the BRIEF this week
Biden interviews with ghostwriter reveal him discussing sensitive information
Newly released audio tapes appear to show Joe Biden sharing classi ed information with a biographer and sometimes claiming memory lapses during interviews that occurred before his election to the presidency in 2020. About three hours of audio and 117 pages of transcripts were released by the conservative Oversight Project, an arm of the Heritage Foundation. The audio and transcript feature frequent redactions. The conversations were released after Biden lost a prolonged legal ght to keep his talks with memoir ghostwriter Mark Lewis Zwonitzer private. In the sessions, Biden discusses a range of matters, shares notes from his vice presidency and appears to con rm to Zwonitzer that he retained some classi ed material.
Americans’ con dence in U.S. economy falls as Iran con ict sends gas prices higher
Americans’ con dence in the economy fell this month as gas prices resumed their climb after the U.S. and Iran stepped up their ghting. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer con dence index fell to 90.8 in July from 92.2 in June. Consumers’ view of current business and labor market conditions fell by 3.6 points to 114.9, the third straight monthly decline. Consumer attitudes had improved modestly in June as gas prices came down.
$2.00
Roberson o cially sworn in as commissioner
The former sheri will serve in the District 3 seat
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — The newest Chatham County commissioner has o cially taken o ce. Mike Roberson was sworn
into his seat on the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on July 20, replacing outgoing Commissioner David Delaney, who forfeited his seat early due to the fact that he is moving.
The lifelong Chatham County resident has more than 40 years of service to the county, having worked as a paramedic, re ghter and police o cer and
most recently serving as sheri for the past 10 years.
“Don’t be scared literally to call me and let me know what needs to be said,” Roberson said following his swearing in. “If I’ve heard it before, I’ll still listen to you. I know there’s a lot of hot topics right now, and I’m listening to that, but I also need to know the things that aren’t hot
Trump pays respects to NC soldier, 3 others killed in Middle East
He called the digni ed transfer the toughest thing he does as president
The Associated Press DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. — President Donald Trump last Wednesday honored the
lives of four U.S. service members who were killed in the Middle East and returned to their families at an air force base in Delaware.
The president saluted as four transfer cases carrying the service members’ remains were escorted o an airplane during the digni ed transfer at Dover Air Force Base. The ritual is one of the most somber duties of a commander in chief. It was the third that Trump has attend-
Trump administration urges Supreme Court to allow order targeting mail-in voting
Twenty-three states argue the president lacks constitutional authority to change mail-in voting rules
By Lindsay Whitehurst The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to clear the way for an executive order from President Donald Trump that could dramatically change mail-in voting ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The Justice Department asked the justices to halt for now
lower court decisions blocking the sweeping changes in nearly half the country.
The request comes shortly after Trump delivered a primetime address elevating his yearslong push to raise doubts about the legitimacy of elections, and could be one of several voting-related challenges before the court ahead of the high-stakes midterm contest.
Trump ordered the government in March to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.
Democratic o cials in 23
Left, Former Chatham County Sheri Mike Roberson meets with his fellow county commissioners on July 16. Roberson was sworn in to the District 3 seat on the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on July 20. He had been Chatham County sheri for more than 10 years and will appear unopposed on the ballot for his seat in the county election this fall.
“Don’t be scared literally to call me and let me know what needs to be said.”
Mike Roberson
topics. The things that we can get right easier.”
The former sheri o cially retired from law enforcement a day on July 15 in a celebration at Northwood High School, where Roberson is an alumnus.
ed since he launched the war in Iran in February.
Speaking at an event in Georgia hours later, Trump described the ritual as “the toughest thing I do.”
“I’ve been there many times before,” he said of Dover. “This was, in particular, something very sad.”
Earlier in the day, Trump said his message to families was simple: “We love you. We love your child,” Trump told reporters. Trump was accompanied at
“And hopefully there will be no mail-in ballots.” President Donald Trump
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
We
To
NYC stabbings suspect arrested on hate crime charges in both attacks
Both victims allegedly targeted for their Jewish and Asian identities are expected to recover
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A suspect in two separate stabbings on New York City streets was arrested last Friday on attempted murder and charged with hate crimes relating to both victims, a Jewish man and an Asian man.
Raul Morales, 51, allegedly yelled the Arabic phrase “Allahu akbar” while attacking the two men last Thursday on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, according to police accounts of what witnesses told them.
Morales was initially arrested last Friday on hate crime charges related to the Jewish man but not the other. He was arraigned later that day and charged with attempted murder and assault as hate crimes related to both victims.
As Morales was led out of a police station that evening, he shouted about seeking justice for someone. When reporters asked about the stabbings, he responded that he was “gonna talk about it” as he was ushered into a police car.
Morales’ court-appointed attorney did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
“He was just trying to pray at his synagogue, and now we’re the ones praying for his recovery.”
Rabbi Yosie Levine
The stabbings happened about two blocks apart last Thursday afternoon, police said. Both victims were taken to a hospital and were expected to survive. They were in stable condition the following day, state Attorney General Letitia James said at a morning news conference with other o cials and community leaders.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s O ce, Morales approached the Asian man from behind and stabbed him with a knife “without provocation.” Then, after walking four blocks away, he stabbed the Jewish man wearing a kippah with a screwdriver, prosecutors said.
A witness followed Morales as he ed to the apartment he was staying at, prosecutors said.
The Jewish victim was attacked just after leaving a nearby synagogue, called the Jewish Center, Rabbi Yosie Levine said.
“He was just trying to pray at his synagogue, and now we’re the ones praying for his recovery,” Levine said.
The Asian American Foundation, a New York-based advocacy group, said in a statement the attacks “underscore the persistent safety challenges” and mistreatment — from harassment to physical assault — facing Asian Americans in the city.
“We demand continued, meaningful investment in community safety and hate prevention that protects everyone,” the group said in a statement.
The charges Morales faces carry a consecutive total of 40 years in prison, prosecutors said. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 30.
Hate crimes in New York City have been on the rise in recent years, while overall violent crime rates have dropped, according to police data. A city rep said in April that more than half of all con rmed hate crimes in the city so far this year targeted Jewish people. Estimates of the size of the city’s Jewish community vary, but it’s far less than half the overall population.
“We are undeniably being disproportionately targeted, again and again and again,” City Comptroller Mark Levine said at the Friday morning news conference, where he also told Asian Americans: “We stand in outrage with you.”
James and Levine are Democrats.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:
July 31
Fuzzy Cat sh Band
7:30-9:30 p.m.
The Fuzzy Cat sh Blues Band performs live at this downtown Pittsboro bar and restaurant.
The City Tap 89B Hillsboro St. Pittsboro
Onyx Club Boys
7:30-9:30 p.m.
The all-acoustic Gypsy Jazz trio performs an intimate listening-room set rooted in the Django Reinhardt tradition. Tickets are required.
The Wheelhouse at Fair Game Beverage Co. 192 Lorax Lane Pittsboro
Tommy Thunderfoot and the Accelerators
7-8:30 p.m.
The three-piece blues and rock band performs a mix of blues classics, Southern rock and original material at the community’s free outdoor summer concert series. A hat is passed for the musicians; a food vendor will be on site.
Bynum Front Porch 950 Bynum Road Bynum
Aug. 1
Midnight Still and The Muckers
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Midnight Still opens and The Muckers closes a two-band live music bill at the downtown Pittsboro bar and restaurant.
The City Tap 89B Hillsboro St. Pittsboro
Who Shows Up for Black Business?: Creating a Community Ecosystem for Growth and Change 2-4 p.m.
Roberson had announced his intention to retire from law enforcement back in December with the goal of continuing to serve the county by running for county commissioner instead.
“Serving as your sheri has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Roberson wrote on Facebook. “For nearly four decades, I have had the privilege of working alongside dedicated public servants, law enforcement o cers, rst responders, community leaders, and residents who care deeply about this county. I am grateful to the people of Chatham County for trusting me with this responsibility. I am also deeply thankful to the men and women of the Sheri ’s O ce for their service, professionalism, and commitment to protecting and serving our community every day.”
Roberson was rst appointed as sheri by the commissioners back in May 2016 and was reelected twice more after that in 2018 and 2022.
In his place, the Board of Commissioners elected Chief Deputy Steve Maynor to serve as the interim sheri .
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 2026-27 school year. Educators in K-12 classrooms with creative ideas for learning projects are encouraged to apply for a grant up to $2,000. Grant applications will be accepted through Sept. 15. However, it pays to apply early.
All teachers who submit their applications by the early bird deadline of Aug. 15 will be entered into a drawing for one of ve $100 Visa gi cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!
WEBB Squared and Chatham Community Library host a free panel discussion featuring local entrepreneurs, county commissioners and Chamber of Commerce representatives on building support structures for black-owned businesses in Chatham County in recognition of National Black Business Month. Registration is required.
Chatham Community Library, Holmes Family Meeting Room 197 N.C. Highway 87 N. Pittsboro
Aug. 2
3rd Annual Okra Jamboree
Noon-6 p.m.
The Plant’s third annual Southern food festival celebrating okra features live music by Righteous Roots, hourly garden tours, a panel discussion on the history of okra, food tastings and a pop-up vendor market. Admission is free.
The Plant 213 Lorax Lane Pittsboro
WABC-TV VIA AP
Police investigate the scene of a stabbing attack on Manhattan's Upper West Side last Thursday in New York.
ROBERSON from page A1
Comey calls seashells post political speech, presses to dismiss charges
The case is part of the Justice Department’s campaign against political critics
By Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former FBI Director James Comey urged a judge on Monday to throw out federal charges against him, arguing that a photo of seashells arranged on a beach he posted on social media was not a call to violence against President Donald Trump but protected political speech.
Comey’s lawyers argue the government cannot prove the Instagram photo of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47” constituted a “true threat” against the Republican president, who red Comey in 2017 and has publicly called for his prosecution. The slogan — which has long meant to “get rid of” or “eject” — has been featured on thousands of items sold online and regularly displayed at protests, defense lawyers wrote in court papers.
“But the government now singles out Mr. Comey to prosecute one of the President’s most prominent critics for publishing another person’s statement of political opposition,” his attorneys wrote. “That attempt to suppress core political speech contravenes both the statutes at issue and the First Amendment.”
The seashells case against Comey was the second in months targeting the ex-FBI director, a long-running Trump foe whom the president over the years has called a “corrupt piece of garbage” and other pejorative
“A
child knows what that meant. If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear.”
President Donald Trump
names.
An earlier case in Virginia accusing Comey of lying to Congress was dismissed last November after a judge concluded that the prosecutor who charged him and another Trump adversary, New York Attorney General Letitia James, was illegally appointed to the job.
More broadly, the case is part of a retribution campaign by the Trump administration Justice Department, which has initiated investigations across the country into individuals the president does not like. Comey has long drawn Trump’s ire for his role overseeing the early months of an investigation into whether Trump’s 2016 campaign had coordinated with Russia to sway the outcome of that year’s election.
The two-count indictment charges Comey with “knowingly and willfully” making a threat to “take the life of, and to inict bodily harm upon” Trump and with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. It does not provide evidence that Comey knowingly threatened Trump, especially since Comey has said the opposite, but suggested a “reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret” the message as a threat.
Comey was interviewed by the Secret Service last year over the post after Trump administration o cials asserted that he was
advocating the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. Comey deleted the post shortly after it was made, writing: “I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence” and “I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
“Even if ‘86 47’ could implausibly be read to suggest violence, a reasonable observer would still understand Mr. Comey’s post as mere political hyperbole, not a true threat,” Comey’s lawyers wrote. “The Supreme Court has rejected threats prosecutions based on speech far more directly threatening than Mr. Comey’s seashells post here.”
The Justice Department has not elaborated on any evidence of intent the government has. But acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier this year that prosecutors in every case prove intent with “witnesses, with documents, with the defendant himself to the extent it’s appropriate.”
“And that’s how we’ll prove intent in this case,” Blanche said in April, shortly after he was elevated to lead the department after Pam Bondi’s ring.
Trump, in a Fox News Channel interview last year, accused Comey of knowing “exactly what that meant.”
“A child knows what that meant,” Trump said. “If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear.”
Guthrie makes emotional plea to mother’s kidnappers
Nancy Guthrie, 84, vanished from her Tucson-area home
The Associated Press
“TODAY” SHOW host Savannah Guthrie says in a new video that her family is living an unending nightmare nearly six months after her mother’s disappearance and pleads with her kidnappers: “Tell us where to look for her.”
The video released Monday is the latest public plea from the journalist about 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie since her disappearance Feb. 1 from her home just outside Tucson, Arizona. Savannah Guthrie said her family will never stop looking for her.
