Chatham News & Record Vol. 149, Issue 32

VOLUME 149 ISSUE 32 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Cruisin’ for a cause Seventy-five riders joined the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday for its “Cruisin’ for Champions” group ride, raising more than $15,000 for Special Olympics North Carolina. The group met at White Oak Beach on Jordan Lake before cruising Chatham County’s backroads.

the

BRIEF this week

“The Clothesline Project” set to launch awareness month Pittsboro In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Chatham Community Library, in partnership with Second Bloom of Chatham, will hold “The Clothesline Project,” a visual display designed to raise awareness about intimate partner violence and uplift the experiences of survivors. It will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the library. The event is free and open to the public. “The Clothesline Project” brings attention to intimate partner violence and statistics that often go ignored. Since its inaugural display of 31 shirts in 1990, the project has spread across the country. Second Bloom of Chatham’s local collection of hundreds of T-shirts representing “The Clothesline Project” will be displayed.

Wren Memorial Library to hold blood drive Siler City Wren Memorial Library in Siler City will be the site of an American Red Cross blood drive Monday from 1:30-6 p.m. Those who give blood with the Red Cross through Oct. 18 will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. Anyone interested in next week’s event can visit chathamlibraries.org or contact Wren Memorial Library at 919-742-2016 for information.

Chatham County still looking for avenues to oppose gas pipeline Enbridge has stated it is prepared to sue By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners has officially stated its position related to the

tial and commercial demands. The resolution points to the county’s efforts and goals to protect the health and safety of its community and local environment, its desire to preserve its farm lands and rural culture, as well as its belief that the Enbridge pipeline will be harmful to the county. “The principles of justice,

fairness, law, prudence, and the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the county all demand that the county thoroughly investigate the Enbridge pipeline and, where allowed by law and supported by the facts, oppose the construction of the pipeline,” said Board See PIPELINE, page A3

Town pushes initiative as leaves fall The regular loose-leaf collection remains available beginning later this month in Pittsboro Chatham News & Record staff PITTSBORO — Town of Pittsboro officials are encouraging residents to let leaves from fallen trees re-

main in natural areas this fall. “Leave Your Leaves” is a voluntary initiative in partnership with the New Hope Bird Alliance. The program promotes healthier landscapes while supporting pollinators, increasing biodiversity, improving soil health, protecting water quality, and reducing pollution, according to a release from the town.

“Our goal is to help residents understand that fallen leaves are more than yard waste; they’re a natural resource,” said Daniel Snipes, public works director. “Leaving leaves where appropriate can reduce the amount of material placed at the curb while providing important environmental benefits for soil, water quality, and local wildlife.” As leaves decompose, they re-

Senate passes bipartisan college sports bill that would rein in payments, transfers “This is a matter of law, federal law, and only Congress can fix it.” Ted Cruz, Senate Commerce Committee chairman

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latest Enbridge Gas project. At the board’s Sept. 21 meeting, the commissioners passed a resolution in opposition of the proposed Enbridge pipeline, which is planned to have approximately 28 miles of pipe running through Chatham County from Siler City to Moncure in order to increase connectivity and meet growing residen-

The overwhelming bipartisan vote came after years of negotiations following a major 2025 court settlement By Mary Clare Jalonick, Joey Cappelletti and Eddie Pells The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill Monday that would regulate college sports, an attempt to end “chaos” in an industry that has been upended by skyrocketing athlete payments

and near-unrestricted transfers between schools. The overwhelming 77-22 vote to pass the legislation is the strongest effort yet by Congress to set national regulations governing payments to college athletes for their name, image and likeness and how often they can transfer. It would give the NCAA new authority over those rules and limited antitrust protections to enforce them. The bill is the product of years of Senate negotiations that intensified after a 2025 lawsuit settlement uprooted the college sports landscape by allowing See BILL, page A7

turn nutrients to the soil, help retain moisture, and provide natural habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. There are several ways to participate: • Leave leaves in wooded, landscaped and other natural areas. • Use leaves as mulch in See LEAVES, page A2

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THURSDAY

10.1.26 #162

2 giant pandas arrive in Atlanta under US-China government agreement Zoo Atlanta becomes only the third U.S. zoo to house giant pandas

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By Huizhong Wu The Associated Press BANGKOK — Two giant pandas arrived in Atlanta on Sunday morning as part of an agreement between the Chinese and American governments. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang departed Chengdu in southwestern China early Sunday aboard a dedicated “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777 aircraft, officials said. A new agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association makes Atlanta one of three zoos in the U.S. to house giant pandas, along with the San Diego Zoo in California and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. “This is a thrilling day for Zoo Atlanta and a historic moment for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and beyond,” Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King said in a statement. “We are elated to welcome Ping Ping and Fu

“This is a thrilling day for Zoo Atlanta and a historic moment for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and beyond.” Raymond B. King, Zoo Atlanta president and CEO

Shuang and could not be more excited about sharing that joy with our Members, guests, city, and community in the coming weeks.” Zoo visitors will have to wait awhile to see Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, officials said. The bears will be quarantined for about a month in a biosecure area of the wildlife park’s new giant panda complex. Park officials haven’t confirmed a specific opening date. The pandas’ arrival was announced last Thursday by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a three-day summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The loan of the pandas was one of the few concrete outcomes

to come out of the state visit, which saw expressions of goodwill between the leaders, but no fixes to any of the long-standing differences between the two countries. Atlanta said farewell to its last pandas in 2024, leaving the zoo without the bears. The new agreement was announced back in April but without any dates. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang will be on loan to Zoo Atlanta for 10 years as part of the agreement. Both pandas were born in 2020 and were kept at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Ping Ping, the male, has dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang, the female, has a forehead that protrudes a bit, according to the Xinhua News Agency. China has long used the pandas as part of its diplomacy globally, deploying the bears in loan programs as expressions of goodwill and letting loan agreements lapse when tensions arise. Xi had said the loan program was an example of “friendship between the Chinese and Americans.”

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The “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777 aircraft arrives at HartsfieldJackson International Airport in Atlanta on Sunday.

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

Oct. 1-4 Fall Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance Gate hours vary by day Four stages and more than 50 bands, with food, crafts, workshops, kids activities and camping. Gate tickets are $205 for four days or $60-$76 for single days; kids 12 and under are free. Parking is $30 for the weekend or $15 a day. No pets. Shakori Hills Community Arts Center 1439 Henderson Tanyard Road Pittsboro

Oct. 2 Mosaic Blast from thePast: Bounce! Party Band 7-9 p.m. The free outdoor concert series continues. The lawn opens at 6 p.m. Food and drink will be available. Registration is required. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Tommy Edwards Stage 457 Freedom Parkway Pittsboro

Oct. 3-4 Huckleberry Trail Farm Fall Festival Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun. 1-6 p.m.

CRIME LOG Sept. 21 • Faith Christian Lynch, 24, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine and simple possession of a controlled substance, and other charges. • Juan Diego Pereztzintzun, 25, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor larceny. Sept. 22 • Donald Scott Urey, 62, was arrested for harassing phone call. • James Wesley Norton, 58, was arrested for attempted uttering, attempting to obtain property by false pretenses and forgery of an instrument, and other charges. Sept. 23 • Jose Antonio Gonzalez, 21, was arrested for fict alt title reg card tag, permit operation vehicle no ins and expired or no inspection, and other charges. Sept. 24 • Christina Elizabeth Thomas, 46, was arrested for second-degree trespass. • David Royal Blankenship, 38, was arrested for driving while impaired. • Michael Brian Lewis, 31, was arrested for felony possession of stolen property, felony conspiracy and breaking and entering, and other charges. • Rashard Carmicheal McLaughlin, 39, was arrested for driving while impaired, possession of opn cnt alc psg area and expired or no inspection, and other charges. Sept. 25 • Jacob Aaron Laney, 22, was arrested for felony possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintn vehicle dwell place controlled substance, and other charges. • Joey Richard Bass, 25, was arrested for felony conspiracy, felony larceny and identity theft, and other charges. • Michael Deshun Thomas, 27, was arrested for felony possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and fail wear seat belt front seat. Sept. 26 • James Jonathan Green, 21, was arrested for obtaining property by false pretenses and larceny of a motor vehicle. • Joshua Luke Brady, 38, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance on prison or jail premises, and other charges. Sept. 27 • Fernando Gomez-Ruiz, 26, was arrested for driving while impaired and driving left of center.

FEDEX VIA AP

LEAVES from page A1 garden beds and around trees. • Mow leaves into lawns to naturally recycle nutrients. • Compost leaves for future use in gardens and landscaping. • Keep leaves out of streets

and storm drains to help protect local waterways. The “Leave Your Leaves” initiative is part of the town’s Climate Action Plan. It contributes to the plan’s greenspace and land use, extreme weather and solid waste categories, according to the town.

Residents can further participate by taking the “Leave Your Leaves” pledge at town hall during regular business hours. Participants can take a “Leave Your Leaves” yard sign. Still, seasonal loose-leaf collection remains available beginning Oct. 12.

A weekend fall festival with a corn maze, hayrides, a pumpkin patch and old-timey games. Adults are $14; ages 3-11, seniors and military are $12. Huckleberry Trail Farm 143 Pleasant Hill Church Road Siler City

Oktoberfest at The Plant Sat. 2 p.m. through Sun. 6 p.m. A two-day fall celebration with seasonal beers, craft drinks and live music, including a stein-holding contest at BMC Brewing. The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Oct. 10 Goldston Main Street Cruise In 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A free second-Saturday car show — classics, hot rods and race cars — with nearby shops and restaurants open. Downtown Goldston 434 Bellevue Street Goldston

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Word of Faith religious group leader gets probation in assault case in North Carolina The church said the allegations made to the AP were false and made by “certain former members” out to target the church and that it does not condone abuse. The case was turned over to a special prosecutor after Fenner’s lawyer accused District Attorney Ted Bell of siding with Word of Faith in his handling of the case.

Prosecutors said she led members in choking and beating him to expel “homosexual demons” By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press A LEADER of a secretive North Carolina religious group was sentenced Monday to two years of probation in a plea deal that dropped a felony kidnapping charge, more than nine years after her trial ended without a verdict. Prosecutors said Word of Faith Fellowship leader Brooke Covington led a group of church members in 2013 who choked and beat a young man for two hours while they prayed to expel “homosexual demons.” Covington, 68, pleaded to two misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and simple assault Monday by entering an Alford plea, according to court records. It’s technically a guilty plea in which defendants maintain they are innocent while acknowledging prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them at trial. The judge sentenced Covington to 45 days in jail on the false imprisonment charge and 30 days for simple assault, but suspended them so she won’t have to serve the time if she completes her probation. Covington also was ordered to complete 30 hours of community service benefiting children or young adults. Covington’s original case ended in a mistrial after the jury foreman brought his own research into deliberations. Since then, the COVID-19 outbreak, a move to remove the original prosecutor that ended with the suspension of the law license of the attorney making the request, deaths or retirements of lawyers on both sides and handing the case to a new prosecutor in a new jurisdiction all delayed a new trial. Both the new prosecutor and Covington’s lawyer didn’t respond to messages seeking details about Monday’s hearing. Teen says church leaders held him down, beat him Matthew Fenner joined Word of Faith as a teenager in

KATHY KMONICEK / AP PHOTO

Brooke Covington, a member of the Word of Faith Fellowship church in Spindale, leaves a hearing at Rutherford County Courthouse in Rutherfordton on May 19, 2017. 2010 with his mother. He was at a service on the church’s compound in Spindale when members including Covington started what the church called a “blasting” session on him, according to Fenner. Covington said the session was no different than others, and she had witnesses prepared to testify they didn’t see an assault against Fenner. Word of Faith is a nondenominational Protestant church that was founded in 1979 by Sam and Jane Whaley in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlotte and Asheville. Members consider Jane Whaley a prophet. In 2017, The Associated Press published a series of stories about Word of Faith that detailed former church members’ allegations of abuse. The AP spoke to dozens of former congregants around the world, listened to hours of secretly recorded conversations with church leaders, and reviewed hundreds of pages of law enforcement, court and child welfare documents. Church denies abuse, says it is targeted by former members Whaley has denied that she or other church leaders ever abused Word of Faith members and said that any discipline would be protected by the Constitution’s freedom of religion tenet.

Allegations against prosecutor lead to suspension of law license Attorney Andrew LaBreche said Bell didn’t investigate new evidence or witnesses and made a deal to drop the felony kidnapping charge against Covington. Bell provided text messages and other evidence he refused to talk to Word of Faith members when they tried to steer conversations toward the assault cases. Superior Court Judge William Stetzer not only denied LaBreche’s request to remove the prosecutor, but in his order said LaBreche’s “repeated acts of dishonesty and the significant harm to the legal profession” led the judge to suspend his law license for three years. He also awarded Bell legal fees. LaBreche is appealing the ruling, and his suspension has been delayed until his case can be heard. Associated Press covered Word of Faith extensively Word of Faith had about 700 members in North Carolina a decade ago, but a sworn statement from a former church leader said membership had now dwindled to about 300 to 400 people. The AP reported that the church controlled almost every aspect of their members’ lives, including who they married, what subjects they studied in school and whether they could go to college. Members were regularly slapped, choked and thrown to the floor during high-decibel group prayer. The AP investigation also found that the church and its hundreds of followers controlled local law enforcement and social services, preventing fair investigations.

