North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 11

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 11 | THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025

NSJONLINE.COM

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP

Style and substance Diana Ross is photographed at Monday’s Met Gala, which celebrated the opening of the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition in New York. Vogue editor Anne Wintour said the late André Leon Talley, who grew up in Durham and graduated from NC Central University, inspired this year’s theme.

the

Tine named new DMV commissioner

BRIEF this week

Tillis won’t back Trump’s pick over Jan. 6 ties Washington, D.C. North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he’s informed the White House he won’t support Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’s pick for the top federal prosecutor in Washington, stalling the nomination in the Senate weeks before the temporary appointment expires. Tillis told reporters Tuesday he had met with Martin and was opposing his nomination because of his defense of rioters who breached the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin, a leading figure in Trump’s campaign to overturn the 2020 election, spoke at a rally on the eve of the violent riot and represented defendants who were prosecuted for the attack.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington is the country’s largest and prosecuted more than 1,500 riot defendants after the 2021 attack.

Coach K headed to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Colorado Springs, Colo.

Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached the U.S. to three basketball gold medals, is among those who are part of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame’s class of 2025. Seven-time gold-medal sprinter Allyson Felix, four-time Olympic tennis champion Serena Williams, Gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas, skiing’s Bode Miller, beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nike founder Phil Knight are also in the group that will be inducted at a ceremony in Colorado Springs on July 12.

$2.00

The former state House member takes over as backlogs and long wait times persist

Van der Vaart nominated to NC Utilities Commission N.C. Treasurer Brad Briner tapped the former DEQ secretary for the spot

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner has nominated Donald van der Vaart, the former secretary of the N.C. Department of Envi-

ronmental Quality, to serve on the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

“North Carolinians need a strong voice on the North Carolina Utilities Commission,” said Briner in a press release.

“Don provides that voice, and his expertise and leadership will ensure that the citizens of North Carolina have access to low-cost, reliable energy.”

See COMMISSION, page A2

user friendly, and empower our frontline staff to ensure the highest level of service to our citizens.”

Tine is a former state lawmaker, serving in the House from 2013 to 2016. He had

By A.P. Dillon been a Democrat when electNorth State Journal ed, but in 2015, he changed his RALEIGH — The North affiliation to independent.

Time replaces outgoing N.C. Carolina Department of Transportation named Paul Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) CommisTine as the next sioner Wayne Goodcommissioner of the win, who said that state Department he would not seek to of Motor Vehicles. “There is no keep his job during a The announcement shortage of legislative oversight was made April 30, committee hearing and Tine started challenges earlier this year.

Tuesday. facing our Goodwin had as“I am very excited sured lawmakers the to begin work as the division.” agency was making next Commission- Paul Tine, headway in reducing er of North Carolinew NCDMV long wait times and na’s Division of Moincreasing customer tor Vehicles,” said commissioner service, but it would Tine in a press release. “There is no shortage of appear Tine has his work cut challenges facing our division, out for him.

“Two trips, two days off, and it is critical that we get to work quickly to reduce wait times, make our website more See DMV, page A3

HUD approves NC’s $1.4B Helene Recovery Plan The majority of funds will be allocated for housing recovery for residents with low and moderate incomes

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene Action Plan for a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery grant.

“This is great news for western North Carolina,” said N.C. Gov. Josh Stein in a press release. “I thank the Trump Administration for moving quickly to approve this plan so we

can get busy rebuilding people’s homes.”

North Carolina submitted its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Helene Action Plan to HUD in record time compared to other states’ hurricane recovery efforts over the past decade.

The CDBG-DR grant, initially announced in January, will primarily focus on longterm rebuilding efforts. Unlike immediate disaster relief funding, these grants serve as “last resort” resources to address unmet needs after other recovery options, such as private insurance, have been exhausted.

The approved plan prioritizes three core recovery areas: housing, infrastructure and See HELENE, page A2

“I thank the Trump Administration for moving quickly to approve this plan so we can get busy rebuilding people’s homes.”

Gov. Josh Stein

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THURSDAY

the word | I did not have grace

5.8.25

This is the final week of a three-part series on worrying and the grace of God that will help us overcome it.

#488

“Foundation for the future” Visit us online nsjonline.com

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Jordan Golson Locals Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Thursday

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HELENE from page A1 economic revitalization, with most of the funds allocated to housing recovery for low- and moderate-income residents.

Before North Carolina can begin utilizing these funds, HUD must certify the state’s financial controls for the program. Once certified, the state can sign the grant agreement and commence committing resources toward rebuilding efforts.

Stein’s third executive order

A woman once excused neglecting a duty by saying, “I just did not have the grace.”

How often we answer conscience with the excuse, “I did not have the grace.”

Was it a lack of grace, or was it a lack or something else? Was the reason given just excuse? “I did not have grace” may mean only “I was not willing to do it.” If there is a lingering hesitancy to do a thing, that makes it doubly hard. To compel our reluctant selves to do what we know we ought to do is a difficult task. It is easy to excuse inaction as lack of grace, when often we’ve never truly tried to do what we do not want to do.

If there is something within us that says “I don’t want to do that” — then we can never say that we cannot do it for lack of grace. God gives grace only for what we are willing to do. We usually manage to do what we want — and excuse ourselves from what we don’t. If we make a habit of reluctancy and avoiding duty — it reveals itself in weakness and indecision. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8.

Sometimes we are willing and desirous that things be done — but we are not willing to make the necessary exertion to do them.

We are prone to take the easy way and make excuses for not accomplishing more.

The lazy man is inclined to say “I can’t” even when he feels that he could do it, if he would exert himself.

Half-hearted effort often fails. Unless we are determined, we may fall back on the excuse, “I did not have grace.”

Earnest, persistent effort is necessary.

If we give up when we have only half tried, or have tried only a little while — the failure is not due to a lack of grace, but of persistence. A common proverb says that love covers a multitude of sins. It is likewise true that the excuse, “I did not have grace” covers a multitude of shortcomings.

Perhaps you really did lack grace. If so, why was the grace lacking? Sometimes the hindrance to grace is something troubling the conscience. Who could be strong, bold, and persistent, when his conscience is

since taking office in January created the Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) within the N.C. Department of Commerce, which will be tasked with administering the Helene-related HUD CDBG-DR program. Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah leads the new division.

DCR’s work had already started before receiving the HUD approval via a legislative appropriation of $120 million in state funds for home reconstruction and repair.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“St. Augustine in His Study” by Vittore Carpaccio (1502) is a painting in the collection of The Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni in Venice, Italy. lashing him? If this is the reason for your lack of grace, go to God and get the matter settled with him. You must have a clear conscience, before you can be strong in the Lord and have his grace abounding in you.

Some lack grace, because they neglect to seek it, or because they seek it without faith. God promised us all the grace we need to live a victorious Christian life; and he will not fail to give us all we need in whatever circumstances may be placed or whatever work we may have to do. To ask for grace and not believe is to prevent the gift of it.

Grace and faith work together; unbelief hinders both.

Grace is not intended to supply willingness, nor to take the place of earnestness and persistence and faith.

Grace is meant to supplement these, and to make up what we lack when we have thrown our whole selves into the matter. God does not favor the lazy person by doing his work for him or by making accomplishment so easy that things can be done with little effort. Grace does not make things easy — it makes difficult things possible.

If God should by grace make all things

The N.C. General Assembly has appropriated more than $1.4 billion to Helene recovery so far. The most recent appropriation signed into law this year contains $524 million. The Senate’s proposed budget would add $700 million to the Hurricane Helene Reserve Fund, of which $685.6 million would go toward the repair and replacement of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

The approval comes after Republican Sen. Ted Budd led a bipartisan, bicameral ef-

easy — then what personal worth would our actions show? What we do is praiseworthy, only to the extent that we put effort into it.

What is accomplished by grace, is no credit to us, but to Him who supplies the grace.

Since it is God who gives grace — when we excuse ourselves by saying we have not grace, we actually throw the blame on God. But he has said, “My grace is sufficient.” If you do not have grace, seek it persistently and in faith, then act as the you had it. You will find that when you put forth an effort, grace will be given. Do not wait to feel that you have grace, or you may never act. Grace is often given in the moment it’s needed.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)

Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and more than 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.

fort urging the Trump administration to expedite consideration of North Carolina’s Action Plan.

Following the approval announcement, Budd released a statement acknowledging his continued support for recovery efforts.

“Just last week, Secretary Scott Turner announced North Carolina has been awarded $1.4 billion to jumpstart the rebuilding process. This life-changing investment will provide real relief to the thousands of fami-

lies who suffered from Helene’s destruction,” said Budd. “I am grateful to the Trump administration for answering our call, acting swiftly, and demonstrating their commitment to our state’s recovery.”

In a statement on X, Budd’s colleague Sen. Thom Tillis also thanked President Donald Trump and Turner, adding he was” proud to advocate for these funds and will work to ensure they are disbursed quickly to bolster Helene recovery efforts.”

Former North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Donald van der Vaart has been nominated to the N.C. Utilities Commission.

NCDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO WIDEN AVIATION PARKWAY FROM N.C. 54 TO I-40 IN WAKE COUNTY

STIP Project No. U-5811 MORRISVILLE/CARY - The N.C. Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting on its proposed plan to widen Aviation Parkway from N.C. 54 (Chapel Hill Road) in Morrisville to I-40 in Cary. The purpose of this project is to reduce congestion on Aviation Parkway, improving east to west mobility through Morrisville to I-40 and I-540/N.C. 540

Project details and maps can be found on the NCDOT project web page publicinput. com/aviation-parkway. Attendees will be available at the meeting allowing for oneon-one discussions with engineers, but there will be no formal presentation.

The meeting will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 12 at Morrisville Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Drive, in Morrisville.

Public comments can also be submitted by phone at 984-205-6615 project code 11379, email aviation-parkway@publicinput.com, or mail at the address shown below by May 30, 2025.

By Mail:

Joel Perlin, PMP NCDOT Project Manager NCDOT Project Management Unit 1582 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1582

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Tony Gallagher, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598, 919-707-6069 or magallagher@ ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made.

Those who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior by calling 1-800481-6494.

Aquellas personas no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

COURTESY NC DEQ

COMMISSION from page A1 Van der Vaart brings substantial credentials to the position as an engineer and attorney with experience in energy and utilities. His background includes service on the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board and the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission. Most recently, van der Vaart has served as chief judge and director of the Office of Administrative Hearings at the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings.

“I am deeply honored by Treasurer Briner’s confidence in me,” said van der Vaart. “I look forward to working to ensure that North Carolina’s energy future remains reliable, affordable, and ever cleaner — safeguarding both our prosperity and our environment.”

Under Senate Bill 382, passed in December, the state treasurer was given the power to appoint one person to the commission. Van der Vaart’s appointment was transmitted via a letter to General Assembly leaders and will require joint ap-

proval from both chambers.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission regulates rates and services for all investor-owned public utilities in the state, including electricity, telephone, natural gas, water and wastewater providers, as well as household goods movers, buses, brokers and ferryboats.

Gov. Josh Stein is currently challenging the 2024 law granting Briner the appointment authority to the commission. Briner issued a press release indicating he has filed a legal motion to intervene in the case Stein has brought against the General Assembly over the law.

“The people of North Carolina elected me to serve as Treasurer and to execute the duties associated with that office,” said Briner. ”Of course, I respect the Governor’s own role and responsibilities, but he is wrong to claim authority over the other elected Council of State members, and we will fight to ensure that we can carry out the work North Carolinians elected me to do and need us to do.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

REAL ID requirement could lead to travel headaches The enhanced identification has been in the works since 2005

By Bridget Brown The Associated Press NEW YORK — The deadline to get a REAL ID is here after years of postponements and delays.

As of Wednesday, your license or identification card needs to be REAL ID-compliant to fly domestically in the U.S. If you’re confused about how to get a REAL ID, why you even need one in the first place, and what happens if you don’t yet have one, here are some things to know.

What is a REAL ID? It’s a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that DHS says is a more secure form of identification. Besides needing a REAL ID to fly domestically, you will also need one to access certain

release on April 3. “The improvements are intended to inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.”

The REAL ID Act was supposed to begin rolling out in 2008 “but has faced repeated delays due to state implementation challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nina Ruggiero, senior editorial director for Travel + Leisure. “The combination of varying state processes and shifting deadlines has added to the overall confusion around REAL IDs and likely led some travelers to take the deadlines less seriously.”

How do I know if I already have a REAL ID?

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE VIA AP

REAL ID is now a requirement for flying domestically in the United States. federal buildings and facilities.

Why is this happening?

When the REAL ID Act was signed into law in 2005, it enacted a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that the government set security standards for state-issued

driver’s licenses and IDs. “REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver’s licenses and identification cards,” John Essig, the Transportation Security Administration’s security director for airports in the New York City region, said in a press

If you’ve gotten a new ID in the last few years, it could already be REAL ID-compliant.

“I also hear from travelers who are confused as to whether or not they already have a REAL ID,” Ruggiero said. “Some people who have recently renewed their license may already have a compliant ID and not know it,” so you may want to double-check yours before starting the process.

A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license has a symbol (in most states, a star) in the top corner of the card.

If you live in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington, it’s possible you could have an “enhanced” ID card instead, which permits you to cross land and sea borders into Mexico and Canada from the U.S. It does not, however, allow you to fly into either of those countries.

Enhanced IDs will have an American flag icon, as well as the word “enhanced” at the top of the card.

How do I get a REAL ID? The requirements vary by state, so you will need to visit the website of your state’s driver’s licensing agency to find out the specific steps, including whether you’ll need to make an appointment at a DMV and what documentation you’ll need when you get there.

What do I do if I don’t have a REAL ID? If you’re planning to board a domestic flight, you will need to bring your passport or another TSA-approved form of identification when you travel.

Otherwise, you could face “delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” warns TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.

Stevens announces 2026 bid for NC Supreme Court Stevens, an attorney in her ninth term in the state House, will challenge Anita Earls

“I will be a conservative voice for justice and families on the Supreme Court.”

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina House Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry) has announced she will challenge Associate Justice Anita Earls for her North Carolina Supreme Court seat in 2026.

“I will be a conservative voice for justice and families on the Supreme Court,” Stevens wrote in her announcement posted on X. “My experience as a family law attorney and a state legislator has prepared me to be a voice for those who cannot advocate for themselves.”

Stevens, an attorney from Mount Airy, is the first to announce a Republican candidacy in the race. She has practiced law since 1986 and obtained her law degree from the Campbell University School of Law. She has served as the president of the Surry County Bar Association and is a former chair of the North Carolina Courts Commission.

First elected to the General Assembly in 2008, she assumed office in 2009 and is in her ninth term in the House. Her current term ends in January 2027.

Stevens ran unopposed in

Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry), 2026 candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court

BRIAN BLANCO / AP PHOTO

Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry), pictured in 2017, announced her plans to challenge Justice Anita Earls for a seat on the state Supreme Court.

2022, and she has scored decisive wins with over 70% of the vote in most of her elections.

Stevens has been a member of several House committees, including Appropriations,

Judiciary, Regulatory Reform and Redistricting. She was the second-highest ranking House Republican (2017-24), serving as speaker pro tempore of the House until Rep. Mitchell Setzer

(R-Catawba) replaced her for the 2024 long session.

During her tenure, Stevens has chaired the House Elections Law, Judiciary and Joint Legislative Administrative

DMV from page A1 and still no license renewal,” one North Carolina citizen described visits to Siler City’s N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles office in a viral Facebook post.

The post, since deleted, generated scores of comments that relayed similar experiences with long lines and lengthy wait times for license renewals and other services at NCDMV offices around the state.

To assist with wait times, the NCDMV has rolled out the “Q-Anywhere“ project, which lets customers check in by scanning a QR code with their phone and using text messages to hold a place in line while waiting in their car or at a nearby location. Customers get a text message telling them when to return to the lobby. For those without a phone, the NCDMV says it’s working on a paging system like those used in some restaurants.

Backlogs in license renewals have led to lawmakers stepping in, and a House bill currently making its way through committees would extend the expiration date for Class C driver’s licenses for up to two years, with the extension ending on Dec. 31, 2027.

The bill explicitly cites the

A Department of Motor Vehicles’ Drivers License Office in FuquayVarina has implemented a pilot program to try and improve wait times for customers.

A.P. DILLON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

“backlog of drivers unable to renew their driver’s licenses in person” as the main reason for the bill. The extension would not apply to currently canceled, revoked or suspended licenses, nor to Real ID-compliant licenses that have been valid for eight years or more.

A provision in the Senate’s budget proposal would create a “Board of Motor Vehicles” made up of nine voting members who would appoint the commissioner as well as oversee their work and agency overall.

In addition to legislation, Tine will have to contend with the results of an audit. N.C.

State Auditor Dave Boliek’s office told North State Journal the NCDMV audit is “ongoing,” and 14 people are working on it, which is more than the typical audit.

Boliek’s office described the audit as a “floor-to-ceiling” review that goes beyond just a financial look and will have an eye on examining the agency’s efficiency, including evaluating the personnel side of the house to some extent.

Last July, Rep. Erin Paré (R-Wake) visited the NCDMV office in Fuquay-Varina, which is located in southern Wake County. She described long

lines, not enough staff and said operations were “completely unacceptable.”

As of Jan. 6, the Fuquay-Varina office transitioned from full service, including walk-ins, to by appointment only as part of a pilot program.

North State Journal visited the Fuquay-Varina office last year and found a line of at least 40 people stretching down the sidewalk and a full waiting area with standing room only.

A return visit last week found no line outside and a few people waiting to check in for their appointment inside. There were also just under a dozen individ-

Procedure Oversight committees.

“Rep. Stevens has served with distinction and has been a champion of conservative values,” an NCGOP official wrote in a statement to North State Journal. “This race is crucial to defeat far-left activist Anita Earls in 2026. The people of North Carolina overwhelmingly support conservative judges and justices in our courts.”

North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton issued a statement critical of Stevens’ candidacy.

“It’s rich that a career politician who has been complicit with taking away voters’ rights, gerrymandering election districts, and starving public education thinks she has the right experience to serve on the state’s highest court,” said Clayton.

“The people of North Carolina deserve a Justice who has dedicated their life to securing equal justice under the law for everyone, and that’s Anita Earls.”

uals seated in chairs waiting to be seen. Most of those waiting for service said they had been waiting for 15 to 20 minutes.

One woman, who wished not to be named, said she hadn’t been waiting long but thought it was “ridiculous” that one can only renew their license online a single time. She also said she made her appointment in January after “weeks of sitting on the website” trying to find an opening within 50 miles of her home.

Staff said they could not comment to the media and directed North State Journal to the NCDOT communications department for inquiries about the site and the pilot program.

The NCDMV communications contact at the NCDOT shared data comparing the first 16 weeks of 2023 and 2024 to the same time frame in 2025 for the appointment only at the Fuquay-Varina location. The data showed an increase in driver’s license issuance under the appointment-only pilot for 15 out of the 16 weeks. In some weeks, the issuance rates were nearly doubled.

More staff added to the location appears to be the driver for the increased productivity, based on data provided to North State Journal.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Buc-ee’s and the American Dream A general manager at Buc-ee’s can make $225,000 or more in annual salary.

MY SON AND I were driving back from a fossil-hunting expedition in South Carolina when we came upon the Buc-ee’s in Florence.

It is hard to explain what Buc-ee’s really is ― is it a gas station, a convenience store, a fast-food restaurant or a mini-Walmart all combined under one roof?

Somehow, Buc-ee’s has defied all odds and become the American Dream.

When 7-11 installed gas pumps onsite long ago, many people thought the evolution of convenience stores had reached its logical end. “What else could be better than buying a Slurpee and a hot dog grilled on rollers while you are filling your gas tank?” was the reasoning.

Gas stations and 7-11 have come a long way since then. Buc-ee’s brags about having the “cleanest bathrooms around!” — which is saying something if you have ever been in a restroom while traveling on the highway.

There are 120 gas pumps available ― almost all in use. Dozens of EV-charging stations surrounded the parking lot, which was packed like it was near a college football stadium on a clear fall afternoon.

There were no gas pumps for loud, massive tractor-trailers blowing out smelly diesel fumes. Buc-ee’s specifically bills itself as not being a greasy truck stop, so there are no commercial trucks with horns blaring that people have to avoid in order not to wind up like dozens of squished armadillos we saw on I-95.

The Texas brisket sandwiches were hot, fresh and better than almost all found in barbeque restaurants throughout the South.

Checkout was quick and friendly. They had both Southern staples, Sun Drop and Cheerwine, on tap in the soda dispensing section.

On the trip down to Summerville, we passed the tacky South of the Border, which is still one of the main tourist attractions in North and South Carolina, believe it or not.

More than 8 million people stop there every year, outpacing most other theme parks in America.

Buc-ee’s made SOTB look like an aging, decrepit Mayan ruin by comparison. It seemed as if 8 million people would pass through the doors of Buc-ee’s the same day we were there.

There was a large billboard sign near the front door advertising job openings at Buc-ee’s. No wonder so many people want to come to America ― the “Jobs Available” sign at Buc-ee’s would convince anyone of America’s greatness as the lone remaining Land of Opportunity.

A general manager at Buc-ee’s can make $225,000 or more in annual salary. At one store. This is not the general manager for the entire state but for one local operation in Florence, South Carolina.

Care to guess what the cost of living is in Florence compared to Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta or Washington, D.C.? It is at least 30% lower, maybe 40%.

A person making $225,000 in Florence and surrounding areas would live like a king or queen ― except they would have to work for it and not steal wealth from the feudal peasantry.

An assistant manager could make

$175,000 or more at the same Buc-ee’s. Well over half a million dollars in salary and benefits are paid to the top two employees. It is not major league baseball contract money, but in the real world, it sure seems like it.

There were all sorts of hourly wage jobs available at this Buc-ee’s, which operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. All were well over twice the federal minimum wage of the $7.75 an hour liberals complain about all the time. Most started at $18 an hour.

Getting back to the “cleanest” bathrooms around, Buc-ee’s paid people $20 an hour to be bathroom attendants. That is $41,600 per year with full health benefits plus the ability to earn $22 an hour for overtime work.

Those bathrooms were clean enough to be in a hospital. Where else could a young person make that kind of money as a bathroom attendant in a part-time job and pay their way through college on their way to another career?

Less than half of all small businesses created survive past five years to begin with.

Every time one of them fails, the very people the socialist left of the Democratic Party say they want to help lose their jobs.

Why not create an economic ecosphere in America where thousands of Buc-ee’s can succeed every year, hire average folks to be their general manager, and make $225,000 per year or clean bathrooms at $22 an hour?

Congress has the power to create such a dream world for America. All they have to do is keep taxes low, drastically reduce the number of regulations and let the miracle of the American democratic capitalist economy get to work again.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

Some things to like about social media

But she found something that worked for her called the “fiveminute rule.”

UNDERSTANDABLY, SOCIAL MEDIA, in general, has a bad reputation for good and valid reasons.

The complaints I most often see revolve around the trolling and harassment that come with using the various platforms.

As a 17-year “veteran” of social media, I totally get it, having been on the receiving end of a lot of trolling and negative and nasty comments over the years, especially since becoming a media analyst and a writer for conservative websites.

Some people try to pick senseless online fights, presumably because they’re bored.

There is also doxxing, where harassers try to silence you by threatening to expose your personal information. Along with that are the bullies who think wishing violence, sexual assault or death upon you is an appropriate form of “debate.”

On balance, though, there is much good that also comes from social media.

For instance, there are legions of DIYers on various social media platforms who show you different ways to do things, some of which “click” with you and get you inspired and motivated.

For example, over the last several months, my motivation to start projects I’ve wanted to do around the house has been nearly nonexistent. Beyond the basics, which include cleaning, washing clothes and dishes, etc., I just hit a rut when it came to taking the initiative to get up and get

started on my lengthy “to-do” list for the house.

In recent weeks, however, I came across a video from a YouTuber that turned out to be a game-changer for me.

She noted she had developed a frustrating penchant for procrastinating, not just on the big projects but the small ones. But she found something that worked for her called the “five-minute rule,” where you set a timer for five minutes and start on something you’ve been wanting to do but just felt too overwhelmed to take the first step.

Once the five minutes were up, she said, there was a strong likelihood you’d keep going. It was psychological, tricking your brain into thinking, “Yeah, I can handle five minutes’ worth of work on this project.”

If you stopped at the five-minute mark rather than continuing, that was that much you’d gotten behind you for the next time you wanted to set your timer to pick up where you left off.

I tried it, and it worked for me, helping me break out of my “no motivation” funk to get our kitchen decluttered and, in the process, filling several boxes full of usable items to donate.

Over the years, I’ve also learned minor repairs and other cleaning tricks through YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, with perhaps my proudest achievement being the heating element I replaced in my oven, a $30 item that saved

me hundreds of dollars on a new stove.

Then there was the bathroom backsplash project I did over a weekend, accomplished after much trial and error (more error than trial, I admit!).

Beyond the tips and tricks are the prayers.

Without fail, when Mom and I have doctor appointments or something else going on that we request prayers over, they pour in, with people from all walks of life offering prayers and words of encouragement, which means everything when you and/or a loved one is going through a rough patch.

Simply put, while there is a lot of negative and nonsense on social media, there is a lot of good, too. It’s easy to lose faith in humanity when you log onto X and some of the other platforms, but if you go looking for the positive and block the negative when it hits, you’ll be much better off, and maybe even a much better person, after all is said and done.

North Carolina native Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a media analyst and regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

COLUMN | ANDREW BIGGS

COLUMN

There’s no retirement crisis; why do so many people think there is?

No, half of near‑retirees don’t have zero retirement savings

THE THEME OF MY NEW BOOK, “The Real Retirement Crisis,” is that when it comes to retirement, things are better than they seem.

More Americans are saving more for retirement than ever before. Retirees’ incomes have never been higher and their risk of poverty never lower. Or just ask seniors: The vast majority will tell you they’re doing fine, and self-reported financial security is getting better, not worse. All these things are facts.

But if all that is so, why do so many people think the opposite — that lying in wait, just around the corner, is a retirement crisis of inadequate income and savings?

If I’m right, how do so many others get it wrong?

So here’s problem No. 1: Many commentators don’t understand that most Americans do have retirement savings.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said, “In America today, almost 45% of older Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 have no savings at all and no idea how they will be able to retire with any shred of dignity or respect.”

Sounds pretty grim.

But it’s not just Bernie’s fever dreams of capitalistic deprivation. These numbers come from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which conducts research on behalf of Congress.

And the no-savings meme is mainstream, with outlets like CBS News touting the same statistics.

But the no-savings narrative should really be called the “not-savings narrative” because the frightening conclusion depends entirely upon declaring that much of what Americans would call “retirement savings” really aren’t.

The claim that roughly half of nearretirees have no “retirement savings” actually says that half of near-retirees don’t have a “retirement account”. So, a 401(k) or IRA balance is retirement savings, but the $16 trillion in future benefits that Americans have accrued under traditional pensions are not retirement savings. This includes state government employees who have a pension but no retirement account.

They’re counted as having “no savings.”

It’s silly. Accrued pension benefits are

retirement savings, both economically and legally speaking.

Nor does this narrative account for retirement savings that aren’t held in a taxpreferred retirement plan. The Federal Reserve asked households whether they have retirement savings outside of formal retirement plans.

Fifty-two percent had retirement savings in taxable investment accounts, 10% had a business or real estate that would generate income in retirement, while 13% had other forms of retirement savings.

According to the Fed, 87% of Americans aged 60-plus had retirement savings in 2021, nearly twice the share that Sanders, the GAO and CBS News claimed.

Using the most recent Fed data from 2023, you can see how the share of households with retirement savings increases with age.

Predictably, as Americans move toward retirement, more and more households begin to amass retirement savings. It’s as if — and here I’m going to get daring — they’re actually planning ahead.

Moreover, among senior households, it is only the very lowest-income group — retirees with household incomes below $25,000 — where anything approaching the “nearly half of older Americans have no retirement savings” claim appears to be true. For age 65-plus households with total annual incomes above $25,000, roughly 9 in 10 have retirement savings.

“But, but, but … OK, most Americans do have retirement savings, but it’s not enough!”

I hear you. And we can tackle that issue in the future. But it’s one dodgy claim at a time, and here we’re handling the specific assertion that nearly half of Americans approaching retirement have no retirement savings. And that assertion isn’t anywhere close to being true.

And it would be helpful if the people reporting on and making decisions about our retirement system acknowledged that.

his day in court. As referenced above, he did.

In 2019, a different immigration judge gave him a “withholding of removal” over his claim that he’d face gang violence in El Salvador.

The United States was still allowed to deport him to any other country that would take him.

Make sure you understand this: The legal controversy is over which country Abrego Garcia was deported to, but the U.S. government had every right to deport him.

In its initial legal filings, the Trump administration said an “administrative error” led to his removal to El Salvador. The Trump administration later said it was justified in sending him there because his MS-13 connection trumped the withholding order.

In early April, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration is required to “facilitate” his release from El Salvador.

How proactive the high court expects that facilitation to be is unclear.

Step back and see the bigger picture.

The rule of law matters greatly. But former President Joe Biden didn’t respect the rule of law when he threw the border open and welcomed in millions of illegal immigrants.

His administration even flew many of them into the interior of the country. His lawlessness overwhelmed the legal system with a surge of illegal immigrants.

But now the left insists on careful adherence to the rule of law. If successful, that will prevent Trump from deporting all the illegal aliens Biden let in by ignoring the law. This is like a football team giving itself 14 points for a touchdown but insisting its opponent’s scores are only worth seven points because that’s what the rules state.

The process due to illegal immigrants is deportation. If you don’t like how the Trump administration is going about it, propose a viable alternative.

Otherwise, what you’re supporting isn’t the rule of law but a de facto judicial amnesty.

Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

Andrew Biggs is senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and allowed this reprint of a post from his Substack “Little-Known Facts.”

The process due to illegals is deportation

Former President Joe Biden didn’t respect the rule of law when he threw the border open.

Trump shifts his own vibe THE VIBE AROUND President Donald Trump’s second term has shifted, and it’s all his doing.

The president entered office with a bit of a wind at his back. His polling was better than the first time around, protestors weren’t in the streets, and federal investigators weren’t after him. The GOP was more united than in 2016, and business leaders wanted to work with him, while the culture was generally heading in an anti-woke direction.

Now, though, his polling is in a marked decline. His job approval rating is sliding. Depending on what poll you believe, it’s down to 44% (Fox News), 40% (Pew Research) or 42% (Reuters).

According to RealClearPolitics, his average approval rating was about 50% when he took office and is 46% now.

It’s not hard to discern the root of the discontent. In the Fox News poll, just 38% approve of Trump on the economy.

On tariffs and inflation, the numbers are almost 2-1 against him; 33% approve and 59% disapprove on inflation, while it’s 33-58 on tariffs.

Pew Research found that 45% were confident in his ability to handle the economy, down from 59% after his election and lower than in his first term in 2019 and 2020.

Via his snap imposition of sweeping tariffs, Trump in short order took a traditional strength that could see him through any controversy or counterbalance any vulnerability and at least vitiated it and perhaps made it a weakness.

It’s hard to think of another example of a president changing the momentum of his administration from positive to negative so quickly and decisively.

Trump did it literally in a matter of days.

Usually, presidencies are rocked by events — a hostage crisis, a war gone wrong, uncontrolled inflation. Here, nothing was done to Trump; he did it to himself. He was the event.

This wasn’t him getting denied, either by more cautious advisers or a recalcitrant Congress. He hasn’t been sabotaged by the Deep State. No, he got exactly what he wanted with a couple of strokes of his pen.

The problem is that Trump didn’t run in 2024 on economic dislocation, business uncertainty, higher prices or pain for manufacturers. People didn’t want any of these things and, understandably, don’t like them.

It’s true that he promised tariffs, although all the potential downsides were ignored or minimized. No one could be certain whether he was truly talking of tariffs on the scale of those he imposed on Liberation Day — shocking and unsustainable — or those of his first term, which were much smaller and less disruptive.

Listening to him during the campaign and his inaugural address, you’d have thought he promised a Golden Age starting on Day One. Instead, his message has shifted to the notion that the sunny uplands are off somewhere in the future after we work through all the gut-wrenching turmoil. In other words, the Golden Age is coming, but in the meantime, stock up on toilet paper.

Trump’s other numbers aren’t looking so great, either. The Fox News poll has him at 40% approval and 54% disapproval on foreign policy. Here, too, he’s been the master of his own fate.

Canada, Mexico and Denmark didn’t pick fights with him; he created them out of nothing. The overpromising on a Ukraine peace deal — and retaking the Panama Canal — can’t be helping, either.

Defenders of Trump’s unorthodox way of doing business will often say that he’s a “disrupter,” meaning it as a compliment. But what he’s been disrupting lately is his own presidency.

His splashy tariff announcements, rapid reversals and sense of mystery about where he’s headed next all have realworld consequences on businesses, consumers and allied nations, and none of it is redounding to his political benefit.

The good news is that having created this situation of his own volition, he can undo most of it if he reverses field on the tariffs.

In the meantime, the vibe has definitely changed.

COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS

IF YOU BREAK a system, you can’t be upset when fixing that system requires a solution that’s outside the normal operation of the system.

Congressional Democrats continue to demand the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to America. In March, the Trump administration deported him to El Salvador.

Congressional Democrats, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), have trekked down to El Salvador to check on him.

Democrats and the propaganda press are making two points about Abrego Garcia. The first is that he’s a sympathetic character. CNN and MSNBC called him a “Maryland man” or something similar hundreds of times. The implication is that President Donald Trump is deporting normal people — and that you should be afraid he’ll do the same thing to you.

But Abrego Garcia isn’t a random individual. He’s an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who came here more than a decade ago. In 2019, Maryland police had evidence that he was an “active member of MS-13.”

An immigration judge found he was “a verified member of MS-13.” In 2019, the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld that finding. That’s concerning because MS-13 is a designated foreign terrorist organization. In 2021, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, his wife, sought a temporary protective order against him. She accused him of punching and bruising her.

Some Democrats have started to realize this is an unwise proposition.

“I am not defending the man. I’m defending the rights of this man to due process,” Van Hollen told ABC News recently. “And the Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported. My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else.”

This second argument is much stronger, but it’s still flawed. For one, Van Hollen and others make it sound like Abrego Garcia never had

RICH LOWRY

BE IN TOUCH Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Murphy to Manteo

Jones & Blount House passes bill prohibiting credit cards from tracking purchases

FrUiT sEaSoN iS hErE! In North Carolina, May marks the beginning of the state’s vibrant fruit season. Strawberries are the star of the month, becoming widely available in the beginning of May at farmer’s markets and pick-your-own farms from begin to ripen in the western regions, adding a tart and juicy option to the mix. Blueberries also start coming into season in late May, primarily grown in Southeastern and Coastal Plain counties. Early varieties of peaches make their appearance toward the end of the month as well, bringing a taste of summer with them from many orchards in the Sandhills. North Carolina’s diverse climate supports a range of fruit

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A bill that would block credit card companies and purchases passed the state House on April 29 and now heads to the Senate.

ChErRiEs StRaWbErRiEs

Reece Pyrtle (R-Rockingham).

“The bill stems from the privacy concerns related to a 2022 decision by the International Organization

PeAcHeS BlUeBeRrIeS

purchases,” Pyrtle explained.

“Essentially, the key provisions are

produce directly to consumers through markets and CSA programs. May is an ideal time to enjoy a wide variety of fresh, locally grown fruits across the state.

right to bear arms under the U.S. and North Carolina Constitution.”

Unlike other bills, no members debated the act, which quickly passed Democrats voting for passage.

The bill would block credit card codes” to identify a merchant as a as well as bar a credit card company or payment network from “knowingly” maintaining a record of North

WEST

PIEDMONT

EAST

Community celebrates downtown social district

Mebane man indicted for 10 counts of sexual exploitation

Plane lands on belly in New

Henderson County The public came out to celebrate the grand opening of the revitalized 7th Avenue District in downtown Hendersonville last Saturday. The 7th Avenue Street Fest featured food, entertainment, games and local vendors. The event coincided with the opening day of the Hendersonville Farmers Market on Maple Street. The celebration marked the completion of the $4.2 million streetscape revitalization project, which included essential underground utility upgrades derailed by COVID-19 closures and Hurricane Helene.

Alamance County A Mebane man has been arrested and charged with sexual exploitation following an investigation by the Invictus Task Force, according to a press release from the Alamance

Craven County The Coastal Carolina Regional Airport was cleared to reopen after a wheelsup landing closed the runway for more than an hour Sunday night. Just before 8 p.m. Sunday, a single-engine plane with three passengers landed on its belly after failure of the landing gear. None of the passengers were injured. Airport authorities told local outlets that crews took about an hour and a half to clear the runway, with it reopening around 9:30 p.m.

NSJ

Restaurants partner Buncombe County In celebration of International Subs restaurants partnered with the community last Sunday. In Weaverville, families participated in a “Touch-A-Truck” event and got a Dalmatian. Firehouse Subs also presented a check to the Weaverville Fire Department, donating more than $34,000 for lifesaving equipment.

WLOS

Man, woman arrested in fentanyl bust Burke County A duo was arrested in Burke County last week after deputies said they found enough fentanyl to “potentially kill 13,000 people.” Kayly Allman, 33, and Dustin McCurry, 41, face multiple drug-related charges and were given no bond since they were both out on pretrial release at the time of their arrests. The arrests were made April 30 during a probable cause search at the Clear Creek Access area of South Mountain State Park in Morganton. Authorities said that due to odd behavior by Allman and McCurry during a suspicious vehicle investigation, the two were detained while deputies searched the car. During the search, deputies said they found drug paraphernalia, 13.59 grams of meth and 26.96 grams dangers that the amount of fentanyl carries, stating that only two of the 26,000 milligrams seized could be a lethal dose.

WBTV

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

investigation related to a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in which Raymond Vincent Wargo Jr., 58, of Wargo was arrested last Friday and charged with 10 counts of seconddegree sexual exploitation of a minor.

WBTV

1 killed, 1 injured changing tire on U.S. 29 Guilford county One person is dead and another has life-threatening injuries after they were struck by an impaired driver while changing a tire last week on U.S. 29 in Greensboro, according to the Greensboro Police Department.

Investigators say that Robert Lynn Faison Jr., 25, of Greensboro, left the roadway to the right and struck a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was disabled on the shoulder with its hazard lights on as two people were changing the tire. Investigators say that Faison was impaired at the time of the crash.

Local breweries win World Beer Cup medals Forsyth County Two breweries in the Piedmont Triad proved their world-class craftsmanship at the 2025 World Beer Cup last Thursday, taking home a combined three medals.

According to its website, the World Beer Cup is hosted by the Brewers Association and is the “world’s most prestigious professional beer and cider competition” that “continues to showcase the global industry’s dedication to innovative technical excellence.” This year’s event saw 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries across 49 countries, judged over 14 sessions by an international panel of 265 experts. Wise Man Brewing of Winston-Salem won two silver medals: one for “Living a Double Life” in the German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock category and one for “Outraged Daughters” in the IrishStyle Red Ale category. Kernersville’s Little Brother Brewing won a bronze medal for “King in the Castle” in the Old Ale or Strong Ale category.

WGHP

Whooping cough case Wayne County a case of pertussis, better known as whooping cough. According to Lane Elementary School. The school says phone calls were made to all parents, with separate notices sent to families of students who might have been directly exposed. Whooping cough is an infectious disease that starts with cold-like symptoms and progresses to a severe cough, usually spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Third gator in 3 weeks caught in coastal county Brunswick County For the third time in a month, an alligator at the North Carolina coast surprised residents and had to be local outlets. Twice in April, alligators caused problems in the Brunswick County town of Southport. In one case, a small alligator climbed a fence and headed toward a busy road.

About three weeks later, a 14-foot alligator was on a Southport street police arrived, the big gator was in a home’s backyard and was eventually caught. And last week, in another Brunswick County town, a small alligator was discovered by a Sunset Beach homeowner as it hid under a car inside a garage, police said. Sunset Beach had several alligator sightings last summer, with gators found in the police parking lot and a Food Lion parking lot. Police in the island town had to remind residents and visitors not to approach gator nests.

WNCN

Under the measure, the state attorney general would have the authority to investigate potential violations and the ability to assess a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation. Proceeds would go to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

Additionally, civil actions may be brought against a payment card network, under which injunctive relief can be sought, as well as up to $10,000 in damages per violation, plus attorney and court fees. related measures introduced during the long session, two of which would provide for permitless concealed carry.

The House also passed House Bill 193, which would allow valid concealed handgun permit holders or those exempt from such a permit requirement to carry a handgun on property “owned, used, or operated” by a private school.

The bill passed by a vote of 63-44, and it includes provisions to protect relocated law enforcement shooting ranges from having restrictions placed on them, such as actions related to noise or nuisance complaints.

House passes bill requiring cooperation with ICE

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A House bill ICE passed that chamber by a vote of 70-45, sending it to the Senate for action. in House Bill 318, March by House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls), aims to modify existing laws regarding individuals in custody who are subject to immigration detainers. The bill covers arrests for felonies and an amendment added Class A1 misdemeanors such as sexual battery and battery on an unborn person.

“Make no mistake — when illegal immigrants commit violent crimes and are then released back into our communities, it’s the law-abiding families of North Carolina who pay

NSJ

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the price,” Hall said in a press release.

ICE are putting the public at risk. This protect citizens, not shield criminals.”

The bill passed by a vote of 7045, with only one Democrat voting in favor: Rep. Carla Cunningham (Mecklenburg).

Under the bill, when a prisoner is subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer and administrative warrant, the bill requires that the individual be can order continued detention.

The legislation mandates that facility administrators notify ICE “no later than two hours after the time” a prisoner would normally be released,” as well as the exact date and time when the prisoner’s 48-hour holding period will end.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

NATION & WORLD

Man whose son was killed by Ohio police charged in deputy’s death Rodney Hinton Jr. is accused of running down a retired officer directing graduation traffic

By John Seewer The Associated Press A MAN WHO STRUCK and killed a county deputy with his car Friday is the father of a teen who was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer a day earlier as officers were responding to a call about a stolen car, police said. Authorities said the crash appeared to be intentional.

The driver of the car, 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., was charged with aggravated murder in the deputy’s death, police said.

Hinton appeared in court Saturday with a wall of deputies standing at the back of the room. A prosecutor said evidence and witnesses will show that Hinton drove directly at the deputy in an attempt to kill him.

Hilton has no prior felonies and understands it’s a serious charge, an attorney representing him said in court.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement that he was “sickened by what appears to be an intentional act of violence.”

Just a few hours before the crash, Hinton and other family members met at the police chief’s office Friday morning and watched a police body camera video showing an officer shoot the teen, said Michael Wright, an attorney hired by the family of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton.

Rodney Hinton could not make it through the entire vid-

WCPO VIA AP

Police investigate the scene where a retired county deputy was struck and killed by a vehicle last Friday in Cincinnati. eo and did not say a word, said Wright, who is not representing Hinton on the crash charges.

“He was distraught, he was upset,” Wright said Saturday.

In a statement issued later on behalf of Ryan Hinton’s family, the law firm offered heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of the deputy who was killed. The firm called it “an unimaginable tragedy” for the community and said the teen’s family was heartbroken by the events and devastated for the deputy’s family.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati on graduation day when he was hit by a car that drove into an intersection, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said.

Authorities did not identify the deputy, who retired from

the department a few months ago but was continuing to work off-duty assignments, said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey.

“He was so well-liked and so well-known,” McGuffey said.

“What a tremendous loss we have all suffered.”

Authorities said the circumstances of the crash were being investigated.

“If the facts show this act was intentional, as the charge suggests, I will throw the full force of the law at the perpetrator,” Hamilton County prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement Friday.

Ryan Hinton was shot twice and killed by police Thursday during a chase. The officer who fired told investigators that the suspect pointed a gun at him, said Cincinnati’s police chief.

Challenges await next pope A new pontiff will be installed soon to succeed Pope Francis

The role of women Francis did more to promote women to leadership positions in the Vatican than any pope before him, and his successor will have to decide whether to continue that legacy, accelerate it or back down and change course.

The issue isn’t minor. Catholic women do much of the church’s work in schools and hospitals and are usually responsible for passing the faith to the next generation. But they have long complained of second-class status in an institution that reserves the priesthood for men.

Nuns are leaving in droves, either through attrition or simply quitting, leading to questions about the future of female religious orders.

The Vatican says the number of nuns globally has been hemorrhaging about 10,000

sized inclusion and “synodality,” or listening to the faithful, and cracked down on traditionalists by restricting their celebration of the old Latin Mass.

While the conservatives may not have enough votes to elect one of their own, a new pope will have to try to restore unity.

Clergy sexual abuse

By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — While Pope Francis accomplished a lot in his 12-year papacy, he left plenty of unfinished business and many challenges for his successor — from the Vatican’s disastrous finances to the wars raging on multiple continents and discontent among traditionalists about his crackdown on the old Latin Mass.

When the conclave’s cardinals finish casting their ballots under Michelangelo’s frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, the 267th pope will have to decide whether to continue Francis’ policies, tweak them or abandon them altogether.

Police showed photos during a news conference Friday of a semiautomatic handgun that they said he was carrying and another gun that was found in the car.

One officer could be heard in body camera video released by police saying, “He’s got a gun, he’s got a gun,” before several shots were fired as Ryan Hinton was running behind an apartment complex.

While the blurred images did not clearly show Hinton pointing a gun as he and the officer were running, Theetge said the officer told investigators that he had the firearm in front of him, it was pointed at the officer and the officer feared for his life.

There was no indication that Hinton fired at police before he was shot, she said.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP PHOTO

Cardinals attend a Mass on the fifth day of mourning for the late Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on April 30.

600K

Approximate number of nuns at the end of 2022, down 100,000 in a decade per year for over a decade, with their numbers at 599,229 at the end of 2022, the last year for which there are statistics. In 2012, there were 702,529 nuns globally.

The new pope will have to address women’s expectations for not only a greater say in church governance but greater recognition.

Progressives vs. traditionalists An anonymous letter circulated among Vatican officials in 2022 highlighted what it called Francis’ “disastrous” pontificate and what a new pope must do to correct the “catastrophe” he had wrought. Its author was Australian Cardinal George Pell, but that fact emerged only

after his death in 2023. Once a close adviser to Francis but always conservative, Pell grew increasingly disillusioned with his papacy, signing the letter with the pen name “Demos” — the common people.

Last year, a screed by another anonymous cardinal circulated, signed by “Demos II.” It resumed where Pell left off, denouncing what it called Francis’ “autocratic, at times seemingly vindictive style of governance; a carelessness in matters of law; an intolerance for even respectful disagreement; and — most seriously — a pattern of ambiguity in matters of faith and morals causing confusion among the faithful.”

It blamed polarization in the church on the confusion Francis had sown and urged the next pope to focus on “recovery and reestablishment of truths that have been slowly obscured or lost among many Christians.”

Those letters underscored the age-old divisions between traditionalists and progressives in the Catholic Church that were exacerbated during Francis’ pontificate. He empha-

While many church leaders would like to think clergy sexual abuse scandals are in the past, survivors and their advocates want the new pope to address it as a top priority.

Francis and Pope Benedict XVI took steps to end decades of abuse and cover-ups, changing church laws to punish abusers and their clerical superiors who hid their wrongdoing.

But a culture of impunity still reigns, and church authorities have barely begun to deal with other forms of spiritual and psychological abuse that have traumatized generations of faithful. Twenty years after the sex abuse scandal first erupted in the U.S., there is still no transparency from the Vatican about the depth of the problem or how cases have been handled.

LGBTQ+ outreach Francis famously said, “Who am I to judge?” when asked in 2013 about a purportedly gay monsignor at the Vatican. Francis sought to assure gay people that God loves them as they are, that “being homosexual is not a crime,” and that everyone is welcome in the church.

His successor must decide whether to follow in that outreach or pull back. There’s plenty of support for rolling it back.

In 2024, African bishops issued a continent-wide dissent from Francis’ decision allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, and bishops from around the world attending his synod on the church’s future backed off language explicitly accepting LGBTQ+ people.

Trump, Carney meet in Oval Office Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney faced off in the Oval Office on Tuesday and showed no signs of retreating from their gaping differences in an ongoing trade war that has shattered decades of trust between the two countries. The two kept it civil, but as for Trump’s calls to make Canada the 51st state, Carney insisted his nation was “not for sale,” and Trump shot back, “Time will tell.”

Carney won the prime minister’s job by promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump.

Body of 10-year-old Texas girl lost in floods recovered Brenham, Texas The body of a 10-yearold girl who was swept away in rapidly rising floodwaters has been recovered, Brenham Police Chief Mark Donovan said Tuesday. Her body was found as forecasters warned that Tuesday could bring more heavy rains and flooding to the Houston area and the state’s coast. Teams of people scoured the city of Brenham on Monday night, using drones with thermal imaging and dogs to try to find the girl. The water rescue operation was scaled back overnight when heavy thunderstorms moved through the area, but four swift water rescue teams resumed operations early Tuesday.

Conservative leader Merz to become Germany’s chancellor Berlin Conservative leader Friedrich Merz succeeded Tuesday in becoming Germany’s next chancellor, drawing applause and a palpable sense of relief in the parliament chamber after a historic loss in the first round of voting threatened the new government’s promises of stability. No other postwar candidate for German chancellor has failed to win on the first ballot.

Merz had been expected to easily win the vote, but the first ballot in the lower house of parliament unexpectedly left him well short of the 328 seats held by his coalition. Hours later, in the second round, he earned 325 votes, surpassing the 316 needed to pass in the 630-seat Bundestag.

At least 12 dead in Indonesia bus crash Padang, Indonesia A bus carrying 34 passengers sped out of control on a downhill road and overturned in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and leaving others injured, police said. The interprovince bus was on its way to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, from Medan in North Sumatra province when its brakes apparently malfunctioned near a bus terminal in West Sumatra’s Padang city, said Reza Chairul Akbar Sidiq, the director of West Sumatra traffic police. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

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EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

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by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero go into June. millions of Americans t orders ority of at Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask — after all, trends canhas easily xpayer least $2.4 trillion in added working fr worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, Unitedmuted States over costreve th Here in North Democratic Gov.The Roycrisis Cooper stated d walnormal.” questions back to have abided by recommendations and o Reserve backup liquidity to the about the data, and when things can start getting be glad” as our 231-year history. At least fourainrecent the 20th century alone be that “we debt plus trillions coronavirus press can briefing just don’t know more yet” end of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to flu,” stay 1977 at home; they’ve practiced socialto the U.S. dollar were notnormal the reserve dad, directly traced to China: flu,” 1968 “Hong orders Kong markets financial state’s stay-at-home will extend into May. andand Since when1957 did “Asian They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without they’ve donned masks. o fund any of these emergency have tonot bet “Russian flu” and the 2002 SARS outbreak.

There is evidence that the currency, would Perhaps If he it, questions should bewe asked as to Wedoes needdecide to extend WALTER E. WILLIAMS questioning ooper stated during question what the government tells us about when it’s massive safe to begin the The result: a reduction in expected ho Lenten and ar of rampant inflation and currency pandemic.

1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic also had for its origins in China. measures without justification it. And the answers should not be vague onesimm like COVID-19 n’t know yet” if the process of returning back to normalcy. transparency According to the University of Washing For me, Easter seasons government There is 100% agreement, outside of do China, thatofCOVID-19 depreciation. must this out an abundance of caution.” is China’s No. The government works for us, and we have the right to askin those Metrics and Evaluation model most oftA rrant ways and decisions through and honesty originated Wuhan Province probably from the has to pay for provide a China at all levels It will need tocompletely be explained in detail to the people ofmaking. this state e asked as to the And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the Trump administration, the expected ne Diplomacy has obviouslyquestions. not worked Corinthian Chernobyl. unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. believe it came of at a home economic and financial fromSome our to are being told remain joblessout and message offor an undetermine become a ague likecentury “we health, country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, peak outbreak was revised down by ove worldones of 21st hygiene affliction, biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army. to we bring China into the scientific experts amount of time why models predicting hundreds thousands of hope that willof bad thing? thethe more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the num munist regimes never take blame affliction, Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and regulation of and fair trade.

Totalita are reliable.

— we need to again enjoy sincere e of this state who when will demand August byonce nearly 12,000. morse, because that is not whatthey can get back to providing for their families,their God.” That is what food safety and health protocols, American business nowhat other or express To know date, what I’ve gone alonghas with the state has asked andregre then they undetermined answers.

Here’s the problem: We still don’t kno sporting events, ey take advantage of every weakness If you ar choice than tofree build redundant manufacturing totalitarian citizens mandated thatplants we do,elsewhere but alongpurely the way I’ve also had governmen questions a of cases at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they know, what they questions that will allow the economy tot pf thousands pushing until they win orLeaders the reflect on concerts, family for national security and safety reasons as well as supply and delivery they find in adversaries the data.

State Republican leaders have, too. as living in a free can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but concerns. answer First, what is the true coronavirus fat God’sback. exam don’t and when reliability adversaries gatherings, Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get push asked, ther AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with society were asked and then with details that give their statements believability. important because it determines wheth event happens such as the Chernobyl this difficu The most direct way to make China “pay”hope for this is to offer That is, unless an exo they to disaster h corruption. The financial squeeze resulting sometimes a disturbing tendency among people to treat tho church some services ad questions about We should do what we can to keep our families, be open or closed,meltdown whether we oughtSom to w s believe that event, not the Star Warsall continue confident supposed from COVID-19 offers opportunities for a toprices U.S. tax credits to companies whosimply willknow source at least halfdata of their in 1986.

