United States. Trump announced the tariffs in a social media posting, saying they would be “effective immediately.” Trump believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will. Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are among economies that do business with Tehran. Trump said Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters. “I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.” Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators.

NOVEL from page A1 past catches up with them and those secrets can no longer stay hidden. While “Black Mingo” stands fully on its own, it was conceived as the first of three related novels. The planned follow-ups — “Mingo Runs Red” and “Mingo Dammed” — already exist in outline form, complete with chapter titles, thematic arcs and partial text. “We liked the play on words,” Smith said of the third title. “Like a creek dam. Not just ‘damned.’” The material at the heart of “Black Mingo” is drawn from lived experience. Smith and her siblings grew up immersed in family storytelling, returning to Ridgeland several times a year for holidays and reunions. Each visit brought another retelling — often the same stories, but never quite the same way twice. “We could hear the same story over and over and still learn something new,” she said. Many of those stories came from her aunt, now 89, who appears in the novel as Aunt Ann Louise Allen. “We’d ask her, ‘Tell us a story,’” Smith said. “Help us keep these people alive.” Some of the book’s historical grounding reaches back generations. Smith’s maternal grandmother was born in the late 1800s on land that had once been a slave plantation — no longer operating as one, but still deeply tied to that legacy. “That history was already there,” Smith said. “We just had to build on it.” After completing the manuscript, Smith and her sisters researched publishers before signing with Christian Faith Publishing, a Pennsylvania-based press recommended by a neighbor. The choice also reflected the family’s shared faith. “The day we were told they were accepting the book was unforgettable,” Smith said. “It was the most exciting phone call the three of us have ever shared.” The editing process proved to be its own education — nearly 11 months focused on punctuation, paragraphing and structure rather than content. Smith estimated she reread the manuscript more than a dozen times. “It was laborious,” she said, “but it keeps the story alive in your mind.” Today, “Black Mingo” is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and international retailers, including translated editions. The novel’s recurring themes of place and belonging reflect Smith’s own life. Though family members spent time out of state, none ever strayed far from their Carolina roots. “I think that sense of home comes through,” she said. Smith will host her first public book signing Saturday, Jan. 17 at The Chick Boutique in Siler City. The event will run from 1-3 p.m. in a floating format, beginning with a short reading followed by a remembrance of her late sister Julie, a question-and-answer session and signed copies available for attendees. A small prize drawing is also planned. In the event of inclement weather, the signing will be moved to the following Saturday. Additional signings, including a Barnes & Noble event later this spring, are already in discussion. For Smith, the experience has been both deeply personal and unexpectedly affirming. “It feels strange to toot your own horn,” she said, “but I’m excited about what was created.”

“That history was already there,” Smith said. “We just had to build on it.” Nell Smith

Siler City author Nell Smith’s debut novel is available online and in bookstores nationwide.

NELL SMITH / CHRISTIAN FAITH PUBLISHING

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

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

VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

In appreciation of Father Mac The mark of a leader of a faith community is often made in private.

I’VE GOT TO TAKE BACK the leash, uh, reins from my dog for this column and write in appreciation of my clergy colleague at Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Pittsboro. Father Mac, as he is affectionately known, announced his resignation. As Saint Tom Petty reminds us, “It’s time to move on.” Father Mac is a talented priest with a bright future in his denomination, and Saint Bart will continue as a pillar in our larger community. It is fitting to celebrate this particular pastoral relationship as it ends. I realize that parishioners have different, sometimes contradicting expectations of their pastor. For instance, what constitutes a “good sermon” varies from person to person, as well as from church to church. However, preaching is always filtered through personality, and the preachers I trust are authentic to themselves. Father Mac is such a preacher and a person. Saint Bart’s hosts a weekly community lunch, and Father Mac was a warm, often joyful presence at this meal. He was inclusive and welcoming of LGBTQ members of our community. He also had an endearing presence online, which helped the congregation grow. He is wise and well-read, offering words of wisdom and faith, which Father Tim of Jan Karon’s “Mitford” series called “patches of Godlight.” I happen to know that Father Mac was not above working up a sweat on his brow. Rumor has it that he

could be found making repairs up on the sanctuary’s roof and down in the bowels of the church basement. He scrubbed the graves in the historic cemetery by hand. He assisted his neighbors by changing tires and butchering roosters. Father Mac did none of this work for attention, which makes it all the more fitting to recognize in print. I believe, however, that the mark of a leader of a faith community is often made in private. To quote Maya Angelou, people will forget what you said, yet they will always remember how you made them feel. It’s the visits to the hospital, the phone calls and the quiet afternoons when “Hey, preacher, you got a minute?” turns into an hourlong conversation. It’s the prayers offered in hope and love that matter most, often in ways that a priest or pastor will never know. Father Mac is a student of history, and he knows the poetry of George Moses Horton, who is remembered in Chatham County and beyond as the first African American man to publish a book in the South. Horton’s words are a fitting goodbye to the service of this devoted and faithful priest: “My eyes let fall a friendly tear, and bid this place farewell.” Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

What do numbers really mean? To put a good spin on the matter, government folks like to make a distinction between being unemployed and not looking for work. But if you’re not working, are you unemployed?

STATISTICS, IT’S BEEN said, can be made to prove anything. And the old adage that numbers don’t lie is true, I suppose, depending on your spin on it. For instance, if you have an eight-ounce glass in your little hand and it has four ounces of delicious sweet tea in it, here’s the question: Is the glass half-full or half-empty. The answer, of course, is “yes.” This leads me to say I remember a lesson one day in one of my journalism classes at UNC, which in and of itself is a bit of a statistical oddity in at least two ways — the fact that I remember the lesson and the fact I went to class at all. Neither of those two areas was ever overwhelmingly in the majority since part of my statistical interest in college was dedicated at a level of 100% to not letting school interfere with my education. Anyway, the point, as Dr. Adams was lecturing away, was that numbers and data can be twisted to prove almost anything. He then told us a story about a certain town that had two newspapers in it. One of the papers was Republican in its bent while the other leaned toward the Democrats. One night, the local Republican Party held its annual convention in the city hall, seating capacity about 200 persons. That particular night, some 250 people crammed into the hall to take in the event. People were standing in the aisles and around the back wall, hanging from light fixtures and holding down any space they could. The next morning, the Republican paper reported that “an overflow crowd packed city hall for last night’s Republican Party convention.” Meanwhile the Democratic-leaning paper had sent a reporter to the event, and that person turned in a story which began by noting that “fewer than 300 people attended last night’s Republican Party convention.” I say all that to make note of all the data our federal government tells us every month about how good the economy is. Not too long ago, I stopped in at a local petroleum outlet for the obvious reason. By the time I’d filled up the pickup and two cans of diesel for a tractor

and two cans of gas for another, I was in debt to that local establishment for what I thought was a decent amount of moolah. And since I couldn’t get all that product on my good looks alone, I was forced to come across with the cash, or in this case, a check. Don’t get me wrong; I’m glad I had the stash to pay for it, but the fact that now we won’t be able to go to the grocery store for a week may become a problem for others in the family. Numbers can be misleading. I’m still not sure if unemployment rose or fell last month. Did it actually decline, or did it just not fall as fast as it had in the previous 12 months? So is a decrease from one month to the next absolutely a decrease, or is an increase really an increase? And if you’re one of the poor Joes into his or her 22nd month without a job, is the jobless rate 10.5% or is it more like 100%? To put a good spin on the matter, government folks like to make a distinction between being unemployed and not looking for work. But if you’re not working, are you unemployed? And here’s where the number part can get even trickier. It’s like when the weather geeks on the tube or the corns on my left foot tell me there’s a 40% chance of rain for tomorrow. So when I get up the next morning it’s raining sideways and some guy is floating by on a big boat with a bunch of animals on board. Is it still just 40%, or is it higher where I am? And 40% for how long? Lots of them don’t tell. How nice it would be to use absolutes in our conversation and to let facts and information speak for themselves without having to clarify and explain what someone said. But then television newscasters — all 100% of them — would be without work. And that wouldn’t be good for their unemployment statistics. Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS

Snark! Thar she blows

There are currently many reasons for our collective snarkiness and anger, whatever our beliefs.

THOSE SNARKY WORDS! Whoa, whoa, they’re actually my words! My very own words. (Shrinking into myself. Embarrassed.) My strongest temptation this week has been to slide down that ol’ slippery slope of snark, vitriol and incivility. Sticking my tongue out (and sadly, more) at anyone who disagrees with me. (Just giving you ample warning.) I’ve been captured by the painful realities facing our country. Oh, lordy, my Us vs. Them dynamics are lighting up my red danger zone! Be warned! I’m right and you’re not! Snark, and its near kin, are rampant in most everything I read or hear. It’s catching. I’m not immune. Are you? (Now, c’mon, where the heck did I leave my Pepto Bismol?) Granted, there are currently many reasons for our collective snarkiness and anger, whatever our beliefs. But need we send our emotional toxicity on a rampage, rippling outward like a pebble thrown into a pond? Here I am poisoning you and you’re poisoning me. Not the generally accepted golden rule, is it, or did I miss something? ’Tis social contagion, metastasizing! Excuse me? Social contagion? Please back up. Okey doke. Just like cold, flu and COVID,

the social contagion of our behaviors, is shared from person-to-person. Cognizant of this, I’m still out there tossing snarky pebbles into our collective human pond. My toxic ripples might be polluting, emotionally, even those who agree with me! Snark, the emotional invader. Might I say “yuck?” Sigh, despite my wishful thinking, there appear to be no vaccines available for reducing human snarkiness at this point in time. None. Except our intent, except our intent, except … Oh geez, once I’ve tossed a toxic pebble, I do hear the universe whispering in my ear, “Can’t you just serve the public without resorting to insults?” I really do want to hop off this insidious merry-go-round. I don’t want to be remembered as a toxic carrier. What would my mother think? (Strike that thought, Jan.) Certainly leaves me wondering how I/ we can lower the particulate level of verbal toxicity in the air we collectively breathe. C’mon, don’t we deserve better? Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

COLUMN | MARK MEADOWS

President Trump’s America First trade agenda will help Republicans win 2026 midterms Many foreign countries are doing everything in their power to keep cheating American workers.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP recently stated that “losing our ability to Tariff other countries who treat us unfairly would be a terrible blow to the United States of America,” and he’s not wrong. With the midterms fast approaching, Trump’s $2,000 tariff stimulus check will demonstrate to millions of American families that the president’s plan is working. Unfortunately, foreign countries like China and Mexico continue to cheat the system and seek to destroy millions of American manufacturing jobs. Having served as Trump’s chief of staff, I traveled with him to communities across America’s heartland that were decimated by foreign countries cheating the system. America’s trailer manufacturing industry is on the brink of similar decimation, as foreign countries like China and Mexico flood the U.S. with unfairly traded imports. Even more disturbing is that the Chinese Communist Party and state-owned Chinese trailer companies have moved trailer manufacturing facilities to Canada to avoid tariffs, so they flood the U.S. with unfairly traded Chinese trailer products from there too. Upon Trump’s historic reelection, our great president marked his return with a comprehensive America First trade agenda, including prioritizing antidumping/ countervailing (AD/CVD) duty cases. After serving the president, I can confidently say that these commitments are not just words; they are actionable initiatives that are saving American manufacturing. In response to such initiatives, many foreign countries are doing everything in their power to keep cheating American workers. America’s trailer industry represents a prime example of the tens of thousands of American workers that we must protect from this cheating. From Georgia to Wisconsin, the domestic trailer industry supports over 50,000 American jobs. In my home state of North Carolina, this great American industry supports thousands of good-paying jobs. Many of these jobs are in key battleground states that will decide the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections. The sad reality is that trailers from China, Mexico and Canada now supply 40% of the U.S. market for van trailers. Many of these foreign trailers are unfairly traded through subsidization and dumping, entering the U.S. at prices significantly beneath market levels. As mentioned, Chinese governmentowned companies are even setting up shop in Canada, where they can assemble Chinese trailer parts, slap on a “Made in Canada” label, and flood their products across our border duty-free. This not only jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of hardworking Americans, it puts our national security at risk by creating a dangerous reliance on foreign products to