Church News SILER CITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Siler City Presbyterian Church at 720 West Third St. in 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!

PIPELINE from page A1 Chair Amanda Robertson. Initially, the board planned to adopt an amendment to its zoning ordinance in order to implement a special use permit requirement for the development of natural gas pipelines, which would bar any action without commissioner approval, however, legal counsel has advised the board against such action. “Enbridge says the county does not have the authority to adopt a special use permit requirement and reserves its rights to challenge the amendment,” said county attorney Emily Meeker. “Enbridge is willing to sue the county and will seek its attorney fees if the county does not prevail.” According to Meeker, those legal fees would be estimated to be well over $1 million. “Because of existing state law, I believe the county is unlikely to prevail in a lawsuit brought by Enbridge,” Meeker said. As a result, the board voted to table the item until its Oct. 19 meeting in order to allow the planning board to make adjustments to the proposed text amendments to remove the requirement of a spe-

cial use permit for natural gas pipelines. “I’m not comfortable with us taking on legal action that we believe already to be doomed,” said board member Karen Howard. “It should go without saying that neither this board nor the community of Chatham are in the habit of capitulating to bullies, and I hope that we will act accordingly. This is a time where we’re going to need the entire community gathered in support and working toward the same goal.” As a special use permit hearing would have required unbiased judgment from the commissioners, any outspoken opinions would have complicated their positions should that have been the approach they decided to move forward with. “I think a lot of our residents were expecting us to be vocal from the very beginning,” said Vice Chair Franklin Gomez Flores. “We explored avenues to address the situation to alleviate concerns, and I hope you all understand why we’ve had to be a little quiet in this situation, but we are exploring what will be the best approach to address this.” The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 19.

THE MOST WICKED TIMES! Bible Study: Hebrews 12:12-29 Church of Living Water; Pastor: James Mitchell. God’s Word is going out to thousands—two newspapers and hundreds from our phones. Praise God! But if you would rather not receive the Word, just block the number. I’m thankful to be able to get God’s Word out. I’m praying for all your needs because I love all souls! We are living in the most wicked times we’ve ever seen. God’s born-again, God’s called preachers; we must get the truth out! Beware, my Black, Latino, Hispanic, White brothers and sisters. Satan has taken over the Democrat Socialist Party. If they get back in power this November, it ZLOO EH KDUG IRU 3UHVLGHQW 7UXPS WR ¿QLVK ¿[LQJ WKH PHVV WKDW 2EDPD Biden, Harris, and the Democrats created in America. They want to abolish the Senate, the Electoral College, defund the Department of War, abolish the police and prison system, abolish ICE and Border 3DWURO H[WHQG IXOO YRWLQJ ULJKWV WR QRQ FLWL]HQV DQG JUDQW DPQHVW\ WR all immigrants. If these Socialist/Communist/Islamic politicians ever JDLQ FRQWURO WKH 86$ ZLOO IDOO 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW 9DQFH DQG 'U 2] DUH uncovering unbelievable fraud, waste, and abuse. Stand up for our ,&( RI¿FHUV ZKR DUH EHLQJ KDUDVVHG IRU UHPRYLQJ LOOHJDO DOLHQV DQG criminals. The Democrats have become the party protecting criminals. I pray blinded minds will be opened to see the consequences if these evil people get into power, in Jesus’ name! Heavenly Father, open blinded minds to the lying, fake news media, in Jesus’ name! Brothers and sisters, keep all sin under the blood of God’s mercy and grace. Don’t fall away, for great is your reward!

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

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Francis of Assisi: the man and the myth He founded a monastic order devoted to peace, charity and compassion in a time of opulence and power in the Roman Catholic Church.

CHRISTIAN OR OTHERWISE, religious or not, you’ve probably recognized Francis of Assisi as a garden statue, usually depicted with a bird or two on his shoulders and perhaps a fawn nuzzling his monk robes. Legends abound around this man. They say Francis could talk to the birds and animals of the wood. They say he would awake in the morning and spin until he became dizzy and fell down. He would then set off in whatever direction he faced upon getting to his feet and trust that God would provide his food. They say he would pick up a stick and “play” his arm as if it were a violin. He would begin to dance and then real music, as beautiful as had ever been heard, would magically fill the air. I don’t know if any of these stories are factually true, of course. But I believe sacred music pulses in all of us and that everything that lives is holy. What’s more, from what we know of the historical life of the real man, I admire Francis’ dedication to his faith. Raised in a wealthy family, he became a soldier and joined the Crusades to the Holy Land. Yet God showed him a vision that broke his heart about the suffering caused by warfare. Francis quit the military, sold everything he owned, donated the funds to the poor and began a life as a wandering

teacher, much like the Christ, to whom he professed his allegiance. He founded a monastic order devoted to peace, charity and compassion in a time of opulence and power in the Roman Catholic Church. In particular, Francis believed in reconciliation across cultures and religions. His example and beliefs are still needed in our world. I worship at Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, which does not observe a liturgical calendar of the saints. But we make an exception for Francis. This Sunday, Oct. 4, marks his feast day, and we will have a blessing of the animals in our parking lot. You are invited to attend with your pet. We will have snacks for all creatures, great and small. My favorite legend is that Francis was teaching the woodland creatures about the sacraments of the church. One of the squirrels rushed off to her hollow and returned bearing acorns and feathers. Francis smiled. “Yes, dear, you understand. Everything imparts God’s grace.” 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

Reflections on a chunk of time We knew he had heart disease, had survived several bypass surgeries but probably eventually he would cross the Great Divide because of it. We just didn’t think it would be that day.

Thirty years ago, the weather was cool that Oct. 2. Autumn had arrived with its calling card. The winds were brisk. Leaves were changing colors and falling to the ground. There were little sticks and twigs on the yard, courtesy of the breezes. My father had finished his breakfast, slipped on his windbreaker and went outside to watch some workers trim trees in his yard. My mother, not only his bride of 61 years but also his caregiver and nurse since his numerous health problems had arisen, called out the kitchen window to him to come inside and “wait till it warms up before you go out.” He complied with her request (which he most often did), came into the living room and settled into his favorite chair in the corner. Shortly afterward, the telephone rang, and after a couple of rings, she called to him from a back room, “Are you going to get that?” In those days before cellphones, he kept the cordless one with him when he was in the house. When he didn’t answer, she went into the living room and found him in his chair. We knew he had heart disease, had survived several bypass surgeries but probably eventually he would cross the Great Divide because of it. We just didn’t think it would be that day. It took a while for my family to find me. Shirley was in her classroom at Chatham Central trying to run me down on the phone. Our son was in the 11th grade. Our daughter was in her freshman year in college. That Thursday morning, I dawdled at my house after getting the paper out the day before and then had eased down to Rufus’ Restaurant for a biscuit before slowly meandering through southwest Chatham on my way to his house just east of the courthouse. When I got there, it was late morning and the driveway and yard were full of cars. “They’ve got lots of company,” I thought, not really giving any of that a second thought. Even when I went into the house and found it full of neighbors, my brain still was in neutral. And when the mother of a longtime

friend got off the phone in the hall after talking with my mama at the hospital, she looked at me and said, “I’m sorry to tell you he’s gone.” Honest to goodness, for a few seconds I thought, “Gone where?” Then I figured it out. The next few days were a blur. We did what we had to do. A brother and his family f lew in from New Hampshire; the other came from a nearby town. There were f lowers and family and friends and food, all the stuff that goes with a traditional Southern funeral. Then after the crowds left, it was on to a new normal. I have thought about him a lot lately, 34 years since he passed on. And I wondered and marveled. I wondered what he would be like today, other than be 115 if he were still here, and what he would think about all that’s going on in the world. I wondered how he would like not only his grown grandchildren but also the great-grandchildren that had been produced. I think I know the answer to that thought. And I marveled … about where did 34 years go? Wherever they went, they went in a hurry. I think I’ve learned some things since then. I’ve learned life is a great gift from the Master Giver and what we do with it is our gift to Him. I’ve learned life is fragile, that we should take care of it and enjoy it and share it with other folks. I’ve learned influence lasts a long time; I catch myself saying some of the things he said to my brothers and me as now I pass them along to my grown children and to the eight grands they’ve produced. And I’ve learned I still miss him. And if you still have yours, be good and kind to him. And if your growing up years with your father might have left something to be desired and you still have him, be the one to break the ice, if you can and will, and repair any bridges that might keep things apart. One day, you might wish you could and you won’t be able to. Did I mention that I still miss him? 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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COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN

No such thing as a static life (is there?)

What had I offered that stayed with this man for so many years? I’d love to remember.

LONG STORY SHORT, I served as a hospice social worker, 32 years ago, in Los Angeles. The now-grown grandson of one of my hospice patients tracked me down to North Carolina 10 years ago. (Thank heavens for eternal email addresses!) He wanted to offer belated thanks (courtesy of his then-teenage self) for the sense of peace I shared with a very stressed young man during his grandmother‘s last days. Twenty-two years ago! Holy moly. (Still not sure what that phrase means) I had no memory of this now-middle-aged man, his late grandmother, his family situation or even my interventions. None. Just gone. What had I offered that stayed with this man for so many years? I’d love to remember. For the future. A touchstone. Sure. A real-live recipe for finding peace. Done deal! What I remembered, however, is this reality:

“The definitions of peace, the very idea of peace has to be invented, and invented again.” — Maxine Hong Kingston I’m wholeheartedly grateful for being contacted by this man. On the other hand, there ain’t no recipes for living a life. (I so wish.) As a habitué of our human species’ ups, downs, beauty, hypocrisy, loving and creativity, I’ll keep cranking along, and yes, inventively. Y’all gonna join me? How about some inspiration for those ongoing unknowns in our lives that continue to push us toward our next step into wholeness? “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — Mary Oliver Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Trump bans media from the White House — this is why he’s angry

His bitterness is more than justified.

WHY DID PRESIDENT Donald Trump ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House? The better question is: What took so long? But Trump made his point. The man is angry at the blatantly biased and Trump-despising legacy media. He blames them for his poor poll numbers. His bitterness is more than justified. The economy is far better than reported. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model currently estimates third-quarter growth at an annualized rate of approximately 5.1%, up from an earlier estimate of 4.4%. And even at today’s elevated gasoline prices, the cost of gas as a percentage of income remains far smaller than during earlier price shocks. Inflation is lower than the Biden average. The official poverty rate is the lowest on record. The stock market has been up, and 401(k)s are fatter. A recent survey of CEOs finds confidence in the economy higher than it’s been in years — with 73% expecting hiring to remain the same or to be increased. Crime is down. The deportation of criminal illegal aliens, argues the Trump administration, is likely a contributing factor. The administration says its military campaign has pushed Iran further away from developing a nuclear weapon. Military recruitment is up. DEI is in retreat. NATO allies are finally upping defense spending as a percentage of their GDP, after former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama unsuccessfully urged it to do so. There’s a lot of good news. This stands in stark contrast with the breathless drum-beating coverage of the Russia-Trump collusion hoax, the first and biggest media-clamped weight on Trump’s ankle. And when the hoax unraveled — and the bad actors were exposed — the media was far less interested. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee funded the opposition research that produced the discredited Steele dossier. Obama was later briefed on intelligence alleging that Clinton had approved a plan to tie Trump to Russia and divert attention from her email controversy. The Washington Post, not exactly pro-Trump, in 2017, wrote: “The Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped fund research that resulted in a now-famous dossier containing allegations about Trump’s connections to Russia and possible coordination between his campaign and the Kremlin, people familiar with the matter said.” The collusion probe began before the

dossier, but the dossier later gave the investigation a lot of fuel, particularly for the Carter Page FISA surveillance applications. According to documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, preelection intelligence reports emphasized Russia’s efforts to disrupt the election and undermine confidence in the democratic process without concluding that Moscow’s objective was to elect Trump. After Trump’s unexpected victory, however, Obama ordered a new assessment. This time it concluded Putin had developed a preference for Trump and wanted him to win. The Media Research Center said 92% of the evaluative coverage of Trump 2.0 during his first 100 days by ABC’s “World News Tonight,” the “CBS Evening News” and “NBC Nightly News” was negative. And much of this was after Trump closed the southern border, when for years the Biden administration claimed it was closed. During the Biden administration when more than 2.75 million people had entered the country illegally during the 12 months ending September 2022, a December 2022 Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll of registered voters asked, “How many border crossings by illegal immigrants do you think are occurring each year?” Fifty-five percent estimated 500,000 or fewer, and the largest group of voters believed annual illegal border crossings numbered between 100,000 and 250,000. Ill-informed? It never ends. Nicolle Wallace, an MS NOW host, last week played an excerpt of Vice President JD Vance imploring voters to keep the Republican congressional majorities. Wallace, laughing, then said, “What I love is, like, give us two more years of rounding and — rounding up and shooting Americans in the streets, stealing all of your money and destroying the economy. Nobody wants that.” It boggles the mind how much time the media spend on the inconsequential — such as Trump attaching his name to the Kennedy Center — compared with how little they spend examining how close Iran came to producing enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb. Words fail. Trump fumes. Understandably so. His ban may not survive a court challenge. But the record of overwhelmingly negative media coverage remains open for all to see. Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com).