Home increased what they questioning the and asking when we can start gettin and many more that presumes Sponsored

by Union and our communities safe. still continue more liberalized society w by should also to the dissolution of theourselves, Soviet In thisled sw bit of remediation.

Let’s first examine what production back in the States.

There is though approximately program of are Reagan, by 0.3% inSponsored AprilBut we to do, lastUnited I to normal as they are$120 conspiracy theorists or people don’t. after our own get asked, there to of ask questions about the data, because while reasonable stay-at-home ought to lock down further. mightisbe the root academic corruption, neighbors billion worth checked. of American direct investment in plants and equipment compared to last year otherwise don’t care if they get themselvesinor1989. others sick. s. title of a recent study, ple to treatsuggested those by the measures are understandable, they should also have an date. direct investment in the U.S. is about $65We’ve seen rates — Conc the ni temporary Chernobyl.

In inexpiration China. Chinese billion by case fatality Perhaps COVID-19 Since when did questioning government at all levels become a “Academic and to theAmericans, and it is not normal. Not in any way, North State Journal for Wednesday, April 15, an starttalking getting backGrievance ThisStudies is all new the number of identified COVID-19 cas lready about the possibility money to b sacrifices are comparison.

Senators in Washing thing?

That is what free citizens living in a free society were supp Corruption of Scholarship.”

The study was By Alex Veiga remain vigilant and stay or are people who shape, or form.

So while we should safe, at and the denominator are likely wrong.

W n debt we owe them as one way to get health car An investment tax credit of 30% U.S. investment in China over. of China forgiving $1.2 toon do,half lastof I checked. done by Areo, an opinion and analysisThe Associated Press s sick. same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “newbillion, applied to repatriated American manufacturing people have actually died coronaviru hey have caused US. the Don’t hold your today, or $60 China to of “pay” d digitalthe magazine.

By the way, Areo is short My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, isfor mythe fam vels become a bad normal.” number has been overestimated, given t bilee” to happen but ask your elected n for Areopagitica, a speech delivered by LOS ANGELES — Homeinvestment to the U.S. would costworried the U.S.about Treasury billion the in virus, and breath waiting Ifor a Ch them$18 catching I’m worried will.

A iety were supposed Not one little bit. of death, particularly among elderly pat countable in tangible financial ways for John Milton in defense of free speech. tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion lost revenue hold ownership is receding further suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topande in.

Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A.out of reach for most Amerisources suggest the number is dramatic decimal dust compared to the $6 I’ve trillion+ Marshall Plan extra we areprecautions, now this disaster. been trying to take because all of this brin Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has thatcans rse, to is my family.

Stacey Matthews alsoaswritten the rates pseudonym Sister Toldjah manyas people are dying home. cted operate as I’m responsible citizens of elevatedunder mortgage undertaking to save our own economy, notmany of defeated enemies in the It is at about timenot they way too memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer to something drastically wrong rried I will.

After has gone and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Even more importantly, we have no cl and rising prices stretch the Insurrection. nation. past. the world like any othe But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone in academia, especially within certainlimits of what buyers can afford. he 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scienti China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They call A homebuyer now needs to all of this brings up of identified business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that theycases could be an order of m these fields “grievance whereearn at least $114,000 a year to Apple plans to appealstudies,” a Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronav senio prefer notscholarship to repeat. number of people who have had is not so that much based uponafford a $431,250 home — the intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and federal judge’s ruling most everyone hastruth but upon attending to finding replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi. national median listing price the iPhone maker willfully

business & economy

Fixing college n.c. corruption FAST

FACTS

Difficult housing market continues with rising prices, high rates A6

Court sides with Epic Games in App Store case Approved Logos

social grievances. Grievance scholars

north STA

in April, according to data reviolated a court injunction in bully students, administrators and other leased last Thursday by Realan antitrust case filed by Carydepartments into adhering to their tor.com. based Epic Games, the maker worldview.

The worldview they promote The is analysis assumes that Jason of Fortnite. n neither scientific nor rigorous. Grievance EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS a homebuyer will make a 20% Apple,consist which reported ose studies of disciplines such as down payment, finance the its quarterly earnings lastgender studies, sociology, anthropology, rest of the purchase with a 30Thursday, said sexuality it stronglyand critical race MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, year fixed-rate mortgage and disagrees with the decision. studies. that the buyer’s housing costs A sign announcing a home for sale is posted outside a home in Acworth, Georgia.

U.S. District Yvonne Pluckrose, In 2017 andJudge 2018, authors won’t exceed 30% of their Gonzalez Rogers had ordered Lindsay and Boghossian started gross monthly income — an ofApple to lower the barriers s submitting bogus academic papers to ten-used barometer of housing geles, New York and Boston, ly drop since November 2022. finalized sale — surged 30.6% academic journals in cultural, queer, affordability. protecting its previously It’s not all bad news for pro- last month from a year earlithe annual income needed to race, gender, fat and sexuality studies Based off the latest U.S. me- afford a median-priced home spective homebuyers. exclusive payment system er, according to Realtor.com. to determine if they would pass peer dian home listing price, home- tops $200,000. In San Jose, it’s for in-app digital transactions Home prices are rising much Home listings jumped between “THIS IS70.1% THEfallen the lord has mad he seriousness of and the virus and review be accepted for need publication. and allow developers tothe MOST STATES under or stay-at-home place.

I unde 67.6% and inDAY Saninto Diego, moreeither slowlyshelter-in-place than during the than $370,000. buyers need to earn $47,000 more WITH Acceptance of alternative dubious in it” (Psalm 118:24). asy with how people simplyresearch ask that more annually to afford a home display links who to San Jose and Washington, D.C. orders thanks to localrates or state governments, majority of Americans pandemic housingamarket frento take precautions, bu Rock-bottom mortgage journal editors found sympathetic to their know that during this challenging hen thingsoptions. can start back to Lastgetting Wednesday, properties take longer to The national median marthan they would have just six turbocharged are havingthe to housing adjust to what zy. is being called the “new sales normal.”I As questions about the datt intersectional or postmodern she found that Apple violated leftist vision sell,month. more sellers are or reducing price of a previously occupied pandemic, fuelyears ago. Back then, the medi- ket during working from home losing a job, it es with contempt.

Somethe of these orders extend at least through the end of this normal are treated inm s of the world would prove the problem an of U.S. home listing price was ing bidding a 2021 injunction that, she their asking price.

Some 18% U.S. home rose 2.7% in March wars for homes that be glad” as the Bible tells us to do.

How as a society simply must accept without Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

They’re treated as th low academic standards. of listings had their holiday price re-has remind up sale prices, some- from a year earlier to $403,700, and wrote, sought to “restrain and dad, the Easter ells us about when it’s safe to begin thepapers $314,950, and the average rate pushed in North Carolina, Democratic Gov.for Roy Cooper during what Several ofiPhone the fake research duced last month,question according to the gove an all-time high March, butstated timesHere hundreds of thousands on a 30-year mortgage hovered prohibit the maker’s have to be thankful and of hopeful for, eve malcy. were accepted for publication. The Fat a recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” if the process returning ba around 4.1%. Last week, the of dollars above sellers’ initial the smallest annual increase Realtor.com. anticompetitive conduct” and Lenten and pandemic. r us, and we have journal the right to ask those Studies published a hoax paper state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May. No. The government “Sellers are becoming more since August. asking price.

U.S. home prices rate averaged 6.76%.

Since when did pricing. that argued the term was The annual income required soared For me,on my pricing, faith is an important par t-home orders are incontinued place all bodybuilding over the seasons flexible underIfmore he does to extend it,Inquestions be asked to the April,Easter the should median price of as questions.

And the long thandecide 50% between “Apple’s questioning exclusionary andas should be replaced to afford a median-priced making.

As I celebrated Easter with my f them getattempts in states,tosuch Michigan, scored by the price reductions a home listed for sale rose only 2019 and 2024.

U.S. justification for it. And the answers should notabe vague ones like “we country, and the stricte provide interfere with with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive government we’re seeing, and while high0.3% from a year earlier, acThe U.S. housing market home first crossed into the six Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our feeling isolated and/or anxious about must do this out of an abundance of caution.” the more people, sitting competition will not be message of politicized performance.”

One reviewer er mortgage are may certainly to Realtor.com. in aneed salesto slump since cording figures in May at 2022 hasn’t has been affliction, so rates thatwhen we able com ding for their families, will demand tolerated,” Gonzalez Rogersreading this all and levels It will be explained in detail to the people of this state who theybecan gettoback ns said, “I thoroughly enjoyed hopecan thatafford we will weighing with on demand, the silBuyers who cur- affliction, dropped below that level since. 2022 when mortgage rates bethe comfort which we ou said in the ruling, which held remain jobless at home for an aundetermined answers. , article and believe it has an importantMedian household becomeincome a the market rentand mortgage rates have wid- ver lining is that ganare tobeing climbtold fromtotheir panonce again enjoy God.” levels should be as forthcoming as they Apple in contempt. contribution to make to the field and this amountlows. of time why models predicting hundreds thousands of casesto rebalance,” Leaders at the local a said er selection of propertiesofthan a is starting Sales of previwas about $80,600 annually demic-era bad thing?

She ordered that Apple “no If you are celebrating the Easter seas d again, not vague answers, but answer journal.” areoccupied reliable.U.S. homes fell year ago. sporting events, caneconomist be with those answ Danielle Hale, chief in 2023, according to the U.S. ously longer impede developers’ “Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity That is what reflect on this message and be comforte ments believability. concerts, family Realtor.com. with “This couldthat give th listings a tally en-andatthen To date, I’ve gonelevel along what the state—has asked last year to their lowest in withActive details Census Bureau. ability to communicate with Feminism as anfamilies, Intersectional Reply to In several metro areas, in- nearly 30 years. In March, they compassing all homes on the God’s example andWe comfort allallthose in what we can to keep our create opportunities forshould buyers free citizens mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about contin gatherings, se Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” wascluding San Francisco, Los An- posted their largest month- market except those pending a this nor will they levycontinue or who are prepared.” difficult time.

Through faith and by safe. But users we should also still the data. State Republican leaders have, too. services ourselves, and our com church living in a free accepted for publication Affilia, a impose a new commissionbyon confident we will emerge out of this pan because while reasonable stay-at-home Unfortunately, when certain types ofand questions get asked, there is to ask questions about s feminist journal for social workers. The off-app purchases.” many more society were this same spirit, I continue to be in hey shouldpaper also have an expiration sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treatInthose measures are understa in part of adate. rewritten Epicconsisted CEO and founder after our own supposed neighbors helping neighbors. and it is not normal.

Not in any way, passage fromsaid Mein simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Am Tim Sweeney onKampf.

X the Two other temporary In Concord, a shape, highofschool senior nam uld remaincompany vigilant and stay safe, at including hoax papers were published, to do, last I to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people whothe number or form.

So whil will return Fortnite rate and people .

“Rape Culture and Queer Performativity money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic comfortable with this so-called “new sacrifices are to Apple’s U.S. App Store next benefits otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick. filing claims for jobless the same time we shou checked. at Urban Dog Parks.” This paper’s subject health care workers outbyofhishis own hom week. every week remain low Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad normal.” over. was dog-on-dog rape. But the dog rape torical standards,” Boston ColApple did not immediately thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. paper eventually forced Boghossian, lege economist Brian Bethune respond to a request for to do, last I checked.

Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out said. comment. n under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family.

I’m Stacey Matthews has a themselves.

A Wall Street Journal writer The federal government’s Epic first filed an antitrust RedState and Insurrection. hadLegal figured out what they were doing. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will.

After and is a contri workforce fell by 9,000 onregular top lawsuit inpapers 2020 alleging that Some accepted for publication suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, of 17,000 job losses in February Apple had built an illegal in academic journals advocated training Unemployment March, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of thisand brings up though the full efmonopoly around popular white male men like dogs andits punishing stayed at 4.2% fecttoofrepeat.

Musk’s DOGE cuts may way too many memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer not App Store that makes billions college students for historical slavery by yet be has seen. Bethune noted job But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone of dollars annually a thenasking them to sit from in silence on the floor in cuts by the billionaire’s DOGE exclusive payment n chains during classsystem and to be expectedBy toPaul Wiseman are still being challenged in collecting commissions learn from the discomfort. Other papers court. Also, some of those leavThe Associated Press ranging from 15% toobesity 30% on ity celebrated morbid as a healthy life ing federal agencies were forced in-app choicecommerce. and advocated treating privately WASHINGTON, D.C. — into early retirement and don’t conducted as a form of American employers added a Althoughmasturbation Gonzalez Rogers count as unemployed. d sexual violence women. Typically, had rejected theagainst monopoly After the jobs numbers were surprising 177,000 jobs in April as academic claims, shejournal orderededitors Apple send to submitted released, Trump repeated his as the job market showed repapers out to referees for review. In silience in the face of President lower the barriers protecting call for the Federal Reserve recommending acceptance for publication, its previously exclusive to lower its benchmark shortDonald Trump’s trade wars. many reviewers these papers glowing payment system gave for in-app term interest rate, which it Hiring fell slightly from a reNAM Y. HUH / AP PHOTO praise.transactions and allow digital raised to combat inflation. vised 185,000 in March, but Political to scientist developers displayZach links Goldberg ran Yet as long as the job market that is above economist projec- Employees of Learning Resources, an educational toy ss certain grievance studies remains healthy, the Fed will tions of 135,000 jobs. The un- company, work at a warehouse in Vernon Hills, Illinois, last to alternative options.

The concepts through d the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often likely stay on the sidelines as it employment rate remained at month.

Supreme Court rejected they appeared in our press over the years. takes time to evaluate the ima low 4.2%, the Labor DepartApple’s appeal in the case in He found huge increases in the usagesment reported last Friday. pact of tariffs. Fed chair Jerome January 2024. of “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” Trump’s aggressive and un- iffs. Health care companies The drastic changes have Powell has underscored that the “In stark contrast to Apple’s ng “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” predictable policies — in- added nearly 51,000 jobs, bars shaken markets and consum- duties are likely to push up pricinitial testimony, All ofin-court this is being taught to college cluding massive import tax- and restaurants almost 17,000, ers. The Conference Board, a es in the coming months, makcontemporaneous business students, many of whom become primary es — have clouded the outlook while construction firms add- business group, reported Tues- ing the central bank wary of the documents reveal that teachers Apple who then c. and secondary school for the economy and the job ed 11,000. Factories lost 1,000 day that Americans’ confi- potential for higher inflation. knew exactly what it waspeople. doing indoctrinate our young The Fed typically fights indence in the economy fell for the market, raising fears that the jobs. andI at every turn chose the n doubt whether the coronavirusLabor Department revisions fifth straight month to the low- flation with higher interest American economy is headed most anticompetitive option,” caused financial crunch will give college shaved 58,000 jobs from Febru- est level since the onset of the rates, so it is unlikely to cut its toward recession. the wrote.administrators, She accused who are a o? andjudge university key short-term rate anytime COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Friday’s report showed ary and March payrolls. the company’s Alex Roman, crossbreed between a parrot and jellyfish, Still, Bill Adams, chief econ- soon. It may change course if Average hourly earnings employment, one of the stronthe guts and backbone to restore academic vice-president for finance, of gest aspects of the U.S. econ- ticked up 0.2% from March and omist at Comerica Bank, called layoffs spike and unemployrespectability. toooath. often, they get much “outright” lyingFar under omy, remains solid, yet many 3.8% from a year ago, nearing the jobs report “reassuring- ment rise. of“Internally, their political supportApple from campuseconomists anticipate that a the 3.5% that economists view ly normal. The fears of a softer (longtime Some U.S. companies stand grievance Phillip peopleSchiller who arehad members ofnegative the executive) impact from trade as consistent with the 2% infla- labor market due to tariff un- to benefit from Trump’s protecfaculty andthat diversity multiculturalwars will materialize this year tion the Federal Reserve wants certainty went unrealized last tionist policies. advocated Apple and comply administrative offices. with the injunction, but (CEO) Allen Jacoby, executive vice month. ... There are signs that for American workers and, po- to see. best hope lies withand boards of tentially, Trump.

TimThe Cook ignored Schiller Trump’s massive taxes on im- businesses are reining in plans president of the textile divitrustees, thoughChief many serve as yes-men “Politicians can count their ports to the U.S. are likely to for hiring and capital spending sion at Milliken & Co., said that instead allowed Financial for the university president. a stars that companies are raise costs for Americans and and that consumers are turning cheap Chinese imports have lucky Officer Luca Maestri and his I think that good start would be to find 1950s or 1960s holding on to their workers de- American businesses that de- more cautious toward discre- hurt business at the Spartanfinance team to convince him catalogs. Look at the course offerings spite at burg, South Carolina, manuthe storm clouds forming pend on supplies from overseas. tionary spending.’’ otherwise. Cook chose poorly,” a time when college graduates knew how American workers have at facturer. His division, which that could slow the economy They also threaten to slow ecoGonzalez Rogers wrote. to read, write and compute, and makefurther in the second half of the nomic growth. His immigration least one thing going for them. makes Polartec fabric for Thetoday’s judge referred theAnother helpful them curricula. year,” said Christopher Rupkey, crackdown threatens to make it Despite the uncertainty about brands such as North Face and matter to the Attorney tool would beU.S. to give careful consideration chief economist at fwdbonds, a more difficult for hotels, restau- the fallout from Trump’s poli- Patagonia, has closed six plants for the Northern District to eliminating all classes/majors/minors financial markets research firm. rants and construction firms cies, many employers don’t want and reduced its payrolls by 12% of Californiathe to investigate containing word “studies,” such as Transportation and ware- to fill job openings. By purging to risk letting employees go — since 2019. whether contempt women, criminal Asian, black or queer studies.housing companies added federal workers and canceling not after struggling to bring Trump’s tariffs, he said, proceedings are appropriate.

I’d bet that by restoring the traditional

s’

VISUAL VOICES

It’s okay to ask questions about when The we begin to get back to comfort normal and ho

Employers added 177K jobs as market shows resilience

29,000 jobs last month, sugacademic mission to colleges, they would gesting companies have built THE ASSOCIATED PRESS put a serious dent into the COVID-19 up inventory before importbudget shortfall. ed goods are hit with new tarWalter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

federal contracts, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency risks wiping out jobs inside the government and out.

people back from the massivebut-short-lived layoffs from the pandemic.

“For now, the unemployment

could improve Milliken’s sales and hiring. “It’s too early to tell, but there’s more optimism than pessimism,” he said.

A10

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Buffett will remain chairman at Berkshire Hathaway Vice chairman Greg Abel will become CEO in 2026

By Bernard Condon and Josh Funk The Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire Warren Buffett will remain with Berkshire Hathaway as chairman of the board when vice chairman Greg Abel takes over as CEO to begin 2026.

The board of directors at the cash-rich conglomerate voted Sunday to keep the legendary 94-year-old investor as head of the board, a decision likely to relieve investors worried about Berkshire’s remarkable winning streak as the U.S. and global economies are beset by tariff shocks, financial turmoil and a growing risk of recession.

The board in the same meeting also approved Buffett’s chosen successor as CEO, veteran Berkshire executive Greg Abel, 62. In a surprise announcement Saturday, Buffett said he would step down from that top spot at the end of the year.

Berkshire Class B shares fell nearly 3% before the opening bell Monday.

Macrae Sykes, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, praised the transparent way Buffett announced the transition at the meeting and believes investors can have confidence that he isn’t going anywhere.

“Retaining the position of Chairman means he can continue to mentor Greg and the Berkshire leaders, while also providing additional intellectual capacity when the inevitable time for more major cap-

NATI HARNIK / AP PHOTO

Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO, plans to retire by year’s end but will remain chairman of the board. ital allocation occurs,” Sykes said.

In six decades at the helm, Buffett turned a Massachusetts textile company into a sprawling but nimble conglomerate that owns everything from Daily Queen and See’s Candies to BNSF Railway and giant insurers. As the company grew, Warren’s reputation grew with it as shares of Berkshire Hathaway climbed steadily, exceeding major indexes by wide margins and returning an average of 19.9% each year versus 10.4% for the Standard & Poor’s 500.

The decision to continue with the so-called Sage of Omaha as head of the board came amid speculation that Howard Buffett, the second-born of the investor’s three children, would move into that spot. The older Buffett has said that after he dies, he would like How-

ard to take over as chairman.

A current vice chairman, Abel, will take over as CEO as big questions hover over the company. Buffett himself has said President Donald Trump’s tariffs were a big mistake.

There are also worries that Berkshire might not be able to avoid the fate of most conglomerates — forced to break up to recapture focus.

Then there is Berkshire’s $348 billion in cash.

Buffett says he doesn’t see many bargains to invest that money in now, not even Berkshire’s own stock, but assured some of the estimated 40,000 attendees of the company’s celebratory weekend annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, that one day the company would be “bombarded with opportunities.”

Abel, a low-key Canadian with a love a hockey, has been

overseeing many of Berkshire’s noninsurance businesses for years but has not been deciding where to invest the company’s cash.

Buffett said his trust in Abel can be seen in where he is putting his money.

“I have no intention — zero — of selling one share of Berkshire Hathaway. I will give it away eventually,” Buffett said.

“The decision to keep every share is an economic decision because I think the prospects of Berkshire will be better under Greg’s management than mine.”

What to do with that personal fortune, nearly $170 billion, will eventually be in the hands of Buffett’s three children, including would-be Berkshire chairman Howard Buffett.

Howard was designated in June, along with his siblings, as manager of Buffett’s trust when he dies, and he said that they will decide where to donate that money. Buffett has already given away billions, most notably more than $40 billion to the Gates Foundation started by Bill and Melinda French Gates.

Howard, 70, has his own foundation through which he has donated billions to humanitarian and food security causes, including helping coffee farms in El Salvador and clearing landmines in Ukraine.

Tributes to Buffett came tumbling in over the weekend praising his investment savvy and folksy management style.

“There’s never been someone like Warren, and countless people, me included, have been inspired by his wisdom,” Apple CEO Tim Cook posted on X. “It’s been one of the great privileges of my life to know him.”

JP Morgan’s CEO Jamie Dimon said Buffett represented “everything that is good about American capitalism and America itself” and praised his “integrity, optimism and common sense.”

US robot makers hope to top China on humanoids Tariffs could affect their ambitions

By Matt O’Brien The Associated Press BOSTON — Tariffs weren’t on the agenda of this week’s Robotics Summit, where thousands of tech industry workers mingled with humanoid and other robot varieties and talked about how to build and sell a new generation of increasingly autonomous machines.

Not on the official agenda, at least.

“Jump up to the microphones,” said keynote speaker Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer of Boston Dynamics, inviting a standing-room-only crowd to ask him questions.

“And I’m the CTO, so don’t ask me about tariffs.”

The crowd laughed and complied. But as they streamed onto the show floor at Boston’s convention center, greeted by a remote-controlled humanoid made by Chinese company Unitree, it was hard to ignore the shadow of President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs and retaliatory measures from Trump’s biggest target, China.

Tariffs are the “No. 1 topic that we’re discussing in the hallways and at the water cooler with people that I’ve known for a long time,” said event organizer Steve Crowe, chair of the annual Robotics Summit & Expo. “I think it’s definitely top of mind because there’s so much uncertainty about what is going to come.”

That concern is rooted in a robot’s complex anatomy of motors and actuators to move their limbs, computers to power their artificial intelligence and sensing devices to help them react to their surroundings. Sensors, semiconductors, batteries and rare earth magnets are among the components most sensitive to global trade disputes.

Tesla CEO and billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk warned investors last week that China’s countermeasures restricting shipments of rare earth magnets will delay Tesla’s

Skechers to be acquired for $9B Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Skechers is being acquired for $9 billion and taken private by the investment firm 3G Capital. The companies said Monday that the Skechers board unanimously approved the deal. The offer of $63 per share represents a premium of 30% to Skechers’ 15-day volume‑weighted average stock price. The company will continue to be led by Skechers Chairman and CEO Robert Greenberg and his management team. The company headquarters will also remain in Manhattan Beach, California, where it was founded more than three decades ago.

Union members strike at jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney East Hartford, Conn.

About 3,000 labor union members have gone on strike at jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut as negotiations over wages, retirement benefits and job security broke down. Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers were picketing Monday at manufacturing locations in East Hartford and Middletown.

Union officials say about 77% of nearly 2,100 union members voted Sunday to approve their first strike since 2001. Their contract expired late Sunday.

The company says it offered a contract with competitive terms on wages, pensions and retirement benefits, and has plans to maintain production.

Sunoco buys Canadian gas store chain Parkland for $9.1B Dallas Sunoco is buying Canada’s gas station and convenience store chain Parkland in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $9.1 billion, expanding its footprint north of the border. Parkland has approximately 4,000 locations across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

Sunoco has gas and convenience store locations in more than 40 states, Puerto Rico, Europe and Mexico. The deal also includes the assumption of debt. Parkland announced in March that its board was looking at strategic options for the company. It was at that point that talks with Sunoco significantly intensified, Parkland said.

Profits fall for American oil giants Exxon Mobil, Chevron

CHARLES KRUPA / AP PHOTO

A Unitree robot shakes hands with a convention guest at the Robotics Summit & Expo last Wednesday in Boston. development of its Optimus humanoid robots.

At the summit on Wednesday and Thursday, some humanoid makers were looking at a potential bright side to the geopolitical shifts as American businesses look harder for domestic supplies of parts and the development of U.S.-based robots that can automate factories and warehouses.

“It’s added some inconveniences to our own supply chain. But it’s also opened up opportunities,” said Pras Velagapudi, chief technology officer at Oregon-based Agility Robotics, in an interview. The company is starting to deploy its humanoid robot, Digit, at a U.S. plant run by German manufacturer Schaeffler, a maker of ball bearings and other components key to the auto industry.

Al Makke, a director of engineering for Schaeffler’s chassis systems, said tariffs could push many companies toward onshoring production of various items in the U.S. “And if that does happen, then local companies have to deal with high labor costs and a shortage of labor, and so au-

tomation gets pushed further,” Makke said. “And one of those faces of automation is humanoids.”

Most of the big industrial robots employed in the U.S. are used to help make cars and are imported from countries such as Japan, Germany or South Korea.

Automakers in the U.S. installed 9.6% more robots in their plants than a year before, according to new data from the International Federation of Robotics, a trade group.

For now, humanoids are still a niche that invites intense curiosity, partly thanks to popular science fiction. Saunders, of Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics, presented an update Wednesday on the development of its Atlas humanoid robot but didn’t bring a physical prototype, instead showing off a more familiar pack of its fourlegged Spot robots contained in a pen on the show floor.

One humanoid at the conference was Unitree’s G1.

Marketed for $16,000 and remote-controlled by an employee standing nearby, the robot fluidly shook hands, waved

back at people and walked around the show floor.

Its main customers outside China are academic researchers and some social media influencers, and Trump’s current tariffs totaling 145% on China would raise its cost to American buyers to roughly $40,000, said Tony Yang, a Unitree vice president of business development who manages its North American sales.

“It’s still a very narrow market, but I think there’s still a huge potential market on the industry side, like for manufacturing and factory and even home use,” Yang said.

At a full pickleball court on the show floor, some conference attendees took a break to grab a racket and swing at balls tossed by a wheeled robot. Asked to describe what’s inside the Tennibot robot, its maker also had tariffs on the mind.

“Injection molded parts, rivets, screws, nuts, wheels, motors, batteries,” said Haitham Eletrabi, co-founder and CEO of Tennibot, based in Auburn, Alabama. “The supply chain gets very complex. We get parts from all over the world. Tariffs are adding a lot of uncertainty.”

Houston Exxon Mobil’s profit declined in the first quarter, stung partly by weaker crude prices and higher costs. Its earnings performance still beat Wall Street’s expectations, but revenue missed estimates. The oil and gas company earned $7.71 billion, or $1.76 per share, for the three months ending March 31. It earned $8.22 billion, or $2.06 per share, in the same period a year ago. The results topped Wall Street’s view, but Exxon does not adjust its reported results based on one-time events such as asset sales. Analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research expected earnings of $1.74 per share.

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 2

Beginning Cash

$2,634,723,641 Receipts (income)

$192,778,372 Disbursements

$157,270,927 Cash Balance

$2,670,245,211

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

features Rarified old‑time roots meet alt‑rock with Susto Stringband Fans are cross-pollinating

By Dan Reeves North State Journal CHARLESTON, S.C. — A striking collaboration has yielded “Susto Stringband: Volume 1,” a debut release on New West Records in which Justin Osborne of Susto’s poignant songwriting meets the rarified Appalachian sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir. The nine tracks feature Osborne’s original ballads and heartfelt refrains, now textured by the dulcet harmonies, intricate string arrangements and commanding vocals characteristic of Holler Choir.

Loosely translated from Spanish, “susto” — “an intense fear understood as a condition of the soul” — is the nom de plume of Justin Osborne and his rotating collective of music-making troubadours the songwriter established in 2013.

Since then, he and whomever he’s performing or recording with as Susto (the band) has achieved adoration from the indie set and a place at the table as a bona fide emissary of alt-rock.

Part country-rooted psychedelia with just the right smattering of punk sneer, the driving force behind Susto is Osborne’s poetic deliberations inspired by life’s victories and misfortunes only a true artist can translate.

His narratives explore themes of despair and self-loathing yet offer a glimmer of hope amidst the wreckage of broken hearts, casualties of a life marked by wild experiences and the uncertainties of the road. Yet within his songwriting, re-

demption rewards the mea culpa, and self-flagellation breeds salvation.

In 2022, major life changes brought Osborne to Asheville.

Call it a cosmic push of serendipitous happenstance, but there, at an open mic night, the newcomer found a warm welcome from local Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose and upright bassist Joey Brown (now of Holler Choir). Osborne has had a penchant for old-time music as far back as he can remember. An immediate connection and artistic chemistry sparked a new sound and vision.

Susto Stringband, featuring powerhouse vocalist Roberts, whose introspective lyrics echo Osborne’s poetic style, has gained popularity with their more acoustic, stripped-down, roots-oriented live performances. Osborne noted that the project has attracted existing Susto fans and new listeners drawn to traditional American music.

“I wanted to share the deeper influence with my fan base,” he explained. “It’s been great to see Susto making its way into that world.”

Crystalizing the new sound and vision on the road has brought Roberts — the stoic lead voice of Holler Choir — into new territory, developing skills including more nuanced guitar work and harmony singing.

“I see it as an opportunity to grow as a musician,” Roberts said. “But also to stay sharp on a whole cast of skills that otherwise wouldn’t necessarily present themselves immediately necessary within the context of Holler Choir.”

COURTESY JEFF HOLDEN

Susto Stringband, from left, Helena Rose, Justin Osborne, Clint Roberts and Jackson Grimm, perform at Charleston Bluegrass Festival in Charleston, South Carolina.

“We’ve already succeeded in what we set out to do. At this point, we’re just riding the wave we created.”

Justin Osborne, Susto Stringband John Fields of Greenfields Productions, manager of Holler Choir and co-manager of Susto Stringband, was instrumental in launching the collaboration.

“What’s been really cool to see are the fans cross-pollinate.”

Fields said. “You can feel the vibe of the old Susto fans tuning into the old-time sound of Holler Choir.”

According to Osborne, the

band truly jelled during an intense run at the famed South

by Southwest festival in Austin, where they played nine shows in four days. The experience served as a musical boot camp, helping the group quickly develop a cohesive sound and stage presence.

“By the time release weekend came around, we sort of knew what our set looked like,” Osborne said.

The band has since graduated from opening slots to headlining performances, growing confidence in their musical approach. The project represents more than just a side venture.

While initially conceived as an offshoot of Susto, the Stringband has established its own distinct identity.

New singles “Never Losing Me” and “Double Crown”

have performed impressively on streaming platforms, surprisingly even the band’s record label. All three singles have entered Spotify’s top 10 for the band, indicating strong audience reception. The band continues to balance straightforward performances with instrumental exploration, trading solos between guitar, banjo, fiddle and other instruments while focusing on vocal harmonies and storytelling.

As Susto Stringband pushes on, Osborne remains enthusiastic about the project’s potential.

“We’ve already succeeded in what we set out to do,” he said.

“At this point, we’re just riding the wave we created.”

Visit Susto.com for upcoming Susto Stringband performances this spring and summer.

‘Thunderbolts’ kicks off summer movie season with $76M Nicolas Cage’s “The Surfer” earned nearly $675,000

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press NEW YORK — Marvel Studios’ “Thunderbolts” opened with $76 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, kicking off the summer box office with a solid No. 1 debut that fell shy of Marvel’s more spectacular launches.

All eyes had been on whether “Thunderbolts” — a teamup of antihero rejects similar to “Avengers” – could restore the Walt Disney Co. superhero factory to the kind of box office performance the studio once enjoyed so regularly. The results — similar to the debuts of “The Eternals” ($71 million) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” ($75 million) — suggested Marvel’s malaise won’t be so easy to snap out of.

Some had expected a bigger opening for “Thunderbolts” because of the film’s good wordof-mouth. Unlike most recent MCU entries, reviews (88% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) have been excellent for “Thunderbolts,” directed by Jake Schreier and starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Sebastian Stan.

Audiences gave it an “A-” CinemaScore.

That kind of response should power the movie to strong business in the coming weeks.

Though bigger MCU films — including 2024’s “Deadpool vs.

Wolverine” (with a $211 million opening on the way to $1.34 billion worldwide) — have monop-

DISNEY-MARVEL STUDIOS VIA AP

David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh and Wyatt Russell, from left, star in “Thunderbolts.” olized movie screens immediately, “Thunderbolts” could gather steam more steadily. Or it could go down as another example of Marvel struggling to rekindle its golden touch.

Marvel spent about $180 million to produce the movie, which added $86.1 million in overseas sales. The film also teases the next MCU chapter, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” due out July 25.

“Marvel set the bar so high for so many years that a $76 million opening may seem to some like it should have done $100 million or something like that,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “This is a great reset. They’re hitting the reset with ‘Thunderbolts.’

The great reviews and the word-

of-mouth should hold it (in) good stead.”

The Walt Disney Co. also might not have expected such stout competition from Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.” The Warner Bros. release, which had led the box office the last two weeks, continued to hold remarkably well. In its third week, it grossed $33 million, a dip of only 28%.

“Sinners,” a 1932-set vampire movie about bootlegging brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who open a juke joint in their Mississippi hometown, has proven a spring sensation in theaters. It has collected $179.7 million domestically and $236.7 million globally thus far.

Warner Bros. also nabbed third place with “A Minecraft Movie,” the smash-hit

video game adaptation. In its fifth weekend, it rung up another $13.7 million to bring its North American gross to nearly $400 million. Worldwide, it has totaled $873.4 million. Warner Bros. added “Block Party Edition” screenings over the weekend for a sing-along and “meme-along” experience.

The film has seen some rowdy screenings from TikTok-inspired moviegoers.

More than three years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set, the Alec Baldwin western “Rust” arrived in theaters. Its release brought some closure to one of Hollywood’s greatest tragedies.

Distributor Falling Forward Films didn’t report box office, but estimates suggested “Rust”

grossed approximately $25,000 in 115 theaters.

Following Hutchins’ death, the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to prison for involuntary manslaughter. First assistant director David Halls was sentenced to probation after pleading no contest to negligent use of a deadly weapon. Involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin, a co-producer on the film, were twice dismissed, in 2023 and again in 2024.

As part of a wrongful death settlement, Matt Hutchins, Hutchins’ husband, was made an executive producer on the film.

Also opening over the weekend was “The Surfer,” starring Nicolas Cage as a man trying to surf a “locals-only” Australian beach. The Madman Films release collected a modest $674,560 from 884 theaters.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office 1. “Thunderbolts,” $76 million 2. “Sinners,” $33 million 3. “A Minecraft Movie,” $13.7 million 4. “The Accountant 2,” $9.5 million 5. “Until Dawn,” $3.8 million 6. “The Amateur,” $1.8 million 7. “The King of Kings,” $1.7 million 8. “Warfare,” $1.3 million 9. “Hit: The Third Case,” $869,667 10. “The Surfer,” $674,560

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

PEN & PAPER PURSUITS

sudoku

solutions LAST WEEK

PGA Championship preview, B4

ABBIE PARR / AP PHOTO

Run through the mud Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado, left, crosses the finish line to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. For more on the first leg of the Triple Crown, turn to page B3.

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

Hurricanes, Capitals go back to the playoff future

GOLF

Carolina’s return to the postseason began when it knocked off Washington in 2019

Collet sails to 10-shot victory, leads 20 club pros going to PGA Championship

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

Port St. Lucie, Fla. Tyler Collet smashed the PGA Professional Championship record with a 10-shot victory. Collet led 20 club professionals who qualified for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. It will be his fourth time playing the PGA Championship. It will be the first time for Michael Kartrude who won a four‑man playoff for the final spot.

NFL

NFL fines Falcons, defensive coordinator Ulbrich following prank call to Sanders Atlanta The Atlanta Falcons were fined $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 as a result of Ulbrich’s son participating in a prank call to Shedeur Sanders during the NFL Draft. The fines were for failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information. Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son, Jax, made the prank call as Sanders was waiting for his name to be called in the draft.

MLB

Clemens homers in front of father at 1st career Fenway game Boston Kody Clemens, the son of former Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens, homered into the right-field seats in the sixth inning during his first game at Fenway Park.

With his seven-time Cy Young Award-winning dad watching from a luxury box along the first-base line, Clemens hit an 0-1 slider from Hunter Dobbins over the wall in right field.

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

The Hurricanes will need another big series out of Andrei Svechnikov to advance past the Capitals in their second round series.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just over seven years ago, the Washington Capitals were the defending Stanley Cup winners and Metropolitan Division champions for the fourth consecutive season, loaded with a star-studded roster looking to make another championship run.

And then, it was over.

As shocking as it was, more surprising was the team that did it. In the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade, the Carolina Hurricanes held serve at home in their first round series with Washington

Big Four getting ready to play for College World Series UNC, NC State, Wake and Duke are all on pace to get NCAA bids

By Shawn Krest North State Journal WE COULD BE living in the golden age of college baseball in this state.

North Carolina has long been near the top of the NCAA diamond heap. Combined, the state’s baseball programs have produced 188 NCAA Tournament berths, 22 trips to the College World Series and one national title.

Never before, though, have so many teams been so good at the same time, and the four ACC teams are leading the way.

In the first 76 NCAA baseball tournaments, UNC, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest had never all gotten bids in the

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

NC State’s Andrew Shaffner pitches during an April game against UNC Greensboro. same season. That happened for the first time in 2023, and, if current projections hold, it appears that this year will be the third year in a row that the

big four have all played in the tourney.

Each of the last two tournaments, the ACC squads have been joined by ECU and UNC

and got to a Game 7 at Capital One Arena.

Brock McGinn — with an assist from Mr. Game 7, Justin Williams — ended the Capitals’ reign as champions with a double-overtime goal that kicked off a changing of the guard in Metro.

Fast-forward six years, and the Hurricanes have been the power in the division, winning a postseason round every year since and reaching the conference title twice, though a Stanley Cup remains elusive.

Now, finally, a rematch: Washington — again atop the division in the regular season and hosting Games 1 and 2 — won a playoff round for the first time since its championship season after beating Montreal in five games, while the Hurricanes took care of the Devils in five games and are the only team without a regulation loss so far in this postseason.

About this season Remember the 2018 playoff series when Carolina and Washington each won their three home games before the See CANES, page B4

Wilmington. That particular string is in real danger of ending: East Carolina entered the week with a 27-21 record and tied for fifth in the American Conference. UNCW is 26-21 and in second in the CAA. Both will likely need to win their conference tournaments to return to the tournament this season.

Of the 18 DI baseball schools in North Carolina, 10 entered the week with sub-.500 records: App State, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, Western Carolina, Davidson, Campbell, NC A&T, Queens, Gardner-Webb and Elon. All would need to pull off a miracle run in their respective conference tourneys — or, those that will get to participate in them, anyway — in order to play on in the NCAAs. Here’s a look at where the winning teams stand with a couple weeks of play remaining in the regular season: In and hosting: UNC The Tar Heels are 15-9 in the ACC, good for third place, and See BASEBALL, page B5

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

B2 THURSDAY

5.8.25

TRENDING

AJ Blubaugh: The starting pitcher made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros.

The 24-year-old right-hander gave runs in a loss to the Tigers. He struck out six.

Blubaugh went 2-1 with Fayetteville in 2022 and 6-3 with Asheville in 2023.

First baseman Blaine Crim, who played in 73 games with Hickory in 2021, made his MLB debut with the Rangers last week as well.

Frederik Andersen: The Carolina Hurricanes signed the goaltender to a one-year contract for next season worth $2.75 million.

Andersen could earn up to $750,000 in incentives for games played and a potential run to the Eastern The 35-year-old from Denmark is expected to return to the starting role at the beginning of the second round after getting injured in Carolina’s -round series.

Mike Tirico: The NBC Sports host was a “late scratch” from the 151st Kentucky Derby because of allergy reaction that removed him from coverage at Churchill Downs.

Ahmed Fareed took over coverage for the veteran broadcaster, who was scheduled to host the race for the ninth time.

Tirico left the track in late afternoon and returned to his hotel.

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

NASCAR

Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano surged ahead on a restart in became 39th after a postrace inspection found an issue with his spoiler. Logano

REED SAXON / AP PHOTO

“We couldn’t imagine beginning our coverage any other way.”

NBC Sports president Rick Cordella on bringing back John Tesh’s (pictured) “Roundball Rock” as the theme song for the network’s NBA broadcasts.

GARETH PATTERSON / AP PHOTO

NWSL

NCAA SOFTBALL

AJ MAST / AP PHOTO EVAN AGOSTINI / AP PHOTO

“We’re not talking about this.”

Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of UNC coach Bill Belichick, 73, interrupting an interview with CBS News when the reporter asked Belichick how the couple met.

PRIME NUMBER

660 Number of registered foals fathered by 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, considered by many to be the greatest race horse ever. All 19 horses that ran in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby were descendants of Secretariat.

Ashley Sanchez scored in the 12th minute and the Courage (2-3-2) won their second straight game after starting the season winless 2-0, at Utah. Royals defender Kate Del Fava’s own goal doubled North Carolina’s lead just before the half.

BRANDON WADE / AP PHOTO

was selected ninth overall by the Blaze in the 12-player Athletes Unlimited Softball draft. The new four-team league will begin play June 7. The players learned they had been invited to compete in the AUSL when they were presented with a “Golden Ticket.”

HALL OF FAME

The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame inducted NFL defensive linemen Greg Ellis (Wendell, UNC) and Chester McGlockton (Whiteville), administrator Nora Lynn Finch (Western Carolina, Wake Forest, NC State, Peace), coaches Rollie Geiger (NC State cross-country) and David Gentry (high school football), NASCAR’s Dale Inman and Bobby Isaac, Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones (pictured, NC State), Roxboro basketball’s Wendy Palmer, Fayetteville quarterback Jimmy Raye and

B3

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

NCHSAA sets new individual playoff format at spring board meeting Playoff ticket prices will increase for the first time since 2017

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal THE NORTH Carolina High School Athletic Association approved numerous structure and rule changes, including the playoff format for individual sports, at its spring board of directors meeting last week.

With the move to eight classifications going into effect in the fall, the NCHSAA approved plans on how the playoffs for seven individual sports will be conducted and how many athletes will qualify.

In swimming and diving, the NCHSAA will go from having three regionals (East, Central and West) to just East and West regionals for determining state qualifiers. For the state meet, there will be two championships going on at the same time.

For wrestling, individual qualifiers to the state championship will be reduced from 16 to eight. There will now be two regionals for each class, and the top four wrestlers from each regional will advance to the state meet. The girls’ state championship will combine classes 1A through 4A in one tournament, while 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A will have their own championships.

The boys’ championships will only combine 1A and 2A. Cross Country will have three regional meets (East, Central and West) for classes 1A through 7A while the 8A classification will only have East and West regionals. The top six teams and the top seven individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the state meet. The state meet will be a two-day event with four classifications racing on each day.

For tennis, each school will send two doubles teams and

$13, regional: $15, state: $20; baseball and softball — third, fourth, and regional: $12, state: $12 (Friday), $15 (Saturday), $25 (full series); soccer and volleyball — third, fourth and regional: $12, state: $15; lacrosse — single-game third and fourth: $12, double-game third and fourth: $13, single-game regional: $12, double-game regional: $13, state: $15; dual team wrestling — third and regional: $12, state $15; cross-country — state: $15; indoor and outdoor track — regional: $11, state: $15; swimming and diving — regional: $10, state: $5 (diving), $12 (swimming single session), $15 (swimming all sessions); cheerleading — state: $15 Here are other noteworthy changes approved by the NCHSAA at its spring meeting.

Finance and personnel • Approved the required use of a cash option for payment at the NCHSAA playoffs

Review and officiating

PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Seaforth’s Layne Armstrong celebrates winning a state wrestling title earlier this year.

The NCHSAA made changes to how the state meet is organized at the most recent board of directors meeting. two individuals to a preregional, and 16 doubles and 16 singles will then qualify for the regional tournament. The top two finishers from each regional will advance to the state tournament for a total of eight qualifiers per class. Conference tournaments will be optional.

Golf will have three regionals for the boys and two for the girls. During the state championships, two championships will be conducted on one site with one class starting off on the front nine and the other starting on the back nine.

Indoor track and field championships will take the top 12 entries in relay events and the top 12 entries in individual events. For outdoor track and field, championships will take

the top 16 entries for both relay and individual events.

The NCHSAA will also solely use the 40-40-20 MaxPreps RPI system for determining playoff qualification and seeding for team sports. The RPI formula includes a 40% weight on a team’s winning percentage, a 40% weight on its opponents’ winning percentage and a 20% weight on its opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage. Regular season conference champions and conference tournament champions will no longer be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

In March, the NCHSAA approved the creation of 48-team brackets for 1A-7A and 24team brackets for 8A ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

One of the biggest financial changes out of the meeting was the approval of playoff ticket price increases for the first time since 2017. First and second round games for football, soccer, volleyball, basketball (single game), lacrosse (single game), dual team wrestling, baseball and softball will be set at $10 per ticket. Prices will increase in the third and fourth rounds and increase again in the regional and championship rounds.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the price changes: Football — third and fourth round: $14, regional: $16, state: $20; basketball — single-game third and fourth: $12, double-game first and second: $12, double-game third and fourth:

• Approved changing the mercy rule in basketball from 40 to 35 points • Approved changing the mercy rule in football from 42 to 35 points

Sports • Approved increasing the minimum number of matches for women’s wrestling regional seeding from seven to 15 • Approved using the USTA High School Digital Platform for the state individual tennis tournaments ranking • Approved altering the 2025‑26 sports calendar to reflect a corrected date for swimming and diving reporting deadline, regionals and state championships • Approved adopting the five‑quarter rule in basketball

Sovereignty reigns supreme in Kentucky Derby Junior Alvarado rode the underdog past favorite Journalism in the slop

By Beth Harris The Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty gave trainer Bill Mott a second Kentucky Derby victory. This time there was no doubt about it and no asterisk.

The 3-year-old colt outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Derby in the slop on Saturday, snapping an 0 for 13 skid by owner Godolphin.

Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified during a 22-minute delay.

It took a few minutes for Saturday’s results to be made official while the stewards sorted out a photo for second and reviewed a traffic-choked start.

Mott knew all the while who earned the garland of red roses.

“This one got there the right way,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I mean, he’s done well, he’s a great horse, he comes from a great organization and I can’t say enough about the horse and the organization that started him out and made this happen.”

Godolphin is the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court — a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify — won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

“I’ve had quite a long relationship with the Godolphin team and the man behind the Godolphin operation, Sheikh Mohammed,” Mott said. “I’m just honored.”

Sovereignty, also bred by the sheikh, splashed through 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96

BRYNN ANDERSON / AP PHOTO

Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. to win at 7-1 odds. He’s the record 20th horse with a name starting with “S” to win. The victory was worth $3.1 million from the $5 million purse.

“It’s great,” Mott said. “I think it will take a little while to sink in.”

Journalism didn’t have the cleanest of trips in the 19-horse field, but rallied to stay in the fight. He found trouble early before jockey Umberto Rispoli swung him outside to get him in the clear. They made a move at the leaders with Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado right behind them.

“He was saying to me, ‘Listen, I’m ready,’ so from there I start-

ed picking up,” Alvarado said.

The two colts hooked up for a sixteenth of a mile for a thrilling battle against the backdrop of 147,406 roaring and rainsoaked fans before Sovereignty surged ahead inside the eighth pole and drew clear.

“I saw the blue silks (of Godolphin) coming at us and I knew that was the one we were going to have to be concerned about,” said Michael McCarthy, Journalism’s trainer. “The winner ran a better race.”

Alvarado won his first Derby in six tries. He and Sovereignty were reunited after Alvarado had missed the colt’s last start in the Florida

Derby because he was injured.

“It’s more than a dream come true,” the 38-year-old Venezuelan said. “I thought I had a great chance. I was confident the whole week.”

Fast-closing Baeza — who got into the race on Thursday after another horse was scratched — was a neck back in third. Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Citizen Bull, the lone entry for six-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, set the pace. Baffert was back on the first Saturday in May having serving a three-year suspension

by Churchill Downs after his Medina Spirit crossed the fin-

ish line first in 2021 and failed a postrace drug test.

D. Wayne Lukas, the 89-yearold four-time Derby winner, saw his colt American Promise finish right behind Baffert in 15th.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

Burnham Square was sixth, followed by Sandman, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold, Tiztastic, Coal Battle, Neoequos, Publisher, Citizen Bull, American Promise, Render Judgment, Flying Mohawk and Admire Daytona.

B4

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Charlotte FC gears up for extended travel-heavy schedule Eight of the club’s next 10 matches are on the road

By Jesse Deal North State Journal CHARLOTTE — After winning three matches in a row, Charlotte FC has cooled off with a pair of losses as it now eyes the prospects of playing eight of its next 10 matches on the road.

On Saturday, Charlotte (6‑1‑4, 19 points) suffered a 4-2 road loss to first-place Columbus (7-3-1, 24 points), dropping to fifth place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings.

“I think the biggest thing for us is that we make too many basic errors,” Charlotte FC coach Dean Smith said after the loss in Columbus, Ohio. “When you do that against a good team, rather than individuals, then you get punished for it.”

Compared to the club’s previous losses — a 1-0 road loss at Miami on March 9, a 2-0 road loss at Colorado on March 29 and a 1-0 home loss to New England on April 26 — Smith not-

ed that Columbus presented the highest level of competition and aggressiveness to date.

“Nobody likes to get beat, but out of the defeats we’ve had previously, that’s the one that you have to accept,” Smith said.

“They (Columbus) created a couple of chances early on where (Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina) made one save with his head and one where he put it over the bar. He’s made some good saves at good times for us. In the other games that we got beat in, I didn’t think we deserved to, but you can’t question tonight because they took their chances.”

Charlotte’s four allowed goals marked the highest number it has given in any game this season; no team had scored more than two on Charlotte in a single match up until that point.

An early 2-0 deficit proved to be too much to overcome, as goals from Charlotte forwards Wilfried Zaha and Liel Abada were both respectively countered by Columbus.

The club was without its leading goal contributor, Pep Biel

NELL REDMOND / AP PHOTO

Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina sets his defense during a match earlier this year. (hamstring), who is expected to be back next week. The Spanish midfielder ranks second in MLS with six assists this season and has already doubled the amount he had in his first campaign in the Queen City last year.

Smith told reporters that midfielder Brandt Bronico stepped up in Biel’s absence and was Charlotte’s “best player” on the field.

“All we can do is focus on correcting our mistakes from this game, promoting what we did well, and taking that into the

next game,” Bronico said. “I feel like we have a quality team and a lot of good players, but we kind of just stepped away from the game plan of what we’re good at.

Columbus plays a high line, and I feel like if we had utilized that space a little bit more, it would have been a different game. I think we should get back to our ways on Tuesday and start our winning streak over.”

On Tuesday night, Charlotte FC traveled to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, where it was hosted by USL Championship soc-

PGA Championship returns to Quail Hollow The Charlotte course last held the major in 2017

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal THE PGA Championship is returning to Quail Hollow for its 107th iteration and the first in Charlotte since 2017.

The tournament will be held May 15-18 and it will be the second time ever that the club has hosted the major.

“The PGA of America is proud to return the PGA Championship to Quail Hollow and the wonderful host city of Charlotte,” said PGA of America President Suzy Whaley when the announcement was made in 2020. “Quail Hollow’s course has a well-earned reputation as a stern test for the world’s finest players, but what sets the club apart is its membership and the welcoming atmosphere that they promote. The state of North Carolina’s appreciation for the game and major championship golf is remarkable.”

And in two weeks time, 156 players will be battling it out over the four-day tournament to try and secure the Wanamaker Trophy and their spot in history.

Founded in 1959 and designed by George W. Cobb, the Charlotte course is a par 71 coming in at more than 7,500 yards, making it one of the longest courses on the tour.

Beyond that, participants will also have to overcome the infamous “Green Mile.”

The Green Mile is considered to be one of the hardest finish-

CANES from page B1 Hurricanes’ win in Game 7?

During this year’s regular season, the teams split their four games, with the home team winning each. Carolina did steal an extra point, losing a shootout in D.C. in the teams’ final meeting on April 10.

The Hurricanes were led by their young core in four games against the Capitals this season, with Seth Jarvis (3 goals, two assists) leading all scorers with five points and rookie Jackson Blake scoring three of his 17 regular season goals against Washington.

Brent Burns’ three points were tied for the most he had against any team this season. He also had three regular season points against the Devils, and that carried over to Round 1, where he had a goal and an assist in five games against New Jersey.

On the Capitals’ side, Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome each had three points against

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy holds the trophy after winning the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club last year. He returns in search of a bigger prize this year. ing three holes in golf with little room for error due to the heavy presence of water hazards, a creek, heavy rough, trees, bunkers and more.