sustain our economy. Moreover, in the event of an international crisis, we need facilities that can quickly adapt to our military needs. During World War II, trailer manufacturing facilities rose to the occasion and produced high volumes of military equipment. What will we do in a similar situation if all of our large-scale manufacturing has been decimated by foreign cheating? American manufacturers within the trailer industry are on life support. Many are operating at less than half of their capacity, with companies bleeding out American jobs left and right in response to unfairly traded imports. In fact, the threat of unfairly traded trailer imports is so great that the majority of the domestic trailer industry united to file a historic trade case in November to save their domestic industry. This momentous trade case, unsurprisingly, has been met with resistance by the foreign countries and companies that cheat the system. Considering Trump’s trade priorities and all these jobs at risk in key battleground states, it is imperative for the Department of Commerce to initiate its investigation as soon as possible. This historic trade case is not only about saving the domestic trailer industry and tens of thousands of American jobs, but it will also define the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections in Georgia, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Across America’s heartland and in my home state of North Carolina, America’s trailer manufacturing industry is still here and still fighting, unlike many industries that have been wiped out due to foreign countries’ cheating. As the Trump administration enters its second year of this term, let’s continue to practice what we preach, starting with the initiation of this trade case to save 50,000 American jobs. The forgotten men and women of America who stood with Trump in 2024 will stand strong with him again in the 2026 midterms if the administration keeps pushing forward and initiating trade cases that save millions of American jobs. While the left-wing extremists want Republicans to lose congressional seats in 2026, we will win by supporting the president’s trade agenda and putting American workers first. Mark Meadows served as the 29th White House chief of staff and as a member of Congress for North Carolina’s 11th District from 2013 to 2020. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Protecting girls remains a political winner KEEPING MEN OUT of women’s sports is smart policy and smart politics. Just look at what happened recently in Nevada. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo recently rolled out the Protect Girls’ Nevada Gov. Sports initiative. As the Joe Lombardo name implies, he wants to amend the Nevada recently Constitution to keep rolled out biological boys and men from participating in girls’ the Protect and women’s sports. While Girls’ Sports the exact language hasn’t been released, this is initiative. fantastic news. In fall 2024, the University of Nevada, Reno’s volleyball team was scheduled to play against San Jose State. The problem was that the San Jose State team included Blaire Fleming, a man pretending to be a woman. One of Fleming’s own teammates, Brooke Slusser, described Fleming’s hits as “scary.” Slusser believed “that Fleming’s spikes significantly increased the risk of her, teammates and opponents being concussed,” according to a lawsuit. None of this is shocking because, as a group, men are stronger than women. Now, an individual female athlete may be stronger than an individual man. But she’s not stronger than top male athletes — or even middling ones. This was the impetus behind the push to expand women’s sports. Women couldn’t compete with men, but allowing women to compete against other women created a level playing field. This is all so obvious that it didn’t used to have to be explained. But the left now wants society to believe that men who pretend to be women are women. Never mind the logical contradictions here, which produce absurdities like leftists refusing to define the word “woman.” This larger debate is why the UNR volleyball team faced a choice they never should have had to make. In fall 2024, they courageously decided to forfeit their match to highlight the injustice of being forced to play against a male opponent. Since then, Nevada has made some progress. Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, Sarah Johnson — who used to work for Anthony — and Marshi Smith, founder of ICONS, among many others, have done outstanding work on this issue. As a result, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association moved in April to keep boys out of girls’ sports. But a constitutional amendment would make this protection more permanent. You can tell this idea is popular by the response of Nevada Attorney General and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford. “To all transgender Nevadans: we see you, we hear you, and we will fight by your side,” he wrote on X in 2018. He continued, “We stand with you.” But when asked about this initiative, he said, “I personally do not support trans athletes competing in sports opposite their gender assigned at birth.” Ford will stand with you right until doing so costs him electorally. Just look at his on-again, off-again support for making Nevada a sanctuary state. Perhaps the reason Ford flip-flops so much is that he wants to make sure he has the right footwear for his next lobbyist-funded junket. It’s doubtful that Ford is being direct with voters. In 2023, he signed Nevada on to an amicus brief that sought to help biological boys “participate on their school’s girls’ sports teams.” In 2022, Ford joined a lawsuit seeking to overturn an Arkansas law banning genital mutilation surgery. It appears he wants voters to think he supports protecting girls’ sports while using his authority to do the opposite. Typical politician. But Ford’s latest flip-flop is still revealing. It shows how deeply unpopular it is to force girls to compete against boys. Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast.

BE IN TOUCH Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com. Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

obituaries

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Deborah “Miss Debbie” Sue Foy Ferguson March 22, 1957 – Jan. 9 , 2026 Deborah “Miss Debbie” Sue Foy Ferguson, 68, of Siler City, went to her Heavenly home on Friday, January 9th, 2026, at her home surrounded by family. Deborah was born on March 22nd, 1957, in Jacksonville, NC, to Victor and Reba Foy. She is preceded in death by her father. Miss Debbie drove a bus for Chatham Middle School where she retired after 24 years of service. She enjoyed watching Big Brother and Survivor. She always took care of everyone else around her. She was a great gift giver. She loved taking

Mattie “Patsy” Wood Hancock Jan. 26, 1934 – Jan. 7, 2026 Mattie “Patsy” Wood Hancock, 91, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2026, at Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina, surrounded by her two daughters. She was born on January 26, 1934, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, to the late Mattie McFalls Wood and Jerry Burton Wood, Sr. Patsy attended Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and later married her high school sweetheart, Jack Hancock. Together they made their home in Siler City, North Carolina, where they built a life rooted in love and family. In her earlier years, Patsy worked as a bookkeeper, but she spent most of her adult life as a homemaker—a role that brought her the greatest contentment. A fabulous cook, Patsy found joy in preparing meals for those she loved. She was a devoted lover of all animals and took great pleasure in planting flowers in her yard. One of her quiet joys was watching birds flutter and fly, and over the years she lovingly kept many birdhouses, delighting in their presence. Patsy had a gentle, soft smile and her bright blue eyes could light up a room, reflecting the warmth and kindness she shared so freely. Patsy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack

396 West St., Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-542-3057 | www.donaldsonfunerals.com pictures and editing them, IN MEMORY and she loved reading her Bible. Her greatest love though was her family, especially her HENRY LEWIS MARTIN REBECCA ANN GARNER grandchildren. They were JAN. 3, 2026 JAN. 5, 2026 her pride and joy. She loved spending time with them and making memories. Mr. Henry Lewis Martin, 85, of Goldston, North Rebecca Ann Garner, Age 59, of Seagrove, Left to cherish her memory Carolina entered into eternal rest on Saturday, NC went to be home with the Lord on Monday is her husband of 52 years, January 3, 2026, at his residence. Arrangements January 5th, 2026 at Autumn Care in Biscoe. Kenneth Ferguson of the are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of She always had a zest for life and giving. She home; her daughter, Melissa Sanford, North Carolina. will be missed by all that knew her. F. Smoak and her husband, A memorial service will be held on Friday, Phillip of Ramseur; her January 16th at 2 p.m. at Needham’s Grove granddaughter, Kensley; her Baptist Church with Pastor D.J. Harry and Pastor grandson, Kanyon; her bonus BESSIE ELLEN PHILLIPS ANDREW Arnold Comer presiding. grandchildren, Elijah and JUNE 27, 1938 – JAN. 5, 2026 Cameron; her mother, Reba There will be a visitation prior to the service Foy of Jacksonville; her sisters, from 1-1:45. Bessie Ellen Phillips Andrew, of Robbins, Sheila Foy, and Sandy Harrell She was preceded in death by her parents, passed away on Monday, January 5, 2026, at her and her husband, Keith; her Herbert and Mildred Moore Garner, Sibling, home. The funeral was at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, brothers, Allen Foy, and Jeff Ronnie, her nephew, Adam and her faithful January 8th, 2026, at Rocky River Friends Foy and his wife, Candy; and rescued companion Sophia. She is survived by Church with Pastor David Hobson presiding. several nieces and nephews. her brother Wayne Garner (Vickie), sister Brenda In lieu of flowers, memorials Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The Garner Cassady (Charlie), and Brother Ricky can be made to the Shriner’s visitation was on Wednesday, January 7th from Garner. Foundation in Deborah’s name. 6-8 pm at Joyce Brady Chapel. Bessie was born A visitation will be held in Orange County on June 27th, 1938, to William Monday, January 19th, 2026, Clifton Phillips and Gladys Hicks Phillips. She from 5-7 pm, at Smith & SUE HILLIARD TIGHE was a member of Rocky River Friends Church Buckner Funeral Home Chapel. where she taught Sunday school. She previously DEC. 7, 1945 – JAN. 7, 2026 There will be a private burial worked in textiles as a clerk for 30 years before at a later time. she retired. She loved to be outside and work Sue Hilliard Tighe, age 80, of Sanford, passed Smith & Buckner Funeral in her flowers, do sudoku puzzles and was an away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Genesis Home will be assisting the Ferguson family. avid reader. She adored her family. In addition Healthcare. She was born in Dillon, South Online condolences can be to her parents, she was preceded in death by Carolina on December 7, 1945, to the late June made at www.smithbucknerfh. her husband, Earl Andrew. Bessie is survived Hilliard and Lillie Coates Hilliard. In addition to her com by her 2 sons, Dwain Andrew of Seagrove parents, she was preceded in death by daughter

R. Hancock; her parents, Mattie M. Wood and Jerry B. Wood, Sr.; and her brother, Jerry B. Wood, Jr. She is survived by her two daughters, Sharon Hancock Summer and her husband, Tom, of Gastonia, North Carolina, and Celia Hancock Tuten and her husband, Walt, of Greensboro, North Carolina; her granddaughter, Brittany Summer Gregory and her husband, Matt, of New Canaan, Connecticut; her grandson, Thomas Carlyle Summer of Gastonia, North Carolina; and her great-grandsons, Jack Gregory and Will Gregory, both of New Canaan, Connecticut. Her greatest delight was time spent with her children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, and she treasured every visit with them. Our heartfelt gratitude is extended to the many care givers who lovingly provided care for Patsy in her home and to the entire staff at Whitestone Retirement Community in Greensboro, North Carolina. We will be forever grateful for the nursing care, nurturing, joy, companionship, and love that were so generously given. Patsy will be remembered for her gentle spirit, nurturing heart, and deep devotion to family. She will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her. The family will receive friends and family from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Smith and Buckner Funeral Home, 230 N. Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina. A funeral service will be held in the chapel beginning at 2:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Chatham Memorial Park, 13260 US-64, Siler City, North Carolina. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 1101 W. Raleigh Street, Siler City, NC 27344. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Hancock family.

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

and Darrell Andrew (Renee) of Robbins, 5 grandchildren, Regina Mabe, Celes Sandt, Justin Andrew, Chasity Agnew and Nicki Garner; and 8 greatgrandchildren and a host of family and friends.

Lilly Denise Hicks; sister Judy H. Webster; brother Darrell Hilliard and great-granddaughter Ellie Faith Sipe. Sue took great pride in her work and truly loved her jobs at Eastern Decor and Bayberry, where she was known for her dedication, kindness, and warm spirit. She is survived by her loving children Sherry Gordon (Bobby) of Bear Creek, Mitchell Hicks of Sanford and Russell Tighe of Sanford; grandchildren Taylor Townsend (Dean), Dakota Gordon (Rhonda), Cambria Sipe (Jimmy), Sarah Hicks, Austin Unik and Matthew Unik and her “tribe” of great-grandchildren Sophie, Lorelei, Hunner, Samuel, Carter and Easton.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

Michael Reagan, son of President CIA turncoat Aldrich Ronald Reagan, dead at 80 Ames, who sold US secrets to Soviets, dies in prison at 84 He wrote “Lessons My Father Taught Me” in 2016

Michael Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan, speaks during an event in 2012.

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan and a conservative commentator, has died. He was 80. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced his death in a post on the social platform X on Tuesday, calling him “a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy.” “Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding devotion to President Reagan’s ideals,” the foundation said. His cause of death was not immediately announced. “Michael was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family,” his wife, Colleen Reagan, and two children, Cameron Reagan and Ashley Reagan Dunster, wrote in a statement. “Our hearts are deeply broken as we grieve the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him.” Reagan was a contributor to the conservative Newsmax television network and was known for his talk radio program, “The Michael Reagan Show.” Born to Irene Flaugher in

MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO

1945, Reagan was adopted just hours after his birth by Ronald Reagan and his then-wife, actor Jane Wyman. The young Reagan followed in his parents’ footsteps. After attending Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College, Reagan took up acting, playing in television shows including “Falcon Crest,” and he spent nearly two decades as a conservative radio talk show host, speaking of politics and culture. In two autobiographical books titled “On the Outside Looking in” and “Twice Adopted,” he told of, at times, a difficult childhood, which included coming to terms with his adoption and his journey of faith. Reagan penned several others, including “Lessons My Father Taught Me” published in 2016, where he detailed lessons learned growing up the son of

Ronald Reagan. Throughout his life, Reagan raised money and worked for charities, using powerboat racing as a means of fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund. Reagan sat on the advisory board for Mixed Roots Foundation, which focuses on the foster care and adoption in the U.S. and globally. Reagan served as chair of the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation board for three years, working on the same disease his father succumbed to in 2004. As president and chair of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, he championed the legacy of his father. The conservative former president was known for trying to scale back government and devoting his presidency to winning the Cold War.

