VOLUME 149 ISSUE 28 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Making the play Chatham Central made it count against Jordan-Matthews on Friday in Siler City, taking out the home team for a 29-8 victory. For more, turn to sports.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
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Hudson pushes for local voices in BRIEF this week proposed Chatham pipeline project Lawn care workshop set for Chatham County Pittsboro Chatham County’s chapter of the N.C. Cooperative Extension is holding a “Lawn Care Fundamentals” workshop from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 10. The presentation will cover essential strategies for establishing and maintaining sustainable turfgrass. Attendees will be provided information about turfgrass selection, assessing site conditions, and proper watering and mowing practices. The workshop will also cover lawn establishment and renovation techniques, soil testing, fertilization, and integrated weed and pest management strategies. It’s being promoted as ideal for homeowners and land managers. The session will be led by Chatham County horticulture agent Matt Jones and extension master gardener volunteer Diane Goodwin. Participants can attend the live, in-person presentation at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center in Pittsboro or stream the live, interactive webinar online. All registered attendees will receive a digital recording of the complete session following the event. Advance registration is required. Interested participants can register through the official N.C. Cooperative Extension event page at chatham.ces. ncsu.edu/news/lawn-carefundamentals.
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The congressman’s letters address potential environmental impacts and residential input for the pipeline By Jessica Taylor Chatham News & Record REP. RICHARD HUDSON (R-Southern Pines) recently sent letters to Gov. Josh Stein, the North Carolina Department
of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Reid Wilson and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asking officials about how the environment and local communities will be affected and given a voice during the development of
Enbridge Gas North Carolina’s proposed Chatham County System Expansion Project. “Chatham County is one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing counties, and I support actions taken to expand our state’s infrastructure amidst robust economic growth,” wrote Hudson. “However, any growth should ensure an appropriate amount of time for feedback,
Retreat scheduled to explore housing investment The two-day event is designed to look at possibilities for housing initiatives in the county Chatham News & Record staff PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners and Chatham County
Housing Department will hold a two-day housing retreat later this month. The retreat will feature presentations from housing experts
and provide opportunities for public engagement as the county considers future housing efforts, according to information from the county. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 28-29 at the Chatham County Agricultural and Conference Center.
County seeks applications for sanitary district board The death of an elected official created a vacancy this summer Chatham News & Record staff PITTSBORO — The Goldston Gulf Sanitary District needs Chatham County residents to apply for a vacancy on its board. The death of board member Henry Kitchings in late June created the opening. The Goldston Gulf Sanitary District is a local public utility district based in Goldston that provides water and wastewater/sanitary services to customers in and around the Goldston and Gulf communities in Chatham County.
Anyone interested in the vacancy can complete an online application or contact Tiani Stamey at tiani.stamey@chathamcountync.gov or 919-542-8200. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 25. Kitchings was elected to a four-year term on the board in November 2023. Chatham County commissioners will select a person to fill the board position until the next scheduled election for sanitary district board members. The election for this vacant term will be on Nov. 2, 2027, therefore the replacement would be administered the oath of office on Dec. 6, 2027.
Board member Henry Kitchings died in June.
public discussion on the proposals, transparency into alternative proposals, rationale for selection of the proposals, and details of engagement with impacted constituencies. “Successful growth should not come at the cost of potential community disruption for my constituents.” See PIPELINE, page A2
“Affordable Housing affects every aspect of our community — from our workforce and economy to the quality of life for current and future residents,” said Amanda Robertson, chair of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. “This retreat is an opportunity to learn from experts, hear directly from our community, and explore practical strategies that will help us plan for Chatham County’s future.” County commissioners are See RETREAT, page A7
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
THURSDAY
9.3.26 #158
Former White House teleprompter operator ordered to turn over profits, pay fine over insider trading Gabriel Perez profited by betting on specific words and phrases in Donald Trump’s speeches
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CRIME LOG Aug. 24 • Hailey Anna White, 21, was arrested for felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and other charges. • Kayla Paige Harris, 29, was arrested for conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, obstructing justice and resisting a public officer. Aug. 25 • Cheryl Elaine Smith, 59, was arrested for allowing animals to run at large; failing to vaccinate a dog, cat or ferret.
By Collin Binkley The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — A former White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets on the prediction market Kalshi has been ordered to turn over more than $100,000 in profits and pay a $65,000 fine as part of a settlement with federal authorities. The settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission, announced last Friday, also dealt Gabriel Perez a three-year trading ban. Perez was placed on unpaid leave from his job at the White House after reports emerged that he used his position to make bets on what President Donald Trump would say in speeches. The White House did not immediately comment on the settlement. A White House official said in July that Perez was no longer in his position but did not say if he had been fired or resigned. The commission found that Perez made $107,500 on prediction markets by betting on words and phrases that would appear in Trump’s speeches
between December 2025 and February 2026. “In his position, Perez had access to presidential speeches prior to those speeches being delivered and Perez misappropriated that information — in breach of his duty of trust and confidence,” according to a release from the commission. Perez was ordered to repay his profits in full, along with the $65,000 civil penalty, which the commission said was a reduction because of his “exemplary cooperation.” As details emerged July 16, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “unfortunate” and “a disgrace.”
• Mason Keith Lupek, 38, was arrested for driving while impaired and possession of drug paraphernalia. • Tyler Steven Howard, 33, was arrested for felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of fentanyl, and other charges. Aug. 26 • Hasaan Rashad Ray, 43, was arrested for obtaining property by false pretenses and possession of stolen property. • Raul Cruz-Martinez, 42, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill; assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. • Shawn Douglas Busenlehner, 36, was arrested for obtaining property by false pretenses, larceny of a motor vehicle and driving without two headlamps, and other charges. Aug. 27 • Mikhail Domenique Bland, 35, was arrested for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and cruelty to animals, and other charges. • Robert James Roach, 60, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
PIPELINE from page A1 The most common concerns from individual residents are property rights and land impacts, such as survey access, eminent domain, easements, farm disruption and property values. Western Chatham and rural landowners are concerned about farms and private property, while residents near the Rocky, Deep and Haw rivers watersheds care about stream crossings, wells, wetlands and endangered species. Chatham residents have also sought information about alternative routes and how public input will be incorporated into the project’s final route. In his writings, Hudson focused on how voters’ voices have not been adequately heard and on the lack of transparency about alternative options. He stated that proposed decisions for the project could be finalized without consideration of nearby residents. In his letter to Stein, Hudson wrote about the concerns raised by communities and how they do not feel properly heard. He requested that the alternative routes being considered by Enbridge be explained to residents and that residents be made aware of how public input will affect the route selected. Hudson also emphasized his support for steps to improve Chatham County’s infrastructure and economy while underscoring the need for an ap-
“Successful growth should not come at the cost of potential community disruption for my constituents.” Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) propriate balance to achieve such improvements. He requested details from Stein on his engagement with the local community. In his letter to Wilson, Hudson largely reiterated what he stated in his letter to Stein, emphasizing residential concerns, the need for residents’ voices to be considered and the need for growth in the county without disrupting citizens. Hudson additionally requested documentation from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to evaluate its jurisdiction and role in reviewing the pipeline project. Documentation would include permits and certifications from Enbridge, as well as the standards NCDEQ would use when reviewing the project. He also requested information on how NCDEQ’s approval process will work, how impacts on waterways and wetlands will be evaluated and how the department will engage with local landowners, local officials and other stake-
holders throughout the process. In his letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, specifically Lt. Col. Ken Porter, Hudson expressed similar concerns as in his other two letters. The primary change was his request to the Army Corps for information on its jurisdiction and role in reviewing the project, as well as the required permits or approvals. Hudson also asked for clarity on how the Army Corps will evaluate the project’s environmental impacts and how affected local landowners and stakeholders can participate in the process. The proposed project would run 28 miles long with an internal diameter of 12 inches. It would stretch from the Siler City area toward Moncure and cross the Haw River. The project is still in its design and survey phase, so a final route and cost are yet to be determined. Enbridge would pay the full cost of the pipeline’s construction. While the company could ask the North Carolina Utilities Commission to add the pipeline’s approved construction costs to its rate base, such a proposal has not been inquired into or approved. Enbridge is a major North American energy infrastructure company that transports crude oil and natural gas. The company serves more than 675,000 residential and business consumers across 28 counties in North Carolina.
• Anthony Guy Sullins, 39, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon, second-degree trespass
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County.
Sept. 3 All-Together! Friends Group for Adults with ‘dis’Abilities 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free event offers a combination of events from art, dance, music, bowling and field trips. Caregivers are asked to stay. “The Studio” at Chatham Mills 480 Hillsboro St. Pittsboro
A producers-only farmers market, open year-round, rain or shine. Food and craft producers build connections within the community while giving the public a place to sample and purchase locally made items. 50 W. Salisbury St. Pittsboro
Sept. 4 Blast From the Past Music Series: The Chain 7-9 p.m. The Chain performs music spanning the 1960s through the 2000s on the Tommy Edwards Stage as part of the series. The lawn opens at 6 p.m., and attendees may bring chairs or blankets; food and drink will be available for purchase. Philip H. Kohl MOSAIC Family Commons 457 Freedom Parkway Pittsboro
Sept. 5-6 Old-Fashioned Farmers’ Days 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Silk Hope Ruritan Club’s annual heritage festival features antique tractors and farm equipment, a working steam-powered sawmill, a junior dairy show, tractor pulls, live music and food vendors. Admission is $5, and children 6 and under get in free.
Sept. 7
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.
Labor Day Cookout with Live Music 3-6 p.m. The Southern RanT band performs a mix of country and Southern rock ’n’ roll classics. No cover charge; donations are encouraged. Shows are rain or shine. The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro
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 five $100 Visa gift cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!
128 Wilson Rd SANFORD, NC
3-6 p.m.
Silk Hope Farm Heritage Park 4221 Silk Hope Road Siler City
Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom?
919-774-4900 800-446-7752
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Aug. 28
Central Electric providing grants to local educators to fund innovative projects
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• Travis Earl Pugh, 34, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver heroin; and felony conspiracy, and other charges.
happening
Pittsboro Farmers Market
• Jeremy Lenel Palmer, 43, was arrested for felony conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretenses and larceny of a motor vehicle, and other charges. • Mahogany Shereme Roseboro, 34, was arrested for second-degree kidnapping.
CHATHAM
CEMCPower.com
Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
DA says NC teen who recorded San Diego mosque shooting livestream charged with murder The 17-year-old agreed beforehand to film and distribute footage of the attack
Candles with victim’s names written on them are placed outside the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 20, 2026, in San Diego.
By Gene Johnson The Associated Press A 17-YEAR-OLD North Carolina girl who recorded a livestream of a shooting that killed three people at a San Diego mosque and then disseminated the attackers’ white-supremacist writings has been charged with murder by aiding and abetting, a district attorney said Monday. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill said at a news conference in Winston-Salem that the girl, identified in court records as Sarah L. Santiago, was arrested last week. A grand jury indicted her on three counts of murder and one count of conspiracy Monday. “At this time I can confirm that my client is innocent of all these charges,” Santiago’s attorney, Alan Doorasamy Sr., wrote in an email to The Associated Press. He said he had not received evidence from law enforcement and did not elaborate on any connection between Santiago and the attackers. Under North Carolina law, the aiding-and-abetting charges carry the same penalties as if the girl had committed the attack herself, O’Neill said. She is charged as an adult. According to the indictment, Santiago agreed prior to the attack that she would record the livestream as the gunmen filmed it, distribute the recording and release a document written by the attackers. She carried out those tasks, it said. She’s also accused of purchasing a patch bearing a white-supremacist symbol
TY ONEIL / AP PHOTO
and sending it to one of the gunmen to wear during the attack. In all, three people watched the initial livestream, O’Neill said. It was not immediately clear if investigators had identified the others, and the indictment did not specify which platforms the livestream was recorded on or shared via. “The individual here, locally, was the person who was recording the livestream,” O’Neill said. “She disseminated that information and she published their manifesto.” Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, stormed the Islamic Center on May 18 before being driven back outside by a security guard who exchanged gunfire with them as he initiated a lockdown, helping to protect 140 children who were just steps away. The pair killed the guard, Amin Abdullah, and two other men before taking their own lives in a vehicle nearby. They left behind rambling writings full of vitriol against a wide range of people and cited the shooter who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019 as one of the models for their violence. Clark and Vazquez also planned subsequent attacks on two other targets: a Jewish
temple and a predominantly black high school, O’Neill said. He credited the guard and other victims at the mosque with having saved countless lives. The attackers’ writings cited a range of far-right ideological inspirations, including the notion that white people are being replaced by other populations, and detailed their motives and goals. They included hateful rhetoric toward Jewish people, Muslims and Islam, as well as the LGBTQ+ community, black people, women, and the political left and right. They indicated they were trying to accelerate the collapse of society. Vazquez wrote of having “some mental health issues” and being rejected by women. In a written statement, the Vazquez family said Caleb Vazquez was on the autism spectrum and had grown to resent parts of his identity. The family said they believed that, combined with exposure to hateful rhetoric online, contributed to his radicalization. Santiago’s arrest came just days before classes were to begin for the new school year, O’Neill said. “The thought of her going back to school ... we didn’t know what she was capable of,” he said.
Church News SILER CITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Siler City Presbyterian Church, 720 West Third Street, Siler City (across from where the old hospital used to be) is proud to present the Gospel group Redeemed in concert Sunday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. Come and join us at Siler City Presbyterian for a wonderful performance of good old fashioned Southern Gospel Music sung by the popular Gospel group Redeemed. This all-music event will be something everyone will enjoy. Admission for the concert is one can of food for the Chatham Food Pantry. Everyone is welcome! We hope to see you then! Have a blessed day!