Hole 16 is a par-4 that’s more than 500 yards with a hole perched right on the edge of the water.

Hole 17 is a par-3 that requires pin-point accuracy to avoid falling into the water that wraps the front, back and left of the hole.

Then finally, Hole 18 is a par‑4 where golfers have to thread the needle between a

“It’s a big boy golf course.

Championship style.”

Xander Schauffele creek all alongside the left of the fairway while also avoiding the trees, rough and bunkers to the right.

It’s a tremendous challenge for any pro no matter how well they might have been doing before, and it’s the perfect test for crowning a champion.

Carolina during the regular season. Ovechkin, with two power play goals, was the only player in the series to score more than once against the Hurricanes this year for Washington, which totaled 10 goals in the four-game series.

Capitals starting goalie Logan Thompson faced Carolina just once, suffering a loss after allowing three goals on nine shots in the first period of a 5-1 Hurricanes win April 2.

Frederik Andersen, who is back after getting knocked out of Game 4 and missing Game 5 against the Devils, made two starts against Washington this season, going 1-0-1 with an .898 save percentage. Three of the five goals he allowed were on the power play.

win the Stanley Cup and lost to Carolina in 2019.

He’ll now be on the other side for this year’s rematch, and the pending unrestricted free agent has played well against the Capitals since coming to Carolina.

On the Washington side, defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk was part of that Carolina team that stunned the Capitals in 2019. He came to D.C. in 2020 and has played the last five seasons with the Caps, logging all 82 games this season. He has three assists in 14 games against the Hurricanes since the 2020-21 season.

Former Carolina defenseman Ethan Bear is a reserve for Washington.

Familiar faces

The Hurricanes ranked first on the penalty kill during the regular season (83.6%) and were perfect (15 of 15) against the Devils in Round 1. Carolina’s power play, 25th-ranked at

Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s only multigoal game of the season came Nov. 3 against the Capitals, the team he helped

Special teams

The last time the PGA Championship was at Quail Hollow was 2017, when 24-year-old American golfer Justin Thomas won his first career major, shooting 8 under.

While the last PGA Championship at Quail Hollow was in 2017, the tour did come through the course last year, with Rory McIlroy taking home his fourth tournament win at the Charlotte club, shooting 17 under for a five-stroke victory over Xander Schauffele in the Wells Fargo C hampionship.

“It’s a big boy golf course,”

18.7% during the regular season, clicked against the Devils, scoring on 31.6% of its chances.

The Capitals’ penalty kill struggled against Montreal, allowing five goals on 15 chances (66.7%) after ranking fifth (82.0%) in the regular season.

Washington’s power play was middle of the road in the regular season (23.5%, tied for 13th) and pretty much the same against the Canadiens (3 of 13, 23.1%).

X-factor Tom Wilson turned the series against Montreal on its ear with his crushing hit on Habs defenseman Alexandre Carrier, and he will surely try to intimidate the Hurricanes throughout a seven-game series.

Carolina did a good job of standing up for itself in late-season matchups against Washington, and Andrei Svechnikov was a nuisance to Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom throughout that first round series.

cer club North Carolina FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32.

The winner of NCFC and Charlotte was scheduled to face the winner of the USL Championship’s Charleston Battery and the MLS’s D.C. United in the next round.

Along with 15 other MLS clubs, the Round of 32 was Charlotte FC’s introduction to the 2025 knockout cup, which is the country’s oldest ongoing national soccer competition.

Charlotte FC and NCFC had previously faced off in a preseason match earlier this year in Cary, where the latter pulled out a 1-0 victory behind a goal from Pedro Dolabella.

“We’re ready to move forward and get on track,” Charlotte FC defender Andrew Privett said at a Monday press conference. “It’s just all in the preparation each week and each day coming into training — the guys in the back line putting in the work no matter who it is.”

Looking ahead to the next few weeks of MLS play, Charlotte will head to Tennessee this weekend to play Nashville on Saturday night. The Crown will then travel to Florida to face Orlando on May 14 before returning home to Bank of America Stadium for a rematch with Columbus on May 24.

Charlotte will round out the month with a pair of road contests: New York on May 28 and Toronto on May 31.

Schauffele said that year.

“Championship style.”

McIlroy is looking to win back-to-back majors for the first time since 2014 after winning The Masters earlier this year, and there’s perhaps no better place for him to do it as he also holds the course record (61), which he set in 2015.

“I love coming back here,” McIlroy said following his 2024 win at Quail Hollow. “I love spending time here. It’s a place that I’m very comfortable at. For whatever reason, I get so much great support here. All these people have sort of watched me grow up. I won here for the first time as a 20-year-old and now at 35. So they’ve sort of seen my progression throughout the years, and I’ve sort of grown up in front of their eyes. And I think that’s one of the reasons why I get a lot of support here too.”

Last year’s PGA Championship was held at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, and it was certainly one to remember, as No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was arrested en route to the event. He made it back in time to compete following a rain delay but ultimately finished in eighth place.

Instead, Schauffele took home the crown, edging Bryson DeChambeau with a birdie on the final hole for his first major win.

Scheffler, McIlroy and Schauffele make up the top three in the Official World Golf Rankings as of May 4 and all three could be big bets to take home the win.

Thomas, who’s currently looking for back-to-back Quail Hollow PGA Championships, is currently ranked fifth, DeChambeau, the 2024 runner-up, is 13th, and Masters runner-up Justin Rose is 14th.

The second round matchup could come down to which of Wilson and Svechnikov have the bigger series.

Prediction As much as another seven-game series would be a treat for hockey fans, I think the Hurricanes are deeper all over the ice. A lot of Washington’s success this year came thanks to career years for several players, much of it on inflated shooting percentages.

Also, Thompson’s electric start in net came crashing down starting in February, though he was better against the Canadiens.

If Carolina can stay hot on the penalty kill and win the special teams battle, Washington will have a tough time matching the Hurricanes at 5-on-5.

It’s back to the Eastern Conference final for coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team with a 4-2 series win.

B5

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

BASEBALL from page B1 35-10 overall. The Heels are a consensus top five national seed and in line to host the first weekend and, assuming they advance, the week two super regionals.

UNC has won six straight ACC series, but the remaining schedule could slow the momentum.

The Heels play the two teams ahead of them in the ACC standings: NC State at home and FSU on the road.

In and on the hosting bubble: NC State The Wolfpack are 15-8, a game behind Florida State in the ACC. However, nonconference struggles have led to a 30-15 overall mark, and they are looking up at

the Tar Heels in most NCAA projections. The Wolfpack were expected to host as recently as late April, but a loss at home to UNCW followed by a two‑game sweep in a rain shortened ACC series in Miami knocked NC State down a peg. Most mocks have the Wolfpack headed to an SEC-hosted regional as the No. 2 team. D1Baseball has State going to Auburn, while The Tennessean puts the Wolfpack at LSU. With a series at UNC and, of course, the conference tournament in Durham still to come, State has the opportunity to improve its tournament positioning significantly.

In and unlikely to host: Duke, Wake Forest The Blue Devils are 14-10 and

2

Number of times Duke, UNC, NC State and Wake Forest all got NCAA bids, both in the past two seasons tied with Clemson for sixth in the ACC, 32-15 overall. Duke’s remaining series are against Clemson and Georgia Tech, who is a game ahead in the standings.

However, the Blue Devils are a consensus No. 3 team in someone else’s regional. Major prognosticators have Duke going to Coastal Carolina (Ole Miss would be the No. 2), West Virgin-

ia (Ole Miss) and Auburn (Dallas Baptist).

Wake is 12-12 and 10th in the conference, 32-16 overall. The Deacs’ remaining two ACC series are against Louisville, one game ahead in the standings, and sub.500 Pitt. Despite being below Duke in the standings, Wake’s nonconference schedule has it as a consensus No. 2 team. Major mocks have the Deacs headed to LSU, Georgia or Coastal Carolina.

Non-ACC team with the best chance: High Point High Point has won six straight and is 33-14, 14-4 and atop the Big South. The Panthers have a nonconference game remaining against Wake Forest

and host the conference tournament. Most projections have High Point winning the automatic bid from the conference and heading somewhere as a No. 4 team. Most outlets expect the Panthers to be sent to Chapel Hill.

The rest: ECU, Charlotte and UNCW While the Pirates and Seahawks have been NCAA regulars in recent seasons, both will need to win their conference tourneys to go back this year. Charlotte is in a slightly better spot, a 12-9 in the AAC and in second place.

However, with a 27-20 overall record, the 49ers also likely need to win the automatic bid to go dancing.

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND Notice to Creditors IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE# 25E000495-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Donna Rene Beachum, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 6416 Whitehall Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28303 on or before July 17 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 17th day of April, 2025.

Dominique C. Craddock, administrator of the Estate of Donna R. Beachum 6416 Whitehall Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28303 910-916-2013

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File# 25E000477-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Natasha Gordon Hughes of the estate of Glen Eugene Borg, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 24th day of April, 2025.

Natasha Gordon Hughes, Administrator/Executor 6022 Amstead Avenue Fayetteville, NC 28314 Of the Estate of Glen Eugene Borg, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NUMBER: 25E000364-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ronald E. Bredell, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all person, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 7318 Avalon Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28303, on or before July 17, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 15th day of April, 2025.

Denise Bredell-Hill,Executor of the Estate of Ronald Ellis Bredell 7318 Avalon Drive Fayetteville,NC 28303-2419 (910) 538-0077

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #23E001384-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Robert Earl Cooper, Deceased late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before August 8, 2025 at 5914 Dottie Circle, Hope Mills, North Carolina 28348, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 8th day of May, 2025 Nora Susann Cooper, Executor of the Estate of Robert Earl Cooper c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC Post Office Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 (910) 485-8899 05/08/2025, 05/15/2025, 05/22/2025 and 05/29/2025

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 256000391-250 Administrator’s/Executive Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Jonathan A. Freeman of the Estate of John A. Freeman, deceased, late of Cumberland County, Hereby notifies all persons, Firms, and corporations having claim against said estate to present claim to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of July 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 24th day of April 2025 Jonthan A. Freeman Administrator/ Executor 328 Gadson Drive Address Hope Mills, NC 28348 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of John A. Freeman, Deceased

NOTICE

ADMINISTRATOR CTA’S NOTICE

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland In the General Court Of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E000690-250 Administrator/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executors of the Estate of Robert Gale Gilstrap, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the ___8___ day of August 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 2 day of May, 2025.

Theresa D. Becker & Robert E. Becker Administrator/Executor 4054 Village Drive Address Fayetteville, NC 28304 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Robert Gale Gilstrap, Deceased

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E000481-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND The undersigned having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Hans Strout, deceased late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned at PO Box 53555, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28305 on or before August 1, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 1st day of May, 2025 J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Administrator CTA of the Estate of Hans Strout c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC Post Office Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 (910) 485-8899 5/1/2025, 5/8/2025, 5/15/2025 and 5/22/2025

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File# 25E000652-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Jane G. Dew, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of August, 2025, (which is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 28th day of April, 2025.

Cynthia G. Blackwell, Administrator CTA 1588 Beard Road Wade, North Carolina, 28395 Of the Estate of Jane G. Dew, deceased

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as administrator of the Estate of Michael Alan Logan, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of August, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 25th day of April, 2025.

Sharlyn Logan, Administrator 3928 Pleasantburg Drive Fayetteville, NC 28312 Of the Estate of Michael Alan Logan, Deceased

NOTICE The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Edda Angelina Wade, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 24Th day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 7th day of April, 2025 Angelica Applegate 5004 Redwood Drive Fayetteville, North Carolina 28304 Of the Estate of Edda Angelina Wade, Deceased Estate file # 21E22

NOTICE State of North Carolina In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File: 23E1935 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Tito A Matos, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 17 July 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 14 day of April, 2025.

Gilberto Matos Jr Administrator/Executor 218 Old Gate Rd Fayetteville NC 28314 Of the Estate of Tito A Matos, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ROBERT E. POOLE Cumberland County Estate File No. 25E000615-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Robert E. Poole, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Robert E. Poole, II, Executor, at 1200 Longleaf Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before the 25th day of July, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 16th day of April, 2025.

Robert E. Poole, II Executor of the Estate of Robert E. Poole Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: April 24, May 1, May 8 and May 15, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF MARIA ZAMBAFTIS POULOS CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000524-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Maria Zambaftis Poulos, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Kostas T. Poulos, Executor, at 1436 Pine Valley Loop, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before the 2nd day of August, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 24th day of April, 2025.

Kostas T. Poulos Executor of the Estate of Maria Zambaftis Poulos Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: May 1, May 8, May 15 and May 22, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 24E000197-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Rosemary Elizabeth Deon Taylor, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before August 1, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 1st day of May, 2025.

Michael L. Taylor, Administrator of the Estate of Rosemary Elizabeth Deon Taylor NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR ADMINISTRATOR

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County Of Cumberland In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E604 The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Brenda Joyce WIllis, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the (1st day of August 2025, which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 1st day of May 2025 Administrator, Ebony J. Willis Address: 6824 Buttermere Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28314 Of the Estate of Brenda Joyce Willis. Deceased

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #: 25E000004-250 Administrator’s / Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of William Jennings Wright, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 1 day of August , 20 25 , (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedents are requested to make immediate payments to the undersigned.

This 1 day of May 2025 .

Ivy M. Wright 3110 Braddock Drive Fayetteville, NC 28301 Of the Estate of William Jennings Wright, Deceased.

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E000236-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator/ Executor of the Estate of Marcina L Rosemond , deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of August , 20 25 , (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are required to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 1st day of May 2025 .

Thomas L Rosemond Administrator/Executor 9720 Gooden Drive Address Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314 City, State, Zip Of the estate of Marcina L Rosemond , Deceased

Administrator’s / Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Robert P. Cope, deceased, late of Cumberland County, herby notifies of all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of August 2025, (which date is three-months after the day of the first publication of this invoice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 8th day of May, 2025.

Rhonda Washburn 3870 204th Lane NW Oak Grove, MN 55303 Of the Estate of Robert P. Cope, Deceased

NOTICE

State of North Carolina County of Cumberland In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #25E000705-250

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as administrator of the Estate of Mary Josephine Donelson, deceased late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of August, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 8th day of May, 2025 Pamela Green, Administrator 106 Daniel Drive Goldsboro NC 27534

NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Alice M. Barille, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them, duly verified, to the undersigned, care of their attorney, on or before July 18, 2025 (which date is at least three (3) months from the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned, care of their attorney.

This the 17th day of April, 2025.

Vincent Frank Barille, Executor of the Estate of Alice M. Barille c/o Randall S. Hoose, Jr. Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146 Please publish 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Karen L. Linen, having qualified on the 18th day of March 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Marlene Ann Dexter aka Marlene S. Dexter (2025-E-001267-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 11th day of August, 2025, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 8th day of May 2025.

Karen L. Linen Executor ESTATE OF MARLENE ANN DEXTER AKA MARLENE S. DEXTER David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: May 8, 2025 May 15, 2025 May 22, 2025 May 29, 2025

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

NEW HANOVER Notice To Creditors All Persons, firms and corporations having claims against George Thomas Barbour Sr., deceased, of Wake County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before August 1, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. Brandon Owen c/o Lisa Burke 184 Rosemary Street Goldston, NC 27252

Published Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Donna Lee Barthold (25E001375-640), late of 4318 Stratton Village Lane, Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 1 N 16th Street, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401, on or before the 12th day of August 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 5th day of May, 2025.

Linda Ann Burgess Executrix of the Estate of Donna Lee Barthold

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Alice M. Barille, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them, duly verified, to the undersigned, care of their attorney, on or before July 18, 2025 (which date is at least three (3) months from the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned, care of their attorney.

This the 17th day of April, 2025.

Vincent Frank Barille, Executor of the Estate of Alice M. Barille c/o Randall S. Hoose, Jr. Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146 Please publish 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08

RANDOLPH

WAKE

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

Notice to Creditors

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA RANDOLPH COUNTY In the District Court Division 24CVD000907-750 ROLAND & JENNIFER SHIPWASH, Plaintiffs vs.

MELODY SHIPWASH, Defendant.

Take notice that a COMPLAINT FOR CHILD CUSTODY & EX PARTE CUSTODY has been filed against you in the above action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Custody of of the minor child; Ex Parte Custody of the minor child.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than the 27th day of June, 2025 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This, the 1st day of May, 2025.

Marshall F. Dotson, III Marshall F. Dotson III Attorney for the Plaintiffs 402 South Cox Street Asheboro, North Carolina 27203 Telephone: (336) 625-3330 Facsimile: (336) 625-2693

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of MARY MAGDALENE JONES, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E000797-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of August 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8th day of May 2025.

Marlene Harrington Administrator of the Estate of Mary Magdalene Jones c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 05/08, 05/15, 05/22, 05/29/2025)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Luna Dunn Keys, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at P.O. Box 5994, Greensboro, North Carolina 27435, on or before the 17th day of July 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 17th day of April 2025.

Vacia Shellington Administrator of the Estate of Luna Dunn Keys Jonathan M. Parisi Attorney at Law Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994 Greensboro, NC 27435

ROBESON

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, NORMAN B. MITCHELL, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of MARY REBECCA ROLSTON, Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said NORMAN B. MITCHELL, at the address set out below, on or before July 25, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same. All persons indebted to said Decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below.

This the 16th day of April, 2025.

NORMAN B. MITCHELL Executor OF THE ESTATE OF MARY REBECCA ROLSTON c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, STEVEN MICHAEL HOSTETLER, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of JOHN MICHAEL PCOLA, Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said STEVEN MICHAEL HOSTETLER, at the address set out below, on or before July 25, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same. All persons indebted to said Decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below.

This the 16th day of April, 2025.

STEVEN MICHAEL HOSTETLER Executor OF THE ESTATE OF JOHN MICHAEL PCOLA c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF LARRY HORNE, SR. Robeson County Estate File No. 22E000068-770 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against LARRY HORNE, SR., deceased, of Robeson County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Teshayla Oxendine, Administratrix, at 9941 Kings Parade Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28273, on or before the 2nd day of August, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administratrix named above.

This the 25th day of April, 2025.

Teshayla Oxendine Administratrix of the Estate of Larry Horne, Sr. Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: 5/1, 5/8, 5/15 and 5/22/2025

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Ancillary Administrator of the Estate of Theodore Edward Dow, late of Bedford County, Virginia, but owning real property in Wake County, North Carolina (25E001228-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 17th day of April 2025.

David James Dow Ancillary Administrator Estate of Theodore Edward Dow c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8/2025)

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of ALECIA SHEREE MCCLAMB, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E001543-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of August 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8th day of May 2025.

Stanley Hilton McClamb Executor of the Estate of Alecia Sheree McClamb c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29/2025)

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of CAROL COPE EDWARDS, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E001601-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of August 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8th day of May 2025.

Alecia G. Johnson Executor of the Estate of Carol Cope Edwards c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29/2025)

FORECLOSURES

CABARRUS 24SP000217-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA,

CABARRUS

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Daniel M McCurdy Sr and Michelle McCurdy to Knipp Law, Trustee(s), which was dated April 24, 2020 and recorded on April 27, 2020 in Book 14140 at Page 0134, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 24SP000333-120 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by CORA M. LAWS payable to WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Lender, to TRSTE,INC., Trustee, dated April 14, 2006, and recorded in Book 6734, Page 35 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT , having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in Book 16944, Page 0001, 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 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on May 14, 2025 at 11:00am, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 5633450357 ADDRESS: 5100 PATTERSON RD KANNAPOLIS, NC 28083 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S):

for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 21, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot 175 of SKYBROOK Subdivision, Phase 4, Map 3, as same is shown on map thereof recorded in Map Book 40 at Page 107, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cabarrus County, which recorded map is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this description.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 14919 Northgreen Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/ are Daniel M McCurdy Sr and spouse,

Michelle McCurdy.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the

place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-10687-FC01

UNKNOWN HEIRS OF CORA M. LAWS, DECEASED THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CABARRUS, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 6734, PAGE 35, AS FOLLOWS: TRACT ONE BEING ONE LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND IN CABARRUS COUNTY, NEAR KANNAPOLIS, N.C., SURVEY MADE

BY P.C. BERNHARDT, SURVEYOR, OF SALISBURY, N.C.. OCTOBER 13, 1941 AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT AN IRON STAKE M.C. BARNHARDT AND M.W. MOORE’S CORNER AT THE ROAD AND RUNS THENCE S. 25° E. 4 CHAINS TO AN IRON STAKE AT THE ROAD; THENCE N. 53° E. 3.37 CHAINS TO A HICKORY, A NEW CORNER ON M.C. BARNHARDT LINE; THENCE N. 70° W. 4.75 CHAINS TO THE BEGINNING, CONTAINING. 33/100 ACRES MORE OR LESS. TRACT TWO LYING AND BEING IN NO. 5 TOWNSHIP, CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. ON THE EAST SIDE OF PATTERSON ROAD ADJOINING THE PROPERTY OF M.C. BARNHARDT HEIRS AND EUPHIE LEE MOORE, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT AN EXISTING AXLE IN PATTERSON ROAD, CORNER OF EUPHIE LEE MOORE AND RUNS THENCE N. 7507-12 W. 23.04 FT. TO A POINT IN THE CENTER LINE OF PATTERSON ROAD; THENCE WITH THE CENTER LINE OF PATTERSON ROAD, N. 24-04-57 W. 25 FT. TO A MASONRY NAIL SET IN THE CENTER LINE OF PATTERSON ROAD, A NEW POINT OF M.C. BARNHARDT HEIRS; THENCE A NEW LINE N. 41-0756 E. (PASSING A POINT ON LINE AT

33.04 FT.) 212.39 FT. TO AN IRON STAKE IN THE LINE OF EUPHIE LEE MOORE; THENCE WITH HER LINE S. 29-36-31 W. 217.05 FT. TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, CONTAINING .111 ACRES ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY JONATHAN P. SZAP DATED APRIL 1, 1987.

TRACT THREE BEGINNING AT A STAKE ON W. J. HILEMAN’S LINE 406-1/2 FEET S. 76 DEG. E., THE CORNER OF M. C. BARNHARDT’S AND W. J. HILEMAN’S PROPERTIES, AND RUNS THENCE WITH W. J. HILEMAN’S LINE S. 76 DEG. E. 125 FEET TO A STAKE, BARNHARDT’S CORNER ON HILEMAN’S LINE; THENCE WITH M. C. BARNHARDT’S NEW LINE N. 32 DEG. E. 348-1/2 FEET TO A STAKE, BARNHARDT’S CORNER; THENCE N. 76 DEG. W. 125 FEET TO A STAKE; THENCE S. 32 DEG. W. 348 FEET TO THE BEGINNING, AND BEING A PART OF M. C. BARNHARDT’S 58-1/2 ACRE TRACT. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property

pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Samantha J. Kelley or Sarah A. Waldron ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 160 Jacksonville, NC 28541-0160 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

FORECLOSURES

CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 25SP000040-250 NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY RICKY CRAIG SIMPSON AND ANGELIKA SIMPSON DATED MARCH 31, 2016 RECORDED IN BOOK NO. 09832, AT PAGE 0017 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALEFILE NUMBER: 25SP000161-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by MATTHEW C. HOWLE AND KELLI T. HOWLE payable to COUNTRYWIDE BANK, FSB, Lender, to TRUSTEE SERVICES OF CAROLINA, LLC, Trustee, dated August 15, 2008, and recorded in Book 7965, Page 334 of the Cumberland County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT , having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Cumberland County, North Carolina, in Book 12167, Page 0364, 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 in Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000205-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Charles M. Pate (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Charles M. Pate) to F. Stuart Clarke, Trustee(s), dated May 7, 2012, and recorded in Book No. 08896, at Page 0651 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000173-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Carl Mills (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Carl Mills) to Investor Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated August 31, 2021, and recorded in Book No. 11235, at Page 0883 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21SP000654-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Anthony D. McNeill and Charity B. McNeill (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Anthony D. McNeill and Charity B. McNeill) to Lynde Seldon, Trustee(s), dated November 9, 2017, and recorded in Book No. 10201, at Page 236 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 19, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Eastover in the County

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000228-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Reginald Marshall and Britni Kennedy Marshall (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Reginald Marshall and Britni Kennedy Marshall) to Jennifer R. Cooney, Attorney at Law, Trustee(s), dated March 15, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 11418, at Page 0798 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 in Fayetteville,

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way

relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law.

After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit The Purchaser shall have no paid. further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

sales, on May 12, 2025 at 11:00AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 0530-45-1302 ADDRESS: 408 TARMORE CT FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28311 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): MATTHEW C. HOWLE AND KELLI T. HOWLE THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 7965, PAGE 334, AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 25 OF KINGS GRANT SUBDIVISION, KNOWN SECTION XV, PHASE ONE, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 85, PAGE 96, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the

mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 19, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot Number 162 in a subdivision known as HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS, SECTION EIGHT and the same being duly recorded in Book of Plats 33, at page 18, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1039 Kingsley Road, Fayetteville North Carolina.

Parcel Identification No. 0407-23-5672 Property Address: 1039 Kingsley Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00)

required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is

designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 12, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 613, in a subdivision known as Ascot, Section 2, Part 1, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 42, Page 7, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 309 Broomfield Court, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

PROPERTYADDRESS: 309 Broomfield Ct, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered

pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form

of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 4521.29 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 foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: 3631 Wind Sock Ct, Eastover, NC 28312 0468-76-8484 TRACT ONE: BEING all of Lot 45-5 as shown on a plat entitled “RECOMBINATON PLAT FOR EASTOVER AIR RANCH” duly recorded in Plat Book 117, Page 172, Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry.

TRACT TWO: BEGINNING at an iron stake set in the western margin of the Eastover Air Ranch Homeowners Association, (Air Run Way), as shown in Deed Book 4410 Page 462 and in Plat Book 89, Page 158 of the Cumberland County Registry; Said iron stake set being located N 36 degrees 07” 16” E 51.14 feet from an existing iron pipe located at the Southeast corner of Lot # 425, as shown on plat entitled “Recombination Survey for John Wesley Bowen, III and Amy Michele Bowen” and being recorded in Plat Book 109, Page 151 of the Cumberland County Registry; And runs thence from said beginning iron stake with a new line N 61 degrees 23’ 10” E 16.72 feet to an iron stake set; thence N 28 degrees 36’ 59” W 7.89 feet to an iron stake set in the western margin of the Eastover Air Ranch Homeowners Association, (Air Run Way); thence S 36 degrees 07’ 16” W 18.49 feet to the point of beginning and containing 66 square feet.

The above tract being shown on plat entitled “Recombination Survey for John Wesley Bowen, III and Amy Michele Bowen” and being recorded in Plat Book 109, Page 151 of the Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3631 Wind Sock Court, Eastover, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any

and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property

may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 4521.29 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 foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 19, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Autryville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 6B, as shown on a plat entitled “SUBDIVISION FOR RICHARD L. CRUMPLER” recorded in Plat Book 141, Page 49, Cumberland County Registry.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 824 Hollow Bridge Road, Autryville, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered

pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form

of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 4521.29 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 foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 1:30 PM on May 14, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed

by Ricky Craig Simpson; Angelika Simpson, dated March 31, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $110,322.00, and recorded in Book No. 09832, at Page 0017 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Address of property: 556 Farmview Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Tax Parcel ID: 0530-02-5813 The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Ricky Craig Simpson and Angelika Simpson.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is 14th day of April, 2025.

Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 Ingle Case Number: 31949-54066

Samantha J. Kelley or Sarah A. Waldron ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 160 Jacksonville, NC 28541-0160 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24662 - 123748

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24533 - 122917

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 2319 - 5229

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 17207 - 81061

B8

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

FORECLOSURES

CUMBERLAND 24SP000761-250 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Max B Lucas a/k/a Max Lucas to Adam B. Newman, Trustee(s), which was dated May 18, 2021 and recorded on May 19, 2021 in Book 11127 at Page 0756, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said

23SP000697-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Zachary Hyde to AmTrust Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated November 9, 2021 and recorded on November 10, 2021 in Book 11306 at Page 0475, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the

24SP001991-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Charynel Camacho and Alexsander Polanco to Ashish G Lakhiani, Trustee(s), which was dated October 12, 2018 and recorded on October 15, 2018 in Book 10390 at Page 0555, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the

DAVIDSON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 139 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Lamar Keith Raker (Deceased) and Dorathy Martin Raker (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Shirley Raker Kotofsky) to , Trustee(s), dated August 31, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 1640, at Page 0537 in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Davidson County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 93 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Joseph Caswell and Crystal Southern (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Joseph Caswell and Crystal Southern) to Brock and Scott, Trustee(s), dated April 4, 2020, and recorded in Book No. 2403, at Page 574 in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Davidson 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 in Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on May 14, 2025 and will sell to

SECOND NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24 SP 376 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Marieko Tonietta Smith, (Marieko Tonietta Smith, Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Heirs of Andrew Scott: Clinton Tyrone Payne, Malaya Jordan, and Kayden Fountain) to Trustee Services, Inc., Trustee(s), dated the 7th day of September, 2000, and recorded in Book 1198, Page 1626, in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Davidson 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 in the City of Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or

default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 21, 2025 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Lot 16, Block “L” in a subdivision known as Cottonade Section Four, according to the plat of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 27, Page 46, Cumberland County Registry.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 6421 Newcastle Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are CFP Property Solutions LLC.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by

the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-25618-FC01

county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 21, 2025 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: The Land is described as follows: BEING all of Lot Number 158 in a subdivision known as REVISION OF LOTS 157, 158, 166, 167 & 168 MIDDLE CREEK, SECTION 4 and the same being duly recorded in Book of Plats 92, at page 167, (Lot 158, Middle Creek, Section Four, Plat Book 61, Page 41), Cumberland County Registry.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 7220 Shady Grove Ln, Fayetteville, NC 28314.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory

upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Zachary Hyde.

An Order for possession of the property

may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their

agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-10760-FC01

county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 14, 2025 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Lot 63, in a Subdivision known as Estherbrook, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 30, page 25, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1607 Inverness Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Charynel Camacho and spouse, Alexsander Polanco.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the

clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-06852-FC02

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on May 21, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING: A lot on the East Side of Highway 109 shown as lot 7-B, And being 109 feet 4 Inches front, 110 feet Back, North line 183 2/3 feet deep, South line 184 1/3 feet deep, said lot containing 20,133 square feet, more or less, And being a part of Lot No. 3 of Lot 7-A and 7-B as allotted to Frances E. Tuttle. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6992 North NC Highway 109, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

See Division of Lands Book No. 4, Pages 157 and 159, In the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Davidson County; See Deed Book 391, Page 574.

BEING THE SAME AND IDENTICAL PROPERTY as described In Deed Book 604, Page 736, Davidson County Registry.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole

discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also

being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession

by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Thomasville in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Tax Id Number(s): 16334J0000031 Land situated in the City of Thomasville in the County of Davidson in the State of NC BEING all of Lot No. 31, Olde Farm, Section 2, Phase 1, Map 2, according to the plat thereof which is duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Davidson County, North Carolina in Plat Book 26, Page 132. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 105 Johnia Court, Thomasville, North Carolina.

Commonly known as: 105 Johnia Court, Thomasville, NC 27360 THE property address and tax parcel identification number listed are provided solely for informational purposes.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the

court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%)

of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county

in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 a.m. on May 14, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the City of Lexington, in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being one-half of Lots 17, 18 and 19 running 75 feet along Beckner Street and 90 feet along East Street (Meredith Avenue), containing 6,750 square feet of Block “I” of SKYLAND SUBDIVISION OF PEELER AND BECKNER, which map is duly recorded in Plat Book 5, page 43 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Davidson County, North Carolina.

For further reference see Deed Book 332, page 119 and Deed Book 294, page 568 and Deed Book 974, page 863. Also see the Will of Hugh Sterling Holt as recorded in Estate File No. 96 E 38 in the office of the Clerk of Superior Court for Davidson County.

Together with improvements thereon, said property located at 613 Beckner Street, Lexington, North Carolina 272924539 Property address: 613 Beckner Street, Lexington, North Carolina 27292-4539 Parcel ID: 11149000I0017A

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of

record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. §

45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 22430 - 109960

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24408 - 122044

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm LLP 6230 Fairview Road, Suite 315 Charlotte, North Carolina 28210 Phone No: (704) 362-9255 Case No: 1378446 (CFC.CH)

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

B9

FORECLOSURES

DAVIDSON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 124 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Dannie R. Justice and Miranda Broadus (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Dannie R. Justice and Miranda Broadus) to Laurel A. Meyer, Trustee(s), dated June 5, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 2183, at Page 1250 in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Davidson County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DAVIDSON COUNTY 25sp000137 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY CLYDE SETH KENNEDY AND SARAH ELIZABETH HOULETTE DATED APRIL 26, 2010 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1969 AT PAGE 1417 IN THE DAVIDSON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured

DURHAM 24SP002095-310 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Teresa Butler, unmarried to CB Trustee, LLC, Trustee(s), which was dated April 13, 2010 and recorded on April 14, 2010 in Book 6454 at Page 294, Durham County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DURHAM COUNTY 24SP000160-310 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ROBERT MICHAEL AND MEGAN NICOLE WILLICK AND CYNTHIA MICHAEL DATED AUGUST 12, 2021 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 9427 AT PAGE 240 IN THE DURHAM COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000267-310 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kimberly N. Thompson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kimberly N. Thompson) to Frances Jones, Trustee(s), dated July 26, 2011, and recorded in Book No. 6767, at Page 72 in Durham County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Durham 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 in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 3:00 PM on May 20, 2025 and will sell to the highest

FORSYTH NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 182 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kamah Woelfel (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kamah Woelfel) to Cynthia Porterfield, Trustee(s), dated August 6, 2019, and recorded in Book No. RE 3475, at Page 1093 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FORSYTH COUNTY 25sp000198 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JERRY DAVIS AND MARJA C DAVIS DATED MAY 20, 2002 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2254 AT PAGE 619 IN THE FORSYTH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale

property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on May 14, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING known and designated as Lot Number 12, as shown on the Map of Kimberly Village, as recorded in Plat Book 16, Page 159, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Davidson County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 354 Lori Lane, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred

Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the

debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Davidson County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 12, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Clyde Seth Kennedy and Sarah Elizabeth Houlette, dated April 26, 2010 to secure the original principal amount of $73,343.00, and recorded in Book 1969 at Page 1417 of the Davidson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 816 Georgia Ave, Thomasville, NC 27360 Tax Parcel ID: 16132000J0031

Present Record Owners: Clyde Seth Kennedy The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Clyde Seth Kennedy.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the

purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is April 22, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com 22-113084

undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 15, 2025 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Durham County, North Carolina, to wit: Lying and being in the City of Durham, Lebanon Township, Durham County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All of Lot 25 in Madison Glen II, Phase 1, Plat Book 178, Page 283-288 (286), Durham County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 403 Hidden Treasure Drive, Durham, NC 27712.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the

time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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.

Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Teresa Butler.

An Order for possession of the property may

be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-23843-FC02

at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Durham County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 14, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Durham County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Robert Michael and Megan Nicole Willick and Cynthia Michael, dated August 12, 2021 to secure the original principal amount of $327,950.00, and recorded in Book 9427 at Page 240 of the Durham County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 4113 Fiesta Rd, Durham, NC 27703 Tax Parcel ID: 169891 Robert Present Record Owners:

Michael, Megan Nicole Willick, and Cynthia Michael The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Robert Michael, Megan Nicole Willick, and Cynthia Michael.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any

transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of

the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is March 17, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com 23-115425

bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Durham in the County of Durham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot #9, as shown by the revised Plat of Lincoln Heights, Block D, and Surveyed and Platted by Floyd E. Womble, R.L.S. November 1942; and duly recorded in Plat Book 14 at Page 98, Durham County Registry to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 105 Barnhill Street, Durham, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance

“AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of

termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:15 PM on May 14, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Pfafftown in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING known and designated as Lot Number 17 as shown on the map of Oak Park, as recorded in Plat Book 30, Page 67, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4605 Oak Park Drive, Pfafftown, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred

Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the

at the Forsyth County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 14, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Jerry Davis and Marja C Davis, dated May 20, 2002 to secure the original principal amount of $31,800.00, and recorded in Book 2254 at Page 619 of the Forsyth County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 1616 North Jackson Avenue, Winston Salem, NC 27105 Tax Parcel ID: 6836-82-0728 Present Record Owners: Jerry

Davis and Marja C Davis The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Jerry Davis and Marja C Davis.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount

of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1272 - 124287

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 19976 - 124095

property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 23018 - 113372

renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is April 24, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com 24-119696

B10

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

FORECLOSURES

IREDELL IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION IREDELL COUNTY 25sp000030 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES P. KRUPSKY AND STEPHANIE N. KRUPSKY DATED NOVEMBER 20, 2020 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2756 AT PAGE 1088 IN THE IREDELL COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt

JOHNSTON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000027-500 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kimberly N. Richardson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kimberly N. Richardson) to Brett Warner, Trustee(s), dated August 21, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 6530, at Page 935 in Johnston County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Johnston 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 in Smithfield, Johnston County,

25SP000093-500 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA,

JOHNSTON

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Camilla G. Hockaday to Harry E. Dean III & Peter Cameron, Trustee(s), which was dated June 2, 2023 and recorded on June 2, 2023 in Book 6485 at Page 834, Johnston County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property

MOORE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000054-620 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Frederick Scott Whitby (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Frederick Scott Whitby) to Jennifer Grant, Trustee(s), dated June 25, 2013, and recorded in Book No. 4226, at Page 560 in Moore County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Moore County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

NEW HANOVER NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, NEW HANOVER COUNTY 24 SP 529 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Peter C. Boulter, and Carol M. Boulter, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $127,875.00, to Bank of America, N.A., Mortgagee, dated December 28th, 2005 and recorded on December 28th, 2005 in Book 4958, Page 462, as instrument number 2005076468, New Hanover 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

ORANGE AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 20SP000054-670 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Melvin Fleming and Cyrette Cotten Fleming (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Cyrette Cotten Fleming) to Southland Associates, Inc., Trustee(s), dated April 25, 2002, and recorded in Book No. 2576, at Page 199 in Orange County Registry, North Carolina.

The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on December 29, 2017, in Book No. 6408, at Page 510, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Orange County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of

and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Iredell County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 15, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Iredell County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed James P. Krupsky and Stephanie N. Krupsky, dated November 20, 2020 to secure the original principal amount of $212,054.00, and recorded in Book 2756 at Page 1088 of the Iredell County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 140 Silvermere Drive, Statesville, NC 28625

Tax Parcel ID: 3793599912.000 Present Record Owners: Stephanie N. Krupsky The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Stephanie N. Krupsky.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale.

Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and

assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law.

After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be

advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is March 31, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com 22-113217

North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 13, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Kenly in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Situate in Johnston County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 33 in Section Four, Ridgewood Subdivision, according to a map and survey of same entitled “Surveyed for JPK&A, LLC” and prepared

by Byrd Surveying, P.A., dated September 22, 1999, and recorded on November 17, 2003 in Plat Book 63, page 227, Johnston County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 107 Cottonwood Court, Kenly, North Carolina.

Property address: 107 Cottonwood Court, Kenly, NC 27542

fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement

entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party

must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred

is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Johnston County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL of Lot 11, Harvest Meadows, Phase 2, as shown on a map recorded in Plat Book 95, Page 30, re-recorded in Plat Book 95, Page 474 and re-recorded in Plat Book 96, Page 324, Johnston County Registry, to which references are hereby made for certainty of description.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 152 Springtooth Dr, Zebulon, NC 27597.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Camilla C. Hockaday.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29

in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their

agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 25-04428-FC01

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Carthage, Moore County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on May 22, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Vass in the County of Moore, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being Lot 19, Cordelia Hills, as shown on Map entitled “Subdivision Plan for Cordelia Hills, Owner, Harvel Realty, Inc , McNeill Township., Moore County, NC recorded in Plat Cabinet 14, Slide 60, Moore County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3 Cordelia Way. Vass, North Carolina.

fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the

county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45)

per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred

New Hanover 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 New Hanover County, North Carolina, at 1:00 PM on May 13th, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 45, Section 1, Winds Ridge, as shown on Map Book 44 at Pages 40 and 41 of the New Hanover County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 4004 Winds Ridge Drive, Wilmington, NC 28409 Tax ID: R07900-003-154-000 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, 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 Peter

C. Boulter .

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.

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.

Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Hillsborough, Orange County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 12, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Chapel Hill in the County of Orange, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of that certain parcel of land and all improvements now or hereafter located thereon; lying and being on the southwest side of State Road No. 1945, which said stake is located South 38 deg. 00’ East 60 feet from the northeast corner of the property of Charlie Mason; running thence from said beginning point along the southwestern side of said road South 38 deg. East 140 feet to an iron stake; running thence South 52 deg. 00’ West 290 feet to an iron stake; running thence North 38 deg. West approximately 170 feet to an iron stake; which said stake is located 50 feet from Mason’s south boundary line; running thence North 59 deg. 13’ East 291.68 feet to an iron stake in the southwest side of said State Road, the point and place of BEGINNING, and being a portion of the property conveyed to Emery B. Denny, Jr., Trustee by deed recorded in Deed Book 218, at Page

442 and Deed Book 217, at Page 821, Orange County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2622 Neville Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. §

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are

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 §45-21.16A(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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 21488 - 115856

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24583 - 123196

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee 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 24-002044-01

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 foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1903 - 3957

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

B11

FORECLOSURES

RANDOLPH NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000059-750 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Tim Edward Williams and Espifania Williams (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Tim Edward Williams and Espifania Williams) to Bradley D. Dinkel of Wake County, Trustee(s), dated February 4, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 2791, at Page 2165 in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on February 16, 2024, in Book No. 2897, at Page 1523, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of

25SP000017-750 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, RANDOLPH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jo Leigh Thompson, Charles F. Thompson, and Mary D. Sheets to Andrew Valentine, Esquire, Trustee(s), which was dated March 27, 2006 and recorded on March 30, 2006 in Book 1966 at Page 1568, Randolph County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located,

ROBESON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP001086-770 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Curtis Chung (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Curtis Chung) to Investors Title Insurance Company., Trustee(s), dated March 27, 2024, and recorded in Book No. D 2451, at Page 748 in Robeson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Robeson 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 in Lumberton, Robeson County, North Carolina, or the customary

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP001070-770 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Bobbie J. Parton (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Bobbie J. Parton) to Kathryn Richards & Jerry B. Flowers III, Trustee(s), dated March 23, 2015, and recorded in Book No. D 1986, at Page 223 in Robeson County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on January 13, 2022, in Book No. 2326, at Page 220, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Robeson County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned

23SP000276-770 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, ROBESON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Bernabe Delacruz and Rosita Delacruz to William R. Echols, Trustee(s), which was dated November 30, 2007 and recorded on November 30, 2007 in Book D 1641 at Page 750 and rerecorded/ modified/corrected on October 26, 2020 in Book D 2253, Page 433; rerecorded/ modified/corrected on February 11, 2021 in Book D 2269, Page 70 and rerecorded/ modified/corrected on September 6, 2023 in Book D 2421, Page 670, Robeson County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 12, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Robeson County, North Carolina, to wit: Lot Four All that certain tract or parcel of land lying about 6 miles northwest of the center of Lumberton, NC, about 800 feet south of SR 1525, Parnell Road, adjacent to and on the west side of a 45 foot private easement, about 800 feet southwest of SR 1521, Oak Grove Church Road and adjoining the lands of Julius H. Parnell (14-1/209 and 502/230) on the west and Iglesia Pentecostal Manantial De Vida, Inc. (1585/723) on the north and south and being more particularly described as following; BEGINNING at a iron rod set in the west line of the 35.23 acre tract of which this is a part (1585/723), said iron rod being located South 04 degrees 59 minutes 23 seconds West 427.61 feet from a concrete monument found, a corner of said 35.23 acre tract, this concrete monument being located South 05 degrees 01 minutes 14 seconds West 133.21 feet from a concrete monument found; a corner of said 35.23 acre tract, this concrete monument being located South 05 degrees 01 minutes 14 seconds West 133.21 feet from a concrete

Deeds Randolph 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 in Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on May 14, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Asheboro in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Tract 2, Exempt Division Survey for Larry W. McKenzie, recorded in Plat Book 169, Page 68, Randolph County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1822 Newell Street, Asheboro, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45)

per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred

fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 21, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Randolph County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot No. 2 of Indigo Acres containing 3.161 acres, more or less, and depicted on that certain map or plat recorded in Plat Book 60, Page 4 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 3415 Indigo Trail, Asheboro, NC 272058479.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY

THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Jo Leigh Thompson and Mary D. Sheets.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against

the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 45-21.16A(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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 25-00576-FC01

location designated for foreclosure sales, at 2:30 PM on May 21, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Saint Pauls in the County of Robeson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot No. FIFTEEN (15), containing 0.69 acre, more or less as shown on a map entitled “Revised Major Subdivision Plat Highland Ridge Subdivision Property Owned by Linkhaw Development Group, LLC”, prepared

by John D. Powers, Jr., P.L.S., dated February 24, 2021 and recorded in Map Book 60, at Page 111 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Robeson County.

Reference to said map is hereby made and incorporated herein for a more complete and accurate description of said lot. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 28 Bermuda Drive, Saint Pauls, North Carolina.

This description includes a 2022 CLAYTON Manufactured Home bearing Serial No. OHC031957NC-AB which is permanently affixed to the above described property and is considered a part of the real property.

SUBJECT to that certain Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions

for Highland Ridge Subdivision recorded in Deed Book 2373, at Page 661, Robeson County Registry.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior

encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession

by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Lumberton, Robeson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 2:30 PM on May 21, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Lumberton in the County of Robeson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot No. 40 and 41 as shown and designated on that certain map or plat entitled “Map No. 2, showing lots in the City of Lumberton, NC, owned by Godwin Homes, Inc.”, which said map is duly recorded in Book of Official Maps No. 7, at Page 39, Robeson County Registry.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 520 French Avenue, Lumberton, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45)

per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred

fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

monument found, a corner of said 35.23 acre tract, this concrete monument being located South 04 degrees 59 minutes 08 seconds West 160.42 feet from a concrete monument found in said west line a its intersection with the curved south right of way line (60 ft. right of way) of SR 1525, Parnell Road and runs thence from said beginning iron rod South 84 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds East 463.41 feet to a iron rod set in the west right of way line of a 45 foot private easement; thence with the west right of way line of a 45 foot private easement South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 241.72 feet to a iron rod set, the pc of curve in said west line of said 45 foot private easement; thence North 84 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds West 463.20 feet to a iron rod set in the west line of said 35.23 acre tract; thence with said line North 05 degrees 00 minutes 12 seconds East 17.29 feet to a concrete monument found; thence continuing with said west line North 04 degrees 59 minutes 23 East 102.18 feet to the beginning containing 2.51 acres more or less.

45 Foot Private Easement Granted and Reserved BEGINNING at a iron rod set in the south right of way line (60 ft. right of way) of SR 1525, Parnell Road , at its intersection with the west right of way line of this 45 foot private easement, said iron rod being located South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 30.0 feet from a iron rod set in the center of SR 1525, this iron rod being located North 84 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds West 211.05 feet from a nail found in the centerline intersection of SR 1525 with SR 1521 and runs thence from said beginning iron rod with the west line of said 45 foot private easement, South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 950.25 feet to a iron rod set, the pc of a curve having a radius of 50 feet; thence with the curve of the west right of way line of said 50 foot radius, the following 2 chords, South 08 degrees 18 minutes 39 seconds East 97.29 feet and North 18 degrees 07 minutes 19 seconds East 97.29 feet to a iron rod set, the pt of said 50 foot radius and in the east line of said 45 foot private easement; thence with the east line of said 45 foot private easement North 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds East 953.82 feet to a iron rod set in said east line at its intersection with the south right of way line (60 ft. right of way) of SR 1525, Parnell Road; thence with the south right of way line of SR 1525, North 82 degrees 40 minutes 25 seconds West 45.44 feet to the beginning and being a 45 foot private easement for the purpose of ingress, egress and utilities from SR 1525, Parnell Road.

And being a part of that 30.23 acre tract conveyed by Township Developers, LLC and Red Apple Properties, LLC to Iglesia Pentecostal Manantial De Vida, Inc. by deed dated 7 February, 2007 and recorded in Deed Book 1585, page 723.

Bearings referenced to Deed Book 1585, page 723.

Exempt from Robeson County Subdivision Ordinance under Article V. Section 501, Item h.

Lot Five All that certain tract or parcel of land lying about 6 miles northwest of the center of Lumberton, NC about 1000 feet south of SR 1525, Parnell Road, adjacent to and on the west side of a 45 foot private road, about 1000 feet southwest of SR 1521, Oak Grove Church Road and adjoining the lands of Julius H. Parnell (502/230) on the west and Iglesia Pentecostal Manantial De Vida, Inc. (1585/723) on the north and south and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a iron rod set in the west right of way line of a 45 foot private easement, the pc of a curve, said iron rod being located South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 980.25 feet from a iron rod found in the center of SR 1525, Parnell Road, this iron rod being located North 84 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds West 211.05 feet from a nail found in the centerline intersection of SR 1521 with SR 1525 and runs thence from said beginning iron rod with the curved west right of way line, having a 50 foot radius, the chord being South 08 degrees 18 minutes 39 seconds East 97.29 feet to a iron rod set in said curved easement; thence South 05 degrees 12 minutes 27 seconds West 136.39 feet to a iron rod set; thence North 84 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds West 484.84 feet to a iron rod set in the west line of said original 35.23 acre tract of which this is a part (1585/723); thence with said west line North 05 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds East 223.80 feet to a iron rod set; thence South 84 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds East 463.20 feet to the beginning containing 2.51 acres more or less.

45 Foot Private Easement Granted and Reserved BEGINNING at a iron rod set in the south right of way line (60 ft. right of way) of SR 1525, Parnell Road, at its intersection with the west right of way line of this 45 foot private easement, said iron rod being located South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 30.0 feet from a iron rod set in the center of SR 1525, this iron rod being located North 84 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds West 211.05 feet from a nail found in the centerline intersection of SR 1525 with SR 1521 and runs thence from

said beginning iron rod with the west line of said 45 foot private easement, South 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds West 950.25 feet to a iron rod set; the pc of a curve having a radius of 50 feet; thence with the curve of the west right of way line of said 50 foot radius, the following 2 chords, South 08 degrees 18 minutes 39 seconds East 97.29 feet and North 18 degrees 07 minutes 19 seconds East 97.29 feet to a iron rod set, the pt of said 50 foot radius and in the east line of said 45 foot private easement; thence with the east line of said 45 foot private easement North 05 degrees 03 minutes 51 seconds East 953.82 feet to a iron rod set in said east line at its intersection with the south right of way line (60 ft. right of way) of SR 1525, Parnell Road; thence with the south right of way line of SR 1525, North 82 degrees 40 minutes 25 seconds West 45.44 feet to the beginning and being a 45 foot private easement for the purpose of ingress, egress and utilities from SR 1525, Parnell Road.

And being a part of that 30.23 acre tract conveyed by Township Developers, LLC and Red Apple Properties, LLC to Iglesia Pentecostal Manantial De Vida, Inc. by deed dated 7 February, 2007 and recorded in Deed Book 4585, page 723.

Bearing reference to Deed Book 1585, page 723.

Exempt from Robeson County Subdivision Ordinance under Article V, Section 501, Item H. This description is to include 2007 Cavalier Manufactured Home, 80 x 32 with Serial No. BG07NC144689AB Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 220 Windy Drive and 2.51-acre parcel adjacent to 220 Windy Drive, Lumberton, NC 28360.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot

grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal.