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DAVID HARSANYI

What El-Sayed won’t say about Iran tells Michigan everything DURING A RECENT town hall, a University of Michigan student named Iman Dashti confronted the Democratic Party’s Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed regarding his habitual whitewashing and rationalization of Islamic terrorism. Dashti, who says his family is a victim of the Iranian regime’s theocratic persecution, pressed the candidate numerous times to denounce one of the world’s most odious tyrannies. Did El-Sayed regret not speaking out against the tyrannical clerics of Iran? Would he now renounce those who held vigils supporting the mass murderer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Would he “unequivocally” condemn the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a group that’s not only tortured, imprisoned and killed tens of thousands of Iranian civilians in the past year but is responsible for the murder of hundreds of Americans? The answer was no, no and no. El-Sayed wouldn’t. Rather, the candidate offered a platitudinous word salad on how the United States should avoid becoming “the world’s policeman” and how we can still stand “in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements.” Dashti didn’t ask El-Sayed about regime change in Iran. He asked the candidate to offer a condemnation of some of the most odious characters in the world. El-Sayed simply couldn’t do it. And it is important to ask why. There’s nothing inherently wrong with arguing that the U.S. shouldn’t be the world’s policeman. But we already know that El-Sayed has no qualms demanding that Americans act like the police. Otherwise, why would he demand the Trump administration arrest the elected prime minister of our ally Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the behest of an international “court” helmed by activists from France, Benin and Slovenia? And El-Sayed’s refusal to speak on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, killed in a joint American-Israeli air strike, had absolutely nothing to do with an aversion to the U.S. meddling abroad. We know this from leaked audio in which the candidate instructed his staff not to comment on the death of the medieval Islamic Twelver radical who led his nation in chants of “Death to America” because “there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad today.” Judging from the preponderance of evidence, El-Sayed was almost surely sad himself. El-Sayed says he opposes foreign entanglements. But while he not only wants to cut off U.S. aid to Israel but also stop any sales of military equipment, even defensive ones, he supports military aid to Ukraine. The Senate candidate maintains the difference is that, unlike the Jewish state, Ukraine was attacked by Russia, who had broken “international law.” Which means that El-Sayed doesn’t consider the murder of more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children against “international law.” Nor does he consider the launching of more than 350 ballistic missiles at Israel by Iran — nearly two years before Operation Epic Fury was initiated — a belligerent act of war. It makes sense. The first instinct of El-Sayed, who once protested an appearance by reformed terrorists who had converted to Christianity, when a would-be Hezbollah terrorist attempted to slaughter a school filled with 4- and 5-year-old Jewish children was “hurt people hurt people.” It is no surprise that this Senate candidate would invite Hasan Piker, the man who hasn’t run across an Islamic terrorist group or murderous communist he didn’t feel compelled to defend, to campaign with him. These days, El-Sayed keeps referring to Piker as a “Twitch streamer in California” to gaslight journalists who ask him about the relationship. But if Piker was an irrelevant out-of-state social media personality, why did El-Sayed feel compelled to campaign on numerous occasions? Occam’s razor tells us that El-Sayed feels a connection, even holds similar views, to a man who believes the U.S. deserved 9/11. El-Sayed also believes, at best, that Western nations are as evil or worse than jihadists. That moral equivalence was on display in a now-deleted 2021 tweet commemorating 9/11. “Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my faith,” El-Sayed tweeted before adding, “Tomorrow, I’ll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my country.” It is clear from that comment that El-Sayed believes we are far worse than the Islamist extremists of the Middle East. In a healthier era, any one of these relationships would have sunk a candidacy. At this point, Michigan voters are well aware of El-Sayed’s radicalism, and yet he looks poised to become our first Islamist senator. David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

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Democrats keep coming to South Carolina to stump for midterm candidates. It’s all about 2028 Midterm stops provide the cover to test 2028 viability with key South Carolina voters By Meg Kinnard The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. — On paper, South Carolina might be an odd place for Democrats to converge to campaign for midterm candidates. Republicans dominate state politics, and there’s slim chance of that changing this year. But South Carolina is also the first state in Democrats’ next presidential nominating process, so White House hopefuls are looking for any excuse they can find to pop over. In the next few weeks, five Democrats who are believed to be mulling 2028 campaigns — California Rep. Ro Khanna, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and longtime Democratic politico Rahm Emanuel — will be stumping here. That’s on top of recent visits from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The travel itineraries show that even though there are five weeks until the midterms, the

AP PHOTO

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, from left, Rahm Emanuel, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are all seemingly eyeing a presidential run. next presidential cycle is already underway. Khanna returns to South Carolina for several days starting Thursday. Around the same time, Beshear will stump with candidates in Orangeburg and Charleston, and he’ll discuss his new book with Rep. Jim Clyburn, a longtime Democratic kingmaker. There’s overlap with Kelly, who starts a two-day swing on Friday and plans to campaign for candidates such as Senate nominee Annie Andrews. A week later, Pritzker is set to headline a fundraising dinner for the local NAACP. And just days before early voting kicks off Oct. 13, Emanuel — the former congressman,

White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama, Chicago mayor and U.S. ambassador to Japan — has a packed South Carolina schedule. He’s talking to students on several college campuses and appearing with candidates including gubernatorial nominee Jermaine Johnson. Emanuel’s advisers said he will also meet with dozens of pastors, as well as participate in a community conversation with some parishioners affected by the deadly 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston. South Carolina has always been early in the primary calendar for both parties, but Democrats recently solidified

their place at the front of the line. Bre Maxwell, a Democratic National Committee member from the state, said visiting allows candidates to see how their pitch lands with key voters. “They’re doing it under the guise of, ‘Hey, I’m gonna come to South Carolina, help support this candidate,’ while also having one-off meetings with people to build for what they possibly may do in ’28,” Maxwell said. “‘How much support do I have, how many people like me, how many people don’t like me?’” One person who isn’t due to visit soon is former Vice President Kamala Harris. She hasn’t been to South Carolina since April, when she participated in a party fundraiser alongside a

SpaceX’s Starship launches into orbit, delivers payload for first time The successful deployment of advanced satellites advances the path to lunar certification

By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press SPACEX LAUNCHED its enormous Starship into orbit for the first time Monday and successfully delivered the most advanced Starlinks yet, but cut the flight short to ensure safety. The spacecraft reentered over the Pacific and splashed down north of Hawaii three hours after blasting off from Texas. The company had been aiming for a 10-hour flight, spanning six full laps around Earth, to prove its readiness for NASA’s Artemis moon program. Starship tipped over and erupted in flames upon splashdown, a dramatic (and intentional) end to the mission. Founder Elon Musk’s Starship almost didn’t make it to orbit when one of its engines shut

down too soon. But with everything else working well and the bad engine no longer needed, flight controllers decided after several tense minutes to proceed as planned. “Starship is orbital,” Mission Control announced to cheers. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX on reaching orbit and “managing every step in a safe, responsible and especially inspirational way.” Rocket carries 26 of Musk’s most advanced Starlink satellites Musk’s showpiece rocket — the biggest and most powerful ever built — carried 26 of the latest Starlink satellites to join the 11,000 older models already providing internet service. They popped out of the spacecraft one by one, drawing more cheers from the SpaceX crowds looking on from the launch site at Starbase, Texas. The decision to end the flight early came soon afterward. No reason was provided.

“That’s why we’re being extremely cautious here.” Elon Musk, SpaceX founder It was Starship’s 14th full-scale launch from Texas’ southern tip in three years. The earlier test flights ventured no farther than the Indian Ocean halfway around the world, often crashing in flames and briefly skimming space. This time, SpaceX was intent on circling the globe from an altitude of 170 miles — not just once but six times over almost 10 hours, ending with a Pacific splashdown near Chile. While Starship achieved the proper orbit zipping along at 17,500 mph, flight controllers opted to play it safe and bring it back several hours sooner, after just a couple laps. The first-stage booster was never meant to return to the Starbase launch site either, instead dropping into the Gulf of Mexico within minutes of the

morning liftoff. SpaceX wants to ensure that everything works before flying Starship back to Starbase. If the spacecraft breaks apart over land and rains debris onto people, “our popularity would diminish very rapidly,” Musk said at a business summit earlier this month. “That’s why we’re being extremely cautious here.” Depending on the findings from Monday’s orbital debut, the next Starship could return to the launch pad with giant mechanical arms grabbing the hovering spacecraft. If the catch works — Musk gives it even or slightly better odds — then SpaceX will refly the spacecraft by year’s end or early next year. The 407-foot rocket was designed from the start to be fully reusable — a key to lowering launch costs. SpaceX managed to salvage the last Starship from the Indian Ocean in July. Engineers modified the newly launched Starship’s heat shield based on hands-on inspections from the recovered spacecraft, which is being tugged back to Starbase.

tour for her book recounting the whirlwind 2024 presidential campaign. But Harris’ deep relations in the state mean she doesn’t need to come as early or as often as others, who are still gaining name recognition. Republicans’ nominating process will still start with the Iowa caucuses, but South Carolina will hold the party’s first southern primary. With President Donald Trump constitutionally prohibited from running for a third term, other Republicans are starting to test the waters. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz came to stump with Attorney General Alan Wilson before he won the party’s nomination for governor.

SpaceX wants Starship certified for orbital flight SpaceX is pressing hard to certify Starship for orbital flight, a vital step toward moon and Mars travel. NASA’s Artemis III mission is coming up as soon as next summer, a triple-launch docking exercise in orbit around Earth between an Orion capsule full of astronauts and competing lunar landers. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Moon will blast off first, then Orion — which will close in for a linkup — then Musk’s Starship for a docking with Orion once Blue Moon is unleashed. The next mission — Artemis IV slated for no sooner than 2028 — would have astronauts landing on the moon in either Blue Moon or Starship, whichever is ready first. Subsequent moonshots will alternate between the two billionaires’ landers. Musk originally developed Starship for Mars, intending to launch scores of them with the red planet’s first settlers. For now, he plans to focus on the moon and use Starship to haul satellites into orbit by the truckload, phasing out the company’s frailer Falcon 9 rocket within several years. A second Starship launch site is nearing completion at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center and a third is planned for Louisiana.

COURTESY SPACEX

Starship takes off for its first orbital flight from Starbase, Texas on Monday morning.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 1, 2026

Trump administration lowers fuel economy requirements The rule prioritizes affordability for consumers By Alexa St. John and Anne D’Innocenzio The Associated Press DETROIT — The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax regulatory requirements for automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and light trucks. The new rules were released shortly after President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring. The change furthers Trump’s promise to revoke policies that encouraged or created incentives for the production of electric vehicles and, ultimately, will expose Americans to more planet-warming pollution from vehicles. Mileage standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, requirements, have been implemented since the 1970s energy crisis and set out how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline. Over time, automakers have gradually improved their vehicles’ average efficiency. The Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that the finalized standards would correspond to a combined industry fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in the 2031 model year. That’s up from 30.1 miles per gallon for model year 2024 but down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon in 2031 under rules put in place by the Biden administration. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we have finally ended the illegal mandate that forced automakers to produce more expensive electric vehicles that American families didn’t want,” Secretary of

EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump speaks during an event on fuel economy standards in the Oval Office of the White House in December 2025. Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement touting vehicle affordability. NHTSA had projected last December that the new standards would hover at roughly 34.5 miles per gallon. The news comes amid ongoing tensions as the war in Iran persists, with Trump refusing a deal with Iran to open the Strait as recently as Saturday, impacting the world’s oil supply. Environmental groups concerned over rollback News of the revised standards immediately drew rebukes from environmentalists. The DOT said Monday that the rule would cut yearly oil consumption in 2050 by about 1.3 billion barrels as compared to yearly oil consumption in 2024. But when the 2024 standards went into effect, NHTSA estimated they would save 14 billion gallons of gasoline from being burned by 2050. The agency also said that while new fuel-efficient vehicles cost more up front, savings on gasoline over the lifetime of the car or truck would more than make up for that. Environmental groups esti-

Since taking office, Trump has also pulled back auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealed fines for automakers that do not meet federal mileage standards and terminated consumer credits of up to $7,500 for EV purchases. The president has repeatedly pledged to end what he calls an EV “mandate,” referring to former President Joe Biden’s target that half of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. No federal policy has mandated auto companies to sell EVs. According to data from Cox Automotive, EVs accounted for 5.7% of total new-vehicle sales in August, down from 7.4% for all of 2025. Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, vowed the environmental group would fight the rule. “Less fuel-efficient cars mean more gas burned, spending more at the pump, and dirtier air in our communities,” Garcia wrote in a statement. State of auto industry

“Less fuel-efficient cars mean more gas burned, spending more at the pump, and dirtier air in our communities.” Katherine García, Sierra Club mate now, without stricter standards, cars could produce 22,111 more tons of carbon dioxide per year than under the Biden-era rules in 2035. The rule also translates to an extra 90 tons a year of deadly soot particles and 4,870 additional tons a year of smog components such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted into the air in coming years, experts say. Transportation already accounts for much of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet; 28% as of the last estimate in 2022. It “ignores the feasibility of clean technology and the millions of fuel-efficient cars already on the road,” Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said of the rule.