YOU’RE INVITED! 2026 NoVi Fall Calendar SEPTEMBER The NoVi Flow 1st & 3rd Saturdays (9/5 & 9/19) I 10:15AM
Games on the Green 2nd Thursdays (9/10) I 4PM – 8PM
NoVi Vibes & Bites 3rd Thursdays (9/17) I 6PM – 8PM
NoVi High Fitness Class Tuesday (9/22) I 7PM
OCTOBER The NoVi Flow 1st & 3rd Saturdays (10/3 & 10/17) I 10:15AM
Games on the Green 2nd Thursdays (10/8) I 4PM – 8PM
Chatham Park’s Fall Fun Fest Saturday (10/10) I 3PM – 5PM
NoVi Vibes & Bites 3rd Thursdays (10/15) I 6PM – 8PM
NOVEMBER The NoVi Flow 1st & 3rd Saturdays (11/7 & 11/21) I 10:15AM
Games on the Green 2nd Thursdays (11/12) I 4PM – 8PM
NoVi Vibes & Bites 3rd Thursdays (11/19) I 6PM – 8PM
All events are held at The NoVi Green – across from the Chatham Park YMCA. Learn more at ChathamPark.com/Events *Events are weather dependent. Check our social channels for updates.
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© Chatham Park Investors 2026
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | RAMONA ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN
Dolly’s dogs In her personal life, there were two dogs, in particular, that held a special place in Dolly’s heart, maybe even saved her life.
RAMONA HERE. I asked Andrew to let me write this column after Dolly Parton’s death last week. He told me that many wonderful things have been shared about the generous and kind woman from eastern Tennessee. She gave millions to fund medical research, natural disaster relief and rural healthcare. Yet I wish to take a moment to remember Dolly’s love of dogs. The superstar was an avid supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She raised money for rescue shelters and foster programs. Ever the entrepreneurial spirit, she launched “Doggy Parton,” a line of pet apparel and accessories, to help raise funds for the Willa B. Farms animal rescue. In her personal life, there were two dogs, in particular, that held a special place in Dolly’s heart, maybe even saved her life. In the 1980s, Dolly suffered from depression and considered taking her
own life. She said that she got to the point of sitting upstairs in her house with a gun. But before long, her Boston terrier named Popeye came running up the stairs. The soft padding of his paws pulled Dolly from the depths. Andrew wants me to point out the seriousness of depression and that Dolly went on to seek professional help and treatment. Dolly also believed that Popeye was a messenger from God. Dolly was also inspired by a French bulldog named Billy the Kid. Billy actually belonged to her longtime manager Danny Nozell, but Dolly called him her “god-dog” because of their special bond. Billy the Kid starred in several of her children’s books. My favorite is the one about Billy the Kid moving to Nashville to sing country music. Despite his high hopes, the dog faced ridicule and bullying from his peers, and “Billy felt lower than a stick on the ground.” He persevered through
his “ruff days” and sang songs like “Jowlene” and “I Will Pawlways Love You.” Billy the Kid’s journey mirrored Dolly’s life story in more ways than the song titles. She also knew what it was like to struggle desperately. That’s a valuable lesson for anyone who’s down. Here’s my song that was inspired by Dolly and her dogs. You can howl along with me! While few have a million dollars, we all got something to share; sometimes your presence is priceless, because it shows how much you care. A-oooooo! Love, Ramona Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
Leaving good legacy not all that hard I let Chapel Hill’s lure of Franklin Street, sleeping late, cutting class and shooting pool in the student union get in the way of going to class.
A COMMON TRAIT of humanity, at least for most of humanity, is when we are a memory we want to leave a legacy, something that says we passed this way and did something for which the world will remember us and, hopefully, that memory will be about a good thing that benefitted humanity. If you’re Einstein, it might be the theory of relativity, which somehow went over my head in school. I guess that makes it relative. If you’re Dr. Salk, it’s the polio vaccine. If you’re that Japanese fellow on cable TV, it’s eating 116 hot dogs in some sort of contest. For most of us, however, our legacy won’t be that big or noticeable, at least to the world. But it can be a big thing for those around us. It’s like the story of the grandfather and grandson who walked along the beach one early morning. As they walked, the grandfather would toss starfish that had washed up on the shore back into the water. The lad watched this in amazement and finally broke the silence by asking Grandpa why he did that. Grandpa explained that the tide had brought the starfish ashore and that if they lay out on the beach in the hot sun very long without water they would die. As Grandpa continued his task, Grandson said, “But Grandpa, there are too many. You can’t do them all.” “That’s right,” Grandpa said as he tossed another into the surf, “but it’s really important to that one.” Sometimes I wonder what my legacy might be. Of course, other folks see us
differently than we see ourselves, and different folks see us in different ways. Years ago in English Five, the creative writing class at ol’ Pittsboro High, I thought my legacy would be the Great American Novel or at least some fine sportswriting for the Durham Morning Herald, to which I aspired because, I reasoned, I could cover UNC football, sit in the press box at Kenan Stadium, eat fried chicken and get paid to watch the game. Somehow that dream never materialized. It was due largely because when I arrived at UNC, I let Chapel Hill’s lure of Franklin Street, sleeping late, cutting class and shooting pool in the student union get in the way of going to class. That turn of events, though, turned me in another direction and led me to the way things are now. And now I often stand amazed at how a turn in the events in life takes us one way or another in ways we could never have thought of. Now I realize I won’t ever sit in the press box because of the accumulation of birthdays and the fact I don’t write sports anymore. I have long reached the age where I have begun to start collecting a bit of the funds Uncle Sam took from my income for years, and I’m not looking for a job. And so I wonder what that legacy might be. I’m thinking that really for most of us our greatest legacy might be to leave a well-adjusted offspring or two — or more, if that’s the case — to the world. If that’s not possible for you, then tossing the starfish in your world back into the sea as
you walk along your beach could be the thing, especially in this messed-up, angry and divisive world in which we’re living now. To be sure, we need to pay attention, keep our eyes open and do the right thing(s), but it may be our legacy is to be found in the small things that become big things. I think here, for instance, of some of my long-ago teachers in school who encouraged me in various ways along the paths of life. They’re all gone now, except the lady who taught me how to type when she was fresh out of college and only four years older than me and my 12th grade classmates. In that day, I could do 60 words per minute and few, if any, errors. Today, as my fingers bask in the glow of arthritis and each time I strike the “a” key with the little finger on my left hand, I hit the “caps lock” key, I’m more like 60 errors and a few, if any, words per minute. But hey, I still remember my teacher and all that, and that, dear friends, is a legacy. So for you and me, our legacy may be a kind word or deed, a pat on the back or a hug or a shoulder to lean on. There’s not much distance between a pat on the back and a kick in the rear end, but the results are miles apart. And so maybe we should work to make our legacy be like the old Scottish proverb, “Live so that when you die, the mourners outnumber the cheering section.” Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
COLUMN | JAN HUTTON
COLUMN DAVID HARSANYI
My apologies, Dolly
Once again, I’m excelling at looking from a distance and passing judgment on others. Dolly Who?
HERE I AM, again, subject to yet another life lesson. (Don’t we have enough of these lessons, as is? Might there be such a thing as a timeout? Oh, it’s called death? Forget it!) So Dolly Parton, you are preeminent on my learning curve right now. I’m telling on myself. Over many years, I never took the time to look past your humongous blonde wigs, pancaked makeup and those tight, tight spangled clothes. I wasn’t fond of your voice’s timbre, either. Way too high for my taste. I, alas, never bothered to listen to the lyrics of your large compendium of self-composed songs. I’m not trying to be mean, but you weren’t my cup of tea. I’d written you off years ago. Why would I deign to listen to your song lyrics? C’mon! As far as I was concerned, you seemed only a splashy caricature of a singing artist. Oh, gosh, that’s harsh! Once again, I’m excelling at looking from a distance and passing judgment on others. Dolly Who? This ol’ universe, finally, opened its door, but only for a wee bit, to my seeing Dolly a tad differently. Dolly composed “I Will Always Love You.” Wow, I love that song. (And, if you don’t, dear reader, what’s wrong with you?) Dolly Parton died last week, and all manner of hell broke loose. The news, social media, friends, everyone was mourning. Dolly’s passing seemed to dominate all my usual media sources. The news of her death was preeminent.
So, reflective person that I am (on occasion), I set out to learn more about this icon in everyone else’s eyes, but my own. Googling up the wazoo, viewing a lengthy PBS documentary, Britain’s royal family (whoa!) paying tribute, and on and on. I was cooked by this morning; well done, in fact. Uh-oh, I forgot to mention she was also a philanthropist, giving millions of dollars to supply books for impoverished children. Those lyrics of Dolly’s I’d so dismissed when I saw her only as a caricature? I whiffed that one too. Cooked, and damn wrong about Dolly Parton. She was a smart cookie who loved the role she played, including all her accoutrement. Had I taken time to listen to the lyrics of this woman I’d long characterized as a Trollope (a tart in British vernacular), my eyes would have widened in shock. Dolly was intentionally playing a role she loved, with considerable wisdom and sensitivity underlying her songs’ lyrics. That is, if I’d paid attention to those lyrics … Mea culpa. I have much to apologize for, Dolly, but you’re already gone. I’ll continue to chip away at my longtime conundrum of “my way or the highway.” Is it possible I could live up to you? A question that never crossed my mind before … Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
COLUMN | MATT MERCER
The Imax camera shortage is a failure of free market fundamentalism IMAX 70mm, is only available in 25 theaters across the country.
I HAVEN’T SEEN “The Odyssey,” the latest theatrical release from Christopher Nolan, which is one of the most expensive movies made of all time. I’m a fan of Nolan’s work and, like many other elder millennials, I believe “The Dark Knight” ranks as one of the greatest movies ever made. “The Odyssey” is the first made exclusively in Imax 70mm, a milestone in an industry that is uniquely American. Unfortunately, most Americans won’t have the chance to see the movie in the format Nolan has championed. Imax is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, films and projectors that increases the aspect ratio and detail of films. Recording or showing movies with Imax required theaters to increase their screen sizes and, in some cases, construct new buildings. The one Nolan prefers, Imax 70mm, is only available in 25 theaters across the country. The closest one to my house in North Carolina is in Buford, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. The enhanced requirements meant Imax would not become widespread but remained profitable for the company. Enter the resurgence that began with Nolan’s use in “The Dark Knight.” When he shot six sequences with Imax cameras, it was the first time they had been used in the production of a film. That created demand for their use from other directors over the next decade. The stress of the heightened demand highlighted an issue: The mechanical parts of the cameras were not being made, and no one knew how to make them anymore. This loss of institutional knowledge in industries has occurred across our country to our detriment. Making a specialized camera may be a niche specialty, but it illustrates the larger problem. Our economy hasn’t worked well enough for the people who make things. As a result, our political system hollowed out towns and withered American manufacturing. This is the problem Vice President JD Vance has talked about even in years before he ran for U.S. Senate in 2022. He’s been savaged over a supposed hostility to markets, which is laughable considering his business career was built working with Peter Thiel. The latest round of criticism comes from his recent podcast interview with Joe Rogan, where he said both ends — the socialism of the far left and the market-can-do-no-wrong right — are both incorrect. He advocates for a third way that creates jobs families can live on and keeps continuity in communities.
Politics, like business, are never static. Consider that two decades ago, many Republicans revolted when former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sought to tax “Big Gulp” cups at convenience stores because they were unhealthy. Opposition to that policy even became part of Sarah Palin’s stump speeches when she was still part of the national conversation. Today, the MAHA movement has scored wins removing junk food from EBT eligibility, ending harmful food dyes from use in many processed foods and energized pro-health activists who joined the Donald Trump’s coalition when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed him and subsequently became HHS secretary. Many conservatives would be well-served by reevaluating their priors on economic policy. Trump campaigned on reshoring American manufacturing, specifically advanced manufacturing to rebuild our defense industrial base. It also extends to pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and computer chips, among other items. It turns out outsourcing everything doesn’t work in a pandemic or when other countries see you as an adversary. Our supply chains weren’t equipped to handle geopolitical risk from countries like China. This is a course correction that will outlive his administration, but too many prominent conservatives would rather return to pre-2016 orthodoxy. It simply did not serve North Carolina families to make something a little bit cheaper at the expense of good jobs here in our state. Outgoing Senate Leader Phil Berger deserves credit for reducing taxes to help families keep more money they earn and attract business investment to the state. More than any other recent state political leader, Berger held the line on fiscal policy and also recognized state policy can play a role in better outcomes for families. It’s not just about the Imax camera used in a summer blockbuster. Market fundamentalists have focused on the wrong inputs about why capitalism is the superior economic system. Adam Smith warned of excesses without moral boundaries or competition. Even our founders didn’t risk everything in service to the free market, they sought to give us a nation. Matt Mercer is a North Carolina-based communications strategist and former editor in chief of North State Journal.