This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Rosita Delacruz.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving 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 [NCGS § 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 the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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 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.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 20-01855-FC02

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24577 - 123168

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24957 - 125422

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24826 - 124555

B12

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

FORECLOSURES

ROBESON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 24SP000277-770 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by JULIA J. WATSON payable to 1ST ALLIANCE LENDING, LLC, Lender, to JOHN DILLARD ESQ., Trustee, dated March 8, 2016, and recorded in Book D 2031, Page 649 of the Robeson County Public Registry

by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT , having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Robeson County, North Carolina, in Book 2491, Page 556, 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 in Robeson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on May 22, 2025 at 11:00am and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Robeson, North Carolina, and being more particularly

WAKE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 24SP002544-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY KATHRYN ANN MURPHY DATED SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 17574 AT PAGE 1779 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000418-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Cheryl Wilder Partin FKA Cheryl K. Wilder and Charles Terrel Partin (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Cheryl Wilder Partin) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated December 15, 2016, and recorded in Book No. 016642, at Page 00335 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on July 16, 2019, in Book No. 017506, at Page 01031 A Loan Modification recorded on June 21, 2024, in Book No. 019641, at Page 02472, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake 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 Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina,

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 18SP002354-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MAURICE LORANZO LEE AND TRACY LEE DATED OCTOBER 13, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 11058 AT PAGE 1787 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 23SP003328-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY CARL A. GREENE AND SHANESE D. CREDLE DATED NOVEMBER 22, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 12282 AT PAGE 158 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY 24 SP 1153 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by James P. Kennovin and JenAi Kennovin, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $152,000.00, to Bank of America, N.A., Mortgagee, dated August 21st, 2009, and recorded on August 26th, 2009, in Book 13676, Page 2420, Wake 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 Wake 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 Wake County, North

described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 120401054 ADDRESS: 15051 NC 130 HIGHWAY E FAIRMONT, NC 28340 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): UNKNOWN HEIRS OF JULIA WATSON, DECEASED THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF ROBESON, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK D 2031, PAGE 649, AS FOLLOWS: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN ORRUM TOWNSHIP AND COUNTY OF ROBESON, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: SITUATE 3 1/4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER OF THE TOWN OF FAIRMONT, N.C, AND 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF SR NO. 2208 (WIREGRASS ROAD) AND ADJOINING THE NORTHERN RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF HIGHWAY NO. 130 ON THE SOUTH, HUBERT GOVAN ON THE NORTHWEST AND OTHER LAND OF DRUID P. FLOYD ON THE NORTH AND EAST, AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS, TO-WIT: BEGINNING AT AN IRON PIPE IN THE NORTHERN RIGHT OF WAY LINE (30 FT. FROM CENTER) OF N.C. HIGHWAY NO. 130, SAID IRON PIPE BEING THE MOST SOUTHERN CORNER OF THE HUBERT GOVAN LOT AS SHOWN IN DEED BOOK 17-Q, AT PAGE 138, ROBESON COUNTY REGISTRY, AND RUNS THENCE WITH THE EASTERN LINE OF SAID HUBERT

GOVAN LOT NORTH 23 DEG. 36 MIN. EAST 200.00 FT. TO AN IRON PIPE, THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID GOVAN LOT; THENCE A NEW LINE SOUTH 66 DEG. 24 MIN. EAST 100.00 FT. TO AN IRON PIPE; THENCE SOUTH 23 DEG. 36 MIN. WEST 200.00 FT. TO AN IRON PIPE IN THE NORTHERN RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF SAID N.C. HIGHWAY 130; THENCE WITH SAID NORTHERN RIGHT-OF-WAY (30 FT. FROM CENTER) NORTH 66 DEG. 24 MIN. WEST 100.00 FT. TO THE BEGINNING. A.P.N.: 120401054 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this

property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing

written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Samantha J. Kelley or Sarah A. Waldron ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 160 Jacksonville, NC 28541-0160 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 22, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Kathryn Ann Murphy, dated September 9, 2019 to secure the original principal amount of $160,000.00, and recorded in Book 17574 at Page 1779 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

2913 Address of property: Dunsinane Court, Raleigh, NC 27604 Tax Parcel ID:

0017690 Present Record Owners: Kathryn A. Murphy The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Kathryn A. Murphy.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any

transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of

the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is April 8, 2025.

Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee Jpurser@logs.com Agavin@logs.com LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com 24-119446

or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 19, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Tax Id Number(s): 0076786 Land Situated in the City of Raleigh in the County of Wake in the State of NC Situate on the northeastern side of Greenway Street and About 292 feet in a southeasterly direction from the Raleigh Falls of Neuse Road and beginning at an iron stake, southernmost corner of Lot 13 on plat or map entitled “Greenway Acres Addition, Property of Lewis P. Walton,” according to a survey and plat thereof made by John W. Birdsall, O.L.S. July 8, 1965, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Wake County, North Carolina, in Book of Maps 1965, Page 160, and running thence along the line of Lot 13 N. 46 deg. 27 min. E. 157.47 feet to an iron stake; thence along other lands of Greenway Acres S. 55 deg.

39 min. E. 188.66 feet to an iron stake; thence along the line of the land of W. M. Dean S. 57 deg. 56 min. W. 1891.55 feet to an iron stake the margin of Greenway Street; thence along and with the northeastern margin of Greenway Street N. 50 deg. 49 min. W. 149.55 feet to the point of beginning, and being Lot 14 on the plat hereinabove referred to.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 8604 Greenway Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.

The property address and Tax Parcel Identification Number listed are provided solely for informational purposes.

Commonly known as: 8604 Greenway Street, Raleigh, NC 27615-2418 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities

arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S.

§ 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

at 11:00AM on May 22, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Maurice Loranzo Lee and Tracy Lee, dated October 13, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $172,000.00, and recorded in Book 11058 at Page 1787 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 113 Saint Johns St, Knightdale, NC 27545 Tax Parcel ID: 0291255 Present Record Owners: Maurice Loranzo Lee The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register

of Deeds, is/are Maurice Loranzo Lee. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and

must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days

written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is April 10, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee Jpurser@logs.com Agavin@logs.com LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com Posted: By:

of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 22, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Carl A. Greene and Shanese D. Credle, dated November 22, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $166,400.00, and recorded in Book 12282 at Page 158 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 2700 Orangebrook Rd, Raleigh, NC 27610 Tax Parcel ID: 0344599 Present Record Owners: Carle Greene and Shanese D. Credle The record owner(s) of the property,

according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Carle Greene and Shanese D. Credle.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1,

2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is April 11, 2025. __________________ ___________________ Jason K. Purser N.C. State Bar No. #28031 Aaron Gavin N.C. State Bar No. #59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee Jpurser@logs.com Agavin@logs.com LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com Posted: By:

Carolina, at 2:00 PM on May 22th, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Situated in Wake County and beginning described as follows: Being all of Lot 27, Section 2, Block H, Cloverdale Subdivision, as depicted in Map Book 1954, beginning at or including Page 115.

This Property is located at 3811 Cobb St, Garner, NC and has Tax Parcel Identification Number 0033770.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 3811 Cobb Street, Garner, NC 27529 Tax ID: 1712207055 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, 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 are James P. Kennovin and Jen-Ai Kennovin .

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 §45-21.16A(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.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 13076 - 122922

13-048285

22-114474

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

VOLUME 148 ISSUE 11 | THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Thousands filled the streets of Siler City for the Spring Chicken Festival, including for the “Chickin’ Pickin’ competition, above.

the

BRIEF this week

Federal judge says results of N.C. Supreme Court race must be certified Raleigh A federal judge has ruled that disputed ballots in the still unresolved 2024 race for a Supreme Court seat must remain in the final count. U.S. District Judge Richard Myers also ordered late Monday that the State Board of Elections certify results that show Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs the winner — by 734 votes — over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin. Myers delayed his decision in case Griffin wants to appeal.

Myers agreed with Riggs that carrying out recent decisions by state appeals courts that directed potentially thousands of ballots be removed from the tally would violate the U.S. Constitution.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

Thousands come out for Spring Chicken Festival Beach music legends The Embers took the main stage

By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — Thousands gathered in Siler City Saturday to celebrate all things chick-

ter and excitement could be heard as children and families enjoyed rides such as the Ferris wheel, the thrilling camel slide and the spinning Jitterbug swing.

Musical guests included The Embers featuring Craig Woolard, members of the South Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame. “We’re all about the

‘Ethics Bowl’ offers students gentler alternative to debating With no assigned positions, teams explore, not argue

By Travis Loller The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — At the National Speech and Debate Tournament, two high school stu-

dents take the stage. The first articulates the position he has been assigned to defend — people should have a right to secede from their government — and why it is correct. Another student, assigned the opposite position, begins to systematically tear down her opponent’s views.

A year later and 800 miles away, two teams of high school

students convene at the University of North Carolina for the National High School Ethics Bowl finals. A moderator asks about the boundaries of discourse — when a public figure dies, how do you weigh the value and harm of critical commentary about their life?

Teams have not been assigned positions. One presents

Mom reunites with 911 operator who helped deliver baby “It’s just a part of my job, I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Lorrie Teague, Chatham County

$2.00

en at the Spring Chicken Festival, an all-day, family-friendly affair that saw streets lined with booths showcasing handmade arts and crafts from local artisans.

The aroma of funnel cakes and other treats filled the air, creating a lively, carnival-like atmosphere. On East Second Street, the sounds of laugh-

Sarah Gianni unexpectedly went into labor

By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — Reporters surrounded 911 telecommunicator Lorie Teague as she cradled Daisy Gianni, a bubbling, healthy 8-pound, 1-ounce baby girl who had popped into the world just two weeks prior, thanks to a bit of help from someone on the other end of the phone.

Teague was preparing to eat breakfast when an urgent early morning call came in to the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center. 911 operators never know what might be

on the other end of the phone, but this wasn’t an incoming report of a car crash or a house fire. Instead, she professionally answered the trembling voice of Corinne Townsend, who said that her 36-year-old and very pregnant daughter, Sarah Gianni, had unexpectedly gone into labor.

“I started having contractions just after six that morning and was preparing to head to the hospital,” Gianni said. “I had just put the kids in the car when my water broke. My husband was already at work, but thankfully, my mom was there and called 911.”

Teague began talking both mothers through each step of the delivery and, crucially, See BABY, page A3

fun and the community,” said Liz Mauney, Mountaire Cares Manager, the festival’s main sponsor.

Mountaire Farms hosted its annual “Chickin’ Pickin’” event, a three-minute challenge where contestants tear as much meat as possible from a cooked Mountaire roaster. The contestant with the most meat by weight wins the round. For the first round, elected officials participated, racing to pick apart a roaster to win $500 for their chosen non-profit.

Siler City Mayor Donald Matthews, Chamber of Commerce See FESTIVAL, page A2

their ideas. The opposing team asks questions that help everyone to think about the issue more deeply. No one attacks.

Many a young debater may learn the rhetorical skills to become a successful lawyer or politician, subduing an opponent through wit and wordplay. But are they learning skills that will make them better citizens of an increasingly complex and contentious republic?

In an age when many Americans are wondering whether it is still possible to have a principled, respectful disagreement See DEBATE, page A10

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THURSDAY

5.8.25 #90

FESTIVAL from page A1 Executive Director Josh Harris and Chatham County Manager Brian Thomson served as judges. For the second year in a row, Commissioner Franklin Gomez Flores won and donated his winnings to the Siler City Futbol Club. Other elected officials who participated included Alec Houser, town

manager Jack Meadows and Travis Patterson.

“What was really cool was seeing repeat contestants for the audience rounds,” Mauney said. The audience participated to win cash and prizes, but the most bragging rights come with the coveted Spring Chicken Festival champion belt, which went to repeat contestant and winner Kyle Hines.

“Everyone was shagging and having a good time at this year’s event,” Mauney said. “Our Mountaire booth was right up front, near the stage for the chicken picking, so we had a great view.

And of course, the chicken mascot made an appearance and even danced with The Embers, which was a lot of fun.”

CHATHAM

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

May 9 “Join the conversation”

Line Dancing Classes at Chatham Mills 11 a.m. to noon Build your skills on the dance floor with line dancing classes at Chatham Mills hosted by Forest Hall at Chatham Mills and the Chatham Social Club. The cost is $25 per class; all skill levels are welcome.

Chatham News & Record www.chathamnewsrecord.com

North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Copyright 2024 Neal Robbins Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Asheebo Rojas Sports Reporter Ryan Henkel Reporter P.J. Ward-Brown Photographer

480 Hillsboro St. Suite 350 Pittsboro

BUSINESS

Chatham Mills Farmers Market

May 10

David Guy Advertising Manager Chatham News & Record (USPS #101160) is published weekly, 52 weeks a year, by North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, NC 27344 POSTMASTER:

8 a.m. to noon GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Kyle Hines displays the prized champion belt he won for the “Chickin’ Pickin’” contest.

Growers only farmers’ market. Join us each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344

480 Hillsborough St. Pittsboro

CONTACT US

Pollinator Garden Tour

For a vacation hold or to report a delivery problem: 919-663-3232 To place a classified or display ad: 919-663-3232; Fax: 919-663-4042 To submit a news tip or correction: 919-663-3232; news@chathamnewsrecord.com

2-3:30 p.m.

Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos will give a tour of Chatham County Cooperative Extension’s Pollinator Paradise Demonstration Garden.

The garden features over 225 species of perennials, trees, shrubs, vines and grasses, and 85% of them are native to North Carolina.

Admission is free!

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Annual subscription rate: $104.

CRIME LOG April 29 • Demaury Jamil Headen, 22, of Siler City, was arrested for assault by strangulation and domestic violence.

• Timothy Allen Scott, 53, of Bear Creek, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon.

April 30 Vincente Cantreras Rangel, 45, of Siler City, was arrested for indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery.

May 1 • Annie Denise Shelton, 45, of Siler City, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possessing or distributing a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school, and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

May 2 • Taylor J. Davies, 27, of Hillsborough, was arrested for possessing a stolen firearm and carrying a concealed gun.

May 3 • Novella Alice Jennings, 27, of Carrboro, was arrested for larceny and second-degree trespass.

• Arlinda Shaw, 53, of Greensboro, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny and shoplifting.

RESIDENTIAL

LAND

• 9652 S Nc-87 Highway (Pittsboro), 5 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $325,000

• 37 E Cotton Road (Pittsboro), 0.996 acres, $100,000

• 471 Deer Run (Pittsboro), 4.92 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $375,000 • 204 Sugarland Drive (Apex), 0.18 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $400,000 • 298 E. Salisbury Street (Pittsboro), 0.40 acres, 3bed/2 bath, $600,000 • 9550 Silk Hope Liberty Road (Siler City), 73.740 acres, 3 bed/3bath, $1,450,000

• 170 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000 • 188 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000 • 327 Poplar Trail (Siler City), 5.022 acres, $150,000 • 9311 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 4.602 acres, $225,000 • Tract 1 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 15.123 acres, $227,000

• 557 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 12.802 acres, 3 bed/3 bath, $2,500,000

• 9231 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 5.630 acres, $250,000

RESIDENTIAL

• 1834 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 30.49 acres, 3 bed/2.5 bath, $850,000

• 1115 Manco Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 14 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $500,000 • 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $500,000

LAND • 1701 Mitchells Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 10 acres, $200,000

May 4 • Jordan Derric Yoder, 30, of Sanford, was arrested for malicious conduct by a prisoner and simple assault.

May 5 • Michael E. Lamb, 43, of Pittsboro, was arrested for domestic violence and assault and battery.

• Larry Wilson Harris Jr., of Siler City, was arrested for communicating threats, assault on a female, and domestic violence.

• Zachary M. Falzone, 25, of Raleigh, was arrested for possession of a stolen firearm and going armed to the terror of people.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

What is the Value of a Higher Zoning?

• Tract 3 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.029 acres, $256,000 • Tract 2 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.425 acres, $262,000 • 323 Wagon Trace (Pittsboro), 10.255 acres, $295,000 • 639 Hills of the Haw Road (Pittsboro), 5.2470 acres, $450,000 • 0 Chatham Church Road (Moncure), 15.94 acres, $750,000 • 1604 Bonlee School Road, Bear Creek, 110.496 acres, $750,000

• 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21 acres, $825,000 • 0 Pasture Branch Road (Rose Hill), 29 acres, $1,250,000 • 0 Crawford Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 52.81 acres, $1,750,000 • 8636/8710 Johnson Mill Road (Bahama),182.888 acres, $2,800,000 • 0 US 64 W (Siler City), 9.670 acres, $4,500,000 • 0 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 75.4330 acres, $15,300,000

COMMERCIAL IMPROVED

• 00 US Highway 64 W (Siler City), 7.87 acres, $800,000

• 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 acres, $1,350,000

• 00 Hamlets Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 118.742 acres, $4,250,000

• 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 acres, $1,000,000

COMMERCIAL UNIMPROVED • 13604 US Hwy 64 W (Siler City), 4.36 acres, $650,000

• 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 acres, $4,500,000

Paradise Garden 480 Hillsboro St. Pittsboro

May 10-11 Mother’s Day Weekend Market Noon to 4 p.m.

Join Reclamation for a Mother’s Day Weekend Market. Discover a selection of talented artisans and crafters, offering unique gifts perfect for celebrating the moms in your life. Enjoy a vibrant atmosphere filled with fresh finds, handmade treasures and delightful surprises.

Reclamation 136 Fayetteville St. Pittsboro

May 14 Jazz Night at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills 6-9 p.m.

Every Wednesday night from 6-9 p.m., The Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also offers its Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights.

Reservations are highly recommended.

480 Hillsboro St. Suite 500 Pittsboro

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Chapel Hill approves zoning application for potential age-restricted housing The housing will have a mix of studio, one and two bedroom units

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Town Council held a pair of public hearings related to the increase of housing units at its April 23 meeting.

The council heard two conditional zoning applications, with the first being to rezone property located at 2510 Homestead Rd from Residential (R-2) to Residential-Community Priority Conditional Zoning District.

“We’ve been working on this project for quite some time to try and acquire it for this purpose,” said DHIC Project Manager Patrick Nerz. “It’s got everything we look for in that it’s really close to employment opportunities, it has great access to transit and it’s very close to services and it’s amenity rich. We think it’s an excellent location for affordable housing.”

According to Nerz, the project (Maddry Meadows) will be a 3/4 split-level building – meaning the building will have sections that are either three or four-stories – with 53 units that are a mix of studio and one and two bedrooms.

It is also intended to be a 55+ age restricted community with all units restricted to households under 60% of the area median income.

Amenities include onsite property management, multi-purpose room, computer center, screened porch and multiple gathering areas.

“The goal is to have a southern-contemporary feel and to break up the massing with dif-

ferent materials and different roofline changes so that it has a neighborhood feel even though it is a single building,” Nerz said.

Following the hearing, the council approved the application.

The council also heard a conditional zoning application for 1701 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

“We’re here today to convert long-vacant retail space into six residential, affordable units,” said Spencer Peterson, Development Manager with Zimmer Development Company. “There will be no changes to the current site plan. We’re only talking about the existing retail space.”

According to Peterson, the project opened in 2016 and has 154 multi-family residential units, which currently have a 97% occupancy rate. However, the project also has 5,171 square feet of commercial space, but that has remained at a 0% occupancy rate since the project opened.

Peterson attributed several factors to the commercial failure such as lack of visibility, limited pedestrian appeal, limited parking and an absence of drivethrough access.

We’ve done a lot to try and make it work over the years, we’ve just not been successful with it,” Peterson said.

The new plan will add six one bedroom, one bathroom units that are each between 700-860 square feet.

The council continued the hearing to May 7.

Finally, the council also held its first public hearing for the FY26 town budget.

At the hearing, town staff stated that the town was staring at a nearly $7 million budget gap heading into the new fiscal year.

“We are entering the next fiscal year with a budget gap due

to several factors,” said interim town manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger. “The increased cost of doing business, diminishing sales tax growth and obligations such as our commitments to Rogers Road, new police department operations, elections and utility costs.”

Nirdlinger also spoke on the property revaluations that were done in Orange County and how that might affect the budget and property tax rates.

“Property taxes are the town’s primary revenue source for funding our operations,” Nirdlinger said. “There is minimal year over year growth in our tax base and so most of the growth happens in revaluation years when property values increase due to the market and those years are our opportunity to capture some of the growth and advance strategic priorities.

This year, Orange County did a property tax revaluation, which typically happens every four years.”

According to Nirdlinger, while the town is required to publish the revenue neutral rate, it is not required to adopt it.

The current tax rate is $0.592 per $100 valuation and the revenue neutral rate would be $0.442 per $100 valuation, a $0.15 difference, meaning that the monthly increase for an average home tax bill would be about $360 annually according to Nirdlinger.

The town will present its manager’s recommended budget on May 7, with another public hearing on that budget to be held on May 21.

Following that, the council is slated to vote to approve the budget on June 11.

The Chapel Hill Town Council will next meet May 21.

BABY from page A1 helped Townsend stay relaxed as they delivered Daisy together. She was born without incident at 6:56 a.m., before EMS arrived.

Two weeks later, Sarah and Lorie — those voices on each end of the phone — got to meet each other, and mom got to show off her new arrival to the woman whose calm, professional demeanor helped make it possible.

“It’s just a part of my job,” said Teague. “I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Daisy is the second baby she has helped deliver, said Teague, who worked with the Pittsboro Police Department and as a paramedic before joining the 911 center.

Since the 911 Center opened in its new location in September 2023, telecommunicators have assisted with the delivery of four babies.

“We have a ‘Tree of Life’ on our wall here at the 911 Center, so we can celebrate positive outcomes that our telecommunicators have assisted in critical moments such as baby deliv-

Sarah Gianni and her two sons pose in front of the ‘Tree of Life’ with Lorie Teague holding Daisy, the baby she helped deliver over the phone.

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

eries and CPR saves,” said Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director. “It’s really special to show the Gianni family their pink leaf on the tree, which represents Daisy.”

Chatham County Emergency Communications is open to answer calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with 27 certified telecommunicators dispatching the county’s fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies — and acting as a lifeline both for those emergency respond-

ers and members of the public.

Adam Gaines, assistant communications director, says staffing is heaviest during the day when call volume is highest.

And it’s not just Chatham County that they’re supporting.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the state, disabling emergency call centers in western North Carolina, Gaines’ operators started taking emergency calls from as far away as Yancey, Watauga and Madison counties. “We were getting nine calls a minute,” he said.

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Church News THE ROBERTS CHAPEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! The Roberts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church family in Goldston cordially invites you to our annual Woman’s Day program on Sunday, May 18 at 2:30 p.m. Our speaker for the occasion will be Dr. Monica Headen, associate minister from Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Moncure. Mount Olive’s choir and congregation will be joining her. We look forward to seeing each of you. Please come worship with us and bring a friend.

Visa crackdown leads international students in US to reconsider summer travel Some colleges have issued warnings about “strict vetting” on visas

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press ON SUMMER break from a Ph.D. program, an international student at University of California, San Diego, was planning a trip with a few friends to Hawaii. But after seeing international students across the United States stripped of their legal status, the student decided against it.

Any travel, even inside the U.S., just didn’t seem worth the risk.

“I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few interactions with governments as possible,” said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted.

International students weighing travel to see family, take a vacation or conduct research are thinking twice because of the Trump administration’s crackdown, which has added to a sense of vulnerability.

Even before students suddenly began losing permission to study in the U.S., some colleges were encouraging international students and faculty to postpone travel, citing government efforts to deport students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. As the scale of the status terminations emerged in recent weeks, more schools have cautioned against nonessential travel abroad for international students.

University of California, Berkeley, for one, issued an advisory last week saying upcoming international travel was risky due to “strict vetting and enforcement.”

At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or legal status terminated since late March, according to an Asso-

ciated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records.

The number of affected students appears far higher, though. At least 4,736 international students’ visa records were terminated in a government database that maintains their legal status, according to an April 10 Immigration and Customs Enforcement response to inquiries from Congress.

Suddenly at risk for deportation, some students went into hiding while others left the country on their own.

Many of the students said they had only minor infractions on their records or didn’t know why their records were removed.

After federal judges raised due process concerns in several students’ cases, the U.S. government reversed the terminations but then issued new guidance expanding the reasons international students can lose their legal status in the future.

Under the new policy, valid reasons for status termination include the revocation of the visas students used to enter the U.S. In the past, if a student’s visa was revoked, they generally could stay in the U.S. to finish school. They simply would not be able to reenter if they left the country.

The fast-evolving situation has left colleges struggling to advise students.

Last year, the U.S. hosted around 1.1 million international students, a source of essential tuition revenue at many schools. Advocates say that number is likely to shrink as the crackdown hurts America’s appeal.

Over the past few weeks, Rishi Oza’s immigration law firm in North Carolina has received calls about travel risks almost daily from people of varied immigration status, including international students.

A4

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

A shine upon her skin

All mothers act with faith, for, whether religious or not, love requires faith — “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

MAY 11 BELONGS to your mother. At the risk of losing your attention with a grammatical note, this Sunday is Mother’s Day — a single noun with an apostrophe indicating possession. Anna Jarvis, this holiday’s creator, intended this day to belong to each individual mother, rather than a day for motherhood in general.

Yet what strikes me is that every mother has so very little under her control.

Mother’s Day reminds me of the moms who have recently lost their children to tragic circumstances, like disease, natural disasters and violence. So much grief.

Jeremiah, known as the Wailing Prophet, cried out, “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel, weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they were no more.”

Others grieve the loss of their mothers, women who are “no more.” On a day that is supposed to belong to your mother, you cannot hug her or see her except in your mind’s eye. Perhaps a shining memory illuminates your thoughts with comfort.

This week, I visited a mother on her deathbed, and I anointed her with oil — an ancient custom of the church to honor a life and pray for the life to come. It’s a little thing, really; just a dab of oil, a shine upon her skin. Yet

an anointing recalls all the little things that mothers do, sometimes with oil or flour, with paper and pencil, with a smile and caress. All mothers act with faith, for, whether religious or not, love requires faith — “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

To love is to acknowledge one’s lack of control and yet to give freely of one’s time, effort, laughter, and light — not to mention blood, sweat, and tears — from the belief such things will make a difference in the life of a child and so, in the larger world, individual actions beautifying the lives of future generations, like how the stars we see in the night sky are actually no more by the time their light reaches our eyes.

I am grateful for mothers, especially mine and the mother of my children. I hope to celebrate them with attention and care. Yet here on this page, I pause and offer a prayer for those who are grieving. I cannot reach you, dearly bereaved, with oil, but may these words reach you with the hope that, one day, you will indeed find your lost ones in the luminescence of love.

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

Mother by any other name is still Mama

I know we see life through the glasses we were issued at birth, and not everybody has the same set of glasses or outlook on things.

YEARS AGO, ol’ Billy Shakespeare wrote a story about a couple of young lovers who couldn’t quite get things together.

Hailed as one of the great love stories of all time, “Romeo and Juliet” became famous for lots of reasons other than the troubles of two star-crossed people.

I know for me, for instance, reading it became an assignment in English literature, one I didn’t, as I remember, particularly care for.

But the story also became known for its language, and some of the lines in the play, many of which have lasted until today. Among them is the one that says “... a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” or something kind of like that.

I must admit that at the time I didn’t quite get what that meant, but since it sounded so good and I thought it would impress the teacher, I went around for a while quoting that line whenever I thought it seemed appropriate. I guess that’s sort of the equivalent to our present-day “It is what it is” or “at the end of the day.”

Today, however, I’ve come to realize that trying to sound impressive isn’t what that saying is all about.

Rather, thanks to some word research, I’ve learned what it means is that what’s important is what something (or someone) is and not what it or they are called or named.

So, in translation, that means that if a rose really were called something like a “flubbub” or a “goobledy-gook” it would still smell good like a “rose” does.

At the risk of sounding mushy and gooey and so forth, I think that kind of logic can be applied to our mamas.

If our word for those people were “mysenheimers” or “fitzslogs” or whatever, they’re still our mamas.

Now granted, I know we see life through the glasses we were issued at birth, and not everybody has the same set of glasses or outlook on things. That means I see “mama” through my mama, and you see yours through yours. I also know that means some folks have good mamas, some have better ones, and some have mamas that might not be so great.

Still, mamas are keys to life since all of us had to have one, someone to carry us for nine months or so while we

PHOTO VIA VECTEEZY.COM

were being formed and to get us here when it was time.

So that means, I think, that even if someone’s mama wasn’t fairy tale material, at least she’s due the respect for getting them here. At least have the dignity and courtesy to thank her for that. And then, while you’re at it, try real hard, if you wish it had been different, to amount to something and do better.

That attitude also means that if you had a good mama, do a couple of other things. If you’re a mama yourself, model yourself after your good mama. If you’re not a mama, like me, or if you are and you still have her, do more this week than give her a card or some flowers or candy or take her to Sunday dinner. Do those things, if you can, but then don’t forget her the other 364 days.

And if you don’t have her anywhere except in your heart, cherish that spot. And thank God for her.

There’s another line about roses in literature that says something like “gather ye rosebuds while ye may.”

I’m going to add one that says, “And share them with your mama.”

I hope Billy doesn’t mind.

Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN

My obituary guardrails. What?!

My obituary teachers show me that our presence in the world, no matter the scale, spreads light.

NO, NO, PLEASE don’t stop reading because I used the word “obituary!” I’m writing about my obituary teachers who’ve shed light beyond common measure in my life.

Not kidding. Really.

Uh oh, you want an explanation?

Okey‑doke.

I’m a fallible human; no surprises there. I try to adhere to strong values.

Nonetheless, I often fall off my values buggy. (Oh, come on. Admit it, you do, too.) My smoldering emotional wiring is, suddenly, on display for all to see, sometimes sparking pain in others (and to be honest, in me, too). Soooo embarrassing … I need help. Guardrails to help me hold fast to my values and behavior (well, for the most part).

Guardrails? Obituaries.

But … but … obits?? Kind of morbid, don’t you think?

No, not really. Talk about a particular roadmap that increasingly gave me permission to be, of all people, myself. I love obituaries for folks who’ve been in intentional relationship with the world on small, caring, and often minuscule scales.

Excuse me??

A sample of my favorite obituary teachers. Feast your eyes.

“Barbara Denver made the world’s best fudge. Yes, she accomplished many other things, but the quality of her fudge cannot be overstated.”

“Susan is remembered for her generous hospitality, quick wit, and ability to order fondue in English,

French, German and Swiss German.”

“With his gifted hands and love of machinery, Pete continued to fix cars, vacuums, clocks, lawnmowers, washing machines and dryers, just to name a few.

His backyard was the junk yard of Sanford and Son, and many people passing through his life benefited, as a result.”

Can we judge the presence of sheer aliveness by how small or big something is? Can we gauge the light someone has shed in our universe by the scale of their accomplishments? My obituary teachers show me that our presence in the world, no matter the scale, spreads light. Do any of us laugh off summer fireflies because the light they shed is so small? No way! They’re magical! Just like the unique light, small or large, each of us sheds in the world.

Oh, wait, wait! I was so overcome by admiration for my obituary teachers that I completely forgot about the guardrails they provide. When I consider a possible future obituary for myself, it’s cringing to even consider something like the following: “Jan was known for shaming people.”

“Jan‘s tongue had a cutting edge, which left its mark on people.” “She was a stellar keyboard warrior who excelled at taking others down in social media.”

Nope, nope, nope. See what I mean about preventative behavioral guardrails?

And, damn, they work! I just love my obituary teachers!

Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

Sheer lunacy

Federal law holds that civil servants are not supposed to be fired for political reasons.

WHAT DO YOU DO when you’ve screwed up so badly that any competent president would be demanding your resignation?

Easy. Attack women.

That’s the solution Pete Hegseth, reeling from an unauthorized disclosure of war plans to his wife (and his brother and his lawyer), adopted this week. On Tuesday, in what his leaking-like-a-sieve aides reportedly described to NBC News as an effort to distract attention from his own wrongdoing, Hegseth took to social media to announce that he was terminating the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program championed by the first Trump administration and his fellow Cabinet members Kristi Noem and Marco Rubio.

“WPS is yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops — distracting from our core task: WAR-FIGHTING,” Hegseth — who has previously opposed women holding combat roles — wrote on X, adding that the program was “pushed by feminists and left-wing activists.”

Wrong.

The bill was written by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when she was in the House, and co-sponsored

by Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he was in the Senate. It was signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2017, who directed the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security to implement it.

Hegseth doesn’t have the authority to repeal it, as he acknowledged, writing that his department would have to do the “minimum” required by statute and then “fight to end the program for our next budget.” Fight to end a program that Noem herself praised because it “ensures women have a seat at the table during peace negotiations through meaningful congressional oversight.”

Meanwhile, in Michigan, the president was celebrating his 100 days in office, which polls establish has been, politically speaking, an unprecedented disaster, by taking pleasure in the inability of his opponents to stop his efforts to reward his friends and punish his enemies.

According to The New York Times, “he seems particularly proud of how he has wielded extraordinary executive power in slashing the federal workforce — by far one of the most disruptive acts in his first 100 days in office — eliminating what he calls ‘incompetent

and unnecessary deep state bureaucrats.’”

Not so fast. It’s true that Trump and his soon-to-be ex-best friend Elon Musk have raised havoc with the bureaucracy, laying off essential workers and standing by as long-standing civil servants who we need leave rather than work for him.

But not everyone is going gently into the night. Civil servants aren’t supposed to be fired by the White House because right-wing whisperer Laura Loomer targets them, as career prosecutor Adam Schleifer was, or because they disagree with restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights, as pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer was.

They are among the thousands of civil servants who have appealed their dismissals to the Merit Systems Protection Board, whose rulings can then be appealed to the federal courts in Washington.

Federal law holds that civil servants are not supposed to be fired for political reasons, for whistle blowing or simply to clear positions for political loyalists.

Trump officials have done all three, triggering a litigation explosion.

This is what the president is reveling in.

But my personal winner for the outrage of the week was the announcement by the Department of Education and Health and Human Services that they are investigating the Harvard Law Review for alleged bias in the selection of articles for publication.

The Harvard Law Review, a studentrun publication, is near and dear to my heart because many years ago I was its first woman president. But why it commands the attention of two Cabinet departments, and merits an investigation, is utterly beyond me.

According to news reports, the investigation is based on reports that one student said “a piece should be subject to expedited review because the author was a minority” and another student allegedly was concerned that most of those who wanted to reply to an article on police reform “are white men.”

What two students allegedly said about supporting diversity triggers a federal investigation?

“No institution — no matter its pedigree, prestige or wealth — is above the law,” Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education said in announcing the investigation.

What about the president?

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises.

But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Biden only did Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, 45 minutes of Newt’s World, to talk about debate prep. their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate. Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said. From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep. He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of the mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.”

That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history.

Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

PATRICK SEMANSKY / AP PHOTO

Clouds roll over the White House in Washington, D.C.

BE IN TOUCH

Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

obituaries

Elvis Junior Moser Dec. 20, 1968 – Apr. 29, 2025 Elvis Junior Moser, 56, of Siler City, went to his Heavenly home on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025, at home surrounded by family.

Elvis was born December 20th, 1968, in Lee County to Robert Junior Moser and Mary John Scott Moser. He is preceded in death by his father, Robert, and his son, Jericho J. Moser.

Elvis worked in the technological field as an engineer and computer programmer. In his off time, he loved to build race cars and watch drag racing, as well as playing card games.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Morgan Ann Moser; his mother, Mary John Scott Moser; his aunt, Norma Jean Baum; and his uncles, Harold Mashburn and Jesse Mashburn.

Funeral service will be held Thursday, May 8th, 2025, at 11 am, at Smith & Buckner Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Carbonton United Methodist Church Cemetery in Goldston. He will be lying in repose Wednesday, April 7th, 2025, from 1 – 5 pm, at Smith & Buckner Chapel. Services will be officiated by Reverend Bob Wachs.

Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Moser family.

Online condolences can be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

SPONSORED BY DONALDSON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY

Ruth Buzzi, comedy sketch player on groundbreaking series ‘Laugh-In,’ dies at 88

396 West St., Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-542-3057 | www.donaldsonfunerals.com

IN MEMORY

JOEY GREENE

JAN. 20, 1950 – APRIL 30, 2025 Joey Greene, born January 20, 1950, to Norvin and Lillian Greene, passed away on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Joey lived a life marked by dedication and faith.

He spent many years working with Sears before answering a higher calling to ministry, serving as a pastor at various churches. He left a lasting impact.

Joey leaves behind his beloved wife, Kathy Greene; his son, Kyle Greene (Shelley); and his cherished grandchildren, Noah and Lily, who brought him great joy and pride.

A visitation will be held at 2:00 p.m., followed by a service at 4:00 p.m. at Prosperity Church, 2449 River Road Robbins, North Carolina, on Saturday, May 3, 2025 with Pastor Jody Pugh and Pastor Mike Garner presiding. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the committal. JoyceBrady Chapel will be open on Friday, May 2, 2025 for friends to sign the register. Family and friends are invited to gather and celebrate a life well lived and a legacy that will continue through those he loved so dearly.

Condolences poured in from around the entertainment industry

By Beth Harris The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Ruth Buzzi, who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career, died Thursday. She was 88.

Buzzi died at her home in Texas, her agent Mike Eisenstadt said. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was in hospice care. Shortly before her death, her husband Kent Perkins, had posted a statement on Buzzi’s Facebook page, thanking her many fans and telling them: “She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.”

Buzzi won a Golden Globe and was a two-time Emmy nominee for the NBC show that ran from 1968 to 1973. She was the only regular to appear in all six seasons, including the pilot.

“Ruth Buzzi was a comedic genius,” Nancy Sinatra posted on X. “Working alongside her on Laugh-In was the most fun I ever had working. I treasured her friendship and I am heartbroken to wake up to the news that she is gone. I love you, Ruthie.”

Singer Deana Martin posted, “Her laughter and warmth touched us all, leaving an everlasting void.”

Ormphby character leads to ‘Laugh-In’

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamrecord.com

Buzzi was first spotted by “Laugh-In” creator and producer George Schlatter playing various characters on “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour.”

Schlatter was holding auditions for “Laugh-In” when he received a picture in the mail of Buzzi in her Ormphby costume, sitting in a wire mesh trash barrel. The character was clad in drab brown with her bun covered by a hairnet knotted in the middle of her forehead.

“I think I hired her because of my passion for Gladys Ormphby,” he wrote in his 2023 memoir “Still Laughing A Life in Comedy.” “I must admit that the hairnet and the rolled-down stockings did light my fire. My favorite Gladys line was when she announced that the day of the office Christmas party, they sent her home early.”

The Gladys character used her purse as a weapon against anyone who bothered her, striking people over the head. On “Laugh-In,” her most frequent target was Arte Johnson’s dirty old man character Tyrone F. Horneigh.

“Gladys embodies the overlooked, the downtrodden, the taken for granted, the struggler,” Buzzi told The Connecti-

NICK UT / AP PHOTO

“Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” cast members, from left, Lily Tomlin, Henry Gibson, Ruth Buzzi and Gary Owens in Los Angeles in 2002. cut Post in 2018. “So when she fights back, she speaks for everyone who’s been marginalized, reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused. And that’s almost everyone at some time or other.”

Buzzi took her act to the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts in Las Vegas, where she bashed her purse on the heads of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Lucille Ball, among others.

“Ruth Buzzi brought a singular energy and charm to sketch comedy that made her a standout on ‘Laugh-In’ and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. Her characters, especially the unforgettable Gladys Ormphby, captured the delightful absurdity of the era,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.

Her other recurring characters on “Laugh-In” included Flicker Farkle; Busy-Buzzi, a Hollywood gossip columnist; Doris Swizzler, a cocktail-lounge regular who got drunk with husband Leonard, played by Dick Martin; and an inconsiderate flight attendant.

“I never took my work for granted, nor assumed I deserved more of the credit or spotlight or more pay than anyone else,” Buzzi told The Connecticut Post. “I was just thrilled to drive down the hill to NBC every day as an employed actor with a job to do.”

Buzzi remained friends through the years with “LaughIn” co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jo Anne Worley.

From cheerleading to the stage Born Ruth Ann Buzzi on July 24, 1936, in Westerly, Rhode Island, she was the daughter of Angelo Buzzi, a nationally known stone sculptor. Her father and later her brother operated Buzzi Memorials, a gravestone and monument maker in Stonington, Connecticut, where she was head cheerleader in high school.

Buzzi enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse at age 17. Two years later, she traveled with singer Rudy Vallee in a musical and comedy act during her summer break. That earned her an Actors’ Equity union card

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"Healing Hope" A Social Support Network For those who have lost their spouse or partner and are now on a new path… We invite you to meet others walking a similar journey with you! This new life squad will be a social group and network for individuals who can share together in treats, travels, tales, and trials. The May Healing Hope meeting will be on Thursday, May 15 at 11:30 a.m., at S & T Soda Shoppe in Pittsboro. Bring a small group or a friend.

Sponsored by Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory

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before she graduated from the playhouse’s College of Theatre Arts.

Buzzi moved to New York and was immediately hired for a lead role in an off-Broadway musical revue, the first of 19 such shows she performed in on the East Coast.

She got her national television break on “The Garry Moore Show” in 1964, just after Carol Burnett was replaced by Dorothy Loudon on the series. She played Shakundala the Silent, a bumbling magician’s assistant to Dom DeLuise’s character Dominic the Great.

Buzzi was a regular on the CBS variety show “The Entertainers” whose hosts included Burnett and Bob Newhart.

She was in the original Broadway cast of “Sweet Charity” with Gwen Verdon in 1966.

Buzzi toured the country with her nightclub act, including appearances in Las Vegas.

She was a semi-regular on “That Girl” as Marlo Thomas’ friend. She co-starred with Jim Nabors as time-traveling androids on “The Lost Saucer” in the mid-1970s.

Her other guest appearances included variety shows hosted by Burnett, Flip Wilson, Glen Campbell, Tony Orlando, Donny and Marie Osmond and Leslie Uggams.

She appeared in Ball’s last comedy series “Life With Lucy.”

Buzzi appeared in music videos with “Weird Al” Yankovic, the B-52’s and the Presidents of the United States of America.

She did hundreds of guest voices in cartoon series including “Pound Puppies,” “Berenstain Bears,” “The Smurfs” and “The Angry Beavers.”

She was Emmy nominated for her six-year run as shopkeeper Ruthie on “Sesame Street.”

Her movie credits included “Freaky Friday,” “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash,” “The North Avenue Irregulars” and “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.”

Buzzi was active on social media and had thousands of followers whom she rewarded with such one-liners as “I have never faked a sarcasm” and “Scientists say the universe is made up entirely of neurons, protons and electrons. They seem to have missed morons.”

May

Team Spotlight

Ken Ellis

Funeral Service Assistant

Thank you for your service and dedication to our community.

A7

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Teachers, get your applications in for a Bright Ideas education grant!

Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom? Central Electric is awarding up to $15,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to local educators in K-12 classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year.

Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

The final deadline for all grant applications is Sept. 15, but don’t wait to apply. Applications submitted prior to the early-bird deadline on Aug. 15 will be entered to win one of five $100 Visa® gift cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!

CEMCPower.com

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press

919-774-4900 800-446-7752

—

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128 Wilson Rd SANFORD, NC

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat

Chatham County Aging Services Weekly Activities Calendar

Monday, May 12 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - Total Body Conditioning Exercise 10 a.m. - Geri-Fit; Horse & Buddy Trip Noon - Reading Out Loud with Gaines 1 p.m. - Mahjong; Table Tennis Siler City Center for Active Living 9 a.m. - Strong & Fit 10 a.m. - Cornhole 10:30 a.m. - Low Vision Support Group 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone 3 p.m. - Caregiver Support Group Tuesday, May 13 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - QiGong 9 a.m. - 3G’s Men’s Group 10 a.m. - Woodcarvers; Cardio Drumming 10:30 a.m. - Gym Orientation 11 a.m. - Mental Health Awareness with Jiona Mills 12:30 p.m. - Hiking with Alan 1 p.m. - Rummikub 2 p.m. - Zumba Gold Siler City Center for Active Living 8 a.m. - Quilting and Sewing Time 9 a.m. - Cardio Drumming 10 a.m. - Chair Exercises 12:30 p.m. - Trip to Feedwell Fridge 1 p.m. - Rook, Phase 10 & Rummikub 2 p.m. - Fitness Room Orientation (by appointment) Wednesday, May 14 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Lower Body Exercise 10 a.m. - Chair Yoga with Liz; Music Jam 11 a.m. - The Chosen with discussion; Haw River Crawdaddies Performance 2 p.m. - Walking Group Siler City Center for Active Living 10 a.m. - Bible Study 1 p.m. - Crafts Thursday, May 15 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - QiGong 9:30 a.m. - Blood Pressure Clinic 10 a.m. - Hooks & Needles; Kindermusik; Chair Zumba Gold 10:30 a.m. - African American Studies Group 11 a.m. - Bingo with Mr. Ed 1 p.m. - Rummikub; Pinochle 1:30 p.m. - Line Dancing 3 p.m. - Gentle Yoga with Liz Siler City Center for Active Living 9 a.m. - Men’s Coffee & Conversations; Pickleball 10 a.m. - Chair Exercises; Crochet Workshop; Music Jam Session 1 p.m. - Book Club 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone Visit our centers!

3 p.m. - Thursday Social: Bingo Friday, May 16 Pittsboro Center for Pittsboro Center for Active Living Active Living 8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Upper Body Exercise 365 Highway 87 North 10 a.m. - Geri-Fit 919-542-4512 11 a.m. - Grateful Hearts Performance 11:30 a.m. - Spanish Conversation Lunch 1 p.m. - Euchre; Table Tennis Siler City Center for Active Living 9 a.m. - Zumba Gold 10 a.m. - Quilting & Sewing Time 10:15 a.m. - May Movement Noon - Table Tennis 7 p.m. - Friday Night Dance

Siler City Center for Active Living 112 Village Lake Road 919-742-3975 Visit our website at www.chathamcountync. gov/agingservices

LEWISTON, Maine — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to Washington four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consecutive presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight as governor with incendiary statements about out-ofstate drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political rival he said would “give it to the people without providing Vaseline.”

He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor,

but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for four years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida.

He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive.

Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021.

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

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Share with your community! Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@chathamnewsrecord.com. The weekly deadline is Monday at Noon.

A8

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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TAKE NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000240-180 The undersigned, BRIAN PATRICK WHEELER, having qualified on the 1ST Day of MAY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DEWEY E. WHEELER, aka DEWEY EDWARD WHEELER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 8TH Day OF AUGUST 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 8TH DAY OF MAY, 2025.

BRIAN PATRICK WHEELER, EXECUTOR 1955 FARRINGTON POINT RD. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: M8,15,22,29p

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ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Joan Estelle Marsh, deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before August 8, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 8th day of May, 2025. Ann Marie Marsh, Executor, c/o Bagwell Holt Smith P.A., 111 Cloister Court, STE 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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The undersigned, WILLIAM ARTHUR BURGESS having qualified on the 15TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of VIRGINA L. BURGESS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 24TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

WILLIAM ARTHUR BURGESS, EXECUTOR 7949 NC HWY 902 PITTSBORO, NC 27312 l

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A9

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

TAKE NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000212-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE (Including Private/Home School Personnel)

The undersigned, Marie H. Hopper, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of John R. Stell, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of August 7, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 9th day of May, 2025.

Marie H. Hopper Executor Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEAPart B, Public Law 108.446) Project is presently being amended. The Project describes the special education programs that Chatham County Public Schools proposes for Federal Funding for the 20252026 school year. Interested persons are encouraged to review amendments to the Project and make comments concerning the implementation of special education under this Federal Program. All comments will be considered prior to submission of the amended project to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The IDEA-Part B Project is open to the public for review and comments during the period of May 1315, 2025, in the office of the Director of Exceptional Children Program, located at Central Services - 468 Renaissance Drive, Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312, between the hours of 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE NOTICE CHATHAM COUNTY FY26 BUDGET HEARING NOTICE The Chatham County budget for FY2025-26 has been submitted to the Board of Commissioners and is available for public inspection on th6e Chatham County website or in the office of the Clerk to the Board, located at 12 East Street in Pittsboro.

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will hold two public hearings on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 6:00pm and Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 6:00pm. The public is invited to attend the hearing to express their viewpoints.

The hearing on May 19, 2025 will be held at the Historic Courthouse located at 9 Hillsboro Street in Pittsboro at 6:00pm.

The hearing on May 20, 2025 will be held at Siler City Town Hall located at 311 North Second Avenue in Siler City at 6:00pm.

Those wishing to speak may sign up on the county website or submit written comments to Clerk to the Board Jenifer Johnson at PO Box 1809, Pittsboro, NC 27312 or jenifer.johnson@chathamcountync.gov.

NOTICE NOTICE OF PROCEEDING AND SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF RANDOLPH IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 22CVD001043-750 FELISHA LYNN ALSTON v. TIMOTEO ULLOA TORRES To: Timoteo Ulloa Torres, Defendant.

TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled action.

The nature of the relief being sought is ABSOLUTE DIVORCE BASED ON ONE YEAR SEPARATION. You are required to answer the petition not later than June 22, 2025 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking relief against you will apply to the Court for the relief herein sought.

This the 8th day of May, 2025.

Margaret J. Megerian, Attorney for Plaintiff 175 E. Salisbury Street Asheboro, NC 27203

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO. 23CvD000193-180 COUNTY OF CHATHAM

Plaintiff, NOTICE OF SERVICE OF vs. PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

The HEIRS, ASSIGNS, and DEVISEES of DONALD DEE LOWE, et al Defendants.

TO: The HEIRS, ASSIGNS, and DEVISEES of DONALD DEE LOWE and spouse, if any, which may include KASSIDY DAWN LOWE and spouse, if any, and any other person or entity claiming thereunder A pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication began on April 24th, 2025.

The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on tax parcel(s) more completely described in the Complaint, to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes (assessments). Plaintiff seeks to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you may have in said property.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after the date of the first publication of notice stated above, exclusive of such date, being forty (40) days after April 24th, 2025, or by June 3, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service of process by publication will apply to the Court for relief sought.

This the 14th day of April, 2025.

ZACCHAEUS LEGAL SERVICES

By: _________________ ___________________ Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill Attorney for Plaintiff NC Bar #12852/56782 310 W. Jones St. P. O. Box 25 Trenton, North Carolina 28585 Telephone: (252) 4484541 Publication dates: April 24, 2025 May 1, 2025 May 8, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons having claims against Laurice Ferris, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to present them to Gwendolyn H Waddell-Schultz, Personal Representative of the Estate of Laurice Ferris, at NextGen Estate Solutions, 500 Westover Dr. #35317, Sanford, NC 27330 or before July 17, 2025. Failure to present a claim in timely fashion will result in this Notice being pleaded in bar of recovery against the estate, the Personal Representative, and the devisees of Laurice Ferris. Those indebted to Laurice Ferris are asked to make prompt payment to the Estate.

Gwendolyn Waddel-Schults, Personal Representative Patricia Lewis, Co-Personal Representative C/O Brittany N. Porter, Attorney NextGen Estate Solutions 500 Westover Dr. #35317 Sanford, NC 27330

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against James P. Ward, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before August 3, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This 1st day of May, 2025.

Peter J. Ward, Executor 225 Britten Pass Alpharetta, GA 30009

A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, May 19, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312.

Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department office. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync.gov by selecting the heading County Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Input/Hearing Sign Up. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners.

The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: Testimony is required to be given under oath during the evidentiary hearing for the following item: Quasi-Judicial Request: A quasi-judicial public hearing requested for a Special Use Permit revision to the Chatham Downs shopping center, located on Parcel 18906, located at 88 Chatham Downs Dr., to add a fueling station, Williams Township.

Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions.

Notice to people with special needs: If you have an audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided.

If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312.

Please run in your paper: May 8th and 15th, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000118-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Susan Elizabeth Moushon, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Carl Eugene Moushon, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of July 31, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 2nd day of May, 2025.

Susan Elizabeth Moushon Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

Notice of Probate IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF Catherine Crowe Ragland, File number 25E00200-180.

Notice is hereby given that Catherine Crowe Ragland, whose last known address was 300 Clynelish Close, Pittsboro, NC 27312, died in Chatham County on February 9, 2025, and that an Executor has been appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of said deceased person by the Clerk of Superior Court for Chatham County, North Carolina.

All creditors of said estate are hereby notified to present their claims to the Personal Representative at the contact information below within 3 months from the date of the first publication of this notice, which is on or before August 10, 2025, or their claims will be barred forever.

Estate of Catherine Crowe Ragland 118 Monterey Lane Durham, NC 27713 Please be advised that a copy of the will of the decedent is on file with the Chatham County Superior Court and is available for inspection.

Date of First Publication: May 8, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE # 24 SP 1058-180 In Re: Estate of Douglas H. Foxx W. WOODS DOSTER, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF DOUGLAS H. FOXX, Petitioner, vs.

THOMAS C. FOXX, Respondent.

Pursuant to the Order for Possession, Custody, Control, and Sale of Real Property filed on June 4, 2024, in the above captioned proceeding, NOTICE is hereby given that the subject property described below will be put up for public sale on May 14, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.; the sale will be held at the Chatham County Courthouse in the designated area for sale.

The subject property is commonly referred to as 1036 Brower Road, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, Parcel #0061125, and more particularly described as follows: BEING ALL of Lot 6A, containing 0.905 acres, more or less, as shown on a map entitled, “Property of Ruth Fox,” prepared by Smith & Smith Surveyors, dated September 22, 1983, recorded at Map Book 36, Page 75, Chatham County Registry.

Chatham County Parcel 00661125 Address: 1036 Brower Road A cash deposit from the highest bidder equal to ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid is required at the time of public sale. Said bid shall be reported to the Court and will remain open for the requisite upset bid period as required by law. The Court reserves the right to approve and reject all bids. THE PROPERTY IS SOLD AS-IS, WHERE-IS, WITH ALL FAULTS. This the _____ day of ________________, 2025. ___________________________________ J. Grant Brown, Attorney for Administrator Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE The undersigned Commissioner certifies that he has this day served upon the below listed persons, a copy of the Notice of Sale for 1036 Brower Road, Siler City, NC 27344 by depositing a copy in a postpaid wrapper in the United States Postal Office, properly addressed to each part as follows: Thomas C. Foxx 7029 Cedar Park Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19138 This the _____ day of ________________, 2025. ___________________________________ J. Grant Brown, Attorney for Commissioner Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330

NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION

NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against MARJORIE J. EDWARDS, who died on December 22, 2024, late of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before July 17, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 17th day of April, 2025.

Ronald C. Edwards, Executor c/o John R. Cella, Jr. Ragsdale Liggett PLLC 2840 Plaza Place, Suite 400 Raleigh, NC 27612 For Publication: April 17, 2025; April 24, 2025; May 1, 2025; May 8, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR ROAD NAMING

Notice to person with Disabilities: The Chatham County Board of Commissioners encourages input and participation from all its citizens. The Board and staff will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you need assistance, please call (5428200), or write the ADA Coordinator’s Office, County Manager’s Office, Courthouse Annex, P. O. Box 1809 Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Martha Ashley Orr qualified before the Chatham County Clerk of Court on April 9th, 2025 as The Executor of The Estate of Tamla Crisp Orr, 568 Lydia Perry Road, Sanford, NC 27330. This is to notify all persons, firms and corporations, as required by NCGS 28A-14-1, having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the attorney designated below on or before the 22nd Day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pled in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payments to the undersigned. Payments and claims should be presented to M. Andrew Lucas, P.O. Box 1045, Sanford, NC 27331-1045 Please Publish: April 24th, May 1st, 8th & 15th, 2025

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000218-180 The undersigned, ROBERT YOX, having qualified on the 21ST Day of APRIL, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ANN L. YOX, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 24TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

ROBERT YOX, EXECUTOR 13132 MOREHEAD CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: A24,M1,8,15p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000195-180 The undersigned, ETHAN DUNLAP SMITH having qualified on the 14TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of HELEN JANE DUNLAP, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 24TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE # 24SP001157-180 W. WOODS DOSTER, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ETHAN DUNLAP SMITH, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOHN HENRY JACKSON, 156 WINDSOR CIRCLE Petitioner, CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 vs.

