the BRIEF this week
White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.
The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy, arguing it undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information.
Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.
Stevenson, former Seaforth star, commits to Tar Heels
The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 5.4 points and three rebounds at Alabama
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
FORMER SEAFORTH bas-
ketball star Jarin Stevenson is coming back home.
Stevenson, the Chapel Hill native who spent his first two
college seasons at Alabama, committed to UNC, per a late Sunday night report from On3’s Joe Tipton. The commitment comes days after reports announced the 6-foot-11 and 215-pound forward entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact tag” on April 9. Stevenson is another frontcourt addition for the Tar Heels in this transfer portal window, joining former Arizona big Hen-
last season, especially after giving up 74.7 points per game (fifth-worst scoring defense in the ACC).
Stevenson had an up-anddown career at Alabama, averaging 5.4 points and three rebounds per game across the two seasons.
19
Points for Stevenson in the 2024 Elite Eight
ri Veesaar, who committed to UNC on April 4. Bigger bodies in the paint and on the perimeter were huge needs for UNC
Superintendent delivers defense of DEI in response to federal mandate
Anthony Jackson stated the district was in full compliance with federal law
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — Following the Trump administration’s
See STEVENSON, page A10
he said. “I want to be clear that I’ve also signed the certification as required, affirming our legal obligation not to discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin. However, I believe it’s essential to go further and to clarify not just what we are doing, but why.
Jackson, who spoke during the Chatham County Schools Board of Education’s April 14 meeting, stated he wanted to publicly share his position after receiving multiple calls on the issue.
“Chatham County Schools has always operated in full compliance with federal law,”
mandate earlier this month requiring districts to sign a certification stating they were complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and not utilizing “illegal DEI practices” in order to continue receiving federal funding, Chatham County Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson delivered an impassioned speech defending the district’s policies and practices.
Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis
“This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”
The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024
By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press
mined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate.
As a freshman, Stevenson played significant minutes and made five starts for the Crimson Tide, notching a few double-digit scoring performances off the bench and solid defensive play. He became a valuable piece in Alabama’s fast-paced offense with his ability to run the floor and shoot 3s at his size. Stevenson’s abilities came up huge in the 2024 NCAA Tour$2.00
Wiley Nickel in a campaign video
RALEIGH — Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he deter-
A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024. In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department
“While I respect the legal process, I am deeply concerned about the implication that diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI, is unlawful. It is not. Let me be clear. DEI is not illegal. Nothing in current law prohibits
See DEI, page A7
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Jarin Stevenson (15) plays defense against fellow Chatham County product Drake Powell during Alabama’s game against UNC last December. Stevenson will be suiting up for the Tar Heels next season.
Chatham County mails tax reappraisal notices to residents
Chatham News & Record staff
CHATHAM County property owners are receiving tax reappraisal notices in the mail providing estimates of their real property values as of Jan. 1, 2025.
The Chatham County Tax Office recently sent these notices as part of the county’s fouryear reappraisal cycle, with the previous reappraisal occurring
in 2021. North Carolina state law requires counties to conduct reappraisals at least once every eight years, but Chatham County commissioners opted for the shorter cycle. According to the tax office, the reappraisal process is designed to distribute property tax burdens equitably across the county based on current market values. Many areas of Chatham County have experienced in-
creased market values since the last assessment.
To determine new market values for more than 48,000 properties, the tax office analyzed recorded property sales, building cost data, income and expense information, and other relevant metrics.
Property owners who disagree with their 2025 reappraisal have until May 19 to file an appeal online at chathamcountync.gov/appraisal or by printing and submitting a paper form.
The county encourages residents to compare their assessed property value with similar sales by visiting the county’s Comper website at chathamcountync.gov/comper and using that information when deciding whether to appeal.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:
April 17
Pittsboro Farmers Market
3-6 p.m.
The Plant 192 Lorax Lane Pittsboro
Opinionation Trivia at House of Pops
6-8 p.m.
Join House of Hops every Thursday, 6-8 p.m. for Opinionation Trivia. This Family Feud-style trivia game is so much fun! Play at 6 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. for two chances to win $15 or $25 House of Hops gift cards. More events at House of Hops; part of Chatham County’s Craft Beverages and Country Inns Trail.
112 Russet Run Suite 110 Pittsboro
April 19
April 14
• Juan Plata, 35, of Siler City, was arrested for larceny, communicating threats, resisting arrest and assault on a female.
• Mark Austin Crider, 27, of Pittsboro, was arrested for larceny, stolen property offenses, and resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer.
• 204 Sugarland Drive (Apex), 0.18 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $400,000
• 471 Deer Run (Pittsboro), 4.92 acres, 3 bed/ 2 bath, $400,000
• 298 E. Salisbury Street (Pittsboro), 0.40 acres, 3bed/2 bath, $600,000
• 9550 Silk Hope Liberty Road (Siler City), 73.740 acres, 3 bed/3bath, $1,450,000
• 557 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 12.802 acres, 3 bed/3 bath, $2,500,000
LAND
• 37 E Cotton Road (Pittsboro), 0.996 acres, $100,000
• 170 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000
• 188 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000
• 327 Poplar Trail (Siler City), 5.022 acres, $150,000
• 9311 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 4.602 acres, $225,000
• Tract 1 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 15.123 acres, $227,000
• 9231 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 5.630 acres, $250,000
RESIDENTIAL
• 2930 Wayne White Road (Climax), 7.60 acres, 3 bed/2.5 bath, $250,000
• 5515 Rives Chapel Church Road (Siler City), 2.607acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $295,000
• 1115 Manco Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 14 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $500,000
• Tract 3 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.029 acres, $256,000
• Tract 2 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.425 acres, $262,000
• 323 Wagon Trace (Pittsboro), 10.255 acres, $295,000
• 639 Hills of the Haw Road (Pittsboro), 5.2470 acres, $450,000
• 0 Chatham Church Road (Moncure), 15.94 acres, $750,000
• 00 US Highway 64 W (Siler City), 7.87 acres, $800,000
• 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21 acres, $825,000
• 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $500,000
• 1834 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 30.49 acres, 3 bed/2.5 bath, $850,000 LAND
• 1701 Mitchells Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 10 acres, $200,000
THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
The Land Buying Process Explained (in under 2 Minutes!)
• 0 Pasture Branch Road (Rose Hill), 29 acres, $1,250,000
• 8636/8710 Johnson Mill Road (Bahama),182.888 acres, $2,800,000
• 0 US 64 W (Siler City), 9.670 acres, $4,500,000
• 0 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 75.4330 acres, $15,300,000 COMMERCIAL IMPROVED
• 13604 US Hwy 64 W (Siler City), 4.36 acres, $650,000
• 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 acres, $1,350,000
• 00 Hamlets Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 118.742 acres, $4,250,000 COMMERCIAL UNIMPROVED
• 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 acres, $1,000,000
• 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 acres, $4,500,000
Chatham Mills Farmers Market
8 a.m. to noon
Growers-only farmers market. Join us each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
480 Hillsborough St. Pittsboro
April 21
Chatham County Board of Commissioners Work and Regular Sessions 2-11:59 p.m.
Chatham County Courthouse 40 E. Chatham St. Pittsboro
April 23
Jazz Night at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills
6-9 p.m.
Every Wednesday night, from 6-9 p.m., The Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also offers their Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights. Reservations are highly recommended.
480 Hillsboro St. Suite 500 Pittsboro
If
or
pack in boxes for families before Easter.
‘Easter for Thousands’ feeds families in need for 30th year
Volunteers across four locations provided Easter meals for an estimated 92,000 people
By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record
SILER CITY — Churches, food banks and nonprofits arrived early, starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, at Mountaire Farms’ employee parking lot in Siler City for the company’s “Easter for Thousands” event.
Volunteers of all ages, city officials, law enforcement and company employees donated their time and energy to pack thousands of boxed meals for families facing challenging times in Chatham, Randolph, Lee, Guilford and Alamance counties.
Each box contained enough food to feed a family of four: a roaster chicken, two cans each of green beans and carrots, a box of macaroni and cheese, chicken and rice, cornbread mix and a brownie mix for dessert. All of it arrived just in time for Easter weekend.
“We want everyone to feel good about food security,” said Liz Mauney, manager of Mountaire Cares.
Mountaire Farms, the fourth-largest chicken company in the United States, celebrated its 30th year of “Easter for Thousands,” an initiative of Mountaire Cares, the philanthropic arm of the company. The aim of the program is
to give back to communities by providing not only nutrition to the underfed but also a hearty meal to families on Easter Sunday. This year’s event took place simultaneously at four Mountaire locations: Selbyville, Delaware, Siler City, Lumberton and Statesville. Across all four sites, volunteers packed a total of 23,000 boxes, providing Easter meals for an estimated 92,000 people.
After Iris Jordan, Mountaire’s onsite chaplain, offered an invocational prayer, an assembly line moved with precision to pack boxes, which were loaded into trucks and distributed by 11:30 a.m.
“We’ve got it down to a science,” Mauney said. “They get started, the music starts
“We’ve got it down to a science. They get started, the music starts playing, and watch out, they’re rolling.”
Liz
Mauney,
Mountaire Cares
playing, and watch out, they’re rolling.”
Volunteers were fed by the culinary department at Chatham Central High School, led by teacher Everett Goldston and the school’s Bear Claw Café, which provided chicken biscuits made with Mountaire poultry, coffee and hot chocolate.
“Everybody raved about the breakfast from the Bear Claw, and it was really cool to have the culinary department be a part of the program as well,” Mauney said.
By the time the event was over and all the trucks had driven off to distribution centers around the state, the “Easter for Thousands” event was deemed a success thanks to the many families who will enjoy a wholesome meal on Easter Sunday.
“I was very grateful for all the help I got not only from our employee volunteers but also our community volunteers who came out to help put this event together,” Mauney said. “There were a lot of Easter activities happening this weekend, and I want to thank those who chose to come here.”
Church News
OAKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH
2300 Siler City-Glendon Rd., Siler City
EASTER ACTIVITIES
Maundy Thursday Service
Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m.
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 19, 1-3 p.m.
Easter Sunday, April 20
Sunrise Service – 8 a.m.
Breakfast – 8:15 a.m.
Worship – 9:30 a.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend!
SANDY BRANCH BAPTIST CHURCH
We would like to invite everyone to come celebrate Easter with us at Sandy Branch. Our Good Friday service will be held at 7 p.m. on April 18 as we remember the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus. On Easter Sunday, we will have breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by our Easter Worship Service at 9 a.m. as we celebrate the resurrection. We will be decorating the cross with flowers. Sunday School will finish up the day’s activities at 10 a.m. We will have an Easter Egg Hunt for the children during Sunday School. We are located at 715 Sandy Branch Church Road in Bear Creek, and you are always welcome.
“He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” (Matthew 28:6)
of Government Efficiency.
“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extremists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”
Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow.
Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-yearold Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined.
Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants to continue making a difference and he is taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message.
Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.
Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.
The politics are clearly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.
Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”
Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports.
Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while representing a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.
In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical leftwing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda” and seeks to be the same in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene.
NICKEL from page A1
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Volunteers pull out Mountaire’s signature “roaster” chickens to
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Liz Mauney, manager of Mountaire Cares, directs operations in Siler City on Saturday.
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
Sing the faith
While I do not doubt the existence of a Creator, I often struggle to discern the presence of holiness amidst the discordant voices of society.
“WHOEVER SINGS, prays twice.”
St. Augustine is credited with this line. I love to sing and not only sacred music. I sing the nasally tunes of Bob Dylan, the sweet grooviness of Paul Simon and the bouncy soundtrack of “Moana.”