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El-Sayed’s insane circumcision analogy “SEX CHANGES for minors. Do you support that?” Fox News host Jesse Watters recently asked Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. “So you think it’s OK for a parent to slash his kid’s ding-a-ling off?” Watters finally interjected. “Are you circumcised?” El-Sayed asked. “Circumcision’s different than castration,” Watters shot back. “It’s a problem that you think you get to decide what happens between a parent, a doctor and a patient,” El-Sayed argued. “I’m just saying that, yes, circumcision is surgery on a kid’s ding-a-ling.” Circumcision is a minor, low-risk procedure that’s been practiced by humans going back 5,000 years or more. Around 80% of American men are circumcised. Their lives are not irreparably altered. Their natural maturation is not impeded. Most pediatricians believe the health benefits of circumcising boys outweigh the risks of the procedure. No one compels parents to circumcise their children. And if a 13-year-old boy suddenly demanded to be circumcised for cosmetic reasons, no responsible parent or doctor would needlessly subject them to a scalpel. Castration has also been around for thousands of years, though chiefly as a tool of torture and subjugation. The children of impoverished parents, slaves or the abducted young might be turned into eunuchs. Today, affluent parents voluntarily hand their children over to quacks to be forever damaged. The notion that El-Sayed, champion of a socialized healthcare system that would empower the federal government to dictate all our medical decisions, doesn’t believe the state should have a say in your choices is risible. “Gender-affirming care,” however, isn’t medical care; it is elective mutilation. So, of course, society has a responsibility to intervene in the relationship between parent, doctor and patient if that “patient” happens to be a healthy minor and the actions of the doctor and parent constitute child abuse. That’s the debate. And that’s the conversation El-Sayed and other progressives would like to avoid. Because the unvarnished truth would disgust any well-adjusted adult. Even the anesthetized description of the process, “gender-affirming care,” is an insidious euphemism that inverts reality to conceal a truth about a process that uses puberty blockers, hormones and surgery to “affirm” a child’s fleeting self-conception, not their gender. Many people have been coaxed into believing that supporting gender-change cruelty is an act of love, compassion and acceptance. One of the duties — the most vital duty — of any parent is protecting their children from harm, including self-harm. Indeed, one of the most vital duties of all civilized people is protecting children from violence. We do not give in to the fantastical, fleeting whims of children. Because, despite some modern conceptions of parenthood, children do not possess any deep existential knowledge about gender or anything else. Your job is to protect them from their worst inclinations and social contagions, not follow them into madness. If a parent rejects biological truths, that’s their business. If a child wants to dress up as the opposite sex, that’s their business as well. But the state has a duty to step in and protect a child who isn’t old enough to vote, rent a hotel room, order a drink, open a bank account, buy spray paint or play lotto from destroying their anatomy. Compassion means giving children with gender dysphoria the psychiatric or spiritual help they need, and perhaps an education. Your “authentic” gender is the one you’re born with, as any normie understands, which is no more “assigned” to you than your height or skin color. Yet a smarmy Democrat running for major political office goes on the country’s top cable news network and glibly compares circumcision to procedures that cause irreparable damage to healthy reproductive systems, not to mention infertility, impaired sexual function, chronic pain, blood clots and forever seeping wounds, so as not to offend his activist base. Now, El-Sayed might be an extremist, but he earned a medical degree on top of a doctorate, so he is uniquely positioned to have an educated discussion on this issue. At the very least, it’s mystifying that any progressive candidate running for a seat that may well decide Senate control doesn’t have a prefabricated answer ready to go when he’s asked why it’s OK to alter permanently the lives of children as young as 5. Then again, maybe El-Sayed doesn’t have a good answer because there is no good answer. David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
obituaries
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She united America across political divides through authenticity, humor, and philanthropy By Maria Sherman The Associated Press NEW YORK — There are few inalienable truths: Everyone was born, everyone will die, and everyone loved Dolly Parton. Larger-than-life at 5-footnothing, the country star, actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur and theme park enthusiast who died last Tuesday, transcended celebrity in rhinestones and fringe. She was embraced by fans across gender, race and class, embodying a mythology typically inaccessible to even the most influential historical figures. It’s hard to name a more adored artist — one who could deliver a perfectly timed dirty joke seconds before a folk classic of her own composition. (This is where, if Parton were reading along, a self-deprecating quip would come in — lest anyone forget she was a whip-smart jokester, too.) Throughout her endeavors, Parton worked to build a better world, while becoming inextricable from the American imagination. It is one of her greatest legacies: to take what you have and help someone with it. Among most beloved artists of all time In 2015, when Parton returned to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody introduced her as “the most beloved artist of all time,” quickly amending it to “female artist.” As history has proven, he was correct the first time. Parton’s legacy starts with the immortality of her music: songwriting as solace, an exercise in creativity and an unwavering ability to write experience into art. Across her career, Parton wrote and performed perennial
hits (“Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Little Sparrow,” take your pick) and others that took on a life of their own (most famously, “I Will Always Love You,” made immortal by Whitney Houston). Parton grew up in poverty, one of 12 kids in East Tennessee’s rural Sevier County, where she started writing songs as a toddler. By 10, she was on the radio and TV in Knoxville, Tennessee. By 13, she had made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry. At 21, she joined “The Porter Wagoner Show,” her star power quickly eclipsing its host. The accomplishments — and the trials and tribulations that came with them, which she let roll off her shoulders with enviable resiliency — came fast and furious, as they do with once-in-a-lifetime talents. There are the 10 Grammys, the numerous Hall of Fame inductions, and the fact that she revolutionized the world of country music for women alongside Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, creating a path for crossover artistry. But there are also her Hollywood forays. It’s telling that her first feature film, “9 to 5,” celebrated women in the workplace and messed with their devious bosses. One of her superpowers was rooted in a kind of irony: Everything about Dolly Parton is truly Dolly Parton or else she wouldn’t partake — down to the false eyelashes and big wigs. She built an economic empire with down-home sensibilities. If authenticity is currency in popular culture, Parton showed the world how it was done. Honest-to-goodness iconoclast There’s a moment in her 1983 television special, “Dolly in Concert,” where Parton calls herself “the original punk rocker.” It’s a fitting description: Armed in a uniform of high heels, acrylic nails (the better to write songs with), tight clothes and big blond beehive, the image of Parton was enough to scandalize. Jokes
JONATHAN SHORT / AP PHOTO
Dolly Parton performs at Glastonbury music festival, June 29, 2014. about her breasts were prevalent for decades; she wielded them like a weapon. Her first big break came in 1967 with a single, ironically titled “Dumb Blonde.” It’s a clever admonishment of a man who calls a woman stupid. It was fabulously misunderstood and misconstrued, forecasting the wonderful hypocrisy inherent in many public appreciations of Parton: She had full autonomy; make a low-brow pass at her and she’ll have the last laugh. Always. That spirit was inherent in her business ventures as well. Too poor to travel to Disneyland as a child, Parton opened her Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, amusement park, Dollywood, in 1986. Many thought it was a bad idea; it proved to be her most lucrative business venture. It’s also, crucially, a blessing for the local economy. According to a 2021 study by the Tennessee Aviation System Plan, Dollywood brings in $1.8 billion each year. Great unifier Parton’s career kicked off in the transformative ’60s, perfectly aligning with the emergence of the women’s liberation movement. Though she didn’t use the word herself, much of Parton’s career — and in particular, her songwriting — has been viewed as a kind of feminism. Take the early hit, 1968’s “Just Because I’m a Woman.” Parton’s sweet soprano and idiosyncratic tremolo are on full display as she reminds her male partner that he need not judge her for having previous sexual partners because he has done the same.
Peter Cullen, prolific voice actor who gave Optimus Prime authoritative baritone, died at 85 The voice behind Optimus Prime drew inspiration from his Marine brother Larry
Peter Cullen attends The Paley Honors: A Gala Tribute to Hasbro’s Centennial in New York on Oct. 23, 2023.
By Mark Kennedy The Associated Press NEW YORK — Peter Cullen, a prolific voice actor who enlivened scores of TV series, specials and movies, including Optimus Prime in the syndicated 1984 series “Transformers” and Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh cartoon franchise, has died. He was 85. His agent, Kevin Motley, said Cullen died last Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. “His family asks that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle,’” said a family statement. Cullen’s career spanned from being an announcer at the groundbreaking late-1960s comedy and variety series “The Smothers Brothers Com-
EVAN AGOSTINI / AP PHOTO
edy Hour” and joining comedy sketches for Sonny & Cher to voice acting in “The Smurfs” and multiple G.I. Joe iterations. But he struck a nerve as Optimus Prime. While the original cartoon ran just a few years, it left an indelible mark on pop culture, with a toy line, spinoff cartoon series and comics produced over the next two decades. That culminated in the launch of a multibillion-dollar, live-action film
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franchise in 2007 by Michael Bay. Before his audition, Cullen only knew that he would be reading for the part of a truck, though giving voice to a vehicle didn’t seem that crazy. “You’re always auditioning for something in animation that’s a little off of the norm,” Cullen told the AP in 2019. When Cullen read about the heroic Autobot leader that turned into a red cabover semi-
“My mistakes are no worse than yours,” she sings, “Just because I’m a woman.” Or consider 1970’s “Down from Dover,” a tearjerker about a pregnant teenager abandoned by her family and the child’s father. She gives birth to a stillborn baby, alone, without medical treatment. “I guess in some strange way she knew she’d never have a father’s arms to hold her,” Parton sings. “And dying was her way of telling me he wasn’t coming down from Dover.” It’s evocative then and now. Still, across political divides, Parton is welcomed with open arms. It may have something to do with the fact that, when it came to capital-P party line, Parton valued apoliticism. During the 2016 presidential election, she said a woman would do a great job in office. When it was viewed as an endorsement of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, she said her words were taken out of context. She never said who she voted for. And she declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom three times, twice from President Donald Trump and once from President Joe Biden so as to not appear biased. As a result, she was beloved by all — even in periods of unmitigated division.
“The original punk rocker.” Dolly Parton
With the same resolve she exhibited in her performances, Parton was dedicated to charity work. In 1988, she launched the Dollywood Foundation, originally designed to combat high school dropout rates. Its early ‘90s Buddy Program paired
junior high students in Sevier County and gave $500 to each if they both finished high school. In 2016, when wildfires ravaged her native Great Smoky Mountains, the foundation announced it would give $1,000 each month for six months to families who lost their homes. The following year, it was revealed the foundation’s My People Fund helped 900 families with roughly $9 million in the first six months after the fires. In 1991, she launched a sanctuary for bald eagles that couldn’t survive in the wild; in 2000, she started a college scholarship giving $15,000 to five high school seniors in Sevier County. In 2020, she donated $1 million to COVID-19 research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s vaccine. Best known is her Imagination Library, founded in 1995. Parton’s father was illiterate; it inspired her to launch an organization providing books to those without resources. By 2025, she had given away over 200 million books to children in need. Parton was truly one of one — a generous country music heroine from the small-town South turned global phenomenon. “I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world,” she told The Associated Press in 2024. “And left, you know, a few good things behind.”
trailer, he thought about his older brother, who had served as a U.S. Marine in the Vietnam War. “He was my hero, and he certainly was the mainstay behind the character,” Cullen said. “I just did an impression of Larry, and he’s still alive in my mind today because every time I do Prime, there’s my brother Larry.” Cullen’s authoritative baritone as Optimus Prime also appeared in 2009’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” through “Dark of the Moon,” “Age of Extinction,” “The Last Knight,” “Bumblebee” and “Rise of the Beasts” in 2023. His thoughtful, almost operatic lines would be quoted for decades by kids and adults alike: “I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars: We are here. We are waiting,” he said in the first movie. In another, he intoned: “Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing.” Other highlights from Cullen’s prolific career include voicing Eeyore across various “Winnie-the-Pooh” projects, including Disney’s “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” TV series that aired from 1988-91, as well as voicing the villainous KARR opposite KITT in the 1980s NBC series “Knight Rider,” and lending his pipes to King Kong in the Jeff Bridges-led
“King Kong” remake in 1976. “Optimus is my favorite character because it’s been so well received and it’s had such an effect on so many people,” Cullen told The New York Times in 2008. “Because of that, I hold it closer than any other character I’ve done — outside of maybe Eeyore, who’s had a considerable effect on younger children too.” One of Cullen’s strangest jobs had no words at all: He provided the clicking sounds for the main alien creature in “Predator,” which he said he based on the sounds of a dying horseshoe crab. Cullen received a lifetime achievement award at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in 2023 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for voicing Optimus Prime in 2011. Cullen would attend conventions around the country to meet with fans from multiple generations, often getting teary. He said parents sometimes got more excited than their children meeting him. “I expect that I will run into a father with his son, and the father will more than likely get choked up,” Cullen said before MegaCon Orlando in 2019. “And then I get choked up, and then the kid is saying, ‘What are these two grown men getting choked up about?’ ” Cullen is survived by his four children, Angus, Claire, Pilar and Clay.
Fantastic philanthropist
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
Artemis II astronauts receive nation’s highest space honor for successful moonshot The crew tested NASA’s new moon rocket during an April lunar flyby By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press THE ARTEMIS II astronauts who flew around the moon earlier this year received the nation’s highest space honor last Friday. President Donald Trump presented the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the three Americans and one Canadian whose April lunar flyby set a new distance record for humanity. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other dignitaries took part in the packed ceremony at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control. Trump used the occasion to announce the creation of a U.S. Space Academy for the Space Force as well as NASA and the commercial space community. “Space is the hot thing,” the president told the crowd, adding that the academy’s location has yet to be determined. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen became the first astronauts to travel to the moon in more than half a century, coming within 4,067 miles while
test-driving NASA’s new Orion capsule. They were the first to launch aboard NASA’s new moon rocket, a 30-story behemoth that had soared only once before from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. While they didn’t stop at the moon, the four set the stage for next year’s Artemis III docking rehearsal in orbit around Earth. Artemis IV’s moon landing by two astronauts, near the lunar south pole, could follow as soon as 2028. Trump said Americans will land back on the moon before his term ends. Mars is next — “very shortly,” he said. The president called the newest recipients “four intrepid space heroes.” He pointed out that they did not do it alone, thanking all who contributed to the Artemis II mission. “There are no finer humans we could have sent as our ambassadors to the stars,” Isaacman added. Wiseman and his crew are in good company, with only 30 astronauts receiving the prestigious honor before them. Many of the recipients were honored posthumously following their tragic spaceflight-related deaths. Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong — whose phrase “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”
KAREN WARREN / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump applauds during a Congressional Space Medal of Honor ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center last Friday in Houston, after putting a medal on Artemis II Astronaut and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, a North Carolina native. gripped the world on July 20, 1969 — was the first to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. President Jimmy Carter awarded six of these medals in 1978, which also went to Alan Shepard, the first American in space; John Glenn, the first American in orbit; and Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman, whose 1968 mission marked humanity’s first lunar voyage.
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The most recent recipients were Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, the first astronauts to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket. Coming nine years after the space shuttle program’s close, their 2020 test flight to the International Space Station restored America’s ability to launch crews from home soil. President Joe Biden awarded them the medals in 2023. Dozens of astronauts partic-
RETREAT from page A1 seeking to examine their role for housing action and opportunities regarding supply and services. Featured presenters include the Chatham County Housing Authority, Brick Capital Community Development Corporation, Community Home Trust, University of North Carolina School of Government, Development Finance Initiative and North Carolina Housing Coalition. The event is open to the pub-
lic and is intended for community members, housing advocates, nonprofit organizations, local leaders, developers and anyone interested in the future of housing investment in Chatham County. Lunch and refreshments will be available. Community members who cannot attend are encouraged to provide comment or ideas to housing director Jason Smith (Jason.smith@ chathamcountync.gov) or housing officer Jamie Andrews (Jamie.andrews@chathamcountync.gov).