MONEEK W. JACKSON, SAMUEL LEE JACKSON, AND Run dates: A24,M1,8,15p DELENA J. SPINELLI, Respondents To: Samuel Lee Jackson and Delena J. Spinelli NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled NORTH CAROLINA special proceeding. The nature of the relief being CHATHAM COUNTY sought is as follows: Petitioner is the duly appointed and FILE#25E000186-180 qualified administrator of the Estate of John Henry Jackson; see Chatham County Estate File The undersigned, KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, #22E000690-180. The purpose of this action is to having qualified on the 4TH Day of APRIL, 2025 sell John Henry Jackson’s property to pay the debts as EXECUTOR of the Estate of KATHLEEN ANN of his estate.

ALEXANDER, deceased, of Chatham County, North You are required to make defense to such Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and pleading not later than June 17, 2025 and upon your corporations having claims against said Estate to failure to do so the party seeking service against you exhibit them to him on or before the 17TH Day of will apply to the court for the relief sought.

JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of This the 1st day of May, 2025. their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will Shelby L. Lennon, Attorney for Administrator please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. This the 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, EXECUTOR Publish: 05/08/25, 05/15/25, 05/22/25 111 LANTERN RIDGE LANE CARY, NC 27519

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Chatham County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Historic Courthouse, Pittsboro, North Carolina. The purpose of the public hearing is to gain citizen input on the proposed renaming of Paul Farrington Road to Lakeside Drive. Both written and oral comments will be received. Written comments may be sent to the attention of the Clerk to the Board, Chatham County, P.O. Box 1809, Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312.

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Billy Edward York, Jr., late 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 7th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the lst day of May, 2025.

Linda N. York, Executor of the Estate of Billy Edward York, Jr. 3730 Piney Grove Church Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850

Having qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of Russell Lee Hackney, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned through the attorney, Raymond L. Grier & Associates, LLC, 100 South Juniper Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 on or before the 1st day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 1st day of May, 2025.

Raymond L. Grier & Associates, LLC 100 South Juniper Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Telephone: 215 987 3990 Facsimile: 215 987 3984 raymondgrier@msn.com Attorney for Rumarcus D. Hackney, Administrator of the Estate of Russell Lee Hackney.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of David Anthony Cook, late 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 7th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the lst day of May, 2025.

Susan Dowd Wustrow, Executor of the Estate of David Anthony Cook 1142 Bonlee Bennett Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

Run dates: A17,24,M1,8p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000234-180 The undersigned, DANIEL JOSEPH NAGLE, having qualified on the 30TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of MARY KENNEDY NAGLE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 8TH Day OF AUGUST 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8TH DAY OF MAY, 2025.

DANIEL JOSEPH NAGLE, ADMINISTRATOR 6304 BLAIRMORE COURT RALEIGH, NC 27612 Run dates: M8,15,22,29p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned James Keith Johnson hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to him at 308 Elbert Johnson Road, Siler City, NC 27344 on or before the 17th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All of those indebted to the said estate are hereby re- quested to make prompt payment to the undersigned.

This the 17th day of April, 2025.

James Keith Johnson Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON 308 Elbert Johnson Road Siler City, NC 27344 Please publish the above Notice April 17 and 24, and May 1 and 8, 2025.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000148-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Stephen P. Schnetzler, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of William P. Schnetzler, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of July 31, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 2nd day of May, 2025.

Stephen P. Schnetzler Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

A10

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

ETHICS BOWL from page A1 over important issues, proponents of Ethics Bowl say it points the way.

In Ethics Bowl, teams aren’t assigned a specific position on an issue that they have to defend regardless of their beliefs. Instead, members are given cases to discuss and make their own decisions about what they consider the best position. Teams can, and often do, come to similar conclusions. It is — and this is important — OK for them to agree. Scoring is based on how deeply they explore the issues, including other viewpoints.

Robert Ladenson, who developed the Ethics Bowl as a college philosophy classroom exercise back in 1993 and went on to lead the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for decades, explains what he considers an ethical understanding of an issue in an oral

history for the University of Illinois in 2023.

It means “having some capacity to view, from the inside, the ethical outlooks of people who disagree with you. That means not simply being aware of what they’ve said or what they’ve written, or being able to develop a nifty debaters’ responses to the viewpoints they hold — but really looking inside the other view and trying to understand it from the other person’s way of looking at the world.”

That plays out at Ethics Bowl.

Take the case “See Spot Clone,” about whether it is ever ethical to clone a pet.

Harpeth Hall from Nashville starts the discussion with six minutes to present their thoughts. There are millions of homeless pets, so the ethical choice is to adopt, they believe. Cloning is self-serving for the human. The pet cannot con-

sent. Also, cloning may involve unknown health issues for the cloned pet. The team also believes that it is important for people to confront death.

Now it is the turn of team B, Miami’s Archimedean Upper Conservatory — not to attack and refute, but to ask questions that expand the discussion. What about pet breeders? Where do they fit on the ethical continuum? Also, what’s so wrong with cloning a pet for your own happiness? Are all selfish pursuits bad?

Next, the judges ask questions. What if there were no possible health problems for the cloned animal? What if the animal is not cloned to comfort an owner but for a more noble purpose? Would it be ethical to clone a skilled search-and-rescue dog?

In a society awash in shortcuts and simple solutions, simply setting the ground rules for con-

tentious conversations like these can be a high hill to climb. At the Ethics Bowl, though, it’s part of the point: The process of conversation is as important as the outcome. And subtlety matters.

A good Ethics Bowl case is one where “two well-meaning individuals can take in all of the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite, value-driven answers,” says Alex Richardson, who directed the National Bowl for five years.

The cases students grapple with include real-life scenarios pulled from the headlines, like the less-than-respectful response to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. There are also more philosophical issues, like whether humans should pursue immortality. And there are dilemmas that teenagers deal with every day, like whether not posting on Instagram about a hate crime

in your community makes you complicit.

Teams have been discussing a group of cases for weeks, but they don’t know which they’ll be asked about. Once the question is read, they are given a few minutes to discuss. That’s when one or two of the teammates generally scurry around the table to huddle. Intense whispering and furious scribbling ensue.

There is a winning team and a trophy. But students say it is not competitive in a traditional sense.

“It’s not about beating people,” says Lizzie Lyman, whose first-year team from Midtown High School in Atlanta lost in the semifinals. “When it’s about constructively answering a question and just having a really interesting, engaging conversation, that’s where you get to have all these amazing conversations.”

TAKE NOTICE

Notice of Public Hearings

NOTICE

Town of Siler City The following items will be considered by the Siler City Board of Commissioners as legislative hearings.

The hearings will be conducted during the Board of Commissioner’s regular meeting on Monday May 19, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the court room located in the Siler City Town Hall at 311 N. 2nd Ave. CASE R25-0401: Rezoning request by Nunna Realty Inc, of approximately 10.00 acres from A-R (Agricultural Residential) to H-C (Highway Commercial). The proposed parcel ia located at the intersection of Frazier Store Road and US 64 W with the address of 19121 US 64 W and further identified as PAR# 13032.

Legislative Public Hearings This item was reviewed and recommended for denial by the Siler City Planning Board at their April 14, 2025, regular meeting.

The proposed item is available for review by contacting Timothy Mack at tmack@silercity.org or 919-726-8626. All persons interested in the outcome of this item are invited to attend the legislative hearing and present comments, testimony, and exhibits on the above referenced item.

Interested parties may also submit written comments. Written comments can be submitted by email to tmack@silercity.org. Individuals desiring to speak may sign up by registering their name and information on the sign-up sheet, located outside the entry doors to the court room.

The Town of Siler City will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of materials for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings.

This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Kimberly Pickard at 919-726-8620, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, or kpickard@ silercity.org for accommodations for this request.

Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Kimberly Pickard al kpickard@silercity.org o 919-726-8625 o en 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO. 10CvD000059-180 COUNTY OF CHATHAM Plaintiff, NOTICE OF SERVICE OF vs. PROCESS BY PUBLICATION The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of PEGGY LOU «ARMA» JOHNSON MCSWAIN, et al Defendants.

TO: The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of PEGGY LOU “ARMA” JOHNSON MCSWAIN and spouse, if any, which may include The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of JAMES ARTHUR MCSWAIN and spouse if any, and JANUS P. MCSWAIN, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder A pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication began on April 24, 2025.

The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on tax parcel(s) more completely described in the Complaint, to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes (assessments). Plaintiff seeks to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you may have in said property.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after the date of the first publication of notice stated above, exclusive of such date, being forty (40) days after April 24, 2025, or

by June 3, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service of process by publication will apply to the Court for relief sought.

This the 14th day of April, 2025.

ZACCHAEUS LEGAL SERVICES Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill Attorney for Plaintiff NC Bar #12852/56782 310 W. Jones St. P. O. Box 25 Trenton, North Carolina 28585 Telephone: (252) 448-4541 Publication dates: April 24, 2025 May 1, 2025 May 8, 2025

The Town of Pittsboro’s budget for FY 2025-2026 has been submitted to the Board of Commissioners and a copy is available for public inspection in the office of the Town Clerk, Town of Pittsboro Town Hall, 287 East Street, Suite 221, Pittsboro, NC. The Board of Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on the budget at 6:00pm, May 12, 2025, at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center, located at US Highway 64 West Business, Pittsboro, NC. Chatham News & Record: ADVERTISE TWICE – ON 5/1 and 5/8/2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, (Cathleen S Cutlip), having qualified on the 29th of April, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of, Robert David Shea deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 8TH Day OF AUGUST 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8TH DAY OF MAY, 2025.

Cathleen S Cutlip 1068 Saint Cloud Loop Apex, NC 27523 Run dates: M8,15,22,29p

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000203-180 The undersigned, LUKE SMITH AND LISA SMITH having qualified on the 14TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as CO-EXECUTORS of the Estate of RANDY LEE SMITH, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 24TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

LUKE SMITH, CO-EXECUTOR 1853 POPE HILL CT KERNERSVILLE, NC 27284 LISA SMITH, CO-EXECUTOR 11274 US HWY 220 STONEVILLE, NC 27048 Run dates: A24,M1,8,15p

25E000204-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Atlas Cleveland Dunn III, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Atlas Cleveland Dunn, Jr., deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of August 7, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 9th day of May, 2025.

Atlas Cleveland Dunn III Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

ADVERTISEMENT Request for Bids: Moncure Collection Center

FILE#___25 E000233-180_

TOWN OF PITTSBORO

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-Part B, Public Law 108.446) Project is presently being amended. The Project describes the special education programs that Willow Oak Montessori School proposes for Federal funding for the 2025-2026 School Year. Interested persons are encouraged to review amendments to the Project and make comments concerning the implementation of special education under this Federal Program. All comments will be considered prior to submission of the amended Project to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, North Carolina. The IDEA-Part B Project is open to the public for review and comments during the days of May 19 through May 23, 2025. To review the Project and supply comments please email Amy Turner at aturner@willowoakmontessori.org or call (919)-240-7787 located at 1476 Andrews Store Rd, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Chatham County is soliciting to provide site improvements to the Moncure Collection Center.

Pursuant to NC General Statute 87.1 a general contractor license is required. Bids will be received by Michele Peluso, Chatham County Finance Office until 2:00 PM, EST, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Bids will be opened publicly and read aloud at 2:00 PM EST, at the Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling Center, 28 County Services Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Copies of the BID DOCUMENTS and addenda may be obtained in electronic format via the Chatham County webpage at https://www.chathamcountync.gov/ government/bid-proposal-opportunities.

Each BID must be submitted in a sealed envelope, addressed to Michele Peluso, Chatham County Finance Office at 12 East St., Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Each sealed envelope containing a BID must be plainly marked on the outside as BID for Moncure Collection Center Improvements and the envelope should bear on the outside the BIDDER’S GC License number, BIDDER’S name, address, and the name of the project for which the BID is submitted. If forwarded by mail, the sealed envelope containing the BID must be enclosed in another envelope addressed to the OWNER at PO Box 608, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT Request for Bids: Mowing Services Chatham County is soliciting to provide site improvements to the Moncure Collection Center. Bids will be received by Michele Peluso, Chatham County Finance Office until 2:00 PM, EST, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Bids will be opened publicly and read aloud at 2:00 PM EST, at the Chatham County Performance Building, 964 East St., Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Copies of the BID DOCUMENTS and addenda may be obtained in electronic format via the Chatham County webpage at https://www.chathamcountync.gov/ government/bid-proposal-opportunities.

Each BID must be submitted in a sealed envelope, addressed to Michele Peluso, Chatham County Finance Office at 12 East St., Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Each sealed envelope containing a BID must be plainly marked on the outside as BID for Mowing Services and the envelope should bear on the outside the BIDDER’S name, address, and the name of the project for which the BID is submitted. If forwarded by mail, the sealed envelope containing the BID must be enclosed in another envelope addressed to the OWNER at PO Box 608, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

All BIDS must be made on the required BID form.

All blank spaces for BID prices must be filled in, in ink or typewritten, and the BID form must be fully completed and executed when submitted. Only one copy of the BID form is required. BIDDERS must satisfy themselves of the accuracy of the estimated quantities in the BID Schedule by examination of the site and a review of the drawings and specifications including ADDENDA. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM EST, on the site located at 964 East St., Pittsboro, NC 27312. After BIDS have been submitted, the BIDDER shall not assert that there was a misunderstanding concerning the quantities of WORK or of the nature of the WORK to be done.

Questions regarding this RFB must be submitted in writing either via e-mail to Michele Peluso at purchasing@chathamcountync.gov or by fax to 919-542-4261. All questions requiring additional information will be responded to in an addendum.

The deadline for questions is Wednesday, May 14, 2025, by 5:00 PM.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000232-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Jordan Riggans, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of John G. Wright, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of August 6, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8th day of May 2025.

Jordan Riggans Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

All BIDS must be made on the required BID form.

All blank spaces for BID prices must be filled in, in ink or typewritten, and the BID form must be fully completed and executed when submitted. Only one copy of the BID form is required. BIDDERS must satisfy themselves of the accuracy of the estimated quantities in the BID Schedule by examination of the site and a review of the drawings and specifications including ADDENDA. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 3:00 PM EST, on the site located at 2855 Old US 1, Moncure, NC 27562. After BIDS have been submitted, the BIDDER shall not assert that there was a misunderstanding concerning the quantities of WORK or of the nature of the WORK to be done.

Questions regarding this RFB must be submitted in writing either via e-mail to Michele Peluso at purchasing@chathamcountync.gov or by fax to 919-542-4261. All questions requiring additional information will be responded to in an addendum. The deadline for questions is Wednesday, May 14, 2025, by 12:00 Noon.

FORECLOSURE AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP001120-180 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Jeremy K. Thompson and Lycrecia V. Thompson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Jeremy K. Thompson) to David L. Brunk, Trustee(s), dated June 25, 2007, and recorded in Book No. 1344, at Page 638 in Chatham County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on February 27, 2024, in Book No. 2402, at Page 210, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds 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 in Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 22, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Pittsboro in the County of Chatham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain property situated in the County of Chatham and state of North Carolina, being more fully described in a Deed dated 02/28/2001 and recorded 03/01/2001, among the land records of the County of State set forth above, in Deed Volume 856 and Page 136. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 220 Blakes Drive, Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Tax Map or Parcel ID NO.: 0062241 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must

pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of

the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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 trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes 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.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 7393 - 106520

CHATHAM SPORTS

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth celebrates a 5-0 win over Northwood that gave the Hawks the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference title.

Seaforth sweeps conference baseball, softball tournaments

GIRLS’ SOCCER PLAYOFF PREVIEW

The Hawks won their first conference tournament title for softball

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Sofia Viana (10) fires a penalty kick toward the goal earlier this season. Seaforth will enter the playoffs with Viana sidelined by injury.

Seaforth looks to repeat as state champions

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record AFTER SENDING two teams to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association girls’ soccer state championships last year, Chatham County is looking to repeat that feat.

The girls’ soccer regular season will wrap up this week with the first round of the playoffs starting Monday.

Teams will be seeded for the state tournament brackets Friday. All five county teams find themselves in the field or on the bubble for a playoff berth as of Sunday.

In both the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A and Central Tar Heel 1A conferences, there will be two automatic state playoff berths reserved for the regular season conference champion and the regular season conference runner up. The remaining nonautomatic qualifying teams will be determined by the ratings percentage index, or RPI, standings.

RPI considers the winning percentage of a team, its opponents and its opponent’s opponents when determining how a team will be seeded.

The NCHSAA will seed 32 eastern and 32 western teams in each state bracket. Based

5

Xounty teams find themselves in or near the playoff field as the regular season winds down on conference and RPI standings as of Sunday, here’s a playoff outlook for the county teams projected to make the state tournament.

Seaforth (2A East, automatic bid) Conference/conference record/place: Mid-Carolina 1A/2A, 11-0, first place RPI: 0.597649 Projected seed: 4 Seaforth, the defending 2A state champions, are set to possibly earn another top four seed in the upcoming state playoffs. The Hawks have already clinched their conference title and will likely host the first couple of rounds. As it looks to repeat, the key for Seaforth will be health. The Hawks have had multiple players miss time with injuries this season, including leading scorer Sofia Viana. Viana, a

junior, has only played in seven games this season has been out since April 17. Freshmen have filled in and stepped up in some players’ absence this year, but it will take the valuable experience of its seasoned veterans to win in the later rounds.

Northwood (2A East) Conference/conference record/place: Mid-Carolina 1A/2A, 10-3, second place RPI: 0.522439 Projected seed: 17 Northwood has put together another solid season with hopes of finishing second in the conference and earning its third straight playoff berth.

The Chargers will likely land in the middle of the bracket with a seed in the low teens.

Led by senior striker Sarah Anne Murrell and freshman midfielder Madelyn Bolejack, Northwood is battle tested after playing a tough schedule.

The Chargers got their young team acclimated to fiercer competition in higher classifications throughout the season, which could make for a more prepared team back on the 2A level.

See SOCCER, page B2

SEAFORTH TOOK home the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference tournament titles in baseball and softball last week.

Here’s a recap of each championship game and the moments leading up to them: Baseball Seaforth pitchers Jaedyn Rader and Easton Sykes threw a combined 49 strikes (73 pitches) and only gave up a hit each in a 5-0 win over No. 3 Northwood in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference tournament championship game on May 1.

The top-seeded Hawks took both the tournament and reg-

“What we showed on the mound was our true identity of what we are on the mound.”

Spenser Messmore ular season conference titles in back-to-back seasons.

Rader, who got the start and the win on the mound, struck out three batters. His performance, combined with Sykes and the rest of the Seaforth defense, helped the Hawks overcome three errors that could’ve changed the game.

“What we showed on the mound was our true identity of what we are on the mound,” Seaforth coach Spenser Messmore said. “It’s pretty much See TOURNEYS, page B2

Grimes notches 6 goals to lead Seaforth over Union Pines The Hawks are now 3-0 all time against the Vikings

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — Junior Ivan Grimes scored a team-high six goals, including two in the tightly contested fourth quarter, to lead the Seaforth boys’ lacrosse team over nonconference foe Union Pines 12-9 on April 30.

After Union Pines junior Hayne Tobias tied the game at 8 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Grimes and sophomore Oscar Ditter combined for four goals to close out the win.

With just under seven minutes left to play, Grimes used a flashy spin on a defender to get

“As soon as they start getting momentum, we want them to think they have it, and then we take it right back.”

Ivan Grimes

open and sent a shot from the right side through the back of the net, putting the Hawks up 11-9. Two minutes later, Ditter, who gave the Hawks the lead after Tobias’ game-tying score, put the game away with his second goal of the night.

“Great coaching by coach Hubbard, telling me to move on See LACROSSE, page B3

B2

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Knights baseball, softball take 2nd in tournaments Both teams fall to Clover Garden in the championship game

10

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

Strikeouts for Brandon Rives and Luke Johnson in the semifinals

CHATHAM Charter’s baseball and softball teams finished as runner ups in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference tournaments. Here’s a recap for both teams and the moments leading up to the championship games: Baseball No. 1 Chatham Charter fell to No. 3 Clover Garden School 6-2 in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference tournament championship on May 1.

The Knights, who swept Clover Garden in the regular season, recorded three more hits than the Grizzlies. However, Clover Garden cashed in on its hits at the right moments.

Up 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning with one out, Clover Garden set up bases loaded with back-to-back walks and a single from sophomore Brice Stanfield. Senior Gabe Kistler followed with a double to left field, sending all three base runners home.

Prior to that sequence, a walk and an error by the Knights’ defense in the top of the second inning set up a scoring op-

@CCKNIGHTSSPORTS / X

Chatham Charter poses with the regular-season trophy after winning the Central Tar Heel 1A Conference. The Knights lost in the championship game of the conference tournament. portunity for junior Brayden DeAlto, who knocked in junior Kam Foster with a single. Senior Gabe Kistler followed immediately by grounding into the fielder’s choice which allowed Stanfield to score and give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead.

Both teams failed to score from that point on. DeAlto got the win on the mound for the Grizzlies with five strikeouts, two earned runs and 68 strikes out of 106 pitches.

Chatham Charter had no trouble with No. 4 Triangle Math and Science in the semifinals, winning that game 10-0.

Junior Tyner Williams had a productive day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three runs. Senior Zach Cartrette went 2-for3 with a team-high four RBIs. Junior Brandon Rives, who started and earned the win, and senior Luke Johnson combined for 10 strikeouts and just one hit in five innings.

Softball No. 1 Clover Garden recorded 11 hits in a 14-0 victory over No. 2 Chatham Charter in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference tournament final on May 1.

Clover Garden’s Brandi Markham went 3-for-4 from the plate, recorded a team-high three runs and combined with Cadence Collins for seven RBIs. Collins hit two home runs, and Gracie Hensley also homered.

Markham’s impact was also felt on the mound. In the five innings needed to win, she allowed only three hits to the Knights.

Chatham Charter also didn’t help themselves defensively as it committed five errors. Four errors by the Knights in the bottom of the third inning helped the Grizzlies extend their turn and score eight runs.

This was the Knights’ second largest loss of the season and their largest defeat to Clover Garden, who they lost the season series with 3-1. Chatham Charter beat Clover Garden 7-4 on April 24 despite committing seven errors that night. The Grizzlies got revenge for last season when Chatham Charter beat them 8-6 in the conference tournament title.

Before the title game, Chatham Charter took down No. 3 River Mill Academy in the semifinals 5-1. The Knights held the Jaguars without a run until the top of the seventh inning.

TOURNEYS from page B1 anybody that we put out there whether it’s Rader, Easton, Anthony, Bryce, Tristan, anybody.

That’s what it is. It’s fill in the zone and just competing. So, we did that well today.”

Up 1-0 after a sac fly by Rader scored senior Daniel White in the first inning, sophomore Bryce Huneycutt started Seaforth’s game-turning rally with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.

On the next at-bat, Huneycutt worked his way around the bases and scored on a passed ball, giving the Hawks a 4-0 lead. Errors and pitching lapses continued to hurt Northwood in the inning as another passed ball allowed senior John Gay, who was previously hit by a pitch, to score.

Prior to the championship game, Seaforth beat No. 5 North Moore 9-2 in the semifinals behind a six-strikeout (47 strikes out of 71 pitches) mound performance from Huneycutt. White recorded a team-high two RBIs, and Sykes went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Thanks to a team-high four RBIs from senior Kaleb Howell, Northwood took down No. 2 Southeast Alamance 10-4 in the semifinals. The Chargers, coming into the game 0-2 against the Stallions this season, scored four runs in the opening inning, and they scored five more in the fifth. Northwood notched 10 hits to Southeast Alamance’s six. Sophomore pitcher Finn Sullivan struck out six batters in the first four innings while sophomore Zeke Wicker allowed zero runs and two hits in the last three innings.

Northwood freshman Riley D’Angelo threw 12 strikeouts to beat No. 6 Bartlett Yancey 8-3 in the first round.

No. 4 Chatham Central lost to North Moore 7-4, and No. 7 Jordan-Matthews lost to Southeast Alamance 13-2 in the first round.

Softball Seaforth’s Abigail Johnson

SOCCER from page B1 Jordan-Matthews (2A East) Conference/conference record/place: Mid-Carolina 1A/2A, 4-8, fifth place RPI: 0.415263 Projected seed: 32 Jordan-Matthews, which ranks 33rd in the RPI standings, sits on the fence of good playoff standing. The young Jets squad took some tough losses throughout the season and struggled in conference play, but their playoff hopes aren’t all lost yet. Should Jor-

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth junior Jaedyn Rader (23) uses some fancy footwork to try to get around a tag at the plate. scored a walk-off run to clinch the second-seeded Hawks’ first Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference tournament title over No. 5 Southeast Alamance 4-3 on May 1.

Tied at 3-3 with two outs, Johnson advanced to third base after Emma Grace Hill was walked. The first pitch on the very next at-bat went past the catcher, and Johnson ran in the game-winning score.

In a low-scoring affair, Blair Hill had the best night at the

plate for the Hawks, going 1-for3 with an RBI. Emma Grace Hill struck out five batters (68 strikes out of 103 pitches) and allowed six hits in seven innings.

No. 1 Chatham Central, which was perfect in regular season conference play, got upset by Southeast Alamance in the semifinals 8-7. After leading 7-2 through four innings, the Bears got outscored 6-0 in the final three innings.

A passed ball and an error were costly mistakes in the top

of the fifth inning in which the Stallions ripped off four runs.

Chatham Central still gave itself a chance to win with two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but Chloe Brewer’s final swing was caught in the outfield to end the game.

On the other side of the bracket, Seaforth and No. 3 Jordan-Matthews found themselves tied at three runs apiece until the Hawks scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Annika Johansson hit a home

run to put the Hawks ahead for what was eventually the final score 7-3.

Jordan-Matthews pitcher Lilli Hicks pitched a perfect game to beat No. 6 Northwood 3-0 in the first round.

Hicks struck out 10 batters, throwing 53 strikes outs of 83 pitches. At the plate, Lily Zogopoulos went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Chatham Central beat No. 8 Bartlett Yancey 15-0, and Seaforth beat No. 7 Graham 16-1 in the first round.

dan-Matthews make the state tournament, it’ll have to travel and play one of the best teams in the 2A East classification.

The Jets haven’t won a playoff game since 2022 despite making the postseason every year since then.

its last two conference games this week, it’ll finish as conference champions for the fourth straight time and earn another automatic bid to the playoffs.

The Wolves are in good standing regardless of what happens, looking at a potential top four seed if they win out. After losing a plethora of players from last year’s state runner up team, the Wolves aren’t quite the same force, but they are still capable of a deep playoff run. They showed that against 2A juggernaut Franklin Academy when they trailed 1-0 at the half, but they couldn’t sus-

tain that level of play the rest of the night. The key for Woods Charter, which is likely to host, will be putting together a complete game, especially in the later rounds.

Knights, led by freshman Emily Scheidt, will likely have to travel in the first round. Chatham Charter didn’t have the season it wanted, but they showed flashes of being competitive against playoff teams.

For example, the Knights put up four goals against Southern Wake Academy (second in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference). Although the playoffs may not last long for the Knights, this has still been their best season in recent memory as they’ve won five games for the first time since 2022.

Woods Charter (1A East) Conference/conference record/place: Central Tar Heel 1A, 10-0, first place RPI: 0.554267 Projected seed: 4 Should Woods Charter win

Chatham Charter (1A East) Conference/conference record/place: Central Tar Heel 1A, 3-7, fifth place RPI: 0.402196 Projected seed: 24 Chatham Charter is in good playoff standing, sitting at 24th in the RPI rankings. The

B3

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

LACROSSE from page B1 attack and get open,” Grimes said. “That really helped me elevate my game. What was working was just getting to my left hand, or I could go right.

Just mixing it up.”

Prior to the decisive fourth quarter, Seaforth and Union Pines traded blows all night.

After senior Cameron Exley notched a goal less than a minute into the first quarter, Seaforth didn’t reach a lead of more than three scores for the rest of the game.

The Hawks went up 3-1 following a goal from senior Conner Yalch with under four minutes to play in the opening period, but the Vikings got a lucky break for a response. Seaforth goalkeeper Finn Prospero got pushed out of the crease during a scramble for the ball, allowing Union Pines sophomore Drew Chapin, who scored a team-high five goals, to tap in an easy score.

Union Pines then picked up momentum in the second quarter, scoring three goals to Seaforth’s two. Back-toback scores from junior Samuel Farirel and Tobias to end the first half brought the Vikings back within one (6-5).

“We were looking at some stats on shooting,” Seaforth coach Joe Hubbard said about his halftime adjustments. “I

think they had eight shots and five goals from those, so we felt like our defense needed to address that and really extend out a little bit more, get in their gloves and apply a little bit more pressure. We did that in the second half, and that’s why he had the ball more on the offensive end.”

From that point, Seaforth brought immediate responses to each of Union Pines’ punches. After Chapin’s third-quarter score, Grimes fired a shot through the net less than a minute later. Then, Tobias put in back-to-back scores, one in the end of the third and one at the start of the fourth, but the Hawks came back with two straight scores of their own for a 10-8 lead.

“It’s just next play,” Grimes said. “They get one. The offense is like we get together and let’s get a goal. As soon as they start getting momentum, we want them to think they have it, and then we take it right back.”

Seaforth also got one score each from junior Jack Petrusa and senior Jackson Powell.

The Hawks moved to 14-3 overall with their fourth straight win. The game was senior night for Seaforth, honoring Exley, Powell, Yalch, Layne Armstrong, Edwin Ledbetter, Anson Shoaf and Ethan Kuball. This season’s senior class includes the pro-

gram’s first four‑year players.

Seaforth, which is now 3-0 over Union Pines all-time gained some early highly competitive, postseason-like experience in the win as it could possibly see the Vikings in the 1A/2A/3A state playoffs.

“That’s why we want them on the schedule,” Hubbard said.

“That’s why we’ve had them.

We keep the competition going each year. Both ways, we know and recognize there’s value in playing each other going into the playoffs and finding a way to win. Working through some of that adversity when things don’t go your way, or maybe we’re not in the right spots.”

Looking at the RPI standings as of Friday morning, Seaforth sits at third in the 1A/2A/3A East classification while Union Pines sits at 11th.

Should the Hawks win out, they could finish the season as Central/Mid-Carolina conference co-champions and possibly earn priority seeding when the state brackets are determined.

As for Union Pines, which is second in the United 8/All American/Sandhills conference, a share of the conference title isn’t likely, but it’s still in good standing to make the state playoffs.

State playoff brackets will be seeded Friday. The first round will begin Tuesday.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lilli Hicks

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jordan-Matthews, softball

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth’s Ivan Grimes takes a shot during the Hawks’ game against Union Pines.

Jordan-Matthews junior Lilli Hicks earns athlete of the week honors for the week of April 28.

In the Jets’ 3-0 win over Northwood in the first round of the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference tournament, Hicks pitched a perfect game (zero hits, zero runs and no batters reached first) and struck out 10 batters across seven innings.

Hicks has been exceptional this season as last week’s feat was her second no-hitter of the year. Against Bartlett Yancey on April 17, Hicks struck out 10 batters in five innings without giving up a hit, and two errors kept her from another perfect game.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT GOLF

Dent, among top black golfers on PGA Tour Champions, dead at 85 Jim Dent died a week before his 86th birthday. Dent was one of the top black golfers of his generation, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions.

He started out as a caddie at the municipal course in Augusta, Georgia, known as The Patch. Dent went from caddying to the PGA Tour. He never won a tour event. His best finish was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.

NFL

Former agent for Elway dies after golf cart accident La Quinta, Calif.

California authorities say the death of Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s business partner and former agent, in a golf cart accident appears to be a horrific accident. The sheriff’s department is investigating the incident. A witness says Elway was at the scene of the crash and several reports claim Elway was driving the golf cart. The 62-year-old Sperbeck died after his injury at the Madison Club near Palm Springs. Sperbeck was Elway’s longtime agent during Elway’s time on the Denver Broncos, his business partner and his close friend.

GOLF

Scheffler matches PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in 8-shot win McKinney, Texas Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, finishing at 253 and running away with an eight-shot victory at his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The top-ranked player, who closed with a 63 to finish at 31 under par, tied the mark set by Justin Thomas in 2017 and matched six years later by Ludvig Aberg. Scheffler was in position to break the record before a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

MLB

20-year-old man who fell to the warning track at Pirates game awake Pittsburgh The fan who fell from a 21-foot‑high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game is awake and alert. Kavan Markwood, the 20-year-old who slipped off a railing and onto the field during a game, is improving. Markwood has made significant progress since being admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. The team’s internal investigation says Markwood did not purchase any alcohol, but one of the people who attended the game with him did legally buy alcoholic beverages.

SOCCER

Soccer organizations might have to cover care costs for ex-players with dementia London Soccer organizations in Britain could be forced to pay toward the care costs of ex-players who have suffered brain conditions caused by heading balls, under proposals to be tabled in Parliament. Campaigners are drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill with the aim of treating it as an “industrial injuries issue” and overseeing a scheme to provide care and support for those affected. The proposals seek to require the industry, to provide the necessary financial support.

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden does box jumps as part of his physical workout, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune the entire body for strength and endurance in racing.

Don’t think race car drivers are elite athletes? Give their workouts a try Circuit training with weights, core exercises, rowing and ski machines help drivers prepare

By Jim Vertuno The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — First came the mounting tension in the shoulders and the weakening grip while carrying 25-pound weights.

Then the labored breathing while ripping through the rowing and skiing simulators, and the pain in the thighs on the box jumps.

Topping it off: The strain on the neck simulating what it feels like to hit the brakes while racing at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and the G-forces felt though sweeping turns.

Welcome to the workout routine for two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune his body for strength and endurance in racing.

“You’re taxing every part of

the body, which is what happens in an IndyCar,” Newgarden said. “There’s no power steering, you’re pulling high G-forces, it’s hot and your heart rate is elevated. Everything is being stressed.”

Newgarden trainer Jeff Richter designs the workout routine for the driver. It’s a nonstop circuit of weight lifting, rowing and ski machines, core stretches and balance exercises, burpees and broad jumping, with only a few seconds rest between each exercise.

Picking the most fit athlete is a topic that tends to be a conversation starter. Wrestlers? Endurance runners? Water polo players? Boxers, swimmers, cross-country skiers?

Race car drivers don’t tend to end up high on any of those lists; they just sit and drive ... right?

Not so fast.

Drivers across every elite series do some kind of physical training, from Newgarden’s cross-fit training to the endurance training and reac-

“You have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing.”

Joey Logano tion-time exercises of Formula 1 drivers. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is a fitness buff who has run the Boston Marathon.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano questions why anyone might not consider top-level drivers to be elite athletes.

The fitness challenges are different from basketball or football but still real, he said.

“I run a fair amount, I lift some. We don’t want to be big and bulky inside a race car. But you have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing,” Logano said.

Race fans are becoming

more aware of the physical demands drivers face behind the wheel, Newgarden said.

“People aren’t as in the dark,” Newgarden said. “Twenty years ago, people might say, ‘I have a car, I drive to the grocery store every day, it can’t be that difficult.’ The physical demand is extremely high. It’s not whoever is the fittest is going to win the race, but it plays a factor. The appreciation is gaining ground.”

One of the most notable challenges for IndyCar drivers, and perhaps most unknown element of the series for the casual fan, is that Indy cars do not have power steering, something most people take for granted.

Newgarden and other drivers train to handle the strain on their shoulders, neck and grip needed to muscle a 1,700-pound car through a race, whether navigating a street course like St. Petersburg, Florida, or ripping around the high-speed oval at the Indianapolis 500.

NHL players are all about pregame routine, whether it’s naps or walking the dog Doing the same thing every game day helps players get in the right frame of mind

By Pat Graham The Associated Press BEFORE GAMES, Dallas forward Matt Duchene relies on the same, tried-andtrue routine. He blocks out a two‑hour window for a nap, eats an identical meal — pasta and salmon — and spends time reviewing notes he’s made in his journal.

Like many NHL players and coaches, Duchene is a creature of habit. Little pregame rituals and routines help them slip into the proper frame of mind for the next big game.

These familiar patterns can be sleep- or food-related. Or revolve around how they get dressed for a game. Or the way they warm up. Or how they tinker with their hockey sticks. Or be as simple as taking their dog for a walk.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious,” Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson explained.

“Lots of guys have routines.”

One frequent requirement — sneaking in a pregame nap.

If they can’t sleep, at least they log some chill time.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious. Lots of guys have routines.”

Erik Johnson “I nap around the same time, that’s just routine more than ritual. I was a little bit more (superstitious) when I was younger, but with my life the way it is, I’ve kind of had to change my schedule on the fly with a busy household,” said Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has four kids, including triplets. “I try not to overthink it.”

Following morning home skates, Carolina forward Mark Jankowski typically takes Lucy, his 6-year-old golden retriever, for a stroll.

“Get some sunlight,” said Jankowski, who was acquired by the Hurricanes in March.

“Get the legs moving a little bit.”

Then, a pregame meal for Jankowski, followed by slipping on a pair of Normatec boots — compression therapy to enhance circulation. He naps (60-90 minutes) before taking off for the rink.

As part of his pregame rou-

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Hurricanes’ Mark Jankowski (77), who likely walked his golden retriever earlier in the day, fights for the puck with Montreal Canadiens’ Jake Evans during a March game. tine, Tomas Hertl cranks up the tunes. These days, his playlist is heavy Czech music because it’s been setting the proper goal-scoring mood.

“I’m the kind of guy who can listen to everything,” Hertl said. “I like just the songs I kind of know I can sing along.

I have a terrible voice, I can’t sing, but this I do by myself.”

Other ways that players loosen up for a game: Gustavsson, like many, kicks around a soccer ball, while Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin takes a cold plunge. Hanifin’s teammate Brayden McNabb chomps on gum (peppermint) in warmups.

Players spend all sorts of time making sure their equipment is as prepared as them.

Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin spray-paints the bottom of his sticks to add a little extra weight. Stars forward Mason Marchment makes

sure his stick is stiff and newly taped.

Duchene slightly tweaks his routine depending on if it’s a road or home game. On the road, he includes rice with his pasta and salmon. At home, it’s salad. He also naps in a hyperbaric chamber before home games.

“As a younger player, I was extremely superstitious, and I hated it,” said Duchene, who writes the title of a song — “Jim Bob” by Hardy — on his stick. “I did everything to the minute before a game. I was almost obsessive about it. I got away from it a few years back.

“My biggest thing is you do what you do to get prepared, and then you just throw the gear on and go play,” he added. “That’s the most pure form of playing hockey. That’s how you do it your whole life. You don’t need to do ‘A-through-Z’ to get ready.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

County athletes win track and field conference titles

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

3

BOYS’ TENNIS 1A East dual team playoffs

Local athletes who qualified for the boys’ tennis state championships

No. 6 Chatham Charter won by forfeit over No. 11 Roxboro Community in the first round on April 30.

Seaforth (4x400-meter relay (4:27.36) and 4x800-meter relay (11:22.96)); Rachael Woods (Jordan-Matthews, long jump, 179.5); Claire Morgan (Seaforth, pole vault, 8-6); Jada Everson (Northwood, discus, 101-11.5); Amari Bullet (Northwood, shot put, 32-6) Chatham Charter’s boys and Woods Charter’s girls won the Central Tar Heel conference title at Southern Lee on April 30.

2A East dual team playoffs No. 9 Seaforth advanced to the third round after sweeping No. 8 North Lenoir 6-0 in the second round on April 30. The Hawks beat No. 24 Nash Central 6-0 in the first round.

No. 20 Northwood fell to No. 13 NCSSM: Durham 7-2 in the first round.

Individual state qualifiers (regionals were on May 2-3): Francisco Ibarra (Jordan-Matthews, 2A singles); Joaquin Hernandez-Gonzalez (Seaforth, 2A singles); Thomas Bjork (Chatham Charter, 1A singles) The individual state championships will run from May 9-10.

The 1A tournament will be held at Cary Tennis Park and the 2A tournament will take place at Ting Park Tennis Complex in Holly Springs.

Here are the county’s individual conference champions from the Central Tar Heel 1A conference championship meet (school, event, time/mark): Girls Aaliyah Walden (Chatham Charter, 100-meter dash (13.2) and 200-meter dash (28.05)); Dara Sudhir (Woods Charter, 1,600-meter run, 7:38.5); Sofia Rodriguez (Woods Charter, 400-meter dash, 1:09.9); Anna Peeler (Woods Charter, 800-meter run, 2:37.9); Grace Murphy (Woods Charter, 3,200-meter run, 14:03); Chatham Charter (4x100 relay, 55.5); Woods Charter (4x800-meter relay (12.39.9) and 4x400-meter relay (4:54.6)

TRACK AND FIELD Seaforth won the boys’ Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference title at Cummings on April 30.

The Hawks scored 168.5 points as a team, and Northwood’s boys finished second with 115 points.

Here’s the rest of the team scores from the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference championship meet.

Girls Cummings (144); 2. Seaforth (117.5); 3. Northwood (113); 4.

Southeast Alamance (92.5); 5.

Jordan-Matthews (66); 6. Bartlett Yancey (21); 7. North Moore (19); 8. Chatham Central (7); 9.

Graham (6) Boys Northwood (115); 3. Bartlett Yancey (108.5); 4. Southeast Alamance (102.5); 5. Jordan-Matthews (63.5); 6. Cummings (18); 7. Chatham Central (15); 8. Graham (7); 9. North Moore (4) Here are the county’s individual conference champions

Boys @CCKNIGHTSSPORTS / X

Chatham Charter tennis player Thomas Bjork qualified for the NCHSAA state singles tournament in class 1A. from the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference championship meet (school, event, time/mark).

Boys Sebastian Calderon (Seaforth, 200-meter dash (22.87 seconds) and 400-meter dash (50.66)); Jordan Wiley (Northwood, 800-meter run, 2:13.54); Will Cuicchi (Seaforth, 1,600-meter run, 5:00.97); Jack Anstrom (Seaforth, 3,200-meter run, 10:36.32); Luke Waldstein (Northwood, 110-meter hurdles

(15.77) and high jump (6 feet, 4 inches)); Benjamin Altenburg (Northwood, 300-meter hurdles, 42.69); Seaforth (4x400-meter relay (3:33.20) and 4x800-meter relay (8:49.45)); Ryan Yoder (Seaforth, pole vault, 14-6); Dylan Watkins (Seaforth, discus, 136‑8) Girls Natalia Davis (Seaforth, 800-meter run, 2:29.26); Sydney Gray (Northwood, 1,600-meter run (5:30.92) and 3,200-meter run (12:17.97));

Wyatt Webster (Woods Charter, 100-meter dash (11.72) and 200-meter dash (23.46)); Torris Price (Chatham Charter, 1,600-meter run (4:53.1), 800-meter run (2:18.2) and 3,200 meter-run (12:01.3)); Woods Charter (4x200-meter relay, 1:38.7) Girls’ soccer Seaforth extended its win streak to 12 games and clinched its third straight Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference title with wins over North Moore (7-0), Southeast Alamance (5-0) and Panther Creek (2-0). Freshman Amara Darden combined for seven goals during the week (five against North Moore).

Local Service Directory

Woods Charter bounced back from its loss to Franklin Academy with three straight shut outs over Clover Garden School (7-0) and Triangle Math and Science (12-0 and 9-0). Sophomore Lucy Poitras recorded five goals in the double-digit win over the Tigers.

Northwood finished its conference slate with a 9-0 win over Cummings on April 29.

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1.

Seaforth (15-2-1, 11-0); 2. Northwood (11-8, 10-3); 3. Southeast Alamance (9-7-2, 8-3); 4.

North Moore (12-3, 7-3); T5.

Jordan-Matthews (6-12, 4-8); T5. Bartlett Yancey (5-12, 4-8); 7. Graham (2-10, 1-9); 8. Cummings (0-12, 0-10) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1.

Woods Charter (11-4-1, 10-0); 2.

Southern Wake Academy (9-3, 9-1); 3. Clover Garden School (89, 6-4); 4. River Mill (7-8-1, 5-5); 5. Chatham Charter (5-11, 3-7); 6. Ascend Leadership (3-9, 2-8); 7. Triangle Math and Science (016, 0-10) Boys’ lacrosse Seaforth’s win streak grew to five after the Hawks swept Williams during the week (12-3 on April 28 and 13-5 Friday). Junior Ivan Grimes and sophomore Oscar Ditter scored four goals each Friday.

Central/Mid-Carolina 1A/2A standings (as of Sunday): 1. Orange (17-3, 14-1); 2. Seaforth (15-3, 13-1); 3. Southern Alamance (17-4, 11-4); 4. Williams (11-9, 9-6); 5. Cedar Ridge (9-8, 8-7); 6. Northwood (7-11, 7-9); 7.

Eastern Alamance (5-13, 3-12); 8. Southeast Alamance (5-16, 2-14); 9. Western Alamance (116, 1-14) Girls’ lacrosse Seaforth picked up its largest win of the year with a 21-1 rout over Jordan on April 30. Sophomore Natalie Boecke led the way with seven goals. Boecke also led the Hawks with seven goals in a 17-6 win over Carrboro on April 28.

DC/Northern Lakes Athletic/ Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings (as of Sunday): 1.

Chapel Hill (19-1, 10-0); 2. East Chapel Hill (17-2, 9-1); 3. Seaforth (8-6, 7-4); 4. Carrboro (69, 4-6); 5. Jordan (3-8, 2-5); T6.

Northwood (2-8, 0-6); T6. Riverside-Durham (0-17, 0-10)

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

entertainment MOVIE REVIEW

Thriller ‘The Surfer’ brings Nicolas Cage to a boil The 61-year-old actor is in his element

“Don’t live here, don’t surf here.”

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

Luna Bay slogan

FOR A LONG, sun-addled stretch, Lorcan Finnegan’s beach-set “The Surfer” simmers as a deliciously punishing nightmare, driving Nicolas Cage into his most natural state: a boil.

“Don’t live here, don’t surf here,” is the slogan at a pristine stretch of beach along Luna Bay on the Australian coast where our unnamed protagonist (Cage) has come to surf with his teenage son (Finn Little). The “locals only” signs, though, don’t deter him.

He was born there and has come back to surf the break and show his son the million-dollar house on the hills nearby he plans to buy.

But the situation rapidly disintegrates. He’s roughed up by the pushy local surfers, his son takes off, and one issue after another keeps him stuck there on a hillside overlooking the ocean.

Anyone who comes to “The Surfer” expecting glamorous photography of perfectly tubular waves will be disappointed. This is a movie that gets a remarkable amount of mileage out of a parking lot.

It also belongs to that small niche of films where things get so unbearably terrible for the protagonist that the psychodrama becomes more a matter of endurance than pure entertainment. I’m thinking of movies like “U-turn” or “Affliction” — films where a character’s inability to reckon with their reality spirals miserably.

As time wears on, Cage’s character gets bloodied, sunburned and incredibly thirsty, and the film grows hallucinatory and surreal. There are snakes, rats and bird eggs. The Lexus he arrives in is towed. His suit gets dusty and ripped. Small nuisances — a dead cellphone battery — accumulate. The sun seems to be melting his brain, so much so that he’s no longer sure of who he is, and we start to doubt what’s real, too.

What’s happening here?

The Surfer, as he’s credited, is hell‑bent on reclaiming something. He envisions reuniting with his family at the new house, but his separated wife, on the

phone, tells him she wants a divorce. Is “The Surfer,” penned by Thomas Martin, a metaphor for knowing when to cut bait? Cage’s character won’t accept his losses, and so he ultimately comes to risk much more.

When Finnegan begins to answer these questions in a third act that brings us closer to the surfer bros on the beach, “The Surfer” becomes more tolerable to watch and yet less transfixing.

The beach gang, led by a man named Scally (Julian McMahon), are something of a cult for reviving an old-fashioned idea of masculinity. With this turn, the strong undertow of “The Surfer” dissipates.

But if there was ever an actor to elevate pulpy, not fully formed genre material, it’s Cage. His performance of a man brought to near disintegration can be neatly filed alongside Cage’s many other head trips to the brink. All he needs is a bluff above a beach to make “The Surfer” churn with the currents of a man tenuously close to being swept out to sea.

“The Surfer,” a Roadside Attractions release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language, suicide, some violence, drug content and sexual material. Running time: 103 minutes. Three stars out of four.

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS VIA AP

Nicolas Cage stars in “The Surfer.”

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

this week in history

2

nd

*Must set up Auto Draft for 2nd Month.

Offer valid through February 1st 2024.

Nazis surrender, Bob Marley dies, Jamestown established, Donner Party heads west

Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month‑old kidnapped son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, was found in a wooded area near Hopewell, New Jersey.

MAY 10

1541: Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River, the first recorded European to do so.

1846: U.S. forces led by Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican forces near modern-day Brownsville, Texas, in the first major battle of the Mexican American War. 1945: President Harry S. Truman announced in a radio address that Nazi Germany’s forces had surrendered, stating that “the flags of freedom fly all over Europe” on V-E (Victory in Europe) Day.

1775: Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with Col. Benedict Arnold, captured the British-held fortress at Ticonderoga, New York.

1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured

by Union forces near Irwinville, Georgia.

1869: A golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.

1924: J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (later known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI).

1994: Nelson Mandela was inaugurated, becoming the first black president of South Africa.

MAY 9

MAY 11

MAY 12

1754: The famous political cartoon “Join or Die” was first published by Benjamin Franklin in the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper.

1914: President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. 1960: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved Enovid for use as the first oral contraceptive pill.

1935: The Rural Electrification Administration was created as one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.

1946: The first CARE packages, sent by a consortium of American charities to provide relief to the hungry of postwar Europe, arrived at Le Havre, France.

1960: Israeli agents captured Nazi war criminal Ad-

1780: The besieged city of Charleston, South Carolina, surrendered to British forces in one of the worst American defeats of the Revolutionary War. 1846: The pioneers of the Donner Party left Independence, Missouri on the Oregon Trail, beginning their ill-fated attempt to migrate to California.

1932: The body of Charles

MAY 8

MAY 13

AP PHOTO/JACQUES LANGEVIN

Legendary reggae singer Bob Marley, pictured performing in 1980, died May 11, 1981, at age 36. olf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1981: Reggae artist Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36 of melanoma.

1846: The United States Congress formally declared war against Mexico.

1940: In his first speech to the House of Commons as British prime minister, Winston Churchill said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

1981: Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square by Turkish assailant Mehmet Ali Ağca.

MAY 14 1607: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was established by members of the Virginia Company.

1804: The Lewis and Clark expedition, organized to explore the Louisiana Territory as well as the Pacific Northwest, began its journey near present-day Hartford, Illinois.

1955: Representatives from eight Communist bloc countries, including the Soviet Union, signed the Warsaw Pact in Poland. (The pact was dissolved in 1991.)

R.E.M. rereleases single to benefit news service Winston-Salem native Mitch Easter produced the original recording of “Radio Free Europe”

By David Bauder The Associated Press THE ROCK BAND R.E.M. has put out a special rerelease of its first single, “Radio Free Europe,” to benefit — wait for it — the actual Radio Free Europe.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is among the U.S. government-funded media services that deliver news in overseas markets. President Donald Trump’s administration, claiming they are wasteful and promote a liberal point of view, is trying to choke off their funding.

A federal judge this week ordered the Republican administration to restore $12 million to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that was appropriated by Congress. Lawyers for the service, which has been operating for 75 years, said it would be forced to shut down in June without the money.

In the first line of its song “Radio Free Europe,” R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe sings: “Decide yourself if radio’s gonna stay.”

“Whether it’s music or a free press — censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere,” Stipe said on Friday. “On World Press Freedom Day, I’m sending a shout-out to the brave journal-

ists at Radio Free Europe.”

RFE/RL’s president, Stephen Capus, said R.E.M.’s music has always represented a celebration of freedom to him. He said inspiring and upholding freedom to audiences that might not always experience it is the goal of his organization’s journalists.

Released on a tiny independent label, the “Radio Free Europe” single was the first the world had heard from the Athens, Georgia-based band, whose career eventually took it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band called it quits in 2011.

The song was later inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry for setting the pattern for independent rock releases at the time.

The five-song EP includes the original recording of the song and a remix made this year by the band’s collaborator Jacknife Lee. It also contains three other songs made at the same time: the single’s B-side, “Sitting Still,” the instrumental “Wh. Tornado,” and a previously unreleased “Radio Free Dub” remix.

The producer of the original recording session, Mitch Easter, is supervising this year’s rerelease. It’s available for streaming, and a special vinyl pressing can be bought at independent record stores and R.E.M.’s mail order store. Proceeds from all vinyl sales go to RFE/ RL.

solutions

BEBETO MATTHEWS / AP PHOTO

Michael Stipe of the band R.E.M., center, speaks during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Standing by are fellow band members, from left, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

famous birthdays this week MAY 8 SINGER TONI Tennille is 85. Country singer Jack Blanchard is 83. Jazz pianist Keith Jarrett is 80. Drummer Chris Frantz of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club is 74. Drummer Alex Van Halen of Van Halen is 72. Singer Enrique Iglesias is 50. Singer Joe Bonamassa is 48.