“The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and I know that you have tried to do things the right way,” she said. “So I’m asking you, begging you, to do
July 20
• James Leforice Mason, 41, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• Luis Fernando Castellanos, 35, was arrested for simple assault, driving on a revoked license and failure to maintain lane control.
• Michael Levandoski, 41, was arrested for assault by strangulation, negligent child abuse in icting serious physical injury and communicating threats, and other charges.
• Cameron Ray Barth, 28, was arrested for second-degree trespass, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public o cer.
July 21
• Anthony Michael-Edwards Vitaro, 43, was arrested for possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor child abuse, and other charges.
• Kristina Ann Vitaro, 44, was arrested for misdemeanor child abuse and possession of drug paraphernalia.
the right thing now. Make the right choice. Help us nd her. Tell us where to look for her. I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing.”
Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will on Feb. 1. They found blood near the front doorstep of her home just outside Tucson, and the FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night.
Volunteers and search teams scoured the nearby desert terrain lled with cactuses, bushes and boulders in the weeks after she vanished. A volunteer group recently searched for her body near the Arizona-Mexico border. Authorities have not said how many purported ransom demands were made after Guthrie’s disappearance, though three news organizations reported receiving such notes and turned
them over to investigators.
The FBI has discounted some of the ransom notes as nothing more than extortion attempts but said it’s still evaluating others that might be legitimate. The federal agency hasn’t speci ed which ransom notes might be genuine.
Savannah Guthrie has previously made a series of social media postings about her mother after she went missing. In the days after the disappearance, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings acknowledged they were aware of media reports of a supposed ransom letter and were ready to talk and listen but wanted proof their mother was alive. Weeks later, Savannah Guthrie said her family was o ering a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of her mother. She also acknowledged for the rst time that her mother might not be alive but added that there was still hope.
Church News
OAKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH
As Oakley Baptist Church (2300 Siler City-Glendon Road in Siler City) seeks to begin its next chapter, we are enjoying hearing a word from the Lord with Gary McCollough. Our service begins at 10:30 a.m., but we also have Sunday School classes for every member of the family at 9:30 a.m. We would be blessed if you joined us!
Gary McCollough – Interim
We look forward to meeting you at any of these services and in the future and invite you to pray with us as we seek a new pastor. To learn more, go to oakleybaptist.org or email us at oakleybaptistchurch@gmail.com.
EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The choir and friends of Ebenezer United Methodist Church will present a gospel concert on Sunday, Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. The public is invited to join us for a hand-clapping, toe-tapping and smile-making worship service of gospel music arranged by Russell Mauldin. The church is located at 724 Beaver Creek Road in Apex.
HOUSE DIVIDED WILL FALL!
Bible study: Mark 3:21-30, Church of Living Water; Pastor: James Mitchell.
The religious leaders accused Jesus of being of the devil. They said Jesus cast out devils by the prince of devils. How blind were these religious leaders to think Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. The Democrat socialist/ communist party is trying to divide America. They are using racism, illegal immigrants to vote in our elections, and want to defund our law enforcement. Democrats and a few rhino Republicans won’t support the Save America Act, which states you must be a legal citizen to vote in our elections. All socialist countries fail! America, do you want to go broke and be taken over by the socialist/communist party? Europe is falling now because of this very reason. Christians, are you a divided house with one another? If not corrected, our house will fall apart. I ask for forgiveness for not standing closer with our police. When you have a family member who breaks our laws, our love for them causes us to be against our police—no excuse! Forgive me! I will risk my life
with America! American citizens, we must take time to vote in every election. We need more patriots to
believe Jesus died and rose for our sins. From our hearts, all must be born again!
• Wade Hampton Farrish, 72, was arrested for violation of a domestic violence protective order.
• Jessica Nicole Welch, 28, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver heroin; felony conspiracy to sell and deliver heroin; possession of heroin; and other charges.
• Anastasia Michelle Macoyia-Sho ner, 23, was arrested for reckless driving to endanger, failure to secure a passenger under 16 and speeding.
July 22
• Stanley Vilbrun, 38, was arrested for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and resisting a public o cer.
• Thomas Earl Bullock, 53, was arrested for communicating threats.
• Keith Fitzgerald Bradley, 48, was arrested for obtaining property by false pretenses.
July 23
• Tony Wade Johnson, 60, was arrested for driving on a revoked license, expired registration and expired inspection.
• Brian Kent Moore, 31, was arrested for injury to personal property and injury to real property.
• David Christopher Hicks, 46, was arrested for possession of a weapon of mass destruction and cruelty to animals.
• Henry Patrick Alston, 36, was arrested for assault in icting serious bodily injury and injury to personal property.
• Elijah Amir Kelly Headen, 19, was arrested for driving while impaired, reckless driving to endanger and consuming alcohol by a person under 21, and other charges.
July 25
• Mu Gay Thaw, 21, was arrested for littering.
• Aleaha Renne Marr, 32, was arrested for driving while impaired.
• Adelina Arellano Romero, 42, was arrested for intimidating a witness.
July 26
• Felix
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
Glimpse of heaven
We cannot control the weather, tra c or turtles, but we can smile and maybe, like Ram Dass said, help walk each other home.
WHENEVER he spoke about the kingdom of heaven, Jesus used a parable or simile, meaning he never said what the kingdom “is” but only what it is “like.” I take his teaching tactic to mean that each one of us, with all our complexity and complications, is called to imagine God’s reign in the world around us, including everyday life.
So I’ll point out that the rain last week was glorious — soaking the ground, refreshing the ponds and swelling the creeks around my neighborhood. Not only the birds but also the plants, from grass to trees, were singing their gratitude. Let everyone with ears to hear, listen.
This precipitation, along with the break in the heat, also caused an outpouring of friendliness. Drivers waved to pedestrians and dogs. Neighbors held conversations from porch to porch. As an old tortoise crept across the road, two teenagers held tra c at bay with their hands. Tra c
backed up a bit, but no one seemed impatient.
We cannot control the weather, tra c or turtles, but we can smile and maybe, as Ram Dass said, help walk each other home. Small steps can mean a great deal. I would likely have more examples of kindness from Chatham County except I spent a good portion of last week visiting my brother in the Big Apple. New Yorkers are reputed to be cold and indi erent. It’s true that the sheer number of people in the subway would prevent even the friendliest Tar Heel from carrying on small talk with each one about the weather.
But after a few days in the City That Never Sleeps, I became aware of the subtler forms of caretaking on display — waiting for the elderly to board the train, giving up one’s seat for the pregnant woman and a quick blast of the car horn that says, “Go ahead and merge
Life, like back porch, means taking good and bad
From time to time some folks have told me they’ve never smelled the presence of a skunk. Then they’ll ask, “What does it smell like?”
SOME FEW YEARS AGO, Better Half and I had a screened-in back porch added to our humble dwelling. It started out to be a deck, but somewhere between starting and nishing, we had the inspiration of why not make it a screen porch.
The logic to that was, I thought, very logical — namely we could enjoy the bene ts of the outdoors – fresh air, sights, sounds and so forth — without the down side, namely the bugs and skeeters and gnats. So the deed was done.
Since then, that room has gotten plenty of use. It’s an outdoor dining room, a place for co ee and the newspaper, site of lots of good naps in the metal glider that once graced my grandma and grandpa’s porch, later handed down to my folks. It’s at the top of the list of my favorite rooms in the house, somewhere in the mix with the study and the Necessary Room. Another feature that makes it really nice is that a few years ago, the deal Bank and We struck was kaput. The 30-year pound of esh arrangement was over. Bank was like Elvis, namely having left the building. I have no complaints with the deal. The good folks who built our place did a ne job. And in addition, the deal served as a great math lesson for me. I learned that because of something called compound interest, we paid back about three times what Bank loaned us.
But that’s OK. Both Better Half and I were away at work, plus we didn’t have any usable skills to help and the folks who built the place probably would have charged us triple for just getting in the way.
So after all is said and done, it’s been a good deal.
The screen porch I mentioned earlier came later. And, as noted, it’s been great. But in addition to the uses, I’ve also learned something from it about life. And that is that the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes — often, in fact — can and do go astray.
The other morning my mind was made up to take the morning paper and a cup of stout black co ee out to said glider. Throwing open the doors to the porch, I was greeted by the song of a quartet of birds, a gentle morning breeze even in the midst of our heat wave of the day, the early rays of the sunshine … and a nasal announcement that Pepé Le Pew had crossed the yard.
Maybe that’s why the family pooch barked all night.
From time to time some folks have told me they’ve never smelled the presence of a skunk. Then
BE IN TOUCH
in front of me.” There is a lot of discord in the news and deceit in the mouths of politicians, but I’d like to tune my ear to the many notes of neighborliness. My brother accidentally banged his head on the train’s luggage rack, and a gentleman seated across the row got up to check on him.
In addition to parables about mustard seeds and yeast, Jesus said the rain falls on the just and unjust. Rather than trying to judge people into one of those two categories, it seems far better (and holier) to be grateful and try to pay it forward, whether to a New Yorker, a North Carolinian or even a tortoise. After all, all God’s creatures got a place in the choir.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, co ee drinker and student of joy.
they’ll ask, “What does it smell like?” All I can say is that when a skunk or two has been by and done their skunk thing, you’ll know. Anyway, it made me realize life, of course, is like that. Sometimes the unique smell of a skunk of sorts will come along and interrupt our good plans, ideas and thoughts, such as the midst of what’s going on now with social unrest. So I’m pretty sure the best response to what’s going on — as well as visits from skunks — is to give things a little time, pay attention and do the right thing but don’t get your underwear in a wad, wait for a better day and go inside for the co ee and newspaper. And give Pepé and all the other skunks lots of room.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.
Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
Gossip pâté?
Richard was a dedicated believer in bourbon as a loving panacea for those who might be in emotional need.
HAD LUNCH with an old friend recently. Good and longtime Quakers that we are, gossip still continues to be a saucy menu component whenever we get together. We’re both awed but kind humans, not beating ourselves up for a periodic indulgence in gossip pâté.
Getting older generally sneaks into our conversations. At our respective ages of old, and older, who the hell cares. During our mutually happy foray into the French fries (oh geez, no!) Richard’s name arose. Richard, mid-80s, he of the curmudgeonly and still so incredibly loving mien, died several weeks ago.
My friend commented that Richard’s memorial service, at our Quaker meeting, would be SRO. It was.
SRO? That was Richard. Always modeling that the scale of our caring, small though it might be, is akin to pebbles thrown into a pond, spreading ripples farther than our eyes could see.
His magic bag of Richard-ness contained a carpenter who could construct anything, for anyone, gratis. That guy who would assist a friend, living several miles away, put drops in her eyes, three times a day, post-surgery. A mensch who could barely stand up as his cancer advanced but continued to o er a loving ear to the long-incarcerated men
COLUMN | LARRY ELDER
he escorted to our weekly Quaker meetings. And down to earth! Richard was a dedicated believer in bourbon as a loving panacea for those who might be in emotional need. I don’t drink, but I always, always appreciated his o ers to schlep bourbon way, way across town in order to provide libational support for my mental health. His mere o er perked me the hell up! Richard was curmudgeonly. No hiding that. He was curmudgeonly in the way that it took a bit of discerning, at times, as to whether he was being sarcastic or not. Of course, this might also be a very apt description of me.
Did I just out my, occasional, curmudgeonly self? Guess so. I make every e ort to curb my own, sarcastic curmudgeonly-ness. With Richard, I didn’t have to. That curmudgeonly streak was a small component of both our personalities and, hell, we both took a bit of joy in being curmudgeonly with each other.
He was an exemplar of being both vulnerably human, and a loving Quaker, to boot. Wavin’ at you, Richard, wherever you are.
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
Trump’s war critics discuss everything — except the point
An analysis that calls the con ict a potential forever war while refusing to analyze the threat that caused the war is not analysis. It is a prosecution brief.
THE LOS ANGELES Times recently published a “News Analysis” headlined: “Trump, long a critic of ‘forever wars,’ may be stumbling into one with Iran.”
The analysis o ers legitimate grounds for criticizing President Donald Trump. He has described the objectives of the war against Iran in di erent ways. He has made changing predictions about its duration. He has repeatedly suggested that an agreement was near, only for negotiations to collapse. He promised no more endless Middle East wars, yet the con ict has continued for months, American servicemembers have died, and the administration has not clearly de ned what victory looks like.
All fair questions. But the article omits the most important question of all: Why did the war begin?
Similarly, recent analyses in Time, The Washington Post and Politico raise many of the same objections. Yet here, too, none addresses the threshold question: Was Iran close to obtaining a nuclear weapon — and if so, how close?
Trump, from the beginning of the war, said the primary purpose is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte publicly agreed with Trump and said Iran was close to acquiring a nuclear and ballistic-missile capability “which is posing a threat not only to the region, the Middle East, including posing an existential threat to Israel, it is also posing a huge threat to us here in Europe.”