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He received $2.5 million from Moscow over almost a decade The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who betrayed Western intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and Russia in one of the most damaging intelligence breaches in U.S. history, has died in a Maryland prison. He was 84. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons confirmed Ames died Monday. Ames, a 31-year CIA veteran, admitted being paid $2.5 million by Moscow for U.S. secrets from 1985 until his arrest in 1994. His disclosures included the identities of 10 Russian officials and one Eastern European who were spying for the United States or Great Britain, along with spy satellite operations, eavesdropping and general spy procedures. His betrayals are blamed for the executions of Western agents working behind the Iron Curtain and were a major setback to the CIA during the Cold War. He pleaded guilty without a trial to espionage and tax evasion and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors said he deprived the United States of valuable intelligence material for years. He professed “profound shame and guilt” for “this betrayal of trust, done for the basest motives,” money to pay debts. But he downplayed the damage he caused, telling the court he did not believe he had “noticeably damaged” the United States or “noticeably aided” Moscow. “These spy wars are a sideshow which have had no real impact on our significant security interests over the years,” he told the court, questioning

DENIS PAQUIN / AP PHOTO

Former CIA agent Aldrich Ames leaves federal court April 28, 1994, in Alexandria, Virginia. the value that leaders of any country derived from vast networks of human spies around the globe. In a jailhouse interview with The Washington Post the day before he was sentenced, Ames said he was motivated to spy by “financial troubles, immediate and continuing.” Ames was working in the Soviet/Eastern European division at the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, when he first approached the KGB, according to an FBI history of the case. He continued passing secrets to the Soviets while stationed in Rome for the CIA and after returning to Washington. Meanwhile, the U.S. intelligence community was frantically trying to figure out why so many agents were getting discovered by Moscow. Ames’s spying coincided with that of FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was caught in 2001 and charged with taking $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to sell secrets to Moscow. He died in prison in 2023. Ames’s wife, Rosario, pleaded guilty to lesser espionage charges of assisting his spying and was sentenced to 63 months in prison.

PITTSBORO from page A1 add a sidewalk to the east side of Hillsboro Street from Thompson Street to Launis Street, improve the intersection with Salisbury Street as well as along downtown streetscapes. “We’ve been working with the town for additional improvements in the downtown area, which includes new water and sewer and stormwater infrastructure improvements, streetscapes and ADA-compliant pedestrian accommodations,” DeWit said. Downtown pedestrian improvements will be constructed in phases to maximize accessibility to businesses and construction will only occur between January and September to avoid seasonal events. Construction is slated to begin later this year with an estimated completion time for the winter of 2028. According to DeWit, the specific stretch of Hillsboro Street and its access points will remain open during construction, and a detour will not be required.

“The pedestrian facilities will provide a full connection from downtown Pittsboro up to Powell Place on both sides of Hillsboro Street.” Morgan DeWit, NCDOT project team lead The board held a public hearing for amendments to the town’s UDO, specifically to formalize the process and composition of its technical review committee, which is an advisory group that reviews and comments on major development applications and the management of development. The technical review committee was created in July 2024 but had been operating as an ad-hoc committee with “no formal rules of engagement.” The Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will next meet Feb. 9.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

NOTICE TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS Tax Listing Notice All persons owning real, personal and business property on January 1, 2026, have the duty to list property that is subject to Chatham County property taxation. Certain personal property must be listed every year. Real estate listing is not required unless buildings or other improvements having a value in excess of $100 have been acquired, begun, erected, damaged, or destroyed in the year prior to January 1, 2026. Listing Period Begins - January 1, 2026 Listing Period Ends - January 31, 2026 For Business Listings only, requests for an extension must be received in writing by January 31, 2026. Extensions will only be granted until April 15, 2026. Listing Assistance is available at: Chatham County Tax Department 12 East Street, Pittsboro NC 27312 Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Except Holidays WHAT TO LIST? You are required to list un-licensed vehicles, trailers with multi-year registrations, mobile homes not designated as real property, all types of water craft, aircraft, and items used in a business. Business Property also includes items used for farming, a trade or profession, or furnishings or appliances you provide to a tenant. Except for trailers with multi-year registration, exempted from listing are licensed vehicles, mobile homes (considered real estate,) and household items used for your own residence. Forms may be picked up at the office or obtained from our website at https://www.chathamcountync. gov You may list in person. Bring all detailed information necessary to identify your property and its value. If forms were mailed to you, please bring them with you. Listing by mail is permitted. Listings must bear a U.S. Postal Service postmark on or before January 31, 2026. Penalties apply to late listings. If you have not received your listing forms by January 20, you should make satisfactory arrangements with this office so that you may make a timely listing. Persons who fail to comply are subject to listing penalties and other penalties which are prescribed by N.C. General Statutes. PROPERTY TAX RELIEF: Persons at least 65 years of age or persons that are permanently and totally disabled whose income does not exceed the maximum, may apply for a tax reduction or tax deferment on their permanent residence. The maximum income to qualify for the 2026 tax reduction is $38,800, the maximum income to qualify for 2025 tax deferment is $58,200. If you meet the qualifications your taxes could be significantly lowered. Please contact our office or visit our website for more details on this program and to obtain an application. PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR DISABLED VETERANS: This program excludes the first forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) of the appraised value of a permanent residence owned and occupied by a North Carolina Resident, who is an Honorably Discharged 100% Disabled Veteran, or the unmarried surviving spouse of an Honorable Discharged 100% Disabled Veteran. Please contact our office or visit our website for more details about this program. Chatham County Tax Department P O Box 908, Pittsboro NC 27312 (919) 542-8250

NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Annie Faye Braxton, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations, having claims against the said estate to present them to the undersigned at 1153 Huffman Mill Road,Burlington, NC 27215 on or before the 9th day of April, 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. This the 8th day of January, 2026. Janet F. Braxton, Administrator Seth M. Gerringer, Attorney Deal Law, PLLC 1153 Huffman Mill Road Burlington, NC 27215 Publication Dates: Jan. 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of HELEN FAYE FITTA a/k/a FAYE PHILLIPS FITTS, of Chatham County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Executor at the Law Office of Richard L Cox, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before April 16th 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 15th day of January 2026. William Robert Fitts, III, Executor HELEN FAYE FITTA a/k/a FAYE PHILLIPS FITTS, Estate Richard L. Cox, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

NOTICE ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Carol Triplett Robbins a/k/a Carol T. Robbins, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before April 15th, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 15th day of January 2026. Antony Derek Roberson, Executor Estate of Carol Triplett Robbins c/o Roberson Law Firm 1829 E. Franklin St., Ste. 800C Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Run Dates: 1/15, 22, 29, 2/5

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000680-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Walter D. Jones, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of John T. Jones, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of April 15, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 15th day of January 2026. Walter D. Jones Administrator Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

NOTICE 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

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000022-180 The undersigned JEREMY KNOTT AND TRACEY JONES, having qualified on the 9TH Day of JANUARY 2026 as CO-ADMINISTRATORS of the Estate of CAROLYN ANNE KNOTT aka ANNE PRINCE KNOTT, 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 15th Day OF APRIL 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 15th DAY OF JANUARY 2026. JEREMY KNOTT, CO-ADMINISTRATOR 430 JOHNSON FARM ROAD NEW HILL, NC 27562 MAIL TO: TRACY JONES, CO-ADMINSTRATOR 791 KODIR WOMBLE DRIVE NEW HILL, NC 27562 Run dates: J15,22,29,F5,p

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Seth Andrew Laws 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 16th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 8th day of January, 2026. Kelli Denise Laws, Administrator Of the Estate of Seth Andrew Laws 2621 Arthur Teague Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000693-180 The undersigned RICKY DAYE, aka RICHARD L. DAYE, having qualified on the 30TH Day of DECEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MARY H. MERTENS, 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 15th Day OF APRIL 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 15th DAY OF JANUARY 2026. RICKY DAYE aka RICHARD L. DAYE, EXECUTOR 5328 CHIMNEY SWIFT DRIVE WAKE FOREST, NC 27587 Run dates: J15,22,29,F5,p

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NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000665-180 The undersigned KEENAN B. JONES, RYAN L. JONES, AND KARA J. OLDHAM, having qualified on the 19TH Day of DECEMBER 2025 as CO-EXECUTORS of the Estate of RODGER L. JONES, 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 8th Day OF APRIL 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 8th DAY OF JANUARY 2026. KEENAN B. JONES, CO-EXECUTOR 1473 ZEB BROOKS ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 KARA J. OLDHAM, CO-EXECTUTOR 1482 ZEB BROOKS ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 MAIL AFFIDAVIT TO: RYAN L. JONES, CO-EXECUTOR 1642 ZEB BROOKS ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 Run dates: J8,15,22,29

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Sue Loy 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 16th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 8th day of January, 2026. Robyn Thomas Walker, Executor Of the Estate of Sue Loy 69 Fox Chapel Lane Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of William Larry Cockman 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 16th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 6th day of January, 2026. Kimberly Rose Cockman, Executor Of the Estate of William Larry Cockman 1034 Stage Coach Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Mary Dianitia Hutcheson, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the Executor does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to F. Gordon Battle, Executor of the Estate of Mary Dianitia Hutcheson, 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 15th day of April, 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 Executor. This 8th day of January, 2026. F. Gordon Battle Executor of the Estate of Mary Dianitia Hutcheson Patrick E. Bradshaw Bradshaw Robinson Slawter & Rainer LLP PO Box 607 Pittsboro, NC 27312 (For Publication: 1/8, 1/15, 1/22 and 1/29/2026)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25 E 00695-180 The undersigned LYNN S. CRAYCROFT, having qualified on the 30TH Day of DECEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ARLINE J. SENKPIEL, 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 15th Day OF APRIL 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 15th DAY OF JANUARY 2026. Run dates: J15,22,29,F5,p

NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION CHATHAM COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA The statewide primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they vote. All voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Find out more at ncsbe. gov/voter-id. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The following precincts will be open on Election Day: 3-Albright-9-Bonlee-15-BynumGLD118-Goldston-MON113-Moncure-21-HadleyCRD118-Crossroads-30-Hickory Mountain-ECL109-East Chapel-WCL108-West Chapel-42-Jordan Lake- WPP114-West Pittsboro-EPP112-East Pittsboro-ESC114-East Siler City-85-West Siler City75-East Williams-NWM117-North Williams-78-West Williams Early voting will be held at the following locations from Thursday, February 12, 2026, through Saturday, February 28, 2026. • Chatham County Agriculture Conference Center-1192 US -64 BUS, Pittsboro, NC 27312 (County Board of Elections office In Lieu of Site) • Goldston Town Hall – 40A Coral Ave., Goldston, NC 27312 • Earl B. Fitts Community Center – 111 S. Third Ave., Siler City, NC 27312 • CCCC Health Science Center – 75 Ballentrae Ct., Pittsboro, NC 27312 • New Hope Baptist Church – 581 New Hope Church Rd., Apex, NC 27523 Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 7:30 PM Saturday – February 14th & 21st 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sunday – February 22nd 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY Gladys C. Burnette, Petitioner, vs. Lillian Cabrera, Dorothy Chapman, Thomas Suitt, Sr., William Gattis, Wilma Gattis Brittain, Howard Lee Clark, Jr. Shondrea Thornton, Wanda Clark Fearrington, Norman V. Clark, George Randy Brown, Julius Allen Clark, Johnette Y. Smith Jones Julina Waden, John Dorsey Caldwell, Jr. Linda Clark, Robert Lee Clark, Jr. Andrea Nicky Clark, Sandi Abbo, Rossa V. Clarke-White, Wanda K. Williams, Zipporah W. Clark Baldwin, Macon David Clark, Jr., Amy M. Clark, Wallace Earl Perry, Lillie Perry Atwater, Clyde Douglas Perry, Hampton M. Perry as Guardian for Delaine Perry Norwood, Susan Gayle Perry, LeAnn Golden, Michael J. Sulick as Trustee of the Sulick Family Rev. Trust, Joy Young, Thomas Perry, Phyllis Cameron, Gloria Perry, Julia Perry, Rhonda Perry, and all unknown or missing heirs of Will Perry a/k/a William E. Perry, Respondent. IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE No. 24SP000053-180 NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Pursuant to the Order for Public Sale and Appointing Commissioner filed on October 30, 2025, in the above captioned proceeding, NOTICE is hereby given that the subject property described below will be put up for public sale on January 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.; the sale will be held at the Chatham County Courthouse in the designated area for sale. The subject property is commonly referred to as 0 Manns Chapel Road, Pittsboro, NC 27713, Chatham County PIN #0001902, and more particularly described as follows: Bounded on the North by Lamont Norwood; on the East by W.S. Norwood; on the South by Tom Hobby Estate; on the West by William Hamlet, containing ten (10) acres, more or less, and being a part of the Tom Farrar land. A cash deposit from the highest bidder equal to ten percent (5%) of the amount of the bid is required at the time of public sale. Said bid shall be reported to the Court and will remain open for the requisite upset bid period as required by law. The Court reserves the right to approve and reject all bids. THE PROPERTY IS SOLD AS-IS, WHERE-IS, WITH ALL FAULTS. This the 23rd day of December, 2025. ______________________________________ Shelby L. Lennon, Attorney for Commissioner Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC

Saturday – February 28th 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Last Day) Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them beginning January 12, 2026 Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on March 3, 2026. A voter can fill out an absentee ballot request at votebymail.ncsbe.gov, or by filling out a request form provided by the county board of elections office. The request must be received through the website or by the Chatham County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. February 17, 2026. In the primary election, voters will select nominees for a political party to move on to the general election on November 3rd. Contests on the ballot include U. S. Senate, U.S. House, N.C. Court of Appeals Judge, N.C. House and Senate, and county offices. In the primary, voters affiliated with a political party will be given a ballot of candidates for their party, if their party has a primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose to vote in any party’s primary, but they may select only one party’s ballot. The Board of Elections will meet on the following dates at 5:00 PM for the purpose of approving absentee ballots. January 27th February 3rd February 10th February 17th February 24th March 2nd March 3rd The voter registration deadline for this election is 5 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2026. Eligible individuals who are not registered by that deadline may register and vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. Individuals registering to vote at an early voting site will be required to provide current documentation of their residence (for example, a government ID, other government document, or a paycheck, bank statement, or utility bill). Voters who wish to change party affiliation must do so by the February 6 deadline. Questions? Call the Chatham County Board of Elections Office at 919-545-8500 or send an email to elections@chathamcountync.gov Tad VanDusen, Chair Chatham County Board of Elections

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

Cuba beyond the postcard A traveler’s blunt look at Havana’s decay and daily life behind the romance By Erika Hoffman For Chatham News & Record HAVANA HAS BEEN dubbed the City of Columns. For a mature adult, it felt more like the city of tripping hazards. I would have loved to peer upward to take in those iconic columns, but if I took my eyes off the pavement for a nanosecond, I risked falling over an upturned sidewalk, tumbling into an open manhole or stepping in dog poop or horse dung — which I did once, in flip-flops, no less. Everything is askew. Everything is on the verge of crumbling. It is like walking on a slanted, moving floor in a carnival funhouse. I have heard Americans urge, “Go now. See the place before it changes — before it becomes like every other tourist destination in the Caribbean.” They act as if the city will be restored to its previous splendor overnight. Not so fast, I would reply sadly. The infrastructure is ruined. You cannot flush tissue down a toilet. It will cause a major blockage. You cannot drink the tap water because it is unfiltered, and it will cause the opposite of a blockage. Everywhere there is an uneasy foreboding, a sense of disease, a feeling of impending doom of apocalyptic proportions. I did not see children begging — that is a good thing. On the other hand, I did see el-

RAMON ESPINOSA / AP PHOTO

Tourists ride in a classic American car in Havana, Cuba, on Jan. 9. derly people with outstretched hands. One elderly white man, skin and bones, scavenged through large green metal garbage containers. I gave him one CUC, and he grinned gratefully, a footlong stream of drool hanging from his lower lip. One CUC is about a dollar for Americans, but it equals 24 Cuban pesos, known as CUP, and goes a long way in the open market. Foreigners are not supposed to use the local currency. We must trade with the Cuban Convertible Currency, the CUC. We were advised to exchange U.S. dollars at the airport because it is difficult to find places elsewhere to exchange American money or euros. If you have euros, you get a better rate than with dollars. The Cuban women working

“The city looks like an extravagant wedding cake left out in the rain.” at the airport were not friendly. They wore black lacy stockings with designs that made them look like streetwalkers. We were warned not to take photographs at the airport and told the government sometimes confiscates cameras. I wanted to photograph the cocker spaniels sniffing luggage. These drug dogs were well trained, affectionate and loyal to their handlers. One even rode on his handler’s back. Cubans and their dogs share an unusually close bond. Even

the street dogs seem nonaggressive and polite — like the beggars. The mendicants are persistent and follow you with sad stories but remain polite. They do not seem addled by drugs like the menacing homeless population in San Francisco. Cuban beggars are desperate because of poverty. Cubans are nice — nicer than many you encounter at Miami International Airport — but that may be because they are eager for help. When you are in a deep well, you reach up to grab any hand extended to you. Beggars cannot be choosy. At Miami’s airport, Cubans wait in long lines with their belongings wrapped tightly in plastic. Americans on organized tours are escorted on a different route. Cubans are cautious. They fear theft. They bring back televisions, fenders and massive auto parts. Spare parts are needed to keep their 1930s-era cars running. Everything is jury-rigged. Watching massive Cadillacs cruise the Malecón may have seemed enchanting to Anthony Bourdain, as he called it in his CNN show “Parts Unknown,” but it is not enchanting on a sultry night when a man lies on his back beneath a 1950s car in the middle of traffic, trying to get it running. Cars simply go around him. It is routine. Cubans do not trust banks. They have no savings. A rainy-day fund is a foreign concept. They live hand to mouth — laborers and professionals alike. A university professor earns about 35 CUC a month. One told me running her air conditioner costs more than her monthly salary. Her family lives together in a multilevel home built by her

grandfather before the revolution. They consider themselves lucky. Educated, proud, hardworking people live amid ruin. Even if you have a few CUCs, there is little to buy. You wait 25 minutes to purchase a soda and a packet of cookies. Most people shop at open-air markets where flies swarm fruit, vegetables and meat hanging in the hot breeze. It was October — and stifling. If you want a good meal, avoid government-run hotels. The food is bland and starchy. Only recently has Raúl Castro allowed family-run restaurants, known as paladares. There, you can order red snapper, salad and flan. They serve mojitos, Cristal or Bucanero beer and wine — not good wine. The food is tasty, but it is not how Cubans eat. Dining there would cost them a month’s salary. As I stroll Havana’s streets, I think of the song “MacArthur Park,” about the cake left out in the rain. That is how the city looks — like an extravagant wedding cake left out in the rain. Everything is sliding. If God sneezes, the city might collapse. Imagine Charleston left to decay in salty sea air for 60 years. That is Havana. It resembles Rome after the Vandals or Danzig after bombardment. Rubble. Buildings collapse. People die. It looks decadent. It is abject poverty. I was eager to return to the United States. I am grateful my Quaker ancestors had the good sense to come here centuries ago and that subsequent generations did not squander that gift. Sometimes, you do not know what you have until you travel and see what others do not.

PHOTOS BY ALLISON JOYCE / AP PHOTO

Buddhist monks participating in the “Walk For Peace” with their dog, Aloka, last Thursday in Saluda, South Carolina. WALK from page A1 connecting with people along the way. “My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s soft-spoken leader who is making the trek barefoot. He teaches about mindfulness, forgiveness and healing at every stop. Preferring to sleep each night in tents pitched outdoors, the monks have been surprised to see their message transcend ideologies, drawing huge crowds into churchyards, city halls and town squares across six states. Documenting their journey on social media, they — and their dog, Aloka — have racked up millions of followers online. On Saturday, thousands thronged in Columbia, South Carolina, where the monks chanted on the steps of the State House and received a proclamation from the city’s mayor, Daniel Rickenmann. The physical toll of the monks long walk At their stop last Thursday in Saluda, South Carolina, Audrie Pearce joined the crowd lining Main Street. She had driven four hours from her village of Little River, and teared up as Pannakara handed her a flower. “There’s something traumatic and heart-wrenching happening in our country every day,”

said Pearce, who describes herself as spiritual but not religious. “I looked into their eyes and I saw peace. They’re putting their bodies through such physical torture, and yet they radiate peace.” Hailing from Theravada Buddhist monasteries across the globe, the 19 monks began their 2,300-mile trek at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth. Their journey has not been without peril. On Nov. 19, as the monks were walking along U.S. Highway 90 near Dayton, Texas, their escort vehicle was hit by a distracted truck driver, injuring two monks. One of them lost his leg, reducing the group to 18. This is Pannakara’s first trek in the U.S., but he’s walked across several South Asian countries, including a 112-day journey across India in 2022 where he first encountered Aloka, an Indian Pariah dog whose name means divine light in Sanskrit. Then a stray, the dog followed him and other monks from Kolkata in eastern India all the way to the Nepal border. At one point, he fell critically ill and Pannakara scooped him up in his arms and cared for him until he recovered. Now, Aloka inspires him to keep going when he feels like giving up. “I named him light because I want him to find the light of wisdom,” Pannakara said. The monk’s feet are now heavily bandaged because he’s stepped on rocks, nails and glass along the way. His practice of mindfulness keeps him joyful despite the

pain from these injuries, he said. Still, traversing the southeast United States has presented unique challenges, and pounding pavement day after day has been brutal. “In India, we can do shortcuts through paddy fields and farms, but we can’t do that here because there are a lot of private properties,” Pannakara said. “But what’s made it beautiful is how people have welcomed and hosted us in spite of not knowing who we are and what we believe.” Churches, families and towns host the monks along their path In Opelika, Alabama, the Rev. Patrick Hitchman-Craig hosted the monks on Christmas night at his United Methodist congregation. He expected to see a small crowd, but about 1,000 people showed up, creating the feel of a block party. The monks seemed like the Magi, he said, appearing on Christ’s birthday. “Anyone who is working for peace in the world in a way that is public and sacrificial is standing close to the heart of Jesus, whether or not they share our tradition,” said Hitchman-Craig. “I was blown away by the number of people and the diversity of who showed up.” After their night on the church lawn, the monks arrived the next afternoon at the Collins Farm in Cusseta, Alabama. Judy Collins Allen, whose father and brother run the farm, said about 200

people came to meet the monks — the biggest gathering she’s ever witnessed there. “There was a calm, warmth and sense of community among people who had not met each other before and that was so special,” she said. Monks say peace walks are not a conversion tool Long Si Dong, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth temple, said the monks, when they arrive in Washington, D.C, plan to seek recognition of Vesak, the day which marks the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha, as a national holiday. “Doing so would acknowledge Vesak as a day of reflection, compassion and unity for all people regardless of faith,” he said. But Pannakara emphasized that their main goal is to help people achieve peace in their lives. The trek is also a separate endeavor from a $200 million campaign to build towering monuments on the temple’s 14-acre property to house the Buddha’s teachings engraved in stone, according to Dong. The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha as core for attaining enlightenment. It focuses on the mind-body connection — observing breath and physical sensations to understand reality, impermanence and suffering. Some of the monks, including Pannakara,

walk barefoot to feel the ground directly and be present in the moment. Pannakara has told the gathered crowds that they don’t aim to convert people to Buddhism. Brooke Schedneck, professor of religion at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, said the tradition of a peace walk in Theravada Buddhism began in the 1990s when the Venerable Maha Ghosananda, a Cambodian monk, led marches across war-torn areas riddled with landmines to foster national healing after civil war and genocide in his country. “These walks really inspire people and inspire faith,” Schedneck said. “The core intention is to have others watch and be inspired, not so much through words, but through how they are willing to make this sacrifice by walking and being visible.” On Thursday, Becki Gable drove nearly 400 miles from Cullman, Alabama, to catch up with them in Saluda. Raised Methodist, Gable said she wanted some release from the pain of losing her daughter and parents. “I just felt in my heart that this would help me have peace,” she said. “Maybe I could move a little bit forward in my life.” Gable says she has already taken one of Pannakara’s teachings to heart. She’s promised herself that each morning, as soon as she awakes, she’d take a piece of paper and write five words on it, just as the monk prescribed. “Today is my peaceful day.”

CHATHAM SPORTS

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood’s Cam Fowler rises up for a shot against Eastern Randolph on Jan. 9.

Northwood boys, girls win big over Eastern Randolph Cam Fowler scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record Boys: Northwood 78, Eastern Randolph 36 Northwood threw a dunk party in its 78-36 conference win over Eastern Randolph Friday. Senior guard Cam Fowler threw down a couple of first half dunks on the way to a team-high 23 points, and

senior forward Chad Graves made his own emphatic finish in an 18-point, 11-rebound performance. Senior forward Bakari Watkins also logged 18 points along with eight rebounds and three blocks. The Chargers put the game away early, outscoring the Wildcats 30-15 in the first quarter. Northwood kept its foot on the gas with a 21-8 run in the second quarter, and Fowler finished the first half with 20 points. “Just coming out there with a right mind,” Fowler said. “Obviously, energy is a big key with us.”

Northwood allowed just four points from Eastern Randolph in the third quarter while expanding its lead to 38 points before the final period. In the first game back from a 28-point loss to Cardinal Gibbons at the First Bank Charger Classic, Northwood coach Matt Brown liked his team’s “intensity” on defense. “We really concentrated on the last 10 practices just intensity,” Brown said. “Making sure we’re doing things detail oriented and playing physical and rebounding both offensively and defensively.” Sophomore guard Grant

“I thought we came out really aggressively on defense” Kerri Stubbs, Northwood coach Locklear closed the game with a 10-point fourth quarter while shooting 4 for 5 from the floor with two 3s. With the victory, Northwood notched its fourth win by at least 30 points in its last five games prior to Saturday. The Chargers will continue conference play by hosting Jordan-Matthews on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Girls: Northwood 62, Eastern Randolph 32 Northwood rode a hot start to down Eastern Randolph 62-32 Friday.