MAY 9

RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO

Musical icon Stevie Wonder, pictured performing at a celebration of Roberta Flack’s life in 2025, celebrates his 75th birthday on Tuesday.

Producer-director James L. Brooks is 88. Guitarist Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets is 88. Singer Tommy Roe is 83. Singer-guitarist Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco) is 81. Actor Candice Bergen is 79. Musician Billy Joel is 76.

MAY 10 Singer Donovan is 79.

Singer Dave Mason is 79.

Sports anchor Chris Berman is 70. Singer Bono of U2 is 65. Actor Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live,” ″Kenan and Kel”) is 47.

MAY 11

JAE C. HONG / AP PHOTO

Actor Candice Bergen, pictured at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024, turns 78 on Friday.

Actor Frances Fisher (“Resurrection,” “Titanic”) is 73. Former MTV VJ Martha Quinn is 66. Actor Tim Blake Nelson (“Lincoln,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) is 61.

MAY 12 Singer Jayotis Washington of The Persuasions is 84.

Singer Steve Winwood is 77.

Singer Billy Squier is 75. Actor Gabriel Byrne is 75. Actor Ving Rhames is 66. Actor Emilio Estevez is 63.

MAY 13 Actor Harvey Keitel is 86.

Musician Stevie Wonder is 75.

Singer Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish) is 59. Actor Robert Pattinson is 39.

MAY 14

AARON FAVILA / AP PHOTO

Bono, the lead singer of U2, turns 65 on Saturday.

Movie director-producer George Lucas is 81. Actor Meg Foster (“Cagney and Lacey”) is 78. Director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Back to the Future”) is 74. Actor Cate Blanchett is 56.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

the stream

PEACOCK / NETFLIX / ACORN TV VIA AP

“Poker Face,” “Forever” and “Safe House” land on a screen near you this week.

Lyonne back in ‘Poker Face,’ spy thriller ‘Black Bag, Vaughn hits kitchen in ‘Nonnas’ Blake Shelton drops first album in four years The Associated Press NEW YORK — The popular whodunit series “Poker Face” starring Natasha Lyonne returning for its second season and Steven Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Blake Shelton releasing a new full-length album, gamers can fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife in the sci-fi world of Revenge of the Savage Planet and there’s a new Lifetime documentary series about the country music iconic family the Judds.

MOVIES TO STREAM Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” (streaming now on Peacock), stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as married British intelligence operatives whose agency has a mole that needs ferreting out. In his review, AP film writer Jake Coyle praised the third collaboration between Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp (“Presence, “Kimi”): “Their movie adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel, yet hinges on the sturdiness of its married couple, like a super spy version of Nick and Nora from ‘The Thin Man’ or a more cerebral ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith.’”

In “Nonnas” (Friday on Netflix), Vince Vaughn stars as Jody “Joe” Scaravella, an MTA worker who, after the death of his mother, opens up a traditional Italian restaurant to honor her memory. He hires only grandmothers — played by Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Susan Sarandon and Brenda Vaccaro — to do the cooking.

James Jones’ documentary “Antidote,” playing as part of PBS’ “Frontline,” follows the Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, a prominent reporter on the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, and Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was poisoned twice and sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison. The film, now streaming on PBS and the PBS app, details the lives of opponents to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

If the end of season three of “White Lotus” has you down, a new film series on the Criterion Channel collects some brilliant tales of trouble in sea-

CLAUDETTE BARIUS / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

Michael Fassbender, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan star in “Black Bag,” now streaming on Peacock. documentary series, “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told” will premiere, becoming available to stream the following day. The show promises to peek behind the curtain, getting at the heart of the family’s triumphs and tragedies.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

NETFLIX / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

The films “Nonnas” and “Black Bag” are available for streaming this week. side locales. The series, dubbed “Coastal Thrillers” includes gems like “Key Largo” (1948), “The Breaking Point” (1950) and “The Ghost Writer” (2010).

MUSIC TO STREAM After four years, country star Shelton will release a new fulllength album, “For Recreational Use Only.” It kicked off with the rocking, George Strait-referencing immediate radio hit “Texas,” followed by the HARDY-penned ballad “Let Him In Anyway.” This is classic Shelton, with a few notable collaborations: with John Anderson, Craig Morgan and his wife, Gwen Stefani.

Regional Mexican music — a catchall term that encompass-

“(‘Black Bag’) adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel…”

Jake Coyle, AP film writer es mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres — has become a global phenomenon over the last few years. Hitmakers Grupo Firme are at least partially responsible for the growth. On Thursday, the Sinaloan norteño banda will release “EVOLUCIÓN,” their first new album in three years.

On Saturday, a new Lifetime

An ex-cop gets asked by a former colleague to let a family in danger hide out in his guesthouse. What could go wrong?

A lot, apparently. Christopher Eccleston (also remembered as the ninth doctor in BBC’s “Doctor Who,”) stars alongside Marsha Thomason. “Safe House” is streaming now on Acorn TV. It’s part of its first Murder Mystery May where they’re streaming crime dramas and whodunits all month long.

The popular whodunit, “Poker Face,” starring Lyonne returns to Peacock for its second season Thursday. Lyonne stars as Charlie, a woman with an innate ability to know when someone is lying. “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson is the creator and executive producer.

The show’s second season has more than 30 big name guest stars appearing, including Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Katie Holmes and John Cho, to name a few.

Judy Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever” about teenage sexuality is the inspiration for a new Netflix series of the same name from Mara Brock Ali, who created acclaimed shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary

Jane.” This “Forever” features a predominantly black cast in a love story between two teens living in Los Angeles at its center. Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. star. It drops Thursday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The goofy sci-fi shooter Journey to the Savage Planet didn’t get the audience it deserved in 2020, thanks to some unfortunate corporate maneuvers that left its developers out in the cold. But they held onto the idea and started a new studio called Raccoon Logic, and now they’re unleashing Revenge of the Savage Planet. You’ve been dumped on a faraway rock, and you’ll need to explore every inch and fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife before you can “get revenge on your former employer” (ahem). You can play solo or join forces with a friend online or on the couch. Blast off Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. Potboy? Sure, I knew a guy like that in high school. But that’s not the Potboy who stars in The Midnight Walk — this poor kid has a lantern for a head, and he can use its flame to keep warm or fend off ghouls.

It’s the debut title from Swedish studio MoonHood, whose founders are best-known for 2021’s eerie Lost in Random, and it has creepy stop-motion animation reminiscent of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The hike begins Thursday on PlayStation 5 and PC.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 11 | THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

BRIEF this week

Single lane traffic enforced at airport Kenansville Construction at the Duplin County Airport has reached a stage where traffic must now be limited to a single lane due to ongoing utility and road work. As a result, county officials are requesting that visitors avoid the airport temporarily until the construction is complete.

Faison selling bricks to raise funds Faison The town of Faison will begin selling commemorative bricks to be placed at the William Thornton Memorial monument and courtyard.

This initiative will also help raise funds to support the Faison Improvement Group and the recreation center.

Mount Olive water department announces new hours Mount Olive The town of Mount Olive announced that their Water Billing Department will resume normal hours of operation on May 12.

The hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Normal operating procedures, including late fees and water account cutoffs, will also resume on this date. Call 919‑658‑9537 Ext. 114 or 919-658‑9539 Ext. 108 for more information.

Detention center project “on time and on budget” Kenansville Officials reported that the Duplin County detention center project is progressing and currently ahead of schedule. County Manager Bryan Miller said the project also remains on budget.

However, their contingency funds are diminishing as they advance through the project. “We’re withholding some of the contingency money because we know that there’s going to be some things moving ahead in the future that we’re going to have to address. But, so far, we’re on time and on budget,” said Miller.

Authorities warn of serial killer hoax Magnolia The Magnolia Police Department is alerting the public about a recurring social media hoax originating on community yard sale pages. The scam falsely claims that a serial killer is on the loose.

Authorities said the scam is circulating nationwide, with only the names of towns or counties changed to make it seem relevant to local communities. Law enforcement is encouraging the public to verify alarming claims through credible sources.

$2.00

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Minor disruption ends festival concert early Thousands gathered in historic downtown Wallace last weekend for the Carolina Strawberry Festival. Saturday’s festivities ended slightly early after an altercation involving unsupervised juveniles led the police to shut down The Embers’ concert 20 minutes ahead of schedule. To see more photos of the event, turn to A6.

Volunteer firefighters key WCA breaks to reducing insurance rates ground on new middle school building

“Additional volunteer members from that area are needed, and this cannot be accomplished without them.”

Matthew Barwick, public safety director and fire marshal

Authorities advocate for restoring the Kenansville substation as best solution

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Local leadership is looking at solutions to help residents of Holland Road area in Duplin County who have been facing high insurance rates due the area’s designation as protected class 10, which is the lowest level of fire protection. Officials have acknowledged the growing concerns about homeowners’ insurance costs in the Holland Road area, which have worsened since the closure of a nearby fire substation previously manned by the Kenansville Fire Department.

Earlier this year, resident Mary Grady expressed deep concern over her homeowner’s insurance increase, more than doubling, jumping from around $700 to over $2,000 last year. Her home is located outside the six-mile emergency response zone, which

impacts insurance rates.

Matthew Barwick, Public Safety Director and Fire Marshal, told Duplin Journal that while emergency public safety services are still being provided to that area, the absence of a nearby operational fire station has negatively impacted the community’s fire protection rating.

This, in turn, limits homeowners’ ability to obtain affordable insurance coverage.

Barwick explained that reestablishing a fire station within the required proximity is crucial to resolving the issue. However, this effort requires careful planning, significant resources and, most importantly, sufficient volunteer staffing. He also mentioned that Fire Chief Robert Whitman has indicated the Kenansville Fire Department is willing to reopen a station in the area, but this can only occur if they have enough local volunteers.

“Additional volunteer members from that area are needed, and this cannot be accomplished without

WALLACE — Wallace Christian Academy (WCA) held a groundbreaking ceremony last Wednesday to celebrate the commencement of construction on its future middle school building behind Poston Baptist Church, bringing the local private school one step closer to realizing its vision for a fully functioning Pre-K through 12th grade private Christian academy in the community. WCA has already raised $220,000 of the $1.2M necessary for the building’s construction and hopes to secure $150,000 over the summer toward the structure’s

See INSURANCE, page A5

See WCA, page A2

Community champions highlighted for their contributions County commissioners oppose General Assembly efforts to centralize land use authority

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Last Monday, the Duplin County Commissioners honored the recipients of the 2025 Duplin County Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards.

Melisa Brown, Senior Services director, spoke about the distinguished recognition created by the Office of the Governor to honor the state’s most dedicated volunteers and introduced Greenevers Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Gregory Carr as the recipient of the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service. He will be officially recognized at the North Carolina State Capitol on May 12.

The Medallion Award is presented to only 20 individuals across the state each year, recognizing outstanding contributions.

“Mr. Gregory Carr is recognized for

his remarkable volunteerism and disaster preparedness response recovery or mitigation,” said Brown, adding that he has dedicated over 700 volunteer hours in the past year alone. “He wears many hats in the community and embraces them all with love and compassion for his fellow community members.”

A lifelong resident of Duplin County, Carr has deep roots in the Greenevers community, where he has served as a volunteer for more than three decades. Carr has not only played a critical role in emergency response but has also fostered mentorship development within the department. Under his leadership, the fire department has become a cornerstone of the community, hosting events and initiatives that bring people together and teach life-saving and interpersonal skills to residents of all ages.

In addition to his fire service, Carr contributes to broader efforts in Duplin County through his role in the Duplin County Fire Association, where he serves as chaplain.

See COUNTY, page A2

Construction of the Wallace Christian Academy building is expected to be completed in August 2026

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

“All of this hinges around these little ones. This is why we’re doing this — for them.”

Steve La Roux, WCA headmaster

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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help ease the path for those who walk it.

Light refreshments will be provided.

• Join the Pink Hill Fireman’s Day hosted by the Pink Hill Volunteer Fire and Rescue on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be at 300 S. Front St. in Pink Hill and will feature a barbecue plate sale, various vendors, a car show and a raffle. Prizes in the raffle include a golf cart, a TurtleBox speaker and $100 in cash. Tickets are $10 each, and the drawing will be held at 2 p.m.

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May 9 • Get ready for a night of country music as Tracy Lawrence, Dillon Carmichael and Wesko take the stage at the Duplin Events Center on Friday, May 9. Doors open at 6 p.m.

• Duplin County Senior and Veterans Services will host an open house on Wednesday, May 21, from 2-4 p.m. at 156 Duplin Commons Drive in Kenansville.

For more information, call 910-296-2140.

May 31

May 13 • Duplin County Trillium is hosting a free public Reentry Simulation on May 13 at 9 a.m. at the Britt Agricultural Service Center at 165 Agriculture Drive in Kenansville. Participants will gain insight into the barriers individuals face when returning to society after incarceration, such as challenges in finding a job, securing stable housing, attending treatment regularly and adhering to release conditions. Join Trillium for this informative and eye-opening experience that shows participants the challenges this population faces—and how they can

• Join the Duplin Events Center on May 31 at noon for an EMS Community Day featuring fun and education for the entire family. Sponsored by Duplin County EMS, the event will feature firstaid instruction, touch-a-truck exhibits, vendors, hands on activities, education and entertainment for the whole family.

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• The Beulaville town board meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at 508 East Main St. in Beulaville. For more information, call 910-298-4647.

• The Town of Calypso meets at the council chambers the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 103 W. Trade St. For information, call 919-658-9221.

• The Faison town board meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at 110 NE Center St. in Faison. For more information, call 910-267-2721.

• The Economic Development Board meets the first Friday of the month at 7 a.m. at the Duplin County Airport Conference Room.

• The Duplin County NAACP holds its monthly meetings on the first Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at First Missionary Baptist Church at 336 West Hill St. in Warsaw.

• The Greenevers town board meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at 314 E. Charity Road. For information, call 910-289-3078.

• The Teachey town board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m., at 116 East 2nd St. For information, call 910-285-7564.

Happening Monthly • The Board of County Commissioners meets the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 224 Seminary St. in Kenansville. For information, call 910‑296-2100.

Got a local event? Let us know and we’ll share it with the community here.

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COUNTY from page A1 Each commissioner publicly praised Carr for his selfless dedication and the profound impact of his work on local residents. Carr, in turn, expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve, attributing his passion and perseverance to his faith, family and community support.

Alongside Carr’s individual recognition, the Duplin County Tax Aid Volunteers were asked to come to the front and were recognized as a group. In 2024 alone, the group filed returns for 250 low-to-moderate-income residents, saving the community approximately $50,000 in preparation fees.

“In 2024, nine individuals, Hermenia Brown, Mary Fife, Darrell and Donna Grubbs, Jameszetta Leach, Carolyn Melvin, Cynthia Odom, Bertha Rhodes and Kathryne Wrenn, volunteered a total of 1,009 hours to ensure the success of the service,” said Brown, adding that Liz Batts, Shirley Benson and Lee Page joined the group this year and collectively the 12 volunteers contributed 993 hours. Certificates honoring the group will be displayed at the local senior center to commemorate their ongoing

WCA from page A1 rough-in plumbing and concrete slab.

Nearly four and a half years have passed since Pastor Chris Jarman first shared his vision for what would become WCA with the Poston Baptist congregation — and almost three since the private Christian academy welcomed its first class of 30 kindergarten, first and second-grade students. Now, the growing school provides education for 110 children from pre-kindergarten to the fourth grade, with over 150 currently on roster for the 2025/2026 school year.

Headmaster Steve La Roux addressed students, parents, teachers and church members at a dedication chapel in the Poston Baptist sanctuary ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony. “This is truly a celebration… We’re celebrating the fact that our school is continuing to grow, our school’s do-

contributions.

Another highlight of the evening was a discussion about solar farms. County Manager Bryan Miller explained that currently there are 35 in Duplin County with an initial investment totaling $267.6 million.

The equipment used in these facilities benefits from an 80% property tax exemption, valued at over $214 million. Despite this exemption, the county still garners tax revenue from the remaining 20% of assessed value, resulting in $393,369 in tax proceeds. After accounting for depreciation, the current taxable value stands at around $33.2 million, contributing an additional $244,583.04 in revenue for the county.

“There’s been a lot of discussion in the General Assembly about solar panels and the business model and how they go about generating revenue and generating energy and the possibility of more exemptions for solar panels,” said Miller.

“There’s a lot of things we can do. I’d just like to receive some direction from the board if the board wants to look into solar panels more.”

The board discussed whether solar farms constitute a fair and beneficial use of land, in light of potential tax revenue

vider of private faith-based education for Christian families in Wallace and the surrounding area. The academy aims to offer sixth-grade enrollment in time for the middle school building’s estimated completion in August of 2026.

The dedication chapel preceding Wednesday’s groundbreaking featured spirited per-

formances from WCA students who showcased their faith with prayer, pledges and song. “All of this hinges around these little ones. This is why we’re doing this — for them,” explained La Roux as he thanked the parents, family and friends gathered for their continued support.

In a speech following the children’s energetic music performance of God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion) by the Newboys, Pastor Jarman gave thanks to God and the community for making the church’s vision a reality.

“I can stand here and tell you that because of the grace of God and the faithfulness and giving of people just like you, this first building over here is also fully funded and paid for,” said Jarman in reference to the eight-classroom elementary school building constructed in 2024. “I know today, what we’re about to break ground on, God’s going to do the very same.”

many industries, there are really large and powerful lobbies that tend to influence things one way or another.”

A key regulatory concern raised was the state’s potential to limit counties’ authority over land use through new legislation, particularly House Bill 765. This bill, if enacted, could strip counties of their ability to regulate the siting and use of land, effectively replacing local discretion with a statewide, one-size-fits-all approach.

The commissioners expressed strong opposition to this idea, emphasizing that local leaders are better equipped to make land-use decisions tailored to their community’s needs. The board acknowledged the importance of maintaining local control and voiced support for drafting a formal letter of opposition to the proposed legislation.

“I’m personally against the state having the authority to one-shoe-fits-all for every 100 counties in this state.

Each county has their elected officials that are voted on by the taxpayers of the county and they need to have some stake in the game and we need to make the decisions that the people that are voting us in office want made and not the peo-

ple in Raleigh making it for us in the county,” said Chairman Edwards.

Additional questions arose around property depreciation schedules and whether landowners with solar farms pay taxes on the underlying land.

It was confirmed that depreciation of solar equipment typically follows an 18-year schedule and never drops below 25% of the original value. Landowners still pay taxes on the land itself, with valuations for solar fields and adjacent farmland being similar in method, though exact figures were not available during the meeting.

Commissioners also revisited the history of solar development in the county, noting that federal and state incentives initially drove landowners to convert farmland into solar projects. Some board members expressed frustration that these decisions were influenced by state and federal programs without sufficient input from county governments.

Commissioner Dowe requested that any future study on solar farms include both advantages and disadvantages to ensure a well-rounded understanding of their impact. Ultimately, the board agreed to revisit the issue at the next meeting.

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Students and staff with shovels in hand at the site of Wallace Christian Academy’s future middle school building for the ground breaking ceremony on April 30. ing well. Next year, we’ll be up to fifth grade – but the following year, we’ll need classrooms for our sixth-graders. By God’s grace, we’re taking that next step.”

WCA has added a grade level each year following its establishment, with plans to develop the school into a pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade pro-

losses and limited local control over such facilities.

“It was brought to my attention that we were possibly losing tax value on some of our property due to solar farms…

I guess, based on what you just said, it appears that the solar fields are paying some additional tax revenue, 20% of the value,” said Chairman Dexter Edwards.

Commissioner Justin Edwards prompted clarification on why the General Assembly permits only 20% to be taxed on the infrastructure. Miller explained that while the General Assembly permits only partial taxation of solar equipment, it still results in net tax revenue for the county that wouldn’t exist otherwise. However, he admitted skepticism regarding claims that solar farms drive economic development, arguing that they may not provide significant local economic benefits aside from tax payments and infrastructure presence.

“I’m not sure I do, but many people see this as economic development. I’m not exactly sold on how this is economic development for us, unless it stabilizes our power grids and lets additional people come in and receive power,” said Miller.

“Many times, as you see with

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Backpack ministry celebrates volunteers Local volunteers were recognized for their important role in the fight against hunger

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WALLACE — Last week, the Feed Our Hungry Children Backpack Ministry held a special ceremony at Wallace Methodist Church to celebrate a dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that children from food-insecure homes in Duplin County don’t go hungry.

Connie Perkins, co-director of the backpack ministry, spoke about the collaborative effort that goes behind the scenes and recognized the various teams involved. Volunteers handle the logistics including shopping, packing and delivering the backpacks, while school social workers let them know how many backpacks are needed at the schools and discreetly distribute them to protect student privacy.

Food insecurity remains a pressing issue across the state.

In Duplin County, nearly one in four children live in food-insecure households.

“Over the years, I have seen the need from children that come to school without adequate food,” the retired schoolteacher told Duplin Journal.

She explained that those who work closely with vulnerable populations—especially in schools—witness the effects of food insecurity daily.

“In Duplin County, 23% of the children under the age of 18 live in food-insecure homes,” said Perkins, explaining that school children from these households struggle to learn, concentrate and stay healthy.

Additionally, these children are often absent from school more frequently, which adversely impacts their learning ability.

Feed Our Hungry Children transitioned to a backpack ministry in 2009. Initially, the organization helped pay for school meals for children who didn’t qualify for free or reduced lunches but still faced hunger during the nine months of the school year. Recognizing a growing need over the week-

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Feed Our Hungry Children Backpack Ministry held a special ceremony at Wallace Methodist Church on April 30 to honor a dedicated group of volunteers who dedicate their time year after year to help fight food insecurity among Duplin children.

These volunteers, from left to right on the front row, are Susan Walters, Steph Curry, Sherry Hudson, Pam Resseguie, Margaret Newkirk, Nelda Croom and Dan Sellers. On the back row, from left to right, are Tom Perkins, Jim Perry, Chuck Curry, Paul Izzo and Pen Croom are on the back row.

“In Duplin County, 23% of the children under the age of 18 live in food-insecure homes.”

Connie Perkins, Feed Our Hungry Children Backpack Ministry co-director ends, they began distributing backpacks filled with food on Fridays to help children who might otherwise go hungry.

The program has grown significantly—from distributing 25 backpacks weekly across five elementary and middle schools to now providing 266 bags per week, along with 15 additional backpacks for Wallace Rose Hill High School once a month. Their reach extends into the summer, with 900 backpacks distributed last

summer alone. In total, last year, between school months and the summer, the backpack ministry distributed 7,086 backpacks in Duplin County.

Perkins also highlighted the ministry’s partnerships with churches and civic groups, noting that the program’s effectiveness relies on a dedicated network of supporters and volunteers.

“They are everything to the ministry. They’re the ones that make the ministry a success,”

Perkins told Duplin Journal, expressing deep gratitude for the volunteers and crediting them as the backbone of the operation. She also stressed the importance of continued support from donors, grants and community partners who give back to the community and help provide for the students who need nutritional assistance.

“We have donations from supporting churches and businesses, social groups, civic organizations, individuals, and then we do apply for grants, and we have been very fortunate that we have received substantial grant funding,” said Perkins. “The program is a little bit fluid in that if a school needs to add more students during the course of the year,

we make a way to do that. We have some very generous individuals, particularly our churches in the area.”

Ultimately, Perkins shared that they also hoped to increase awareness among community leaders, pastors and local organizations about the impact of the program and its ongoing need for support.

Perkins shared that while volunteers do not interact directly with students because of confidentiality, feedback from social workers and school staff highlights the program’s profound impact.

“We do hear how important it is and what a blessing it is to the students that we serve.

They are very appreciative of what is done for their students,” she said.

East Duplin senior named Morehead-Cain Scholar The Beulaville student will pursue biomedical engineering and physics Duplin Journal staff ROBERT DANIEL JONES, a senior at East Duplin High School in Beulaville, is one of the 75 scholars selected by the Morehead-Cain Foundation for the Class of 2029, who will begin their undergraduate journey at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall.

“These scholars were selected for their intellect and moral force of character, and we recognize their potential to lead

lives of purpose and impact.

In joining Morehead-Cain, they embrace a lifelong commitment to strengthening our University, state, nation and world,” said Chris Bradford, president of the Morehead-Cain Foundation, noting that the program is not just a scholarship but a call to action aimed at empowering students.

Students from 22 North Carolina counties, 19 U.S. states and territories and six countries made it through a rigorous six-month selection process that included applications, interviews, and evaluations by alumni and staff.

Established 80 years ago,

the Morehead-Cain Program is the oldest merit scholarship in the United States. Scholars are selected based on their intellect, leadership, character and commitment to service.

Jones is the son of Erica and Robert Jones of Pink Hill. Distinguished by academic excellence and leadership, Jones serves as president of the Technology Student Association, ambassador for the Health Sciences Academy and secretary of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His involvement also extends to several honor societies and student organizations, including HOSA–Future Health Professionals, Student Government Association, Na-

tional Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society. He is also a highly accomplished competitor in the BETA Club at both state and national levels.

Demonstrating a spirit of entrepreneurship, Jones founded “Daniel Jones Swimming,” through which he taught hundreds of children water safety.

He also pioneered free summer camps for children with autism and other special needs. He is also a multisport varsity athlete and participates in soccer, basketball, golf and tennis.

The accomplished senior plans to pursue biomedical engineering and biological physics at UNC–Chapel Hill.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep. He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart.

Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of

the mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

What does Russia want?

Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place.

RUSSIA’S WAR to conquer Ukraine has been raging since February 2022.

At first, the Russian offensive seemed fated for success: Russian troops came within a few kilometers of Kyiv, and Western powers offered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exit from the country. Zelenskyy refused; Ukrainian forces proceeded to hold off and reverse the Russian offensive. Within a few weeks, the battle lines solidified, with Russia continuing to hold much of the territory in the East and Crimea they had held since 2014. The only potential solution was the obvious solution: an armistice essentially freezing the lines of conflict and security guarantees to Ukraine sufficient to deter another Russian attack.

But no solution could be found.

Russia demonstrated little interest, after mid‑2022, in any negotiated end to the war.

President Donald Trump came into office pledging to end the war — a war that has cost Ukrainians at least 50,000 dead and the Russians as many as 200,000 dead.

To that end, he pressured Zelenskyy to come to the table. Zelenskyy eventually did, offering an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has thus far refused any such ceasefire — presumably because he hopes that the Trump administration will pull its support from Ukraine, thereby leaving the country vulnerable to a final Russian offensive.

And herein lies the problem for Trump.

He knows — as everyone knows — that the only off-ramp for the war lies in a

Korean War-style armistice. But Russia still refuses to come to the table, no matter the pleading and cajoling of special envoy Steve Witkoff, whose negotiating style seems to be warmly embracing various anti-American dictators, speaking kindly about them in public and then hoping they will give him what he seeks.

In order to reach an end to the war, therefore, the Trump administration ought to fully consider just what Russia wants at this point. And the answer happens to be surprisingly simple: Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place or a clear pathway to conquering Ukraine in the future.

We know this because Russia repeatedly says it.

Alexander Dugin, a philosopher and geopolitics expert known colloquially as “Putin’s brain,” spelled all of this out in his magnum opus, “Foundations of Geopolitics” (1997) — a book that was apparently used as a textbook at the General Staff Academy. For Dugin, the Russian spirit can only be animated by imperial dreams; regional power alone would be “tantamount to suicide for the Russian nation.”

The antithesis of the Russian spirit is “‘the West’ as a whole.” And Ukraine — an independent country that should be suffused with that “Russian spirit” but that wants to orient toward the West — represents a stinging rebuke to the Russian identity as a whole. Thus, Dugin argues, Ukraine must rejoin Russia or forever be condemned to a “puppet existence and geopolitical service” to the West.

Ukraine’s continued existence as a sovereign state, Dugin argues, “is tantamount to a monstrous blow to Russia’s geopolitical security, tantamount to an invasion of its territory.” Now, during the war, Dugin writes, “We must win the war in Ukraine, liberate the entire territory of this former country from the Nazi regime. Regardless of Trump’s victory or anything else, this imperative remains unchanged. Just as the ancient Roman consul Cato the Elder used to say, ‘Carthage must be destroyed,’ in our case, ‘Kiev must be taken.’”

So if the true Russian goal is the destruction or subjugation of Ukraine, how could Russia be brought to the table?

Only through the “peace through strength” policy Trump pursued during his first term. Only a Russia that believes that the West will refuse to surrender Ukraine will be pressured into an armistice.

Trump seems ready to consider that possibility; he’s now acknowledging publicly that Putin seems to be slow‑playing him. But the answer won’t be more sanctions. It will be a recognition that Ukraine’s sovereignty can only be guaranteed by force of arms — and that an off-ramp can only be achieved by a guarantee of that sovereignty.

Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Duplin County celebrates Older Americans Month with Senior Fun Day The event featured games, prizes and music, as well as health and education

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Duplin County Senior Services kicked off Older Americans Month (OAM) last Thursday with a Senior Fun Day celebration at the Events Center in Kenansville.

Over 200 seniors were present to take part in the day’s various activities included cake walks, door prizes, a shred-a-thon and more in addition to invaluable health and education resources.

“This is a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of our older adults, those who have shaped our history, our communities and our lives,” said David Rosado, director of the EasternCarolinaCouncil Area Agency on Aging, encouraging those seniors present to stay active and engaged as they age and seize the opportunities for purpose, exploration and connection that come with getting older.

Rosado explained that OAM’s 2025 theme, Flip the Script on Aging, focuses on shifting societal perceptions associated with aging while challenging stereotypes and dispelling misconceptions.

Wild Hearts DJ & Karaoke transformed the Duplin County Events Center auditorium into a dance floor for Senior Fun Day with high-energy jams and shag-worthy beach songs that set the stage for the Duplin Sparklers to shine. Lunch was provided by Diamond Food Enterprises Catering, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and featured pulled pork BBQ, roasted red potatoes, coleslaw, buttered rolls, pecan pie and a variety of beverage options for celebrants to select from.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC also provided vouchers for Ripe for Revival’s Mobile Market, a Rocky Mount-based nonprofit that provides fresh local food on a pay-what-you-can basis to communities throughout the state.

“It’s essentially like a mobile grocery store. They’ve got eggs, produce, meats, all kinds of things — and most of it is grown right here in eastern North Carolina,” explained Logan Smith Albertson, senior regional liaison for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. “It’s fully paywhat-you-can, but today Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Car-

INSURANCE from page A1 them,” said Barwick. “Among other requirements to attain this insurance coverage, the North Carolina Department of Insurance requires fire departments to maintain a minimum of 15 members per primary fire station and an additional four members for each substation established.”

County Manager Brian Miller told Duplin Journal that after meeting with Barwick to discuss solutions they decided to host a community event to get the public involved.

“What those folks really

JSCC Small Business Center Seminars offered for May Kenansville James Sprunt Community College has released the May seminar calendar for its Small Business Center, which will include sixteen separate opportunities for prospective entrepreneurs to brush up on their business acumen over the course of the month. May’s calendar includes seminars on the use of AI images for marketing purposes, best practices for event marketing, how to start a small business on a limited budget, start-up loans, mobile food businesses and advanced courses on market longevity. Online registration carries no cost.

For more information, contact Joy Wynne at 910‑659-6008 or jwynne@ jamessprunt.edu

Goshen Medical Center to host Health Event in June K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Ripe for Revival Mobile Market provided fresh local produce to seniors at Thursday’s Older Americans celebration courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield NC.

olina, to combat food insecurity, sponsored $10 vouchers for 200 seniors. That way, they can take fresh produce home with them” Resource representatives and partner organizations from across the county were present to provide Duplin’s seniors with valuable information and services, including health screening and senior education. Among those in attendance were the Duplin County Health Department, ECU Health Duplin, James Sprunt Community College, Trillium Health Resources/One Community, Duplin County Social Services, Duplin County Public Transportation, HearingLife and Pro Shred Security. Regina Johnson with North Carolina Department of Justice was also present to provide valuable insight as to how seniors could protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated scams and frauds targeting older Americans.

A.J. Connors, Duplin Coun-

ty’s Senior Tarheel Delegate and Mayor of Warsaw, expressed the importance of OAM events and celebrations to the continued health and happiness of the county’s older population.

Melisa Brown, director of Duplin County Senior Serivces, thanked senior celebrants for the survey feedback that informed this year’s event. She also shared her excitement for Duplin County’s new Senior Services building and encouraged those present to attend its open house on May 21. “Last year we were dreaming about it — now we are in it!”

“It was a great event. I love hearing the laughter and the sweet compliments that reflect on the entire team. Special thanks to everyone — together, we make a positive difference in Duplin County,” said Brown.

OAM was started in 1963 as “Senior Citizens Month” by President John F. Kennedy at a time when few programs fo-

cused on the 17 million Americans over 65 — and when 30% of those seniors lived in poverty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 5-Year estimates, Americans over 65 now number nearly 56 million. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates poverty rates for those 65 and older at 10.2%. Without benefits like Social Security, the percentage rises to 38.7%.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) oversees many programs funded through the Older Americans Act, including Meals on Wheels, adult day, area agencies on aging, respite care, and falls and elder abuse prevention, and has led the nation in observance of Older American’s Month each May since its establishment in 2012.

Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14210, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a large-scale reorganization on March 27, 2025 that will dissolve the ACL and integrate its programs into other agencies within the department. According to the HHS press release, the reorganization is not expected to impact Medicaid or Medicare services.

need is more volunteers. Without the volunteers, it’s hard for them to provide the service,” said Miller.

Most fire departments in Duplin effectively function through volunteer service. Barwick shared that this reliance on volunteers helps keep costs down for taxpayers. Still, volunteers receive the same state-recognized certifications as paid firefighters.

“Not only does this better train you as a volunteer firefighter, but it can also prepare you and likely help you be a step ahead of others seeking a career at a public safety organization,”

Barwick explained. “Many employers of all types recognize the time and dedication it takes to be a volunteer firefighter and know that their work ethic, integrity and teamwork attitude will undoubtedly spill into any profession they choose.”

For Barwick, the most meaningful part of serving is the opportunity to make a difference during critical moments.

“When someone calls for our services, they are likely having one of the worst days of their life, and in our small communities, it is likely a neighbor, friend, or family member.

To be able to positively impact

that situation and help a fellow person and their family in a time of need, to limit their suffering, is why we should all consider answering the call.”

Persons interested in volunteering may contact their local fire department. To learn more about opportunities to serve your community, visit the Duplin Events Center on May 31 at noon. EMS Community Day will not only have available opportunities but also will feature first aid instruction, touch-a-truck exhibits, hands‑on activities for children, vendors, and entertainment for the whole family.

“Older Americans need to be celebrated for their unbound wisdom and knowledge.”

David Rosado

Beulaville Goshen Medical Center will be hosting a Health event titled ‘Know your Number?’ at the Kingdom Partnership Christian Center in Beulaville on June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature Goshen’s mobile medical unit, which provides accessible medical services for individuals and families who may not regularly visit a provider.

Health services provided include: Primary Care and preventative health services, insurance visits (Medicare and Medicaid), diabetes, men’s health services, women’s health services (Pap smear), vaccinations (flu, COVID-19), injury triage and acute care (minor injuries), weight loss and health education and community wellness.

The event aims to reduce barriers to care and support healthier communities through accessible and affordable health care solutions. To preregister or request more information, call 910-935-1404 or email mowens@goshenmed.com

Register of Deeds shares April assumed business names Duplin County Seven assumed business names were recorded in the Duplin County Register of Deeds office for the month ending April 30.

The new recorded assumed business names are as follows: Superior Property Management LLC, Drew Henderson/Ethan Davis; Tortilleria Antojitos y mas, Norma Iris Bueso Torres/ Norma Bueso; Hounds & Halos, Holly Eubanks; LT Photography, Amber Thigpen; JNL Remodeling, Danys Nahun Lopez Lopez; ABA Trucking, Carlos Maldonado; Pro Metel Roofing LLC, Sergio Zuniga Gonzalez.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Carolina Strawberry Festival LAST WEEKEND, The Carolina Strawberry Festival brought excitement and a little drama to downtown Wallace, drawing large crowds for two days of fun and entertainment. Friday night featured carnival rides, food vendors and performances

by Carl Newton’s Review and the Band of Oz. Saturday offered attractions like Ed’s Dinosaurs and the strawberry pageant,

among many others, wrapping up with dancing to Chocolate Chip & Company and The Embers. A minor altercation involving some young attendees caused Saturday night’s concert to end earlier than planned. There were rumors someone might have had a gun, but according to Police Chief Jimmy Crayton, no threats or evidence were found, and no charges were filed.

PHOTOS BY K.D. BEARD AND ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL

DUPLIN SPORTS MS. BASKETBALL 2025

COACH OF THE YEAR

Injuries force Lane to develop players en route to title Mark Lane had to make player adjustments that enabled East Duplin to put away three-time defending champion SWO to capture the ECC flag

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Sophomore Kinsey Cave won Ms. Basketball for the second season in a row.

Cave marches Panthers to title, repeat trip to fourth round Point guard Kinsey Cave was the ringleader of an ED basketball team that won 25 games, captured an ECC title and reached the fourth round of the 2A playoffs

BEULAVILLE — Mark Lane weathered the storm of two seasons, but the veteran coach and his team returned to the limelight after going 1432 in ’22 to ’23.

Lane and the Panthers got through the “senior-less” lean seasons, returning to capture their first East Central 2A Conference title since nabbing five straight from 2018-21.

Lane, who won the 300th game of his career early in the season, is the Duplin Journal’s Coach of the Year.

It’s an award that should be named after him in the future, since he’s won it eight times in the past 11 years.

No Duplin school could touch the Panthers, who went 7-0 against Wallace-Rose Hill, James Kenan and North Duplin this past winter, See LANE, page B3

MS. BASKETBALL 2025: Kinsey Cave, ED

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

opportunistic defender, who starts the Panthers’ transition with a steal, over hand baseball pass or by running lead on a fastbreak.

In the halfcourt set she’s the point guard and creator.

Cave’s talents and high basketball IQ have made her Duplin County’s first-ever two-time winner of Ms. Basketball.

She punches all the statistical boxes and is a leader who makes every player around her better — and a coach, too.

BEULAVILLE — Kinsey Cave’s biggest weakness on a basketball court might be her shot.

The rest of her game more than makes up for the fact that as a sophomore she isn’t a knockdown shooter.

Yet. The East Duplin sophomore is quick and has keen senses and seeing the floor as if she had an aerial view and can weave her way through a double-team or press.

She’s an excellent passer and an

2024: Kinsey Cave, ED 2023: Reece Outlaw, ND 2022: Nora Williams, JK 2021: Amiya Hall, ED 2020: Alizay Benson, ED Marley Ingram, ED 2018: Mariah Moore, ED 2017: Imari Judge, ED 2006 Justice Carr, WRH 2015 Jonisha Jones, ED

See CAVE, page B3

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Mark Lane had the second-most wins of his career in 2025 as ED went 25-4 and lost to Seaforth in the fourth round of the 2A playoffs.

ALL-DUPLIN GIRLS BASKETBALL 2025

Higginbotham, Faison, Pickett leave lasting marks North Duplin’s Addy Higginbotham and Tateyawna Faison and ED’s Ja’Myah Pickett repeat as All-Duplin first-teamers to cap stellar prep careers

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

Ja’Myah Pickett

Y’anna River

BEULAVILLE — You can’t replace the mind of Addy Higginbotham on a basketball court.

The same rule applies in the paint, where the absence of Tateyawna Faison and Ja’Myah Pickett won’t be duplicated.

The threesome has all moved on to their respective spring sports but will graduate in June

as repeat players on the Duplin Journal’s All-Duplin basketball team, joining two-time Ms. Basketball Kinsey Cave and Y’Anna Rivers on the first team.

Both are sophomores.

All five play at least another sport and are as versatile athletes who showcase their skills on team and individual levels.

They can shine like diamonds but never overshadow See HOOPS, page B4

Our team has 50 years of combined experience focusing on Duplin County real estate. How can we help you?

910-290-2194

facebook.com/SimpsonRE

Curt Simpson, Broker in Charge

Addy Higginbotham

Tatewayna Faison

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP

Rebels’ do-or-die postseason life is presummer tradition Coach Jaime Kylis Higginbotham puts North Duplin’s diamond reputation on the line in what has annually become a long playoff run for the Rebels

Rebels run past Rosewood for CC Tourney title

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal NEWTON GROVE — After settling a local feud, the North Duplin softball team starts its final trip in the postseason journey with Addy Higginbotham.

She’s head coach Jaime Kylis Higginbotham’s oldest kid and her stats the past four years don’t need to be further promoted by a mother.

For Addy Higginbotham it’s about trying to fulfill the final prep dream of winning a state title.

Her and her mother got to the finals in 2023 but fell to Union Academy.

For Jaime Kylis Higginbotham the tournament is huge, too, and will be both a goodbye and hello for the parent part of her.

While she’ll cry watching Addy leave to play at Wingate University, she’ll welcome her youngest kid, Gracie, to the Rebels’ roster. She will be a freshman next season and transitioning from middle school/ travel ball to varsity action with her mom as the manager of the dugout.

Shortstop Higginbotham (.605, 15 extra-base hits, 13 RBIs), pitcher/third baseman Lilly Fulghum (.636, 16 extras, 14 RBIs), Marissa Bernal (.425) and pitcher/first baseman Ady Spence (.4091, 11 RBIs) have all stepped up last season as the Rebels earned the No. 6 seed in the playoff last week after beating Rosewood 6-2 in the Carolina 1A Conference Tournament finals.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Lilly Fulghum’s pitching and bat will be key in North Duplin’s playoff drive.

It was the third straight league title for No. 6 North Duplin (12-3), who were to host No. 27 River Mill (3-21) on Tuesday with the winner taking on the survivor of No. 22 East Bladen (8-8) and No. 11 Vance Charter (11-4) on Friday.

If the Rebels win they could see No. 13 Rosewood again in the third round or No. 4 East Columbus (20-3) or No. 5 Warren County (15-3).

Perquimans (21-2) is the top seed.

East Duplin (13-7 ) took the

No. 16 seed in the 2A playoffs and was to travel to face No. 17 Manteo (16-7).

No. 2 Roanoke Rapids (14‑5) was to host WRH (8-11) in the opening round. James Kenan did not qualify for the playoffs.

Richlands (18-5) was No. 4 in 3A and hosted league foe White Oak (11-12) after beating the Vikings 4-2, and 2-1 earlier this season. A win pits the Wildcats against either No. 13 Cedar Ridge (16-7) or No. 20 West Johnston (23-8) on Friday.

Fulghum scattered seven hits while whiffing eight and walking four in the win over Rosewood (16-4) after the two teams split two regular season games.

Spence knocked in two runs and Higginbotham and Fulghum each had a run-scoring at-bat.

Abby Brown had two hits in three trips. Brown has likewise been a solid contributor all season, both offensively (.406 at the bottom of the lineup) and defensively behind the plate.

North Duplin sealed the deal with a three-run seventh to beat a solid team from Wayne County.

The Rebels made the most of the six hits they got off McCandless St. John and six Eagle errors. ND has also spilt games with 2A South Lenoir (13-6) and beaten 2A East Duplin (137), which gave the Rebels big RPI numbers.

ND took the No. 1 seed a season ago and finished 17-2 after falling 12-5 to Northside-Pinetown in the fourth round, a win away from the East Region’s best-of-three series.

Panthers coast past Stallions, Eagles Kinsey Cave drove in a pair of runs and Karsyn Parker, Leighton Davis and Rebecca Brown had run-scoring at-bats last Tuesday when East Duplin dumped Southwest Onslow 7-0 in the ECC finale.

Morgan Brown limited the Stallions (7-15) to a pair of hits, whiffing four and walking two for her fifth shutout of the spring. She’s whiffed 82 and walked 28 with a 2.62 ERA in 78 innings.

The Panthers, 13-7, won for the fourth-straight time, scoring all five runs in the third off

two-RBI hits from Parker and Zoe Turner, as the Eagles (8-8) provided a good tune-up before the state tournament.

Wildcats slip past Pats for Coastal title Piper Turner and Jailah Wilson had run-scoring hits as Richlands beat West Carteret 2-1 on Saturday to clinch the Coastal 3A Conference title during an extra game after the two schools split two games during the regular season.

Makenzie Goin whiffed 13, walked four and did not allow a walk. She has 229 strikeouts in 124.2 innings and an ERA of 1.07. She is seventh in the state in strikeouts.

Her counterpart, West Carteret’s Caitlyn Dumarce, gave up five hits and walked two. Her 248 strikeouts rank her fifth in the state.

The game wouldn’t have been necessary if the Patriots (18-4, 9-1) did not beat Richlands (185, 9-1) two weeks ago in a 2-1 nail biter.

Bulldogs sweep Tigers Mattie Gavin and Isabella Parker each had two RBIs and Jansley Page scored twice last Thursday in Warsaw when Wallace-Rose Hill beat James Kenan 6-1 to sweep the season series from its archrival.

Payton Tyndall gave up a run-scoring hit to Kenadi Gideons in the seventh for her eighth win of the season. The freshman whiffed nine and walked one.

Sophie Sloan, Maggie Boone and Chloe Straughn each had a hit for WRH (8-11) as part of nine hits off Tiger hurler Shylah Sloan, while Landyn Boone had a double and single off Tyndall.

JK (5-11) finishes its season with seven setbacks in eight games.

PREP ROUNDUP

Panthers’ Tuck drives in winning run in walk-off over Stallions ED beats Southeast Onslow 5-4 for second place in the ECC, though the Panthers ended up with the league’s No. 3 seed in the 2A playoffs

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE — East Duplin was the second-best team in the ECC. Well, yes. And no.

After the Panthers beat Southwest Onslow 5-4 in 10 innings and South Lenoir whipped North Lenoir, it would only be logical to say ED, which beat NL twice, though both have the same 9-3 ECC mark, is the second-place team.

That works out well, but in terms of placement into the 2A playoffs, No. 21 NL’s RPI was slightly higher than No.26 ED’s ranking.

It’s nothing more than semantic, though, as the playoffs started on Tuesday of this week with the Panthers traveling to face No.7 Manteo.

The league triumph for the Panthers (13-8) into second place after falling to fifth a season ago.

In the home encounter against SWO, Gavin drove in a run and crossed home plate. JP Murphy added two hits and a run, and Colton Holmes provided a key run that started with a walk.

Kyle Kern went 5.1 frames, fanning nine and getting into unusual trouble with six walks.

Panther head coach Brandon Thigpen also scheduled a game with East Bladen last Wednesday, which the Eagles won 9-9.

Calvin Harper and Sawyer Marshburn and Tuck each had a pair of RBIs. The Eagles (11-10) scored three times in the fourth and five times in the fifth for the win.

Bulldogs nip Tigers as both miss postseason Wallace-Rose Hill (7-14) needed everything it had to beat

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

JK catcher Paxton Smith appears to tag WRH’s Devon Sloan. The Bulldogs won a 16-13 slugfest last Friday in the season finale for both schools.

James Kenan 16-13 last Friday in Warsaw in a game that likely put them into the 2A playoffs.

But even a comeback win over a rival was not enough to gain entry into the postseason, which is determined by RPI comparisons. Only 32 teams make the field.

JK went in front 10-4 in the fourth, but WRH rallied to pull to within 10-9 via a bad-hop two-run single by Christian Smith, a two-run single by Reese Buckner and RBI single by Will Brooks.

Jacob Davis and Bucker both went the opposite way for hits in the sixth to WRH to tie it at 10-all.

WRH scored six times in the seventh as Caden Gavin, Hayden Lovette and Devon Sloan came through with quality at-bats and the Bulldogs ran the base well, forcing JK into mistakes.

Gavin walked Hansley McGee to open the seventh and then struck out Trip Phipps, Hunter Whitman

and Brody Batchelor to seal the win. He threw the final four innings in relief of Lovette.

McGee, Eli Avent and Cal Avent had first-inning hits during a 4-run start for JK. Eli Avent and Paxton Smith combined for hits to put JK in front 10-4 in the fourth.

The Bulldogs beat the Tigers 7-0 on March 13.

All-Duplin pick Gavin (.313, 10 RBIs) and Tiger senior Daniel Grady played their final prep games.

JK returns everyone on its roster next season\ for coach Lee Sutton’s third season.

WRH loses pitcher Kaiden Lui Mathis (.434, six doubles, 15 RBIs; 4-2 with 86 strikeouts in 37 innings) and Khalil Mathis (.372).

Rebels to get taste of new league foe When No. 20 North Duplin (910) traveled to face No. 13 East Columbus (13-8) on Tuesday in the first round of the 1A playoffs the

Rebels got a taste of what a rivalry with the Gators might feel like.

East Columbus along with East Bladen and West Columbus are new travel destinations as North Duplin, Lakewood, Hobbton and Union welcomes the three faraway schools to what will be the Carolina 2A/3A Conference as the NCHSAA reorganized conferences as part of its four-year realignment plan, which next fall morphs four classifications into eight.

The Rebels fell 3-2 to Hobbton in the CC Tournament semifinals last Tuesday.

Noa Quintanilla and Kayden Bowden each drove in a run, plating Garris Warren and Hunt Pat in the opening inning.

The Wildcats (15-8) scored three times in the seventh for the walk-off win on their diamond.

SOCCER Tigers gun down ’Dawgs for fourth win in a row Yaneidi

Cruz

gave

Wal-

lace-Rose Hill the lead and two goals by leading scorer Katherine Enamorado propelled the Tigers to a 3-0 win last Friday in the season finale in Warsaw.

“Overall, I was very pleased with how we came out and played tonight,” said JK coach Kenny Williams, whose club won for the fourth straight time. “ We weren’t very sharp Tuesday against North Lenoir and we really challenged the girls at practice yesterday that it was time to step it up and they responded.

“I’m very happy for our seniors to be able to get the win against Wallace on their senior night We have to continue to work hard and keep trying to improve as we work towards the finish line.”

Frosh Cruz scored seven minutes into the match off an assist from Enamorado.

Breydi Meza put a ball into Enamorado’s wheelhouse with a minute left in the first half as JK pushed to a 2-0 lead at the break.

Karla Diaz set the tables for Aleyah Wilson’s goal midway through the second half.

Tiger goalie Daniella Garcia was steady in her second shutout in three days.

The Tigers (9-5, 6-4) have given up just 27 goals, while scoring 48.

Enamorado scored twice in the first half and once in the second half during James Kenan’s 3-0 win over North Lenoir. The senior striker leads the area in goals, with 46.

The state playoffs will not start for soccer until May 12.

Stallions take ECC trophy from Panthers Oriyanna Galloway and Victoria Tellez scored goals last Tuesday in Beulaville when Southwest Onlsow beat East Duplin 2-0 to win sole possession of the ECC. The setback ended the Panthers’ (10-8-2, 8-2) five-game winning streak, though it had been 12 days since they were last on the field.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

CAVE from page B1 East Duplin has gone 49-8 the previous two seasons with Cave as its leader. Longtime Panther coach has gone through the worst drought of his tenure two seasons (14-32) before she arrived on campus.

She was the difference this winter when East Duplin ousted Southwest Onlow from the stop of the ECC. The Panthers finished second to the Stallions the previous three seasons. ED captured four straight league titles (2018-2021).

Adjusting to the loss of teammates Yet Cave’s biggest accomplishment this fall was running the team after the Panthers lost its best pure shooter, junior guard Zakoya Farrior, and a good swing player, sophomore Ava Noble, to ACL surgery.

Cave continued to play the game with the same zeal, perhaps more, picking up other areas of her play.

She averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals as the Panthers went 25-3 overall and were 12-0 in league play.

Cave shot 38% (104 of 271) from 2-point range, 71% (6592) from the free-throw line and 25% beyond the 3-point arc.

She kept new starter Carrie Carr on track and worked with defensive whiz Makya Kornegay and Ja’Myah Pickett, the Panthers’ first option in the low post area.

And for that matter Cave helped players such as Zoe Cavanaugh, Andraia Scarborough and Cierra Pickett become contributing players.

ED has top player for seventh time in 11 years The Panthers have dominated the honor, taking it home seven times since 2015 when Jonisha Jones nabbed the crown.

Cave, who also plays softball and volleyball, beat out teammate Pickett and North Duplin

post Tateyawna Faison and Rebel point guard Addy Higginbotham for the award.

No player has won it three times. Cave can be the first four-time winner if she stays the course in Beulaville and have an honor no player in Duplin can ever top.

Simply put, Cave did what was needed on a nightly basis — score, rebound, set up teammates — to send the Panthers to a 25-3 mark.

She averaged nearly 16 points in her final eight games.

She had 11 games of at least nine points and nine times had four or more assists.

Cave’s 17 markers, eight boards and four assists were vital in the Panthers’ 56=45 triumph over Kinston, which went 21-1. She dropped 11 points and had three boards and three assists when ED whipped 3A Jacksonville (18‑7) in the second game of the season. The win gave the Panthers confidence en route to their second-straight trip to the fourth round of the 2A playoffs.

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CONTRIBUTED EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Kinsey Cave has led East Duplin to a 49-8 mark the past two seasons.

Jordan Hall had a great football career at East Duplin and put a crowning achievement on his ledger last week after being named Men’s Athlete of the Year at the ECC Track and Field championships at Kinston High School.

The Panther senior won the triple jump with a 43‑foot, 1-inch leap, and was second in the long jump (19-9).

The NCHSAA East Region championships are Friday in Kinston. The class championships are the following weekend.

LANE from page B1 outscoring them by an average score of 50-29.

Lane (310-124) led the Panthers (25-3) to their ninth 20‑win season and sixth conference title since taking over in 2009.

It was the second-most wins (20019 team was 26-2) and could have been a record-setter if weather did not cancel the ECC Tournament.