Automakers and industry groups have said the new rules will increase Americans’ access to the full range of gasoline vehicles they need and can afford. “NHTSA made the right call to better align fuel economy standards with the law and current market conditions,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the domestic auto industry, said in a statement. He said the previous standards “effectively required a switchover to electric vehicles that was out of step with market realities and customer demand. Today’s final rule is an appropriate course correction.” “What the industry needs is long-term regulatory stability that includes balanced, durable and achievable fuel economy standards that continue to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy,” Bozzella added. “This is the formula for preserving consumer vehicle choice and keeping the U.S. auto industry globally competitive.” A spokesperson for Ford Motor Company, maker of the top-selling pickup truck, the F-150, said: “We appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Adminis-

BILL from page A1 colleges to pay their players. The legislation, which would still have to pass the House, would codify the settlement into law but also establish new guardrails around the system in an attempt to rein in the runaway costs for colleges. “It would be nice if college sports could somehow magically fix itself, but this is a matter of law, federal law, and only Congress can fix it,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who negotiated the bill with the top Democrat on the panel, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell. President Donald Trump praised the bill in a social media post after the late-night passage. “This is a really big deal,” he said. “It will not only save college sports, it will save the colleges themselves.” The bill’s backers — more than 70 senators from both parties — say it aims to curtail constant litigation and uncertainty across college sports for athletes, schools and fans. It would also give hundreds of thousands of athletes new health and labor protections. But critics say the bill doesn’t do enough to protect athletes or curtail the enormous sums of money flowing to coaches, colleges and conferences. “This is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn’t fix the broader problems,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat who has worked with labor and civil rights groups to rally opposition to the bill. The bill’s future is still unclear. It could face an uphill battle in the House, which failed repeatedly over the last year to get a different version to the floor and is in recess until after the November elections. Lawmakers will have to start over in the next Congress if the bill doesn’t pass both chambers by the end of the year.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), left, speaks as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C.

MARIAM ZUHAIB / AP PHOTO

Bill addresses skyrocketing spending, unlimited transfers College sports have been reeling in the wake of the 2025 court settlement allowing colleges to directly pay players for their name, image and likeness. The fallout has reshaped the industry and led to football roster payrolls that can exceed $40 million. The bill would codify the court settlement, including a revenue cap that allows schools to share up to $21.5 million in revenue with their players. The legislation would more than double that amount for some schools, allowing up to an additional $27.5 million in payments through a retention fund — a change that helped win the support of the two largest conferences, the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference. To help schools raise more revenue, the bill would give schools and conferences the option of pooling their TV media rights. The legislation also aims to stabilize the NCAA transfer portal that has led to players constantly switching teams. It would restrict player transfers

to one “free” move over five years without sitting out a year, with some exceptions, and also would restrict players to five years of total eligibility. The proposed eligibility limit comes amid backlash to schools that have increasingly pushed boundaries, including LSU’s now-canceled plans to place players on the roster who had participated in NFL training camps. “That was probably like a big lamp for some people who saw it and said, ‘Oh my God, this is so out of control,’” Cantwell said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. The bill also would restrict coaches from leaving their schools during the season, force schools that want to switch conferences to spend three years as an independent and prevent conferences from growing larger than 20 programs — an effort to prevent so-called “superleagues” from taking over sports. A last-minute amendment proposed by Florida Sen. Ashley Moody raised that cap from 19 in the original legislation. The vote was delayed several hours Monday as senators negotiated Moody’s amendment

and others that were eventually adopted, including a provision to make it easier for athletes to sue over sexual assault and a requirement to disclose foreign financing. The Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) that would have put limits on ticket prices for fans and two by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) that would have capped coaches’ salaries at $5 million a year and increased compensation for athletes who have catastrophic injuries. Critics say it wouldn’t do enough to help athletes The legislation includes new protections for athletes, including caps on agent fees and guarantees for health insurance and scholarships. It would also require schools to maintain a minimum number of sports and roster spots — an effort to ensure that women’s and Olympic sports are not cut in favor of football, basketball and other sports that generate more revenue. Still, some Democrats say it wouldn’t do enough to limit the big money in college sports.

tration’s work to align regulations with market realities. As we evaluate the final rule’s full impact on our business, we’ll continue working with the Administration to build a strong American auto industry.” A General Motors spokesperson said in a statement the company supports the goals of the rule “and its intention to better align fuel economy standards with market realities.” Stellantis also welcomed the changes. “These standards will allow us to offer our customers the freedom to choose from a range of vehicles and powertrains that meet their needs, from brands they love and trust,” a Stellantis spokesperson said in a statement. Trump wrote on his Truth Social media account Saturday that the less stringent mileage requirements would “take the waste out of building cars in America” and save families “thousands on a new, beautiful and safe car,” while boosting auto production in the U.S. The DOT reiterated Monday that the changes will cut the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300, and save Americans $138 billion over the next five years. Americans, however, are spending more on gas as Washington’s war with Iran disrupts the global flow of fuel; gasoline prices averaged $4.47 on Monday, according to the AAA motor club, up from $3.13 a year ago. The rising cost of oil weighed on U.S. stocks to start the week. “Trump is tanking sensible mile per gallon standards at the worst possible time for consumers, who are getting hit with sky-high prices at the pump,” the Center for Biological Diversity’s Becker said. “Consumers will pay the price for these reckless rollbacks while Trump’s Big Oil and Big Auto buddies reap the short-term profits.” Experts have also said that less stringent rules do not necessarily translate to more consumer purchases of new vehicles that may have more safety features. The average new car in America sold for $50,089 in August, crossing over the $50,000 line for the first time since last December, according to Kelley Blue Book data.

The legislation “places a cap on the students’ cut of the revenues, but there are no caps on coaches’ salaries or on the size of donations to athletic programs,” Murphy said last week. Groups like the NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO have also opposed the bill, in part, because it leaves unresolved whether athletes should be considered employees with the ability to collectively bargain. All four black Democrats in the Senate — Booker, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — have opposed the bill. Booker, who played football at Stanford in the late 1980s on a scholarship, noted the “outsized role” that black athletes play in college sports. He said it wasn’t until college athletes were able to begin to win cases in court that the power started to shift, “and now the NCAA is coming here to the United States Senate, asking for sweeping powers” to exempt antitrust laws. “We know who this bill is protecting,” Booker said. House passage uncertain Despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate, the bill faces a murky path in the House. House lawmakers won’t return to Washington, D.C., until mid-November, after the elections. And it’s unclear what will be on Republican leaders’ agenda in the chaotic last few weeks of the session. Pressure from Trump could help push the bill to passage. But some House Republicans have insisted on language explicitly stating that athletes are not employees, which the Senate bill does not have — a key concession to Cantwell to win enough Democratic support. After the bill’s passage, Cruz said it is his hope “that we see in the House the same thing we saw in the Senate: a big bipartisan vote.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 1, 2026

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On Monday, October 12, 2026, at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold the following legislative public hearing in person at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West, Pittsboro: PB-25-606 – Chatham Habitat for Humanity is requesting to subdivide approximately 25.91 acres located on two (2) parcels (PIDs: 7769 & 91558) into 72 single-family residential attached units (all townhomes) through a Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat. The site is located along I.E. Taylor Rd and Roberts St, north of Roberson Creek and south of East St. The hearings will be held in person. The public can also watch the hearings live on the Town’s YouTube channel at 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 October 12, 2026, with written comments or to sign up to speak at the legislative hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 542-4621 ext. 1104, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF Patricia Ann Eubanks Horton All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Patricia Ann Eubanks Horton, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit them to Jeffrey Wayne Horton as Executor of the decedent’s estate on or before December 26, 2026, c/o Janet B. Witchger, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the abovenamed Executor. This the 24th day of September 2026. Jeffrey Wayne Horton, Executor c/o Janet B. Witchger, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000525-180 The undersigned MARK BAXTER, having qualified on the 15TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BARBARA LUDWIG, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms Here’s the information you requested on Dental insurance and corporations having claims against FIRST-CLASS MAIL said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 24TH 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 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026. MARK BAXTER, EXECUTOR 812 KEITH ROAD WAKE FOREST, NC 27587 Run dates: S24,O1,8,15P O

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Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-888-7994433 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). Rider kinds B438/B439. 6154-0120

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000522-180 The undersigned ROBIN HOLLAND MCDUFFIE, having qualified on the 11TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of FRED JACKSON HOLLAND, 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 24TH 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 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026. ROBIN HOLLAND MCDUFFIE, EXECUTOR 86 BLUEBERRY HILL ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: S24,O1,8,15P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000062-180 The undersigned JULIA S. JOHNSON, having qualified on the 26TH Day of MARCH 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of RUBY SEYMOUR, 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 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. JULIA S. JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATOR 115 WATER TOWER RD. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000531-180 The undersigned JOHN R. HEATH, having qualified on the 22ND Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOHN F. HEATH, 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 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. JOHN R. HEATH, EXECUTOR 114 JACK BENNETT ROAD CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 1, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

PUBLIC NOTICE

All Persons, firms and corporations having claims against Helen B. Brooks, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before January 1, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the deceased are asked to make immediate payment. This first day of October, 2026. Helen L. Dark, Executor Estate of Helen B. Brooks P. O. Box 512 Pittsboro, N. C. 27312

The Annual Meeting of the Bonlee Fire Department will be held on Monday Oct. 12, 2026 @7:00pm at 185 Bonlee Bennett Rd Siler City NC 27213. We encourage our community members to attend and stay informed with your local Fire Department. 1tc

CREDITOR’S NOTICE Having qualified on the 14th day of August 2026, as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Barry D. Edwards, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of December 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This is the 2nd day of September 2026. W. Woods Doster, Administrator CTA of the Estate of Barry D. Edwards 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: September 10, 17, 24 and October 1st, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against BEVERLY A. BROWN, deceased, of Chatham County, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before December 17, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the Estate will please make immediate payment. This 17th day of September, 2026. AMY WALKER CAGLE, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE ESTATE OF BEVERLY A. BROWN c/o Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130 Chapel Hill, NC 27514

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing for an Ordinance Amendment application will be held by the Town of Goldston Board of Commissioners on Monday October 5, 2026 at 7:00 P.M. at Goldston Town Hall located at 40 Coral Ave, Goldston, NC for the purpose of considering the following item: ORDINANCE AMENDMENT APPLICATION OA-26-02 Applicant: Town of Goldston OA-26-02 is a Unified Development Ordinance amendment application initiated by the Town of Goldston to amend language of several sections of the Town of Goldston Unified Development Ordinance. The Town of Goldston Board of Commissioners will conduct a Public Hearing on October 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM to hear this application and make a decision to approve or deny this application. All those wishing to speak on this request are invited to attend and speak during the Public Hearing. Please direct questions about this application to Town Planner Abby Manning at 919-558-2700. ADVERTISE: September 24, 2026 October 1, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified on the 31st day of August, 2026, as Executor of the Estate of Roxana Shalo, deceased, of Chatham County does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before December 20th, 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 10th day of September, 2026. Sibyl Wilmont Executor of the Estate of Roxana Shalo c/o J Alan Campbell Law PO Box 850 Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-451-5441

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of ETHAN DOUGLAS LONG, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, do hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Leigh Peek, Attorney at Law, Attn Noah Oswald obo Leanna Long, PO Box 1059, Hillsborough, NC 27278, on or before the 17th 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 7th day of September, 2026. LEANNA ELIS LONG, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ETHAN DOUGLAS LONG 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Lee Melvyn Marcus, deceased of Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 9th day of September, 2026, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of the attorney for the estate on or before the 19th day of December, 2026, or this Notice will be pled in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 17th day of September, 2026. Elaine Marcus, Personal Representative, c/o Larry H. Rocamora, Attorney for the Estate, McPherson, Rocamora, Nicholson, & Hinkle, PLLC; 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27707. Chatham News + Record: 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against LILIANA MATHY, deceased, of Chatham County, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 17th 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 17th day of September, 2026. LISA M. HUGHES, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF LILIANA MATHY c/o Hughes & Leighton PLLC 916 Prince Street, Suite 200 Alexandria, VA 22314

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 26E000516-180 The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Mary Hondros Pappas, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned at her address, P. O. Box 1515, Pittsboro, North Carolina, 27312, on or before the 1st day of January, 2027, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment. This 25th day of September, 2026. Cathleen Pappas Whitted P. O. Box 1515 Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312 October 1, 8, 15, 22

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JAMES RALPH STARLING FILE NO. 26E000436-180 ALL PERSONS, firms, and corporations having claims against James Ralph Starling, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before December 24, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 24th of September, 2026. Betsy Starling, Executor of the Estate of James Ralph Starling, c/o Amanda Honea, Attorney, 1255 Crescent Green, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27518.