Was that assessment correct?
The Times quoted three experts who explain why Trump may be “stumbling” into a “forever war.” Yet the article does not ask any of them whether Iran was close to producing a nuclear weapon. It does not ask what Iran might have done with one. And it does not ask what they would have proposed to prevent it.
Suppose Iran was nowhere near a bomb. Suppose its nuclear program posed no imminent danger and could have been contained inde nitely through inspections, sanctions and negotiations. In that case, Trump’s decision to use military force becomes far harder, if not impossible, to defend.
But suppose Trump and Rutte were right. Suppose Iran was approaching the point at which it could produce a nuclear weapon along with increasingly capable missiles. It could intimidate its neighbors, protect its terrorist proxies and trigger a regional nuclear-arms race.
That would not automatically prove that every Trump decision was wise. It would not excuse shifting explanations, unrealistic timelines, failed cease res or poor planning, if that was the case. But it would establish that the president did not simply awaken one morning and decide he felt like bombing a country. It would establish that he took action when previous presidents chose not to — an action no other country on earth was willing or able to undertake.
Americans cannot intelligently judge this war when major news organizations discuss its costs while barely mentioning the danger it was intended to prevent.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed recently denounced “a war we should have never started.” Yet the interviewer never asked: Was Iran close to a nuclear weapon? If not, what evidence disproves that claim? If so, what would you have done about it, if anything? Sanctions? Iran endured them for years.
Negotiations? Iranian negotiators broke the memorandum of understanding before the ink was dry.
Inspections? Those work only when inspectors receive genuine access without notice and only if Iran allows the inspectors to inspect.
Containment? That means accepting the risk that the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism remains determined to acquire a nuclear weapon while hoping deterrence works forever.
That is what serious analysis looks like.
Critics may conclude that military action was unnecessary, disproportionate or counterproductive. But they must confront the alternative. What was the likelihood that Iran would obtain a bomb? How soon? What would the consequences have been if and when Iran achieves this objective? And what nonmilitary policy had a realistic chance of stopping it?
An analysis that calls the con ict a potential forever war while refusing to analyze the threat that caused the war is not analysis. It is a prosecution brief.
The public deserves scrutiny of Trump’s inconsistencies, predictions and strategy. But it also deserves scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear progress, intentions and capabilities. This is not too much to ask from a “news analysis.”
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
Rezoning should require a vote, not an expired clock
THE NORTH CAROLINA Senate has passed Senate Bill 1047, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, and its development-review provisions are now before the House. The bill is right to impose rm deadlines on local development review and to give those deadlines real consequences. Yet one provision deserves a closer look before it becomes law because it would deem a rezoning application approved solely because a review deadline expired.
Delay is a real cost, and it falls on the applicant. Carrying costs continue while land sits idle and nancing commitments lapse. A local government that will not decide can turn that refusal into a practical denial. On that point, the sponsors are right. The wrong answer is to treat an expired clock as if the elected board had voted yes.
Senate Bill 1047 applies to jurisdictions with populations of 20,000 or more. A covered government would have seven days to check whether an application is complete, staged periods for sta review and applicant response, and a nal 90 - day period to decide. Extensions would require the applicant’s consent and could not exceed six months. If that nal deadline passes, the application would count as approved.
For an administrative approval, a strong default remedy has some logic because such a permit turns on objective standards an applicant either meets or does not. Lawmakers may reasonably decide that a missed deadline should favor the applicant once those requirements are shown.
A rezoning is a di erent kind of act.
Under North Carolina law, it is a legislative decision by the elected governing board that requires published notice and a legislative hearing, referral to the planning board for review and comment, and governing-board statements addressing the amendment’s consistency with adopted plans and its reasonableness. If approved, the amendment must be adopted by ordinance. A rezoning is lawmaking about what may be built on the land, and the people who hold that power are the ones the voters chose.
Proposed North Carolina General Statute (G.S.) 160D-707 would let a rezoning be deemed approved with no vote by the governing board, yet the bill does not explain how approval by expiration would interact with the legislative hearing, ordinance adoption, planning-board review, and consistency and reasonableness statements that state law still requires. What the bill leaves unanswered is who performs the legislative act when no one votes. That gap is not only a problem for opponents. A conventional rezoning produces a clear public record of the required hearing, the governing board’s action and the amendment it adopted. An approval by expiration may instead require proof of when the clock began, whether it was tolled and which version of the application was approved. Those questions can surface during nancing, purchase or litigation, long after the approval is demanded.
The House can keep the binding schedule while xing this defect. It should retain the completeness review and the deadlines for rezonings but change what happens when a deadline expires. The consequence should be a decision, not a deemed approval.
The jurisdiction should complete any remaining notice, planning-board review and hearing steps on an expedited schedule, place the application on the earliest legally permissible agenda and hold a vote soon after the hearing. The local government should refund the application fee for missing the deadline so the missed deadline carries a direct nancial consequence. If the board still fails to act, the applicant should have an expedited superior - court action to compel a vote, with docket priority and recovery of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. The statute should also state plainly that expiration of the review period does not by itself amend the zoning map.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, left, and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8.
Supporters will say the consequence has to be approval itself because a board that can stall without losing will simply stall. The concern is fair, and any alternative must carry a real penalty. Together these remedies would impose a nancial cost, place the application on a mandatory decision schedule and give the applicant an enforceable right to the vote o cials failed to provide. They must also be usable by the owner of a single lot, not only a developer with a legal department, so the compulsory-vote action should be simple to le and shift fees.
A local government should not be allowed to avoid a decision. A zoning map, however, should change because the elected governing board voted to change it.
Colton Overcash is the founder of Vertex Strategies, a Charlotte-based government relations and strategic advisory rm. His work includes land-use policy, development approvals, and state and local government issues across North Carolina.
ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO
obituaries
IN MEMORY
REBECCA JANE “BECKY” CAVINESS WILKES
MARCH 7TH, 1949 – JULY 22ND, 2026
Rebecca Jane “Becky” Caviness Wilkes, 77, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.
The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Putnam Friends Church with Pastor James Brewer presiding.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The viewing will be from 1:00-1:45 p,m.
The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the committal.
Born on March 7, 1949, Becky was the beloved wife of Arthur Wilkes, with whom she shared 60 years of marriage.
She worked 19 years at Ithaca Hosiery and 19 years with Moore County Transportation.
Becky loved her family, camping in the mountains, shing, and spending time with her husband. She was a faithful member of Putnam Friends Church. Becky was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Bonnie Caviness; her brother, Junior Caviness; her sister, Brenda Marley and grandson, Corey Wilkes.
She is lovingly remembered by her husband of 60 years, Arthur Wilkes; her children, Cathy Wilkes, Tina Mitchell (Robbie) and Alan Wilkes,; her brother, Jackie Caviness; her grandchildren, Mandy Wiggins (Joshua), Della Bullen (Joshua), Johnathan Wiggins (Ti any), Amber Richardson (Tyler), Chandler Wilkes, Ashton Wilkes, Christian Wilkes, and Cayden Wilkes; and her great-grandchildren, Cohen, Brayden, LillyAnn, Emmarie, Phoenix, Tanner, Autumn, Rayah, Beau and Margaret.
Becky will be remembered for her gentle spirit, unwavering faith, and the love she poured into her family and everyone who knew her. She will be deeply missed and forever cherished.
R. James Woolsey, CIA director during Clinton administration, dead at 84
His two-year tenure was marked by the Aldrich Ames espionage scandal
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — R. James Woolsey, a national security expert who led the CIA for two turbulent years after his appointment by President Bill Clinton, has died. He was 84. Woolsey, who became CIA director in early 1993, died Tuesday at his home in Washington, D.C., according to several newspapers. His wife, Conchita Sarno Woolsey, told the newspapers that he died from a stroke.
She told The Washington Post that his health had declined in recent years due to “Havana syndrome,” a mysterious condition that’s been reported by some U.S. diplomats and other government personnel. Symptoms that include headaches, balance problems and di culties with thinking and sleep were rst reported in Cuba in 2016, leading to the label.
Woolsey left the CIA in early 1995. Among criticisms he’d faced were from those who felt there had been insu cient sanctions against supervisors of confessed CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who betrayed Western intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and Russia. Ames, a career CIA o cer, admitted being paid $2.5 million by Moscow for U.S. secrets from 1985 until his arrest in 1994.
Woolsey said the agency couldn’t fully protect itself against spies like Ames, and he cautioned against overreacting to the vulnerabilities exposed by Ames. He said there was a danger in going too far too fast, adding that overly strict security measures could lead to “a mood or attitude of paranoia and false accusations” that would further damage morale.
With the end of the Cold War, Woolsey also faced pres-
SUZANNE PLUNKETT / AP PHOTO
Former CIA director R. James Woolsey discusses new policies toward Iraq in March 2001 in New York.
sure from lawmakers who sought to make deep cuts to the agency’s budget.
Before leading the CIA, he served as undersecretary of the Navy in the Carter administration and as an adviser on arms control issues to both Republican and Democratic presidents.
When he became director of the CIA, he was known for getting things done. He was appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1989 as a special negotiator for the languishing talks between the NATO alliance and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact on reducing weapons and troops in Europe. A year later, Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty.
Woolsey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Sept. 21, 1941. The graduate of Stanford University was a Rhodes Scholar who got his law degree from Yale University. He began government work in 1970 as a sta member on the National Security Council before moving to Capitol Hill to become general counsel to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Between stints in government work, he practiced law at a Washington, D.C., rm.
Gunther von Hagens, German anatomist behind ‘Body Worlds’ exhibition, dead at 81
His plastination method preserved corpses and sparked worldwide debate about death and dignity
By Geir Moulson
The Associated Press
BERLIN — Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist who generated both fascination and revulsion around the globe with his “Body Worlds” exhibits of preserved human corpses, has died. He was 81.
Von Hagens’ family and the Institute for Plastination, which he founded, said he died last Friday. A statement they issued on Monday gave no further details. Von Hagens had announced in 2010 that he was living with Parkinson’s disease.
Von Hagens trod a ne line between science, entertainment and commerce with his touring exhibits, as well as headline-grabbing actions such as a public autopsy.
At the heart of von Hagens’ work was the so-called plastination process — replacing body uids with liquid plastic that then hardens. That technique, which he started developing in the 1970s, prevented decay, left tissues intact and allowed him to display preserved corpses and their inner organs.
The resulting exhibition, “Body Worlds,” rst went on show in Japan in 1995.
Two years later, the collection of partly skinless corpses went on display in von Hagens’ homeland, overcoming an attempt by local church leaders to block its opening on the
“I
touch here a taboo, which is our body, and nothing is so near as our body is to us.”
Gunther von Hagens, anatomist
grounds that it was disrespectful. Von Hagens said he was helping viewers understand how their bodies work.
The anatomist “is forced in his daily work to reject the taboos and convictions that people have about death and the dead,” von Hagens said of his work.
“I touch here a taboo, which is our body, and nothing is so near as our body is to us,” he said.
The shows used the corpses of people who agreed to donate their bodies for plastination. Critics argued that von Hagens bordered on sensationalism with his works, which included a corpse riding a plastinated horse, and a pregnant woman with an 8-month-old fetus inside.
Von Hagens “plays with the corpses like a child plays with dolls,” the Rev. Ernst Pulsfort, spiritual rector of Berlin’s Catholic Academy, said when the show rst opened in the German capital in 2001. He argued that it catered to a “public lust for sensation.”
During a “Body Worlds” show in London in 2002, the anatomist — wearing, as ever, his trademark black fedora — conducted Britain’s rst public autopsy in 170 years before
a sellout crowd of hundreds, defying government warnings that it might be illegal.
Von Hagens declared it a “huge success.” The British Medical Association’s head of ethics, Dr. Michael Wilkes, said it was “degrading and disrespectful.”
The “Body Worlds” exhibits were shown in several American cities after making their U.S. debut in Los Angeles in 2004.
Von Hagens’ “Plastinarium,” where bodies are prepared, opened in the eastern German town of Guben in 2006.
The anatomist was born Gunther Liebchen on Jan. 10, 1945, in what is now western Poland.
He went to medical school in Jena in East Germany but increasingly questioned the communist system and made a failed attempt to ee to the West. He was detained before West Germany bought his freedom in 1970, a regular practice at the time.
He continued his medical studies at the University of Luebeck and, in the 1970s, began working at Heidelberg University’s pathology and anatomy institute. He married a former classmate, Cornelia von Hagens, and took her surname.