I sing hymns in and out of church, such as the ancient Celtic poem “Be Thou My Vision.”
I also sing commercial jingles with gusto! This is Holy Week for Christians, which culminates in the triumphant music of Easter when “alleluias” ring in the air to the fanfare of trumpets. We sing, “Christ the Lord is risen today!” But I’m getting ahead of myself.
First, there are the mournful dirges referencing the crucifixion. Charles Wesley, a prolific hymn writer, claimed that he’d trade all his compositions for “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” by Isaac Watts. I prefer the spirituals, such as “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” Both hymns imagine the singer at the
cross of Jesus. Singing can transport one across time and space. Merely hearing the familiar opening bars of a tune can take you to another place. I remember singing on Easter as a child in church, the melodies echoing off the brick floor in the sanctuary and also crooning in my bedroom to Bruce Springsteen. Another great musician, Pete Townshend, defined an anthem as “praying onstage.” I think he meant there is a connection to something beyond yourself. Yet another mystical aspect of singing is that we are transported beyond ourselves into a community. In “Amazing Grace,” the first stanza is about “a wretch like me” but shifts to a chorus by the end of the fourth stanza: “When we’ve been there ten thousand years.” No wonder biblical descriptions of heaven often involve choirs: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand (Revelation 5:11). We won’t have that many worshippers in church on
Knowledge that faith exists is what makes life meaningful
I really am trying to do better at not doing that, but I don’t always follow through.
LONG AGO and far away, when I was a mere lad, my mama was fond of saying, among other things, that there was a “big difference between faith and knowledge.”
Usually she then would cite some example, most of which I either was unaware of or did not understand, to prove her point.
Since those carefree days of boyhood, I have come to understand some of the examples Mama spoke of, at least the ones I can remember, but of even greater value is that now I understand the meaning of her proverb. That does not mean, however, that I am the best at practicing one over the other, especially the faith one. Call it a character flaw or an example of my humanity, but I don’t always have the patience to practice faith. That is why, for example, I may turn to the back of the book after a few pages at the front to see how the thing turns out. It may also explain why sometimes I cut in on someone’s conversation, anxious to move it along because I have something profound to say or to point out, and I don’t want to forget whatever it is. I really am trying to do better at not doing that, but I don’t always follow through. Sometimes, when really trying to listen to other folks, I don’t say anything at all, and then that’s perceived as not caring. It can be tough to be a listener. All that is to say something about faith in general, especially at this time of year: “Faith” is an encompassing word with many different meanings. Faith in what ... or in whom ... and by whom and what for — those are just a few possibilities. It takes faith when you’re down to believe that one day you’ll be up. It takes faith to go out on a limb
or to go against popular opinion if you’re convinced you’re right. It takes faith to wait on other folks to do whatever when you’re pretty sure you can do it better. In a nutshell, the list can be endless. Please don’t get me wrong; I’m not putting down faith or suggesting we not have it. I’m just admitting sometimes it’s easier to have it than at other times. For example, I wouldn’t find it hard to have faith, without looking, that it is not snowing on July 4 even if my entire family tried to tell me otherwise. But in mid-January, after it’s been 10 below for a week and I haven’t peeked out the window for a couple of days, if someone told me we were having a blizzard and asked if I believed them, I might find it hard not to sneak my own look-see just to make sure.
This time of year, the resurrection of Jesus, is, of course, for the Christian church, the apex of faith. Baseball has the World Series, football has the Super Bowl and college basketball has March Madness. The church has what many call Easter or, by many others, Resurrection Sunday, an effort to move away from celebrating rabbits and eggs to focus on the spiritual. It’s when men and women of faith (there’s that word again), if they will, take a look at what they say guides them in their outlook on life all year and, indeed, all of their lives.
The Book that’s such a big part of that Easter faith tells us we ought to help one another, bear each other’s burdens and learn from one another. And I do have enough faith to believe that when that comes about that it is a help to us in our own struggles.
Some time ago, my better half and I were
Sunday. Yet, I look forward to adding my voice to the music in the air.
For many in our post-Christian society, Easter is just another Sunday in the year. I have studied the doctrines of Christian faith, yet ultimately, the resurrection is not an argument. Whether or not one believes that the stone was rolled away from the tomb of Jesus, time certainly rolls on. We live and work in this world. Will we move in harmony with our fellow humans?
While I do not doubt the existence of a Creator, I often struggle to discern the presence of holiness amidst the discordant voices of society. Yet I know to sing, “All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing: Alleluia, Alleluia!” And that is enough.
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.
at an event at which a young man who hails from this area spoke of his Christian faith, of how it had turned his life around for the better, and of how he had sensed he needed to exercise his faith by stretching beyond his comfort zone. Doing that would require a big step of faith, even a leap into the unknown, and that’s not the most comfortable place for most of us.
Long story short, the young man did that, took that leap and is moving along in his ever-expanding and growing adventure of life and faith. As I listened to his story, it reminded me of a chapter in my story when, years ago, the place I found myself was no longer a satisfying place, and I, along with my family, took a leap of faith.
Sometimes, even today, as I reflect on that several-years-ago adventure, I marvel at it all but — and it’s a big but — there is this benefit of such a step of faith: Never have I felt “more alive” than when I was at that place then.
Forgive the rambling, dear reader, and suffice it to say what I’m trying to say is that sometimes, maybe even most times, “faith” trumps “knowledge” as the more important road map on the journey of life. May your faith map be clear enough to get you not to where you may be headed at the moment but to the place you should be headed for all time. And remember, keep the faith ... just not to yourself.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
Be on the lookout; it’s there
Now, c’mon, who would have thought that, behind a 110-yearold framed photograph, I’d find a lonely Cupid?
MILDEW AND MAGIC. What? You’re kidding, right?
I’m not. Still, could you possibly imagine that an unpleasant encounter with mildew would lead me down a road to discovering Cupid?
Not in a million years.
But it did.
I’d done a thorough job of sorting and releasing decades (and decades) of family heirlooms inherited at my mother’s death. Granted, several items were stuffed back in a closet while I struggled with the nostalgic conundrum of “I don’t know what to do with this” but felt too guilty to give away. (You’ve been there?)
My nostalgic procrastinations finally caught up with me. The not-so-lovely scent of mildew wafted out of a closet. The closet where I’d stashed my remaining I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-this family heirlooms. This unwelcome mildew aroma overrode any remaining guilt I had about releasing the items.
One of the heirlooms was a humongous, 21-by-25-inch framed photograph, 110 -plus years old, of my Ukrainian Jewish grandparents. They reached Ellis Island in 1906. I wanted that photograph! The frame, however, overpoweringly reeked of mildew, burning my eyes. Fortunately, my inner Girl Scout, alive and well, stepped right up to the fore. Those, long ago, Girl Scout carving skills just kicked right in. Probably way too late for a merit badge, you think?
Settling the heavy frame in a plastic garbage bag, I began carving away at the framed photograph’s backing, tossing the detritus into the plastic bag. Call it what you will — luck, serendipity,
COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH
whatever — just then, I peered down at the contents accumulating in the garbage bag. OMG, face up, there was an old, old, sepia photographic reproduction. It had been utilized as the backing for my grandparent’s over-110-year-old framed photo!
Yowzers! Entitled “Cupid Awake,” dated 1897, and the photographer’s name was present. My Google addiction kicked right in. On it in a flash! Discovered a series of these same old photographic reproductions for sale on eBay and elsewhere, ranging in price from $20 to $200. Now, c’mon, who would have thought that, behind a 110-year-old framed photograph, I’d find a lonely Cupid? I still wanted my grandparents’ long-ago photograph, but an ancient reproduction of a bare-chested Cupid cherub holding arrows? Um, not so much. Mensch that I am, a loving and nonmildewed home was found for Ms. Cupid. After 110 years, she could finally see the light of day, happily ensconced on the living room wall of an appreciative and kitsch-loving photographer friend.
So there! Oh, wait, wait. Don’t run away just yet! The surprise unveiling of Cupid was a much-needed reminder for me. A reminder that we, humans, can still take breath in the midst of life’s challenges, inclusive of odiferous mildew. Just be on the lookout. Your unseen gift may be peeking out at you. We never know, do we?
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
Obama speaks out; where is George W. Bush?
“Imagine if I had done any of this.”
Barack Obama
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA finally did last week what so many of us have been waiting for him — and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — to do. He stood up and spoke out about the threat to our constitutional democracy posed by Donald Trump.
There is a very nice tradition that former presidents don’t step up to criticize their successors, particularly during their “honeymoon” period. It is a nicety that we can’t afford when, as now, our very democracy is in danger. Obama asked the question we’ve all been asking: What would Republicans do if it was a Democrat who tried to do some of the things that Trump is doing so cavalierly?
“Imagine if I had done any of this,” he asked his audience at Hamilton College. Imagine he had threatened to destroy law firms that didn’t like the Affordable Care Act, or brought litigation against it, as Trump has done with his executive orders targeting firms that once employed lawyers who investigated him, or had pro bono programs he doesn’t like. “It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors. ... Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps, as this president has done to the AP.
Republicans, and the media, would have raised holy hell, as they did when Obama tried to block officials from speaking to Fox News. That policy was swiftly reversed because of the backlash. Where is the backlash now?
And where is Bush?
America needs its former presidents to speak out about the abuse of presidential power that this president is engaged in. We need to hear more from Clinton, who Republicans were prepared to impeach for having a consensual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. How can you do that and then sit silently while this president, who has been found liable for sexual assault and convicted of multiple felonies, speculates about ignoring court orders, undermining the rule of law and violating the Constitution by running for a third term?
BE IN TOUCH
But most of all, we need to hear from Bush. He is, sadly, the only Republican with the gravitas and the standing to say no to Trump and his best friend Elon Musk, to call out J.D. Vance and border czar Tom Homan for suggesting that the administration will ignore court orders, to support Chief Justice John Roberts and the independent judiciary. I didn’t vote for Bush, and I disagreed with many of his policies. But I never doubted, as I do now with Trump, that he took his oath to uphold the Constitution seriously.
In his Hamilton College speech, Obama drew a line between disagreeing with the current president on matters of policy, such as tariffs, and standing silent while he tries to intimidate universities, law firms and judges. He called on universities to stand up to the president’s intimidation. “If you are a university, you may have to figure out, are we in fact doing things right?
“Have we in fact violated our own values, our own code, violated the law in some fashion?” he said. “If not, and you’re just being intimidated, well, you should be able to say, that’s why we got this big endowment.
“It has been easy during most of our lifetimes to say you are a progressive or say you are for social justice or say you’re for free speech and not have to pay a price for it,” Obama said. “Now we’re at one of those moments where, you know what? It’s not enough just to say you’re for something; you may actually have to do something.”
Obama called on “all of us to fix this,” including “the citizen, the ordinary person who says, no, that’s not right” and to “possibly sacrifice” to support democratic values.
Ordinary people have been speaking out and have taken to the streets in protest. But we need our “leaders,” starting with our former presidents, to speak out. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times require extraordinary action.
President Bush: we need your voice.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act
THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.
In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.
The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”
The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.
As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.
We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.
We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.
There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.
Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:
• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.
• Children in foster care do not have access to adequate and timely mental health services
• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average
• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.
• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.
We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here.
In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.”
We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.
Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.
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
obituaries
Matthew Ray Johnson
May 8, 1979 –April 10, 2025
Matthew Ray Johnson, 45, of Snow Camp, went to his heavenly home on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, surrounded by family.