SOCIALISM DESTROYS A COUNTRY! Bible study: Matthew 4:1-11. Church of Living Water; Pastor: James Mitchell. The Devil came to Jesus to tempt Him, thinking He was in a weak state. Satan will come to the computer-type brain of all people with fear and doubts. Children of God, we must cast out the temptation that Satan sends to our brains. We must keep reaching to live by every word of God. Demonic spirits have taken over the Democrat/Socialist Party. They are offering all the free stuff if you vote for these devils. They hate America, Israel, our law enforcement, and Christians. Our ICE law enforcement rounded up some 50,000 illegals/criminals last month! Heavenly Father, bless our law enforcement, in Jesus’ name! Don’t you stupid/blind people understand that all socialist countries fail? Abdul El-Sayed, a socialist running for the Senate in Michigan, compares child sex change castration to circumcision. Democrat-run states want illegals to vote in our elections. You RINO Republicans who vote with these Democrats, shame on you. I think Allah must be upset with Hamas for going into Israel, killing babies, children, and raping family members. You were defeated! Allah must be upset with Iran for killing so many innocent people over the last 47 years. You’ve killed thousands of your own FLWL]HQV HYHQ ¿ULQJ RQ \RXU QHLJKERUV 3UHVLGHQW 7UXPS the only president, said “that’s enough.” The Iranian people, with the help of America, will take their country back. I pray for the Muslim people, in Jesus’ name! I pray for Latinos/Hispanic/Black/Red and White American citizens, in Jesus’ name. We must stand united, worshiping and serving our Lord God! God the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can’t be defeated! All the world, Jesus died for your sins—repent and be born again. You will have the peace, freedom, and love of the one and only true God!
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
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North Carolina Environmental Management Commission / NPDES Unit 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Notice of Intent to Issue NPDES Wastewater Permits for Chatham County Schools The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue NPDES wastewater discharge permits to the persons listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permits will be accepted until 30 days after the publication date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the address listed above. Interested persons may visit DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604, to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings, or by calling (919) 707-3601. Chatham County Schools requested renewal of permit NC0039331 for the Bonlee Elementary School WWTP (153 Bonlee School Rd, Bear Creek, NC 27207) in Chatham County. The facility discharges treated domestic wastewater to an unnamed tributary to Bear Creek in the Cape Fear River Basin. Currently, BOD, ammonia nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, and fecal coliform are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future allocations in this portion of Bear Creek. Chatham County Schools requested renewal of permit NC0039381 for the Central Chatham High School WWTP (14950 NC Hwy 902 W, Bear Creek, NC 27207) in Chatham County. The facility discharges treated domestic wastewater to an unnamed tributary to Bear Creek in the Cape Fear River Basin. Currently, BOD, ammonia nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, and fecal coliform are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future allocations in this portion of Bear Creek.
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
TAKE NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
26E000473-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Jodi N. Wiley, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Loretta A. Neely, 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 November 18, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 20th day of August 2026. Jodi N. Wiley Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY ________________________________ ________________________________ ________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Karl Frederick Ernst of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 12th day of August, 2026. Barbara Gray Ernst, Administrator Of the Estate of Karl Frederick Ernst 711 Red Oak Drive Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000468-180 The undersigned, CAROL JOHNSON, having qualified on the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JESSE JAMES MCCRIMMON, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026. CAROL JOHNSON, EXECUTOR 1486 MITCHELL CHAPEL RD. PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk NOTICE TO CREDITORS File Number 26E000379-180 Brenda Sites, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Barbara Boone Young, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, hereby wishes to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at the below listed address on or before the 20th day of November 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the below listed address. This is the 20th day of August, 2026. Brenda Sites c/o Huston Law Firm, PLLC 2501 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 A20, 27, 3 and 10
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000463-180 The undersigned, DARLENE A. BRISTOW, having qualified on the 5TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of RV ANDERS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026. DARLENE A. BRISTOW, EXECUTOR 4711 EDINBOROUGH ROAD GREENSBORO, NC 27406 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Richard Locaparra, Sr. ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Richard Locaparra, Sr, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before 11/20/2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 20th day of August, 2026. Richard Locaparra Jr., Executor 220 Bailey Way Siler City NC 27344 c/o Hopler, Wilms & Hanna, PLLC 2314 S. Miami Blvd. Suite 151 Durham, NC 27703 8/20, 27, 9/3, 10, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE State of North Carolina County of Chatham The annual meeting of the North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department Inc., will be held at North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department Station #1, U.S. 15-501 North, on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM for the purpose of electing (2) Directors of the Corporation and such other business as may properly come before the meeting. All residents of the North Chatham Fire Protection District eighteen (18) years of age or older and live in Chatham County are entitled to attend and vote at said meeting. The Directors are residents of the North Chatham Fire Protection District in Chatham County and shall fairly be representative of the geographic areas and populations served by the corporation. This 18th day of August 2025. Chuck Quinlan, President North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS 26E000377-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Lynn McClurg, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Raymond Augustus Kilner, 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 December 2, 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 3rd day of September 2026. Lynn McClurg Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000465-180 The undersigned, Angela Lenetta Horton aka Angela Horton Sheffield, having been appointed as Executor of the Estate of Hazel Newby Horton, aka Hazel Marie Horton, Deceased, late of Guilford County, North Carolina, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned in care of the undersigned’s Attorney at their address on or before, November 13, 2026 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 13th day of August, 2026. Angela Lenetta Horton aka Angela Horton Sheffield, Administrator Estate of Hazel Newby Horton, aka Hazel Marie Horton Justin N. Plummer, Esq. Law Offices of Cheryl David 528 College Rd. Greensboro, NC 27410 Phone No.: (336) 547-9999 Fax No.: (336) 547-9477 Run Dates: August 13, August 20, August 27, September 3, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of William James Erkes, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Munson Law Firm PLLC, P.O. Box 1811 Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 27th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 27th day of August, 2026. GARY WILLIAM ERKES, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF William James Erkes
NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Chatham County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled COUNTY OF CHATHAM vs. MARCIE LYNN MOODY and MARCIE LYNN MOODY’S SPOUSE, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of MARCIE LYNN MOODY and MARCIE LYNN MOODY’S SPOUSE, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, et al, 25CV001026-180, the undersigned Commissioner will on the 16th
NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Chatham County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled COUNTY OF CHATHAM vs. THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF JESSE SADDLER, JR. and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF SAM SADDLER and spouse, if any, which may include THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF JIMMY T. SADDLER and spouse, if any, CARL E. SADDLER and spouse, if any, MONIQUE CLARK and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF BILL SADDLER and spouse, if any, which may include BILL C. SADLER
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NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY ________________________________ ________________________________ ________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Sandra Sexton of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 18th day of August, 2026. Yvonne Sexton Goldston, Executor Of the Estate of Sandra Sexton 1102 N. Hampton Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Marilyn Gerk Ozer, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 3rd day of December, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 3rd day of September, 2026. TRINA SHILOH MATTA, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF MARILYN GERK OZER
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000172-180 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Carol A. Reingold, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 27, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 27th day of August, 2026 John Nightingale c/o Jillian E. Brevorka, Esq. Hodgson Russ LLP 7 Corporate Center Court Suite B Greensboro, NC 27408
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000488-180 The undersigned, TAMMY F. WESTER, having qualified on the 21ST Day of AUGUST 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of HARRY KIRBY FAGG, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 27TH Day of NOVEMBER 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 27TH Day of AUGUST 2026. TAMMY F. WESTER, ADMINISTRATOR 196 DEWITT SMITH ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: A27,S3,10,17p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000476-180 The undersigned, SHARLENE HAWKINS, having qualified on the 30TH Day of JUNE 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of BOBBY JEAN HAWKINS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 27TH Day of NOVEMBER 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 27TH Day of AUGUST 2026. SHARLENE HAWKINS, ADMINISTRATOR 437 GUM SPRINGS CHURCH RD. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: A27,S3,10,17p
NOTICE North Carolina Chatham County The Estate of Clark Sentelle Yarbrough 25 E000221-180 Notice to Creditors The undersigned, having qualified on the 23rd day of April 2025, as Executrix of the Estate of Clarke Sentelle Yarbrough, deceased, having last resided in and died of Chatham County, North Carolina, do hereby give this notice to all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned Executrix on before the 27th day of August 2026, being greater than three months from the date of first publication of this notice. Failure to present a claim(s) to the undersigned Executrix on or before the 27th day of November 2026 at 405 Deming Road, Chapel Hill, NC. 27514 will result in this notice being pleaded in bar of their recovery against the Estate. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 27th day of August, 2026 Terri Yarbrough Lorant, Executrix of the Estate of Clarke Yarbrough 405 Deming Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000176-180 The undersigned, FRANK BERRY HILL, having qualified on the 1ST Day of JUNE 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of JO CARROL ELAINE HILL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 20TH Day of AUGUST 2026. FRANK BERRY HILL, ADMINISTRATOR 3664 OYSTER BLUFF DR. BEAUFORT, SC 29907 Run dates: A20,27,S3,10p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000495-180 The undersigned, CLYDE GRAHAM BARBER, having qualified on the 26TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MOLLY YELTON BARBER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 3RD Day of DECEMBER 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 3RD Day of SEPTEMBER 2026. CLYDE GRAHAM BARBER, EXECUTOR 174 CRAIG HILL LANE CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: S3,10,17,24p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000475-180 The undersigned, TERRANCE C. JOHNSTON, having qualified on the 12TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of REBECCA F. BECKER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 20TH Day of AUGUST 2026. TERRANCE C. JOHNSTON, EXECUTOR 1504 MIRIAM AVE. GARNER, NC 27529 Run dates: A20,27,S3,10p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E00074-180 The undersigned, ISAIAH BUTLER, having qualified on the 5TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of LOIS BUTLER aka ANNIE LOIS BUTLER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026. ISAIAH BUTLER, ADMINISTRATOR 601 BILLY FITTS ROAD SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC On Monday, September 14, 2026, at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold a legislative public hearing for the following requests at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West: ZTA-26-12 – A legislative request by Town Staff to amend the Downtown Overlay District found in Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Section 2.6.4. PB-26-370 – Deborah and Pete Hinton have petitioned to have approximately 0.4 acres of land, Parcel 0008273, currently zoned High Density Residential 10 (R-10) to be rezoned to Office and InstitutionalConditional Zoning (O&I-CZ). The Future Land Use Plan designates this parcel Downtown Support. The property is located along East Salisbury Street, south of the new Town Hall site, west of singlefamily residential, and north and east of commercial and office space. PB-26-215 – Intrepid Build has petitioned to have approximately 4.047 acres of land, Parcel 0007133, currently zoned Rural Residential Agriculture (RA-2) to be rezoned to Community Mixed-Use Center-Conditional Zoning (CMUC-CZ). The Future Land Use Plan designates this parcel Residential. The property is located along Highway 15-501, south and east of single-family residential and west of the Haw River Filtration Plant. The hearing will be held in person. The public can watch the hearing live on the Town’s YouTube channel https://www. youtube.com/@townofpittsboronc/ streams. Members of the public must attend in person if they wish to speak at the hearing. Contact the Town Clerk, Carrie Bailey, by 4 pm on September 14, 2026, with written comments or sign up to speak at the hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 984.282.6647, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312. ### Chatham News & Record: ADVERTISE TWICE –ON 09/03/2026 & 09/10/2026. PLEASE SEND (1) THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION AFFIDAVIT TO THE TOWN CLERK AT PO BOX 759, PITTSBORO, NC 27312.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS 22E000082-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Rochelle Bryarley, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Brandon Wade Bryarley 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 November 11, 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.
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000036-180 ALL persons having claims against Susan Hill Oliver, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Nov 20 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 20th day of August, 2026. JAIME SUSAN OLIVER, Executor C/O Haas & Associates, P.A. 5100 Oak Park Road, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27612 A20, 27, 3 and 10
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000474-180 ALL persons having claims against Peter Randall Naylor, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Nov 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 27th day of August, 2026. c/o Daniel B. Finch, Attorney, Peter Randall Naylor, II, Administrator CTA C/O Pinna, Johnston & Burwell, P.A. 2601 Oberlin Rd, Ste 100 Raleigh, NC 27608 A27, 3, 10 and 17
day of September, 2026, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction at the courthouse door in Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon, the following described real property, lying and being in Hickory Mountain Township, State and County aforesaid, and more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Parcel 1, containing 1.48 acres, as shown on a Plat dated September 17, 1991, recorded in Plat Slide 94-316, Chatham County Registry, drawn by Rufus L. Johnson, RLS, entitled, Survey for Monte
Dale Moody and wife, Jeannie R. Moody, to which Plat reference is made for more accuracy and certainty of description. Less and except all that lies within the Rightof-Way of Moody Loop Road. Subject to restrictive covenants, easements, and rights-of-way of record. Parcel Identification Number: 0069974 The undersigned Commissioner makes no warranties in connection with this property and specifically disclaims any warranties as to title and habitability. This property is being sold as is, without opinion as to title or any other matter.
This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required. In addition, the successful bidder will be required, at the time the Deed is recorded to pay for recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Chatham County Register of Deeds. This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25.