His second wife, Angelina Whalley, heads his Heidelberg-based Institute for Plastination and curates his exhibitions. He had three children from his rst marriage. Monday’s statement said it was von Hagens’ wish that his body be made available for plastination and “his family will respect and carry out this wish.”
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamnewsrecord.com
LM OTERO / AP PHOTO
German Gunther von Hagens poses with a display from “Body Worlds” anatomy exhibit that puts real human specimens on show in Dallas, Texas, in January 2007.
SOLDIERS from page A1
the digni ed transfer by administration o cials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Sta . Also present were Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).
During the ritual, transfer cases draped with the American ag and holding the remains of the fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that transported them to awaiting vehicles to take them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the service members are prepared for their nal resting place.
Fallen troops came from Hawaii, Texas, New York, North Carolina
Two U.S. Army soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan were returned during the digni ed transfer. The remains of a third service member who is believed to be the soldier missing after the Jordan attacks were also returned, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in Iraq during a detonation of an Iranian drone.
The soldiers killed in Jordan were identi ed by the Defense Department as Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. The soldier who disappeared after the Jordan attacks is Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, the Defense Department said.
The soldier killed in Iraq was identi ed as Michael Emman-
uel Swinton, 30, who lived in Spring Lake, North Carolina.
Trump said Feehan’s family accepted an invitation to join him on Air Force One last Wednesday as he traveled to an event in Georgia, where the family lives. Speaking at the event in Marietta, Trump described Feehan as a “ awless” person who was “going all the way — he was going to be a general.”
“We will carry Tyler’s memory in our hearts forever, and I just want to thank you,” he told Feehan’s parents during his remarks. “It’s an honor to have you here today.”
Trump previously said the soldiers died while protecting America and other nations from Iran.
“We feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there ghting so that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters last Sunday. He added that the U.S. was striking Iran “in honor” of the fallen troops.
Trump vows to retaliate for each U.S. death
The U.S. has launched multiple retaliatory strikes against Iran as an interim agreement to end the war falls apart. Trump on Monday said that every time Iran kills an American soldier, “they will pay for that killing many times over!”
Since the war began Feb. 28, 18 U.S. service members have been killed.
Trump last Tuesday said that while almost all the incoming re in Jordan was stopped, some made it through.
“They did slip something through in Jordan,” he said. “If we had other operators, you know, it would have not happened, unfortunately.” He added that “we let other people do the job — and sometimes it doesn’t work out so well.”
Trump did not elaborate on his comments, and it was not immediately clear who he was saying was responsible for protecting U.S. forces in Jordan.
Trump attended two previous digni ed transfers since the outset of the war, most recently in March.
Soldier had planned to marry ance, attend law school
Feehan, a rst lieutenant who was killed last Saturday, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. He was assigned out of Fort Bragg to the 32nd Army Air
and Missile Defense Command.
Feehan’s family said in a statement that their hearts were shattered by his loss. They remembered Feehan, who went by “Tivo,” as someone who “packed in more living” in his 25 years than most do in a lifetime.
“He chased adventure relentlessly,” the statement said. “He believed deeply in the power of military service, especially what it builds in a person: discipline, leadership, character.”
He planned to marry hisance and attend law school after his deployment. The family said they’re starting a scholarship in his name.
Gonzales, who was killed Friday, was a private with the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany. She graduated last year from Hebron High School in Carrollton, near Dallas, school o cials said.
Rampersad, a sergeant who was believed to have been killed in the drone attacks, was as-
VOTING from page A1
states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. Their attorneys have said Trump’s proposed changes are ripe for abuse and could cause chaos.
A judge in Massachusetts blocked the executive order for the plainti states, and a divided 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel left her ruling in place over the weekend.
The executive order calls for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to send state o cials federal citizenship lists to determine eligible voters. It tells the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on the lists.
The order also calls for ballots to have secure envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking. Federal funding could be withheld from states and localities that don’t comply.
The appeal argues that Trump’s order lays out “general policy guidance” and doesn’t directly dictate how states run their elections. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the high court to freeze the judge’s order as lawsuits play out, calling it indefensible.
“And the injunction is especially indefensible because the agencies are still deliberating over how (if at all) to implement the Order, yet the district court preemptively decided that whatever the agencies may choose to do will necessarily be unlawful,” Sauer wrote.
He urged the high court to move quickly, arguing that any new policies would have to be in place as soon as August to be e ective for the November elections. A response to the appeal is due Aug. 3.
Mail balloting has long been a favorite target for Trump, even as he has used the method to cast his own votes. He has blamed it for his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and has claimed without evidence that it opens the door to fraud. He returned to that theme Monday during an appearance at a General Motors facility in Michigan as he was making an appeal for Congress to pass his voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bill. “And hopefully there will be no mail-in ballots,” he said, calling them “inherently corrupt.”
Using mail ballots has become increasingly popular with voters of both parties, with about 30% of all ballots cast that way during the 2024
U.S.
moves a transfer case containing the remains of 1st
of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, last Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.
signed to the 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany.
In a brief statement, Rampersad’s family called her a “gentle giant” who “stood up for those who couldn’t ght for themselves.”
“She loved her family ercely and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched,” the statement said.
Deonne Jinkins, 22, a friend, said Rampersad “loved deeply, cared genuinely, and always made people feel seen and important.”
Swinton, a sergeant who was killed in Iraq, will receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and will be promoted to sta sergeant. He enlisted in the Army in 2017 and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg.
Ballots are counted at the L.A. County Ballot Processing Center during the California primary election June 2 in City of Industry, California.
presidential election, according to federal data. The process also is secure. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found only about four cases of fraud out of every 10 million mail ballots cast.
The Supreme Court has ruled against the Trump administration before on mail-in ballots, nding in June that states can count ballots that arrive after Election Day.
Trump has promoted the proposed changes in his executive order as safeguards to keep non-U.S. citizens from voting. He’s also repeatedly pressed for the passage of the legislation that requires proof of citizenship to vote.
Noncitizen voting has been shown to be rare and is a felony that can be punishable by deportation.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, agreed in June to halt implementation for the Nov. 3 elections.
Her ruling di ered from that of another federal judge based in Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed by Trump, found in May that it was too early to block the order because it had not yet been implemented.
The o ce of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the lawsuit for the states, did not immediately comment on the Trump administration’s appeal. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ o ce declined to comment.
The Postal Service also would not discuss its plans regarding implementing Trump’s order or its rule, citing the ongoing litigation. In Kansas, Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s o ce said it has not heard from the Postal Service about plans going forward.
MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO
A
Army carry team
Lt. Tyler James Feehan
WILLIAM LIANG / AP PHOTO
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NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Co-Executors of the Will of Jacqueleene Bowen Dobbins, a/k/a Jacqueleene B. Dobbins, Jacqueleene Dobbins, and Jackie Dobbins, late of Chapel Hill, Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned do hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at One West Fourth Street, Suite 1200, WinstonSalem, NC 27101, on or before the 23rd day of October, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 23rd day of July, 2026.
JAMES TALMAGE DOBBINS, III, and STEVEN EARL DOBBINS, CO-
EXECUTORS OF THE WILL OF JACQUELEENE BOWEN DOBBINS Kimberly H. Stogner Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP One West Fourth Street – 12th Floor Winston-Salem, NC 27101 July 23rd, 30th, August 6th and 13th, 2026
Notice to Creditors
Estate of Truby Weldon Horton File No.: 25E000631-180
ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations having claims against Truby Weldon Horton, deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before November 2, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 30th day of July, 2026. Bryan Weldon Horton, Executor, in c/o Jenna Parkolap, Attorney, at Carolina Family Estate Planning, 51 Kilmayne Drive, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27511. Publication Dates: July 30, 2026 August 6, 2026 August 13, 2026 August 20, 2026
Notice to Creditors
ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations having claims against Robert Aloysius Messemer Jr., deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before October 9th, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 9th day of July, 2026. Lyn Messemer, Executor, c/o Bagwell Holt Smith P.A., 111 Cloister Court, STE 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of William Norman Sharpe, Jr., Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ces of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 9th day of October, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 9th day of July, 2026.
SARAH ELIZABETH TILLMAN, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF WILLIAM NORMAN SHARPE, JR.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA\ CHATHAM COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF\ CHRISTINE C. HORTON\ Estate File No. 26E000261-180
The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Christine C. Horton, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before October 30,2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the day of July 30, 2026. Douglas E Horton\ [Executor of the Estate of Christine C. Horton]\ 200 Caley Wilson Rd\ Apex, NC 27523\ Cell 919-815-0227 NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF JAMES GUY COBLE, DECEASED, 26E000391-180 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against JAMES GUY COBLE, Deceased, are noti ed to exhibit them to MARK COBLE, ANCILLARY EXECUTOR for the decedent’s estate on or before the 21ST day of October, 2026, at the o ce of LOCKAMY LAW FIRM, P.A., Attorneys, 3130 Hope Valley Road, Durham, North Carolina 27707, Attention: MARK COBLE, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named estate c/o MARK COBLE, ANCILLARY EXECUTOR. MARK COBLE, ANCILLARY EXECUTOR of JAMES GUY COBLE, Deceased
JOSHUA S. BARTON, Attorney LOCKAMY LAW FIRM, P.A. 3130 Hope Valley Road Durham, North Carolina 27707
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY
HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Marion Turner Hargrove, Jr. of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 28th day of October, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 23rd day of July, 2026. Pamela Lowe Hargrove 3035 Silk Hope Liberty Road Siler
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NOTICE
Estate of Dwane Edward Porter AKA Dwane E. Porter, Chatham County Estate File No. 26E000401-180:
All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Dwane Edward Porter AKA Dwane E. Porter, deceased, of Travis County, TX. with an estate in Chatham County, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before October 16, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 16th of July, 2026. Rebecca Marie King, Ancillary Executor C/O Elizabeth Boyette, Boyette Law, PLLC 4509 Creedmoor Road Suite 201 Raleigh, NC 27612
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Celine Danielle Levine Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Celine Danielle Levine, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 5842 Fayetteville Road, Suite 113, Durham, NC 27713, on or before the 24th day of October, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 17th day of July, 2026 Shani Levine Cohen, Executor of the Estate of Celine Danielle Levine Dori J. Dixon Southpoint Estate Planning Attorney for the Estate 5842 Fayetteville Road, Suite 113 Durham, North Carolina, 27713 FOR PUBLICATION: 07/23/2026, 07/30/26, 08/06/26, 08/13/26
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
26E000323-180 ALL persons having claims against MARGARET HELEN PEARSON, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Oct 09 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 9th day of July, 2026. CHAD PEARSON, Executor C/O Lenfestey, Maxie & Burger, PLLC 127 W. Hargett St., Ste 301, PMB 190 Raleigh, NC 27601 J9, 16, 23 and 30
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
26E000285-180 ALL persons having claims against STEPHEN RAY THOMAS, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Oct 16 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 16th day of July, 2026. LAURA THOMAS LUTTERLOH, CoExecutor THOMAS E LAYTON, Co-Executor C/O LAYTON & CARRAWAY, PA 680 Lutterloh Road Pittsboro, NC 27312 J16, 23, 30 and 6
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000410-180 The undersigned, TERRI TALBOTT GUNTER, having quali ed on the 7TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of CAROLYN MCDUFFIE TALBOTT, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. TERRI TALBOTT GUNTER, EXECUTOR 179 ASHBURY CHURCH RD. SANFORD, NC 27330 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000294-180 The undersigned, SHEREESE R. MYERS, having quali ed on the 19TH Day of MAY 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of CLARISSA T. NEAL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. SHEREESE R. MYERS, ADMINISTRATOR 2012 RAJ DR. DURHAM, NC 27703 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000418-180 The undersigned, EMEILIA WICKER ELLIS, having quali ed on the 14TH Day of July 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DANA L. WICKER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. EMEILIA WICKER ELLIS, ADMINISTRATOR 7695 SILER CITY SNOW CAMP RD SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000409-180
The undersigned, JILL POPE CAGLE, having quali ed on the 7TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DORIS POPE TANT, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. JILL POPE CAGLE, EXECUTOR 145 CEDAR RUN PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000421-180 The undersigned, CAROL A. CHESLAK, having quali ed on the 14TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of EDWARD ALAN BARNES, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. CAROL A. CHESLAK, EXECUTOR 2326 VALENCIA TERR CHARLOTTE, NC 28226 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000412-180
The undersigned Audrey Diane May Braswell, having quali ed on the 9th Day of July 2026 as Executor of the Estate of John H. May, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16TH Day OF October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH Day of July 2026. AUDREY DIANE MAY BRASWELL 1837 MONCURE PITTSBORO RD. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000390-180 The undersigned Antoinette DiBenedetto having quali ed on the 30th Day of June 2026 as Executor of the Estate of Libby Ann Capaldi deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16th Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16th Day of July 2026. ANTOINETTE DIBENEDETTO, EXECUTOR 517 OAKWOOD AVE. RALEIGH, NC 27601 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000414-180
The undersigned MARY COX, having quali ed on the 13TH Day of July 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of SUSAN FRANCES REA, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. MARY COX, EXECUTOR 84 LITTLE CREEK LANE SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000424-180 The undersigned, WALTER CALVIN WRENN, having quali ed on the 16TH Day of JULY 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of TABITHA H. WRENN, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. WALTER CALVIN WRENN, ADMINISTRATOR 1183 EDDIE PERRY ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000174-180 The undersigned Victoria Wyatt Partin, having quali ed on the 2nd Day of July 2026 as Administrator of the Estate of Kathleen V.Wyatt, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16TH Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH Day of July 2026. Victoria Wyatt Partin, Administrator 520 Rocky Hills Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000381-180
The undersigned ROSS D. THRAILKILL, having quali ed on the 1ST Day of July 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of WILLIAM BENTON THRAILKILL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16TH Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH Day of July 2026. ROSS D. THRAILKILL, EXECUTOR 220 THRAILKILL LANE PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000411-180
The undersigned Gwendolyn Jones York having quali ed on the 8th Day of July 2026 as Executor of the Estate of William Mike York, Jr., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16TH Day OF October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH Day of July 2026.