Matthew was born in Alamance County on May 8th, 1979, to Phyllis Harris Johnson and the late Ray Hadley Johnson. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Norman and Christine Johnson and Harrell and Dorothy Harris; his father, Ray Johnson; his uncle, Gareth Johnson; and his cousin, Wesley Harris.
Matthew graduated from Jordan-Matthews High School in 1997 and studied at Western Carolina University. Matthew was a rural mail carrier for the United States Postal Service in Chapel Hill, NC, and loved his job and the people he met. He was a lifelong member of South Fork Friends Church, serving as a clerk of ministry and counsel, chairing the Harvest Festival, and maintaining the churchyard. He found great joy in spending time with his family and friends, coaching and watching his daughters play sports. He spent time with his family shooting basketball in the yard, watching movies, and eating popcorn. Matthew enjoyed watching NC State football and tailgating with his friends and family. He grew up loving to play baseball, especially his time playing in
June 8, 1932 –April 10, 2025
Carol Dewey Licht, 92, passed away on April 10th, 2025. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 8th, 1932, to John and Evelyn Dewey. She graduated from Marblehead High School in Massachusetts and later married Paul Lennox, with whom she had three daughters and one son. She later married Ernie Licht and moved to North Carolina, where she worked part time for
the American Legion Post 93. Matthew loved sharing his voice by singing at church. He voice-recorded song lyrics on his mail route and even had the opportunity to record an original song that he was extremely proud of at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
He loved his girls; they were his world. He was cherished by many and loved being amongst his family and friends. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Amy Stackhouse Johnson; his four beautiful daughters, Lilly, Mabry, Ansley, and Chanley; mother, Phyllis Harris Johnson; sister, Stefanie Johnson Kincaid and brotherin-law Bryce; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charles and Robin Stackhouse; brother-inlaw and sister-in-law Preston and Kate Stackhouse; sisterin-law and future brother-inlaw Hanna Stackhouse and DJ Heiner; nephews and niece Liam and Olivia Kincaid and one more on the way, Shep and Charlie Stackhouse; and many cherished aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, at 3:00 pm at South Fork Friends Church with Pastor Daniel Thames officiating. Family will welcome condolences and sharing of memories following the committal service at the Silk Hope Ruritan Building, 4221 Silk Hope Road, Siler City, NC 27344.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support his daughters’ education, can be made to the Matthew Johnson Memorial Fund c/o South Fork Friends Church - 359 South ForkBethel Rd. Snow Camp, NC 27349.
The service will be Live Streamed. Please connect to the link below for access.
Https://www.youtube. com/@southforkfriendschurch3064/streams Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Johnson Family.
several organizations, including Hospice, and Family Violence and Rape Crisis Centers. Carol is best known in Pittsboro for her work with Habitat for Humanity. She was one of the founding members of the local chapter and served on the board, volunteering for 28 years! Carol was preceded in death by her children’s father, Paul, and her second husband, Ernie, as well as her son, John Lennox. She is survived by her three daughters, Linda Lennox Romans and Nancy Lennox McLendon, both of Pittsboro, and Barbara Lennox Palermo of Hampstead, NC, as well as 6 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A service will be held on Friday, April 18th at 2pm at Griffin Chapel, Donaldson Funeral Home and Crematory, 396 West St, Pittsboro, NC 27312. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the CORA Food Pantry or Chatham Habitat for Humanity. Donaldson Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the Licht family.
IN MEMORY
BETTY JEAN BREWER SEAWELL
APRIL 2, 1934 – APRIL 8, 2025
Betty Jean Brewer Seawell, 91, of Robbins, passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at Autumn Care in Biscoe. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at High Falls U.M.C. with Pastor Vanlene Nelson and Pastor Beth Johnson presiding. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the service. Betty was born in Moore County, on April 2, 1934 to Dewey and Annie Ruth Ritter Brewer. She worked in textiles and later ran Betty’s Country Rainbow for many years before becoming a homemaker. She enjoyed bus trips to Florida with her friends, cooking and gardening. She loved working with the church youth. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Wilton Seawell; her granddaughter, Hannah Seawell; three brothers and three sisters. She is survived by her sons, Jerry Seawell and Stanley Seawell, both of Robbins; three grandchildren, Jerry Patterson (Sebrena), Tonia Patterson and Gina Baker (Clark); four great-grandchildren, Nolan, Cole, Gage and Layla and a host of family and friends.
DIANE STANLEY GODFREY
APRIL 11, 2025
Diane Stanley Godfrey, age 61, passed away on Friday, April 11, 2025 at FirstHealth Moore Regional
Hospital surrounded by her family. She was born in Lee County to Dorothy Jackson Stanley and the late Burton Jackson Stanley. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by nephew Patrick Carlyle. Diane was employed at Core-Mark. Her work ethic and sense of responsibility were unmatched, and she took pride in everything she did. She was a woman of great strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment—both to her family and to her work. She approached every aspect of life with dedication and grace, always placing the needs of others before her own. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Diane is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, William Odell Godfrey; mother Dorothy Stanley of Sanford; daughter Brittany Nicole Godfrey of Sanford; sons Kevin Douglas Manning of Sanford and Brandon Scott Manning (Jessica) of Southport; stepson Daniel Wayne Godfrey of California; sisters Deborah Watson (Colin), Donna Stuttz (Hans) and Karen Stanley all of Sanford; brother Van Stanley of Southport; grandsons Jackson Kevin Manning of Sanford, William Glenn Manning and James Scott Manning both of Southport and many special nieces and nephews.
DOROTHY HUSSEY SMITH
MAY 22, 1937 – APRIL 13, 2025
It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of Dorothy Hussey Smith, our beloved mother, memaw and granny on Sunday, April 13, 2025. She left her earthly body and gained her Heavenly body, free from pain, after years of declining health. Dorothy was born in Moore County, on May 22, 1937 to Quincy and Mary Owens Hussey. She was a member of Needham’s Grove Baptist Church. Dorothy worked at Chirpy’s Bar-B-Q and Key Packing. She also worked in textiles and raised poultry but devoted her time to home and family. She loved gardening, flowers and quilting. She was a friend to all and especially loved helping others.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence “Bill” Smith; son, Mark A. Smith; grandson, C. Kevin Smith and brother, Jabo Hussey. Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Pam Smith Caviness (Ricky), of Robbins; son, Stevie Smith (Lisa), of Robbins; grandsons, Matthew Caviness (Emma) and Stephen Caviness (Hannah); great-grandchildren, Carra Smith, Abe Caviness and Ali Caviness sisters, Betty Stone, of Wilmington and Lola Kidd, of Asheboro; brother, Jimmy Hussey (Pat), of Danville, VA; and a host nieces, nephews and cousins, all whom she loved dearly.
Carol Dewey Licht
Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom? Central Electric is awarding up to $15,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to local educators in K-12 classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year.
The final deadline for all grant applications is Sept. 15, but don’t wait to apply. Applications submitted prior to the early-bird deadline on Aug. 15 will be entered to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!
Monday, April 21 Pittsboro Center for Active Living
8:30 a.m. - Total Body Conditioning Exercise
10 a.m. - Geri-Fit
11 a.m. - Dominos Noon - Reading Out Loud with Gaines
1 p.m. - Mahjong
3 p.m. - Caregiver Support Group Siler City Center for Active Living
9 a.m. - Strong & Fit
10 a.m. - Cornhole
10:30 a.m. - Gospel Choir to Pittsboro
2 p.m. - Strength & Tone Tuesday, April 22 Pittsboro Center for Active Living
8:30 a.m. - QiGong
9 a.m. - 3G’s Men’s Group
10 a.m. - Woodcarvers; Cardio Drumming
11 a.m. - Science with Alan
1 p.m. - Rummikub
2 p.m. - Zumba Gold
Siler City Center for Active Living
8 a.m. - Quilting and Sewing Time
9 a.m. - Cardio Drumming
10 a.m. - Chair Exercises Wednesday, April 23 Pittsboro Center for Active Living
8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Lower Body Exercise
10 a.m. - Chair Yoga with Liz; Music Jam
11 a.m. - The Chosen with discussion; Dominos
2 p.m. - Chess Siler City Center for Active Living
9 a.m. - Strong & Fit
10 a.m. - Bible Study
1 p.m. - Crafts; Pickleball & Cornhole
2:30 p.m. - Plant Pollinator Garden Thursday, April 24 Pittsboro Center for Active Living
8:30 a.m. - QiGong
9:30 a.m. - Blood Pressure Clinic
schools from working to ensure that all students are valued, supported and positioned to succeed. Chatham County Schools proudly serves a diverse and vibrant community. We do not just tolerate that diversity, we celebrate it.
“We remain fully committed to creating schools where every student feels safe, seen and connected. Our efforts are not about preference. They’re about fairness. They’re about ensuring that every student has a chance to thrive. As superintendent, I will not compromise on that commitment to our kids.
“We will comply fully with the law, but make no mistake, we will also continue to lead with our values. We will respect and affirm every child’s identity, every family’s voice and every educator’s mission to uplift those they serve. This is our moral obligation, our ethical charge, and in Chatham County Schools, as long as I sit in this chair, it remains my unapologetic promise.”
In terms of action items approved by the board, one was amending its summer retesting policy in order to allow for retesting within the school year.
“The state of North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction has recently changed the way that EOC and EOG readministrations are readmin-
istered,” said Assistant Superintendent Amanda Moran.
“We received news about 10 days ago that they are now allowing schools to readminister EOGs and EOCs for students who do not receive a proficient score within the school year. In the past, it always had to happen over the summer.”
The board had previously approved a readministration policy that would have taken place after the school year had concluded, but now students will be able to retest before June 6, the last day of school.
The district was also awarded the School Safety Grant for $150,000, and the board approved the plan for the funding.
Of that $150,000, $75,000 will be used for the acquisition of video management systems, security cameras and school servers, and the other $75,000 will be utilized for Daybreak Health online therapy services for students in the 2025-26 school year.
The board also approved a $625,000 Chromebook refresh, for the acquisition of 1,500 new laptops for grades 3 and 9 and a $380,000 contract with Camcor for the purchase of 30 Newline Interactive Whiteboards (for K-5 classrooms) and 127 TVs and Airtime wireless display systems (for 6-13 classrooms).
The Chatham County Schools Board of Education will next meet May 12.
10 a.m. - Hooks & Needles; Kindermusik; Chair Zumba Gold; Trip to Walmart
11 a.m. - Disaster Preparedness in North Carolina with Austin Decker
1 p.m. - Rummikub; Pinochle
1:30 p.m. - Line Dancing
3 p.m. - Gentle Yoga with
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Please call 919-533-6198
TDD/TYY # 800-735-2962
This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer
LEARN ABOUT LAND - Chatham Land Experts, www.learnaboutland.com919-362-6999.
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FOR RENT
30’ X 40’ SHOP BUILDING FOR RENT –Includes heat, water & electrical. Gravel parking area – Two 12ft high bay doors – Additional space available –Call 919-259-6182 for more information. 4tp
POWELL SPRINGS APTS. Evergreen Construction introduces its newest independent living community for adults 55 years or older, 1 and 2 bedroom applications now being accepted. Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 919-533-6319 for more information, TDD #1-800735-2962, Equal housing opportunity, Handicapped accessible.