This the 13th day of August, 2026. __________________________________ _____ Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill, Commissioner P.O. Box 25 Trenton, NC 28585 Publication dates: September 3, 2026 September 10, 2026
and spouse, if any, BILLIE C. SADLER and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF SUDIA CROSBY A/K/A SUDIE CROSBY and spouse, if any, which may include JACQUELINE U. SAMUEL and spouse, if any, VICKIE V. UNDERWOOD A/K/A VICKIE VANETTA SMITH and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF SOCIAL ARNOLD and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF RUSHIA CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, which may include GERTRUDE F. CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, ANTOINETTE C. CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, ANITA M. CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, VALERIE D. CHAMBERS N/K/A VALERIE D. BECK and spouse, if
any, TROY A. CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, et al, 08CVD000422-180, the undersigned Commissioner will on the 16th day of September, 2026, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction at the courthouse door in Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon, the following described real property, lying and being in Matthews Township, State and County aforesaid, and more particularly described as follows: Being all of lot Number 115 of Crestview Subdivision as shown by a plat of the same, which plat is recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Chatham County, North Carolina, in Plat Book No. 8, at Page 58. Reference to said plat is hereby made for a
more accurate description. Subject to restrictive covenants and easements of record. Parcel Identification Number: 0012891 The undersigned Commissioner makes no warranties in connection with this property and specifically disclaims any warranties as to title and habitability. This property is being sold as is, without opinion as to title or any other matter. This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required. In addition, the successful bidder will be required, at the time the Deed is recorded to
pay for recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Chatham County Register of Deeds. This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25. This the 13th day of August, 2026. __________________________________ _____ Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill, Commissioner P.O. Box 25 Trenton, NC 28585 Publication dates: September 3, 2026 September 10, 2026
This the 13th day of August 2026. Rochelle Bryarley Administrator Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
Army plans to build microreactors at 5 military bases as US seeks to ramp up nuclear power The $2.2 billion award will reduce military dependence on commercial power grids
“We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids.”
By Jennifer McDermott and Matthew Daly The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it plans to add nuclear microreactors at five military bases from New York to Texas as a reliable source of energy independent of the commercial electric grid. The announcement comes as the Trump administration pushes hard to develop the next generation of nuclear power, including billions in loans for large nuclear reactors to meet skyrocketing power demand from data centers and a pilot program to boost advanced reactor designs and projects for military and civilian use. No nuclear microreactors are supplying power to the commercial electric grid in the United States today. Five companies selected by the Army will be awarded up to $2.2 billion in total over five years to own, construct and operate the microreactors, if they hit set milestones along the way for their performance. The Army expects that more than 20 nuclear microreactors will be built and operated. Army and industry officials say microreactors offer a resilient power source for critical infrastructure at military installations in case the grid fails. Reactors can run for years without refueling. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said the awards will accelerate the military’s ability “to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations. We are building the energy resilience necessary to project com-
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY Special Proceedings No. 25SP000213-180 Trustee: Philip A. Glass NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Date of Sale: September 17, 2026 Time of Sale: 10:00 a.m. Place of Sale: Chatham County Courthouse Description of Property: See Attached Description Record Owners: Shereese Myers, Cierra Brazlyn Neal, Bruce Eugene Neal, Jr., and Trey J. Neal Address of Property: 209 Brown Hill Rd. New Hill, NC 27562 Deed of Trust: Book : 02341 Page: 0644 Dated: December 22, 2022 Grantors: Clarissa Toomer Neal an unmarried person Original Beneficiary: State Employees’
NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Chatham County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled COUNTY OF CHATHAM vs. GERRARD LEWIS GRADY and spouse, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of GERRARD LEWIS GRADY and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF ED DEGGRAFFENDREIDT A/K/A EDDIE DEGRAFFENREAIDT and spouse, if any, which may include JOANNE MCCLELLAND and spouse, if any, BRENDA CAROL WILLIAMS and spouse, if any, KATHERINE MARIE FOUSHEE and spouse,
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY THIS ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THE POWER AND AUTHORITY contained within that certain Deed of Trust executed and delivered by Cynthia M. Anderson and Richard L. Anderson dated May 4, 2001 and recorded on May 4, 2001 in Book 868 at Page 445 in the Office of Register of Deeds of Chatham County, North Carolina. As a result of a default in the obligations contained within the Promissory Note and Deed of Trust and the failure to carry out and perform the stipulation and agreements contained therein, the holder of the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust made demand to have the default cured, which was not met. Therefore, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will place for sale that parcel of land, including improvements thereon, situated, lying
NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Chatham County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled COUNTY OF CHATHAM vs. ADA NOBLE A/K/A ADA NOBLES and spouse, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of ADA NOBLE A/K/A ADA NOBLES and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, ROSA LAWS and spouse, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of ROSA LAWS and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, ROXANNE MCKINNEY A/K/A ROXANNE M. ALSTON A/K/A ROXIE M. ALSTON and spouse, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of ROXANNE MCKINNEY A/K/A ROXANNE M. ALSTON A/K/A ROXIE M. ALSTON and spouse, if
Dan Driscoll, Army secretary infrastructure. But in a conflict, Waksman said, the Army may not be able to move fossil fuels easily wherever it needs them. “That makes nuclear energy just a natural game changer,” he said. “It makes sense for the Army to take the lead here.” A reactor at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, completed in 1957, was the first nuclear power reactor to provide electricity to a commercial power grid in the United States for an extended period, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
bat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids,” he said. The grants are part of the Army’s “Janus Program” launched last year to deliver next-generation nuclear energy. Officials hope to push nuclear development forward so that advanced reactor designs move beyond experiments and prototypes to provide power for years to come. This will be the “spear tip,” said Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment. “That is the transition that we are trying to effect here,” he said on a call with reporters Wednesday. “These are not meant to be Army-specific designs.” Critics of building more nuclear reactors say they’re too expensive and riskier than other energy sources. Waksman said these reactors will shut down safely in case of a failure — they’re small, and the Army
President Donald Trump signed executive orders in May 2025 to speed up the development of nuclear power. The Army was tasked with ensuring that an advanced reactor would start operating at a domestic military installation no later than Sept. 30, 2028. The Janus program is named for the ancient Roman god of transitions. Officials know that delivering nuclear power to a military base will be a challenge, so they picked five companies in case one or more fail, Waksman said. The selected com-
panies are: Antares Nuclear at Fort Bragg in North Carolina; BWX Technologies at Fort Campbell in Kentucky; General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood in Texas; Radiant Industries at Fort Benning in Georgia; and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum in New York. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer asked the Army to select Fort Drum. The New York Democrat said Wednesday the critical missions Fort Drum supports require safe and secure, as well as reliable and resilient, onsite power generation. The reactors will be licensed by the Army, rather than the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which licenses commercial nuclear reactors. The Army is working to align its regulatory processes as much as possible, Waksman said, so that companies won’t need major changes to their designs to be later licensed by the NRC. Along with federal funding, the Army expects billions of dollars in private capital investment. The military installations will remain connected to the grid. The reactors would not completely power them. Each reactor will provide between 1 megawatt and 20 megawatts of power, depending on the company’s design. Major bases use as much power as a small city. Antares and Radiant are planning to deliver their reactors in three-packs, Waksman said. The Army now uses diesel as a primary backup for critical
Credit Union CONDITIONS OF SALE: This sale is made subject to all unpaid taxes and superior liens or encumbrances of record and assessments, if any, against the said property, and any recorded leases. This sale is also subject to any applicable county land transfer tax, and the successful third party bidder shall be required to make payment for any such county land transfer tax. It is the intent of the holder of the above Deed of Trust that the execution, delivery and recordation of a Trustee Deed to the holder as high bidder shall not merge with any superior Deeds of Trust held by the holder of the above Deed of Trust, and that the holder of said superior Deed of Trust shall continue to enjoy all rights and remedies set forth in said superior Deed of Trust, including the right to foreclose either by judicial action or under power of sale contained in the superior Deed of Trust. The property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for
sale “AS IS, WHERE IS.” THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES relating to the title or to any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. A cash deposit of 5% of the purchase price will be required at the time of the sale. Remote bidding will not be accepted pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.25 (a). Credit bids on behalf of the Noteholder will be accepted. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price so bid in cash or certified check at the time the Substitute Trustee tenders to him a deed for the property or attempts to tender such deed, and should said successful bidder fail to pay the full balance purchase price so bid at that time, he shall remain liable on his bid as provided for in North Carolina General
Statutes Section 45-21.30 (d) and (e). This sale will be held open ten (10) days for upset bids as required by law. Residential real property with less than 15 rental units, including single-family residential real property: an order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the
tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. Dated: 8/5/26 ______________________________ Philip A. Glass, Trustee Nodell, Glass & Haskell, L.L.P. Posted on 8/6/26 Exhibit A BEGINNING at iron stake in China Hawkins’ line running east 258 feet to a stake Joining J.C. Haithcox line; thence south 160 feet to a stake; thence west 219 feet to a stake joining Howard Crump’s line, thence north 160 feet to the beginning. Subject to easements, restrictions and rights of way of record, and utility lines and rights of way in existence over, under or upon the above-described property. PIN: 969800023810 Property Address: 209 Brown Hill Rd. New Hill, NC 27562
if any, COLUMBUS SHERMAN FOUSHEE and spouse, if any, IRA FOUSHEE and spouse, if any, and TIMOTHY FOUSHEE A/K/A TIMMY FOUSHEE A/K/A TIMOTHY LIMONT FOWLER and spouse, if any, et al, 11CVD000961-180, the undersigned Commissioner will on the 16th day of September, 2026, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction at the courthouse door in Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon, the following described real property, lying and being in Hickory Mountain Township, State and County aforesaid, and more particularly described as follows: ALL THAT parcel of land situated in Hickory Mountain Township, which is bounded on
the West by SR 1506 (Bowers Store Road), on the North by lands of Marvie A. Glover (Book 677, Page 503), and on the East and South by lands of Richard Bailey (Book 384, Page 824) and further described as: BEGINNING at a point in the Eastern margin of SR 1506 (Bowers Store Road), being the Southwest corner of Marvie A. Glover (Book 677, Page 503) running thence with Glover’s line Eastwardly about 585 feet to a point; thence South 5 degrees, West 150 feet to a point; thence North about 85 degrees, East 585 feet to a point in the Eastern margin of SR 1506; thence with the Eastern margin of said road, North 5 degrees, East 150 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING containing 2
acres, more or less. Subject to restrictive covenants and easements of record. Parcel Identification Number: 0010593 The undersigned Commissioner makes no warranties in connection with this property and specifically disclaims any warranties as to title and habitability. This property is being sold as is, without opinion as to title or any other matter. This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required. In addition, the successful bidder will be
required, at the time the Deed is recorded to pay for recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Chatham County Register of Deeds. This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25. This the 13th day of August, 2026. __________________________________ _____ Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill, Commissioner P.O. Box 25 Trenton, NC 28585 Publication dates: September 3, 2026 September 10, 2026
and being in the City of Pittsboro, County of Chatham, State of North Carolina, and being more particularly described in the heretofore referenced Deed of trust. Said sale will be a public auction to the highest bidder for cash, at the usual place of sale at the Chatham County Courthouse, Pittsboro, North Carolina, on September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM Address of Property: 533 East Alston Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Tax Parcel ID: 0073259 Present Record Owners: Cynthia Martin Anderson aka Cynthia M. Anderson and Richard Lewis Anderson aka Richard L. Anderson The terms of the sale are that the real property hereinbefore described will be sold for cash to the highest bidder. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at
the time of the sale. The successful bidder will be required to pay revenue stamps on the Trustee’s Deed, any Land Transfer Tax, and costs for recording the Trustee’s Deed. The real property hereinabove described is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS” and will be sold subject to all superior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments and other encumbrances. Other conditions will be announced at the sale. The sale will be held open for ten (10) days for upset bids, as by law required. The sale will not confirm until there have been ten (10) consecutive days with no upset bids having been filed.
bid deposit. In either event, the purchaser will have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Trustee.
90 day, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. Posted:
If for any reason the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property, or if the sale is set aside, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the bid deposit. Furthermore, if the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Trustee in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may declare the sale to be void and return the
Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least ten (10 days, but no more than
any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF JOHNNY MCKINNEY A/K/A JOHN RAY MCKINNEY A/K/A JONNY MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, which may include JOHNNY MCKINNEY, JR. and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF ERNEST MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, which may include EARNESTINE A. MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF PATRICIA A. MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, which may include ELIZABETH A. MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, DEMETRIS MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF JAMES THOMAS MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, which may include ISAIAH MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, DAVID
LEE MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, THE HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND DEVISEES OF WILLIE DAVIS A/K/A DELORES DAVIS A/K/A DELORIS DAVIS and spouse, if any, which may include CASSANDRA S. DAVIS and spouse, if any, MALCOLM L. DAVIS and spouse, if any, EBONY M. DAVIS and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, SAM MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, and all possible heirs and assignees of SAM MCKINNEY and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, et al, 15CVD000063-180, the undersigned Commissioner will on the 16th day of September, 2026, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction at the courthouse door in Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon, the following described real property, lying
and being in Williams Township, State and County aforesaid, and more particularly described as follows: LOT NO. 8 of the Cub Creek Subdivision. For further reference see plat recorded in Plat Book 5, Page 43, in the Register of Deeds Office of Chatham County, North Carolina. Subject to restrictive covenants and easements of record. Parcel Identification Number: 0019510 The undersigned Commissioner makes no warranties in connection with this property and specifically disclaims any warranties as to title and habitability. This property is being sold as is, without opinion as to title or any other matter. This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause.
KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO
U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., June 10, 2025.
wouldn’t add them to installations without being certain they are safe. He said the Army is working on a deal with the Energy Department to remove radioactive waste, and there won’t be any long-term storage on these installations. Army leads military’s adoption of nuclear energy
Additional notice required for Residential Real Property with Less Than Fifteen (15) Rental Units: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.
Companies say U.S. nuclear development will accelerate California-based Antares reached a crucial milestone under the U.S. pilot program that could allow it to produce electricity within a few years. The company said the Army’s announcement extends its momentum. Tori Shivanandan, president and chief operating officer of California-based Radiant, said the Army’s $750 million award “shows confidence in Radiant’s product and ability to manufacture, deploy and safely operate nuclear microreactors for the American military.” The Janus program “will build a stronger and more resilient America,” she said. Rex Geveden, BWXT’s president and chief executive officer, said, “As we commence work on the Janus program, we are delivering the nation’s most credible and reliable path to deployable nuclear power.”