GWENDOLYN JONES YORK, EXECUTOR 41 OAKMONT LANE SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000431-180
The undersigned, TIMOTHY ALLEN ENGLISH, having quali ed on the 20TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BETTY ENGLISH, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 30TH Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 30TH Day of July 2026.
TIMOTHY ALLEN ENGLISH, EXECUTOR 1703 VINEYARD MIST DRIVE CARY, NC 27519 Run dates: Jy30,A6,13,20c
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000413-180
The undersigned, JESSE SEAGROVES, having quali ed on the 20TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of STELLA B SEAGROVES, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 23RD Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 23RD Day of July 2026. JESSE SEAGROVES, EXECUTOR 3800 MCLAURIN ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 Run dates: Jy23,30,A6,13p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000404-180
The undersigned TARA GAINES BURNS AND BEN PHILIP GAINES, JR., having quali ed on the 7TH Day of JULY 2026 as Co-Executors of the Estate of BEN PHILIP GAINES, SR., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 16TH Day OF OCTOBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH DAY OF JULY 2026. TARA GAINES BURNS, CO-EXECUTOR 4456 THOMPSON MILL RD. GRAHAM, NC 27253 MAIL TO: BEN PHILIP GAINES, JR., CO-EXECUTOR PO BOX 56 GOLDSTON, NC 27252 Run dates: Jy16,23,30,A6p
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF Kathryn Haeng Nan Kim All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Kathryn Haeng Nan Kim, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit them to Grace Kim as Administrator of the decedent’s estate on or before October 24, 2026, c/o Janet B. Witchger, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 23rd day of July 2026. Grace Kim, Administrator c/o Janet B. Witchger, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE TO CREDITORS 26E000374-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
The undersigned, Oceanna Sha er, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Michael Hunter Sha er, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of October 7, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 9th day of July 2026. Oceanna Sha er Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Mae Geraldine Stats, Deceased,
Earlysville MD 22936 Name and Address of Attorney: Steven Lundberg 1155 Kildaire Farm Rd, Ste. 204 Cary, NC 27511 Date of Publication: July 16, 23, 30, and August 6, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of JOHN M. LATIMER, JR., Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ces of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 30th day of October, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 30th day of July, 2026. HARRISON ARMISTEAD LATIMER, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOHN M. LATIMER, JR. NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000449-180 The undersigned, RALPH C. MILLS, having quali ed on the 27TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOYCE ANN DAVIS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 30TH Day of October 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 30TH Day of July 2026. RALPH C. MILLS, EXECUTOR 7021 CARPENTER FIRE STATION ROAD CARY, NC 27519 Run dates: Jy30,A6,13,20p
How lighthearted social media trend of ‘teen takeovers’ took serious turn
Teens say the gatherings o er community that pandemic disruption and school closures removed
By Sa yah Riddle and Corey Williams
The Associated Press
WHEN DAMARION Spann, 18, saw an Instagram ier calling for a massive gathering on a beach near downtown Chicago, he immediately wanted to go. Thousands of others joined him that night on the sand, blasting music and dancing.
The cultural trend of so-called teen takeovers has popped up across the U.S. in recent years, in uencing local policing and national politics. The events, often hyped online and captured in videos on social media, have led to shootings, theft and vandalism. City o cials and police are concerned about an increase over the summer and are under pressure to prevent similar gatherings or to punish those who participate.
Over the July 4 holiday weekend, several thousand young people converged in two spots in Raleigh, police said. Nine people, including an adult who was not part of the gatherings, were shot and wounded.
There were also takeovers in Pensacola, Florida, where a 19-year-old was shot and killed; and Newport Beach, California, where more than 400 were arrested after the police chief said teens launched “explosive mortars and other projectiles” at ofcers ordering them to disperse.
But Spann and other teens say that the events are largely misunderstood. They point to formal curfews or limits on group size at malls and movie theaters that have made it harder for teens to gather, exacerbating a feeling of disconnection they trace back to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
How cities track social media trend
Communities and police across the country are trying to identify organizers, ne parents of those involved and impose curfews.
In Detroit, o cials say they “thwarted” 19 gatherings so far this year by monitoring time and location changes as young people coordinated across social media, said Teferi Brent, director of the Mayor’s O ce of Neighborhood and Community Safety.
“We have eyes on all the behaviors and activities of those who have expressed interest in trying to take over, and we have done a good job of being way ahead of the curve and being able to prevent a lot of these things,” Brent said.
Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, who chairs the Chicago City Council’s subcommittee on Youth Employment, said her ofce has tried to nd solutions that don’t rely exclusively on police and instead coordinate with parents and community members to prevent con ict or crimes.
Damarion Spann, 18, poses for a portrait in Chicago on July 13.
Blue Island, a south Chicago suburb, has taken another tack: to ne parents or guardians and use the funds to cover clean up after events. That might include debris left behind or other damages like cars dented from scores of teens clambering over them while eeing police.
Other places have taken harsher approaches, as in Florida, where state o cials said prosecutors can apply racketeering laws, typically targeting criminal gangs or organized crime, if takeovers appear to be facilitated by “an organized network.”
But some have pushed back on the idea that the threat of harsh legal punishment could prevent the gatherings in the rst place.
“What we know about adolescent brain development is that the stakes are not going to be what prevents a young person from engaging in risky behavior,” said Melissa Milchman, the executive director for the nonpartisan organization the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. Milchman added that mass arrests often ensnare those who are go-
one surviving borrower; and WHEREAS, the default upon which this foreclosure and the acceleration of the secured indebtedness is based, is as follows: That under Paragraph 6(A)(i) of the above-referenced Note and Paragraph 10(A)(i) of the above-referenced Deed of Trust, upon death of the Borrower/Grantor, should the Property not remain the principal residence of at least one surviving Borrower, the Secretary has the right to demand, and the Secretary has demanded, the immediate payment in full of all outstanding principal and accrued but unpaid interest; and WHEREAS, a default has occurred under the terms and conditions of the above Note and Deed of Trust, in that a demand has been made for the immediate payment in full of all outstanding principal and accrued interest, which remains unpaid; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of June 11, 2026 was $475,098.63; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the Deed of Trust to be immediately due and payable; WHEREAS, the foreclosure sale was originally scheduled for July 16, 2026 at 11:00 A.M., but has been adjourned until August 14, 2026 pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 3760(c); NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, 12 U.S.C 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR part 27, subpart B, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded on May 15, 2026, in Book 2526 at Page 633 of the Chatham County Register of Deeds, notice is hereby given that on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. local time, all real and personal property at or used in connection with the following described premises (“Property”) will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder: BEING ALL of Lot 697, Phase Two, Section II,
ing for innocent fun without preventing others from breaking the law.
Teens say there aren’t safe spaces for them to gather
For Spann, the recent media attention on the events has largely failed to capture the appeal to young people.
“You feel like a young person who has freedom, who’s not being held to something,” said Spann, who is black. At the event he went to, he was able to catch up with people he hadn’t seen since eighth grade.
He said that the events are a direct result of a cascade of school closures across black neighborhoods over the past couple decades in Chicago. To deter people from gathering even at basketball courts, where there were sometimes ghts, ofcials have removed the nets.
Spann said his mother, who grew up in the same neighborhood, frequently talks about how much easier it used to be to hang out outside without a fear of gun violence.
When Spann goes to malls in more a uent areas with his mostly black group of friends, shoppers often stare and security guards question them. To avoid scrutiny, Spann and his friends sometimes sneak into outdoor shopping centers or areas downtown in smaller groups at staggered times.
By contrast, in the same spaces, Spann said, “If I’m with my white friends, I feel like I belong.”
Despite the physical dangers that come with takeovers and the threat of getting a ticket or even arrested, the allure is strong, according to Je rey Bernstein, a psychologist and author.
“The kids still do it because they feel like it’s their second family,” which he said “really takes over as their primary sense of connection.”
“They’re getting things from their peers that they can’t get from their parents.”
Some cities have tried to meet that need head-on instead of cracking down with law enforcement.
In St. Louis, o cers have started to bring some teens to community centers instead of jails so their parents can pick them up, and in Baltimore, ocials have tried leaning on public schools to provide alternative programming. In Chicago, Spann received a $11,000 grant from the city and partnering nonpro ts to host an event for his peers at the end of the summer in an e ort to give his community more places to gather.
What cities are doing to address “teen takeovers”
In April, Daveion Page, a 16-year-old in Detroit, was bored. He turned to his phone, creating a post on social media promoting a teen takeover. Hundreds of teens soon ocked to a site down-
town and ghts broke out by the end of the night. At another takeover in May, a 14-year-old was shot and wounded.
After the Detroit event in April, Page told reporters that he didn’t intend for the takeover he organized to result in violence.
“I just wanted to get out of the house, have fun, enjoy time with my family and my homeboys and my homegirls, too,” said Page, who was anked by Detroit Mayor Mary She eld and other city o cials at a news conference.
He told city o cials that young people might respond if there were more safe places to gather.
Before the takeovers, there were already plans to use $1.5 million from the city’s budget for summer programming and to support violence prevention programs. In response to the takeovers, the city has launched an o ce of youth affairs, met and listened to students at schools, and created a youth advisory board comprised of teens and young adults.
“We have brought them to the table and made them a part of our structure in regards to identifying what the needs and concerns are of the young people in the city,” Brent said.
In Detroit, a late-night basketball league has formed as an alternative hangout spot for teens and young adults. Jerseys and sneakers are provided by the city.
“This league just helps me nd something to do,” Cameron Chandler, 21, said while playing basketball at the recreation center.
He’s never participated in a takeover, but recently after practice, he stumbled on one near his home.
“There were a lot of cops and some people got arrested,” Chandler said. “You just have to think, ‘that could easily be me.’”
purchase price must be delivered within 30 days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certi ed or cashier’s check. If the Secretary
TYLER PASCIAK LARIVIERE / CHICAGO SUN-TIMES VIA AP
Hundreds of young people gather near the Gri n Museum of Science and Industry in the Hyde Park neighborhood as Chicago police o cers attempt to disperse them May 25.
NAM Y. HUH / AP PHOTO
CHATHAM SPORTS
Fowler, Graves, Leonard showcase skills in East-West games
Northwood coach Matt Brown led the East squad in the boys’ game
Chatham News & Record sta
THE NC Coaches Associa-
tion East-West All-Star Game was played in Greensboro last week, and Chatham County was represented in both games.
The 77th edition of the boys’ game saw the West pull out a 102-101 win over the East on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Reidsville’s Dionte Neal. The dramatic shot canceled out an outstanding defensive game plan on Neal — the reign-
ing Gatorade Player of the Year for the state — denying him the ball and guarding him just as ercely without it to prevent him from getting open.
The plan was drawn up by Northwood coach Matt Brown, who had the honor of coaching the East for the game. Neal, who averaged 24.5 points per game in his high school career and 34.7 as a senior, had just two points entering the fourth quarter and just nine before his nal desperation shot.
Local 14U boys’ ag football team competes for NFL title
Flag Football Elite advanced to the championships in its second year of existence
Chatham News & Record sta LAST YEAR, former Cincinnati Bengals’ player Cedric Peerman started NFL Flag Football Elite. The program, which combines on- eld games and practices with educational opportunities on
mental toughness, nutrition, leadership development and more, has grown and now includes hundreds of athletes at di erent levels.