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ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS now for one-bedroom apartments, adults 55 years or older. Water included, appliances furnished, on-site laundry, elevator, keyless entry. Section 8 accepted. No security deposit. Application fee $25 per adult. Call Braxton Manor, 919-663-1877. Handicap accessible. Equal Housing Opportunity. J14,tfnc
FOR RENT – 2BDR/2BA MOBILE HOME IN Bonlee Elementary and Chatham Central High School District – No Pets –Call 919-548-1332 and leave a message. A17,24p
YARD SALE
MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE – FRI. & SAT., APR.18TH & 19TH 8AM – 2PM - 136 MELVIN CLARK RD, SILER CITY
AUCTIONS
RICKY ELLINGTON AUCTIONEERS
- Equipment, business, liquidation, estates, land, houses, antiques, personal property, coins, furniture, consignments, benefits, etc., NCAL #7706, 919-548-3684, 919-663-3556, rickyellingtonauctions@yahoo.com.
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FOR SALE
CEMETRY PLOT FOR SALE – Located at Chatham Memorial Park, Section C in Siler City, NC. Valued at $2,349.00. $1,200 or best offer. Please call 919-799-7170. 2tp
Dining Room Set w/China Cabinet, several Curio Cabinets, Treadmill, Sofa and 2 end tables, 2 upright freezers, dishes, Bedroom Suite, 2 Recliners, etc. 919-799-8243.
HELP WANTED
HANDYMAN NEEDED! Gardening and small projects! Please call 919-548-2943. M27,4tp
Premise Health is looking for a fulltime Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant to join our Primary Care team in Siler City, NC. Schedule: -Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am - 5pm -Tuesday: 10am - 7pm Perks: -$10,000 Sign-On Bonus offered -No Weekends -No Holidays -No On-Call Interested in learning more? https://jobs.premisehealth. com/job/siler-city/family-nursepractitioner/1388/79006018848
IN SEARCH OF
Would like to purchase a Used Class B Motor Home –Please call 919-548-2943 2tp
SERVICES
Affordable Professional Lawncare –Mowing, weed eating and Small bush hog jobs –Call Mike at 919-267-0475. 4tp
RAINBOW WATER FILTERED VACUUMS, Alice Cox, Cox’s Distributing - Rainbow - Cell: 919-548-4314, Sales, Services, Supplies. Serving public for 35 years. Rada Cutlery is also available. A26,tfnc
JUNK CARS PICKED UP Free of charge. Due to many months of low steel prices and unstable steel markets, we cannot pay for cars at this time. Cars, trucks, and machinery will be transported and environmentally correctly recycled at no charge. 919-542-2803. A2,tfnc
LETT’S TREE SERVICE - tree removal, stump grinding, lot clearing. Visa & Master Card accepted. Timber. Free estimates. 919-258-3594. N9,tfnc
of Siler City, North Carolina, at which time the Board shall consider the permanent closing of said street. and so as to determine whether or not said street shall be permanently closed or otherwise restricted in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. §160A299. The public hearing will be held in the Town of Siler City Courtroom located at 311 N Second Street, Siler City, NC 27344. That a copy of this Resolution shall be mailed by registered or certified mail to all owners of property adjoining the said street as shown on the county tax records. That a copy of this Resolution shall be published once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to said hearing, as required by applicable law. That a notice of closing and public hearing shall be prominently posted in at least two places along said street. That after said public hearing, if the Board of Commissioners are of the opinion that the closing of said street would not be contrary to the public interest or to the rights of individuals owning property abutting or in the vicinity of said street and does not interfere with ingress and egress of said property, the Board of Commissioners may adopt an Order permanently closing said street above described. That in the event the Board of Commissioners shall close said street as above described, the title to said properties contained within the boundaries of said street shall vest in the persons or entities owning said street provided by §160A-299 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
RESOLVED this 3rd day of March 2025
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, April 21, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department office. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync.gov by selecting the heading County Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Input/Hearing Sign Up. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: Legislative Request: A legislative public hearing requested by the Chatham County Planning Department to amend the effective date of the adopted Unified Development Ordinance from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 as a result of legislative action S382 bill. A legislative rezoning request by TIP Gateway LLC on Parcel 5841 and 66974 on approximately 18.81 acres, located at 680 Pea Ridge Rd., from R-1 Residential to GU RB General Use Regional Business, Cape Fear Township. Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions. Notice to people with special needs: If you have an audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided. If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312. Please run in your paper: April 10th and 17th, 2025 NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having qualified on the 28th day of March 2025, as Co-Executors of the Estate of Dolores Bilangi, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of July 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. On this 3rd day of April 2025 Dona Bilangi & Richard Bilangi, Co-Executors of the Estate of Dolores Bilangi Candace B. Minjares, Esquire Kennon Craver, PLLC 4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707 4/03, 4/10, 4/17 and 4/24 The Chatham News
Notice to Creditors
Having qualified as EXECUTOR of the estate of the late Horst Albert Dewitz, formerly of 72 Chatham Business Drive, Pittsboro NC 27312, Chatham County, North Carolina, Annette Bucci, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the attorney of the undersigned at OMEGA ELDER LAW, PO Box 820, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 and the EXECUTOR at 241 High Ridge Lane, Pittsboro, NC 27312 on or before the 1st day of August, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 2nd day of April, 2025. Omega Elder Law, for Annette Bucci, EXECUTOR of the Estate of Horst Albert Dewitz, aka Horst A. Dewitz
Janna M. Wallace, Attorney at Law Omega Elder Law PO Box 820 Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons having claims against Laurice Ferris, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to present them to Gwendolyn H Waddell-Schultz, Personal Representative of the Estate of Laurice Ferris, at NextGen Estate Solutions, 500 Westover Dr. #35317, Sanford, NC 27330 or before July 17, 2025. Failure to present a claim in timely fashion will result in this Notice being pleaded in bar of recovery against the estate, the Personal Representative, and the devisees of Laurice Ferris. Those indebted to Laurice Ferris are asked to make prompt payment to the Estate. Gwendolyn Waddel-Schults, Personal Representative Patricia Lewis, Co-Personal Representative C/O Brittany N. Porter, Attorney
NextGen Estate Solutions 500 Westover Dr. #35317 Sanford, NC 27330
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
Special Proceedings No. 24 SP 1129
Substitute Trustee: Philip A. Glass
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
Date of Sale: April 29, 2025
Time of Sale: 10:30 a.m.
Place of Sale: Chatham County Courthouse
Description of Property: See Attached Description
Record Owners: Roderick Deshun Alston, devisee under the probated Will of Henry Roderick Alston
Address of Property: 54 Pattishall Road Pittsboro, NC 27312
Deed of Trust: Book : 02370 Page: 0803
Dated: July 07, 2023
Grantors: Henry Roderick Alston an unmarried
person Original Beneficiary: State Employees’ Credit Union
CONDITIONS OF SALE: This sale is made subject to all unpaid taxes and superior liens or encumbrances of record and assessments, if any, against the said property, and any recorded leases. This sale is also subject to any applicable county land transfer tax, and the successful third party bidder shall be required to make payment for any such county land transfer tax. The property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS.” THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES relating to the title or to any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.
A cash deposit of 5% of the purchase price will be required at the time of the sale. Remote bidding will not be accepted pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.25 (a). Credit bids on behalf of the Noteholder will be accepted. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price so bid in cash or certified check at the time the Substitute Trustee tenders to him a deed for the property or attempts to tender such deed, and should said successful bidder fail to pay the full balance purchase price so bid at that time, he shall remain liable on his bid as provided for in North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.30 (d) and (e). This sale will be held open ten (10) days for upset bids as required by law. Residential real property with less than 15 rental units, including single-family residential real property: an order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
Dated: March 25, 2025
Philip A. Glass, Substitute Trustee
Nodell, Glass & Haskell, L.L.P. Posted on March 25, 2025 Exhibit A A CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND LYING AND BEING IN CENTER TOWNSHIP, CHATHAM COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT NUMBER 2, A TRACT OF 1.510
ACRES, AS SHOWN BY SURVEY FOR WILLIE MAE PATTISALL, DATED FEBRUARY 4, 1997, PREPARED BY VAN R. FINCH - LAND SURVEY, P.A., RECORDED IN PLAT SLIDE 97-46, CHATHAM COUNTY REGISTRY, TO WHICH PLAT REFERENCE IS MADE FOR A MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. THIS BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO HENRY RODERICK ALSTON, DATE 04/04/2001 AND RECORDED ON 04/04/2001 IN BOOK 861, PAGE 771, IN THE CHATHAM COUNTY RECORDERS OFFICE. Subject to easements, restrictions and rights of way of record, and utility lines and rights of way in existence over, under or upon the above-described property.
PIN: 974220715790 Property Address: 54 Pattishall Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312 and commonly known as 54 Pattisall Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312
Notice to Creditors
25E000158-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
The undersigned, Kelley Johansson, having qualified on the 21st Day of March, 2025 as Executor of the Estate of Jerry R. Weaver, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and cooperations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th Day of June 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 24th of March 2025. Kelley Johansson, Executor 1449 Luther Rd. Apex, NC 27523 Run dates M27, A3,10,17p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of JOSEPH J. MINORICS, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Munson Law Firm PLLC, P.O. Box 1811 Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 3rd day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 3rd day of April, 2025. JOSHUA MINORICS, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOSEPH J. MINORICS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of DIANNE GAINES DAVIS, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned Matthew G. Davis hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to him at P. O. Box 233, Goldston, NC 27252 on or before the 10th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All of those indebted to the said estate are hereby requested to make prompt payment to the undersigned. This the 10th day of April, 2025. Matthew G. Davis Executor of the Estate of DIANNE GAINES DAVIS P. O. Box 233 Goldston, NC 27252 Please publish the above Notice April 10, 17, and 24, and May 1, 2025.
NOTICE
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against CLARICE DRIGGERS COTTEN, a/ ka/ CLARICE D COTTEN, deceased, of Chatham County, NC are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of July 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 3rd day of April, 2025. Billy Driggers, Executor c/o Hopler, Wilms & Hanna, PLLC, 2314 S. Miami Blvd. Suite 151, Durham, NC 27703. April 3, 2025 April 10, 2025 April 17, 2025 April 24, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Probate #25E000116-180______
All persons, firm and corporations having claims against Barbara B. Modisett, late of Chatham County, North Carolina are hereby notified to present them to Kendall H. Page, as Executor of the decedent’s estate in care of Kendall H. Page, Attorney, 210 N Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 on or before the 3rd day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the above-named Executor.
Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Bar # 14261
Notice to Run: 4/3/2025,4/10/2025, 4/17/2025 & 4/24/2025
Notice to Creditors
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against MARY ANN WILLIAMS a/k/a ANN SWAINEY WILLIAMS, deceased of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned at, on or before July 11, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 10th day of April, 2025. Robert R. Oakley, Limited Personal Representative, c/o Deborah A. McDermott, Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P., P.O. Box 2611, Raleigh, NC 27602-2611 Chatham News & Record: 4/10/25, 4/17/25, 4/17/25 & 4/24/25
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000135-180
The undersigned, DANNY WIMBERLY AND MICHAEL T. PARKER, having qualified on the 12TH Day of MARCH 2025 as CO-EXECUTORS of the Estate of SARAH H. SMITH, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25TH Day of JUNE 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 27TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025. MAIL TO:
DANNY WIMBERLY, CO-EXECUTOR 491 BUCKROE DR. SANFORD, NC 27330 MICHAEL T. PARKER, CO-EXECUTOR 204 WIMBERLY ROAD MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: M27,A3,10,17p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000186-180 The undersigned, KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, having qualified on the 4TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of KATHLEEN ANN ALEXANDER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 17TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, EXECUTOR 111 LANTERN RIDGE LANE CARY, NC 27519 Run dates: A17,24,M1,8p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000002-180 The undersigned, NICHOLAS B. STARR, having qualified on the 3RD Day of JANUARY, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of FREDDY LLOYD STARR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 10TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.