Witness: Assistant/Deputy clerk of Superior Court s/Franklin L. Greene Albertelli Law Partners North Carolina, P.A. Franklin L. Greene, ESQ., NC Bar # 37896 205 Regency Executive Park Drive Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28217 Tel: 704-970-0391 fgreene@alaw.net 26SP000083-180/23-012653
A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required. In addition, the successful bidder will be required, at the time the Deed is recorded to pay for recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Chatham County Register of Deeds. This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25. This the 13th day of August, 2026. __________________________________ _____ Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill, Commissioner P.O. Box 25 Trenton, NC 28585 Publication dates: September 3, 2026 September 10, 2026
CHATHAM SPORTS PREP FOOTBALL
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Chatham Central just barely gets a kick off in the face of a Jordan-Matthews rush. The Bears got the win over the Jets on Friday night.
Bears ground Jets for opening triumph Chatham Central benefited from a strong defensive effort to defeat its county rival By Bob Sutton Chatham News & Record CHATHAM CENTRAL’S football team wanted to show progress this season, and the Bears didn’t waste time in doing so. After the start of their season was pushed back a week, the Bears put on a show with their defense and benefited from a variety of big plays in defeating host Jordan-Matthews 29-8 on Friday night in Siler City. “The work that we put in is really starting to blossom,” Chatham Central coach Derrin Little said. “This is completely different from the teams that we have had.” Running back Tyler Congrove scored two touchdowns and rushed for 86 yards. Brooks Albright scored on a 4-yard quar-
terback keeper and threw for 114 yards. But Chatham Central’s defense put on the biggest show in the intra-Chatham County matchup. “Our defense just really played well,” Little said. “We were expecting them to.” Among the highlights was Sayvion Burnette’s fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown. “He was in the right place at the right time,” Little said. There were other big moments for the defense, including interceptions by Congrove and Gavin Williams. Brett Phillips made 10 tackles, including a sack, and Wilson Hinshaw notched a key sack. Little praised the work of former Jordan-Matthews players Nolan Mitchell and Matthew Victorino for helping stabilize the defense by filling roles at cornerback. Mitchell also made 45 yards worth of receptions on offense. Jordan-Matthews (1-1) didn’t score until the waning minutes
Friday’s Week 3 games • Princeton at Seaforth • Northwood at Bartlett Yancey • Chatham Central at East Columbus • Jordan-Matthews at North Stokes GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Chatham Central’s Carson Jackson, left, and a Jordan-Matthews defender meet during Friday night’s matchup. as Chatham Central had some reserves in action on defense. The Bears went up 15-0 in the first quarter, and there wasn’t more scoring until the fourth quarter. Congrove’s efforts included a 36-yard touchdown run. “The offensive line played outstanding,” said Little, who had been 0-3 in games vs. Jordan-Matthews. “Just being able
to dictate the flow of the game, they had to do it and did a very good job of it.” The Bears won their opener for the second year in a row. It’s the third consecutive season they’ve won one game in August. Southeast Alamance 48, Seaforth 21: At Haw River, Seaforth scored the game’s final 15 points, but they weren’t enough in the road outing.
Tyler Jackson threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as Southeast Alamance built an early lead. Joseph Gibbs made two touchdown receptions and ran for another score. Jatayvion McMillian and Drew Easter also each made a touchdown reception. DJ Callis ran for a touchdown. The Stallions (2-0) led 27-0 at halftime and stretched the margin to 48-6 before Seaforth (1-1) scored 15 fourth-quarter points. Seaforth’s Duncan Parker threw for two touchdowns. Max See FOOTBALL, page B2
Seaforth, Woods Charter start strong in league volleyball play The Chatham Central volleyball team defeated Jordan-Matthews in a clash between county rivals Chatham News & Record staff SEAFORTH WON a pair of home matches to begin Big Seven Conference volleyball play last week. The Hawks withstood Cedar Ridge 25-13, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22 as Ally Forbes had 17 kills and Sarah Beth Smith delivered 13 kills to go with Isabelle Valgus’ 18 digs and Arden Kelly’s 14 service points. Seaforth handled Durham School of the Arts by 25-15, 25-5, 25-12 with Forbes’ 12 kills and Valgus’ 10 kills leading the way. • Buoyed by Aaliyah Walden’s 18 digs and 10 kills, Chatham Charter defeated host Eastern
Randolph 21-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-17, 15-10. Brooke Lavelle provided 13 assists, and Lily Bay Phillips added 10 assists for the Knights. Chatham Charter split two Central Tar Heel 1A Conference matches, falling to visiting River Mill in five sets and winning a road contest with a sweep of The Hawbridge School. Lilly Pike had nine digs in the 25-13, 25-12, 25-11 victory. • Woods Charter improved to 3-0 in the Central Tar Heel 1A Conference with sweeps of host Southern Wake by 25-7, 25-13, 25-11 and visiting Ascend Leadership by 25-7, 25-13, 25-17. • Chatham Central dealt visiting Jordan-Matthews a three-set sweep, winning 25-21, 25-17, 27-25. Jordan-Matthews charted Kinley Jordan with 36 digs. The Bears then lost their Greater Triad Conference opener to North Stokes in four sets. Eastern Randolph nipped
Woods Charter co-captain Elliott Hingtgen sends the ball back toward Ascend Leadership’s side of the net during the Wolves’ straight-sets win.
visiting Chatham Central 25-20, 28-26, 27-29, 25-15. • Jordan-Matthews remained winless by falling to visiting Providence Grove in three sets. • Northwood tumbled in three sets at Lee County in its only match last week. Boys’ soccer Seaforth secured a 9-0 victory at Eastern Alamance last week. • Northwood had a mixture of results last week, tying visiting Graham 2-2, topping visiting Cummings 2-0 and falling 4-0 at East Chapel Hill. • Woods Charter’s season began with last week’s 2-1 home loss to Eno River Academy. • Chatham Charter fell 6-0 at Cornerstone Charter in Greensboro. Girls’ tennis Asheboro defeated dan-Matthews 8-1.
JorGENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Tyler Congrove
Signed, sealed, delivered: Former grocery driver Dean wins British Masters His wife served as his caddie for the week The Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, England — Joe Dean, a former grocery delivery driver ranked No. 292, captured his first European tour title by shooting 9-under 63 to win the British Masters with his wife on the bag. The 32-year-old Englishman started the final round seven strokes off the lead at The Belfry but made nine birdies — including four on his last six holes — to finish the week on 14-under par and move into the lead with the late starters still having holes to play. No one could catch him, with four players — Nacho Elvira (69), third-round leader Daniel Hillier (73), Niklas Norgaard (71) and Jakob Skov Olesen (71)
“I can’t thank her enough for what she has to put up with, with me.” Joe Dean on his wife — tying for second place, three shots back. This was the first tournament in Team Europe’s qualifying process for next year’s Ryder Cup, so that’s suddenly an unlikely target for Dean — quite the turn of events for someone who spent time delivering groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and kept doing it for nearly four years to help fund his career when he didn’t have a card. “I enjoyed it for most of the time,” Dean said of his old part-time job. “Obviously it’s a completely different life, a completely different lifestyle. I still
see the vans going up and down the road every now and then, and I keep in touch.” It was a family success too. Dean got married to Emily following the British Open in July, and she was his caddie this week. “I can’t thank her enough for what she has to put up with, with me,” Dean said. “It was bad enough off the course, with the lows and stuff. Now it’s on and off the course. I hope I made her proud.” Marco Penge tied for sixth place with a final-round 72, marking a solid start to Ryder Cup qualifying after he failed to get selected as a captain’s pick two years ago in a breakout season on the European tour that contained three wins. Penge acknowledged this week it was the correct call by captain Luke Donald, whose team went on to win 15-13 at Bethpage Black.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Chatham Central, RB/CB Tyler Congrove is a junior running back and cornerback for the Chatham Central football team. He has also played basketball for the Bears. Chatham moved to 2-0 on the season, topping last season’s win total, with a 29-8 win over Jordan-Matthews. Congrove was the game’s leading rusher, scoring two touchdowns and running for 92 yards on eight carries. He also returned an interception 40 yards and had two pass defenses on defense, recording six tackles, including three solo stops. Congrove has already matched last season’s touchdown total and topped his number of pass defenses from last year.
FOOTBALL from page B1 Hinchman and Mason Pooley scored touchdowns, while Noah Fuller had 109 receiving yards. The teams have met in four consecutive seasons, with Southeast Alamance winning each time. Asheboro 35, Northwood 7: At Asheboro, the visiting Chargers scored first, but they fell to 0-2.
Garrison Cheek and Connor Brinton each scored two touchdowns, and the Blue Comets (2-0) posted the game’s final 35 points. Dallas Brinton threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Cheek and Connor Brinton both had a rushing touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. The start of the game was delayed because of weather-related issues.
BRADLEY COLLYER / PA VIA AP
Joe Dean of England poses with the trophy after winning the British Masters.
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With Sinner out, Alcaraz just back, Sabalenka struggling, US Open feels truly open again The tournament is underway in New York By Brian Mahoney The Associated Press NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made last year’s U.S. Open feel like two weeks of killing time until the inevitable. They had separated themselves from everyone else in men’s tennis while meeting in the French Open and Wimbledon finals. It seemed a foregone conclusion they would make it three in a row, which is exactly what happened. With the No. 1-ranked Sinner sidelined, Alcaraz only returning now to defend his title after missing four months, and Novak Djokovic perhaps finally showing his age, the U.S. Open once again feels, well, open. Just don’t confuse that with meaning easier. “It’s the same conversation,” American player Frances Tiafoe said. “Still got to beat seven guys however way you slice it.” The women’s side has its own questions, with two-time defending U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon and both hard-court tournaments she played since, putting her hold on the No. 1 ranking in jeopardy. The top spot in the rankings could be in reach for multiple women, and so is the trophy at the final major tournament of the year, with No. 3 Jessica Pegula saying “there’s not one or two super dominant players where you feel like they have to lose in order for you to have a chance.” “It seems to me like may-
YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO
Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open. be more open in a way, just because, I don’t know, there’s more chances,” added Pegula, who lost to Sabalenka in the 2024 final and last year’s semifinals. Alcaraz has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury, deciding last week he was ready to return at the tournament where he has won two of his seven Grand Slam titles. The most recent was at the Australian Open, but he went out not long after. Alexander Zverev won the French Open for his first major title, lost to Sinner in the Wimbledon final, then became the No. 1 seed in Flushing Meadows when Sinner determined the knee injury
“Still got to beat seven guys however way you slice it.” Frances Tiafoe that has kept him out since that victory wasn’t fully healed. “It’s been a couple of months now where it’s been pretty similar: a lot of uncertainty, some of the top players, they’re kind of injured or they’re not playing. This is a little bit of the same, so we have seen lot of different players stepping up and a lot of different opportunities being up for grabs,” said Alex de
Minaur, the No. 6 seed from Australia. Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, pointed at players such as Zverev and Arthur Fils, who beat Tiafoe for the Cincinnati Open title before coming to New York, as players who know there’s an opportunity they don’t want to waste. “For them, they’re probably thinking about it, not in a bad way, but they’re like, we have a better chance without Jannik and maybe Carlos not 100% yet,” the No. 7-seeded Medvedev said. Djokovic exited the Cincinnati tournament in his first match and afterward mentioned an unspecified health
YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO
problem that bothers him in the heat. He then lost in the first round to Mariano Navone after vomiting several times during the match. American men are still trying to end a Grand Slam drought that dates to Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open. Ben Shelton won in Montreal before Tiafoe’s runner-up finish in Cincinnati, and Taylor Fritz lost to Sinner in the 2024 final in New York. “I would say this is a golden opportunity,” ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe said. “Obviously if Alcaraz comes back and gets through a few matches, looks good, he’ll quickly become the favorite. I mean, he’s the favorite right now, but he’d quickly become a bigger favorite. There’s no doubt the fact he hasn’t played since the spring, with Sinner out, this is a monster opportunity.” Elena Rybakina, who beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, Pegula and No. 4 Coco Gauff are all in pursuit of the No. 1 ranking. Sabalenka could, depending on other results, lose it even if she becomes the first player to win three straight U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012-14. “I’ll try to do my very best, and we’ll see what happens with the end of this tournament,” Sabalenka said. She may be vulnerable, but Alcaraz perhaps even more so. In 2025, it seemed only one man could beat him. This time, the list could be lengthy. “I mean, he’s always a guy we’re going to look at, but a lot of guys believe they can not only get him but win the event,” Tiafoe said. “It’s going to be an exciting U.S. Open.”
FRANK FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO
Left, Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships. Right, Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Alexander Zverev during a practice at the U.S. Open tennis championships last Wednesday in New York.
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Colts wide receiver Allen arrested on drunken driving charges Indianapolis Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen has been arrested on drunken driving charges. The 34-year-old is facing preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person. The Colts announced Aug. 19 that they had agreed to a one-year contract with Allen, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.
MLB
Rays set for new $2.3B stadium project after county, city approve financing plan Tampa, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays have secured county approval for a financing plan to build a new stadium. The news comes a day after city officials approved their part of the $2.3 billion project. The new 31,000-seat stadium will be near Raymond James Stadium and is expected to open in 2029. Rays CEO Ken Babby says the partnership ensures the long-term future of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay. The Rays will contribute at least $1.3 billion. The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 for its $796 million share, while the Tampa City Council approved $80 million.
NHL
Avs defenseman Makar signs richest deal in NHL history at $163.2M over 8 years Denver Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche agreed to a $163.2 million, eight-year extension that will make him the highest paid player in NHL history. Makar’s extension surpasses the eight-year, $136 million extension signed by Minnesota forward Kirill Kaprizov last September. Makar’s deal runs through the 2034-35 season. The 27-year-old Makar is coming off a season in which he had 20 goals and 59 assists. He finished second to Zach Werenski of Columbus in the Norris Trophy voting for the league’s top defenseman. Makar has won the award twice during his career.