Senior guard Alyia Roberts led the way with 16 points and four steals, scoring 12 points in the first half. Her nine first quarter points helped the Chargers go on a 21-7 run to start the game. “It was good energy from the start,” Roberts said. Senior guard Neah Henry also contributed to the game-opening avalanche by scoring six of her 11 points in the first quarter. She finished the night with eight rebounds and a team-high five steals. Senior forward Mikaylah Glover also had a huge defensive impact with three blocks. Her twin sister, Shaylah, logged a near double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds, nine points and four steals. “I thought we came out really aggressively on defense,” Northwood coach Kerri Stubbs See BASKETBALL, page B2

WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP

Local basketball teams extend winning streaks By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record Boys’ basketball

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jordan-Matthews’ Jakari Blue poses with his teammates after notching his 100th career win on Jan. 7.

Blue hits historic milestone for Jordan-Matthews wrestling The senior became the first Jet to reach 100 career wins By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record ROBBINS — North Moore’s auxiliary gym had the feel of a $100 bill on the evening of Jan. 7. Amidst the green and gold fixtures, including the wrestling mat in the hue of the for-

mer, a blue strip made a night of high value official. Jordan-Matthews’ Jakari Blue, the “blue strip” in name, uniform and accomplishment, notched his 100th career victory in the Jets’ 41-38 win over the Mustangs, pinning North Moore’s Kevin Martinez Lopez in one minute in the 190-pound match. Blue became the first wrestler in school history to achieve the milestone. “It feels good knowing that I

just made history again,” Blue said. Blue held the school’s record for career wins going into the night, and last year, he achieved the school’s most single-season wins (a record he’s less than 10 wins from breaking again) and the school’s most single-season pins. “He’s leaving his legacy here for Jordan-Matthews, and it’s huge for us,” Jimmie Long, See BLUE, page B4

Northwood took down Combined points for Seaforth’s Westover 57-43 at the WarKatie Leonard in the Hawks’ rior Classic Saturday behind a two wins last week 25-point performance from senior Cam Fowler. Seaforth extended its win streak to five with a 56-33 Charter (8-3, 2-0); 4. Clover win over Durham School of Garden (4-7, 2-1); 5. River Mill the Arts on Jan. 6 and a 57- (1-12, 1-2); T6. Ascend Lead50 victory against Webb on ership (2-14, 0-3); T6. Central Jan. 8. The Hawks last won five Carolina Academy (1-10, 0-4) Four Rivers 3A/4A: T1. straight games in the 2021-22 Northwood (9-4, 1-0); T1. Jorseason. Woods Charter won three dan-Matthews (8-7, 1-0); T1. straight games last week (wins Southwestern Randolph (7-6, over The Hawbridge School 1-0); T4. Uwharrie Charter and Ascend Leadership), end- (7-5, 0-1); T4. Eastern Raning the stretch with a 69-68 dolph (2-10, 0-1); T4. North win over Phoenix Academy Moore (3-6, 0-2) Greater Triad 1A/2A: in the Battle of the State on T1. Bishop McGuinness (11-3, Saturday. Chatham Charter won two 3-0); T1. South Stokes (12-2, of three last week, including a 3-0); T1. North Stokes (4-9, 57-47 win over Clover Garden 2-0); 4. College Prep and School Friday in which sopho- Leadership (4-11, 2-3); 5. Winmore Ryder Murphy scored a ston-Salem Prep (5-9, 1-2); 6. Chatham Central (9-5, 1-3); 7. career-high 25 points. Conference standings as South Davidson (0-12, 0-4) Big Seven 4A/5A: T1. Seaof Sunday (overall, conferforth (8-4, 4-0); T1. Orange ence): Central Tar Heel 1A: (4-10, 3-0); 3. Webb (5-7, 2-1); T1. Southern Wake Acade- 4. South Granville (4-7, 1-2); 5. my (10-4, 3-0); T1. Chatham Charter (10-7, 2-0); T1. Woods See ROUNDUP, page B3

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Chatham Central’s Carson Jackson takes a swing in a 2025 game against Northwood.

Wesley Oliver

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Baseball schedules for local teams The first regular season games will be played on Feb. 25 By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record HIGH SCHOOL baseball schedules for the 2026 season have been finalized and released for some of the local teams. Here are the schedules that are set. * denotes conference game Chatham Charter

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Woods Charter, girls’ basketball Woods Charter’s Wesley Oliver, a senior on the girls’ basketball team, earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Jan. 5. In the Wolves’ third straight win over Ascend Leadership Friday, Oliver scored a career-high 33 points while shooting 50% from the floor, and she grabbed four steals. Furthermore, she led her team with 18 points in the win over The Hawbridge School on Jan. 6. Oliver has been the Wolves’ leading scorer this season, averaging 15.5 points per game. She also leads the team in assists (2.4 per game).

BASKETBALL from page B1 said. “That’s what really got us going from the tip. Just working together, pushing the tempo, getting steals and finishing with some layups in transition really helped us.” Northwood led 36-10 at halftime and cruised to victory in the second half. The Chargers bounced back from a double-digit loss to Charlottesville (Virginia) in the First Bank Charger Clas-

sic with their fourth win by at least 30 points in their last five games (before Saturday). With the bulk of conference play laying ahead, Roberts and Henry agreed that continuing to build chemistry on and off the court is a priority in the second half of the season. Northwood will play its second conference game of the season at home against Jordan-Matthews on Friday at 6 p.m.

Class/conference: 1A, Central Tar Heel Feb. 24 — vs. Jordan-Matthews (scrimmage, 4 p.m.); March 3 — vs. Southern Alamance (5 p.m.); March 6 — vs. Cornerstone Charter (6 p.m.); March 10 — vs. River Mill* (6 p.m.); March 12 — at River Mill* (Haw River Community Park, 5 p.m.); March 16 — vs. Southwestern Randolph (5 p.m.); March 18 — vs. Falls Lake (6 p.m.); March 20 — vs. Ascend Leadership* (double header, 5 p.m.); March 24 — at Central Carolina* (6 p.m.); March 25 — at Falls Lake (Granville Athletic Park, 6 p.m.); March 27 — vs. Central Carolina* (6 p.m.); April 1 — at Southwestern Randolph (6 p.m.); April 3 — at East Wake (6 p.m.); April 7 — at Triangle Math and Science (6 p.m.); April 8 — vs. East Wake (6 p.m.); April 13 — vs. Triangle Math and Science (6 p.m.); April 14 — at Southern Wake* (6 p.m.); April 17 — vs. Southern Wake* (6 p.m.); April 21 — vs. Clover Garden* (6 p.m.); April 23 — at Clover Garden* (6 p.m.); April 27 — Conference Tournament (at higher seed); April 28 — Conference Tournament (at higher seed); April 30 — Conference Tournament (at Chatham Charter, 6 p.m.) Chatham Central Class/conference: 1A, Greater Triad 1A/2A Feb. 21 — vs. Central Da-

Weeks until the start of the baseball season vidson (scrimmage at Eastern Randolph, 9 a.m.); Feb. 21 — vs. Southern Lee (scrimmage at Eastern Randolph, 1 p.m.); Feb. 23 — at North Moore (scrimmage, 5 p.m.); Feb. 25 — vs. Central Carolina (5 p.m.); Feb. 26 — vs. Southern Wake (5 p.m.); March 3 — vs. South Stokes* (7 p.m.); March 5 — vs. Central Carolina (5 p.m.); March 6 — at South Stokes* (7 p.m.); March 9 — vs. South View (7 p.m.); March 10 — at South Davidson* (6 p.m.); March 13 — vs. South Davidson* (6 p.m.); March 16 — at South View (7 p.m.); March 17 — vs. Bishop McGuinness* (7 p.m.); March 20 — at Bishop McGuinness* (7 p.m.); March 23 — vs. Lee Christian (6 p.m.); March 24 — at North Stokes* (7 p.m.); March 27 — vs. North Stokes* (7 p.m.); April 2 — at Eastern Randolph (6 p.m.); April 6 — at North Moore (7 p.m.); April 7 — vs. North Moore (7 p.m.); April 9 — at Southern Wake (4 p.m.); April 14 — at South Stokes* (7 p.m.); April 15 — vs. South Davidson* (6 p.m.); April 17 — vs. Southeast Alamance (7 p.m.); April 21 — at Bishop McGuinness* (7 p.m.); April 22 — vs. Jordan-Matthews (7 p.m.); April 24 — vs. North Stokes* (7 p.m.) Northwood Class/conference: 3A, Four Rivers 3A/4A Feb. 25 — vs. Carrboro (7 p.m.); Feb. 26 — vs. Vance Charter (6 p.m.); March 2 — at Trinity (7 p.m.); March 4 — at Southern Alamance (7 p.m.); March 5 — vs. Southeast Alamance (7 p.m.); March 10 — vs. Eastern Randolph* (7 p.m.); March

13 — at Eastern Randolph* (7 p.m.); March 17 — vs. Jordan-Matthews* (7 p.m.); March 18 — at Harnett Central (7 p.m.); March 20 — at Jordan-Matthews* (7 p.m.); March 24 — at North Moore* (7 p.m.); March 27 — vs. North Moore* (7 p.m.); March 30 — at North Brunswick (6:30 p.m.); March 31 — at West Brunswick (6:30 p.m.); April 7 — at Seaforth (7 p.m.); April 8 — vs. Seaforth (7 p.m.); April 14 — at Southwestern Randolph* (7 p.m.); April 15 — vs. Cornerstone Charter (6 p.m.); April 17 — vs. Southwestern Randolph* (7 p.m.); April 21 — vs. Uwharrie Charter* (7 p.m.); April 22 — vs. Roxboro Community (6 p.m.); April 24 — at Uwharrie Charter* (7 p.m.) Seaforth Class/conference: 5A, Big Seven 4A/5A Feb. 17 — vs. Green Level (scrimmage, 6 p.m.); Feb. 19 — vs. Cary (scrimmage, 6 p.m.); Feb. 25 — vs. Southern Alamance (7 p.m.); Feb. 26 — at Western Harnett (7 p.m.); Feb. 27 — vs. Wake Forest (7 p.m.); March 3 — at Leesville Road (4:30 p.m.); March 6 — vs. Cleveland (7 p.m.); March 10 — at Carrboro* (4 p.m.); March 11 — at Wake Forest (7 p.m.); March 13 — vs. Carrboro* (6 p.m.); March 17 — vs. Cedar Ridge* (7 p.m.); March 20 — at Cedar Ridge* (7 p.m.); March 23 — at Durham School of the Arts* (6 p.m.); March 26 — at Jordan (7 p.m.); March 27 — vs. Durham School of the Arts* (6 p.m.); April 7 — vs. Northwood (7 p.m.); April 8 — at Northwood (7 p.m.); April 14 — at Webb* (double header, 4 p.m.); April 16 — at Wake County Homeschool (USA Baseball Complex, 7 p.m.); April 17 — at Grace Christian (7 p.m.); April 21 — vs. South Granville* (7 p.m.); April 23 — vs. Grace Christian (7 p.m.); April 24 — at South Granville* (7 p.m.); April 28 — at Orange* (7 p.m.); April 30 — vs. Orange* (7 p.m.)

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

Chatham ONSL team name revealed The summer college baseball team will begin play in May By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — Chatham County’s new Old North State League baseball team is no longer just the “baseball team.” The new Siler City-based collegiate summer wood-bat baseball team will go by the Chatham County Yardbirds. ONSL CIO Reggie Allred and Chatham County Yardbirds General Manager Paige Downey reveled the team’s name and logos at an event held at San Felipe Mexican Restaurant in Siler City on Monday night. The team will have three logos. One is a rooster’s head over the team’s name, another is two interlocking Cs with a rooster’s comb on top, and the third features a walking rooster holding a baseball bat over its shoulder. The Yardbirds’ colors will include blue, yellow, red and white. The team’s name was determined by a name-the-team contest held at the end of December.