Lane faced adversity when he lost shooting guard Zakoya Farrior and swing player Ava Noble to ACL injuries before starting the league slate.

The Panthers lost their opener to 3A CB Aycock but won nine straight, including wins over 3A Jacksonville and two romps over 1A power ND, which went 24-5 and existed in the fourth round.

They also whacked 26-win East Bladen, which went to the 1A finals.

East Duplin was clearly not the same team without the many things Farrior and Noble did for the Panthers.

While showing some signs of struggle, Lane reorganized the Panther lineup, moving 6-foot Carrie Carr from sixth-man role to starter and the senior responded with productive points, rebounds and energy.

Lane encouraged senior guard Mayka Kornegay to become a defensive monster and gave underclassmen Andraia Scarborough, Zoe Cavanaugh and Anamarie Rodriguez extended court time, while also maximizing the work of seniors Cierra Pickett and Ra’ziaha Hall.

The Panthers lost to 4A New Hanover on Dec. 30 and then won 16 in a row.

East Duplin, track and field

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin’s Mark Lane has a 310-124 record in 17 seasons.

The first two rounds of the playoff had a familiar tone as ED whipped SWO and WRH for the third time. The triple thump against the Stallions was the opposite of last season.

ED lost 53-32 to Seaforth in the fourth round.

Next winter, 4As ED, SWO and Clinton will join 3As Trask, Pender and South Lenoir in the new ECC as the NCHSAA morphs from four to eight classifications and conferences are in the first year of a new realignment.

It’s a league the Panthers will

no doubt dominate, even though no one knows who will and will not be on the court in Beulaville amid serious injuries and other factors.

ED had a impressive season by any measure, including the ones posted for the previous 16 seasons.

While the late Jerry Hunter (508 wins and the school’s first state title) is getting inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame on Aug. 16 in Cary, the Panthers’ hoop fortunes have been carried on by Lane for the better part of two decades.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

HOOPS from page B1 the sunlight of teammates or team goals.

Tateyawna is the lone player who was not a first-team selection in 2023, though she was on the squad as a sophomore.

Cave stood above her peers because of her ability to lead — at all times — as the point guard. She took the top honor as a freshman as the straw stirring a drink that intoxicated the opposition. (See Ms. Basketball story on this page.)

ED (25-2) had its second-best season in 17 years under Coach of the Year Mark Lane, who won his 300thcareer game in Beulaville early in the season.

Yet seniors Higginbotham, Fasion and Pickett have wonderful stories of making an impact at their respective schools.

Here’s a brief look at Cave’s four teammates on the first team.

FIRST TEAM Addy Higginbotham ND, Sr., guard Higginbotham, who will play softball at Wingate University, was the heart and soul of the basketball team as she is the softball team.

She is a positive, energized, hustler on the hardcourts, and if not for Cave might have been Ms. Basketball, who plays softball but is clearly focused on the hoop world.

Higginbotham passed the 1,000-point mark during her junior season and is best seen playing in the open court where her quickness and decision-making skills are almost always on point.

She averaged 10.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.9 steals and more than one 3-pointer per game.

She fostered the development of Lilly Fulghum in 2023 and Abby Rose and Maggie Brown this season, getting the threesome to make wise decisions and react properly during the heat of a close game.

She shot the ball well enough while also finding an open teammate with a better opportunity.

When all else failed, the Rebels turned to Higginbotham.

And it was far more important to get Fulghum, Rose and Brown involved on offense.

This gave North Duplin a base on which it ran to a 24-5 mark.

The threesome helped the Rebels withstand the loss of Reece Outlaw, who is playing softball at UNC. Higginbotham and Fulghum are the lead dogs this week when North Duplin starts its playoff run in softball.

Tateyawna Faison ND, Sr., center One statement best sums up the career of Tateyawna Faison: She is a 1,000-point scorer and a 1,000-plus rebounder.

But here’s another golden nugget: The 6-foot center led Duplin County in scoring (16.0), rebounding (14.0) and blocks (3.3).

She showed her outside touches by canning a team-high 134 of 238 from the free-throw line, which provided an average of more than five points on the scoreboard. She sank more charity tosses than Higginbotham and Fulghum attempted during the season.

Could she have been Ms. Basketball?

It makes for a good unsolvable sports argument, right?

Seriously.

Imagine trying to beat North Duplin if you are coaching Neuse Charter and Faison knocks down 23 points and hauls down 21 boards.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Makya Kornegay was the best backcourt defender in Duplin County and tough for an offensive players to move around in the halfcourt set. fined when Ava Noble and Zakoya Farrior were lost for the season with serious knee injuries.

Kornegay, who was with ED during its senior-less struggle as a freshman, was a team player every championship team needs on the floor.

She averaged 4.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a team-high 3.5 steals in an offense that seeks turnovers and prides itself on its halfcourt pressure.

If nothing else, she would be a perfect sixth man on even the best teams in the East.

Lilly Fulghum ND, Jr., forward

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Addy Higginbotham, who will play softball at Wingate University, was the heart and soul of the basketball team as she is the softball team.

Faison will play basketball next winter at Fayetteville Tech.

Ja’Myah Pickett East Duplin, Sr., forward Power and speed are a rare combination and one ED coach Mark Lane might not find next season.

Ja’Myah Pickett was a 6-foot2 enforcer with a 5-7 frame that power-pushed its way to rebound and baskets.

Pickett nearly averaged a double-double — 10.5 points, 9.7 boards — while shooting a teamhigh 48 percent from the field.

She was part of the fuel the Panthers used to win an ECC title and advanced to the fourth round of the 2A playoffs.

Pickett abilities can also be seen in the field events of a track meet. She has the school record in the long jump and high jump and could walk off the shot put mark as well, as she finished third in the event at the 2A meet in 2023. She was fourth in the discus at the same championship.

Y’Anna Rivers JK, So., guard Y’Anna Rivers is deeply root-

ed in basketball heritage, as her mother Sherelle, aunt Leahnie and uncle Davon Rivers were Tiger stars, the latter of which is most famous in James Kenan lore.

Rivers averaged 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, while shooting 49% from the field.

One of her biggest weaknesses as a recruit with height and length is her free throws (45 of 92 for 49%).

Otherwise, there aren’t many other downsides to her game.

She’s shown she can make her own shot opportunities with drives or pull-up jumpers Rivers, who is a point playing both guard roles, helped James Kenan go from 4-8 in the ECC in ’24 to 6-6 last winter.

It will be interesting to see if she takes the next big step during her junior campaign.

SECOND TEAM Makya Kornegay ED, Sr., guard Kornegay was the best backcourt defender in Duplin County and a tough for an offensive player to move around in the halfcourt set.

That role became more de-

Fulghum is another Rebel hoop player with a big softball future waiting in two years.

She averaged 6.9 points, 2.7 boards, 2.3 assists and 2.2 steals, while being a player that made few turnovers.

Carrie Carr ED, Sr., forward

THIRD TEAM Lilly Rose ND, Fr., guard Rose matured into her role with the Rebels and will be a big part of the future for coach Jon Kornegay.

She averaged 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 steals. She came on at the end of the season, scoring 15 in a win over Lakewood in the CC tournament finals and getting 14 and 13 against Weldon and Gates County in the opening two rounds of the 1A playoffs.

She had nine in a fourth-round setback to East Bladen, the 1A runner up.

Maggie Brown ND, Fr., forward Post player Brown averaged 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds as a first-year player learning under the wings of Faison and Higginbotham and aside longtime teammate Rose.

Carr answered the call big time when going from sixth man to starter after Ava Noble and Zakoya Farrior were sidelined as her play went beyond 4.7 points and 7.6 rebounds.

The long-armed senior gave the Panthers a lift defensively.

She averaged nearly a block per game and shot 44% from the field.

Carr worked extremely well with Pickett in the paint, holding foes to less than 30 points a night.

Aleyah Wilson, JK, So., forward

Savannah Smith WRH, Jr., guard

Outlaw can shoot the ball and will go to the next level when she can do it more regularly, as opposed to hitting everything in sight when she’s hot and being colder than winter when she’s off.

She averaged 6.3 points while swishing away for 13 3-pointers.

She averaged 8.2 points during consecutive wins against Clinton, North Lenoir, Southwest Onslow, WRH and South Lenior.

JK’s fortuned faded with five losses in its final seven games.

Smith averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals as a shooting guard who was forced to take a lot of shots, many in tough situations.

Nevaeh Dobson WRH, Sr., forward Averaged 9.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. She scored 28 when WRH beat JK 44-40, five days after the Tigers whipped the Bulldogs 33-26. She fired in 19 in two nights during back-toback wins over North Lenoir and South Lenoir.

She played for the Tigers as a sophomore before returning to Teachey for her final two seasons.

Wilson is a key figure in the Tigers’ future.

She averaged 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals.

The sophomore is strong and just learning to use her skills to develop into a better athlete in three sports. She also plays soccer and volleyball.

Gabby Outlaw JK, Jr., guard

Labria McGowan JK, Jr., guard McGowan scored and played well in every game James Kenan won last winter including a season-best five-game winning streak in midseason in which she averaged 7.5 points.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

obituaries

Helen Byrd Jackson Sept. 6, 1942 – May 4, 2025 Helen Byrd Jackson, 82, of Mount Olive, passed away unexpectedly at her home on May 4.

Born in Duplin County to the late Marshall and Virginia Chesnutt Byrd, Helen lived a life marked by faith, devotion to family, and service to her community. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert Lee Pate and William Dexter Jackson.

Helen is survived by her beloved children: Robin PateEdwards and husband Dennis of Goldsboro, Lee Pate and wife Joy of Faison, Keith Pate and friend Liesl Hill of Mount Olive, and William Dexter Jackson, Jr. of Mount Olive. She also leaves behind two brothers, Mitchell Byrd of Wilmington and Jimmy Byrd of Faison; sisters-in-law Jean Byrd of Mount Olive and Iris Pate; and a cherished group of grandchildren: Rylee Ward and husband Chase, Marshall Pate, Abbey O’Neal and husband Alex, Hunt Pate, Dex Jackson and wife Morgan, and Scarlett Jernigan and husband Jonathan.

Her great-grandchildren—Eliza and Ever Jackson, and Almon Jernigan—were a constant source of joy.

Helen was preceded in death by her brothers Dallas Byrd, Stanley Byrd, and Kenneth Byrd; and sister-in-law Shirley Rudolf.

Funeral services was held on Wednesday, May 7 at Faison Methodist Church. The family received friends at the church prior to service, and at other times at Helen’s home. Burial will follow in the Maplewood Cemetery, Mount Olive.

A faithful and longtime member of Faison Methodist Church, Helen took great pride in helping care for the church grounds and decorating the sanctuary. She loved cooking and serving meals during church gatherings and was known for her generosity and warm hospitality.

For many years, she worked in the cafeteria at North Duplin School, where her kindness touched the lives of students and staff alike.

A homemaker at heart, Helen found beauty in tending to her flowers, sharing meals with family, and being present in the lives of those she loved. Her steady presence and giving spirit will be missed deeply by all who knew her.

Jerry Wayne Henderson, 61, passed away on Sunday, May 4 in ECU Medical Center, Greenville.

He is preceded in death by a brother, Brian Henderson.

Surviving are his fiance, Teresa Lynn Wallace of Pin Hook; daughters, Lyndsey Deal of Pin Hook and Zara Rogers (Christian) of Wallace; sisters, Janice Thigpen (Jeffrey) of Kenansville and Susie Sholar (Dwight) of Pin Hook; and 7 grandchildren.

All services are private.

QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME

Luther Edward Allen

Arcadio Junior Morales

Dec. 27 – April 24, 2025

Jan. 4, 1941 – April 26, 2025

May 18, 1997 – April 26, 2025

Bruce Scott McCallop, 68, of Rose Hill passed away April 24 at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. Funeral service was held Saturday, May 3 at New Christian Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Rose Hill. Public viewing was held one hour prior to service.

Luther Edward Allen, age 84, of Warsaw passed away on Saturday, April 26 at the Warsaw Health & Rehabilitation Center.

A viewing was held Friday, May 2 at First Missionary Baptist Church in Warsaw, followed immediately by the funeral service. Burial followed at Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia.

Luther leaves to cherish his precious memories a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends who loved him and will miss him dearly.

Arcadio Junior Morales passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 26 at his home. He was 27.

Arcadio was born in Dover, Ohio. He was employed in muffler assembly and repairs as a welder.

He is survived by a son, Andel Morales; his parents, Lilia Perez of Mount Olive, and Arcadio Morales of Guatamala; and three sisters, Jessica Morales of Mount Olive, Elisabel Perez of Richlands, and Blanca Janet Morales of California.

Funeral service for Arcadio was May 2 at Tyndall Funeral Home in Mount Olive. Burial followed in the family cemetery at Arcadio’s residence.

Bruce Scott McCallup

Shelton Batts Dec. 15, 1944 – April 29, 2025 Shelton Batts of Magnolia departed his earthly life on the early morning of Tuesday, April 29 while at home surrounded by his loving family. Born on December 15, 1944, he is the son of the late Clayton and Effie Jane Williams Batts. He is also preceded in death by siblings— Adrian Batts, Wendell Batts, and Evangeline “Vannie” Francis.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife—Doris Batts; children— Andy Batts of Magnolia, Gary Batts (Paula) of Wallace, and Becky Batts of Topsail Island; grandchildren—Warren Batts, Ori Batts and Rose Easterling (Eston); sisters—Vernell Batts Davis, Louvenia Hollingsworth, and Brenda Hines all of Wallace; and brothers—Claiborn Batts of Wallace and Elton Batts of Georgia.

Shelton was the kind of man that didn’t know a stranger. He enjoyed, in his lifetime, many career opportunities, from power line work and driving a truck, to always finding time to farm to provide for his family. He showed his love for others by always being willing to help. Shelton enjoyed traveling, going to the beach, and most of all spending time with family and friends, laughing and having a good time.

The family greeted friends at a visitation on Thursday, May 1 in the chapel of Padgett Funeral Home followed by a celebration of life, also in the chapel. Interment in Riverview Memorial Park followed the service, officiated by Rev. Phil Eakins.

Jerry Wayne Henderson Sept. 30, 1963 – May 4, 2025

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Ashley Taylor McNair Oct. 12, 1983 – April 30, 2025 It is with deepest sadness that we share the passing of Ashley Taylor McNair, 41, on Wednesday, April 30.

Born on October 12, 1983 and raised in Duplin County, Ashley was a woman with a generous heart and a deep love for her family. She found joy in life’s simple pleasures—whether it was spending time at the beach, lending a hand to others, or cherishing moments with those she loved most.

Ashley was a devoted wife to Lee McNair for 17 wonderful years. They were married on April 25, 2008. She was a loving and dedicated mother to her three children: Gavin Kuhn, Caden McNair, and Olivia McNair. Ashley is survived by her father, Ceness Taylor and stepmother, Terri; her brother, Aaron Taylor and significant other Roxanne Dickel; her stepsister, Heather Storholt and husband Christopher; and her stepbrother, Cody Bogdanowicz and wife Kristina.

She also leaves behind her lifelong best friend, Rose Wilson Chirico.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Vallie Barbour Taylor, and her beloved grandparents, Jim and Eleanor Taylor, and Elijah and Geneva Barbour.

Ashley was known for her kind spirit and dedication to others, which shone through her work at Food Lion, where she took pride in serving her community. She was raised in the Faison Presbyterian Church; a foundation that helped shape her generous and loving nature.

She will be sorely missed by her friends and family.

A celebration of Ashley’s life will be held at a later date.

Robert (R.T.) Tilton Moore Jr. Dec. 14, 1945 – April 29, 2025 Robert Tilton (R.T.) Moore Jr. passed away on Tuesday, April 29. He is survived by his daughters, Vicky Cavenaugh (Nathan) of Wallace, Wanda Henderson Asdenti (Arnold) of Harkers Island/Chinquapin, Joan Mobley (Rocky) of Chinquapin, Lisa Henderson Johnson (Eric) of Wallace, Melissa Moore (Tony Padgett) of Jacksonville: 8 grandchildren; and 12 greatgrandchildren. Funeral service was held Thursday, May 1 followed by visitation at the Community Funeral Home in Beulaville. Graveside Service was held Friday, May 2 at Pin Hook Cemetery in Teachey.

Richard Edward Blow Nov. 11, 1936 – April 24, 2025 Richard Edward Blow, 88, of Beulaville passed away April 24.

All services are private.

Annitonette Washington Dec. 12, 1953 – April 28, 2025 Annitonette Washington, 71, of Kenansville passed away April 28 at her residence. Funeral service was held Saturday May 3 at James Kenan High School in Warsaw. Public viewing was held Friday, May 2 at Hawes Funeral Home in Warsaw. Interment followed the service at Outlaw Family Cemetery in Kenansville.

Billy Ray Pate June 29, 1965 – April 27, 2025 Billy Ray Pate, age 59, of Wallace left his earthly life for his eternal rest on Sunday, April 27.

He was born on June 29, 1965, in Duplin County to the late William and Frances Casteen Pate.

Surviving to cherish his memory is his two daughters, Brittany Henderson of Willard and Megan Moore of Chinquapin; his grandchildren Kage Marble, Kash Marble and Kamryn Carr; sisters Debbie Pate Horrell and husband Ricky of Wallace, and Sandra Pate of Wallace; nieces, nephews and numerous extended family and friends that loved Billy dearly.

Billy was a loving father and caring grandfather and brother.

He enjoyed the simplest things in life, but his greatest joy was his family and spending time with each of them. Before Billy’s illness, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing golf. He was also a hard worker and dedicated employee. Billy was employed with Hanniford and Wilson grocery stores in his younger days and later went to Piggly Wiggly. He worked for over 20 years at Piggly Wiggly in Wallace and Burgaw until he had to retire due to sickness. During the time of his employment at the “PIG”, Billy became store manager and served the community well. He met many people who became not just a customer but also a friend. With a big heart and humble spirit, Billy was easy to love. In fact, to know him was to love him and he loved in return.

Billy would do anything he could for anyone who needed help. He will surely be missed but he will never be forgotten.

Funeral service was held Friday, May 2 at Wallace Church of God with Reverend Todd Narron officiating. The family received friends at the church one hour prior to service.

Burial followed the service in Duplin memorial Gardens in Teachey.

Casketbearers were Dewayne Parker, Braxton Parker, Curtis Parker, George Allen Parker, Grayson Parker and Layton Parker. Honorary casketbearers were Holden Parker and Colten Harrell.

Eddie Carroll Lewis June 20, 1959 – May 4, 2025 Eddie Carroll Lewis, 65, passed away peacefully Sunday evening at UNC Health Wayne Hospital surrounded by his family. Born in Wayne County, NC, he was the son of the late Harold and Betty Kelly Lewis. A long-time carpenter, he enjoyed working with his hands, being outdoors, and was always proud of his jobs.

In his free time, he loved riding his motorcycle and golf-cart, spending time with his children and grandchildren, and just living life to the fullest. He made friends every where he went and was a wonderful friend to many.

A Celebration of Life to honor Eddie was held Thursday May 8 t Tyndall Funeral Home with Rev. Jeffrey Dail officiating. The family received friends an hour prior to service. Burial followed at Maplewood Cemetery in Mount Olive. In true Eddie style, all motorcycles are welcome for his final ride.

Eddie Lewis is survived by his children, Josh Lewis and wife Heather of Mount Olive, Lindsey Rose and husband Cody of Mount Olive; a brother and best friend, Freddie Lewis and wife Susan of Mount Olive; beloved grandchildren, Jackson and Embry; mother of his children Teri Lewis; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Elaine Brown Brock Oct. 21, 1943 – May 2, 2025 Elaine Brown Brock, 81, passed away on Friday, May 2. She is preceded in by her husbands, Bennie Ray Sandlin and Ronald Elwood “Slim”. Surviving are her daughters, Tracy Sandlin Thigpen (Johnny) and Ann Sandlin Murphy; and grandchildren, Austin Thigpen (Sara) and Devin Murphy (Jackie). Funeral Service was held Monday, May 5, followed by visitation at Community Funeral Home, Beulaville.

Graveside Service was held Tuesday, May 6 at East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

COURTESY HARRELLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Terrific Kids recognized at Harrells Christian Academy Harrells Christian Academy celebrated its fourth nine-week period “Terrific Kids” on April 24. Teachers nominated students who consistently demonstrated responsibility, respect and caring behavior. While all of the HCA Lower School students are full of curiosity, energy and determination in the classroom, these 12 students particularly stood out to their teachers: (Back Row) Macy Evans, Emrick Henderson, Greyson Sholar, Tessa Hodge, Kate Hall and Cates Sutton. (Front Row) Ella Barefoot, Brian Robinson, Katie Jo Capps, Miller Cumbo, Ezra Davis and Wyatt Coombs.

Duplin insurance agent honored as one of NC’s Top 75 Doug Ladd, with North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, recently presented Adam Parker, a Duplin County agent, with a special recognition at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Chosen from nearly 900 agents statewide, Parker was honored as one of the Top 75 Agents for 2024.

PHOTO COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE

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Randolph record THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

A wet winner Uwharrie Charter Academy girls’ soccer coach Frankie Aguilar receives a water bath after the team defeated Wheatmore 2-1 on Monday to clinch the Piedmont Athletic Conference championship.

Both teams will be on the field for the state playoffs when those brackets come out later this week. The first round is set for Monday.

For more local sports, turn to pages B1 and B2.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

WHAT’S HAPPENING Republican concedes court election to Democratic incumbent Raleigh The Republican challenger for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat has conceded last November’s election to the Democratic incumbent. Jefferson Griffin said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would not appeal a federal judge’s decision favoring Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s decision sets the stage for Riggs to be officially elected to an eight-year term as an associate justice. It would end the nation’s last undecided race from the 2024 general election. The federal judge said disputed ballots challenged by Griffin must remain in the final tally and ordered results to be certified to show Riggs is the winner by 734 votes.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

$2.00

Commissioners recognize several citizen volunteers Five Randolph County citizens were recognized for their selfless work

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners took the time to recognize select citizens for their volunteer work within the county.

At the board’s May 5 meeting, five county residents were recognized with the Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards.

“These awards recognize the individuals in our community that give their time, energy and compassion to help others, often behind the scenes, and always without expecting anything in return,” said United Way of Randolph County Executive Director Samantha Baker. “Their efforts strengthen our county and our community and they inspire us all.”

Those recognized included Amy Rudisill, for her mentorship and work as board chair for Communities in Schools of Randolph County; Jo Ann Miller, for her thousands of

hours with Randolph Health and Randolph Senior Adults Association; Dwight and Brenda Ayers, for their years of service to Randolph Senior Adults Association and particularly the Meals on Wheels program; and former county commissioner Maxton McDowell, for his lifetime of public service to Randolph County.

“To those honored tonight, thank you for being shining examples of what it means to lead with compassion,” Baker said. “You remind us all that one person makes a world of difference.”

McDowell was also recognized as Randolph County’s nominee for the 2025 Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service The Governor’s Medallion Award recognizes the top 2025 volunteers in the state and are nominated by individual counties. After being nominated, a statewide panel will review and evaluate each nominee to determine the winners.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude, not just to our award recipients, but to all volunteers across Randolph County who give their time, their talents

“Thank you for being shining examples of what it means to lead with compassion.”

Samantha Baker, United Way of Randolph County executive director

and their heart to serve others,” Baker said. “Your generosity builds a stronger, more connected community and your impact reaches far beyond what can be measured.”

The board also approved a one-year, approximately $1,720,000 contract renewal with Mediko for inmate medical services at the detention center.

“After careful evaluation and consideration, we’ve determined that our continued partnership with Mediko for inmate medical services is in the best interest of our organization and the wellbeing of our inmates,” said Chief Deputy Steven Nunn. “They have met our standards in ensuring the

health and safety of the inmate population.”

The contract is a 3% increase from the prior fiscal year.

The board then approved the reclassification of positions at the Juvenile Day Reporting Center. The change removes the full-time transportation aide position and adds instead three part-time positions: two transportation aides and a data entry clerk.

“JDRC is wanting to be very transparent with the positions that we have and last budget season, we were granted a fulltime transportation aide,” said JDRC Director Pam Resch.

“After exhausting all of our efforts for that position to be filled, we decided this was the best move in order to be more efficient and effective in the services that we’re providing to our youth in Randolph County.

This is not going to have any effect on our current budget.”

Finally, the board also held a public hearing for various UDO updates.

“These updates were provided to the planning board at their last meeting and are 98% legislative updates that came down through the legislature last year,” said assistant county manager William Johnson.

Following the hearing, the board approved the amendments.

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will next meet June 2.

Ejections, behavior concern NCHSAA president The head of the Randolph County School System is highly involved in the state’s athletics operations

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record A RISE IN ejections across sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has raised the concern of Stephen Gainey.

Gainey, the superintendent of the Randolph County School System, is serving as NCHSAA president.

“I’m seeing sportsmanship issues,” Gainey said last week after the association’s spring meetings wrapped up. “I see it on the field. I see it in the stands. And it’s very concerning to me.”

The number of ejections of players has increased dramatically during the 2024-25 school year, NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said.

For Gainey, who regularly attends sports competitions in Randolph County and at the state level in the postseason, there needs to be adjustments in behavior. In some ways, it stems from cultures within the programs.

“I’m just going to tell you, we have a problem,” Gainey said.

“We need to get it turned the other way. … What bothers me is we’re having this interfere with all the positives of high

Stephen Gainey school athletics.”

Gainey said it’s possible to have less-confrontational environments for athletics. There

have been more than 1,000 ejections this school year.

“We need to look and see if we can strengthen those consequences a little bit,” Gainey said. “If you look at our ejections, they just continue to rise from year to year. I have schools of my own that I get concerned about. I watch things going on there in the stands and on the court.”

Prior to the State Board of Education overseeing certain rules and structure, Tucker said NCHSAA penalties were stiffer, mandating a two-game suspension.

“Not that we want students to have more penalties,” she said, but deterrents to misbeSee EJECTIONS, page A4

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THURSDAY

5.8.25

Mom reunites with 911 operator Randolph who helped deliver baby Guide Sarah Gianni unexpectedly went into labor

“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Randolph Record (ISSN 2768-5268) Neal Robbins, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Bob Sutton, Randolph Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 RANDOLPHRECORD.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

By Dan Reeves Randolph Record PITTSBORO — Reporters surrounded 911 telecommunicator Lorie Teague as she cradled Daisy Gianni, a bubbling, healthy 8-pound, 1-ounce baby girl who had popped into the world just two weeks prior, thanks to a bit of help from someone on the other end of the phone.

Teague was preparing to eat breakfast when an urgent early morning call came in to the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center. 911 operators never know what might be on the other end of the phone, but this wasn’t an incoming report of a car crash or a house fire. Instead, she professionally answered the trembling voice of Corinne Townsend, who said that her 36-year-old and very pregnant daughter, Sarah Gianni, had unexpectedly gone into labor.

“I started having contractions just after six that morning and was preparing to head to the hospital,” Gianni said. “I had just put the kids in the car when my water broke. My husband was already at work, but thankfully, my mom was there and called 911.”

Teague began talking both mothers through each step of the delivery and, crucially, helped Townsend stay relaxed as they delivered Daisy togeth-

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Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director. “It’s really special to show the Gianni family their pink leaf on the tree, which represents Daisy.”

Chatham County Emergency Communications is open to answer calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with 27 certified telecommunicators dispatching the county’s fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies — and acting as a lifeline both for those emergency responders and members of the public.

Adam Gaines, assistant communications director, says staffing is heaviest during the day when call volume is highest. And it’s not just Chatham County that they’re supporting.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the state, disabling emergency call centers in western North Carolina, Gaines’ operators started taking emergency calls from as far away as Yancey, Watauga and Madison counties. “We were getting nine calls a minute,” he said.

CRIME LOG • Janet Cherenfant, 41, of Asheboro, was arrested by Randolph County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) for injury to personal property and attempted misdemeanor larceny.

• Jaquinn Larry Dunn, 33, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for second degree trespass.

CALL OR TEXT 336-629-7588

er. She was born without incident at 6:56 a.m., before EMS arrived.

Two weeks later, Sarah and Lorie — those voices on each end of the phone — got to meet each other, and mom got to show off her new arrival to the woman whose calm, professional demeanor helped make it possible.

“It’s just a part of my job,” said Teague. “I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Daisy is the second baby she has helped deliver, said Teague, who worked with the Pittsboro Police Department and as a paramedic before joining the 911 center.

Since the 911 Center opened in its new location in September 2023, telecommunicators have assisted with the delivery of four babies.

“We have a ‘Tree of Life’ on our wall here at the 911 Center, so we can celebrate positive outcomes that our telecommunicators have assisted in critical moments such as baby deliveries and CPR saves,” said

• Jody Alanna Hayes, 30, of Ramseur, was arrested by RCSO for neglect child abuse with serious physical injury and assault on a child under 12.

• John Chester Reed, 36, of Asheboro, was arrested by Archdale PD for domestic violence protective order violation.

• Terrea Montana Salyers, 46, of Trinity, was arrested by Archdale PD for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Jerica Anita Roach, 35, of Thomasville, was arrested by RCSO for assault on a female.

April 30 • William Frederick Ridley, 66, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for habitual larceny, misdemeanor larceny, possession of stolen goods/property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Delana Antionette Poole, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested

by Asheboro PD for felony possession of schedule I controlled substance, felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, trafficking in opium or heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Chad Howard Person, 47, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for second degree trespass and communicating threats.

May 1 • Antwain Darel Soriano, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, indecent

exposure, and intoxicated and disruptive behavior.

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May 10 Mighty Mountain Run 10k at 8:30 a.m.

5k at 9 a.m.

The Mighty Mountain Run is a 5K/10K trail run/walk fundraiser for camper scholarships at Caraway Conference Center and Camps located in Sophia, about eight miles west of Asheboro. Entry fees are $40/5k and $50/10k.

Call (336) 629-2374 for registration information.

Camp Caraway Athletic Field 4756 Caraway Mountain Road Sophia

May 10, 13 & 15 City of Asheboro Farmers Market 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join us in supporting local farmers from the central and southwestern portion of the Heart of North Carolina, providing fresh seasonal produce, farm-fresh products, baked goods, and a variety of flowers and plants.

Open weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the end of October.

• Hugo Ruiz Mendez, 52, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for public order violation.

• Lance Foster Hill, 57, was arrested

by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, possession of controlled substance on prison/ jail premises, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Tiffany Marie Helms, 34, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for open container alcohol violation, disorderly conduct, resisting public officer, communicating threats, and assault on government official/ employee.

• Theresa Nicole Harvell, 33, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second degree trespass.

• Steven Chadwick Taylor, 48, of Burlington, was arrested by RCSO for fleeing/eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, possession of stolen motor vehicle, injury to personal property, reckless driving with wanton disregard, larceny of motor vehicle, larceny of a firearm, and resisting public officer.

• Earl David Rivers, 50, of Archdale, was arrested by RCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia and second degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

• Jonathan Chase Williams, 29, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for misdemeanor child abuse.

• Gerard Samuel Williamson, 38, of High Point, was arrested by Archdale PD for intoxicated and disruptive behavior and simple assault.

• David Frank Worcester, 38, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for second degree trespass and communicating threats.

May 2 • Rachel Alanah Ricketts, 24, of Julian, was arrested by RCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• James Christopher Burlamachi, 34, of Asheboro, was arrested

by Asheboro PD for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Justin Brent Moran, 35, of Thomasville, was arrested

by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of firearm by felon, and larceny of a firearm.

• Thomas Zachary Hall, 35, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for interfering with electronic monitoring device.

May 3 • Jamie Junior Foxx, 55, of Siler City, was arrested by Asheboro PD for breaking and entering, felony larceny, possession of stolen goods/property, second degree trespass, and resisting public officer.

May 12 & 14 Liberty Farmers Market 4-7 p.m.

This farmers market is designed to serve as an organized and convenient market and customer source for local farmers and growers.

Promoting local farmers or growers as significant contributors to the local economy and providing a wide variety of high-quality, fresh produce at a convenient location. Open every Monday and Wednesday through the end of October.

423 W. Swannanoa Avenue Liberty

May 4 • Jeremy Joe Bray, 37, of Denton, was arrested by RCSO for assault on a female, assault on individual with disability, and abuse of disabled/elder with serious injury.

May 5 • Thomas Brandon Sims, 35, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for larceny of motor vehicle and possession of stolen motor vehicle.

• Armando Johnny Martinez, 56, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intoxicated and disruptive behavior.

• Stephanie Jean Evans, 34, of Trinity, was arrested by NC Highway Patrol for driving while impaired.

May 13 Making Art with the Masters 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Art classes for ages 8-12 that teach history, theory and practice. 11 a.m. classes are for ages 10-12, and 3:30 p.m. classes are for ages 8-9.

Asheboro Public Library 201 Worth St. Asheboro

May 16 Friday Night Bluegrass Presents: Cooper Marona & Friends

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Sarah Gianni and her two sons pose in front of the ‘Tree of Life’ with Lorie Teague holding Daisy, the baby she helped deliver over the phone.

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A3

Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | DARRELL L. FRYE

Every child deserves a nutritious start to the day

This isn’t a handout, it’s a strategy.

AS CHAIR of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, I have an abiding interest in securing the present and future success of our workforce and community in general.

That’s why I want to thank Rep. Brian Biggs for sponsoring legislation that will clear away a knot of red tape for our working families, support our agricultural heritage and ensure our children are well positioned to learn, achieve and eventually contribute to our economy. A stronger, better-fed student body today leads to a more competitive and capable workforce tomorrow.

North Carolina House Bill 774, School Breakfast for All, takes a practical approach to a very real issue. Every day, thousands of North Carolina students arrive at school without having eaten breakfast. Statewide, one in five children faces food insecurity — and in some rural areas, it’s closer to one in three.

Too often, the first and only real meal a child gets in a day is the one they receive at school. When a child is hungry, it’s harder for them to concentrate, to behave and to learn. And when kids fall behind early, they’re more likely to need costly interventions down the road, placing added strain on families and the system alike. Giving them a strong start now helps reduce long-term dependency.

H.B. 774 would ensure that every student in North Carolina public schools

— from pre-K through 12th grade — has access to a nutritious breakfast at no cost to their families, without creating the hoops many families have to jump through to receive meal assistance.

This not a luxury. It’s a foundational need. It’s also a smart investment in academic outcomes and classroom environments. Well-fed students perform better, miss fewer days of school and are less likely to act out in class. Our local taxpayers already invest millions in public education. But if students are too hungry to focus, that investment is undermined.

What I especially appreciate about this legislation is that it builds on what’s already working. It leverages existing federal and state resources and encourages schools to use innovative service models like breakfast in the classroom or grab-and-go options. It also gives schools flexibility to decide what works best for their students and communities.

Another forward-thinking aspect of this bill is the Farm-to-Table initiative, which encourages schools to buy local produce, dairy and proteins. That means fresh, healthy meals for our children and more opportunities for North Carolina farmers and food producers.

In rural communities like mine, where agriculture plays such a vital role in the local economy, this is a win-win. It keeps

dollars close to home and supports the families who grow our food and sustain our communities.

This isn’t about creating more bureaucracy. It’s about using existing resources more effectively — aligning federal, state and local dollars to help kids thrive, strengthen families and support schools. It helps families without expanding welfare, reduces future costs and prepares young North Carolinians to become contributing members of society.

This isn’t a handout; it’s a strategy.

When we invest wisely in our children, we invest in the future strength of our communities. And when we support practical, conservative approaches to improving education and health, we build stronger families, better schools and a more self-reliant next generation.

I’m grateful to Biggs for recognizing this issue and for leading with both practicality and heart. I hope lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will come together to support H.B. 774. Strong students are the foundation of a strong North Carolina — and a strong America.

If we want the next generation to be ready for service, for skilled work, or for leadership, they need to start with the basics.

Darrell L. Frye is chair of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate

would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of the mistakes that were made in

2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

A4

Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

‘Ethics Bowl’ offers students gentler alternative to debating With no assigned positions, teams explore rather than argue

By Travis Loller The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — At the National Speech and Debate Tournament, two high school students take the stage. The first articulates the position he has been assigned to defend — people should have a right to secede from their government — and why it is correct. Another student, assigned the opposite position, begins to systematically tear down her opponent’s views.

A year later and 800 miles away, two teams of high school students convene at the University of North Carolina for the National High School Ethics Bowl finals. A moderator asks about the boundaries of discourse — when a public figure dies, how do you weigh the value and harm of critical commentary about their life?

Teams have not been assigned positions. One presents their ideas. The opposing team asks questions that help everyone to think about the issue more deeply. No one attacks.

Many a young debater may learn the rhetorical skills to become a successful lawyer or politician, subduing an opponent through wit and wordplay. But are they learning skills that will make them better citizens of an increasingly complex and contentious republic?

In an age when many Americans are wondering whether it is still possible to have a principled, respectful disagreement over important issues, proponents of Ethics Bowl say it points the way.

In Ethics Bowl, teams aren’t assigned a specific position on an issue that they have to defend regardless of their beliefs.

Instead, members are given cases to discuss and make their own decisions about what they consider the best position. Teams can, and often do, come to similar conclusions. It is — and this is important — OK for them to agree. Scoring is based on how deeply they explore the issues, including other viewpoints.

Robert Ladenson, who developed the Ethics Bowl as a college philosophy classroom exercise back in 1993 and went on to lead the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for decades, explains what he considers an ethical understanding of an issue in an oral history for the University of Illinois in 2023.

It means “having some capacity to view, from the inside, the ethical outlooks of people who disagree with you. That means not simply being aware of what they’ve said or what they’ve written, or being able to develop a nifty debaters’ responses to the viewpoints they hold — but really looking inside the other view and trying to understand it from the other person’s way of looking at the world.”

That plays out at Ethics Bowl.

Take the case “See Spot Clone,” about whether it is ever ethical to clone a pet.

Harpeth Hall from Nashville starts the discussion with six minutes to present their thoughts. There are millions of homeless pets, so the ethical choice is to adopt, they believe. Cloning is self-serving for the human. The pet cannot consent. Also, cloning may involve unknown health issues for the cloned pet. The team also be-

EJECTIONS from page A1 havior generally result in fewer problems.

Fill out a bracket Regarding postseasons and bracketing, Ratings Percentage Index will be used exclusively to seed teams. The best seeds will no longer be reserved for conference champions. In fact, conference regular-season and tournament champions won’t even been guaranteed spots in the postseason.

The RPI is a combination of a team’s winning percentage (40%), its opponents winning percentage (40%) and its opponents’ oppo-

“What bothers me is we’re having this interfere with all the positives of high school athletics.”

Stephen Gainey, RCSS superintendent nents winning percentage (20%).

Protecting conference champions would have been more problematic because of the expanded number of classifications.

Many conferences have teams from multiple classifications.

Some schools have never been in a split conference, Gainey said.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Students from the Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey confer during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl. lieves that it is important for people to confront death.

Now it is the turn of team B, Miami’s Archimedean Upper Conservatory — not to attack and refute, but to ask questions that expand the discussion.

What about pet breeders? Where do they fit on the ethical continuum? Also, what’s so wrong with cloning a pet for your own happiness? Are all selfish pursuits bad?

Next, the judges ask questions. What if there were no possible health problems for the cloned animal? What if the animal is not cloned to comfort an owner but for a more noble purpose? Would it be ethical to clone a skilled search-and-rescue dog?

In a society awash in shortcuts and simple solutions, simply setting the ground rules for contentious conversations like these can be a high hill to climb. At the Ethics Bowl, though, it’s part of the point: The process of conversation is as important as the outcome. And subtlety matters.

A good Ethics Bowl case is one where “two well-meaning individuals can take in all of the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite, value-driven answers,” says Alex Richardson, who directed the National Bowl for five years.

The cases students grapple with include real-life scenarios pulled from the headlines, like the less-than-respectful re-

sponse to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. There are also more philosophical issues, like whether humans should pursue immortality. And there are dilemmas that teenagers deal with every day, like whether not posting on Instagram about a hate crime in your community makes you complicit.

That last case was a difficult one for the team from Harpeth Hall, they say, but it helped them clarify some of their thoughts around social media.

Teams have been discussing a group of cases for weeks, but they don’t know which they’ll be asked about. Once the question is read, they are given a few minutes to discuss. That’s when one or two of the teammates generally scurry around the table to huddle. Intense whispering and furious scribbling ensue.

There is a winning team and a trophy. But students say it is not competitive in a traditional sense.

“It’s not about beating people,” says Lizzie Lyman, whose firstyear team from Midtown High School in Atlanta lost in the semifinals. “When it’s about constructively answering a question and just having a really interesting, engaging conversation, that’s where you get to have all these amazing conversations.”

Part of the point of the Ethics Bowl is to create well-rounded

students who ingest other viewpoints and engage without arguing. A 2022 survey of participants in nationals found that 100% believed that their critical thinking skills had improved. A large majority said their ethical or political beliefs had changed.

There is clearly a thirst for a different kind of competition.

The National High School Ethics Bowl is only 12 years old and this year saw 550 teams competing in regional bowls around the country.

Sona Zarkou, also on the BASIS Flagstaff team, sees herself as a case study in Ethics Bowl benefits. When she practiced debate, she says, she was “kind of a jerk” — “very quick to attack and very rude.” In Ethics Bowl, she sees herself “turn the discussion to something a lot more respectful, a lot more truth-oriented.”

Rhiannon Boyd, a judge at this year’s competition, a high school teacher and coach and the organizer of the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, has seen the positive changes. Two of her students last year were on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Their disagreement was great. Could they be on the same team together? In the end, both joined and made it all the way to nationals.

Their differing opinions remain. But now, Boyd says, they are “really good friends.”

Now, there will be conferences with schools representing up to three classifications.

“This eight-class system was a result of a vote of membership,” he said. “We have to have some time to see how all this is going to work out.”

Gainey said addressing this topic would take careful study, particularly in the aftermath of the months-long restructuring connected with the shift from four classifications to eight.

Of the NCHSAA’s 442 member schools, about 60 would fall into the category of parochial and charter schools – with that percentage increasing.

One of those familiar to Gainey is Uwharrie Charter Academy, which has captured multiple state championships. That Randolph County school isn’t part of the RCSS, but it sits in the district’s footprint.

Gainey said while pleas to separate certain schools during postseasons have been received,

there are other stakeholders who the NCHSAA hasn’t heard from on the topic.

“Charter schools are part of our membership and they have been,” he said. “We have charter schools that are very active members in our membership and we’ve made that work.”

Monumental changes for NCHSAA schools have been in the works. Those are about to be implemented for the 2025-26 school year.

Tucker praised Gainey for his leadership during “an historic year.”

Gainey said there has been plenty going on.

“It has been an exciting year for me,” he said.

All together or not From some sources there’s a push to create separate championships within the NCHSAA for parochial and charter schools, so traditional public schools don’t have to compete against them.

“The board and staff needs time,” Gainey said. “That has a lot of implications.”

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

obituaries

Johnny Darrell “JD” Smith Jr. Oct. 21, 1971 – April 30, 2025 Johnny Darrell “JD” Smith Jr., 53, of Randleman passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Myrtle Beach, SC. He was born on October 21, 1971, in Wytheville, VA, to Johnny Darrell Smith Sr., and Wanda Dunford Smith.

JD was a graduate of Trinity High School. He received an associate’s degree from Randolph Community College and spent most of his adult life as a truck driver and mechanic.

In his personal life, he was a man of many talents. He loved art and creating it, listening to it and playing it. He was in several bands, as both a guitarist and vocalist. He loved painting, drawing and being creative. JD loved his family, friends, his dog, cruising and going to the beach.

He is loved and missed by all who knew him.

JD is survived by his wife, Amanda Bailey of Randleman; children, Rebecca Smith (Josh) of Randleman, Steven Smith of Randleman, Luke Jolly of High Point; brother, Danny Smith (Mindy) of Thomasville.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his faithful and loving, canine companion, Sonya.

The family will host a Celebration of Life at Creekside Park, Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Time to be determined.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX, 75284-0692.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Bailey-Smith family.

David William “Burr” Harris June 27, 1953 – May 3, 2025 David William “Burr” Harris, age 71 of Randleman, passed away on Saturday, May 03, 2025 at his home.

Burr was born on June 27, 1953 in Guilford County, NC to Woodrow and Margaret Pegram Harris. Burr worked as a supervisor for Georgia Pacific and Boise Cascade lumber yards. He was an avid fisherman, enjoyed hunting and having cookouts, and loved spending time with his family. In addition to his parents, Burr was preceded in death by his stepson, Chad Sexton; and his brother’s, Dale Harris, and Steven “Porky” Harris.

Burr is survived by his wife of 26 years, Debbie Harris; stepchildren, Shain Sexton (Amber) of Randleman, Shawn Sexton of Oak Island and Shannon Sexton Scott of Archdale; ten grandchildren, Issac Sexton, Kaylee Sexton, Skylar Lineberry, Hannah Krone, Jordon Arthur, Emma Sexton, Kash Sexton, Khloe Sexton, Ella Sexton and River Scott; greatgrandchildren, Antonio, Layton, Waylon, Riah and one on the way; and his faithful canine companion, Blue.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Randolph Memorial Park, 4538 US Hwy. 220 Business North, Asheboro, NC 27203, with Pastor Casey Potter officiating.

Memorials may be made in Burr’s honor to the American Cancer Society.

Debra “Debbie” Bowman Thompson Dec. 31, 1952 – May 2, 2025 Debra “Debbie” Bowman Thompson, 72, of Sophia, passed away in her home, where family quickly surrounded her with love, on Friday morning, May 2, 2025, in Sophia, NC. The daughter of Allen Millikan Bowman and the late Lalah Marie Rush Bowman, Debbie was born on December 31, 1952, at Randolph Hospital.

She graduated from Randleman High School in 1971 and enjoyed an upbringing full of love with her family and friends.

Debbie met her husband, Michael “Mike” Ray Thompson, in 2007 when they met at Huddle House in Asheboro for coffee and never looked back. They were married in 2008 and shared nearly two decades of love together in Sophia. Debbie and Mike also had a place at Myrtle Beach, SC, and enjoyed continuing to spend time there. Recently, she started playing golf with Mike (golf being Mike’s second love, after Debbie), which they enjoyed together. In the last few years, they were spending time at the beach more often, going down to Myrtle Beach every couple of weeks to their “happy place.” Debbie had been retired for the last 13 years. For 28 years prior, she worked at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Asheboro, where she was described as both a highly awarded and a caring employee. Debbie also worked at Klopman Mills for 10 years.

Involved in her community, Debbie was a volunteer at both Randolph Hospice House and Randolph Hospital. Her volunteer work in retirement is a small anecdote of her kindness as a woman led by her faith in Jesus.

Described as one of the purest examples of a Christian, Debbie was so strong in faith that it was imprinted in her interactions.

When people saw Debbie, they saw Jesus, as her kindness was felt by all whom she encountered.

Known affectionately as “Memaw” and “Aunt Debbie” to many of her family members, all would attest that she would do anything for them, quite literally giving others the shoes off her feet on more than one occasion.

She made it a priority never to miss a birthday or event for her loved ones. Her maternal nature ran deep, and her kindness was widespread. Many people in her life, including family (husband, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and others alike), count themselves fortunate to have called Debbie a best friend.

She loved shopping with her best friends, particularly her daughter. Debbie was especially skilled at and enjoyed good consignment finds. She also loved and took great care of her flowers.

Upkeep of a superb garden is a habit undoubtedly learned from her mother. From beautiful flowers and ferns, her nurturing extended to pickles. Debbie canned pickles her whole life after learning to do so at an early age. They were known to be so good that great debate would take place in the family over who would get the last one in a jar. She liked her pickles as much as any, but mostly she wanted others to enjoy them as well.

Debbie’s selfless care for others might only be matched by her quick wit. Debbie’s humor is a trait that mirrored her mother’s. No one enjoyed a good laugh or prank as much as this mother-daughter combination.

Debbie made people laugh with infectious humor and quick comebacks. Her combination of kindness and humor was natural and admirable, enabling her to foster meaningful relationships with so many. She loved family gatherings. On such occasions, in a world where technology is all consuming, she insisted people not be on their phones. She knew that relationships matter; her actions taught that people matter; and her life was an example that the time you spend with the people you love matters most.

Debbie had a special personality trait of always having the last word, but still making you feel good and laugh about it. She was never ill-willed but constantly picked, humorously. She was always herself, unscripted with charisma. She was loved and adored by all. From the elderly she volunteered to help in hospice care, to her three-year-old great granddaughter, Debbie was always the same person who left people with smiles on their faces.

A longtime member of Why Not Wesleyan Church, Debbie was unwavering in her faith and desire to do what was right.

The oldest of her generation in the immediate family, Debbie was preceded in death by her mother, Lalah Marie Rush Bowman. She is survived by her father, Allen Millikan Bowman; husband, Michael “Mike” Ray Thompson of Sophia; sister, Beverly Bowman Hunt and husband Tom of Trinity; brother, James Allen Bowman and wife Ginger of Sophia; daughter, Angela Thompson Rowland and husband Mike of Pinehurst; son, Michael Leroy Thompson II and wife Ashley of Lexington; grandchildren: Madeline Rowland Nelson and husband Joshua of Pinehurst; Michael Clark Rowland III and fiancé Alexis Smith of Pinehurst; Michaela Marie Rowland of Pinehurst, Matthew Charles Rowland of Pinehurst, Megan Denise Rowland of Pinehurst, Miranda Ann Rowland of Pinehurst, Mitchell Cash Rowland of Pinehurst, Brooklyn Alexandria Thompson of Lexington, Michael LeRoy Thompson III of Lexington; greatgrandchild, Lalah Olivia Nelson of Pinehurst; and stepdaughter, Kristy Thompson Flowers; along with many other loving family members in Randolph County.

Service: Why Not Wesleyan Church in Seagrove (1402 NC705) on Wednesday, May 7, at 11 a.m.

Memorials: Randolph Hospice House (416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203).

Arrangements: Pugh Funeral Home, Randleman, is in charge of arrangements.

Charles Clayton “Bill” Dicks Aug. 18, 1934 – April 30, 2025 Charles Clayton Dicks, affectionately known as Bill to his family and friends, completed his earthly journey on April 30, 2025. He will be forever remembered as a devoted family man—hardworking, protective and full of love.

Bill lived a life rich with stories and character. In his younger years, he often recounted his adventures running moonshine, which fueled his lifelong passion for speed and led him into amateur dirt-track racing. He credited his paternal family with instilling in him a deep knowledge of auto mechanics—skills that would become the foundation of his career and his joy.

He served honorably in the United States Army as a member of the Military Police, a twist of fate not lost on those who knew his past. During his military service, Bill completed a tour in Germany, a journey his family believes was the only time he ever left American soil. Upon returning home, he settled into civilian life with his beloved wife and infant daughter, beginning a lifelong career as a mechanic.

Bill was happiest when working with his hands—whether rebuilding engines, building fast cars, or tending his garden. He had a soft spot for animals of all kinds and frequently opened his home and heart to strays, often to the amusement of family members who tried (with varying success) to domesticate the menagerie.

Above all, Bill was a man of deep faith and unwavering values. He provided steadfastly for his family, ensured his girls were raised in church, and taught the importance of hard work, fairness and compassion.

He is preceded in death by his cherished wife, Joy Lee McDonald Dicks, and his beloved daughter, Leai Dawn Dicks Lassiter.

Bill’s legacy lives on through his adoring granddaughters, Alisha Lassiter of Randleman, NC, and Angela Lassiter (Brad) of Raleigh, NC; and through his nephew, Danny Crabtree (Debbie) of Reidsville, NC, whom he loved as a son. He is also survived by many other nieces, nephews, extended family and dear friends who will miss his stories, his strength and his generous spirit.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from noon to 12:50 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main Street in Randleman. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. in the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel with Reverend Johnny Miles officiating. Burial will follow at Randolph Memorial Park.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Dicks family.

Jean Saunders Teague Feb. 2, 1942 – April 29, 2025 Jean Saunders Teague, age 83, of Asheboro passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Mrs. Teague was born on February 2, 1942, the daughter of Burl and Lula Luther Saunders.

Jean was raised in the Eleazer community and was a 1959 graduate of Farmer High School. After high school, she went to beauty school and upon graduation, was offered a job at Leon’s in Greensboro. Being from a small community, she knew the big city was not for her.

Jean worked in several salons in Asheboro before eventually having a shop in her home. She was a hairdresser and owner/ operator of Jean’s Beauty Shop for 46 years.

She attended Browers Wesleyan Church, where she enjoyed working in the nursery.

Jean loved being outside and cutting the grass. She was also an avid reader. She rarely missed an ACC basketball game or horse race. Jean enjoyed watching Andy Griffith and The Price is Right with her caregiver, Ms. Ruthie. She loved her grandchildren dearly; they were her pride and joy. In addition to her parents, Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Farrell Teague, and her brother, Roland Saunders She is survived by her children, Leigh Ann Kirkman (Dennis Mabe) of Asheboro, Michael Teague (Susan) of Asheboro, and Christie Callicutt (Jeff) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Caleb Kirkman (Shelley), Collin Kirkman (Grace), Lauren Mabe, Matthew Mabe, Matthew Teague (Emily), Micah Teague, Sarah Teague, Caleigh Callicutt and Connor Callicutt; a sister, Martha Varner of Lexington; and brothers, Jimmy Sanders of Asheboro and Ronnie Saunders of Eleazer.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 11-11:50 a.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, in Asheboro. Funeral services will follow on Saturday at noon, at the Glenn “Mac” Pugh Chapel with Rev. Bryant Madren officiating. Burial will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery.

The family would like to express a special thank you to Hospice of Randolph and especially her nurses, Lannette White and Stephanie Ritter, and her CAN, Amanda Owens. They would also like to give special thanks to not only her caregiver but also her friend, Ruthie Hayes.