NICHOLAS B. STARR, ADMINISTRATOR 2122 ED CLAPP RD. SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: A10,17,24,M1p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000169-180 The undersigned, RICK BARKER, having qualified on the 27TH Day of MARCH 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of FRANCES V. BARKER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 10TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. RICK BARKER, EXECUTOR 24103 MERCERS CROSSING CT. ALDIE, VA 20105 Run dates: A10,17,24,M1p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24 E 232 The undersigned, CAROLINE YINGLING TAYLOR, having qualified on the 26TH Day of APRIL, 2024 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DAVID MURRILL TAYLOR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25TH Day of JUNE 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 27TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025. CAROLINE YINGLING TAYLOR, EXECUTOR 18 SUNNYSIDE COURT CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: M27,A3,10,17p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against MARJORIE J. EDWARDS, who died on December 22, 2024, late of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before
and
and
on the above referenced item. Interested parties may also submit written comments. Written comments can be submitted by email to tmack@silercity.org. Individuals desiring to speak may sign up by registering their name and information on the sign-up sheet, located outside the entry doors to the court room. The Town of Siler City will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of materials for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Kimberly Pickard at 919-726-8620, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, or kpickard@ silercity.org for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Kimberly Pickard al kpickard@silercity.org o 919-726-8625 o en 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned James Keith Johnson hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to him at 308 Elbert Johnson Road, Siler City, NC 27344 on or before the 17th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All of those indebted to the said estate are hereby re- quested to make prompt payment to the undersigned.
This the 17th day of April, 2025.
James Keith Johnson Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON 308 Elbert Johnson Road Siler City, NC 27344
Please publish the above Notice April 17 and 24, and May 1 and 8, 2025.
NOTICE
SBA Towers, LLC proposes to collocate wireless communications antennas at a top height of 215 feet on a 306-foot Self-support Communications Tower at the approx. vicinity 5515 US 421 South, Siler City, Chatham County, NC 27344. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Benjamin Allen, b.allen@trileaf.com, phone: 678-653-8673, 1395 South Marietta Parkway, Building 400, Suite 209, Marietta, GA 30067.
Pearl Harbor sailor finally returns home to Hoke
Eighty-three years after his death aboard the USS West Virginia, Neil Daniel Frye is back in N.C.
Chatham News & Record staff
VASS — The remains of Neil Daniel Frye, a U.S. Navy sailor from Hoke County killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, were laid to rest April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, more than eight decades after his death.
Frye, who served as a Mess Attendant Third Class aboard the USS West Virginia, was among 105 sailors killed when Japanese forces bombed the battleship on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains, recently identified through DNA analysis by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returned to North Carolina soil in a homecoming his family once thought impossible.
“My mama wanted to bring him home,” said Denise McCrimmon, Frye’s niece, in an interview. “She said, ‘My brother probably never thought he would make it home, but here he is.’”
Born April 3, 1921, in what was then northern Hoke County before boundary lines were redrawn, Frye enlisted in the
STEVENSON from page A1
nament as his 19-point performance (five made 3s) in the Elite Eight against Clemson propelled Alabama to its first Final Four appearance. During his sophomore season, Stevenson earned a larger role and started in 22 games. However, he struggled to improve from the 3-point line as much as expected. Stevenson started the season 0 for 17 from beyond the arc, but he responded with back-to-back double-digit scoring nights and combined for seven made 3s in the three games following the drought.
Stevenson didn’t have the most consistent offensive sea-
Navy in Raleigh on July 26, 1940. He was assigned to the USS West Virginia in November 1940, just over a year before the Pearl Harbor attack that claimed his life at age 20.
The Navy initially listed Frye as missing, leaving his family in agonizing uncertainty. Letters described by the family reveal that Frye’s mother wrote to naval authorities in January 1942, desperate for information about
her son’s fate. According to McCrimmon, her grandmother wrote asking, “I haven’t heard anything else. I want to know about my son. Can you please give me any information? Was he killed? Did you find him?” She received confirmation of his death the following month.
Frye’s remains were among those recovered during salvage operations of the West Virginia but could not be individually identified at the time. They were buried as “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.
In 2017, as part of a broader effort to identify fallen service members from Pearl Harbor, the DPAA exhumed 35 caskets containing remains associated with the West Virginia. Using advanced forensic techniques, including DNA analysis with samples from Frye’s relatives, scientists positively identified his remains on Sept. 27, 2024.
For Frye’s sister, Mary Frye McCrimmon, now 87, the identification brings a measure of closure to decades of uncertainty. McCrimmon still lives on the family’s original homestead.
“Most families cannot believe their loved ones were recovered after so many years,” explained Capt. Jeff Draude, director of the Navy Casualty Office, in a
press release. “Being able to recover and identify the remains of sailors aids in closure for the families.”
The funeral service was held April 3 at Fryes Chapel, a church with deep family connections, in Vass. Frye’s grandfather donated the land for the church and served as its first pastor for 29 years. Following the service, interment took place at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.
The Navy provided full funeral honors, including a rifle salute, burial team and the playing of Taps. Local veterans’ organizations, including the VFW, DAV and American Legion, plan to coordinate additional recognition in the coming months.
Frye was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp
and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star posthumously.
Historical records show Frye served in the Messman Branch, a racially segregated part of the Navy almost exclusively composed of African Americans and foreign nationals responsible for feeding and serving officers. His brother, Russell Frye, also served in the Navy as an Officer’s Steward 3rd Class at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, during the attack.
His return represents a rare measure of closure for families of the 2,403 Americans killed at Pearl Harbor, and especially for the USS West Virginia, which lost 105 crew members in the attack that propelled America into World War II.
son, but he did provide some big games for the Crimson Tide, including a career-high 22 points (7 for 8 from the field) in a win over Texas and a stat line of 16 points, three steals, four rebounds and a block in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Kentucky. Although Stevenson played more minutes as a sophomore, his opportunities to score remained about the same across the two seasons. Playing in the same number of games as he did as a freshman, Stevenson took five fewer shots and the same number of 3s (101) as a sophomore. Stevenson’s latest commitment comes full circle after he was initially projected to land with the Tar Heels coming out of high school. He also has ties to the university through his mom, Nicole (Walker) Stevenson, who played basketball at UNC and won three ACC championships from 1995-98.
classifying to the class of 2023, he was ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 power forward in the 2024 class. Returning to Chapel Hill could also mean a reunion with UNC forward Drake Powell.
While at Seaforth, about a 30-minute drive south of UNC, Stevenson averaged 21.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game in two seasons. The five-star recruit recorded 19 double-doubles and a triple double (10 blocks) in his 2022-23 junior season. He led the Hawks to two playoff appearances. Stevenson was named the 2023 North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. Before re-
As high school freshmen, Stevenson and Powell, also a five-star recruit, played together at Northwood.
During the 2020-21 season, Stevenson averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while Powell poured in averages of 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds. The freshman duo helped the Chargers to a 14-3 overall record and a trip to the 3A state title game in which they fell to Weddington 57-46. Stevenson and Powell have
shared the court twice more following that season, but on different teams. Powell and the Chargers opened the 2021-22 season with a 72-42 win over Stevenson’s Hawks. However, Stevenson evened things this winter when Alabama walked into the Dean Smith Center and dominated UNC 94-79 in the ACCSEC Challenge on Dec. 4. Stevenson knocked down two 3s in that win.
As of Monday, a reunion between the former Chatham County stars is yet to be final, though. The Tar Heels are still waiting on a decision from Powell on whether or not he will return to UNC.
COURTESY DEFENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY
Neil Daniel Frye, missing from World War II, lay unidentified for decades in one of 35 caskets buried in Hawaii following the sinking of the USS West Virginia.
HAL NUNN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
U.S. Navy Honor Guard members stand April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery during the interment service for Neil Daniel Frye.
CHATHAM SPORTS
Seaforth girls’ soccer downs Southeast Alamance 5-0
Juliet Antley and Sofia Viana each scored twice
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — In a downpour of heavy rain, freshman Juliet Antley’s career night and two goals from junior striker Sofia Viana in her return from injury pushed the Seaforth girls’ soccer team, first in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference, over second-place Southeast Alamance 5-0 on April 10.
Ahead 2-0 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the second half, Antley put the game out of reach when her shot from well beyond the penalty arc slid through the hands of the Stallions’ goalkeeper and into the back of the net. That was Antley’s first career goal.
“I heard coach say before the game and all throughout the game that the goalie wasn’t the best and to take as many shots as you could,” Antley said. “So I figured I was open, and I might as well.”
Antley scored her second goal of the night from a much closer distance after finishing off a scramble for senior Caitlin Erman’s corner kick with 9 minutes left, putting the Hawks ahead by five.
“What’s more impressive about this young lady is she’s actually an eighth grader,” Seaforth coach Gio Viana said. “She skipped a grade, so she’s really a super freshman right now.”
Prior to the final 25 min-
“I was missing it, so it’s good to come back out here and have a win with my team.”
utes in which the Hawks scored four goals, including a score from junior Carsyn Ward with 12 minutes remaining, Viana, making her first appearance since suffering an injury on March 14 against Apex Friendship, kept Seaforth afloat.
After Southeast Alamance committed a handball in its penalty box just six minutes into the game, Viana cashed in the penalty kick to put Seaforth ahead 1-0.
However, the Hawks struggled to capitalize on their scoring opportunities thereafter, falling short due to misses and a solid defensive effort by Southeast Alamance.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries, so we’re struggling,” Gio Viana said. “Luckily, we have some talented freshmen. And when you’re playing those big physical teams that we always talk about, sometimes we start off a little slow. Then the rain came.”
Seaforth didn’t score again until nearly 17 minutes into the second half when Sofia Viana, after being grabbed, perfectly sent a free kick from the top of the arc to just under the top bar of the goal for a 2-0 lead.
“I’ve hit them before,” Vi-
ana said. “I just trusted myself and took it.”
Gio Viana said he felt his team “settled down” after Sofia Viana’s second goal. Despite missing five games, she is still second on the team in goals scored (18 as of Sunday) after scoring 16 in the Hawks’ first two outings.
“I was missing it, so it’s good to come back out here and have a win with my team,” she said.
Even though her absence and injuries to other key players have hurt the Hawks this season, especially in their two nonconference losses to Apex Friendship and Cardinal Gibbons, the situation may have helped them improve in the long run.
Many of the freshmen and sophomores have gained varsity experience over the past few weeks and grown more comfortable in certain situations. In the 6-0 win over Northwood on March 24, freshman striker Amara Darden scored her eighth goal of the season, and sophomore Laurin Jackson, who played in three games last year, also contributed a score.
Freshman midfielder Olivia Parker, sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Platt, Darden and Jackson all scored in the 9-0 win over Jordan-Matthews on March 25.
“The varsity team has been really welcoming to us,” Antley said. “I think even though we had taken over a little bit, they’ve been super nice and
See SOCCER, page B2
At LaMelo Ball Invitational, local girls’ basketball team wins big
The Carolina Magic won the gold brackets for sixth and seventh grade
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
CAROLINA MAGIC, a local girls’ basketball travel program featuring athletes from Chatham County, earned two top finishes at the LaMelo Ball Invitational held April 5-6 in Charlotte.
The Magic’s sixth and seventh grade teams won their respective brackets, going a combined 8-0 during the weekend. The teams included local middle schoolers Nina Jackson (Horton Middle), Kylee Moore (Horton Middle), Selena Siler (Chatham Charter), Genesis Benitez (Chatham Charter), Jordan Dark (Chatham Charter), Kaylee Siler (Chatham Charter), Mabry Bozzo (Chatham Charter) Delilah Serrano (Chatham Middle) and
“Now the goal is to compete for a national championship.”