ROUNDUP from page B1 Carrboro (1-12, 1-3); T6. Cedar Ridge (2-9, 0-2); T6. Durham School of the Arts (5-9, 0-3) Power rankings (week of Jan. 5): 1. Northwood; 2. Seaforth; 3. Woods Charter; 4. Jordan-Matthews 5. Chatham Central; 6. Chatham Charter Last week’s rankings: 1. Northwood; 2. Seaforth; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Jordan-Matthews; 5. Chatham Charter; 6. Woods Charter Girls’ basketball Seaforth reached five straight victories with a 68-31 win over Durham School of the Arts on Jan. 6 and a 60-16 win over Webb on Jan. 8. Senior Katie Leonard scored 29 points and 28 points in the two games, respectively. Northwood defeated Nash Central 55-45 Saturday behind a 14-point, eight-rebound performance from senior Shaylah Glover. Woods Charter won its third straight game with a 56-32 win over Ascend Leadership Friday. Senior Wesley Oliver scored a career-high 33 points in the win. Following a 46-27 loss to Central Davidson, Jordan-Matthews junior Jada Scott posted a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double to help the Jets beat North Moore 48-34 Friday. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference):

Fans chose the Yardbirds over the Chatham Wild Hares, Chatham Millers, Chatham Cluckers, Chatham Fowl Tips and Chatham Hot Wings. The Wild Hares was a close second. Chatham County’s identity isn’t too far off from its former branding as the Randolph Ropin’ Roosters, which moved to Siler City after its inaugural season last summer. The Yardbirds will play in a new ballpark on the Paul Braxton sports fields. The stadium, intended to bring more events to downtown Siler City, is set to open in May. “I think it’s awesome,” Downey said. “I think it’s going to be great for the city. I’m excited to watch it grow and hopefully, have an amazing season.” Here’s the Yardbirds’ schedule for their inaugural season: May 23 — at Wake Forest (Flaherty Park, 6:30 p.m.); May 24 — at Clayton (East Clayton Community Park, 7 p.m.); May 26 — at Danville (Dan Daniel Memorial Park, 7 p.m.); May 29 — vs. Raleigh (7 p.m.); May 30 — at Danville (Dan Daniel Memori-

Central Tar Heel 1A: T1. Southern Wake (5-2, 3-0); T1. Clover Garden (7-4, 3-0); T1. Woods Charter (8-4, 2-0); 4. Chatham Charter (4-13, 1-1); 5. River Mill (1-12, 1-2); T6. Ascend Leadership (0-13, 0-3); T6. Central Carolina (1-10, 0-4) Four Rivers 3A/4A: T1. Northwood (9-5, 2-0); T1. Jordan-Matthews (4-11, 1-0); T1. Southwestern Randolph (11-2, 1-0); T4. Uwharrie Charter (9-3, 0-1); T4. Eastern Randolph (1-10, 0-1); T4. North Moore (1-9, 0-2) Greater Triad 1A/2A: T1. Bishop McGuinness (10-2, 2-0); T1. North Stokes (6-7, 2-0); 3. College Prep and Leadership (13-3, 2-1); 4. South Stokes (7-7, 2-1); T5. South Davidson (0-12, 0-3); T5. Chatham Central (7-7, 0-4) Big Seven 4A/5A: T1. Seaforth (9-1, 3-0); T1. Orange (8-5, 3-0); 3. South Granville (5-6, 2-1); 4. Durham School of the Arts (5-9, 1-2); 5. Carrboro (4-7, 1-3); T6. Cedar Ridge (2-8, 0-1); T6. Webb (3-9, 0-3) Power rankings (week of Jan. 5): 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Woods Charter; 4. Chatham Central; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Chatham Charter Last week’s rankings: 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Woods Charter; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Chatham Charter Wrestling Boys: Seaforth dominated Webb 65-18 on Jan. 7.

al Park, 7 p.m.); May 31 — vs. Sanford (7 p.m.); June 5 — at Raleigh (Wiley Warren Field, 4 p.m.); June 6 — vs. Clayton (7 p.m.); June 7 — vs. Wake Forest (7 p.m.); June 9 — vs. Raleigh (7 p.m.); June 11 — at Clayton (East Clayton Community Park, 7 p.m.); June 17 — vs. Clayton (7 p.m.); June 19 — at Clayton (East Clayton Community Park, 7 p.m.); June 20 — vs. Wake Forest (7 p.m.); June 21 — at Wake Forest (Flaherty Park, 6:30 p.m.); June 23 — vs. Sanford (7 p.m.); June 29 — vs. Clayton (7 p.m.); July 1 — at Raleigh (Wiley Warren Field, 4 p.m.); July 2 — vs. Wake Forest (7 p.m.); July 3 — vs. Danville (7 p.m.); July 5 — vs. Danville (7 p.m.); July 7 — vs. Raleigh (7 p.m.); July 9 — at Danville (Dan Daniel Memorial Park, 7 p.m.); July 10 — vs. Sanford (7 p.m.); July 11 — at Raleigh (Wiley Warren Field, 4 p.m.); July 12 — at Sanford (Lee County Athletic Park, 7 p.m.); July 14 — at Sanford (Lee County Athletic Park, 7 p.m.); July 16 — at Sanford (Lee County Athletic Park, 7 p.m.); July 17 — at Wake Forest (Flaherty Park, 6:30 p.m.); July 18 — vs. Danville (7 p.m.)

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

The Yardbirds’ branding was on display at the team name reveal Jan. 12.

Chatham Central fell to Central Carolina 54-30 and beat North Carolina Leadership Academy 36-30 at a home tri meet on Jan. 7. Northwood fell to Eastern Randolph 50-24 on Jan. 7. Top individual performances Seaforth’s Jordan Miller (120 pounds) and Gabe Rogers (144) finished first in their respective brackets at the Jolly Roger Invitational on Saturday. Northwood’s Connor Willingmyre (120) and Aiden Cisneros (138) finished second in their brackets at the Stallion Stampede on Saturday. Girls: Top individual performances: Jordan-Matthews’ Alexandra Zumano Garcia (114) finished second, and Seaforth’s Sarah Tanner (132) finished third at the Stallion Stampede on Saturday. Indoor track Top local performances from the Beat the Sleet Invitational at Seaforth on Saturday: Boys: Ben Altenburg (Northwood, second in 300, 36.39 seconds); Paul Cuicchi (Seaforth, third in 500, 1:10.97); Torris Price (Chatham Charter, first in 3,200, 10:03.57); Warren Washington (Seaforth, first in triple jump, 40 feet); Northwood (first in 4x200 and 4x400); Chatham Charter (first in 4x800) Girls: Abigail Johnson (Seaforth, first in 500, 1:34.60); Emily Scheidt (Chatham Charter, first in 1,000, 3:36.83)

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood’s Mikaylah Glover drives against Eastern Randolph defenders on Jan. 9.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

Scheffler’s bid for career slam, Koepka’s search for new home among golf topics for 2026 As the PGA begins a new year, there are plenty of compelling storylines

Scottie Scheffler holds the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open.

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press THIS WAS ALWAYS going to be a different year in golf with the PGA Tour trying to blow up a model that has been around longer than the sand wedge. So it only seems fitting that 2026 starts with a soggy piece of coincidence. The Sentry, the season opener on the PGA Tour since 1999, was canceled because of water issues that include a dispute over how water is delivered to Kapalua. On what should have been the first official day of tournament week, Maui was under a flood watch Monday. Go figure. The PGA Tour season starts next week on a different island and a weaker field amid concern about the future of the Sony Open, in the final year of its title sponsorship and waiting to see whether The Sentry returns to Kapalua. There’s a lot of moving parts and still one central figure — Scottie Scheffler — whose latest run at No. 1 in the world began two weeks before the PGA Tour announced a framework agreement with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Both seem a lot longer ago. Here are key topics to contemplate as golf embarks another year.

In his favor is letting his PGA Tour membership expire when he joined the Saudi-funded league in 2022, and he was not among the LIV players listed on the antitrust lawsuit against the tour. The PGA Tour bringing him back this season — before the one-year period since his last LIV appearance — could lead to a precedence that causes division among the loyalists, even though his return would only benefit the tour. The European tour schedule is not appealing in the weeks leading up to three of the majors — South Africa and Asia ahead of the Masters, Turkey and Spain before the PGA Championship, the Dutch Open two weeks before the U.S. Open. Spieth’s future

PETER MORRISON / AP PHOTO

Scheffler and the career Grand Slam Four days after Rory McIlroy won the Masters to become the sixth player with the career Grand Slam — and first in 25 years — Scheffler was asked, “Who’s next?” “I’ve only won one, technically,” he said of his two Masters titles. “I’ve been playing some pretty good golf, and I’m not even close.” Now he is. Scheffler won the PGA Championship (by five shots) and the British Open (by four shots), and he suddenly looks more equipped to get

“I’ve been playing some pretty good golf and I’m not even close. Scottie Scheffler in May on a career grand slam the final leg than McIlroy did for a decade. His first opportunity comes in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the only U.S. Open for which Scheffler did not qualify in the last 10 years. He already has had one close call. Scheffler had the

lead going to the back nine at The Country Club in 2022, missed a 25-foot putt on the 18th and finished one shot back. Koepka and the path forward The chatter at the Saudi International last November was whether Koepka would be part of the LIV Golf League or if he would look at a schedule of some European tour events to go with the four majors. Now that he is no longer part of LIV, the focus is on his path back to the PGA Tour.

This might be shaping up as a make-or-break year for Jordan Spieth, who has not qualified for a U.S. team since the 2018 Ryder Cup. He hasn’t played on the last two teams. Coming off surgery on his left wrist in August 2024, Spieth narrowly missed out on advancing to the second FedEx Cup playoff event, which would have qualified him for the $20 million signature events. And then he took off the entire fall in a bid to have mind and body ready to go for 2026. He gets another chance for the career Grand Slam at the PGA Championship outside Philadelphia (his parents grew up in eastern Pennsylvania). He has played 50 consecutive majors and has been exempt for 49 of them dating to the 2013 U.S. Open. He goes into 2026 with his spot not yet secure for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

What are NFL’s rules about timing, interviews for coaching searches? Eight job openings have plenty of teams following the strict guidelines By Josh Dubow The Associated Press AS THE 14 playoff-bound teams set their sites on a Super Bowl title, the rest of the teams in the NFL are already on to the 2026 season. With six teams already looking for new coaches, this month will require several top assistants on playoff teams to balance in both worlds. The New York Giants, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Cleveland, Miami, Baltimore and Arizona have already fired their head coach, setting off searches for replacements that will include playoff-bound assistants. The NFL has strict rules on when — and how long — those coaches can talk to other teams while their seasons are still alive. Here’s a look at some of the protocols in place for the coaching searches. When can the interviews begin? Teams can start interviewing candidates not employed by another organization as soon as they have an opening.

Feb. 8 Date for this season’s Super Bowl

But for coaches employed by other teams, the process is more formal. Teams were able to start making interview requests for coaches under contract to another team beginning last Monday. For teams that didn’t make the playoffs, their coaches can be interviewed virtually three days after their final game — last Tuesday for coaches on Tampa Bay, or Wednesday for any other nonplayoff team. The process is different for assistants on playoff teams. For the two teams with a bye, those virtual interviews can be held this week with Seattle’s assistants available starting last Tuesday and Denver’s on Wednesday. Those interviews can be conducted through wild-card weekend and are limited to three hours in length. For assistants coaching on wild-card weekend, they can have a virtual interview of up to three hours beginning

Jan. 13, except for coaches on Houston and Pittsburgh, who must wait until Jan. 14 because they play Monday night. What comes next? In-person interviews with assistants who are under contract with other teams can begin on Jan. 19, unless those teams are still alive for the conference title games. Those coaches must wait until Jan. 26, when either they were eliminated from the playoffs or have a bye week before the Super Bowl. Coaches on the Super Bowl teams are allowed to be interviewed through Feb. 1 but are forbidden from talking to other teams after that until Feb. 9, the day after the Super Bowl. Coaches on the Super Bowl teams are not allowed to interview in person with other teams during the bye week if they hadn’t done an initial virtual interview earlier in January. No coach can either sign a contract or agree to sign a contract until their season is completed. What’s the Rooney Rule? Teams must abide by the Rooney Rule, which was first implemented in 2003 to boost minority hiring. Before hir-

BLUE from page B1 who’s in his third season as Jordan-Matthews’ coach, said. While starting his wrestling career as a freshman, Blue didn’t imagine he’d top all who’ve put on the J-M singlet. In his first season as a 160-pounder, Blue went 13-12, ending his season with a 1-2 showing at the 2A Mideast Regional where he was pinned twice. “To be honest, I didn’t even think I was going to make it out of the regional,” Blue said. But his potential began to be realized a year later. Blue, moving to 190 pounds, made a huge jump as a sophomore, going 32-15 with more than 20 pins. That time, he went 3-2 in the regional tournament, earning fourth place and his first bid to states. “I got Jakari when he was

JordanMatthews’ Jakari Blue battles for his 100th career win on Jan. 7.

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

a sophomore,” Long said. “I never thought anything about 100 wins. And then, as I got to watch him grow, it dawned on me. I said, ‘Man, we could

have a wrestler to make history here again.’” Following his breakout season, Blue qualified for the state tournament again as a junior,

JUSTIN BERL / AP PHOTO

Recently fired Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks during a news conference following Baltimore’s last game of the season.