The team took a big step forward this year, with the 14U boys’ team advancing to the NFL Flag Football Championships in West eld, Indiana, last week. The boys’ squad is made up of players from Chatham County and the Triangle area, and it plays home games at Northwood High School in
Pittsboro. They were the only team from the state to advance to the NFL championship tournament.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our athletes to see what is possible,” Peerman said before leaving for Indiana. “Our goal has always been to create meaningful opportunities for kids in this region — opportunities to compete, grow, be seen and represent
While Brown’s time on the All-Star bench ended in defeat, he was surrounded by a pair of familiar faces. Northwood guard Cam Fowler and wing
All three teams will be competing in Florida across di erent age divisions
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
A FEW LOCAL TEAMS are making some noise in the softball world.
Three Chatham County-based all-star teams will be competing in 2026 Dixie Softball World Series tournaments this week.
The Dixie League includes teams from primarily the southeastern part of the country (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and is divided into six di erent age divisions.
Points below his season average player of the year Dionte Neal scored against Matt Brown’s defense 3 Chatham County softball teams that quali ed for the 2026 Dixie Softball World Series
The three teams that quali ed for their respective World Series include the West Chatham Angels (10U), the Southwest Chatham Darlings (8U) and the West Chatham Debs (19U).
Each team is composed of the top players from rec leagues
Chad Graves were both on the East squad.
The 6-foot-4 Fowler averaged 22.3 points for the Chargers last season, ranking in the
around the area, and all three now have their eyes set on national titles.
The West Chatham Angels quali ed for the 2026 Dixie Softball Angels World Series after becoming state champions earlier this month.
The girls became North Carolina Dixie Softball Angels Division State Champions after sweeping the bracket, defeating teams from Lumberton, Leland, Cherryville and Kinston en route to the title. The West Chatham Angels outscored their opponents 36-17 and went a perfect 5-0 in the state bracket. Now they’ll be competing down in Florida as part of the 10U Dixie Softball World Series. That tournament will kick o Aug. 1 in Belleview, Florida, with West Chatham’s rst opponent being the team from Chester, Tennessee. In total, 14 teams quali ed for the tournament, and West Chatham will have home eld advantage for the rst two games should they advance.
Northwood’s Cam Fowler (23) tries to create space to move with the ball during the East-West All-Star Game in Greensboro last
Flag Football Elite
Flag Football Elite, the 14U boys’ team founded and coached by former NFL player Cedric Peerman, advanced to the NFL Flag Football Championships in West eld, Indiana.
The team: Emmaus, Tristan, Colt, Lukas, Tiger, Seth T., Hudson, Seth M. and Imani, is made up of players spanning from Chatham County to the Triangle, and plays in Pittsboro.
14U from page B1
their community with pride. To have our players invited to the national championship stage, and to represent North Carolina as the only team from the state, is a blessing and a re ection of the hard work of our athletes, coaches, and families.”
Co-founder Dr. Hagar Elgendy pointed out their focus on developing the whole person, not just winning games on the eld.
“Our mission has never been just about football,” Elgendy said. “It is about building condence, creating safe spaces for children to compete, developing leaders and opening doors for athletes who may not otherwise have access to these types of opportunities. As former athletes ourselves, we know how powerful sport can be in changing the trajectory of a young person’s life.”
The team didn’t win a title, but it marked a milestone of the development of the players on the team, as well as the program.
“This is bigger than one tournament,” Peerman added. “It is a chance for our athletes to understand that where they come from belongs on the national stage. Chatham County, Chapel Hill, Durham, the Triangle and the state of North Carolina have incredible kids, families and coaches — and we are honored to help represent them.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for our athletes to see what is possible.”
Cedric Peerman, NFL Flag Football Elite co-founder
COURTESY
PHOTOS COURTESY FLAG FOOTBALL ELITE / FACEBOOK
EAST-WEST from page B1
top ve in Class 3A. He added 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Fowler nished with 15 points in the All-Star game, third on the East and fth among all scorers in the game.
The 6-foot-7 Graves tied for
from page B1
The Southwest Chatham Darlings All-Stars were state runners-up, falling twice to Cherryville but still going 4-2 overall in the tournament.
They ran out their opponents across their four wins with a combined score of 50 -10 but were just barely on the wrong side in their two losses (4-3; 5-3).
Despite the loss, they were ultimately invited to participate in the 8U Dixie Softball World Series, which will also take place in Belleview.
The Darlings are set to take on the hosting Belleview team starting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 1 and will have home- eld advantage for the rst two games should they advance.
In total, 12 teams quali ed for the Darlings tournament.
Finally, the West Chatham Debs All-Stars also became state champions a couple of weeks ago, defeating Brunswick County by a combined score of 41-0 across two games.
West Chatham and Brunswick were the only two teams in the state tournament, but that doesn’t take away anything that the girls accomplished.
The Debs World Series tournament is taking place in West Pasco, Florida, and is already taking place, having kicked o Saturday.
As of July 27, West Chatham has a 2-1 record, winning their opening game against Prince
the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference lead in double-doubles and nished second in blocks.
Graves continued blocking shots in the All-Star Game and nished with six points. In the 52nd girls’ East-West game, held before the boys’ game in the same venue, the
East got an 85-82 win, thanks in part to seven points by Seaforth guard Katie Leonard.
Leonard was chosen for the game after leading the Hawks in scoring (21.0), rebounds (7.3), assists (5.9) and blocks (1.3). She ranked seventh in the state in 3-pointers and 12th in assists.
West
Edward/Farmville, Virginia, 16-5 but falling 20-2 to West Pasco.
However, the team is staying alive in the loser bracket, where it has picked up a win against Alexandria, Louisi-
ana, (6 -1) and are set to take on S. Boston AM, Virginia, next.
In total, nine teams quali ed for the 19U Dixie Softball World Series.
The tournaments are all double-elimination brackets.
Gilliland completes surprising In-Season Challenge run by collecting $1M paycheck for victory
Ryan Blaney’s crash helped decide a tight challenge
By Michael Marot The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — Todd Gilliland reached the nal round of NASCAR’s second In-Season Challenge by taking advantage of all the right breaks.
Daniel Suarez su ered an early tire problem in Round 1 and nished 31st. Carson Hocevar crashed early in Round 2. Alex Bowman nished two laps behind the leaders in Round 3 and then made a pit lane mistake at North Wilkesboro that helped eliminate Chase Elliott and put Gilliland in the nale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
So naturally, the self-described underdog persevered again. He sifted his way through tra c, avoided trouble and took advantage of Ryan Blaney’s late crash to collect the $1 million prize, earning the right to suddenly be called a champion.
“It was a tough day for us, to be honest with you,” he said after nishing 24th, two spots ahead of Blaney, to claim the title. “But I thought that was kind of our whole M.O. right through this whole thing. We were just barely scraping by, and even today, it de nitely took a little bit of bad luck clearly from the (No.) 12 (Blaney).”
While most NASCAR fans were watching Corey Heim speed past team co-owner Denny Hamlin on a late restart and into history with his rst Brickyard 400 victory, Gilliland and Blaney continued to battle for the race inside the race, with Gilliland seemingly one of the most unlikely winners in the challenge’s eld.
The 26-year-old driver from Front Row Motorsports began the ve-round, single-elimination tournament seeded 25th and a resume that appeared less than daunting. In ve Cup seasons, he has never won a race or a pole,
and he has produced just 17 top-10 nishes in 164 career starts. So winning seemed almost unfathomable.
“We’ve caught a lot of lucky breaks. We’ve barely been skating by all these rounds,” Gilliland said last Friday. “But now that we’re here, yeah, it feels a bit more real, and you never know, right? Four hundred miles, anything can happen. So we’re just going to go give our best e ort and try not to think about what it would be like if we won.”
The weekend sure didn’t start well for Gilliland, who quali ed 36th — 23 spots behind Blaney. And aside from a pit cycle that helped him nish second in the second stage, Gilliland always seemed to be in Blaney’s rearview mirror until destiny intervened with 41 laps to go. This time, Blaney appeared to be perfectly positioned for a 12th consecutive top-11 nish and claiming one of the titles team owner Roger Penske hasn’t held. That’s when John Hunter Nemechek tapped Blaney’s car, sending him hard into the wall and causing a nine - car crash that damaged the right side of Blaney’s car.
Blaney’s crew members scrambled to get the No. 12 Ford back on the track, and Blaney methodically got his car within striking distance of Gilliland.
But Gilliland, who luckily managed to navigate his way cleanly through the debris and cars involved in the crash, stayed in front and barely nished ahead of Blaney to be crowned champion.
“I think when you’re the 25th seed, looking up at that mountain of ‘We have beat this guy or this guy,’ it seems like a very tall task,” Gilliland said. “So yeah, maybe for myself, I never really thought this was a realistic goal. But when you get a little closer, you get past one round, two rounds and then you’re in the nal eight, nal four and then you’re in the nale, it ramps up a lot. So yeah, it’s cool, and I think you kind of saw that with my team.”
SOFTBALL
COURTESY 2026 WEST CHATHAM ANGELS ALL-STARS / FACEBOOK
The
Chatham Angels celebrate their big win.
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Seaforth’s Katie Leonard was the county’s lone representative in the girls’ game.
SIDELINE REPORT
MLB Mets slugger Soto goes on 10-day injured list with left calf strain
New York
New York Mets slugger
Juan Soto was placed on the 10 - day injured list with a left calf strain that’s expected to sideline him for at least three weeks and probably more. Soto felt discomfort pushing o when running to second base. He had been nursing the nagging injury since returning from the All- Star break last week. Soto is hitting .283 with 21 homers, 52 RBIs and an NL-best .947 OPS. He missed 15 games in April with a right calf strain.
NCAA ATHLETICS
NCAA Division I
board: No plans to change age-based eligibility rule being challenged in court
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors is standing rm on its new age-based eligibility rule despite legal challenges. The rule allows athletes ve seasons of competition over a ve-year period starting with full-time enrollment or the academic year after their 19th birthday. Lawsuits were led, arguing the rule unfairly limits athletes’ college careers. It eliminates waivers for extended eligibility, except for speci c cases like military service. The SEC supports the rule, although some leaders have concerns about its timing and e ectiveness.
NFL 49ers coach Shanahan hurt in a car crash, limited as training camp opens Santa Clara, Calif. San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan su ered a concussion and other injuries in a car crash earlier this month that will limit his participation at the start of training camp. The two - car accident happened July 14 in Palo Alto, leading to Shanahan being taken to the hospital. Police say there was no evidence that either driver was impaired. No one was cited. Niners general manager John Lynch says Shanahan sustained a concussion, broken nose, broken ribs and an injured hand.
NBA Curry to have dedicated exhibit at Basketball Hall of Fame, rst for active player Spring eld, Mass. Stephen Curry is headed to the Hall of Fame, making more basketball history with a rst-of-its-kind exhibit for an active player. Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc celebrates the career of the two-time MVP and the NBA’s career leader in 3-pointers. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the exhibit was the rst time in the museum’s nearly 75-year history that an active player would have a dedicated feature experience. The exhibit will feature video footage of Curry’s career, memorabilia and audio and video components.
Obama surprises WNBA All-Stars at practice at new Presidential Center
The stars were the rst pro team to practice at the facility’s new gym
By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Caitlin Clark was in awe after meeting former President Barack Obama after he surprised the WNBA All-Stars on Friday at his Presidential Center.
Clark called her conversation with Obama “a moment I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life.”
“It was obviously super cool. He just complimented me for the way that I handle everything, obviously with everything that’s been going on,” the Indiana Fever star said last Friday after meeting Obama.
“He’s somebody that has been in front of the media quite a bit, and he reminded me, ‘When I got famous in my 40s, I didn’t have to do it in my 20s.’”
Obama spoke to the players for a few minutes on the basketball court at the center, which opened last month.
“Some of you I’m meeting for the rst time. All of you are extraordinary, and I could not be bigger fans,” Obama said. “The way the game has been growing lately, the way it’s been picking up and people paying attention to your excellence, I think it’s been something for basketball fans, generally, a sight to see. It’s been making me happy.”
He spoke to the players for a few minutes before taking a group photo. Obama then spent about 10 minutes shaking hands with the players and taking photos with them, including Clark.
“I know many of you are involved in some wonderful ventures o the court, looking out for other young people and inspiring them,” Obama said. “I just wanted to say thanks.”
The former president gave a shout out to A’ja Wilson in his
talk to the players and then went over and chatted with her as well.
After the photo-ops were done, Obama stepped on the court and talked with New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones, getting down in a defensive stance for a few seconds on her.
“I feel like as a hooper, you know when someone’s challenging you,” Jones said. “So I was just like, let me go over there with the basketball, you know, do a little cross, bump him a little bit. And I knew that I would get him activated a little because he’s a hooper, too.”
Jones said she had met Obama once before.