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY

CHATHAM NORTH CAROLINA

HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Ruben Josue Perez Corona a/k/a Jose DeJesus Robles Cruz 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 31st day of December, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 23rd day of September, 2026. Pompeya Corona Gonzalez, Administrator Of the Estate of Ruben Josue Perez Corona a/k/a Jose DeJesus Robles Cruz 1680 Devils Tramping Ground Road Bear Creek, North Carolina 27207 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they vote. All voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Find out more at ncsbe.gov/voter-id.

Notice to Creditors ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Claire Maureen Miller., deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before December 11th, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 10th day of September, 2026. Diane Lee Miller, Limited Personal; Representative, c/o Bagwell Holt Smith P.A., 111 Cloister Court, STE 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CHATHAM COUNTY 26 SP 000096-180 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Allied Investors Group, LLC, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $215,800.00, to Kiavi Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated January 13th, 2025 and recorded on January 14th, 2025 in Book 2449, Page 1015, Chatham County Registry. Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Chatham County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Chatham County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on October 6th, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following

The statewide general election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Vivian Barnett Brown, deceased of Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 8th day of September, 2026, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of the attorney for the estate on or before the 26th 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 24th day of September 2026. Gloria Ruth Weissman, Personal Representative, c/o Christina G. Hinkle, Attorney for the Estate, McPherson, Rocamora, Nicholson & Hinkle, PLLC; 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27707. September 24, October 1, 8, 15 2026

Early voting will be held at the following locations from Thursday, October 15, 2026, through Saturday, October 31, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000386-180 ALL persons having claims against DAVID JOSHUA BENELIYAHU, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Dec 24 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 24th day of September, 2026. c/o DIANE WOLBER BENELIYAHU, Executor C/O Jones Branz & Whitaker LLP 4030 Wake Forest Rd. Ste. 300 Raleigh, NC 27609 S24, 1, 8 and 15

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Joseph Yunker Kenlan, 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 24th 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 24th day of September, 2026. JANICE BRADLEY RIEVES, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOSEPH YUNKER KENLAN

NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#19E000259-180 The undersigned ANGELA SPINKS DUBLIN, having qualified on the 3RD Day of MAY 2024 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LOUISE BREWER SPINKS, 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 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026.

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them beginning September 4, 2026. Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026. A voter can fill out an absentee ballot request at votebymail.ncsbe. gov, or by filling out a request form provided by the county board of elections office. The request must be received through the website or by the Chatham Board of Elections by 5 p.m. October 20, 2026. Contests on the ballot include U. S. Senate, U.S. House, N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice, N.C. Court of Appeals Judge, District Court Judge, N.C. House and Senate, and county offices Board Commissioners, Board of Education, Sheriff, & Soil and Water Conservation Board Members. There are three Statewide Referendum proposing amendments to the N.C. Constitution on the ballot. All persons who are registered to vote with the Chatham County Board of Elections may vote in this election. The voter registration deadline for this election is 5 p.m. Friday, October 9, 2026. Eligible individuals who are not registered by that deadline may register and vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. Individuals registering to vote at an early voting site will be required to provide current documentation of their residence (for example, a government ID, other government document, or a paycheck, bank statement, or utility bill). Voters voting in person are entitled to assistance by an election official, or, if assistance is needed due to disability or illiteracy, by a qualified person of their choice. Voting sites are accessible to all voters. Curbside voting is available for voters who are not able to enter voting sites without physical assistance because of age or physical disability. Questions? Call the Chatham County Board of Elections Office at 919-545-8500 or send an email to elections@chathamcountync.gov. Theron VanDusen, Chair Chatham County Board of Elections

ANGELA SPINKS DUBLIN, EXECUTOR 551 MARGARET PL GARNER, NC 27529 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of James Leon Satterwhite, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, who died on May 8, 2026, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before December 10, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 2nd day of September, 2026. Erica L. Satterwhite, Executor Estate of James Leon Satterwhite 1290 Adrian Ct Mebane, NC 27302 Chatham County, North Carolina Publish: September 10, September 17, September 24, and October 1, 2026.

described property, to wit: Beginning at an iron stake in the Northern Margin of Driftwood Road, the Southeast corner of Lot #50 and running thence North, 12 degrees 09 minutes East, 72.87 feet to an iron stake, thence North, 3 degrees 38 minutes East, 27.72 feet to an iron stake; thence North, 6 degrees 06 minutes West, 76.44 feet to an iron stake, the Northeast corner of Lot #50; thence South 87 degrees 01 minutes East, 28.19 feet to an iron stake designated control corner; thence onward South, 87 degrees 01 minutes East, 82.37 feet to an iron stake, the Northwest corner of Lot #48, thence South, 2 degrees 57 minutes West, 175.02 feet to an iron stake in the Northern margin of Driftwood Road; thence North, 87 degrees 01 minutes West 110.00 feet to the point of Beginning, and being a portion of Lot #49 as shown on plat entitled, “Homewood Acres, No. III Addition”, which plat is dated March 13, 1965. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 1004 Driftwood Drive, Siler City, NC 27344 Tax ID: 0015842 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any

Advertisement for Bids Town of Pittsboro Town Lake Park Sidewalk The Town of Pittsboro in conjunction with NCDOT is requesting bids for the Town Lake Park Sidewalk project. For more information including all bid documents and pre-bid meeting details, please visit the website at https://www.pittsboronc. gov/Bids.aspx. Sealed bids must be received by the Town of Pittsboro, 287 East Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312 by 11:00am on Tuesday October 13th, 2026.

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Personal Representative (or Executor/Administrator) of the Estate of Patricia Eileen Clark, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before 01/01/2027 - typically 90 days from first publication date, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ZELOTA MARKHAM McDONALD CHATHAM COUNTY CLERK OF COURT FILE No.: 26E000545-180 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against ZELOTA MARKHAM McDONALD, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before January 4, 2027 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 1st day of October, 2026. Douglas Edward Markham P.O. Box 130923 Houston, TX 77219 Publication dates: October 1, 2026, October 8, 2026, October 15, 2026 & October 22, 2026

This the 1st day of October, 2026. James Clark, Personal Representative 2133 Farrington Rd Apex, NC 27523

land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes,

if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Allied Investors Group LLC. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any

reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 26-002886-01

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 1, 2026

Maritime experts travel to Nantucket to investigate shipwreck remains exposed by nor’easter The newly exposed wreckage lay directly beneath the beach

“Given where it was and where it emerged, it means that everyone who was driving onto the beach this summer was just directly over this. I just think it is so funny and so cool.”

By Leah Willingham The Associated Press BOSTON — A maritime expert planned to visit a Nantucket beach Monday to inspect weathered wooden beams exposed by the weekend’s powerful nor’easter, possibly the remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck buried beneath the island’s southern shore. The Egan Maritime Institute said its exhibits and collections manager would survey the site and send a report to state underwater archaeologists, who then will work with the institute to determine which vessel the wreckage came from. The splintered timbers, fastened together by rusted iron, emerged near an area where remains believed to be from the Warren Sawyer, a wooden schooner lost in 1884, have been found before. Officials from Egan, a nonprofit that operates the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, cautioned Monday that the newly exposed wreckage has not been identified with certainty. The slow-moving nor’easter battered the Northeast coastline over the weekend with heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous surf, flooding low-lying communities from New Jersey to New England and knocking out power to more than 100,000 customers at times Sunday. The storm also raised concerns about coastal erosion as waves crashed into beaches and seawalls. The Warren Sawyer ran aground on Dec. 22, 1884, while carrying 1,115 bales of cotton

Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current editor

JASON GRAZIADEI / NANTUCKET CURRENT VIA AP

Shipwreck remains exposed by a powerful nor’easter washed up on the southern shore of Nantucket, Massachusetts, last week. Maritime experts were working to determine the identity of the vessel. and 28 tons of scrap iron from New Orleans to Boston, according to the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources. Its captain and seven-member crew were ultimately rescued. The schooner remained intact on the island’s Miacomet Beach for two weeks, allowing islanders to save 700 bales of cotton using skids and teams of oxen. Then, on Jan. 6, 1885, another storm tore the ship apart, scattering pieces of its hull, remaining cargo and cordage across

more than half a mile of beach. More than a century later, remains believed to be from the ship have continued to emerge from the sand. Jason Graziadei, who has lived on the island for two decades and is editor of the online news site the Nantucket Current, said he went out to the beach Saturday amid heavy winds with his 8-year-old son after he got a tip about possible wreckage on the island’s south shore. He and his son found the

wooden beams on a drive-on beach by the town’s wastewater facility that everyone calls the “Sewer Beds.” He said they had to park their car and walk down to the beach because erosion from the storm had formed a steep drop-off. The location made the discovery even more remarkable to him: It was directly beneath a route beachgoers had been driving all summer. “Given where it was and where it emerged, it means that everyone who was driving onto

the beach this summer was just directly over this,” Graziadei said. “I just think it is so funny and so cool.” Graziadei said his son was excited by the discovery and began asking what had happened to the people aboard the ship and why it had run aground. The two could walk right up to the exposed wreckage. “It’s amazing to think from, you know, over 100 years old that it’s still there,” Graziadei said. State archaeologists inspected a roughly 42-foot section of hull exposed on Miacomet Beach in late 2022 and concluded it was likely part of the Warren Sawyer. A roughly 15-foot-square section of the lower stern appeared nearby in February 2023, but shifting sands buried it again before state archaeologists could return to document it. Nantucket is one of the areas known as the “graveyards of the Atlantic,” with more than 750 wrecks estimated in the surrounding waters. The institute urged visitors not to disturb the newly exposed wreckage. Massachusetts law prohibits removing, damaging or displacing underwater archaeological resources.

CHATHAM SPORTS PREP FOOTBALL

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

CJ Crutchfield of Jordan-Matthews picks up yards in last week’s victory against East Chapel Hill.

Jets hold off East Chapel Hill The Chatham Central team produced another impressive result by winning a conference game Chatham News & Record staff CHAPEL HILL — Lennox Mordecai ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in

Jordan-Matthews’ 28-21 football victory at East Chapel Hill last Friday night. Jaden Fisher caught a touchdown pass and JC Crutch-

field had a 52-yard run for a touchdown. The Jets (3-3) kept East Chapel Hill (1-3) scoreless in the fourth quarter. Leo George, who ran for a touchdown, threw for two touchdowns for East Chapel Hill, but he was intercepted twice. Grady

LeGuillon and Josh Freeman each had a touchdown grab. The Wildcats have lost three in a row. Chatham Central 35, North Stokes 0: At Danbury, Brooks Albright threw two touchdown passes and scored on a run as the visiting Bears rolled in the Greater Triad Conference against a winless opponent. Gavin Williams scored on a reception and returned an interception for a touchdown. Carson Jackson rushed for

84 yards and a touchdown. Nolan Mitchell caught a touchdown pass. Albright was 9 for 18 for 152 yards in the air. Tyler Congrove intercepted two passes for the Bears. GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL Noelle Whitaker scored Northwood’s touchdown on a pass play in a 7-6 victory against Union Pines.

Teams ready for diet of league play There has been momentum brewing for teams going into conference games By Bob Sutton Chatham News & Record UNDEFEATED Chatham Central has the week off in high school football, but three other teams from Chatham County will be moving into the conference portions of their seasons. So the next five weeks will be crucial for these teams. Here’s a look at the breakdown going into Friday night’s games: BIG SEVEN CONFERENCE For Seaforth (4-1), this means taking a three-game winning streak into a league encounter at Orange (2-3), which is coming off last week’s 43-22 home victory against Northern Durham. Seaforth won 29-22 at home against Orange last year in the first meeting between the teams. The Panthers led that game 22-21 with less than 1:40 to play before an Orange fumble set up Seaforth for the winning touchdown on the next play. The Hawks ended up as co-champions in the conference with Oxford Webb. Orange went on to finish third. FOUR RIVERS CONFERENCE Northwood (2-3) goes to de-

fending champion Eastern Randolph (3-3) for its league opener. The Chargers have won two of their last three games, with the exception a 22-15 loss to visiting Seaforth. Northwood coach Dalton Brown said his team has been in some pre-conference challenges. “We’re solid and our kids know we scheduled (those) so we’d be ready when we got to the conference,” Brown said. Eastern Randolph defeated Northwood 38-0 last year. Brown said Eastern Randolph’s tradition is unmistakable, but this is a chance “to see how much we’ve grown in a year.” This is the second year for the Four Rivers Conference. However, Eastern Randolph has been strong in conference competition this decade. The Wildcats have won 24 consecutive games in conference play. Northwood’s slate includes a 35-7 loss at Asheboro. Three weeks later, Eastern Randolph fell 14-3 at Asheboro. The combined record of the teams that Eastern Randolph has lost to this year is 13-2. Except for one game, Eastern Randolph has been playing without senior linebacker James Combs, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year in the conference, because of an injury. Northwood linebacker Joshua Johnson had been the team’s leading tackler until he suffered a shoulder injury against Bart-

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth’s Mason Pooley makes a reception for a big gain earlier this season vs. Chapel Hill. lett Yancey in the team’s third game. “We should be getting him back,” Brown said. “It goes to speak that we’re building some good depth.” • Jordan-Matthews (3-3) opens its conference slate by taking on visiting North Moore (0-6). The Jets beat North Moore 12-7 last year, ending a fourgame losing streak in the series. That 2025 outcome was the lone conference victory for Jordan-Matthews last season. North Moore is averaging six points per game. The Mustangs were shutout victims the past

two weeks against Seaforth and Thomasville. In Jordan-Matthews’ 28-21 victory last week at East Chapel Hill, it was the most points for the Jets since the season opener. GREATER TRIAD CONFERENCE Chatham Central has four games remaining in its regular season, with the next three at home. That stretch begins Oct. 9 vs. College Prep and Leadership. The Bears are 2-0 in the conference after going 0-6 a year ago in the league.