The rules are a little different for interviewing candidates

for general manager. Teams could start seeking permission on Monday to interview candidates from other organizations who weren’t the primary decision maker. Teams must conduct in-person interviews of at least two minority or women candidates from outside the organization to satisfy the Rooney Rule. A GM candidate from a team in the playoffs can accept the job before their season is over if their current team provides written permission.

finishing the year with a 29-8 record. This year, Blue is 26-0 as of his win on Jan. 7. Throughout his rise on the mat, Blue said the hardest part of the journey was improving his skill enough to win a tournament. He won his first one at the Zack Thornburg Memorial Invitational in November. “Before this year, I couldn’t win a tournament,” Blue said. “So it irritated me, and I just wanted to get as good as possible to win a tournament. And once I finally won a tournament, it was like, ‘OK, how many can I win?’ Can I just keep going with being undefeated?’” Continuing his undefeated run doesn’t only have implications for himself — Blue is helping his team reach a historic accomplishment for the program. Jordan-Matthews’ win over

North Moore, clinched by 285-pounder Daniel Carter erasing the Jets’ 38-35 deficit with a pin in the final match, was huge for its chances to make the dual team playoffs for the first time in program history. As of Jan. 12, the Jets (11-12) rank 30th in the RankWrestlers 4A dual team rankings. Teams must be in the top 48 to qualify for the state playoffs. For Blue, who has seen the program grow from less than 10 wrestlers his freshman year to more than a dozen participants and hopes his accomplishment brings more wrestlers to the team, he’s putting in as much effort needed to help the team secure the playoff bag. “Just doing as much as I can,” Blue said. “Going in for practices, pushing it a step further and just keep pushing our team to be as great as possible.”

ing a new head coach, teams are required to conduct in-person interviews with at least two diverse — minority or female — candidates who don’t currently work for the team. The rules are the same for all coordinator positions and clubs must interview one diverse candidate for any quarterback coach job. What about GMs?

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

SIDELINE REPORT NFL

Ryan returns to Atlanta in front-office role with Falcons Atlanta The Atlanta Falcons have named former longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the newly created role of president of football. Ryan, who holds most of the team’s passing records after 14 years as the starter, interviewed for the role a day before he was announced. Ryan will be responsible for leading the search for the Falcons’ new coach and general manager. Each new hire will report directly to Ryan, who will leave his role as NFL analyst with CBS.

NBA

Heat-Bulls game postponed due to condensation on court Chicago The game between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center was postponed after a nearly two-hour delay due to condensation on the court. The officials cited “court conditions” for the delay in starting the contest. There appeared to be moisture on the floor at the United Center, also home to the Chicago Blackhawks, who played the day before. Workers tried to dry the surface using mops and towels. The game was officially postponed at 8:53 p.m., prompting boos from the crowd. A rescheduled date was not immediately announced.

MLB

All-Star Bregman agrees to 5-year, $175 million contract with Cubs Chicago All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman agreed to a $175 million, five-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. Bregman, who turns 32 in March, was back on the market for a second straight offseason. He was pursued by the Cubs before he signed a $120 million, three-year contract with Boston last February, with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. He decided to test free agency again after hitting .273 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs in 114 games for the Red Sox.

NBA

Hawks trade high-scoring guard Young to Wizards Washington Trae Young’s time with the Atlanta Hawks is over. The Hawks traded Young to the Washington Wizards for a package including veteran CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Young was introduced to the home crowd with a video during the first quarter of Washington’s game against New Orleans. Now Young can look forward to a fresh start after leaving the Hawks. The first big question is when Young will play again. He missed time with knee and quadriceps issues, and he hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 27.

‘Team Avalanche’ unites cross-country skiing Olympic hopefuls from small countries Without established national programs in their home countries, athletes rely on each other for support By Ken Maguire The Associated Press INDIAN SKIER Bhavani Thekkada’s lower leg was a mess at a race weekend in Finland — think blisters and blood. She turned to “Team Avalanche” on WhatsApp in search of ointments. “I couldn’t find anything in the shop, so I just put a message in the group, and there was this guy who said, ‘Hey I’m in Ruka, I have antibiotic ointment with me,’” Thekkada explained. “Then he comes and gives me the medicine. That’s really nice.” The WhatsApp group with the catchy name is comprised of cross-country skiers who spent the past year or so trying to qualify for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. They’re from nontraditional winter sports countries and mostly operate independently, so having a community to lean on can be helpful. Trinidad and Tobago’s Nick Lau started it as a forum “for random tips and advice” for all the “small nation” athletes he kept meeting at ski races. “For this sport, some of us, we had absolutely no upbringing in the culture, like a Norwegian would,” Lau said. “Some people have no idea what FIS (the governing body) is, and how does it relate to my being able to ski or not. What is a FIS license? Do I need a license to go to a race?” It’s evolved into a place where athletes coordinate travel and training plans and join forces to defray costs, like for a waxing technician. There are more than 60 members and more than 40 countries are represented. They might ask about crashing in a spare bedroom, as Thekkada did for a recent trip to Norway. “I’m a self-funded athlete.

Even five days of free stay was a lot of money I saved,” she said. “For me it’s like a family, it’s like a team.” They’re from places including Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, South Africa — some have qualified for Milan Cortina, others not. They’re a smart bunch — working in fields including medicine, architecture, media and finance — and some have enough financial independence to help make it work. Some are dual nationals, and many are in their 30s. Regina Martinez of Mexico is an emergency doctor at a Miami hospital. The 45-year-old Lau is a former FIFA executive. Dylan Longridge of Ireland is a geophysicist specializing in the field of unexploded ordnance detection. Mexico’s Allan Corona was doing triathlons before taking up skiing, moved to Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic — his wife is Norwegian and drives an ambulance. “I did not know really what cross-country skiing was previously to moving here,” Corona said. He took up Norway’s beloved sport as a change of pace, participated in a few races, and then got a call from Mexico’s ski federation telling him he’s eligible to compete at the 2023 world championships. Corona described the race as “humbling” but motivating: “I got hooked at that event.” Corona will compete in the 10-kilometer interval start at the Olympics next month. Athletes had to satisfy two criteria to reach the Olympics: unlock a quota spot for their country — either the world championship in early 2025 or at a recent series of World Cup races; and maintain a good average score in sanctioned races through a complicated points system. Lau said he and others in the Avalanche group successfully lobbied to get the World Cup races added as qualifying events — after what he described as limited opportunities in the

GIAN EHRENZELLER / KEYSTONE VIA AP

Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda of India skis during qualifying of the sprint free competition at the Nordic FIS Cross Country World Cup.

“For this sport, some of us, we had absolutely no upbringing in the culture.” Nick Lau, Trinidad and Tobago skier pandemic-hit previous cycle. “We escalated this quite a lot,” Lau said. Costs each season, Corona estimated, include $14,000 worth of skis and poles. Boots cost $1,100 and you need three pairs. Coaching runs more than $100 per hour in Norway. Traveling to a race will cost $1,000 per weekend for flights

and other expenses, he added. Lau, who grew up in Texas, advocates for easing some barriers to Olympic qualification. Like Thekkada, Lau didn’t qualify for Milan Cortina. “This is the irony. The IOC and the global sport community and even FIS, they are reaping the benefits of years of development,” Lau said. “The fact that you have people from the Caribbean, from Africa, from Asia now excited about skiing — you could view that as a success of development activities. But what are we doing now with all that energy? “I think that’s where we’re a bit stuck and policy now need to be reviewed and strategies need to be adjusted.”

As NBA season nears midway point; there have been some surprises, good and bad The Celtics, Pistons and Suns have excelled, while the Hawks and Bucks have disappointed

“A lot of credit is deserving of him and the job that he’s done in Detroit.”

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press A YEAR AGO at this time, the Boston Celtics had a starting lineup of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday. The Celtics were in second place in the Eastern Conference. Brown is still starting for Boston. Every other name in that first unit has since changed. Tatum hasn’t played this season because of an Achilles injury, Porzingis is with Atlanta, Horford is with Golden State, and Holiday is with Portland. And the Celtics are in second place in the Eastern Conference. The NBA regular season is nearing the midway point — some teams will start hitting the 41-game mark, the halfway mark of the 82-game slate, this weekend — and surprise stories have emerged in many cases, some good, some bad. The Celtics are surely on the good side of that list. Consider what the expectations were a few months ago: Tatum was dealing with the Achilles tear, Porzingis and Holiday were traded, and Horford chose to join the Warriors. Many of the decisions the Celtics made were to get out from under a potential luxury tax bill that was going to be bigger than the gross domestic product of Micronesia. But while the perception that Boston was entering a rebuild, reset or re-

Knicks’ coach Mike Brown on J.B. Bickerstaff’s success with the Pistons

TYLER TATE / AP PHOTO

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff watches his team during a December game. load year, the Celtics insisted that wasn’t the reality. At 23-12, it sure looks like they were right. “Guys have an understanding of what they’re supposed to do, and that’s top to bottom,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I think when you have that, you just have a better level of connectivity, and then you’re just able to do your job and execute what needs to be executed. ... Have an understanding of who we are as a team, have an understanding of what the game plan is, execute that regardless of who you’re out there on the floor with and make sure you play hard.” It sounds so easy. Boston is far from the only story that could be considered a surprise to some this season. Detroit, at 27-9 and leading the East, is off to the

second-best 36-game start in its history — topped only by a 31-5 mark in 2005-06. New York coach Mike Brown has known Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff forever; he revealed at the NBA Cup in Las Vegas last month that he actually used to babysit Bickerstaff. He gets why people may think the Pistons being 27-9 is a surprise, but he’s not surprised to see Bickerstaff having success. “It helps to have some good players, too. None of us can do this by ourselves without players and a good staff,” Brown said. “But when you’re a leader in an organization like that ... over time you can see how they’ve just propelled upwards every day. A lot of credit is deserving of him and the job that he’s done in Detroit.” The Pistons and Celtics

would be ‘good’ surprises. So would Phoenix, a team that is squarely in the mix in the Western Conference despite many thinking that the loss of Kevin Durant to Houston would doom the Suns. “We’re going to go in there and play hard every day,” the Suns’ Jordan Goodwin said. Milwaukee, at 16-20 largely due to injuries, is not a good surprise. Neither is the slow start for the Los Angeles Clippers, who are beginning to make up ground but still far from looking like a contender. And Atlanta, a team that was supposed to be in the hunt for East supremacy, ended up trading away point guard Trae Young. It’s an interesting situation for the Hawks; he was their franchise player, but Atlanta has clearly been better this season without Young in the lineup. So as halftime nears on this season, there’s a lot for some teams to like, and a lot for other teams not to be happy about. The good news for those teams that aren’t liking where they are right now is this: There’s still a long way to go. In the NBA, little is decided until the second half anyway.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

entertainment

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Singer Andrea Bocelli performs during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5.

Andrea Bocelli to headline Milan Cortina Winter Olympic opening ceremony A crowd of 60,000 spectators is expected with millions more watching on television By Colleen Barry The Associated Press MILAN — Crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli will be among the headline performers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 6, joining the previously announced pop diva Mariah Carey, organizers said Sunday. The opening ceremony will be centered in Milan’s landmark San Siro soccer stadium, featuring the Parade of Athletes and entertainment over the course of the three-hour spectacle that is expected to be the most widely viewed moment of the Games. Reflecting the Milan Cortina Games’ status as the most spread-out Olympics in history, elements of the opening ceremony will also be conducted in three other locations, allowing athletes from all far-flung disciplines to participate. Moments will be beamed to the televised audience from Cortina in the heart of the Dolomite mountains, Livigno in the Italian Alps as well as Predazzo in the autonomous province of Trento. The ceremony will also include a tribute to the late Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September at the age of 91. Armani has