“He’s a role model for me, and it was nice to be able to have that moment,” Jones said. “Someone that I look up to, someone that has paved the way for a lot of people to be here and see him continuing, his family continuing to give back to the community when
“Let me go over there with the basketball, you know, do a little cross, bump him a little bit.”
they’ve already done so much is just so inspirational.”
That was the extent of his time on the court. He told the players that he didn’t play 5-on-5 anymore to protect his Achilles. He did say that he broke in the court with a game of “horse.” Obama was the rst sitting U.S. president to attend a WNBA game when he and his daughter Sasha sat courtside in 2010 for a Washington Mystics game.
Obama was gifted with a No. 44 WNBA All-Star jersey
that the players were going to autograph later.
This was the rst professional sport to use the basketball court at the center, which opened in June. Obama said he unfortunately wasn’t going to be able to make the All-Star Game on Saturday because of a previous engagement with his wife, Michelle.
“It’s tting for our 30th anniversary that we’re here as the rst sports league to play in the Obama Presidential Center,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “Someone who has inspired hundreds of millions of people to dream big and accomplish things like President Obama has and his tie to basketball is amazing, too. I think there’s no more tting person to be meeting with the players.”
After talking to the players, Obama went across the center to talk to a group of investors in the league and nearly 100 high school girls to talk.
Bowman wants stylish close to career before pursuing goals outside racing
Health issues have bothered the veteran driver in recent years
By Michael Marot The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — Alex
Bowman considered walking away from NASCAR after this season. A series of discouraging results convinced him to give racing one more shot.
One day after the 33-year-old Arizona native announced he’ll retire after the 2027 season, Bowman arrived at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the rst Brickyard 400 practice and explained why he decided to embark on one nal farewell tour with Hendrick Motorsports.
“I think I really want to end on a more positive note than kind of how this year’s been,” he said. “I’ve had my fair share (of concussions), but this really isn’t a physical thing. I think if I would have had no injuries over the last 10 years, this time frame would still be this time frame. This is kind of what I wanted.”
Bowman has spent the past 10 years driving for one of NASCAR’s top teams, rst in the No. 88 car before switching to the No. 48. He enters this weekend with eight career wins, 114 top 10 nishes and seven pole wins in 371 career Cup starts.
In recent years, though, he battled health issues. Bowman missed four races this season because of vertigo and, in addition to the concussions, also su ered a back injury in a 2023 sprint car race. He then reinjured his back in a big crash at Michigan in 2025. Somehow, though, Bowman
managed to make seven playo appearances in the previous eight seasons. This year, he’s 29th in points — well below the 16-driver postseason cutline.
“It has been a journey for sure, and it hasn’t gone the way I had hoped, I guess, in some ways,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun even though the stat sheet might not read what I want it to read. It’s still been great in a lot of ways.”
Bowman’s impending departure means Hendrick will have a rare full-time opening in 2028. But nding a successor for Bowman’s seat was not a priority on Friday’s agenda.
Instead, teammates and team o cials o ered their support to Bowman about his decision and the 53 races remaining on his schedule.
“I really enjoyed my time with him,” two-time Cup champ Kyle Larson said. “He made us all better. I really en-
joyed having him around, the debriefs and all that, even tried to make it something bigger that we all enjoyed. And he can drive the heck out of a race car. So he brings a lot to the race team, and I’m happy that he’s able to do it on his own terms.”
Bowman wasn’t the only driver talking about his future plans.
JR Motorsports announced last week that 40-year-old Justin Allgaier, the O’Reilly Series points leader, will return for 2027 and beyond. The announcement ended speculation about Allgaier retiring this year as he chases his second series title in three years.
“I had a pretty good thought that (retirement) was the direction we were going to go and there’s still some things that we have to work through to nalize all that before it’s o cial,” Allgaier said. “For me, it was entrusting some of the groups
around me, the conversation with my wife, probably most importantly my kids, just trying to discuss what that looked like and even then the partners, right? It was making sure we were able to put funding together to be able to race.”
Bowman also has plans outside of racing.
He announced on Instagram in December that he and longtime girlfriend Chloe Henderson had gotten engaged, and though he’s not considering a broadcasting career at the moment, he didn’t rule it out in the future as he chases other aspirations.
“I think for me, much more of it is things I want to do outside the race car, other goals I have in life and stu I want to do,” Bowman said. “If it was straight up like I can’t do this anymore, it probably would have been this year. But I do feel like I can continue to (race) at a high level.”
Jonquel Jones on former President Barack Obama playing defense on her
PAUL BEATY / AP PHOTO
Former President Barack Obama poses for a sel e with WNBA All-Star Angel Reese during a practice at the Obama Presidential Center.
CAMDEN HALL / AP PHOTO
Alex Bowman, center, stands with his team before a NASCAR Cup Series race in Tennessee earlier this season.
Heim executes daring pass on nal restart, holds on for historic Brickyard 400 victory
The part-time Cup driver won for the second time this year
By Michael Marot
The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — Corey
Heim started Sunday by talking about being more aggressive on his restarts.
Then he showed everyone — including his team co-owner Denny Hamlin — what he’d learned.
The 24-year-old part-time NASCAR Cup Series driver rst made a daring outside move to pass Hamlin then slow him down on the nal restart with 35 laps to go before holding o the hard-charging cars of Christopher Bell and Joey Logano to capture his rst Brickyard 400 title.
“That was a damn handful. I was hanging on for dear life.”
Corey Heim
ght to win the race, and you know you’re clear by an inch, you’re going to take that inch,” Hamlin said. “It’s really the 20 and (Bell) and the 19 (Chase Briscoe) not orchestrating good pushes there, and we came detached for a long time. I thought the 20 was on board with giving us a push, it was just way too early before the restart zone.”
lot of bad second-place nishes, but this is a good one with where we were after qualifying. When we had the restart on the second row, I was really happy with our position. Really proud of our team, we pulled together a really good day.”
Heim wasn’t the only big winner Sunday.
Hamlin extended his points lead over Heim’s teammate, Tyler Reddick, who was 10th. Ty Gibbs, who is fourth in points, clinched a playo spot with a stage win and a 12th-place nish. And Todd Gilliland of Front Row Motorsports de ed the odds by collecting the $1 million prize in the nal round of NASCAR’s second In-Season Challenge.
“Just had to be aggressive, man, it’s for the win,” he said after his second win of the season.
“I would have to see it back to see if I really did anything wrong.
You know, he has every right to be frustrated with me, but don’t get me wrong, I just had to be on top of it. Got to go quick for the 22 (Logano) to be in position, so thanks to him. Man, it’s crazy.”
Heim beat Bell by 0.287 seconds and Logano, last week’s race winner, by 0.972 seconds to become the rst Cup driver to win twice in his rst 15 career starts since 1965. A.J. Foyt, one of four four-time Indianapolis 500 champions, was the last to do it and, like Foyt, Heim didn’t even need a full-time ride to nish the job.
Hamlin seemed more frustrated with Bell’s mistimed push, which allowed Heim to get past him, and that was all Heim needed to take charge. Hamlin wound up falling from rst to fth, a descent he never recovered from as his winless streak at Indianapolis hit 18.
It’s the only crown jewel race of NASCAR’s four Hamlin hasn’t won.
“I mean everyone’s trying to
With Hamlin fading, Bell and Logano spent the nal 34 laps trying to catch Heim’s increasingly loose car. Each driver consistently closed the gap by running consistently quicker lap times. but neither could get close enough to try to pass Heim.
And with no more caution ags to bunch up the leaders, the stage was set for Heim.
“It’s a good second place,” said Bell, Hamlin’s teammate with Joe Gibbs Racing. “We’ve had a
But nobody was more satised with the results than Heim.
“That was a damn handful,” the Georgian said. “I was hanging on for dear life once the shade went down and the pace picked up. My car got really loose, and I never really got a lot of clean air throughout the day, so that was the hardest I’ve ever fought in my life to make sure I focused on the exits and get through dirty air.”
Suns introduce Bridges, defend decision to add him after domestic violence issues
The former Hornet arrived with mixed feelings among Phoenix fans
By David Brandt The Associated Press
PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges appears to be a good t for his new team on the basketball court, giving it a beefy frontcourt presence who has scored at a high level over seven NBA seasons.
The problem is his troublesome o -the-court history — including pleading no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in 2022 — has mostly overshadowed his arrival.
The 28-year-old Bridges said he’s very aware that some Suns fans aren’t thrilled that he’s now with the franchise.
“It’s mixed feelings about me being here,” Bridges said during his introductory press conference last Wednesday. “But I take full responsibility for my actions, I’ve been to counseling, I’ve been to therapy. Right now, I’m prioritizing just being better as a man every day, on and o the court.
“Mainly o the court.”
The Suns acquired Bridges, a 2029 rst-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for guard Grayson Allen, forward Royce O’Neale and a 2033 rst-round pick in a trade June 28.
Suns general manager Brian Gregory said the franchise felt comfortable bringing Bridges to the desert despite his “unacceptable conduct that has occurred in the past.”
Gregory’s relationship with Bridges goes back roughly a decade to when the GM was a consultant at Michigan State and Bridges was a freshman with the Spartans. The Suns’ ties with Michigan State are deep — owner Mat Ishbia was a walk-on player for the Spartans in the late 1990s and early 2000s, while coach Jordan Ott spent time with the program as a video coordinator from 2008 to 2013.
Gregory said he’s con dent that Bridges has grown since his arrest but that he would have to earn the trust of the Suns’ fans.
“Those questions are part of his story,” Gregory said. “He’s dealt with them before, and he’ll
“Right now, I’m prioritizing just being better as a man every day, on and o the court. Mainly o the court.” Miles Bridges
deal with them today as well. I think those questions — we were aware of and we knew about — and that’s why we took this decision so seriously.”
Bridges was arrested in June 2022 on the eve of free agency on charges including felony child abuse and injuring a child’s parent. The NBA forced him to sit out while his legal case was pending, and he ultimately pleaded no contest.
Bridges was suspended for 30 games in April 2023 by the league but received a 20-game credit because he missed the entire 2022-23 season. Bridges also faced three charges for an alleged violation of a domestic violence protection order on Oct. 6, 2023, before the case was eventually dropped.
From a basketball perspective, it’s easy to see why the Suns thought Bridges would be a good addition. The 6-foot-7, 225-pounder averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season for the much-improved Hornets, who made it to the play-in tournament but fell just short of the NBA playo s. He’s also a versatile defender and rebounder who can play multiple spots.
“It was just a perfect t for us,” Gregory said. “Everything that we’re about as a team when it comes to how you feel when you watch us play — the grit, the energy, the toughness that we play with, the competitiveness we play with, Miles Bridges brings that every single day when he walks out on the court.”
Bridges joins a Suns core that includes ve-time All-Star Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and Mark Williams. Phoenix was one of the league’s surprise teams last season, winning 45 games and making the playo s despite trading superstar Kevin Durant during the previous o season.
Bridges said he was grateful to the Hornets for giving him a second chance after his legal issues. He said it’s his job to not only earn the trust of the fans, but also his new teammates. “I de nitely want to earn the trust of my teammates rst,” Bridges said. “Making the locker room comfortable, having guys that want to be around me ... is huge. And that de nitely goes into on-the-court stu .”
MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO
Corey Heim celebrates after winning Sunday’s Brickyard 400.
Corey Heim celebrates with a burnout after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO
NELL REDMOND / AP PHOTO
Then Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) reacts after scoring against the Miami Heat as guard Coby White looks on during the NBA play-in tournament.
this week in history
Weimar Constitution adopted, MTV hits airwaves, Mandela arrested, “American Bandstand” debuts
The Associated Press
JULY 30
1619: The rst representative assembly in Colonial America convened in Jamestown in the Virginia Colony.
1864: During the Civil War, Union forces tried to take Petersburg, Virginia, by exploding a gunpowder-laden mine shaft beneath Confederate defense lines; the attack failed.
1916: German saboteurs blew up a munitions plant on Black Tom, an island near Jersey City, New Jersey, killing about a dozen people.
JULY 31
1715: A eet of Spanish ships carrying gold, silver and jewelry sank during a hurricane o the east Florida coast; of some 2,500 crew members, more than 1,000 died.
1777: The 19-year-old Marquis de Lafayette received a commission as major general in the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress.
1919: Germany’s Weimar Constitution was adopted by the republic’s National Assembly.
AUG. 1
1966: Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, went on an armed rampage at the University of Texas in Austin that killed 14 people, most of whom were shot by Whitman while he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building.
1971: The Concert for Bangladesh, an all-star bene t organized by George Harrison of The Beatles and sitar play-
er Ravi Shankar, was held at Madison Square Garden in New York.
1981: MTV began its American broadcast; the rst music video aired on the new cable TV network was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.