Ryan Siler
Talynn Carter (Chatham Middle). Some of the sixth graders played in both divisions.
The sixth grade Magic put on a dominant showing in the gold bracket, beating every opponent by more than 25 points. In pool play, the Magic beat Lady Attack LKN 41-14 and Lady Attack 6th AJ 78-6. In a four-team single elimination bracket, the Magic defeated Lady Attack 2032 63 -18 in the semifinal round and moved on to beat WHG Elite 48-21 in the championship game. Standout performances on
Local high school football schedules finalized
Opponents will look much different for local teams in 2025
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
THE NORTH CAROLINA
High School Athletic Association’s monthslong transition to eight classes brought discussions of possible matchups on the gridiron. And now, many of those games are real. Football schedules for Chatham County’s high schools are finalized for the 2025 season. After competing altogether in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference for the last two seasons, the county’s programs will be split into three different conferences.
Seaforth, now a 5A school, will join the Big 7 4A/5A conference, and Chatham Central, still a 1A program, will play in the Greater Triad 1A/2A conference. Northwood and Jor-
3
Different conferences for the county’s high school football teams
dan-Matthews will remain together in the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference. Here’s a look at each program’s upcoming schedule (dates and opponents) and some takeaways.
Seaforth (Big 7 4A/5A) Aug. 22 at Chapel Hill Aug. 29 vs Southeast Alamance Sept. 5 at Princeton Sept. 12 vs. Northwood Sept. 19 at North Moore Oct. 3 vs. Orange*
COURTESY RYAN SILER
Chatham County’s Carolina Magic travel girls’ basketball team won the LaMelo Ball Invitational in Charlotte. Here’s the first-place seventh-grade team posing after winning the title.
ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Left to right, Seaforth coach Giovanni Viana, Juliet Antley and Sofia Viana discuss their conference win over SE Alamance after the game.
Sofia Viana
Chatham Charter baseball strengthens lead over its conference
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
Baseball
Seaforth was the hottest team in the county last week, winning three in a row. Behind three hits from sophomore Easton Sykes and eight strikeouts by sophomore pitcher Bryce Huneycutt, the Hawks (second in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference) beat first place Southeast Alamance 10-0 on April 8.
After defeating Williams 4-3 the next day, a 3-for-3 and twoRBI plate performance from Jaedyn Rader lifted the Hawks over North Moore 11-1 Saturday.
Chatham Charter, first in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference, picked up a huge 8-0 win over second place River Mill on April 8. Senior Zach Cartrette led the way at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a team-high two RBIs. He also struck out eight batters and gave up zero hits in the first four innings. As of Sunday, the Knights have yet to give up a run in conference play.
Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday) (overall, conference): 1. Southeast Alamance (12-5, 10-1); 2. Seaforth (9-7, 5-1); 3. Northwood (9-6, 6-4); 4. North Moore (7-6, 4-5); 5. Chatham Central (4-12, 3-5); 6. Bartlett Yancey (4-10, 3-6); 7. Jordan-Matthews (0-13, 0-9)
Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Charter (8-6, 5-0); 2. River Mill (8-4, 5-2); 3. Clover Garden School (3-9, 1-1); T4. Triangle Math and Science (2-6, 0-4); T4. Southern Wake Academy (0-5, 0-4)
Softball
Chatham Central cruised to its largest win of the season in
@WCSATHLETICS98 / INSTAGRAM
a 21-0 victory over Graham on April 9. The rest of the county couldn’t find a win this week, though. Jordan-Matthews fell in back-to-back games, losing to North Moore 6-4 on April 8 and Southwestern Randolph 4-1 the next day.
Northwood lost to Southeast Alamance 15-5 on April 9.
Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Central (11-2. 9-0); 2 Jordan-Matthews (9-4, 7-2); 3. North Moore (12- 4, 9-3); 4. Seaforth (6-5, 6-2); 5. Southeast Alamance (7-8, 5-6); 6. Northwood (3-10, 3-8); 7. Bartlett Yancey (1-9, 1-9); 8. Graham (2-13, 1-11)
Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Clover Garden School (10-4, 7-1); 2. Chatham
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Jordan-Matthews (left) and Chatham Central line up in the trenches during last fall’s showdown. The rivalry will continue in a Week 2 game this season.
SCHEDULE from page B1
Oct. 10 at Cedar Ridge*
Oct. 17 vs. South Granville*
Oct. 24 at Webb*
Oct. 31 vs. Carrboro*
Northwood (Four Rivers 3A/4A)
Aug. 9 at Western Harnett (scrimmage)
Aug. 15 – Jack Shaner Jamboree
Aug. 22 at Harnett Central
Aug. 29 vs. Asheboro
Sept. 12 at Seaforth
Sept. 19 at North Surry
Oct. 3 vs. Eastern Randolph*
Oct. 10 at North Moore*
Oct. 17 vs Jordan-Matthews*
Oct. 24 at Southwestern
Randolph*
Oct. 31 vs. West Carteret
Jordan-Matthews (Four Rivers 3A/4A)
Aug. 22 at Carrboro
Aug. 29 at Chatham Central
Sept. 5 vs. North Stokes
Sept. 12 at Wheatmore
Sept. 19 vs. Providence Grove
Sept. 26 vs. American Leadership Academy –Johnston
Oct. 3 vs. North Moore*
Oct. 10 at Southwestern
Randolph*
Oct. 17 at Northwood*
Oct. 31 vs. Eastern Randolph*
Chatham Central (Greater Triad 1A/2A)
Aug. 22 at Graham
Aug. 29 vs. Jordan-Matthews
Sept. 5 vs. East Columbus
Sept. 12 at North Moore
Sept. 19 vs. North Stokes*
Oct. 3 at College Prep and Leadership Academy*
Oct. 10 at Bishop McGuinness*
Oct. 17 at South Stokes*
Oct. 24 vs. South Davidson*
Oct. 31 vs. Winston-Salem Prep*
Old rivalries prevail
Whether they have playoff implications or not, Chatham County’s oldest (and newer) rivalries are here to stay following conference realignment.
After two straight nailbiters, Jordan-Matthews and Chatham Central will continue their decades-long beef during Week 2 in Bear Creek. The Jets will also keep historic rival Northwood as a conference foe later in the season. And although it’s only as old as Seaforth’s varsity program, Northwood’s rivalry with the Hawks will get another chapter on Sept. 12 at Seaforth. The last time those two teams battled for Pittsboro, bragging rights in the town came down to the final plays.
New powers?
No longer are the days of chasing Southeast Alamance and Cummings for conference titles as new historically good programs will take trips to Chatham County. Former Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A power Eastern Randolph will join Northwood and Jordan-Matthews in the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference. The Wildcats have won at least 10 games in the last four seasons and will look to continue that success in a new setting. Seaforth could become a power in its new conference based on the recent history of its conference opponents. None of the Hawks’ new conference members had a winning season in 2024, creating some hope that this could be the year for the Hawks’ first conference title.
Woods Charter’s Anna Peeler takes first place in the girls’ 1,600 at last week’s meet at JordanMatthews.
Charter (5-7, 4-3); 3. River Mill (8-6, 5-4); 4. Ascend Leadership (0-9, 0-9)
Girls’ soccer
Woods Charter beat Southern Wake Academy 8-3 on April 9, winning its fifth game in a row and giving up its first goals in conference play. The Wolves’ win streak, however, got snapped the next day in a 2-0 loss to nonconference opponent Cornerstone Charter.
Jordan-Matthews picked up two conference wins last week. Junior Dalia Botello led the way with two goals in the Jets’ 5-0 win over Cummings on April 9. Botello and sophomore Yarai Padilla Balderas each scored a goal in Jordan-Matthews 2-0 victory over Graham the next day.
SOCCER from page B1
welcoming and helping us out through our positions. It’s just been overall a really good team environment.”
But while the young players have increased their roles, senior striker Caitlin Erman hasn’t gone anywhere. Erman, who leads the team with 20 goals as of Sunday, scored 11 goals in Viana’s ab -
BASKETBALL from page B1
the sixth-grade squad came from Morgan Pierotti (20 points per game), Selena Siler (16 points per game), Talayah Mattox (8 points per game) and Allison Garcia (7 points per game).
The seventh grade team started pool play with a 32 -26 win over PHX East. They followed that with an even bigger 45-32 win over Team Ish before the elimination rounds.
In the first round of the gold bracket, the Magic defeated the Lady Royals 46 -25. They earned a rematch with PHX East, and the Magic came out on top in a tight battle 51-49.
The Magic will be back on the road this weekend at the Phenom Showcase in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After
Northwood beat North Moore 4-0 on April 9. The Chargers have followed every loss with a win and vice versa this season. Chatham Charter freshman Emily Scheidt tied her season-high of three goals in the Knights’ 4-3 win over Ascend Leadership on April 9.
Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (6-2-1, 6-0); 2. Southeast Alamance (7-5-2, 6-2); 3. Northwood (6-6, 5-2); T4. North Moore (7-2, 3-2); T4. Bartlett Yancey (4-6, 3-2); 6. Jordan-Matthews (5-8, 3-4); 7. Graham (1-9, 1-8); 8. Cummings (0-9, 0-7)
Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Woods Charter (63, 5-0); 2. Southern Wake Academy (3-3, 3-1); T3. River Mill (6-5-1, 4-2); T3. Clover Garden School (6-7, 4-2); 5. Chatham Charter (3-7, 2-3); 6. Triangle Math and Science (0-8, 0-4); 7. Ascend Leadership (1-7, 0-6) Boys’ lacrosse
Seaforth junior Ivan Grimes and senior Cameron Exley combined for 10 goals (five each) in the Hawks’ 16-4 win over Cedar Ridge on April 8. The next day, Seaforth won its fourth game in a row over Chapel Hill 10-9 behind a three-goal performance from sophomore Oscar Ditter. Junior Grayson Cox scored a team-high four goals and two other Chargers (Malik El Yosef and Jackson Glinski) contributed three goals in Northwood’s 17-1 win over Southeast Alamance on April 8.
Seaforth beat Northwood 20-1 behind eight goals from sophomore Natalie Boecke. The Hawks, who also beat Jordan 18-2 on April 9, have won four games in a row as of Sunday. DC/Northern Lakes Athletic/Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chapel Hill (12 - 0, 7-0); 2. East Chapel Hill (101, 3-1); 3. Seaforth (5-4, 4-2); 4. Carrboro (4-3, 2-3); 5. Jordan (1-5, 1-2); 6. Northwood (2-3, 0-3); 7. Riverside-Durham (0 -12, 0-6)
Boys’ tennis
Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (9-5, 6-0); 2. Northwood (7-5, 6-2); 3. Jordan-Matthews (3-8, 2-3); 4. North Moore (3-6, 2-4); 5. Southeast Alamance (0-8, 0-6) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Triangle Math and Science (2-4, 2-0); 2. Chatham Charter (6-7, 2-1); 3. Clover Garden School (2-5, 0-4)’ Track and field
Local team results from the Jordan-Matthews home meet on April 8: Girls: 1. Northwood (127); 2. Jordan-Matthews (91); 3. Woods Charter (54); 6. Chatham Central (29.75); 7. Chatham Charter (22.75) Boys: 1. Jordan-Matthews (97); 2. Northwood (96); 4. Chatham Charter (40); 4. Woods Charter (40); 6. Chatham Central (36)
Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (102, 9-0); 2. Orange (11-3, 9-1); 3. Southern Alamance (13-3, 7-3); 4. Williams (8-6, 6-3); 5. Northwood (6-7, 6-5); 6. Cedar Ridge (4-7, 4-6); 7. Eastern Alamance (5-9, 3-8); 8. Western Alamance (1-10, 1-8); 9. Southeast Alamance (2-14, 1-12) Girls’ lacrosse
sence, including a five-score performance against Jordan-Matthews. Gio Viana said getting healthy will be important for the Hawks in the last few weeks of the season. Seaforth still has some tough nonconference matchups sprinkled into its conference slate, including games with Middle Creek (4A) on Thursday, Southern Lee (3A) on
that, they’ll compete in the Beast of the East tournament at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro from May 16-18. Following that tournament, the Magic will fill out their summer at the Teammate Basketball National Championship in Rock Hill from June 18-22, the AAU World Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee, from June 26-29 and the Run 4 the Roses Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, from July 10-12.