NCAA FOOTBALL
Judge to hear recantation of sexual abuse claim against ex-Penn State coach Sandusky A judge has granted a hearing to explore claims that a man wants to recant allegations of sexual abuse years ago by Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The 82-year-old Sandusky has been serving a decades-long prison sentence since he was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse involving multiple boys in 2012. Sandusky says he’s innocent but has repeatedly lost efforts to get a new trial. A man identified in court documents as R.R. says he was coached extensively by authorities. A hearing is set for Sept. 8.
Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
With London following Dublin as CFB host, will more Europeans see a kickoff? UNC made the trip to Ireland to open the college football season By Ken Maguire The Associated Press LONDON — College football abroad ain’t easy. Brian Dubiski knows. In 1988, he was a Texas Tech defensive back on a flight to Tokyo preparing to face Barry Sanders and Oklahoma State. Hours after winning the Heisman Trophy, Sanders rushed for four touchdowns and more than 300 yards in the Cowboys’ 45-42 victory. Dubiski is giving it another shot — this time as an executive — by bringing major college football to London for the first time in next month’s Union Jack Classic featuring a Big 12 Conference matchup of Arizona State against Kansas. “The NFL’s been there for two or three decades now,” Dubiski said. “The appetite is there.” College football has been played outside the U.S. for more than 100 years, with most of those early games relatively nearby in Canada or Cuba. The first postseason game outside the Americas happened in 1976, according to the NCAA, but of late more games have come early in the season instead of looking more like a nice vacation after the regular season. The challenge is educating local fans about the differences, like school spirit and marching bands — and getting them to buy tickets. Dublin offers a template. It’s turned into an annual event with a title sponsor and a travel company as co-organizer. Hordes of Americans arrive and find the Irish capital cozy and welcoming. “Our goal is to expand across other European territories and even look at other sports,” Dubiski said, specifying college basketball. Europe isn’t new to Union Jack Classic organizers. Chief operating officer Thomas Hensey helped promote the World League of American
PETER MORRISON / AP PHOTO
UNC players run onto the field before the season opener against TCU in Dublin, Ireland. Football, which later became NFL Europe. Wembley holds more than 86,000, but Dubiski is shooting for 60,000. An estimated 15,000 fans are coming from the U.S., he said, and organizers added ticket discounts on four-packs. UNC beat TCU in the Dublin game, which has become a Week Zero staple. “There is cachet in playing in Ireland, having an international game,” UNC athletic director Steve Newmark told the AP. “It just draws intrigue, kind of curious onlookers to see Carolina blue and TCU purple playing in Dublin, and everything that goes with it.” Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes expressed concern, though, about schedule disruption. Despite enthusiasm for taking games abroad — like to Germany and Brazil — plans sometimes collapse. Michigan explored playing in Frankfurt against Western
Michigan but kept the game in Ann Arbor. Virginia’s game last Saturday against ACC rival NC State was planned for Rio de Janeiro before being relocated back to Charlottesville. “You need to have a sponsor,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “There has to be some support in another country to be able to pull this game together.” Still, Phillips said, “the international piece is big. We’ve gone to Ireland several times. We want to go to a couple other places. We talked to the Holiday Bowl about maybe going to Saudi Arabia. To sprinkle the college game out internationally is great.” The 2027 matchup in Dublin is Pittsburgh vs. Wisconsin. London game organizer Dubiski says they are “overspending” this time to avoid hiccups. “We’ve rented out full properties for the teams. We could have just put them in a hotel like normal,” he said. “We’ve rented two triple-seven
jumbo jets for each team.” Dubiski recalled the 1988 trip to Japan for the late-season Coca-Cola Classic as “an amazing experience.” To entice schools, organizers at a minimum need to replace the home teams’ revenues. The Dublin contract calls for the organizer to run a pep rally and pub tailgates. Hotel rooms and flights are provided with a minimum 300 seats plus 20,000 pounds of equipment. Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said “it’s still about 18- to 22-year-olds and their experience in college and the memories they make,” and UNC officials noted the value of connections beyond football. Their packed itinerary away from the game includes a medical summit with Irish counterparts. Rick Wernoski, UNC’s associate vice chancellor for operational excellence, told The AP it’s an opportunity “to showcase Carolina on a global stage.” “It truly is much more than a game for us,” he said.
From Apple Cup to Iron Bowl: AP’s annual dream college football Top 25 road trip Watching every team in the preseason rankings By Noah Trister The Associated Press IF YOU’RE TIRED of court cases, legislative haggling and uncertainty over who can even be a college athlete, you can now watch actual games. And with that, it’s time for the AP’s annual attempt to map out college football’s hypothetical dream road trip. Reviewing the rules: • We must see every team in the AP’s preseason Top 25 at least once. • Travel between games must be reasonable in the time available. This season’s 17-game journey looks like this. Washington State at No. 17 Washington (Sept. 6) Now that these two rivals are no longer in the same conference, the Apple Cup is played early in the season. This year it’s the opener for both teams. Talk about a tone setter. No. 19 SMU at Florida State
(Sept. 7)
After hopping a red-eye out of the Pacific Northwest, we arrive in the Florida panhandle with plenty of time for an afternoon nap before the evening kickoff between the Seminoles and Mustangs. An early test for Mike Norvell, who is likely running out of chances at Florida State.
No. 25 Missouri at Kansas
(Sept. 11)
The Border War rivalry between these two resumed last year after a hiatus of over a decade. Presumably there will be at least some unity on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. No. 20 Tennessee at Georgia Tech (Sept. 12) A quick turnaround, but doable since the Volunteers and Yellow Jackets kick off at night. Fernando Mendoza’s brother Alberto takes over the quarterbacking at Georgia Tech this season. No. 11 LSU at No. 9 Mississippi (Sept. 19) Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. Nobody does the fan base-as-scorned-lover routine quite like the SEC. No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 3 Georgia (Sept. 26) Between the hedges for the first major test of the season for the Bulldogs. Georgia entered the season in the top five for the eighth straight year. No. 1 Ohio State at No. 22 Iowa (Oct. 3) If the top-ranked Buckeyes lose at Texas in September, the pressure will be on to avoid any further slip-ups before Indiana and Oregon pop up on their schedule. That means taking care of business at Iowa.
No. 14 Southern California at No. 18 Penn State
(Oct. 10)
This is the first major home test for new Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell. No. 1 Ohio State at No. 6 Indiana (Oct. 17) The defending champs get a shot at Ohio State in Bloomington. No. 23 Houston at No. 21 Utah (Oct. 24) With Conner Weigman back at quarterback, the Cougars are expected to be one of the top teams in the Big 12 this season. Arizona State at No. 14 BYU (Oct. 31) A second straight weekend in Utah and a chance to watch rushing star LJ Martin and BYU in an intriguing Big 12 matchup. No. 7 Miami at No. 4 Notre Dame (Nov. 7) A pair of top-10 teams, neither of which has that many monster games on its schedule. That means this clash is a must-see, although we’ll have to skip Ohio State-Oregon that same day. No. 16 Michigan at No. 2 Oregon (Nov. 14) The Wolverines and quarterback Bryce Underwood
have a wide range of possible outcomes this season. But if they’re in the playoff hunt in mid-November, then this game out west becomes a huge one. Pittsburgh at No. 24 Louisville (Nov. 21) Pat Narduzzi’s defense against Jeff Brohm’s offense. There could be about eight teams tied for first in the ACC by this point, so this game may have significant implications. TCU at No. 12 Texas Tech
(Nov. 26)
Our journey concludes with a busy final week, starting with a Texas two-step that includes this Thanksgiving showdown. No. 5 Texas at No. 8 Texas A&M (Nov. 27) The drive from Lubbock to College Station is more than 400 miles, but we’ll make it to Kyle Field for this evening kickoff and a potentially massive rivalry game. Auburn at No. 13 Alabama
(Nov. 28)
Alabama is the last Top 25 team we haven’t seen yet, and an early f light out of Texas helps us reach Bryant-Denny Stadium in time for the Iron Bowl. It’s the first shot at the Crimson Tide for Alex Golesh after taking over as Auburn coach.
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Preece wins at Daytona to take final playoff spot in NASCAR’s Cup Series Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric locked up the other two available spots By Mark Long The Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Known for two violent wrecks at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Preece experienced a much different ride at NASCAR’s hometown track: a trip to Victory Lane. Preece won the Cup Series regular-season finale Saturday at Daytona in overtime to secure the final playoff spot for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. Preece, who ferociously flipped cars at Daytona in 2023 and again in 2025, moved to the front during a
green-white-checkered finish when leader Zane Smith got bumped, started spinning and slammed into other cars on the last lap. Preece took the checkered flag under caution and edged Shane van Gisbergen for the 16th and final berth in the postseason finale. “This is redemption,” said Preece, whose victory landed two RFK cars into the 16-driver Chase for the championship. Chris Buescher is the other. “I’m just speechless right now,” Preece said. “Those guys, that 60 (car), we’re fighters. When you put our back against the wall, we swing hard. ... Last year, there were a lot of keyboard warriors saying I was nothing. Well, we just kicked their butts tonight.” Preece expressed confidence all week, but he found
“This is redemption.” Ryan Preece
himself needing a victory late to pass Shane van Gisbergen for the last playoff spot. Van Gisbergen finished 27th after pitting during the final caution and taking four tires. “Shame we’re not in it,” said van Gisbergen, who won twice during the regular season but missed the playoffs under NASCAR’s new format that puts more emphasis on season-long results than victories. Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric locked up the other two available spots. Wallace, Cindric, van Gisbergen, Preece and
Brad Keselowski started the night vying for the final three spots in the 10-race Chase. Wallace, who was nearly a lock to make the 16-driver field when the green flag dropped, claimed his spot with a seventh-place finish in the opening stage. Cindric avoided trouble all night, finished sixth and advanced without much fanfare. Daniel Suarez finished second in the race, followed by Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Van Gisbergen won Stage 1 and created more of a cushion on Preece, who was caught up in a three-car crash as he neared the finish line. Preece raced his way back to the front in Stage 2 and picked up much-needed points with a second-place finish behind Ryan Blaney. But it came down to the final
lap. Preece needed to win to get in — and he pulled it off in dramatic fashion. “I’m a racer. I know what it takes to build speed,” Preece said. “So every man and woman at RFK, thank you for giving me a rocket ship so I could go to the moon tonight.” Johnson plans swan song Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will drive a familiar-looking No. 48 in his final Cup Series start. Johnson unveiled his paint scheme for his Toyota in the 2027 Daytona 500 by driving a ceremonial lap around the track before Saturday’s race. The gray-and-blue scheme melds the three main sponsors during Johnson’s record-setting racing career: Lowe’s, Ally and Carvana. Johnson’s final start will come in the 69th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for Feb. 21, 2027. Hendrick Motorsports loaned Johnson the No. 48 for his last ride. “Seeing this car for the first time brings back a lifetime of memories,” Johnson said.
JOHN RAOUX / AP PHOTO
Ryan Preece (60) tries to catch up with Chase Elliott (9) on the front stretch at the halfway point of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona.
Curaçao wins its 2nd Little League World Series, beating Nevada 11-2 behind De Windt, De Lanoi The island nation claimed its first title in 22 years
“When we went to the shop, we saw people from the States were buying our stuff.”
By Alex Harkins The Associated Press SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — For the last two weeks, Curaçao Little Leaguers were focused and disciplined about what they ate, when they slept and how they practiced for youth baseball’s biggest tournament. Now the champs can relax and enjoy a treat or two. Juriënsly De Windt and Shardijon De Lanoi each drove in three runs, and Curaçao won its second Little League World Series title, beating Nevada 11-2 in the championship game on Sunday. “Every kid (will eat) McDonald’s,” Curaçao coach Railison Gijsbertha said, smiling ear to ear alongside three beaming players who couldn’t wait to take the trophy home to their tiny island nation for the first time in 22 years. De Windt started on the mound and allowed two runs, one earned, in three innings. Giendry Ryan and Steven Felix were nearly flawless in relief with four strikeouts over the final three innings for the tiny island nation, which previously won the tournament in 2004. Curaçao had advanced to the finals by winning the international title in 2005, 2019, 2022 and 2023. This time, the group from Pariba Little League in Willemstad had enough firepower from the mound and
Railison Gijsbertha, Curaçao coach
GENE J. PUSKAR / AP PHOTO
Curaçao takes a victory lap after winning the Little League World Series Championship baseball game against Henderson, Nevada, on Sunday. at the plate to beat the U.S. champion. Curaçao went unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament before overcoming an early two-run deficit to the team from Henderson, Nevada. Ryan fanned four in 21⁄3 innings. Felix forced Nevada’s final batter to pop out to Giendry in center field. Once the ball was safely in his glove, the celebrations began. Giendry tossed his glove in the air as his teammates swarmed him in the outfield. Curaçao’s
infielders showered each other with water as a pack of fans tucked behind the third base dugout waved the Curaçao flag. Curaçao’s support grew beyond its native fans as the tournament wore on. Many fans from the United States began wearing its signature navy blue and yellow hat, some loaded with signatures that Curaçao players were happy to provide throughout the week. “When we went to the shop, we saw people from the States were buying our stuff,” Gijsber-
tha said. “Our team is a good team, a great team, and when they ask us to sign a ball, we do that.” They were quiet early as it looked like Nevada, the first U.S. team to advance to the championship without a home run, would finally crack Curaçao’s standout pitchers. Following a bunt from Nevada’s Michael Kleiner, Maddox Bryan lined a single to center field, driving in two runs. Nevada fans along the first base line waved signs, including one fea-
turing World War II icon Rosie the Riveter and dedicated to Carsynn Meyer, the first girl to play for the U.S. in the championship game. Meyer, who became the first girl to get a hit in the U.S. championship when Nevada beat Ohio on Saturday, went 0 for 2 against Curaçao. Curaçao tied it when De Lanoi lined a ball off the glove of a diving Kleiner at second base for a two-run single. The international champs took the lead for good on a two-run double by Jaymiëll Martina in the fourth. De Windt added a bases-clearing double in the fifth that brought the Curaçao fans to their feet. The Curaçao radio broadcast team, which led the crowd in the country’s national anthem before the game, began to exult. Nevada also was the runner-up last year, falling to Taiwan in the championship game. “When they look back and kind of realize what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve gained from here on out,” Nevada coach Cory Edwards said, “I hope they shoot me a text or give me a call and just remember that it was a hell of a ride.”