FRIDAY’S GAMES • Seaforth at Orange • Northwood at Eastern Randolph • North Moore at Jordan-Matthews • Chatham Central – off week

Other than the Bears, the only teams in the conference with winning overall records are South Stokes, which is also 2-0 in the league, and South Davidson. South Davidson has lost to Bishop McGuinness in conference play.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Noelle Whitaker

PREP ROUNDUP

Woods Charter cranks out more volleyball wins The Northwood soccer team geared up for league play with a couple of victories Chatham News & Record staff WOODS CHARTER’S winning streak reached 11 matches as the Wolves improved to 9-0 in the Central Tar Heel 1-A Conference last week. Woods Charter defeated visiting Ascend Leadership before winning at home against Clover Garden and Chatham Charter. The 25-21, 22-25, 25-11, 25-19 result against Chatham Charter ended a string of nine consecutive sweeps for the Wolves. • Chatham Charter swept visiting The Hawbridge School by 25-16, 25-23, 25-10 and host Southern Wake by 25-11, 25-16, 25-5. • Chatham Central produced a four-match winning streak by

sweeping South Davidson and College Prep and Leadership in the Greater Triad Conference road matches. Addison Goldston recorded 19 kills and Chloe Brewer had 17 service points vs. South Davidson. Goldston racked up 19 service points and 18 kills against College Prep and Leadership. • Seaforth dominated host Durham School of the Arts 25-6, 25-12, 25-9 in the Big Seven Conference with Ally Forbes serving for 31 points and Sarah Beth Smith registering 16 kills. The Hawks then lost to visiting Green Level by 25-18, 19-25, 25-21, 26-24 the next night despite Smith’s 25 kills. • Northwood won a Four Rivers Conference match against visiting Eastern Randolph by 26-24, 19-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-10 with Emory Fox providing 15 kills and Paola Ramirez posting 12 service points. • Winless Jordan-Matthews fell in Four Rivers Conference

road outings to Eastern Randolph and North Moore. BOYS’ SOCCER Northwood won 5-4 at Cummings and 5-0 against visiting Southern Alamance to complete the preconference portion of its schedule with an 8-4-2 record. Jordan-Matthews did get in a game last week in advance of starting Four Rivers Conference play this week. • Seaforth won 2-1 at Durham School of the Arts with a pair of second-half goals in the Big Seven Conference. • Woods Charter defeated visiting River Mill 4-0 in a Central Tar Heel 1-A Conference game to remain undefeated in league play. The Wolves dropped a 1-0 decision at Research Triangle. • Chatham Charter fell to visiting Clover Garden 5-2 and to host Central Carolina Academy 6-2 in Central Tar Heel 1A Conference games. Woods Charter’s Elisabeth Stanford, center, goes up at the net as teammate Cecilia Brignati looks on during a match against Ascend Leadership last week.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood, girls’ flag football Noelle Whitaker is a junior on Northwood’s girls’ flag football team. She also plays point guard on the Chargers’ girls’ basketball team. Northwood is 6-1 on the year and riding a four-game winning streak. Last week, the Chargers got a 7-6 comeback win over Union Pines. In the fourth quarter, trailing 6-0, Whitaker caught the game-winning touchdown pass for Northwood’s only points of the game—one of her five catches for 35 yards on the day. For the season, Whitaker leads Northwood in receiving yards and is on the state leaderboard. She also is tied for the team lead in touchdowns as well as interceptions on defense.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

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MLB considers Grand Teton National Park for baseball game site Environmental groups have raised concerns about construction on protected land By Ronald Blum The Associated Press MAJOR LEAGUE Baseball has reached out to the federal government about the possibility of one day staging a game in western Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, an idea quickly met with resistance from environmental groups and others. MLB and the players’ association have played a handful of regular-season games away from the 30 big league ballparks in recent years, including in the Iowa corn fields made famous by the movie “Field of Dreams.” An MLB official familiar with the discussions confirmed Monday that the league approached the Trump administration

about possibly hosting a game in a national park. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league hadn’t authorized comment on the matter and said it was among several ideas MLB has explored. A White House official said MLB asked the administration whether hosting a game at a national park would be possible but emphasized it was not a presidential directive and was not driven by the administration. The National Park Service has not granted any permits, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no authorization to speak on the record. MLB’s special event games have included games at Dyersville, Iowa, in 2021, 2022 and 2026, with another scheduled next August between Boston and Kansas City. In addition, regular-season

“It’s abhorrent.” State Sen. Mike Gierau (D-Wyo.) games were played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2024 and at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, in 2025, and games have been held since 2017 in conjunction with the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. MLB also has played international games in London; Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico; Seoul, South Korea; Sydney; and Tokyo; plus some in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Grand Teton includes a commercial airport — the busiest in Wyoming — and a vast expanse of Jackson Hole bottomlands with spectacular views of the

AMBER BAESLER / AP PHOTO

The Teton mountains reflect on Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Teton Range. There is no shortage of flat terrain where a temporary ballpark could be built. The possibility of building a baseball field on national park land quickly raised a host of questions. “It’s abhorrent,” Mike Gierau, a Democratic state senator and baseball lover who represents Jackson and nearby Grand Teton, wrote in a text message. “Baseball is the American game. The national parks are America’s greatest idea. But a national park is to be protected for its undeveloped and scenic values.” Environmental groups also

came out against the idea, first reported by The Washington Post. “Americans want to see protections for our national parks and public lands strengthened. Bulldozing these lands for a baseball stadium does the opposite, destroying the magnificent landscapes that millions of people come to experience,” Chris Kassar, the Sierra Club’s Wyoming director, said in a statement. A message left with Grand Teton officials seeking more information wasn’t immediately returned.

Bulls rookie Wilson says he’s going to try to lead, not blend in The UNC product is confident as the Bulls look to him to turn the team’s fortunes By Matt Carlson The Associated Press CHICAGO — A second prominent Caleb could make a splash this season on the sports scene in Chicago. Rookie Bulls forward Caleb Wilson is facing lofty expectations as the young centerpiece of the rebuilding NBA team, something now-injured quarterback Caleb Williams has been accomplishing with the NFL’s Bears. And like Williams, whose prolific passing and nimble footwork led the Bears to an unexpected 11-6 record and division title last season, the 20-year-old Wilson seems to have arrived with a bit of a confident edge. “Well, in my opinion, there’s no leadership while blending in,

so I’m definitely not going to try to blend in,” Wilson, the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft, said at the Bulls’ media day. “I am going to go in there and try to lead by example. “I feel like as a rookie, people respect actions more than respect voice or words. So I’ll let my actions lead.” The Bulls are trying to climb from a 31-51 record in 2025-26 when they missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Chicago allowed 121.5 points per game, ranking 28th overall in the NBA. The 6-foot-10 Wilson was considered possibly the most athletic player in the draft. Known for his finishing ability, the forward averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 24 games with UNC last season before it was cut short by left hand and right thumb injuries. Wilson is good to go and has been impressing new first-year executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham and new coach Tia-

Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson poses for a photo during the team’s media day this week.

PAUL BEATY / AP PHOTO

go Splitter with his work ethic and willingness to learn as the team gets its formal training underway. “The expectations are probably pretty high because Caleb is pretty outspoken,” Graham said. “But internally we know that it’s a season of growth and development. We have to be OK with giving him grace throughout this year because he’s going to have some ups and downs. “It’s exciting because Caleb has all the potential in the world, and we just, kind of like,

have to water that seed correctly. You know, in that time, it will sprout into something really beautiful.” Wilson has been working on strength and conditioning to navigate NBA play. He and Splitter have yet to talk about a specific role, with both saying that will evolve. Wilson says he thinks Splitter, a 41-yearold from Brazil who played seven seasons in the NBA, will “allow him to go out there and play” and be direct if he needs to make changes. Wilson said he’s fluid about

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what he wants to accomplish as a rookie. “I’m more of a process guy than an outcome guy,” he said. “That’s how I’ve been … just as of late because, you know, you can’t control the outcome of things if you don’t focus on the process.” Point guard Josh Giddey also has been impressed by Wilson. “It’s obviously a different kind of level when you play against real NBA talent in the regular season,” Giddey said. “But one thing he doesn’t lack is confidence.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 1, 2026

James gone, but Lakers GM Pelinka, coach Redick excited about future

11-year-old Japanese player Kurihara wins esports gold medal at Asian Games

Los Angeles will have a new look after a busy offseason

Nagoya, Japan Yuki Kurihara of Japan has won a gold medal in esports at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. The 11-year-old is believed to be the youngest ever gold-medal winner in the games, which date from 1951. He says eel is his favorite training food, and he found his niche in his sport when he was in kindergarten. He defeated Kang Dongshin of South Korea 10-2 on Saturday in the final of the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle game. He also defeated Tanarak Wongkitikun of Thailand in the semifinals 10-1.

By Greg Beacham The Associated Press

NCAA FOOTBALL

Simmons’ 5-sack day marred by celebration that mimicked urinating on field Knoxville, Tenn. Texas Longhorns edge rusher Colin Simmons tied the program record with five sacks in a 20-17 win over Tennessee. He also made another highlight that was going viral by halftime. He sacked Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon in the second quarter, then started celebrating in a way that drew an immediate flag. The official announced the unsportsmanlike penalty for “simulating” using the restroom. Simmons has 28 sacks in 33 career games at Texas.

MLB

Verlander leaves final start of 21-year career as daughter sprints to mound for hug Detroit Justin Verlander received an unexpected farewell during his MLB finale. His 7-year-old daughter, Genevieve, joined Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch on the mound during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wearing a Tigers jersey with her dad’s name, she hugged Verlander. The 43-year-old pitcher, a 10-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, left the field holding his daughter’s hand to a standing ovation. Verlander allowed two runs and five hits in 51⁄3 innings. His career ends with 3,560 strikeouts.

WNBA

Wilson wins AP WNBA Player of the Year for 3rd straight year; Reese top defensive player New York A’ja Wilson won the WNBA Player of the Year honors for the third straight year, receiving 15 of the 17 first-place votes. She topped Olivia Miles of Minnesota as well as Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, who all had stellar seasons. It’s the fourth time that Wilson has won the award, the most all time since the awards were first given in 2016. Angel Reese won Defensive Player of the Year. Cheryl Reeve wins Coach of the Year for third time. Minnesota’s Olivia Miles was unanimous Rookie of the Year.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — LeBron James has left the building, and that’s not the only big change facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the upcoming season. James’ departure was still on general manager Rob Pelinka’s mind when he held his start-of-the-season news conference with coach JJ Redick. The general manager also exuded optimism about his first discussions with the Lakers’ latest new owners, praised the continued additions to his front office and got excited about the major changes to their roster, headlined by the addition of center Walker Kessler. Pelinka began the afternoon by thanking James profusely for their eight years together, but he declined to go into any detail about the dissolution of the Lakers’ partnership with the top scorer in NBA history and the focal point of their franchise. James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 24. “We’re grateful for the LeBron era, and I think the communications with him this offseason were held diplomatically and professionally and honestly,” Pelinka said. “It was done amicably, professionally, gracefully, and we look at the whole thing with gratitude. It was a great era, and we’re grateful for it.” James’ eight seasons with the Lakers were the longest continuous stretch with a single team of his NBA career, and he won the franchise’s 17th championship in 2020 while returning it to consistent playoff success. When James left his son behind to move to Philadelphia, he pointedly did it on a two-year, $8 million deal — a

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, left, and head coach JJ Redick speak with reporters.

GREG BEACHAM / AP PHOTO

steep discount that the Lakers never got. But if Pelinka and the Lakers feel any disappointment about the circumstances of James’ departure, the GM has no intention of revealing it publicly. Instead, the Lakers are moving on with a firm focus on maximizing the talents of NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic and fellow high-scoring guard Austin Reaves. “Luka is the world’s greatest offensive player, and for us to have an opportunity to have that player in our building every night as a 26-year-old is special, and it requires us to do special things to build a team around it,” Pelinka said. “That’s what we started this summer, and we’re really, really happy with the way it’s looking so far.” The biggest move was the acquisition of Kessler, the 7-foot-2 center acquired from Utah for a host of first-round draft capital and then signed to a four-year, $130 million contract. Kessler fills Doncic’s longstanding desire for a center who can impact the game on both ends, both as a rim protector

and a rim-rocking lob finisher. “I think Walker is a perfect fit for Luka and AR, just in terms of his rim protection and really being an anchor for our defense,” Redick said. “That’s an area we’ve struggled with.” Redick is already working on the changes he’ll make with James’ departure and Kessler’s arrival. The Lakers have done copious defensive switching in recent years, but Redick understandably wants Kessler to spend his time protecting the rim. Redick also intends to go deeper into his bench on a consistent basis, because that bench has improved: “We’re going to play more guys this year. We’re just naturally deeper.” Those additions include Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and rookie Cameron Carr, who is already drawing rave reviews from the Lakers’ staff. When asked to speculate on the Lakers’ starting lineup, Redick was typically blunt and sarcastic: “I’m pretty confident in three of the spots.