AUG. 2
1790: The rst United States Census began under the supervision of Thomas Je erson; a total of 3,929,214 people were counted in the census, nearly 700,000 of whom were enslaved.
1873: Inventor Andrew S. Hallidie successfully tested a cable car he had designed for the city of San Francisco.
1876: Frontiersman “Wild Bill” Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker at a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, by Jack McCall.
AUG. 3
1492: Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on his rst voyage that took him to the present-day Americas.
1852: In America’s rst intercollegiate sporting event, Harvard rowed past Yale to win the rst Harvard-Yale Regatta.
1936: Jesse Owens of the United States won the rst of his four gold medals at the Ber-
lin Olympics as he took the 100-meter sprint.
AUG. 4
1790: The U.S. Coast Guard had its beginnings as President George Washington signed a measure authorizing a group of revenue cutters to enforce tari and trade laws and prevent smuggling.
1916: The United States reached agreement with Denmark to purchase the Danish Virgin Islands for $25 million in gold.
1964: Forty-four days after their murders, the bodies of missing civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi.
AUG. 5
1957: The music and dance show “American Bandstand,” hosted by Dick Clark, made its national network debut, beginning a 30-year run on ABC.
1962: Marilyn Monroe, 36, was found dead in her Los Angeles home; her death was ruled a probable suicide from “acute barbiturate poisoning.”
1962: South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a valid passport and inciting workers to strike.
FBI / AP PHOTO
Civil rights workers, from left, Michael Schwerner, 24, James Chaney, 21, and Andrew Goodman, 20, disappeared near Philadelphia, Mississippi, on June 21, 1964. Their bodies were found Aug. 4, 1964.
MATTY ZIMMERMAN / AP PHOTO
Marilyn Monroe poses over a subway grate while lming “The Seven Year Itch” in New York. She was found dead at her Los Angeles home Aug. 5, 1962.
US negotiator McGurk to release book on 2023 Hamas hostage crisis
The author stresses a bipartisan e ort that saved lives
By Hillel Italie
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A lead U.S. negotiator for the release of hundreds of people captured by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel will have a book out this fall.
The Penguin Random House imprint Crown has scheduled Brett McGurk’s “Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7 Hostages” for Oct. 6, nearly three years to the day after the deadly Hamas siege that left more than 1,000 people dead and more than 200 captured.
McGurk, 53, is a longtime Middle East adviser and diplomat who had already served under three presidents when he was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2023 to oversee hostage talks between Israel and Hamas. According to Crown, McGurk will describe his frantic e orts to balance the competing and seeming-
Singer Brown pleads guilty over bottle attack at London nightclub
He has been arrested in several U.S. states over altercations
By Jill Lawless and Brian Melley
The Associated Press
LONDON — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty Friday to brawling at a London nightclub in 2023 when he hit a music producer on the head with a bottle.
Brown, 37, previously had denied more serious charges over what prosecutors called a “vicious attack.” He changed his plea last Friday during a hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court, pleading guilty to a count of a ray.
In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of assault, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and having an o ensive weapon, a bottle.
Brown’s friend and vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu also pleaded guilty to a ray. The two
men had been due to stand trial in October.
Brown had denied attacking Abraham Diaw with a bottle at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in February 2023. But prosecutors said the ght was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people.
The a ray charge accepted by the defendants states that “Chris Brown and Omololu Akinlolu on February 19, 2023, used or threatened unlawful violence towards another and their conduct taken together was such as would cause a person of reasonable rmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety.”
“This was a vicious and unprovoked attack by Brown and Akinlolu in a crowded nightclub where Brown used a glass bottle as a weapon to strike the victim’s head twice,” Claire Campbell, a senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said after the guilty plea.
Akinlolu joined in and
ly intractable demands of the two sides, traveling worldwide in pursuit of an agreement.
“On October 7, Hamas unleashed a devastating war and the largest hostage crisis in modern history,” McGurk said in a statement released
by Crown. “I wrote ‘Brink’ to bring readers inside the rooms as events unfolded in real time — from the Situation Room with hundreds of missiles in the air, to compounds across the Middle East where diplomacy teetered between
“I wrote ‘Brink’ to bring readers inside the rooms as events unfolded in real time.” Brett
breakthrough and collapse.”
According to Crown, McGurk will also disclose details of a near-deal before Oct. 7 that would have normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and will remember his unlikely alliance with President Donald Trump appointee Steve Witko as they handled talks during the transition time between the administrations of Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. The remaining surviving hostages were freed in October 2025.
“’Brink’ details the bipartisan front they forged when it mattered most, ultimately securing a deal that would save lives,” the publisher’s announcement reads in part.
punched the victim in the head, prosecutors said.
“This kind of violence is entirely unacceptable, and the Crown Prosecution Service will work tirelessly — with the police and partners across the criminal justice system — to pursue cases like this, and prove that no one is above the law,” Campbell said.
Brown left the United Kingdom after the brawl but was arrested in May 2025 at a Manchester hotel after ying to the city for a concert.
Brown had been free on bail of
5 million pounds ($6.7 million), which allowed him to tour Europe and North America last summer.
He was freed on bail again last Friday and will be sentenced Oct. 26 on the a ray charge, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
Brown, wearing a tan suit, gold-rimmed sunglasses and a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap, signed autographs for fans as he left the courthouse.
Brown, who rose to stardom as a teen in 2005, won his rst Grammy for best R&B album in
2011 for “F.A.M.E.” He earned his second in the same category for “11:11 (Deluxe)” in 2025. He has been in repeated legal trouble since his felony conviction in the 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, hours before the pair were due to perform at the Grammys.
Brown was charged with misdemeanor assault for striking a man outside a Washington, D.C., hotel in 2013. The singer was ordered into rehab then dismissed from the facility for violating its rules.
STEFAN ROUSSEAU / PA VIA AP
Chris Brown arrives last Friday at Southwark Crown Court, where he was charged over an alleged assault in a London nightclub.
HADI MIZBAN / AP PHOTO
Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition against IS, speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2017.
McGurk
famous birthdays this week
Kinston native Jaime Pressly is 49, Roy Williams hits 76, Maureen McCormick turns 70
The Associated Press
JULY 30
Former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is 92. Blues musician Buddy Guy is 90. Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is 79. Actor Jean Reno is 78. Actor Laurence Fishburne is 65. Actor Tom Green is 55. Actor Jaime Pressly is 49. Alt-country singer-musician Seth Avett is 46.
JULY 31
Jazz composer-musician Kenny Burrell is 95. Actor Geraldine Chaplin is 82. Singer Gary Lewis is 81. Rock drummer Bill Berry (R.E.M.) is 68. Jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan is 67. Musician Fatboy Slim is 63. Author J.K. Rowling is 61.
AUG. 1
Actor Giancarlo Giannini is 84. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams is 76. Blues musician Robert Cray is 73. Rock singer Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) is 67. Rapper Chuck D (Public Enemy) is 66. Rock singer Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) is 62.
AUG. 2
Author Isabel Allende is 84. Actor Butch Patrick (“The Munsters”) is 73. Rock music producer/drummer Butch Vig is 71. Actor Mary-Louise Parker is 62. Filmmaker Kevin Smith is 56. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is 42.
AUG. 3
Football Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy is 101. Actor Martin Sheen is 86. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is 85. Film director John Landis is 76. Rock singer/ guitarist James Het eld (Metallica) is 63.
AUG. 4
Tina Cole is 83. Football Hall of Famer John Riggins is 77. Actor-screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton is 71. Former President Barack Obama is 65. Re -
tired MLB All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens is 64. Former race car driver Je Gordon is 55.
AUG. 5
Country music songwriter Bobby Braddock is 86. Pop singer Samantha Sang is 75. Actor-singer Maureen McCormick is 70. Author David Baldacci is 66. Actor Janet McTeer is 65. Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is 64. Director-screenwriter James Gunn is 60.
AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP Mount Pleasant Seth Avett native turns 46 Thursday.
PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS / AP PHOTO Former President Barack Obama turns 65 Tuesday.
FRANK FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO Martha Stewart turns 85 Monday.
‘Devil
Wears Prada 2,’ Ariana Grande, ‘Super Mario Galaxy’, ‘Diarra from Detroit’
Watch Lollapalooza live on Disney+ and Hulu all weekend
The Associated Press
THE “DEVIL WEARS Prada 2” and Ariana Grande’s new album are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Diarra from Detroit” and Lollapalooza, from the comfort of wherever you choose to watch it.
MOVIES TO STREAM
Coming two decades after the original, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (now streaming on Hulu and Disney+) reteams Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt in another trip through the high-fashion Manhattan world of Runway Magazine. With more than $688 million in worldwide ticket sales, the 20-years-later sequel was a hit at the box o ce. In it, Hathaway’s Andy returns to Runway to help save it from a sad media fate. In my review, I wrote that “mid-life career changes aren’t nearly as compelling or relatable as a newbie assistant thrown into the high-fashion re.”
An even bigger box-o ce hit, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” became the rst movie to cross $1 billion in cinemas earlier this year. The animated lm based on the beloved Nintendo game arrives Friday on Peacock. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote that merchandising supersedes storytelling in the lm, “taking you out of the escape of this wondrous dream world and back into the realities of late-stage capitalism.”
Kristo er Borgli’s “The Drama” (Saturday on HBO Max), starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, tried to kick up some of its own drama when the dark comedy opened in theaters this spring. Zendaya and Pattinson play an engaged couple whose relationship unravels after a confession over dinner. In his review, AP’s Mark Kennedy
wrote that the lm “wastes two of the planet’s most gorgeous people and will surely get everyone involved in trouble for using a current American tragedy as a plot point.”
MUSIC TO STREAM
Grande’s “Petal” arrives Friday. It’s her rst full-length post-“Wicked” project and arrives two years after “Eternal Sunshine,” her seventh studio album. If the lead single “Hate That I Made You Love Me” is evidence of what’s to come, the album will be a collection of bubbling, arpeggiated synths and soft pop choruses, courtesy of Grande and her producer, the mysterious Swedish powerhouse Max Martin.
Lollapalooza returns to Chicago’s Grant Park on Thursday through Sunday and the lineup is stacked — Lorde, John Summit, Charli XCX, The Smashing Pumpkins, Olivia Dean, Jennie, Tate McRae and The XX are all scheduled to perform, and those are only just the headliners. Can’t make the trip? That’s no matter: Disney+ and Hulu will livestream the music festival throughout the weekend. Shaboozey has some big shoes to ll: his own. The country-hybridist made history when he dropped “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” the ubiquitous country-rap record that stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks. (The only other song to last that long at No. 1? Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”) On Friday, the Virginia native will release his fourth studio album, “The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales,” a concept record that includes far-ranging features like Kehlani, Gunna, Jamie Foxx, Sam Elliott, Teyana Taylor and more. Also Friday, Las Vegas-born hard rock out t Five Finger Death Punch return with their 10th studio album, “Legacy,” a metallic o ering that re ects on their 20 years together.
SERIES TO STREAM
You know those people who just seem to attract drama?
That’s the main character in the comedy “Diarra from Detroit,” played by series star and creator Diarra Kilpatrick. In
Season 1, she launched a missing person investigation after a date ghosted her. In Season 2, a mundane furniture delivery turns into a homicide investigation, a treasure hunt and the discovery of a secret society. The eight-episode season debuted Wednesday with two episodes on Paramount+. Stassi Schroeder was the queen bee of “Vanderpump
Rules” for eight seasons before she was let go from the show in 2020. Since then, she’s made lots of changes, including getting married, becoming a mother of two and launching a podcast. She’s even joined her old boss Lisa Vanderpump on the reality series “Vanderpump Villa.” Now Stassi is fronting her own reality series, “House of Stassi.” All episodes of Sea-
son 1 drop Thursday on Hulu.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has a new crime drama series coming to Starz. Called “Fightland,” it follows Duke, a man who is crowned a boxing champion and loses everything in the same night. After eight years in prison, Duke returns to his hometown of London and is focused on revenge. The eight-episode series premieres Friday.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
The once-thriving fantasy world of Arsilthus was governed by a “great relic,” which some dumbbell decided to destroy, turning the place into an apocalyptic hellscape. Your job in “The Relic: First Guardian” is to collect the fragments, but you’ll need to ght through dozens of ferocious bosses before you can restore order. The whole project sounds a lot like 2022’s landmark “Elden Ring,” but South Korean developer Project Cloud promises to lean into Asian folklore with “a quest to lay troubled souls to rest and uncover their lost stories.” The search begins Friday on PlayStation 5 or PC.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2,” starring Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep, is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Robert Pattinson, star of “The Drama,” appears at Regal Union Square in
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson attends the July premiere of the Starz television series “Fightland” at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.