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entertainment this week in history “On the Road” published, Benedict Arnold betrays, California joins the Union
The Associated Press SEPT. 3 1783: Representatives of the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized U.S. sovereignty. 1861: During the Civil War, Confederate forces invaded the border state of Kentucky, which had declared its neutrality in the conflict. 1894: The United States celebrated the first federal Labor Day holiday. SEPT. 4 1781: Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Gov. Felipe de Neve. 1886: Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. troops in present-day Arizona after more than two decades of fighting. 1888: George Eastman secured a patent for a hand-roll camera and registered the trademark Kodak. SEPT. 5 1774: The first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia. 1957: Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road” was published. 1972: Palestinian militants attacked the Israeli Olympic delegation at the Munich Games, killing two and taking nine others hostage; five of the militants, all nine hostages and a German police officer were killed in the following 24 hours. 1975: President Gerald R. Ford survived an assassination attempt by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, California.
ANDREW MEDICHINI / AP PHOTO
Michelangelo’s 16th-century statue of David is displayed at the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy. SEPT. 6 1522: The Victoria, commanded by Juan Sebastián de Elcano, arrived in Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. Elcano and 21 others survived the expedition launched by Ferdinand Magellan in 1519. 1781: British Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, a onetime American officer, ordered British forces to burn New London, Connecticut. 1901: President William McKinley was shot and mortally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. SEPT. 7 1901: The Boxer Rebellion, an attempt to expel foreigners from China involving clashes with a multinational force that included troops from Japan, Russia, Britain and the U.S., ended with a protocol calling for reparations to the foreign powers. 1921: The first Miss America Pageant was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 1940: Nazi Germany began an intense bombing campaign of Britain during World War II with an air attack on London; known as The Blitz,
the eight-month campaign resulted in more than 40,000 civilian deaths. SEPT. 8 1504: Michelangelo’s towering marble statue of David was unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy. 1935: U.S. Sen. Huey P. Long (D-La.), was fatally shot in the Louisiana State Capitol building. 1974: One month after taking office, President Gerald R. Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” to former President Richard Nixon for any crimes committed during Nixon’s presidency. 2022: Queen Elizabeth II, who spent more than seven decades on the British throne, died at age 96; her then 73-year-old son became King Charles III. SEPT. 9 1776: The second Continental Congress formally adopted the name “United States of America,” replacing the “United Colonies of North America.” 1850: California was admitted as the 31st U.S. state. 1948: The People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared.
AP PHOTO
Contestants in the first Miss America pageant line up Sept. 7, 1921.
Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
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Britons get to read Arday’s story for themselves as memoir published in UK The 41-year-old professor took his life Aug. 14 By Danica Kirka The Associated Press
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LONDON — Britons who saw professor Jason Arday’s life and death dissected by weeks of headlines covering allegations about his academic qualifications and personal accomplishments can now read his version of the story. Simon & Schuster has published Arday’s memoir “Great and Unfortunate Things,” which tells the story of how an autistic boy who was nonverbal as a child and illiterate until his late teens grew up to be the youngest black professor in the history of Cambridge University. The book’s release came less than two weeks after Arday, 41, was found dead at his apartment in London following relentless media coverage about allegations that his academic work was bolstered by plagiarism and that he exaggerated his athletic and fundraising achievements. Simon & Schuster said it de-
FRANK AUGSTEIN / AP PHOTO
Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday’s memoir, “Great and Unfortunate Things”was published in accordance with his family’s wishes. cided to publish the book in accordance with his family’s wishes. “To the very end, Jason was clear that he wanted his memoir to be published, and it is only right that we honor his wishes,” the family said in a statement released by Simon & Schuster. “There has been so much that has been written and said about our beloved brother, son, father, partner and uncle, mostly by people who don’t know the
truth of what he experienced, and we experienced as a family, or what an extraordinary person he was.” Arday’s death Aug. 14 has sparked recriminations over who was responsible. Cambridge has been criticized for elevating Arday too quickly in a rush to promote diversity despite red flags about his qualifications. The news media has been targeted for driving the professor to despair with a barrage of coverage that his supporters say was out of proportion to what a white scholar charged with similar mistakes would have faced. Scrutiny of the memoir increased following the controversy, with British newspapers noting that some of the running and fundraising accomplishments he previously touted had been left out of the book. For example, the book doesn’t mention his claim that he once ran 600 miles in six days to raise money for charity. In an interview with the Times of London that was published July 31, Arday acknowledged that he had made mistakes, which he attributed to
Judge grants Lively $400K of $8M in legal fees in film fight with director Baldoni The “Gossip Girl” star will receive less than 5% of requested legal costs By Larry Neumeister The Associated Press NEW YORK — Blake Lively will get just over $400,000 of the $8 million she sought in legal costs from actor and director Justin Baldoni after they settled their fight over the production of their 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” a federal judge ruled last week. Acknowledging Lively and Baldoni had “waged fierce battle against each other in court,” the judge denied Lively the bulk of legal fees she sought, citing the limits of a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits. The law meant to protect sex abuse survivors from legal actions designed to intimidate and silence victims could only be construed to let her be reimbursed for what she paid lawyers to defend against defamation claims rather than all claims Baldoni made against her, Liman wrote. Thus, the judge ruled, Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attor-
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Blake Lively arrives at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Costume Art” exhibition in May. neys’ fees and $44,206 in costs. Attorney Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, called the ruling a “significant victory for my clients” that will leave Lively with less than 5% of what she requested in legal fees. Attorneys Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, representing
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Lively, said in a statement that Liman’s decision was “historic” because it was the first time under the California law that money was awarded. They said it showed “there are real consequences of bringing retaliatory lawsuits.” In her lawsuit, Lively assert-
ed that she had been subjected to sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Baldoni, who directed the dark romantic drama and
his autism and a lack of oversight early in his career. But he rejected accusations that he was “a liar and a fantasist and an academic fraud,” saying they were motivated by “racism and ableism.” Questions about his academic qualifications began attracting public attention in mid-July after British newspapers picked up plagiarism allegations published by a white researcher who has been critical of “diversity, equity and inclusion programs.” Cambridge initially stood by Arday, saying the plagiarism allegations had been investigated and determined to be unfounded. But on Aug. 5, the university announced that it had opened an investigation into Arday’s appointment after receiving “new information” about his qualifications and honorary appointments. News coverage of Arday’s story didn’t stop, and he died nine days later. “We are happy to allow the book to speak for itself and won’t comment further on its content,” the family said in their statement.
starred in it with Lively, denied harassing her or orchestrating a smear campaign. He claimed the complaints about his behavior were made up by Lively as part of an effort to seize creative control of the movie. Weeks after Lively sued, Baldoni and Wayfarer asserted claims in a countersuit against Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, of civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing and economic interference. In June 2025, Liman tossed out the countersuit Baldoni and Wayfarer had filed and nearly a year later rejected Lively’s sexual harassment claims on the grounds that she was an independent contractor rather than an employee when she worked on the film. In early May, two weeks before a scheduled trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement, saying in a joint statement that Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard” and that they “remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.” Lively said in her lawsuit that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her appearance, violated physical boundaries while filming a love scene, and pushed for nudity — against Lively’s wishes — during a scene in which her character was giving birth. Baldoni denied doing anything outside the realm of the normal creative process of making a movie.
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
famous birthdays this week William Devane hits 87, Al Stewart turns 81, Raleigh native Evan Rachel Wood celebrates 39 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. SEPT. 3 Singer-musician Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) is 84. Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet is 73. Rock guitarist Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 71. Actor Steve Schirripa (“The Sopranos”) is 68. Author Malcolm Gladwell is 63. Actor Charlie Sheen is 61. SEPT. 4
MATT LICARI / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO
Singer Gloria Gaynor turns 83 on Monday.
Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 84. Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 77. Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is 73. Actor Khandi Alexander is 69. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans Sr. is 66. Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza is 58. Singer-actor Beyoncé is 45. SEPT. 5 Actor Lucille Soong (“Fresh Off the Boat”) is 91. Actor William Devane is 87. Actor George Lazenby is 87. Film director Werner Herzog is 84. Singer Al Stewart is 81. “Cathy” cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is 76. Actor Michael Keaton is 75. SEPT. 6 Comedian JoAnne Worley is 89. Cartoonist Sergio Aragonés is 89. Rock singer-musician Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 83. Comedian-actor Jane Curtin is 79. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 68. Actor Rosie Perez is 62. SEPT. 7 Singer Gloria Gaynor is 83. Actor Julie Kavner is 76. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 75. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 72. Actor Michael Emerson is 72. Pianist-singer Michael Feinstein is 70. Singer/ songwriter Diane Warren is 70. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 39. SEPT. 8 Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.),
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) turns 85 on Tuesday. is 85. Civil rights activist Ruby Bridges is 72. Author Terry Tempest Williams is 71. Basketball Hall of Famer Maurice Cheeks is 70. Actor Heather Thomas is 69. Singer Aimee Mann is 66. Singer-songwriter Pink is 47. SEPT. 9 Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 81. Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann is 77. Actor Angela Cartwright is 74. Musician-producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) is 74. Actor Hugh Grant is 66. Actor Adam Sandler is 60. Pop-jazz singer Michael Bublé is 51. Actor Michelle Williams is 46.
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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, September 3, 2026
the stream
JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
The character Grogu arrives at the premiere of “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” in May at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
‘Mandalorian & Grogu,’ Alix Earle reality series, Ellie Goulding’s ‘I Know Too Much’ Natalie Imbruglia drops “Algorithm” on Friday
‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is an “overlong and overviolent chapter.”
The Associated Press “THE MANDALORIAN & Grogu” and a new album from Ellie Goulding are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: “Scary Movie,” the new season of “Chad Powers” and a reality series from influencer Alix Earle.
Mark Kennedy, AP film writer season, Powers is having a hard time maintaining his cover as more people learn the truth of who he is. Earle has a new reality series called “Earle Meets World,” featuring the influencer and podcast host, her sister and content creator Ashtin, and their blended family. (Earle’s stepmom is Ashley Dupré, known for her connection to the 2008 Eliot Spitzer scandal.) The series premieres Friday on Netflix.
MOVIES TO STREAM “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” failed to make a major impact at the summer box office, but it gets a second shot on streaming Wednesday on Disney+. Jon Favreau’s film follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice, Grogu, on a high-stakes mission. In his review, AP’s Mark Kennedy called it an “overlong and overviolent chapter, which relies on too many computer effects and exposes the limits of puppetry.” The Wayans return in “Scary Movie” (Thursday on Paramount+), the sixth entry in the long-running horror spoof franchise. The latest one, a hit in theaters in June, marks the Wayans’ return to the franchise after their departure over creative differences following 2001’s “Scary Movie 2.” In his review, Kennedy called it “a pastiche of loosely tied skits that riff off current and past horror movies as well as topical events like ICE raids and the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.” “The Runner,” an action thriller starring Gal Gadot, is streaming now on Prime Video. In the film, directed by Kevin Macdonald, Gadot plays a lawyer traveling on foot through London to kill a client and save her kidnapped son. MUSIC TO STREAM Think you know Goulding’s sound? Think again. The English pop performer’s sixth studio album, “I Know Too Much,” releases Friday, and its three lead singles paint a dynam-
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
QUANTRELL COLBERT / PARAMOUNT PICTURES VIA AP
Anna Faris, left, and Regina Hall appear in a scene from “Scary Movie.” The sixth installment in the horror-comedy franchise comes to Paramount+ on Thursday. British singer-songwriter will release her seventh studio album, “Algorithm.” Don’t let the tech-forward title dissuade you from pressing play: The dreamy guitar pop of a track like “Upside Down” is deceptively earworm-y. It’s one for the Carly Rae Jepsen fan. SERIES TO STREAM
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Ellie Goulding poses for photographers upon arrival at The Fashion Awards 2025 in London. Her new album, “I Know Too Much,” comes out Friday. ic picture. First is “Black Prada Dress.” It’s anthemic synth-pop, like she is known for, but with a strong heartbreak message. (“I Know Too Much” is her first album since the end of her marriage to art dealer Caspar Jopling.) Then there’s the swaying acoustic ballad “4 Sea-
sons” and the clubby, electronic “Ravers.” It is something for every flavor. For most, Natalie Imbruglia is best — and perhaps only — known for her 1997 hit single “Torn.” But she’s been releasing music consistently in the years since. On Friday, the Australian
Guy Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen” returns for Season 2 on Netflix on Thursday. It stars Theo James as Eddie, who inherited his father’s estate only to find he was running an underground cannabis business and had ties to the mob. The episodes pick up a year after the events of Season 1. Hugh Bonneville and Michele Morrone also join the cast. Glen Powell’s “Chad Powers” Season 2 also drops Thursday, with all six episodes releasing on Hulu. Powell plays Russ Holliday, a disgraced college football player who wears prosthetics to pass as an athlete named Chad Powers so he can continue to play the sport. In the new
Coen, the protagonist of Bandai Namco’s “The Blood of Dawnwalker,” has it tough: He’s a lowly peasant in violent, plague-ridden 14th-century Europe, and the local warlords are vampires. After Coen gets bitten by the boss, he turns into a hybrid human-by-day, bloodsucker-by-night. Can he retain his humanity and save his family, or should he embrace the eternal darkness? This is the debut release from Polish studio Rebel Wolves, which includes some of the designers who worked on the 2015 landmark “The Witcher 3.” If you’ve been craving a role-playing game with plenty of gore, you can sink your teeth in Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. Capcom’s “Onimusha: Way of the Sword” takes us to a different historical hellhole: a version of feudal-era Japan that has been “twisted by malevolent clouds of Malice.” The hero this time is samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and his job is to slay the demonic Genma that have overrun the land. Fortunately, he is equipped with a gauntlet that absorbs the souls of his enemies, restoring his health or giving him supernatural powers. The Onimusha series dates back a few decades, but this is the first new chapter since 2006. Unsheathe your blade Friday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch 2 and PC.