VOLUME 146 ISSUE 46 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
C HATHAM NEWS & R ECORD THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL
the
Chatham’s most talented teen writers BRIEF this week
Late last year, the Chatham Library held a writing contest for the county’s teens. The library and the winners generously allowed us to print the winning submissions. For space reasons, we are spreading them out over several weeks — first up is Seaforth sophomore and first-place winner Abby Zwahlen.
County Commissioners meeting shifted due to MLK holiday The Chatham County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center at 6pm which occurred after press deadline. The board typically meets on Monday nights but shifted the meeting day due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. There was no work session this week. The meeting’s agenda includes several zoning requests. The board was set to proclaim February as “We Love Seniors” Month in recognition of Chatham having the eighth-highest percentage of population over the age of 65 in 2023, in North Carolina. The commissioners were also slated for hearings on a zoning request for a new drinking water treatment facility in New Hope Township and a special use permit for a new wireless telecommunications tower in Cape Fear Township. Full details of the meeting will be published in next week’s issue of the Chatham News & Record.
Abby Zwahlen
COURTESY PHOTO
I’M ABBY ZWAHLEN and I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Until this year, I’d never really put my writing out there, but it’s been such a great experience, and I’m so glad I did!
I’m a sophomore at Seaforth High School and joined our writing team for The Quill, a statewide writing competition for North Carolina high and middle school students. And we won! I got first in the Creative Writing category and was crowned the 2023-24 Creative Writing Scholastic Champion. Between that and winning the Chatham County Teen Writing Contest, I’ve see firsthand what can happen when you put yourself out there. You never know what will happen if you don’t try! I’m blessed to have such inspiring teachers, amazing friends who always have my
back, and a great family who are always willing to read my stories. (Hi guys!!!) I wrote “Under the Weather” for the Chatham Teen Writing Contest. It’s the story of a young man who misses his train on a very important day, leaving him stranded at the station with an older couple. As he tries to hide his stress, he discovers he’s forgotten something, and the good-intentioned couple helps, though not exactly in the way the young man may have hoped. I hope you enjoy my story! Turn to page A10 to read “Under the Weather.”
NC By Train sets ridership record North Carolina’s intercity passenger rail service set a record for passengers in 2023, moving 641,000 around the state. That’s a 23% rise from the 522,000 that rode in 2022. A fifth daily round trip between Raleigh and Charlotte was added in July, and a number of other events helped drive ridership including the N.C. State Fair, Lexington Barbeque Festival, and football games. “We’re pleased that NC By Train continues to grow and be an important transportation option for North Carolinians,” said Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “Based on the success of the last two years, we are continuing to explore opportunities to further increase frequencies and expand service to communities across the state.”
Pittsboro Farmers Market to accept SNAP SNAP and EBT cards can now be used at the Pittsboro farmers market, open every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Plant at 220 Lorax Lane.
PJ WARD-BROWN | CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
From beyond the arc Northwood senior Drake Powell hits a three against Myers Park’s Bram Early at Northwood High School in Pittsboro on January 13, 2024. Myers Park defeated Northwood 63-47. Turn to B1 for more coverage.
Chatham schools receive teacher recruitment pilot grant NC Teaching Fellows Program launches initiative to bolster education workforce By Jordan Golson Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — Chatham County Schools is one of 20 North Carolina public school dis-
tricts to receive a $50,000 pilot grant in 2024, aimed at enhancing teacher recruitment and retention. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission to address teaching shortages and build a robust educator pipeline in the state. Superintendent Dr. Anthony D. Jackson of Chatham County Schools expressed enthusiasm
about the grant, seeing it as a testament to the state’s dedication to nurturing North Carolina’s teacher pipeline. The funding will support the district’s “Teach Chatham” program, a local initiative designed to cultivate future educators from within the community. The grant, which is renewable for three years with approved plans, will bolster various recruitment activities.
VP Harris announces $285 million for school mental health professionals Chatham News & Record CHARLOTTE — Vice President Kamala Harris announced an additional $285 million in funding to increase mental health professionals in schools across the United States at a Jan. 11 event in the Queen City. The funding, a result of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, aims to hire and train over 14,000 school mental health professionals, including 300 in North Carolina. The goal is to address the trauma experienced by students and enhance mental health services in schools to counter the
impact of gun violence. Harris emphasizes the urgent need for reasonable gun safety laws and the administration’s commitment to mental health support for students. “In the United States of America today, the number one killer of our children is gun violence…and when we take the time to consider what this means, let us understand how many people in our country, including our children, are experiencing profound trauma that manifests itself in so many ways,” Harris said in a press release. The initiative is part of Har-
ris’s leadership on gun violence prevention. The funding will support the hiring and training of counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals. The announcement also includes $6 million for community violence intervention through the Department of Education. Funding will be distributed to seven school districts as part of the Project Prevent grant program. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona was also in attendance at the roundtable discussion held at a middle school in Charlotte.
Lauren Caviness, a senior at Chatham Central High School, was announced as a new NC Teaching Fellow last month. Dr. Bennett Jones, Director of the NC Teaching Fellows (NCTF) program, highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative. “One area of focus in the Teaching Fellows statute is to be proactive, aggressive, and strategic in the recruitment of potential recipients,” Jones said in a press release. By focusing on districts with unique challenges or established teacher training programs, NCTF aims to share best practices and encourage more See GRANT, page A3
Harris has been involved in gun violence prevention, overseeing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and advocating for additional measures such as renewing the assault weapons ban, passing red flag legislation, and implementing background checks for all gun sales. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has seen at least 30 guns found on its camSee KAMALA, page A3
$2.00