The other two spots will not be white guys.” Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are white, as is 15-year NBA veteran Redick. Even after being sold for the second time in two years, the Lakers are continuing to bolster their infrastructure with changes begun during Dodgers owner Mark Walter’s brief stewardship. Pelinka said he has added more than 15 people to his front office, investing heavily in scouting and development with the goal of becoming the NBA’s best in those categories. Pelinka also expressed a desire for continuity in the Lakers’ roster after years of wholesale upheaval in their desperate attempts to assemble a championship-caliber team around James as he entered his third NBA decade. “One of the things we really wanted to lean into was a team that lined up in age with Luka and AR,” Pelinka said. “We want this team to grow together, and I think we were very intentional to get younger and deeper. I think if you look at our roster, that thesis was consistent throughout.”

After three straight 100-loss seasons, White Sox headed back to postseason Chicago clinched its 12th playoff berth in history By Dave Skretta The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After becoming the first team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth, nobody would have begrudged the White Sox for spilling over the dugout railing and celebrating wildly on the field in Kauffman Stadium. Instead, they matter-of-factly formed a handshake line, as if their 9-1 win over the Royals was any ol’ midsummer matinee. They were saving the party for the clubhouse. The White Sox clinched no worse than one of three AL wild-card spots with the rout in Kansas City, and in the plastic-draped visiting locker room, the bottles of Moët were stacking up quickly. Miguel Vargas was drenched, Munetaka Murakami was beaming and a team expected to finish last in the AL Central was relishing a most improbable postseason appearance. “This means a lot for us,” Vargas said. “We’ve been chasing this moment for a long time. It’s special for us. It’s special for the whole organization. This is a special group of guys, and this is the most fun we can have.” That might be a bit of hyperbole. The White Sox could be replicating — or, one-upping — the celebration this weekend. That’s because they still have their sights set on a division title. The White Sox be-

gan the day just a game back of Cleveland, which was finishing a three-game set in Boston later Thursday. Chicago was headed home for three games against last-place Colorado, while the Guardians were getting ready to fly to Kansas City, where they wrap up their regular season this weekend. Maybe that’s why the White Sox showed some restraint in celebrating their postseason berth right in front of the Royals. They could still use a little help from them. “They know what this is about,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “This comes with the expectation that this was going to happen, which is really cool. They’re definitely letting loose right now, we’ll have a fun plane ride, but then back to business tomorrow.” It wasn’t just that the White Sox were two years removed from losing 121 games, setting a post-1900 record, or that no team had made the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss seasons — let alone three in a row. But even midway through April, they were making good — err, bad? — on most folks’ expectations, starting 6-13 and looking every bit the part of a perennial loser. But then their youngsters starting slugging, and the White Sox started piling up wins. Murakami, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal in December — after the White Sox paid a $6.575 million posting fee to the Yakult Swallows — has 33 homers and drove in his 74th run Thursday. Vargas has been receiving some MVP hype after hitting 33 hom-

CHARLIE RIEDEL / AP PHOTO

Chicago White Sox’s Kyle Teel celebrates in the dugout after scoring. ers of his own and driving in 92. And Colson Montgomery, who on Thursday tied Mark Reynolds’ season record of 223 strikeouts, has masked all those whiffs by hitting 31 homers and driving in 87 runs. “W’s are all that matters,” Montgomery said, Champagne and beer dripping from his goggles in the middle of the pandemonium. “You see this? This is all that matters. Whatever I can do to help the team, that’s all I care about.” Chicago’s trade of left-handed ace Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox in December 2024 also has paid long-term dividends. Three players whom the White Sox landed in the deal — Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth and Braden Montgomery — were in the lineup Thursday, and all played a big role in helping the White Sox clinch the 12th postseason appearance. Teel homered, reached base five times and scored three

“W’s are all that matters. ... You see this? This is all that matters. Whatever I can do to help the team, that’s all I care about.” Colson Montgomery runs. Meidroth had a couple of hits, extending his on-base streak to 15 games. And batting last in the order, Montgomery had a hit and scored during a three-run second inning that broke open the game. It was 6-0 after two innings and 8-0 after four. And pretty soon, plastic tarps were going up in the visitors clubhouse, an almost unfathomable party just 90 minutes away. “This is what the White Sox is. We come together,” Murakami said, “and this is not the end. We’re going to start from here.”

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Larson passes Briscoe with 7 laps left to win for fourth time at Kansas Speedway The defending champion has a 26-point lead in the Chase standings By Dave Skretta The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Larson has always found it easier to be the hunter than the hunted. He won’t have much choice in the matter now. The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion capped a dominant performance at Kansas Speedway on Sunday by passing Chase Briscoe with seven laps left and leading the rest of the way, leaving Larson to wheel his No. 5 Chevrolet into victory lane for a record-tying fourth time at the mile-and-a-half oval and with a padded lead in the Chase for the championship standings. Larson won each of the first two stages and broke his own record by leading 235 laps, allowing him to turn the slimmest of leads — a single point over Denny Hamlin at the start of the day — into a 26-point advantage heading to Las Vegas next weekend. “Such a good day,” Larson said. “I was going to be happy with second how the race went, but to get the lead, that’s a big deal.” Briscoe chased down Larson throughout the final stage, finally getting around him with 30 laps to go. But after briefly pulling away, the No. 19 Toyota began to get loose, and Briscoe brushed the wall. Larson closed in on the lead again, made a move on the low side and powered away, taking the checkered flag for the second time in three races. He also won at St. Louis, a victory that had ended a maddening 51-race winless drought. “I think it’s easier to be the hunter than the hunted,” Larson

Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Kansas City. said. “With me out front, I’m just defending, trying to guess on what the fast lines are, and when he got in front of me he started getting really loose.” So loose that Briscoe drifted all the way back to fourth. Austin Cindric wound up second and Hamlin finished third. “It was better for me being in second. It would tighten me up and allow me to be a little better,” Briscoe said, “and as soon as I got the lead I got really free again. Frustrating for sure.” Cindric spent much of the day stalking Larson but was never able to get his No. 2 Ford around him. He might have been the fastest car on the track at the end too,

“I think it’s easier to be the hunter than the hunted. With me out front, I’m just defending.” Kyle Larson but Cindric was too far back to mount a challenge for the victory. “I wish I would have had at least a shot at it. I thought we could join the fun at least,” Cindric said, “but proud of the effort.” It was a similar story — and a bittersweet day — for Ham-

lin, whose strong third-place run nevertheless cost him in the points race. The revamped Chase format offers a big reward for wins, and Larson was the one doing a celebratory burnout at the end. “Just didn’t quite have it today,” Hamlin said. “We could be really good in the long run. In the short run, the 5 was really good. The 2 was good. And we just couldn’t quite hold those guys off or keep them close enough in the short run.” Persistent rain earlier in the weekend washed out practice and qualifying, leaving the starting lineup to be set by a combination of last week’s results at

COLIN E. BRALEY / AP PHOTO

Bristol and owner points. That left Larson in the enviable spot of starting alongside Joey Logano on the front row and the fortunate position of having had so much success at Kansas that missing out on practice really didn’t matter. Larson’s fourth win tied Hamlin’s record for the track, and he’s been first or second in seven of the past 11 races there. “I feel like if we can just click it, we’re the most comfortable on these (mile-and-a-half tracks),” Larson said. “Man, what a day. I thought we’d have a good shot. I didn’t think we’d have a max points-type day, so I’m just thrilled.”

Game delays for lightning may be annoying, but they save lives — sports meteorologist explains risk Delays have plagued the early college football season

1997

By Chris Vagasky The Conversation WHEN NEARBY lightning forces officials to delay a big college football game, the backlash from fans can be fierce, especially if the sky over the stadium is still mostly blue. Sports fans took to social media to complain loudly when nearby lightning forced several game delays on Sept. 19, including Florida State at Alabama, UNC at Clemson, BYU at Colorado State, and Charlotte at Appalachian State. The Alabama delays earned particular anger because there was no rain at Bryant-Denny Stadium at the time. I’m a meteorologist who studies lightning and lightning safety around sporting events, so I am familiar with the risks and why those lightning rules exist. My colleague and I documented 262 football-related lightning deaths and injuries in the United States between 1970 and 2023. That included 12 people who were injured by lightning that struck near Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, after a Green Bay-Tampa Bay NFL game in 2014, and about 40 high school players and coaches who were injured when lightning struck in the middle of a group of players running sprints during football practice in Grapeland, Texas, in 2004. Lightning strikes can also be lethal. In 2024, one player was killed and eight others injured when lightning struck during a televised soccer match in Peru. In 1998, multiple players were injured when lightning struck during a soccer match in South Africa. To understand why the

Year the NCAA passed its current severe weather delay policy

were already underway, and the majority of the delays were over in less than 90 minutes. Delays frustrating but necessary

JACOB KUPFERMAN / AP PHOTO

The Clemson-UNC game had a significant delay earlier this month. NCAA has become a stickler for delaying games when lightning is nearby, let’s take a look at the science behind the safety protocols keeping fans and players safe when thunderstorms are nearby. Real threat on, off field Large stadiums are of particularly high concern when it comes to lightning because of their open-air stands and large crowd sizes. If lightning struck the bleachers during a game, electricity could travel through the metal seats, injuring or killing dozens of fans. A strike to the turf could send ground current across the field, injuring or killing the players, coaches and game officials. The likelihood of experienc-

ing a lightning delay might be even higher soon. A new NCAA proposal, if approved by the Division I Cabinet, would move the start of the college football season a week earlier starting in 2027. That would mean more games played during the peak of the late summer and early fall lightning season, increasing the lightning risk further. How NCAA lightning safety policies work In college sports, lightning safety policies have been in place for nearly 30 years. First published in 1997 and regularly updated in the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, these policies give clear guidance on when to suspend and resume play. The eight-mile radius: Because lightning can strike 8 or

more miles away from the parent thunderstorm — sometimes resulting in a bolt from the blue — safety policies require game delays when lightning is detected within that distance. Players clear the field, and fans are encouraged to go to a safe place, such as the stadium concourse. Remaining in the stands exposes them to lightning danger. The 30-minute clock: Electric charge in the clouds can linger after a storm has passed, so waiting 30 minutes after the last lightning flash is detected lets the threat subside. Each new lightning flash in the eight-mile radius resets the timer. A 2018 study reviewed 136 college football and NFL games that were delayed by lightning between 2010 and 2015. Half of the delays occurred when games

Because lightning can happen before or after a thunderstorm is overhead, rain is a poor indicator of lightning danger. Most lightning injuries and fatalities occur before the rain starts or after it ends, when people think they’re safe. Today, some teams use dedicated event meteorologists with accurate radar and lightning data to monitor conditions surrounding the stadium. Their expertise can minimize the amount of time that games are delayed. While it can be frustrating to wait out a lightning delay, keep in mind that a game can always resume, but lightning injuries can last forever. So if you’ve grumbled about a game delay and thought football-related lightning incidents in the United States were rare, “Not so fast, my friend,” as longtime ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso might say. Corso’s own rental car, unoccupied at the time, was memorably struck by lightning outside Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, before the 2000 Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech game. The game ended up being canceled because of the storm. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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entertainment this week in history West, East Germany unite; space race begins, Hamas attacks Israel The Associated Press OCT. 1 1949: Mao Zedong, leader of the communist People’s Liberation Army, proclaimed the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing. 1971: Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida. 1975: Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila,” the last of their three boxing bouts for the heavyweight championship. OCT. 2 1919: President Woodrow Wilson had a serious stroke at the White House that left him paralyzed on his left side. 1967: Thurgood Marshall joined the U.S. Supreme Court as its first African American justice; he would serve on the bench for 24 years until his retirement in 1991. 1970: One of two chartered twin-engine planes flying the Wichita State University football team to Utah crashed into a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado, killing 31 of the 40 people on board. OCT. 3 1873: Modoc leader Kintpuash was hanged at Fort Klamath, Oregon, after being convicted of his role in the deaths of U.S. negotiators during the Modoc War, a conflict in which his people resisted relocation. Kintpuash was the only Native American leader charged and convicted of a war crime by the U.S.