“Now the goal is to compete for a national championship,” Carolina Magic coach Ryan Siler said. “After that, we’re planning to take on a national schedule this fall.”
As a young program, the Carolina Magic has experienced plenty of success over the last three years. At the local level, the girls have claimed three Chatham County Parks
April 25 and Panther Creek (4A) on May 2.
The Hawks have yet to give up a goal in conference play this year, but it’s been a different story on the flip side, going 0-2-1 in nonconference play (as of Sunday).
“We just want to hopefully heal over the next four or five days and be able to field our full-strength team,” Gio Viana said.
and Recreation league titles, finished undefeated in the Ramseur Parks and Recreation league and went undefeated in the Asheboro YMCA league in which the girls competed against 13U boys. Last summer, the Magic made the National Travel Basketball Association Nationals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and both the fifth and sixth grade teams made the gold bracket before being eliminated.
“With the team’s rising success, the program has seen a surge in interest from talented players across the region,” Siler said. “We’re constantly getting messages from extremely talented girls and their families who want to join the program. It’s a testament to the work our players have put in and the reputation we’re building.”
COURTESY RYAN SILER
The sixth grade Carolina Magic team poses with their championship hardware after winning the LaMelo Ball invitational.
Chatham Charter’s Johnson signs to play college baseball
The senior will join the Mid-Atlantic Christian University program
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
CHATHAM CHARTER se-
nior Luke Johnson signed to the Mid-Atlantic Christian University baseball program Friday.
With just over a month remaining in his high school
career, Johnson has recorded a career-batting average of .380 with a total of 82 hits, 66 RBIs and 49 runs (as of Sunday). On the mound, he’s
achieved an ERA of 2.82 and 141 strikeouts in 114 innings.
During his senior season, Johnson has built a 3-3 record on the mound while also notching 17 hits and his highest batting average since his freshman season (.405).
Mid-Atlantic Christian University is in Elizabeth City, and it competes in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The Mustangs went 24-18 and competed in the USCAA Small College World Series in 2024.
Zach Cartrette
Chatham Charter, baseball
Chatham Charter baseball’s Zach Cartrette earns athlete of the week honors for the week of April 7.
Cartrette did it all in the Knights’ 8-0 win over River Mill (second place in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference). At the plate, he went 2 for 3 and knocked in a team-high two RBIs. He also played a large role in the shutout, striking out eight batters and giving up zero hits in the first four innings of the game.
In eight appearances on the mound, Cartrette has put together some impressive performances this season. As of Sunday, he’s recorded 55 strikeouts and has given up only five earned runs (1.17 ERA) in 30 innings.
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
@CHATHAMCHARTER / X Luke Johnson is all smiles after signing to play at Mid-Atlantic Christian University. 141
Strikeouts in Johnson’s career as of Sunday
SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA BASKETBALL
Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season
Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82 -59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.
MLB Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder
Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.
NFL Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal
Cleveland Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.
NCAA FOOTBALL
Iamaleava gone from Tennessee as Heupel says no one “bigger than the Power T” Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers are moving forward without quarterback Nico Iamaleava with coach Josh Heupel giving his team a simple message: No one is bigger than the Power T, including the coach himself. Heupel said Tennessee has been around a long time and will be around long after he leaves with a tradition and legacy recognized around the world. Heupel called losing Iamaleava an “unfortunate” situation. But the Tennessee coach says he knew the quarterback would not be with the program after being a “no show” for last Friday’s practice.
from the
Wickens returns to elite racing with use of hand controls 7 years after being paralyzed
Hand-controlled throttle and braking systems let him compete in IMSA
By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press
LONG BEACH, Calif. —
Nearly seven years after he was paralyzed in an IndyCar crash, Robert Wickens returned to elite competition when he drove a Corvette in the IMSA sports car race on the downtown streets of Long Beach. Wickens finished five laps off the lead, in 26th place.
Wickens has raced since the crash at Pocono left him paralyzed from the chest down but considers the IMSA event a true completion of his comeback.
“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again. I’ve always seen that (IMSA) is the highest level of sports car racing here in North America,” Wickens said. “It would be a dream if I could call it a 10-year career here racing against the best drivers in the world and one of the best series in the world.”
Wickens drove for DXDT Racing with teammate and
longtime Corvette driver Tommy Milner. The Corvette is equipped with a hand-controlled throttle and braking system developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller. The brake controls mount to the steering wheel but are independent of the steering wheel so that Milner can seamlessly transition from hand controls to pedals when he’s the driver.
“The steering wheel that Tommy will be driving or any other teammate that I drive with in this Corvette, it’s the exact same steering wheel that they always know. What’s great about it is, in theory, it can mount to virtually any steering column as long as you have the right bolt pattern,” Wickens said. “What we’re learning here today can transfer into any race car. And then, hopefully, down the road, what we’re developing with the electronic braking system from Bosch, opportunities are endless. Maybe this can evolve into road safety and into everyday road vehicles and accessibility in road vehicles.
“But short term, we need to perfect this system here.”
Wickens made his debut in IMSA’s GT Daytona class.
Florida gets another championship celebration
The national champions were honored in the Swamp in front of nearly 60,000
By Mark Long The Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Fla. —
Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio.
On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.
Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.
“It’s just absurd,” Golden said. “Today was awesome. … Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft.
You don’t know if they’re going to be around.
“To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring our players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing.
People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again
“People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time.”
Florida coach Todd Golden
one last time. It was special.”
Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Alamodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.
Clayton, named most outstanding player of the Final Four, and Golden — hardly surprisingly — received the loudest ovations.
Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”
“My family and I love being here,” said Golden. “In three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here.”
Golden unveiled a working poster of the program’s third championship banner, which will be hung in the O’Connell Center to open next season.
“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again.”
Robert Wickens
“Honestly, taking the green flag in Long Beach is going to be an enormous step forward in my career and my journey back to the highest levels,” Wickens said. “You could say, ‘We did it. We’re racing against the best cars and the best drivers in the whole sports car industry.’”
The car Wickens and Milner are competing in is eligible for the GTD championship.
“I want to win championships for myself, for General Motors, for DXDT,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done. I think you could say it’s definitely a massive box to check, probably the biggest box that we could check off so far in my return.”
He’d like to race full time in the series next season.
He and Milner are just getting to know each other, as well as the nuances of the car with the system Wickens must use versus how Milner will drive it.
“Fundamentally, everything happens on the wheel,” Milner said, “and it’s a system that took me initially a little while to sort of understand in my own brain, how it is supposed to work, how to find lap time out of it and things like that.” Milner has also been inspired by Wickens’ journey since his life-changing crash in his rookie season of IndyCar racing.
“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner said. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”
Florida head coach Todd Golden speaks as the NCAA champions are honored during halftime of the Orange and Blue spring football game.
Clayton, Martin and Richard have exhausted their eligibility and will moving on, and Golden said big man Alex Condon will go through the NBA’s predraft testing process to see whether he turns pro or returns to school.
“If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America,” Golden said. “We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team.”
The Gators finished 36-4 and won their final 12 games. They won four of six in the tournament by rallying late:
“Beat the odds to say the least,” Golden quipped.
The 39-year-old Golden became the youngest coach since NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all. Golden flung what was left of the net around his neck Monday night and still had it on when the team returned home Tuesday afternoon. He insisted Saturday he hasn’t slept in it or even thought much about it since.
“But I wanted to bust it out for today,” he said. “This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office at home. … This is a little more important and a little more impactful on the trophy shelf now.”
JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO
Driver change assist Josh Gibbs pulls Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 2018 IndyCar crash,
car as Tommy Milner gets in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R as they practiced driving changes for the Long Beach IMSA race.
Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway
The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative
By Nate Ryan The Associated Press
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.
Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third,
followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.
Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.
The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.
On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.
Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.
“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards. “I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”
Helping others
Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
“One of my quotes that I like
“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”
Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death
to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”
The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.
Up next
After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year. Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO
Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.
Last year’s event brought in more than $26 million to the Met’s Costume Institute
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — As springtime sunshine finally hits New York City, the Met Gala beckons — one of the most anticipated and visible parties in the world.
This year, the theme — “Tailored For You” — is focused on classic tailoring. As always, the dress code is inspired by the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Met show to focus exclusively on black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. The show looks at the evolution of black style over the centuries through the lens of dandyism.
Here are some key things to know as fashion’s biggest night approaches.
When is the Met Gala?
The gala happens the first Monday in May, which this year falls on May 5.
What exactly is the Met Gala?
Not everyone knows that the gala is actually a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the only self-funding department at the Met. Last year, the evening brought in a whopping sum of more than $26 million to the museum’s coffers.
Was it always this big?
Definitely not. It started in 1948 as a Manhattan society midnight supper — held at various places like the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room.
Who’s hosting the 2025 Met Gala?
Each year brings a new group of celebrity co-chairs. This year they are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo and A$AP Rocky — along with Anna Wintour, the influential Vogue editor who always oversees the proceedings. NBA superstar LeBron James is honorary chair.
Who else is attending the Met Gala so far?
Word on attendees trickles out slowly in the weeks leading up to the event. But this year there’s also a huge additional host committee with stars from various fields. (They don’t have specific host duties other than showing up and, it goes without saying, looking fabulous.)
It includes athletes Sim-
one Biles and husband Jonathan Owens, Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson; filmmakers Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Regina King; and actors Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Pope, and musicians Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe and André 3000.
How strict is the dress code?
The code is meant to be a guide, not a hard rule, and loose interpretation is encouraged. Sometimes, that interpretation extends not only to what guests put on, but what they take off. Lady Gaga did a 16-minute striptease on the gala carpet in 2019. Jared Leto spent the evening in 2023 carrying around his huge cat head, a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved pet.
How do guests spend the evening?
Guests enter the museum and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum’s grand lobby — always a talking point. Often there is an an orchestra playing nearby. At the top of the grand staircase, Wintour and her co-hosts form a receiving line. Guests then head either to cocktails or to view the exhibit. Cocktails are followed by dinner. The most hotly anticipated guests sometimes skip cocktails and even dinner and arrive around dessert time for maximum impact (we’re looking at you, Rihanna).
JOCELYN NOVECK / AP PHOTO
Monica L. Miller, guest curator of the upcoming Costume Institute exhibit “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” looks over designs on March 20.
this week in history
CIA-trained Cuban exiles invade Bay of Pigs, American Revolution begins, Twain dies
The Associated Press
APRIL 17
1961: Some 1,400
CIA‑trained Cuban exiles launched the Bay of Pigs in vasion of Cuba in an attempt to topple Fidel Castro, whose forces crushed the incursion within three days.
1970: Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific.
1975: Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge, which instituted brutal, radical policies that claimed an estimated 1.7 million lives.
APRIL 18
1775: Paul Revere began his famous ride from Charles town to Lexington, Massachu setts, warning colonists that British Regular troops were approaching.