“(Bocelli’s performance) will be one of the most iconic moments of the event, uniting the spectacle with the essence of Olympic values.” Milan Cortina Winter Olympics organizers

long designed the Italian team’s Olympic uniforms, and his legacy as one of the founders of Italian ready-to-wear is tightly tied to Milan, where he left his mark with the Armani theater, Silos museum and sponsorship of the EA7 Emporio Armani Milano basketball team. Bocelli, a classically trained singer whose recordings include classical and pop music, has performed for the coronation of King Charles III and for the 75th anniversary of the Italian Constitution in Rome. In a career-spanning release titled “Duets” (30th Anniversary), Bocelli sings in Italian, English, French and Spanish, collaborating with musicians ranging from Karol G to Chris Stapleton. He will appear at the Olympic ceremony during a break from a world tour, according to his official calendar, traveling the next day to perform at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 7, followed by six other U.S. dates. Bocelli’s performance “will constitute one of the most iconic moments of the event, uniting the spectacle with the essence

of Olympic values,’’ organizers said in a statement, adding that Bocelli’s inclusion will “contribute a contemporary and global tone to the narrative.’’ Details about the ceremony, which is being produced by Marco Balich, a veteran of more than a dozen Olympic ceremonies, have been trickling out over recent months. Carey, the first international star named to perform at San Siro, adds some American pop-star pedigree to the opening event. The six-time Grammy award winner announced her participation in an Instagram post saying, “Ci vediamo a Milano,’’ Italian for “See you in Milan.” Italian actors Sabrina Impacciatore, who appeared in the second season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” and Matilde De Angelis, who starred in the Netflix series “The Law According to Lydia Poet,’’ will also participate in the opening ceremony, organizers have announced. Internationally acclaimed ballet star Roberto Bolle will headline the closing ceremony, which is slated for Verona’s ancient Roman Arena on Feb. 22.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

this week in history

Operation Desert Storm begins, Capt. Cook reaches Hawaii, Louis XVI beheaded JAN. 15 1559: Elizabeth I was crowned queen of England and Ireland at Westminster Abbey. 1929: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta. 2009: US Airways Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger safely landed an Airbus A320 in New York’s Hudson River after a bird strike disabled both engines, and all 155 aboard survived. JAN. 16

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

1865: Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman ordered that about 400,000 acres in the South be divided among formerly enslaved people, inspiring the phrase “40 acres and a mule.” 1942: Actor Carole Lombard, 33, her mother, Elizabeth Peters, and 20 others were killed when their plane crashed near Las Vegas. 1991: In a televised address to the nation, President George H.W. Bush announced the start of Operation Desert Storm, a combat operation that

ultimately drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. JAN. 17 1950: The Great Brink’s Robbery took place in Boston as seven masked men held up the Brink’s Building, stealing about $1.2 million in cash and $1.5 million in checks and money orders. 1961: President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his farewell address, warning against “the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” JAN. 18 1778: English navigator Capt. James Cook reached the present-day Hawaiian Islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands. 1803: President Thomas Jefferson, in a confidential message to Congress, requested $2,500 to fund exploration of western lands to the Pacific, an early step toward the Lewis and Clark expedition. 1911: Pilot Eugene B. Ely made the first successful aircraft landing on a ship, touching down in a Curtiss biplane on the deck of the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay.

JAN. 19 1937: Howard Hughes set a transcontinental speed record, flying his H-1 Racer aircraft from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. 1942: A German submarine sank the Canadian liner RMS Lady Hawkins off Cape Hatteras, killing 251 people. 1955: President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first televised presidential news conference. JAN. 20 1841: China ceded the island of Hong Kong to Great Britain. It returned to Chinese control in July 1997. 1961: In his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy urged Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” 1981: Iran released 52 Americans it had held hostage for 444 days, minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president, succeeding Jimmy Carter. JAN. 21 1793: During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI, convicted of treason, was executed by guillotine.

RUSSIAN STATE ARCHIVE OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY / AP

Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin addresses a crowd during the first year of the Bolshevik Revolution in Red Square in Moscow. The communist revolutionary died Jan. 21, 1924, at age 53. 1861: Mississippi Sen. Jefferson Davis resigned from the U.S. Senate after his state and others seceded from the Union. 1924: Russian revolutionary and Communist Party founder Vladimir Lenin died at age 53. 1950: Former State Department official Alger Hiss was convicted in New York of lying to a grand jury over allegations he was part of a communist spy ring.

De Los Santos cancels Kennedy Center shows, citing unwelcoming climate Additional withdrawals include Asian AF and “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz By Hillel Italie The Associated Press NEW YORK — Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sonia De Los Santos is the latest performer to cancel an appearance at the Kennedy Center in Washington. She had been scheduled to give two concerts for young people Feb. 7, followed by a “creative conversation” with the audience. De Los Santos, a Mexican American whose 2018 release “¡Alegría!” received a Latin Grammy nomination for best children’s album, cited her background as a reason for calling off the shows. “As an artist, I treasure the freedom to create and share my music, and for many years I have used this privilege to uplift the stories of immigrants in this country,” she wrote on Ins-

“Refusing to engage with an institution open to everyone is, in fact, a step towards discrimination.” Roma Daravi, Kennedy Center spokesperson JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

tagram. “Unfortunately, I do not feel that the current climate at this beloved venue represents a welcoming space for myself, my band, or our audience.” In an email to The Associated Press, De Los Santos shared her Instagram statement and said she would have no additional comment. Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi challenged De Los Santos’ citing of immigration policy. “This country was built on legal immigrants and as a first generation American, I find her statement highly offensive,” Daravi wrote in an email. “Refusing to engage with an institution open to everyone is, in fact, a step

solutions

Demonstrators protest a Trump-appointed board’s decision to add President Donald Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Washington. towards discrimination.” Artists ranging from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to rock star Peter Wolf have called off events at the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump ousted the previous leadership early last year and arranged for himself to head the board of trustees. Trump has highlighted the Kennedy Center in his wide-ranging fight against what he calls “woke” bias at cultural institutions. The board’s decision in De-

cember to rebrand the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, a change that scholars say can only be enacted through Congress, led to a new wave of cancellations. Jazz musician Chuck Redd called off a planned Christmas Eve show, and the jazz group The Cookers withdrew from their New Year’s Eve concerts. Last week, the Grammy-winning banjo player Bela Fleck announced that he had canceled three scheduled appearances next month with the National

Symphony Orchestra, writing on social media that playing at the center had become “charged and political.” Ric Grenell, a diplomat and Trump ally whom the president appointed to lead the center, wrote on X that Fleck had “made it political and caved to the woke mob.” Other recent withdrawals include “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz, who had been expected to host an opera gala in the spring, and the variety show Asian AF.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

famous birthdays this week Ronnie Milsap is 83, Kevin Costner turns 71, Tippi Hedren hits 96, Billy Ocean celebrates 76 THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. JAN. 15 Actor Andrea Martin is 79. Football Hall of Famer Randy White is 73. Actor-director Regina King is 55. Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees is 47. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is 42. JAN. 16 Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 92. Hall of Fame auto racer A.J. Foyt is 91. Country musician Ronnie Milsap is 83. Filmmaker John Carpenter is 78. Actor-dancer-choreographer Debbie Allen is 76. Singer Sade is 67. Boxing Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. is 57.

WADE PAYNE / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Dolly Parton performs during a 2015 concert in Nashville, Tennessee. The country legend turns 80 on Monday.

JAN. 17 Rock musician Mick Taylor is 77. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is 72. Singer-songwriter Steve Earle is 71. Singer Paul Young is 70. TV host-comedian Steve Harvey is 69. Actor-comedian Jim Carrey is 64. Musician Kid Rock is 55. JAN. 18 Actor-filmmaker Kevin Costner is 71. Actor Mark Rylance is 66. Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier is 65. Actor Dave Bautista is 57. Actor Jesse L. Martin is 57. Rock singer Jonathan Davis (Korn) is 55. Football Hall of Famer Julius Peppers is 46. JAN. 19

OLIVE

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Actor Tippi Hedren is 96. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 84. Actor Shelley Fabares (fabRAY’) is 82. Country musician Dolly Parton is 80. Actor Katey Sagal is 72. Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 71. Basketball coach and commentator Jeff Van Gundy is 64. Actor Shawn Wayans is 55.

is 56. Musician Questlove (The Roots) is 55.

JAN.20

JAN. 21

Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is 96. Olympic figure skating gold medalist Carol Heiss Jenkins is 86. Rock musician Paul Stanley (Kiss) is 74. Comedian Bill Maher is 70. Rainn Wilson is 60. Actor Skeet Ulrich

Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus is 86. Opera singer Plácido Domingo is 85. Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 76. Artist Jeff Koons is 71. Actor-director Robby Benson is 70. Actor Geena Davis is 70.

Jim Carrey speaks during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. The actor-comedian turns 64 on Saturday.

B10

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, January 15, 2026

the stream

VIANNEY LE CAER / INVISION / AP PHOTO

A$AP Rocky celebrates after the American Sabotage Spring Summer 2025 collection was presented in 2024 in Paris. The rapper releases his first full-length album in eight years, “Don’t Be Dumb,” on Friday.

A$AP Rocky, Madison Beer, Will Smith, ‘Ponies;’ Damon, Affleck reunite Idris Elba’s “Hijack” returns to Apple TV The Associated Press A$AP ROCKY’S FIRST full-length album in eight years, “Don’t Be Dumb,” and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reuniting again in Netflix’s “The Rip” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week: The pop-R&B vocalist Madison Beer returns with her third LP, “Locket,” Idris Elba tries to solve a hostage situation on a train in Season 2 of “Hijack” and Will Smith takes viewers on a trip to all seven continents in his new docuseries “Pole to Pole with Will Smith.” MOVIES TO STREAM Damon and Affleck are together again, this time in Miami. In “The Rip” (Friday on Netflix), the Boston-bred stars are directed by Joe Carnahan in an action thriller about a group of Miami police officers whose bonds begin to fray after they discover millions in cash in a derelict stash house. The supporting cast including Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor and Kyle Chandler. James Sweeney’s “Twinless,” an award-winning standout at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, arrives Friday on Hulu. In it, Sweeney stars alongside Dylan O’Brien as two young men who become friends after meeting at a twin bereavement support group. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote: “Sweeney’s film argues that grief is also subjective, and that it doesn’t always follow logical paths — or even acceptable ones.” While development and nonstop casting rumors surround the next James Bond film, all 26 of the 007 movies are coming to Netflix beginning Thursday. Though Bond is now owned and controlled by Amazon MGM, the studio is licensing the Bond library to Netflix to whet appetites while director Denis Villeneuve preps the first post-Daniel Craig entry in the long-running spy series. MUSIC TO STREAM It has been nearly a decade — eight years — since A$AP Rocky released a full-length

ASHLEY LANDIS / AP PHOTO

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite in the action thriller “The Rip,” which lands Friday on Netflix.

“Sweeney’s film argues that grief is also subjective, and that it doesn’t always follow logical paths — or even acceptable ones.” Jocelyn Noveck, AP Film Writer project, his third studio album titled “Testing” back in 2018. The wait is finally over Friday when he drops “Don’t Be Dumb.” The first official taste of the release comes courtesy “Punk Rocky,” a restrained alt-rock song built atop a dream-pop riff and Rocky alternating between a reverbed chorus and melodic flows. Beer returns with her third LP, “Locket,” also on Friday. It may prove to be her strongest output to date: “Bittersweet” plays to her strengths, recalling a soft, balladic Ariana Grande. Others confirm the current cultural moment as post-“Brat,” like the propulsive electro-pop single “yes baby” and the slightly

sinister “15 minutes.” Could this be the album that sends Beer to the next level? Only time will tell. For the eclecticists reading along: Avant-garde experimentalists Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore have teamed up for the collaborative album “Tragic Magic.” It’s ambient, well, magic — the two composers improvising and weaving into one another; Lattimore with her harps and Barwick with her synthesizers. Together, they form a kind of poetry. SERIES TO STREAM Smith takes viewers on a trip to all seven continents in his new National Geographic docuseries “Pole to Pole with Will Smith.” This is not your average travel show. It’s taken five years to complete, and Smith visits the jungles of the Amazon, skis in the South Pool and climbs the Himalayas. The seven-episode series is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. A funny meme circulated last summer about Prime Video’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” that essentially said, if you

think the Jeremiah character is a bad boyfriend you haven’t seen the character Stephen DeMarco of Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies.” See for yourself just how toxic he is in the show’s third season. It follows a group of (sort of) friends during two timelines, at college and then six years later as twentysomethings. Grace Van Patten and Jackson White star. Elba saved the day during a hijacking on a plane in season one of “Hijack” for Apple TV. In Season 2, out now, his character is scarred from the events of Season 1, but he finds himself in another hostage situation on a train. An adaptation of “The Seven Dials Mystery,” a 1929 Agatha Christie novel, lands on Netflix on Thursday. It’s about a young, wealthy woman investigating a murder at a party in the English countryside. “Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials” is a three-part series and stars Helena Bonham Carter, Martin Freeman and Mia McKenna-Bruce. Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson co-star in a new thriller called “Ponies” for Peacock. Out Thursday, the pair play two women living a mun-

dane life in the Soviet Union in the 1970s as their husbands are CIA operatives. When they both find themselves widowed, they get thrust into the action. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY Last year’s sensational Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drew much of its inspiration from classic Japanese role-playing games, leaving many fans to wonder: Where can I get more of this goodness? Well, Japanese developer Nihon Falcom has been at this for a while, and the English translation of its latest epic, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon, is here. As this chapter begins, humanity is about to venture into outer space, but there are still some issues to be resolved on your home planet. That means rounding up a team of fighters and taking on the kinds of battles, both real-time and turn-based, that Nihon has refined over the years. This is the 14th game in the increasingly popular Trails series, but don’t let that scare you off. You can dive in Thursday on PlayStation 5/4, Switch or PC.