AP FILE PHOTO

Rock singer Janis Joplin performs at the Newport Folk Festival in July 1968, in Costa Mesa, Cal. Joplin died on Oct. 4, 1970. 1990: West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country. 1993: Eighteen U.S. service members and hundreds of Somalis were killed in the Battle of Mogadishu — the deadliest battle for U.S. troops since the Vietnam War. The battle inspired the film “Black Hawk Down.” OCT. 4 1777: Gen. George Washington’s troops launched an assault on the British at Germantown, Pennsylvania, resulting in heavy American casualties and the retreat of Washington’s Continental Army. 1957: The Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit. 1970: Rock singer Janis Joplin was found dead in her Hollywood hotel room at age 27. OCT. 5 1958: Racially desegregated Clinton High School in

Clinton, Tennessee, was nearly leveled by an early-morning bombing. 1989: A jury in Charlotte convicted evangelist Jim Bakker of using his television show to defraud followers. 2011: Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former chief executive who helped transform everyday technology through products including the iPhone, iPad and Mac, died in Palo Alto, California, at age 56. OCT. 6 1927: The era of talking pictures arrived with the opening of “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson, a feature film containing both silent and sound-synchronized sequences. 1973: War erupted in the Middle East as Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur holiday, starting a nearly three-week conflict that would become known as the Yom Kippur War. 1981: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot to death by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad. OCT. 7 1765: The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up Colonial grievances against England. 1985: Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean Sea. The hijackers shot and killed a Jewish American tourist in a wheelchair and pushed him overboard. 2023: Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

AP PHOTO

Crowds holding posters of Mao Zedong fill a street in China to celebrate the Communist revolution after Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949.

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Austrian yodelers take voices underground, turning parking garage into Alps The film “The Sound of Music” made the practice popular internationally

People yodel during a public event in an underground garage in Graz, Austria, on Sept. 23.

By Philipp Jenne The Associated Press

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GRAZ, Austria — No mountains to practice on? No problem. Yodeling fans in Austria have moved their practice sessions to an underground parking garage, since it produces echoes like those they can get in the landscapes of the Alps. “It’s not too dissimilar to the high mountains,” said yodeling teacher Anna Maria Gutschi as she led a group of 30 through an empty parking garage earlier this week. “You have wide hallways; you have walls that reflect a lot.” Gutschi works for the Styrian Volksliedwerk, a cultural organization promoting traditional folk music in the southeastern Austrian city of Graz — which is not in the high mountains, but sits in a flat basin surrounded by hills and low mountain ranges at the edge of the Alps. The group has been holding a series of courses on yodel-

DENES ERDOS / AP PHOTO

ing in unusual places to keep the tradition alive in modern times. Whether it is an underground car park, a canal or a gas station — as long as the acoustics work, up to 30 people are allowed to join each time for a unique experience. “It’s a form of communication from mountain to mountain — just like that, without the need for a phone,” Gutschi said, describing the art of yodeling as she let her voice wander up and down the scales. “And it’s not as boring as writing an SMS. Sounds much better, too.” “The energy is rising, it’s rising and rising,” Gutschi said as she explained the unique me-

lodic tradition to her students. “Ever higher and then it wants out on top and there it goes.” For over an hour, the yodelers walked through the city’s largest underground parking garage, practicing their yodeling skills until they had reached the deepest part of the garage — and the best conditions for a great sound. While some participants were already experienced yodelers, newcomers to the craft also were welcome to join this subterranean class. Jamey Sohn, from South Korea, who is studying sustainable development in Graz, decided to take the class to immerse herself in Austrian culture.

“When I actually came here, it was a lot more — well, I wouldn’t say easy per se, but it’s a lot more approachable than I first expected,” Sohn said. Yodeling emerged centuries ago as a way of communicating in the Alps over long distances — not just between people, but also between man and animal. Cattle would recognize their owner from his voice and return to the stable from far away. Over time this primeval form of singing has evolved into its own musical genre first made popular internationally by the U.S. musical film “The Sound of Music.” For Thomas Button, a teacher who is originally from New York state, yodeling is “like a form of meditation. Singing meditation.” “It’s hard to describe how much power you get from yodeling together, the energy from within,” said local yodeling fan Rudolf Schmidhofer. “The togetherness, the polyphonic kind of yodeling where you must listen to each other.” “I’m still a student when it comes to this, but I like it very much,” he added.

U2 goes back to school for 50th anniversary show 32 students joined the band for the hit “One” By Peter Morrison and Brian Melley The Associated Press LONDON — Irish band U2 returned to school last Friday to put on a surprise class in rock ’n’ roll where they formed a half century ago. The band ripped through a seven-song set including an encore of “With or Without You” for hundreds of students in the schoolyard of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin and a crowd of others who got word of the gig or — like a construction crew several floors up a nearby building — were lucky to be within earshot and have a bird’s eye view. “We escaped the lab — how’s the experiment going for you?” Bono said as he pointed to the science classrooms. The band got its start at the school 50 years ago when a 14-year-old Larry Mullen posted a note on a message board reading: “Drummer seeks musicians to form band.” Originally known as Feedback, the group consisted of singer Paul Hewson, now Bono, guitarist David Evans, known as The Edge, and Adam Clayton on bass. The rest, as they say, is history, though it would be a couple

of years before they settled on the name U2 and not until 1980 that their first album, “Boy,” dropped. The 30-minute gig was not quite as secret as it may have seemed. A camera crew was rolling; international news media were gathered. It was part of a promotional push for their new album, “Carnaval De Luz,” which features a duet between Bono and Dolly Parton, who died of cancer last month. They later performed from a balcony to a crowd of fans on popular Grafton Street in central Dublin. Students, some sticking their heads out of classroom windows, screamed and cheered. They captured the moment on their phones and sang along to the familiar tunes. As he counted down the signature start of “Vertigo,” with “uno, dos, tres, catorce” (one, two, three, 14), he quipped: “If you’re taking Spanish lessons, don’t take them from me.” In a tribute to teachers, he became philosophical about his time at the school, saying it was where the band began the “humblest and hardest lesson” of learning how much they needed to be taught. “Part of that started here and the sense was that maybe all we needed was around us, just under our feet — if we could see it in our mates, our wider commu-

solutions

PETER MORRISON / AP PHOTO

U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin last Friday. nity that was going to help us get through the next 50 years,” he said. “So, we want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ‘n’ roll high school.

We want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ‘n’ roll high school.” Bono

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famous birthdays this week Julie Andrews turns 91, Don McLean is 81, Keb’ Mo’ celebrates 75, Alicia Silverstone hits 50 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. OCT. 1 Actor-singer Julie Andrews is 91. Film director Jean-Jacques Annaud is 83. Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew is 81. Actor Randy Quaid is 76. Actor Esai Morales is 64. Retired MLB All-Star Mark McGwire is 63. Actor Zach Galifianakis is 57.

EDUARDO VERDUGO / AP PHOTO

Photographer Annie Leibovitz turns 77 on Friday.

OCT. 2 Singer-songwriter Don McLean (“American Pie”) is 81. Fashion designer Donna Karan is 78. Actor Avery Brooks is 78. Photographer Annie Leibovitz is 77. Singer-actor Sting is 75. Actor Lorraine Bracco is 72. Singer-songwriter Gillian Welch is 59. Actor-talk show host Kelly Ripa is 56. OCT. 3

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP

Fashion designer Donna Karan turns 78 on Friday.

Composer Steve Reich is 90. Rock ’n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 85. Musician Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) is 77. Blues musician Keb’ Mo’ is 75. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 75. Rock drummer Tommy Lee is 64. Singer-TV personality Gwen Stefani is 57. OCT. 4 Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa is 82. Actor Susan Sarandon is 80. Actor Armand Assante is 77. Actor Christoph Waltz is 70. Singer Jon Secada is 65. Actor Liev Schreiber is 59. Actor Abraham Benrubi is 57. Actor Alicia Silverstone is 50. OCT. 5 College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer is 89. Rock musician Steve Miller is 83. Rock singer Brian Johnson (AC/DC) is 79. Actor Karen Allen is 75. Singer-songwriter Bob Geldof is 75. Astrophysicist-author Neil deGrasse Tyson is 68. OCT. 6 Actor Britt Ekland is 84. Irish politician Gerry Adams is 78. Pro

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP

Astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson turns 68 on Monday. Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy is 71. Bowler Walter Ray Williams Jr. is 67. Actor Elisabeth Shue is 63. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) is 61. OCT. 7 Author Thomas Keneally is 91. Singer John Mellencamp is 75. Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 73. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 71. TV personality Simon Cowell is 67. Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead) is 58. Singer Taylor Hicks is 50.

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CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Wynonna Judd performs “Why Not Me” during the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards 2025 in Frisco, Texas.

Quavo album, ‘East of Eden’ series, ‘Minecraft Dungeons II’ Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in “Kill Jackie” on AMC+ The Associated Press THE LIMITED series adaptation of “East of Eden” and an album from Quavo 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: “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” Wynonna Judd’s first album in a decade and “Minecraft Dungeons II.” MOVIES TO STREAM “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” (streaming Friday on Mubi) is Jane Schoenbrun’s anticipated follow-up to 2024’s “I Saw the TV Glow.” A standout at the Cannes Film Festival, the film stars Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) as a filmmaker eager to revive a slasher franchise with its original star (Gillian Anderson). In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a thoughtfully constructed fever dream that wears its high and low brow references on its sleeve — a bold and worthy vision that continues Schoenbrun’s exploration of transitioning using the cinematic and pop cultural tools at their disposal and reinventing them in their image.” Amir Bar-Lev’s “The Last First: Winter K2” (Apple TV, out Friday) chronicles the first team of mountaineers who attempted to make a winter ascent of K2 in 2001. The expedition of the world’s second-highest peak is undertaken at a time when temperatures just at the base camp can reach 50 below. MUSIC TO STREAM Summer has come and gone, but festival season is not quite over. Austin City Limits Festival will take place over two consecutive weekends in the Texas capital starting Friday. Fans outside the Lone Star State and far beyond can livestream the first weekend, Oct. 2-4, via Disney+ and Hulu. Choose Texas, y’all! Country star Judd returns with her first new album in a decade. “The Hard Truth” promises to deliver on just that. She cowrote most of the album,

IAN WEST / PA VIA AP

Florence Pugh arrives for a special screening of “East of Eden,” in London last Friday.

cades hiding in plain sight as an art dealer. Her cover blows up when she learns a crew of assassins have been hired to kill her. The eight-episode thriller, debuting Friday, is adapted from Aidan Truhen’s novel “The Price You Pay,” and comes from the creative team behind “Killing Eve.” In “Tip Toe,” Alan Cumming and David Morrissey play neighbors of 15 years whose easy rapport morphs into open hostility as rising bigotry seeps into their lives. It premieres Friday on Starz. Russell T. Davies (“Queer as Folk”) wrote all five episodes of the drama, which won rave reviews when it aired in the UK earlier this year. Just in time for spooky season, Tubi unwraps a horror anthology called “Bite Size Terror.” The series spotlights emerging writers and directors across body horror, dark comedy and the supernatural. Episodes include “Kachina” — about the deadly repercussions of an influencer hired to redecorate a home who disturbs a family’s sacred doll while on the job — and “The Deep End,” about a babysitter who realizes something’s wrong with a child after an underwater trick in the pool. All episodes drop Friday, making it perfect for Halloween-season binging. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

“I’ve spent a lifetime singing about heartbreak, healing, faith, and survival, but I’ve never made a record like this one.” Wynonna Judd which was produced by her husband, Cactus Moser. “I’ve spent a lifetime singing about heartbreak, healing, faith, and survival, but I’ve never made a record like this one,” Judd wrote in her album announcement in July. “These songs tell the truth about where I’ve been, what I’ve lost, what I’ve overcome, and who I’ve become.” That they do. Grammy-nominated rapper Quavo will release a new album, “QRÖMELIFE,” also on Friday. Executive produced by Pharrell Williams (who has been quite busy these days following 2025’s Clipse record and forthcoming titles from John Legend and Pusha T), the MC is ready to introduce his latest chapter. And while it might sound counterintuitive, start with the ferocious “Backwards,” his collaboration with T.I. It’ll have you wanting to book a flight to Atlanta.

JEFF MOORE / PA VIA AP

Catherine Zeta-Jones attends the “Kill Jackie” premiere in central London last Thursday. SERIES TO STREAM Florence Pugh headlines Netflix’s seven-episode adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel “East of Eden,” playing the charming, morally slippery Cathy Ames. It’s written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed the famed 1955 film version that starred James Dean. This time, Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist play brothers Adam

and Charles Trask whose relationship is fractured when Ames enters their lives. Kazan says her version is a fuller telling of the story compared to her grandfather’s take, including a deeper dive into Pugh’s character. It premieres Thursday. Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in and executive produces the AMC+ series “Kill Jackie,” about a former international drug smuggler named Jackie Price, who spent two de-

The world of Minecraft has expanded well beyond computers, with books, Lego sets, all sorts of merchandise and even a hit movie. But developer Mojang is still in the video game business, and its latest spinoff is “Minecraft Dungeons II.” It takes the familiar blocky characters — and maybe a chicken or two — and drops them into an uncharted new dimension called the Sift. You can play solo or join forces with up to three friends to battle the mobs threatening to invade the Overworld. The quest begins on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5, Switch and PC. As “Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve” begins, things are looking rough in Strangereal, Bandai Namco’s alternate-universe Earth. The Federation of Central Usea has been invaded by the Republic of Sotoa, but despite the rout, the FCU still has a few fighter jets at its disposal. It’s up to you and your wingmen to reclaim the skies over your homeland. The Ace Combat series has been delivering high-flying dogfighting action for 30 years now, and the latest chapter promises state-of-the-art graphics and exotic new weapons. Liftoff is Friday on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.