1906: The deadliest earth quake in U.S. history struck San Francisco, killing more than 3,000 people.
1955: Physicist Albert Ein stein died at age 76.
1983: Sixty three people, including 17 Americans, were killed at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, by a suicide bomber driving a van laden with explosives.
APRIL 19
1775: The American Rev olutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord — the start of an eight‑year armed conflict be tween American colonists and the British Army.
1993: A 51 day standoff with the Branch Davidians near Waco, Texas, ended when their compound burned during an FBI assault, killing 76.
1995: Timothy McVeigh de stroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.
APRIL 20
1812: The fourth vice pres ident of the United States, George Clinton, died in Wash ington at age 72, becoming the first vice president to die while in office.
1912: Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball, hosted its first official baseball game.
1999: Two students shot and killed 12 classmates and one teacher and also injured
Mark Twain, American author and humorist, died at age 74 on April 21, 1910.
23 others before taking their own lives at Columbine High School, near Denver, Colorado.
APRIL 21
1836: An army of Texans, led by Sam Houston, defeated the Mexican Army, led by An tonio López de Santa Anna, in the Battle of San Jacinto.
1910: Author Samuel Lang horne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died at age 74.
1918: German Air Force pi lot Manfred von Richthofen nicknamed “The Red Bar on,” was killed after being shot
during a World War I air battle over Vaux sur Somme, France.
2016: Prince, one of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times, was found dead at his home from an accidental fentanyl overdose; he was 57.
APRIL 22
1889: The Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thou sands of homesteaders staked claims to nearly 1.9 million acres of land that was formerly part of Indian Territory.
1954: The publicly tele vised sessions of the Senate Ar my McCarthy hearings began. 1994: Richard M. Nixon died four days after having a stroke; he was 81.
APRIL 23
1635: The Boston Latin School, the first public school in what would become the United States, was established.
1898: Spain declared war on the United States, which re sponded in kind two days later.
1971: Hundreds of Viet nam War veterans opposed to the conflict protested by toss ing their medals and ribbons over a wire fence constructed in front of the U.S. Capitol. 1993: Labor leader Cesar Chavez died at age 66.
Albums by Miles Davis, Elton John enter National Recording Registry
Twenty-five recordings are entering the archive in the class of 2025
By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Albums from Elton John, Miles Davis, Tracy Chapman, Mary J. Blige and the cast of “Hamilton” are entering America’s audio can on, along with singles from Helen Reddy and Celine Dion and the music of “Minecraft.”
New inductees into the Na tional Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include Davis’ groundbreaking 1970 merger of jazz and rock “Bitch es Brew,” John’s loaded with hits “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” from 1973, Chapman’s self titled 1988 album that in cluded “Fast Car,” Blige’s deep ly introspective 1994 “My Life,” and the 2015 original Broad way cast album of “Hamilton.”
They were among the 25 re cordings entering the archive in the class of 2025, Librari an of Congress Carla Hayden announced last Wednesday. The recordings were chosen for their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the na tion’s recorded sound heritage”
“These are the sounds of America — our wide ranging history and culture,” Hayden said in a statement. “The Na tional Recording Registry is our evolving nation’s playlist.”
Recordings by musicians Miles Davis, Mary J. Blige and Elton John have been selected to the National
Helen Reddy’s 1972 “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar” and Celine Dion’s 1997 “My Heart Will Go On” from the film “Ti tanic” are among the singles entering the archive.
Among the more unusual in clusions are the original mu sic for the video game (and now monster hit movie) “Minecraft” from German producer Daniel Rosenfeld, as collected on the 2011 album, “Minecraft: Vol ume Alpha,” and the reboot
solutions
sound for Microsoft’s Win dows 95 operating system, cre ated by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame musician and producer Brian Eno.
Announcer Chuck Thomp son’s radio broadcast of the 1960 World Series between the New York Yankees and Pitts burgh Pirates — clinched with a Game 7 home run by the Pi rates’ Bill Mazeroski — is also entering the registry.
The oldest recording in the
class of 2025 is 1913’s “Alo ha ‘Oe” by the Hawaiian Quin tette. The most recent is the 2015 “Hamilton” album, with music by Lin Manuel Miranda.
Other albums that won in clusion are 1968’s “Hello Dum my” from insult comic Don Rickles, 1969’s “Chicago Tran sit Authority” from the band Chicago, 1975’s “I’ve Got the Music in Me” from Thelma Houston & Pressure Cook er, 1976’s “Fly Like an Eagle”
from the Steve Miller Band and 2006’s “Back to Black” from Amy Winehouse.
Career defining singles from other canonical artists are join ing those of Reddy and Dion, including 1952’s “Happy Trails” from Roy Rogers and Dale Ev ans, Freddy Fender’s 1975 “Be fore the Next Teardrop Falls” and 1971’s “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” from trailblaz ing black country artist Char ley Pride.
AP PHOTO
Recording Registry as part of the class of 2025.
A.F. BRADLEY VIA WIKIPEDIA
*Must set up Auto Draft for 2nd Month. Offer valid through February 1st 2024.
famous birthdays this week
Iggy Pop turns 78, George Takei and Jack Nicholson are 88
The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.
APRIL 17
Author Nick Hornby is 68. Actor Jennifer Garner is 53. Singer Victoria Beckham is 51.
APRIL 18
Actor Hayley Mills is 79.
Actor James Woods is 78. Actor Rick Moranis is 72. Actor Jane Leeves is 64. Ventriloquist-comedian Jeff Dunham is 63. Talk show host Conan O’Brien is 62.
APRIL 19
Actor Tim Curry is 79.
Actor Ashley Judd is 57. Latin pop singer Luis Miguel is 55. Actor James Franco is 47. Actor Kate Hudson is 46.
APRIL 20
Actor George Takei (“Star Trek”) is 88. Actor Jessica Lange is 76. Actor Clint Howard is 66. Actor Carmen Electra is 53. Actor Joey Lawrence (“Blossom,” “Brotherly Love”) is 49.
APRIL 21
Singer Iggy Pop is 78. Actor Patti LuPone is 76. Actor Tony Danza is 74. Actor Andie MacDowell is 67. Rapper Michael Franti of Spearhead is 59.
APRIL 22
Actor Jack Nicholson is 88. Singer Mel Carter is 86. Director John Waters is 79. Actor Sheryl Lee (“Twin Peaks”) is 58.
APRIL 23
Actor Joyce DeWitt (“Three’s Company”) is 76. Actor James Russo is 73. Director Michael Moore is 71. Actor Judy Davis is 70. Actor Valerie Bertinelli is 65. Comedian George Lopez is 64.
JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Writer, comedian and former talk show host Conan O’Brien turns 62 on Friday.
SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Actor and longtime Asheville resident Andie MacDowell is 67 on Monday.
RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Actor, author and activist George Takei, known for his role as Hikaru Sulu on “Star Trek,” is 88 on Sunday.
Jude Law plays fed, ‘Law & Order’ reunion, David Oyelowo in oddball comedy
Nathan Fielder returns with more antics in “The Rehearsal”
The Associated Press
MARISKA HARGITAY reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, on “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and Jude Law sporting a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent in the movie “The Order” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: David Oyelowo stars in the new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese,” Ramy Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video, and two innovative indie rockers partner up for a country album when boygenius’ Julien Baker and Torres release “Send a Prayer My Way.”
MOVIES TO STREAM
If you’re in the mood for a crackling 1970s-styled crime thriller, “The Order” is making its Hulu debut on Friday. Law sports a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent who connects the dots between violent crimes arising in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s. The film, directed by Justin Kurzel, is based on a true story that culminated in one of the largest manhunts in FBI history as agents searched for Robert Jay Mathews (played by Nicholas Hoult), the leader of a white supremacist group committing armed robberies with plans to overthrow the government. Perhaps you’re looking for more fantastical and less reality-based horror, in which case Peacock has “Wolf Man” starting Friday. The film stars Christopher Abbott as the unfortunate father and husband who, in trying to protect his family from a werewolf, turns into one. Julia Garner also stars in the film from Leigh Whannell. The streamer will also once again be home to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
With a Kelly Reichardt film set for Cannes and Michelle Williams earning raves for “Dying for Sex,” it’s the perfect time to revisit one of their classic collaborations in “Certain Women,” streaming on Paramount. It’s a quiet, introspective film about women in a small Montana town (Williams, Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Laura Dern included) told in poignant vignettes.
MUSIC TO STREAM
Afrobeats have gone global, and the four-time Grammy nominated Nigerian superstar Davido is at least partially responsible. On Friday, he will release his fifth studio album, appropriately titled “5ive.” It’s stuffed with collaborations — YG Marley, Odumodublvck and Chike among them — and furthers his life-affirming worldwide pop. “I want to have it all/ Still dey find my resolve,” he sings on the single “Be There Still,” atop percussive synths.
“Na God dey bless me all the way/12 years, I’m still on top.” What happens when two innovative indie rockers partner
up for a country album? Tenderness, at least in the case of boygenius’ Baker and Torres. Their first collaborative album, “Send a Prayer My Way,” out Friday via the historic Matador Records, acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others. Affection is felt throughout. “I love you all of the ways,” they harmonize on the single “Sugar in the Tank.” “That I know how.”
SHOWS TO STREAM
Oyelowo stars in a new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese.” Set in 1969, Oyelowo plays Hampton
Julien Baker and Torres’ album “Send a Prayer My Way” and Davido’s “5ive” will be released this week.
Julien Baker and Torres’ “Send a Prayer My Way” acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others.
ern day crime families and illegal enterprises. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” debuts Thursday.
The Tubi comedy “Boarders” is back for a second season beginning Thursday. The comingof-age series follows five black inner-city teenagers attending an elite boarding school in London. While season one was about adjustment and fitting in, in season two the kids are thriving in their new world. Season One was “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.
Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video. The show follows the Husseins, a well-intentioned immigrant Muslim family living in America. The Husseins just want to fit in and embrace American life. It’s not an easy road, however, as the debut episode takes place on Sept. 10, 2001, one day before the 9/11 terror attacks. Youssef co-created and stars in the series. All eight episodes are available Thursday.
Nathan Fielder’s “The Rehearsal” premieres its second season on Sunday on Max. Season One showed us Fielder as a heightened version of himself, helping everyday people rehearse for uncomfortable life events both big and small. In Season Two, Fielder narrows in on the aviation industry, which has had a number of disasters and close calls in recent months. Fielder creates a fake airport and hires actors to interact with pilots in made-up scenarios.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
Chambers, a man recently released from prison. Hampton returns home hoping to seamlessly reunite with his family but ends up having a harder time than he anticipated. Hampton believes his ticket to a better life is his invention of a self-sharpening power drill. “Government Cheese” is streaming now.
“Law & Order: Organized Crime” has moved to Peacock for its fifth season. Mariska Hargitay will guest star on the two-episode premiere, reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. Stabler now works in the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau, whose mission is to take down New York’s mod-
The star of Tempopo is a girl named Hana who lives on an island filled with musically gifted flowers. But after a tornado blows them away, Hana has to call on the magical title creatures to restore her gardens. The result is 60 levels of 3D challenges that might scratch an itch for fans of Nintendo’s brain-twisting Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Tempopo comes from the Australian indie studio Witch Beam, best known for the award-winning 2021 puzzler Unpacking, and it recalls that game’s mellow vibe. You can start planting Thursday on Xbox X/S,
and
Switch
PC.
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“The Order,” the crime series “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and the film “Wolf Man” land this week on a screen near you.
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Nicholas Hoult stars in “The Order.”
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