Ms. Ruthie will always be a part of our family.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203, or Browers Wesleyan Church, 1734 Mack Road, Asheboro, NC 27205.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries Celebrate the life ofand yourdeath loved ones. notices toand be published in Submit obituaries death notices Randolph Record atRecord obits@at to be published in Randolph randolphrecord.com obits@randolphrecord.com

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

STATE & NATION States push for speed-limiters on cars of excessive speeders The tech would limit vehicles to a certain amount over the limit

By Jeff McMurray The Associated Press A TEENAGER who admitted being “addicted to speed” behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph in a Seattle suburb, killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op.

After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison, the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit.

Virginia this year became the first state to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road. Washington, D.C., already is using it, and similar measures await governors’ signatures in Washington state and Georgia. New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths.

“It’s a horror no one should have to experience,” said Amy Cohen, who founded the victims’ advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year‑old son, Sammy Cohen Eckstein, was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago.

Andrea Hudson, 38, the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light, was build-

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES VIA AP

People gather at a vigil in Renton, Washington, for Andrea Hudson, Matilda Wilcoxson, Eloise Wilcoxson and Boyd “Buster” Brown, who were killed in a March car crash. ing a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day, her father, Ted Smith, said.

Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson’s home in Renton, Washington, were Boyd “Buster” Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson, both 12, and Matilda Wilcoxson, 13. Hudson’s two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived, but they spent weeks in a hospital.

“You always hear of these horrific accidents, and it’s always far away, you don’t know anybody. But all of a sudden, that’s my daughter,” Smith said.

“This guy did not swerve or brake. And it was just a missile.”

Smith knew Washington state Rep. Mari Leavitt, who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring

legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses.

Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges, citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway.

Between 2019 and 2024, the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 50 mph over the speed limit, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“I guess I don’t understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast,” Leavitt said. “But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter, they can’t. It’s going to stop them in their tracks.”

The measure, which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign, is called the BEAM Act, using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster, Eloise, Andrea and Matilda.

Because Jones, 19, didn’t receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes, he likely wouldn’t have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one. And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect, the judge’s requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison, Smith said.

Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance.

Brandy Nannini, chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer, Grapevine, Texas-based Smart Start, said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation’s capital have been trying it out for years.

But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly.

“We’ve got a lot more satellites in the sky now,” said Ken Denton, a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer, part of the coalition of companies.

When court-mandated, the devices would prevent cars

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to Washington

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021. four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consecu-

tive presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight

as governor with incendiary statements about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political rival he said would “give it to the people without providing Vaseline.” He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House

from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set. An override button allows speeding in emergencies, but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed.

A more passive version, which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast, is required for new cars in the European Union.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion.

Before Del. Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature, he tried out the device in Nannini’s car, which was calibrated to not go more than 9 mph over the speed limit.

“That was my first question: Is it safe?” Hope said.

Not only did he come away convinced it was safe, Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children, all of whom are new drivers.

For those mandated by a court, the price could be hefty: $4 per day and a $100 installation fee. The fee would be reduced for low-income offenders.

Cohen with Families for Safe Streets, which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims, knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make.

A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment, another boy was injured in the same spot.

By then, the road’s speed limit had been lowered.

“That boy lived when he was hit, and mine did not,” she said. “When you are going a few miles slower, there’s more time to stop. And when you hit somebody, it’s much less likely to be deadly.”

of Representatives for four years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

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Eastern Randolph thrower Mirianna Corea says she’s continuing to improve as she aims for more championships in track and field.

State champion adds distance to throws The Eastern Randolph junior has made improvements in both of her events

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record RAMSEUR — Winning a state championship in track and field was a good thing for Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea last year.

Now it’s getting even better.

Corea has exceeded past marks in the discus and shot put with new personal bests as the final month of the season approaches.

“It has been going good. I’ve hit some good PRs in both shot put and discus,” Corea said earlier this spring. “Last year’s PR was 118 (feet) in the discus and now it’s a 126. The shot put used to be 34, now it’s 39.”

She won the Class 1A discus championship last May as a sophomore.

Corea said she has been motivated to show regular improvement.

“Keep going,” she said. “The goals that I’ve had, I’ve hit them pretty early. Hopefully, more PRs to come.”

The discus is her favorite among the two throwing events in high school.

“It’s all about who’s on that day. Who can throw their best that day because really anybody can be beat.”

Mirianna Corea, Eastern Randolph thrower

“It’s more fun for me,” Corea said. “Shot put is fun, too, but discus just excites me more.

Discus is a lot more free and technique. You can have all the

UCA baseball team starts quest for another state championship League champion Randleman’s postseason began against a conference opponent

Randolph Record staff

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Infielder Landon Zephir and the UCA baseball team will try to produce another special postseason. either No. 11 seed Madison or No. 22 seed East Surry later in the week in the second round.

No. 14 seed Trinity opened at home against No. 19 seed Mt. Pleasant. The winner has either third-seeded West Stokes or No. 30 seed East Davidson in the second round.

Wheatmore made the field as the No. 31 seed, going to No. 2 seed North Stanly. Southwestern Randolph landed in the final spot in the West Region

field, assigned to visit top-seeded East Rutherford.

Regular season UCA won twice in the final week of the regular season to secure second place in the PAC. The Eagles held off last-place Southwestern Randolph 8-1 and 3-2 in eight innings.

Jose Ramirez had three hits See UCA, page B2

cause really anybody can be beat. My biggest battle is myself. I’m my biggest enemy.”

Corea won the shot put and discus in last week’s Piedmont Athletic Association championships.

She came up through Franklinville Elementary School all the way to becoming a state champion. Corea, 16, also plays volleyball as an Eastern Randolph middle hitter.

She said she wants to compete in track and field in college. While the recruiting could become intense, Corea said she’s focused on improvement in advance of another state meet.

Cougars’ bid for softball repeat begins at home Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy started the state playoffs as the county’s highest seeds

Randolph Record staff UWHARRIE CHARTER Academy’s bid to win a third consecutive state championship in Class 1A baseball will come as the No. 5 seed in the West Region.

The pairings and brackets were revealed Monday in advance of Tuesday’s first-round games.

UCA was set for a home game against No. 28 seed Bessemer City. If the Eagles won, they’ll be home again Friday night in the second round.

Six other teams from Randolph County also were in the state playoffs.

Eastern Randolph drew the No. 15 seed in Class 1A with a home date vs. No. 18 Cornerstone Charter.

In Class 2A, Piedmont Athletic Conference champion Randleman holds the No. 6 seed with an opening home date against conference rival and neighbor Providence Grove, the No. 27 seed. The winner meets

strength in the world, but technique means a lot.”

Corea wasn’t the favorite in last year’s state meet. Past state champion Brittany Ellis of North Rowan was in the mix.

Ellis is now a freshman on Appalachian State’s team.

“I’m still in shock about it,” Corea said of the outcome that day in the state meet at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.

Her second attempt struck the netting before she unleashed what became at the time her personal-best heave of 118 feet, 8 inches.

“It’s all about who’s on that day,” Corea said. “Who can throw their best that day be-

Defending Class 2A softball state champion Southwestern Randolph will have at least three home games in the state playoffs if it advances based on the pairings and brackets that were revealed Monday.

The Cougars are seeded No. 4 in the West Region.

They were to open the postseason Tuesday night at home vs. No. 29 Chase.

The winner moves into Friday’s second round against either No. 13 Bunker Hill or No. 20 Maiden. West Wilkes is the No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Also in Class 2A, No. 15 seed Randleman opened at home vs. No. 15 Rutherfordton-Spindale Central.

The winner would meet No. 2 West Caldwell or No. 31

Eden Morehead in the second round.

No. 25 Providence Grove headed to eighth-seeded East Rutherford for the first round.

In Class 1A, Uwharrie Charter Academy took the No. 4 seed for the West Region, with a home matchup against 29th-seeded Bradford Prep. The winner has Friday’s second-round matchup with either No. 13 Starmount or No. 20 Rosman.

Eastern Randolph was slotted as the No. 28 seed, visiting fifth-seeded Bethany Community.

Regular season UCA halted Southwestern Randolph’s unbeaten Piedmont Athletic Conference mark with a 5-4 victory on Emory Johnson’s game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the conference schedule last week.

The Cougars finished with a one-game margin atop See COUGARS, page B2

B2

Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Owen Whelan

Track athletes head to regionals after strong conference meets Randleman’s girls’ and boys’ teams emerged as champions in the PAC

Randolph Record staff AREA TRACK and field teams go to the regionals this week following some strong performances in conference championships.

The Class 3-A Midwest Regional is Saturday at Robinson, Class 2-A Midwest Regional at High Point Athletic Complex and the Class 1-A Midwest Regional on Saturday at North Stokes.

Athletes will be aiming for spots in the state meets May 16-17 in Greensboro.

Here’s a look at some highlights for from conference championships: Piedmont Athletic Conference

COURTESY PHOTO

Southwestern Randolph, track and field Whelan became the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion in the boys’ discus last week in the league championship meet at Wheatmore.

The senior had a winning toss of 122 feet, 2 inches, edging defending champion Ty Moton of Randleman. Owen improved his throw by more than 35 from the previous year.

Owen also placed third in the shot put at 40-6¾.

Whelan has been an All-PAC football player for the past two years. He’s committed to play football at Guilford College.

UCA from page B1 and three runs batted in the first matchup, with Logun Wilkins notching the pitching victory.

UCA’s Brett Smith went the distance in the second game, outdueling Jonah Campbell, who also worked a complete game.

• Third-place Trinity defeated fourth-place Eastern Randolph twice by scores of 14-3 and 5-1. Trinity’s Walker Parrish drove in five runs in the two games combined, while Camden Nelson’s complete game from the mound was clutch in the second matchup.

• Providence Grove beat Wheatmore twice, winning 6-3 and 6-5 as the teams finished in a fifth-place tie. Andrew Thomas pitched six innings for the victory in the first meeting and Grant Underwood knocked

in two runs in the rematch.

• Randleman split two nonconference games last week. The Tigers topped visiting Union Pines 2-1 before falling to Christ the King by 5-2. Tate Andrews hit a two-run home run in the loss.

• Eastern Randolph played Southern Alamance in a nonconference game that ended in a 4-4 draw Friday night. The game was delayed in the seventh inning because of lightning and, after waiting, it eventually was called off, reverting to the last complete inning so it goes as a six-inning tie.

• In the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament, Oak Grove ousted Asheboro 7-0 in the quarterfinals. That sent the Blue Comets to 9-16 overall record after they went 2-8 in regular-season league play.

Randleman captured the team championships for boys and girls, with host Wheatmore the boys’ runner-up and Providence Grove second in the girls’ standings.

For boys, Chase Farlow of Randleman won four events.

Those came in the 200 meters (23.73), high jump (6 feet, 10 inches – for a 1-foot margin), long jump (21-7) and triple jump (43-2).

Randleman’s other winners were Bryson Nall (400, 52.62 and 800, 2:17.42), Triston

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The relay winners were Wheatmore (3,200 in 11:48.77), Trinity (800 in 1:59.15), Randleman (400 in 55.07) and Providence Grove (1,600 in 4:58.41).

Mid-Piedmont Conference Asheboro placed second in both boys’ and girls’ team standings behind Oak Grove in the meet at Montgomery Central.

The boys’ 100 winner was Asheboro’s Elijah Woodle in 11.17 seconds, edging teammate Jalial Timmons (11.41).

Timmons claimed the 200 in 22.94, while Woodle was fourth (23.64).

Woodle was the high jump champion at 6-3.

Aaron Tyson captured the triple jump at 43-5 after placing second in the long jump (20-10¾).

The Blue Comets won both throwing events, with Jorge Caceres Dominguez in the shot put at 44-1 and Juan Pablo Munoz in the discus at 1411. Teammate Boone Hinesley was second in both events.

The Blue Comets also won the boys’ 400 relay in 43.04.

• For the girls, Asheboro’s Jalaya Showers won the 200 in 25.90 seconds and teammate Nyla Price was the 100 hurdles champion in 17.93 seconds.

Showers also claimed the long jump at 17-2.

The high jump title went to Rebecca Wilson of Asheboro with a leap of 4-9.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD

Randleman’s Chase Farlow leads runners to the finish line in the 200 meters during the PAC championships. He’s flanked by runner-up Dakota Ludwick, right, of Wheatmore, and third-place finisher Caden Revelle of Eastern Randolph (in green on left).

Wheatmore’s Marshall claims repeat title in PAC boys’ golf The UCA soccer team stayed on course going into the last week of the regular season Randolph Record staff ARCHDALE — Ryan Marshall’s even-par 72 was the winning score in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament for boys’ golf last week at Holly Ridge Golf Links.

Providence Grove was the team champion, with three golfers among the top 10.

Marshall, also last year’s champion, posted 37 on the frontside and 35 on the back nine.

Brady Collins of Providence Grove was the runner-up with

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Chriscoe (110 hurdles, 15.53), Jay Richards (pole vault, 13-0) and Ty Moton (shot put, 44-½).

Wheatmore’s Ayden Fitzgerald was first in the 1,600 (4:59.41) and 3,200 (11:37.86) and teammate Dakota Ludwick won the 100 (11.74).

Providence Grove had a champion with Malachi Combo in the 300 hurdles (42.04).

Southwestern Randolph’s Owen Whelan was tops in the discus (122-2).

Four schools won in relays – Trinity in the 3,200 (9:12.62), Providence Grove in the 800 (1:38.74), Eastern Randolph in the 400 (46.49) and Wheatmore in the 1,600 (3:51.20).

• On the girls’ side, Randleman’s Gracie Beane won the 200 (28.04), high jump (54) and triple jump (34-2) and teammate Jacquline McDaniel claimed the (100, 13.35) and long jump (16-0) to lead the team’s points producers.

McDaniel was the high jump runner-up and Beane was second in the long jump.

Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt was a three-event individual winner — 1,600 in 5:41.49, 800 in 2:32.92 and 3,200 in 13:53.84. Teammate Lyndsay Browder had the best time in the 300 hurdles (51.64).

Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea swept the throws, capturing the discus (125-9) and shot put (34-9).

Other winners were Trinity’s Kayla Franklin (400, 1:04.55) and Wheatmore’s Kahmarii McNeill (100 hurdles, 19.06).

In UCA’s 11-0 victory last week at Eastern Randolph, Jazmin Palma scored five goals

to go with three assists and Kendall Jarrell had three goals.

Palma, Jarrell and Reese Craven all notched three goals when the PAC-leading Eagles blasted visiting Randleman 9-0.

• Wheatmore topped visiting Southwestern Randolph 7-1 with Natalie Bowman supplying four goals and two assists and Jocelyn McDowell registering two goals and two assists.

• Madison Hill had a goal and assist when host Trinity stopped Providence Grove 3-0.

• Asheboro’s Jaira Arellano had two goals in a 3-2 road loss to Central Davidson.

• Asheboro Hybrid topped host Southwestern Randolph 8-1 behind McKenna Voncannon’s five goals.

against Providence Grove.

• Fourth-place Providence Grove’s Campbell Ziemba’s three runs batted in and Lara Wiseman’s three runs scored were clutch in an 8-3 victory at Eastern Randolph.

• Sixth-place Eastern Randolph handled host Trinity 18-2 with Hailey Ritter knocking in five runs and Wynne Bar-

tholow driving in four runs.

• Kiayla Burnette homered and Savannah Heiney drove in four runs when fifth-place Wheatmore rolled 18-0 at lastplace Trinity.

• Asheboro’s season ended with a 15-0 loss to Ledford in the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

The Blue Comets finished 3-16.

76, followed by Eastern Randolph’s Emmitt Frye (77), Trinity’s Bo Earnhardt (78) and Providence Grove’s Cooper Wright (79). Earnhardt was the 2024 runner-up.

Providence Grove’s 333 total, aided by 10-place Ethan Porritt’s 86, was good for a sixshot edge on Uwharrie Charter Academy. Wheatmore was third with 341, followed

by Eastern Randolph (344), Southwestern Randolph (379) and Randleman (396). Trinity didn’t have enough golfers for a team score.

Girls’ soccer

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COUGARS from page B1 the PAC standings ahead of Randleman.

Earlier in the week, thirdplace UCA thumped host Wheatmore 13-1.

• Randleman’s Kinzie Ivey pitched a complete game and notched three hits at the plate in a 7-2 road triumph

Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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pen & paper pursuits this week in history Nazis surrender, Bob Marley dies, Jamestown established, Donner Party heads west

MAY 12

MAY 8 1541: Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River, the first recorded European to do so.

1846: U.S. forces led by Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican forces near modern-day Brownsville, Texas, in the first major battle of the Mexican American War. 1945: President Harry S. Truman announced in a radio address that Nazi Germany’s forces had surrendered, stating that “the flags of freedom fly all over Europe” on V-E (Victory in Europe) Day. MAY 9 1754: The famous political cartoon “Join or Die” was first published by Benjamin Franklin in the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper.

1914: President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. 1960: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved Enovid for use as the first oral contraceptive pill.

MAY 10 1775: Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with Col. Benedict Arnold, captured the British-held fortress at Ticonderoga, New York.

1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured

by Union forces near Irwinville, Georgia.

1869: A golden spike was

AP PHOTO/JACQUES LANGEVIN

Legendary reggae singer Bob Marley, pictured performing in 1980, died May 11, 1981, at age 36. driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.

1924: J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (later known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI).

1994: Nelson Mandela was inaugurated, becoming the first black president of South Africa.

MAY 11 1935: The Rural Electrification Administration was created as one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.

1946: The first CARE packages, sent by a consortium of American charities to provide relief to the hungry of postwar Europe, arrived at Le Havre, France.

1960: Israeli agents captured Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1981: Reggae artist Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36 of acral lentiginous melanoma.

1780: The besieged city of Charleston, South Carolina, surrendered to British forces in one of the worst American defeats of the Revolutionary War. 1846: The pioneers of the Donner Party left Independence, Missouri on the Oregon Trail, beginning their ill-fated attempt to migrate to California.

1932: The body of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month‑old kidnapped son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, was found in a wooded area near Hopewell, New Jersey.

MAY 13 1846: The United States Congress formally declared war against Mexico.

1940: In his first speech to the House of Commons as British prime minister, Winston Churchill said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

1981: Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square by Turkish assailant Mehmet Ali Ağca.

MAY 14 1607: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was established by members of the Virginia Company.

1804: The Lewis and Clark expedition, organized to explore the Louisiana Territory as well as the Pacific Northwest, began its journey near present-day Hartford, Illinois.

1955: Representatives from eight Communist bloc countries, including the Soviet Union, signed the Warsaw Pact in Poland. (The pact was dissolved in 1991.)

AP PHOTO

President S. Harry Truman announces the Allied victory and the unconditional surrender of German forces during WWII at the White House on May 8, 1945.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

MOVIE REVIEW

Thriller ‘The Surfer’ brings Nicolas Cage to a boil The 61-year-old actor is in his element

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press FOR A LONG, sun-addled stretch, Lorcan Finnegan’s beach-set “The Surfer” simmers as a deliciously punishing nightmare, driving Nicolas Cage into his most natural state: a boil.

“Don’t live here, don’t surf here,” is the slogan at a pristine stretch of beach along Luna Bay on the Australian coast where our unnamed protagonist (Cage) has come to surf with his teenage son (Finn Little). The “locals only” signs, though, don’t deter him. He was born there and has come back to surf the break and show his son the million-dollar house on the hills nearby he plans to buy.

But the situation rapidly disintegrates. He’s roughed up by the pushy local surfers, his son takes off, and one issue after another keeps him stuck there on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Anyone who comes to “The Surfer” expecting glamorous photography of perfectly tubular waves will be disappointed. This is a movie that gets a remarkable amount of mileage out of a parking lot.

“Don’t live here, don’t surf here.”

Luna Bay slogan It also belongs to that small niche of films where things get so unbearably terrible for the protagonist that the psychodrama becomes more a matter of endurance than pure entertainment. I’m thinking of movies like “U-turn” or “Affliction” — films where a character’s inability to reckon with their reality spirals miserably.

As time wears on, Cage’s character gets bloodied, sunburned and incredibly thirsty, and the film grows hallucinatory and surreal. There are snakes, rats and bird eggs. The Lexus he arrives in is towed.

His suit gets dusty and ripped.

Small nuisances — a dead cellphone battery — accumulate.

The sun seems to be melting his brain, so much so that he’s no longer sure of who he is, and we start to doubt what’s real, too.

What’s happening here?

The Surfer, as he’s credited, is hell‑bent on reclaiming something. He envisions reuniting with his family at the new house, but his separated wife, on the phone, tells him she wants a

divorce. Is “The Surfer,” penned

by Thomas Martin, a metaphor for knowing when to cut bait?

Cage’s character won’t accept his losses, and so he ultimately comes to risk much more.

When Finnegan begins to answer these questions in a third act that brings us closer to the surfer bros on the beach, “The Surfer” becomes more tolerable to watch and yet less transfixing. The beach gang, led by a man named Scally (Julian McMahon), are something of a cult for reviving an old-fashioned idea of masculinity. With this turn, the strong undertow of “The Surfer” dissipates.

But if there was ever an actor to elevate pulpy, not fully formed genre material, it’s Cage. His performance of a man brought to near disintegration can be neatly filed alongside Cage’s many other head trips to the brink. All he needs is a bluff above a beach to make “The Surfer” churn with the currents of a man tenuously close to being swept out to sea.

“The Surfer,” a Roadside Attractions release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language, suicide, some violence, drug content and sexual material. Running time: 103 minutes. Three stars out of four.

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS VIA AP

Nicolas Cage stars in “The Surfer.”

BOOK REVIEW

Debut novel ‘Fireweed’ explores danger in complacency Destitution, discrimination and sexism are central themes

By Rachel S. Hunt The Associated Press “FIREWEED” by Lauren Haddad follows lonely housewife Jenny, whose husband works long stints away at a farm. In Prince George, Canada, she lives alongside a widowed Indigenous mother who the neighborhood looks down upon. An educated white woman goes missing along the highway, drawing national attention, but when Jenny’s neighbor, Rachelle, disappears next, no one cares.

What follows is a desperate search for self-absolution as Jenny first tries to ignore the situation, then obsesses about it.

Haddad’s debut novel shows off her mastery of prose and physical description, infusing each page with believable realism.

Poverty, misogyny and racism take a front seat. “Fireweed” captures elements of “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive”

by Stephanie Land and “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann, reflecting similar themes of self-discovery and disenfranchisement through a fictional medium.

A power imbalance between spouses reoccurs throughout Jenny’s closest relationships, her mother and friends demonstrating that the most desirable

ASTRA HOUSE VIA AP

“Fireweed” is the debut novel from author Lauren Haddad. facet of womanhood is complacency. “Women were always responsible,” Haddad writes.

“For what we did, what other women did. What men did — to us, because of us.” A feeling of powerlessness invades the book, overwhelming and inescapable. It shows just how lonely prejudice can make a community.

Jenny equates motherhood with womanhood, struggling to understand her role without children despite the interpersonal dangers reflected in her relationship with her parents.

Still, she maintains a sweet disposition toward nurturing children of her own, unwilling to

give up her need to take care of someone else.

“Fireweed” thoughtfully wea­ ves the flow of societal status, relationship and nature together — the seasons, the inconveniences, the beauty, the danger.

“The difference between a weed and a plant all depends on your perspective,” Haddad writes.

Jenny uses gardening as her way to connect with Rachelle in a neighborhood where she’s scorned for even that.

The book takes its time ambling toward the end, feeling tangential at times. The conclusion is unsatisfying but fitting, followed by a necessary and laudable afterword by the author. Jenny’s thought processes show us where her own blind spots are. She is the main character because she has made herself to be. Haddad challenges readers to decide if Jenny has truly reckoned with her unconscious biases.

The novel is altogether an exploration of intersectionality, showing how the existence of disenfranchisement in one group doesn’t negate the disenfranchisement of another, though it still calls for nuance and compassion. “Fireweed” leaves readers with the overall sentiment that there is danger in doing things the way they have always been done.

“I’m not sure where exactly I thought my journey would take me,” Haddad writes. “I’ve never come across a name for that direction. The one that drives you straight into yourself.”

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famous birthdays this week MAY 8 SINGER TONI Tennille is 85. Country singer Jack Blanchard is 83. Jazz pianist Keith Jarrett is 80. Drummer Chris Frantz of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club is 74. Drummer Alex Van Halen of Van Halen is 72. Singer Enrique Iglesias is 50. Singer Joe Bonamassa is 48.

MAY 9

RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO

Musical icon Stevie Wonder, pictured performing at a celebration of Roberta Flack’s life in 2025, celebrates his 75th birthday on Tuesday.

SOLUTION FOR LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Producer-director James L. Brooks is 88. Guitarist Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets is 88. Singer Tommy Roe is 83. Singer-guitarist Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco) is 81. Actor Candice Bergen is 79. Musician Billy Joel is 76.

MAY 10 Singer Donovan is 79. Singer Dave Mason is 79. Sports anchor Chris Berman is 70. Singer Bono of U2 is 65. Actor Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live,” ″Kenan and Kel”) is 47.

MAY 11 Actor Frances Fisher (“Resurrection,” “Titanic”) is 73. Former MTV VJ Martha Quinn is 66. Actor Tim Blake Nelson (“Lincoln,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) is 61.

JAE C. HONG / AP PHOTO

Actor Candice Bergen, pictured at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024, turns 78 on Friday.

MAY 12 Singer Jayotis Washington of The Persuasions is 84. Singer Steve Winwood is 77. Singer Billy Squier is 75. Actor Gabriel Byrne is 75. Actor Ving Rhames is 66. Actor Emilio Estevez is 63.

MAY 13 Actor Harvey Keitel is 86.

Musician Stevie Wonder is 75.

Singer Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish) is 59. Actor Robert Pattinson is 39.

MAY 14

AARON FAVILA / AP PHOTO

Bono, the lead singer of U2, turns 65 on Saturday.

Movie director-producer George Lucas is 81. Actor Meg Foster (“Cagney and Lacey”) is 78. Director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Back to the Future”) is 74. Actor Cate Blanchett is 56.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 8, 2025

the stream

PEACOCK / NETFLIX / ACORN TV VIA AP

“Poker Face,” “Forever” and “Safe House” land on a screen near you this week.

Lyonne back in ‘Poker Face,’ spy thriller ‘Black Bag, Vaughn hits kitchen in ‘Nonnas’ Blake Shelton drops first album in four years The Associated Press NEW YORK — The popular whodunit series “Poker Face” starring Natasha Lyonne returning for its second season and Steven Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Blake Shelton releasing a new full-length album, gamers can fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife in the sci-fi world of Revenge of the Savage Planet and there’s a new Lifetime documentary series about the country music iconic family the Judds.

MOVIES TO STREAM Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” (streaming now on Peacock), stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as married British intelligence operatives whose agency has a mole that needs ferreting out. In his review, AP film writer Jake Coyle praised the third collaboration between Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp (“Presence, “Kimi”): “Their movie adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel, yet hinges on the sturdiness of its married couple, like a super spy version of Nick and Nora from ‘The Thin Man’ or a more cerebral ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith.’”

In “Nonnas” (Friday on Netflix), Vince Vaughn stars as Jody “Joe” Scaravella, an MTA worker who, after the death of his mother, opens up a traditional Italian restaurant to honor her memory. He hires only grandmothers — played by Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Susan Sarandon and Brenda Vaccaro — to do the cooking.

James Jones’ documentary “Antidote,” playing as part of PBS’ “Frontline,” follows the Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, a prominent reporter on the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, and Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was poisoned twice and sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison. The film, now streaming on PBS and the PBS app, details the lives of opponents to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

If the end of season three of “White Lotus” has you down, a new film series on the Criterion Channel collects some brilliant tales of trouble in sea-

CLAUDETTE BARIUS / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

Michael Fassbender, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan star in “Black Bag,” now streaming on Peacock. documentary series, “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told” will premiere, becoming available to stream the following day. The show promises to peek behind the curtain, getting at the heart of the family’s triumphs and tragedies.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

NETFLIX / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

The films “Nonnas” and “Black Bag” are available for streaming this week. side locales. The series, dubbed “Coastal Thrillers” includes gems like “Key Largo” (1948), “The Breaking Point” (1950) and “The Ghost Writer” (2010).

MUSIC TO STREAM After four years, country star Shelton will release a new fulllength album, “For Recreational Use Only.” It kicked off with the rocking, George Strait-referencing immediate radio hit “Texas,” followed by the HARDY-penned ballad “Let Him In Anyway.” This is classic Shelton, with a few notable collaborations: with John Anderson, Craig Morgan and his wife, Gwen Stefani.

Regional Mexican music — a catchall term that encompass-

“(‘Black Bag’) adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel…”

Jake Coyle, AP film writer es mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres — has become a global phenomenon over the last few years. Hitmakers Grupo Firme are at least partially responsible for the growth. On Thursday, the Sinaloan norteño banda will release “EVOLUCIÓN,” their first new album in three years.

On Saturday, a new Lifetime

An ex-cop gets asked by a former colleague to let a family in danger hide out in his guesthouse. What could go wrong?

A lot, apparently. Christopher Eccleston (also remembered as the ninth doctor in BBC’s “Doctor Who,”) stars alongside Marsha Thomason. “Safe House” is streaming now on Acorn TV. It’s part of its first Murder Mystery May where they’re streaming crime dramas and whodunits all month long.

The popular whodunit, “Poker Face,” starring Lyonne returns to Peacock for its second season Thursday. Lyonne stars as Charlie, a woman with an innate ability to know when someone is lying. “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson is the creator and executive producer.

The show’s second season has more than 30 big name guest stars appearing, including Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Katie Holmes and John Cho, to name a few.

Judy Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever” about teenage sexuality is the inspiration for a new Netflix series of the same name from Mara Brock Ali, who created acclaimed shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary

Jane.” This “Forever” features a predominantly black cast in a love story between two teens living in Los Angeles at its center. Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. star. It drops Thursday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The goofy sci-fi shooter Journey to the Savage Planet didn’t get the audience it deserved in 2020, thanks to some unfortunate corporate maneuvers that left its developers out in the cold. But they held onto the idea and started a new studio called Raccoon Logic, and now they’re unleashing Revenge of the Savage Planet. You’ve been dumped on a faraway rock, and you’ll need to explore every inch and fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife before you can “get revenge on your former employer” (ahem). You can play solo or join forces with a friend online or on the couch. Blast off Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. Potboy? Sure, I knew a guy like that in high school. But that’s not the Potboy who stars in The Midnight Walk — this poor kid has a lantern for a head, and he can use its flame to keep warm or fend off ghouls.

It’s the debut title from Swedish studio MoonHood, whose founders are best-known for 2021’s eerie Lost in Random, and it has creepy stop-motion animation reminiscent of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The hike begins Thursday on PlayStation 5 and PC.

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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

A celebration de Mayo Above, left to right: Rich Almond, Cambi Rogers, Zac Brafford, Rogers Brafford and Sierra Springer enjoy drinks at El Ranchito restaurant in Albemarle on Saturday for a Cinco de Mayo event.

Left: Alexis Almond tries her hand at the mechanical bull.

PHOTOS COURTESY PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOUELLA

WHAT’S HAPPENING Hall named president for League of Municipalities Albemarle Albemarle Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall is the new president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the result of an election last Thursday. She succeeds Durham Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton, who will stay on as immediate past president. Hall has served for 22 years on the Albemarle City Council and was a Stanly County Commissioner for six years. She previously served on the executive board of the Centralina Regional Council of Government.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members to take effect, for now Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold. Just after beginning his second term in January, Trump moved aggressively to take on identity politics. Among the Republican president’s actions was an executive order that claims the sexual identity of transgender service members “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life” and is harmful to military readiness.

$2.00

Albemarle Council hears 2025-26 budget proposal The new budget has no property tax increase

City Manager Todd Clark presented the proposed 2025-26 city budget on Monday night.

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — On Mon‑ day night, City Manager Todd Clark presented a budget pro‑ posal for 2025-26 to the Albe‑ marle City Council, the first in a series of steps to final approv‑ al, including a series of budget workshops next week.

“I want to say thank you to all of the leadership team, particularly (Finance Direc‑ tor) Jacob Weavil, for help‑ ing me work through this bud‑ get as it’s my first,” Clark said.

“A lot of time, effort and energy went into doing this. I do want to recognize the staff for your time and effort ... to present a responsible budget to the City Council.”

The proposed budget tallies

COURTESY CITY OF ALBEMARLE

to roughly $94.6 million, up $11.4 million or 13% from last year. It includes spending for city operations from July 2025 to June 2026, as well as capital spending previously outlined in the city’s capital improvement plan, and bumps to employee compensation and benefit plan funding.

The general fund would be just under $25 million, up nearly $4 million or some 20%

from the original budget of $21 million.

There is no property tax in‑ crease in the proposal. Albemar‑ le’s current rate would remain at 61 cents per $100 of value, gen‑ erating nearly $2.7 million of revenue over the revenue neutral rate of 50 cents per $100.

“The general fund is bal‑ anced with a tax levy of 61 cents” plus an appropriation of roughly $500,000 of unre‑

Ford, Huneycutt discuss tariffs, economic issues with Stanly Chamber “I think tariffs will work in the long run. I think we’ve been hoodooed by the rest of the world ... and it’s time to straighten that out.”

State Sen. Carl Ford

The pair gave support to trade tariffs and infrastructure funding

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Tariffs, state bills and their impact in Stanly County were among the topics discussed by North Carolina Sen. Carl Ford (R‑33) and Rep. Cody Huneycutt (R67) at Friday’s Stanly Cham‑ ber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast.

Representatives from local governing bodies, county of‑ ficials and Chamber of Com‑ merce members met to receive

updates on state and nation‑ al legislation from Ford and Huneycutt, hosted at Pfeiffer University’s Center for Health Sciences. Stanly Community College (SCC) President John Enamait acted as moderator.

“Anytime I can cut red tape and get government out of the way, I know people and busi‑ nesses will succeed,” said Ford, touting his work on govern‑ ment efficiency.

Locally, Huneycutt said he supports House Bill 23, which would give SCC a new offsite culinary program.

He also mentioned multiple bills which, he added, would See CHAMBER, page A5

stricted fund balance, Clark added. The fund balance trans‑ fer “is for capital purchases, as well as a small shortfall which the 61 cent property valuation will not cover.”

General fund expenditures include employee health insur‑ ance cost increases, 10 new fire‑ fighters funded through a FEMA grant, and three new patrol vehicles for the po‑ lice department.

The general fund also in‑ cludes money for additional tax collection fees, IT spending to secure data and operation‑ al compliance, a new fire de‑ partment records system and roof replacement for Station One, an OpenGov permitting software system for planning and development services and street resurfacing projects to‑ taling $1.1 million.

“Good job considering what we had to work with,” said Councilmember Benton Dry. “I’m really quite amazed at what we’ve been able to get in here, and thank you for every‑ body’s time and effort putting this together.”

The Albemarle City Coun‑ cil is set to meet again May 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council chambers.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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Ridgecrest Fire Dept. meets with Stanly commissioners on funding The volunteer department is requesting a fire tax increase

“We called this meeting so we could talk person to person and get this straightened out before it goes before you all.”

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal LOCUST — The Ridge‑ crest Volunteer Fire Depart‑ ment hosted the Stanly Coun‑ ty Board of Commissioners last Thursday to ask for more fund‑ ing via an increase in the fire tax rate.

Commissioners met with fire department’s chief and captains in a special meeting at RVFD headquarters in Lo‑ cust to hear more on its finan‑ cial and operational situation.

They also took a tour through the station building and new dormitory facility.

The department would like to see the fire tax rate increase from 11 cents to as much as 15 cents, with the increased resi‑ dential property tax revenue slated to increase staffing for 24/7 coverage and toward the purchase of a new fire truck.

“We wanted you to have a good understanding of where we are, where we think we’re headed, and what we think our needs are,” explained Chief Rick Eudy. “We called this meeting so we could talk person to person and get this straightened out before it goes

Chief Rick Eudy, Ridgecrest Volunteer Fire Department

JESSE DEAL / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

The Ridgecrest Volunteer Fire Department responds to nearly 400 calls for service each year. before you all. ... Staffing is one of our main things.”

Ridgecrest VFD typical‑ ly handles 360 to 400 calls per year, with a dozen parttime staff and one person on duty from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The de‑ partment would like increase that to have one person — and preferably two — on duty overnight.

Staff pay is currently set at $16 per hour.

With it’s existing fire truck near the end of its useful life,

the department is in the mar‑ ket for a new truck that will cost as much as $1 million when all costs are included. The RVFD is working with foundations and charitable organizations in the area on a 10-year, zero-in‑ terest loan that would allow for financing payments around around $100,000 per year.

Board Chairman Mike Barbee said he’s reluctant to put another fiscal hit on local residents.

“I wish we could do this without having to raise tax‑

es,” Barbee said. “I just hate to throw another burden on some people. And what I’m real‑ ly scared of, with all the devel‑ opment that we’ve got going on and we have to keep up, is that we’d have to keep raising prop‑ erty taxes.”

His concern is that, even‑ tually, it could force “people that’ve lived here all their lives to sell their property and move out because they can’t afford their property taxes.”

Commissioner Billy Mills praised RVFD’s operation and staff, telling Eudy, “You have surrounded yourself with guys who love what you do.”

The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will con‑ sider the department’s fund‑ ing request at the board’s next regular meeting May 12 at 6 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly Coun‑ ty Commons.

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Norwood budget could reduce property taxes, maintain utility rates

We Take Trade-ins

Norwood council members discussed the budget on Monday

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal NORWOOD — For the sec‑ ond straight year, the pro‑ posed budget for the Town of Norwood will not have an increase in utility rates and could give homeowners a dis‑ count on their property taxes.

Town administrator Ray Allen presented a proposed budget to the town council at Monday’s regularly sched‑ uled council meeting, recom‑ mending a cut in the prop‑ erty tax rate from 41 to 38 cents per $100 of value be‑ cause of the county’s revalu‑ ation process.

“As we have our bud‑ get workshop and talk more about it, we can look at what’s going into the budget,” Allen said.

A memo outlining the pro‑ posal in more detail said util‑ ity rates — including wa‑

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ter, sewer and sanitation — should remain at their cur‑ rent levels.

The proposed budget also allocates funds for an addi‑ tional full-time patrol officer for the police department, as well as a new full-time em‑ ployee in the water and sewer department to handle grinder pump maintenance.

“I think (Norwood has) the opportunity to accom‑ plish some things, contin‑ ue to make improvements in the town’s infrastructure and continue to make improve‑ ments in the town overall,” given the other capital items that are accounted for in the budget.

Norwood has had two pre‑ vious budget workshops, but Allen recommended a final workshop before next month’s council meeting, at which time the board would could approve the budget.

The council voted unani‑ mously to have a budget work‑ shop for Wednesday, May 28 at 3 p.m. in a conference room at the water treatment plant.

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A3

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep. He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart.

Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of

the mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

What does Russia want?

Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place.

RUSSIA’S WAR to conquer Ukraine has been raging since February 2022.

At first, the Russian offensive seemed fated for success: Russian troops came within a few kilometers of Kyiv, and Western powers offered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exit from the country. Zelenskyy refused; Ukrainian forces proceeded to hold off and reverse the Russian offensive. Within a few weeks, the battle lines solidified, with Russia continuing to hold much of the territory in the East and Crimea they had held since 2014. The only potential solution was the obvious solution: an armistice essentially freezing the lines of conflict and security guarantees to Ukraine sufficient to deter another Russian attack.

But no solution could be found.

Russia demonstrated little interest, after mid‑2022, in any negotiated end to the war.

President Donald Trump came into office pledging to end the war — a war that has cost Ukrainians at least 50,000 dead and the Russians as many as 200,000 dead.

To that end, he pressured Zelenskyy to come to the table. Zelenskyy eventually did, offering an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has thus far refused any such ceasefire — presumably because he hopes that the Trump administration will pull its support from Ukraine, thereby leaving the country vulnerable to a final Russian offensive.

And herein lies the problem for Trump.

He knows — as everyone knows — that the only off-ramp for the war lies in a

Korean War-style armistice. But Russia still refuses to come to the table, no matter the pleading and cajoling of special envoy Steve Witkoff, whose negotiating style seems to be warmly embracing various anti-American dictators, speaking kindly about them in public and then hoping they will give him what he seeks.

In order to reach an end to the war, therefore, the Trump administration ought to fully consider just what Russia wants at this point. And the answer happens to be surprisingly simple: Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place or a clear pathway to conquering Ukraine in the future.

We know this because Russia repeatedly says it.

Alexander Dugin, a philosopher and geopolitics expert known colloquially as “Putin’s brain,” spelled all of this out in his magnum opus, “Foundations of Geopolitics” (1997) — a book that was apparently used as a textbook at the General Staff Academy. For Dugin, the Russian spirit can only be animated by imperial dreams; regional power alone would be “tantamount to suicide for the Russian nation.”

The antithesis of the Russian spirit is “‘the West’ as a whole.” And Ukraine — an independent country that should be suffused with that “Russian spirit” but that wants to orient toward the West — represents a stinging rebuke to the Russian identity as a whole. Thus, Dugin argues, Ukraine must rejoin Russia or forever be condemned to a “puppet existence and geopolitical service” to the West.

Ukraine’s continued existence as a sovereign state, Dugin argues, “is tantamount to a monstrous blow to Russia’s geopolitical security, tantamount to an invasion of its territory.” Now, during the war, Dugin writes, “We must win the war in Ukraine, liberate the entire territory of this former country from the Nazi regime. Regardless of Trump’s victory or anything else, this imperative remains unchanged. Just as the ancient Roman consul Cato the Elder used to say, ‘Carthage must be destroyed,’ in our case, ‘Kiev must be taken.’”

So if the true Russian goal is the destruction or subjugation of Ukraine, how could Russia be brought to the table?

Only through the “peace through strength” policy Trump pursued during his first term. Only a Russia that believes that the West will refuse to surrender Ukraine will be pressured into an armistice.

Trump seems ready to consider that possibility; he’s now acknowledging publicly that Putin seems to be slow‑playing him. But the answer won’t be more sanctions. It will be a recognition that Ukraine’s sovereignty can only be guaranteed by force of arms — and that an off-ramp can only be achieved by a guarantee of that sovereignty.

Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

A4

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

International students reconsider summer travel with visa changes Some colleges have issued warnings about “strict vetting” on visas

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press ON SUMMER break from a Ph.D. program, an internation‑ al student at University of Cal‑ ifornia, San Diego, was plan‑ ning a trip with a few friends to Hawaii. But after seeing in‑ ternational students across the United States stripped of their legal status, the student decid‑ ed against it.

Any travel, even inside the U.S., just didn’t seem worth the risk.

“I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few in‑ teractions with governments as possible,” said the stu‑ dent, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of be‑ ing targeted.

International students weigh‑ ing travel to see family, take a va‑ cation or conduct research are thinking twice because of the Trump administration’s crack‑ down, which has added to a sense of vulnerability.

Even before students sud‑ denly began losing permission to study in the U.S., some col‑ leges were encouraging inter‑ national students and faculty to postpone travel, citing gov‑ ernment efforts to deport stu‑ dents involved in pro-Palestin‑ ian activism. As the scale of the status terminations emerged in recent weeks, more schools have cautioned against nones‑ sential travel abroad for inter‑ national students.

University of California, Berkeley, for one, issued an ad‑ visory last week saying upcom‑ ing international travel was

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A Michigan college employ‑ ee who helps international stu‑ dents navigate the visa process said they are inquiring more than ever about summer trav‑ el. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity be‑ cause he was not authorized to speak to the media, said he of‑ ten has been unable to give suf‑ ficient answers.

Last year, the U.S. host‑ ed around 1.1 million interna‑ tional students, a source of es‑ sential tuition revenue at many schools.

Over the past few weeks, Ri‑ shi Oza’s immigration law firm in North Carolina has received calls about travel risks almost daily from people of varied im‑ migration status, including in‑ ternational students.

“You kind of shake your head and say, ‘Is this the character of the country we want?’” Oza said. “It just seems that it’s a bit out of whack that people are fearful of leaving and wheth‑ er they’ll be able to come back.”

Students in the U.S. with a visa need to decide if their trav‑ els are critical, Oza said.

The unpredictability has put one student at the University of Illinois in distress. The stu‑ dent, who requested anonymity to avoid being targeted, has laid low since one of his classmates left the country after their legal status was terminated.

The student’s plan to trav‑ el to his home country in Asia this summer causes feelings of panic, but he has nowhere else to stay. He bought his plane ticket and is committed to the trip. His anxiety over what could happen when he returns, however, is still there.

“Right now,” he said, “I’m afraid I might not be able to come back.”

risky due to “strict vetting and enforcement.”

At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or legal status terminated since late March, according to an Asso‑ ciated Press review of universi‑ ty statements, correspondence with school officials and court records.

The number of affect‑ ed students appears far high‑ er, though. At least 4,736 in‑ ternational students’ visa records were terminated in a government database that maintains their legal status, according to an April 10 Im‑ migration and Customs En‑ forcement response to inqui‑ ries from Congress.

Suddenly at risk for deporta‑ tion, some students went into hiding while others left the country on their own. Many of the students said they had only minor infractions on their re‑ cords or didn’t know why their records were removed.

After federal judges raised due process concerns in sever‑ al students’ cases, the U.S. gov‑ ernment reversed the termi‑ nations but then issued new guidance expanding the rea‑ sons international students can lose their legal status in the future.

Under the new policy, valid reasons for status termination include the revocation of the visas students used to enter the U.S. In the past, if a student’s visa was revoked, they general‑ ly could stay in the U.S. to fin‑ ish school. They simply would not be able to reenter if they left the country.

The fast-evolving situation has left colleges struggling to advise students.

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NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA ROWAN COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO 25 JA 58 NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION IN RE: Jalan Austin DOB: 2/24/25 A Minor TO RESPONDENTS: Amber Smith, mother John Austin, father PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a verified Juvenile Petition has been filed by the Rowan County Department of Social Services (petitioner) alleging that the above-named juvenile is neglected and dependent as defined by North Carolina General Statues Chapter 7B. You are notified to appear and answer the petition by serving the original of your written answer upon the Clerk of Superior Court, Juvenile Court Division, Rowan County Courthouse, 210 N Main Street, Salisbury, NC 28144, within forty (40) days from the date of the first publication of this notice. You also must serve a copy of the answer on the petitioner’s attorney (address below). You will be notified of the time, date, and place to appear for a hearing upon the filing of your answer. The purpose of the hearing is to determine and review the need for continued custody, placement options, visitation, available services, and other needs as they pertain to Jalan Austin. You are entitled to appear at the hearing. If you cannot afford an attorney, you are entitled to an appointed attorney to assist you provided you request one before the time set for the hearing. If you fail to request counsel, you may waive your right to appointed counsel. You may request an attorney by contacting the Clerk of Superior Court, Juvenile Court Division, 210 N. Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144 (704) 797-3054. This is a new case and any attorney appointed previously to represent you will not represent you in this proceeding unless otherwise ordered by the court. If you fail to file an answer within the time specified, or appear for said court hearing, the court will determine if the allegations of the petition are true, conduct a dispositional hearing for the needs of the juvenile, and enter an order designed to meet the needs and the objective of the State. The dispositional order may remove the juvenile from the custody of a parent, and the Petitioner will apply to the court for permanent custody of the juvenile to be placed with the Rowan County Department of Social Services.

This the 29th day of April 2025.

Morgan Swink, Attorney for Petitioner Rowan County Dept. Of Social Services 1813 East Innes St. Salisbury NC 28146 704-216-8929 Publish: May 7, 14, 21, 2025

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000214-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Maxine Williams Spivey, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Maxine Williams Spivey to present them to the undersigned on or before July 15, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 10th day of April, 2025.

Executor: John Brady Sr. aka John Grover Brady, Sr. PO Box 57 Richfield, NC 28137 Publish: April 15, 22, 29 and May 7, 2025.

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000213-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the estate of L.D. Morgan, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said L.D. Morgan to present them to the undersigned on or before July 15, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 10th day of April, 2025.

Executrix: Sandra Morgan Burris 11519 Bridle Road Stanfield, NC 28163 Publish: April 15, 22, 29 and May 7, 2025.

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000202 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Nancy Jo Fox deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Nancy Jo Fox to present them to the undersigned on or before JULY 22, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 9th day of April, 2025 Executor: Roger Martin PO Box 755 Albemarle, NC 28002 Publish: April 22, 29 and May 7, 14, 2025

N.C. Sen. Carl Ford (left) and State Rep. Cody Huneycutt spoke with members of Stanly’s business community and governing boards Friday at Pfeiffer University.

CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

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CHAMBER from page A1 improve rural health care, in‑ cluding H.B. 71 (Respiratory Care Modernization Act) and H.B. 97 (supporting firefighters fighting cancer). Huneycutt said H.B. 163 on pharmacy benefit managers would “provide trans‑ parency and lower your drug costs.”

Huneycutt also referenced those in need in western North Carolina after the destruction of Hurricane Helene, saying House Bill 381 would help im‑ prove water systems, and ex‑ pressed his hopes that the up‑ coming budget would put additional funds toward water, sewer and broadband access.

Ford said the state has money in the bank now and is not “bil‑ lions or millions in the hole,” but that he wants to see state work‑ ers return to the office.

The senator responded to a question on protecting manu‑ facturing and agricultural busi‑ nesses by saying it’s a delicate balance for farmers between protecting their land and ac‑ cepting offers from developers.

“Like a possum, when you get in the middle of the road, you can get hurt,” Ford said.

“I think tariffs will work in the long run. I think we’ve been hoodooed by the rest of the world long enough, and it’s time to straighten that out,” Ford said, referncing import tar‑ iffs imposed by President Don‑ ald Trump. “Like my mom used to say ... ‘sometimes things get worse before they get better.’”

Huneycutt said he believed tariffs will be “a stronger play for the long run” but noted farmers such as himself “can see the im‑ mediate sting” with the price of commodities like cattle futures.

Regarding the preserva‑ tion of farmland from housing developers, Huneycutt men‑ tioned H.B. 25 which would prevent downzoning in Stan‑ ly and Catawba counties if passed. Downzoning refers to any ordinance that “decreases the development density of the land” or one that reduces al‑ lowable land uses.

“I am not antidevelopment,” Huneycutt said. “I believe growth should be in the cities

and town. Nothing drives me (madder) than seeing houses where crops were planted last fall.”

Huneycutt expressed sup‑ port for H.B. 471 on food label‑ ing transparency, and H.B. 751, which would decrease energy rates for farmers during cer‑ tain times of the year. He ex‑ plained that power companies currently offer seasonal rates in the eastern part of the state but not the central or western regions.

When asked what makes both optimistic for the future, Ford encouraged attendees who have questions or prob‑ lems to contact local govern‑ ment officials and attend local meetings to stay informed.

Huneycutt said he would look to reduce regulation and improve economic develop‑ ment in Stanly and Montgom‑ ery counties, along with con‑ tinued funding for water and sewer projects.

“I love Stanly County,” Hun‑ eycutt said. “I love what it stands for. It is the best place in the world.”

A6

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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STANLY SPORTS

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

West Stanly shortstop Landon Bailey snaps off a throw to first in time to beat a UCA runner in a game earlier this season. It’s playoff season, and the Colts are headed to the postseason, along with several other teams in the area.

South Stanly baseball upsets undefeated Comets for YVC title Five-run inning lifted the Bulls to a win in coach Terry Tucker’s final tourney title game

By Charles Curcio Stanly County Journal The 2025 YADKIN Valley Conference baseball tournament finals played last Thursday at Mount Pleasant pitted two Stanly teams with rich baseball traditions.

North Stanly has had strong teams over the seasons but never one that started a campaign as successful as this year, winning 24 games in a row.

The Comets faced a South Stanly program in its final season with a coaching staff which elevated the program to statewide status, having appeared in five state finals series, winning three crowns.

A five-run fifth inning outburst of offense by the Reb-

COURTESY PHOTO

The South Stanly Rebel Bulls claimed the 2025 Yadkin Valley Conference championship Friday night at Mount Pleasant. el Bulls gave retiring South head coach Terry Tucker and his staff another moment in the spotlight in a 10-1 win, handing North its first loss of the season.

Tucker said the win was huge for the program.

“Our players and fans last night were electric,” he said. “I

told our kids that they have no pressure; it is all on the other side of the field. Have fun and live in the moment.”

Sophomore Jarrett Hinson earned the win for South (20‑6), allowing one earned run on six hits through six innings of work with five walks and four strike-

outs, throwing 101 pitches. Jack Crump pitched a scoreless seventh for the Bulls with two Ks. “Hinson pitched his best game of the year,” Tucker said.

“His defense played great behind him, along with the bats of the whole time. It’s a formula that we give them to win big games.”

Heath Klenginsmith took the loss for North (24-1), allowing three earned runs on six hits with six walks and seven strikeouts.

South took a lead in the top of the first when Gayn Miller walked, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Crump RBI single to right.

Charlie Shaver tied the game for the Comets with a two-out RBI double to left in the bottom of the third.

The Bulls broke the game open in the fifth with five runs.

Ayden Russell gave South the lead with an RBI single, then Carter Calicutt drove in two

runs with a base hit. Jordan Aldridge and Luke Dennis both scored runs as well in the frame to put South up 6-1.

In the top of the sixth, Crump scored on a passed ball to make it 7-1, then the Bulls added three more runs in the seventh.

“We have only won the conference tournament championship two previous times before Friday,” Tucker said. “It’s always the second goal of the year, and we accomplished that.”

He added it was a “great feeling for my staff to see our kids go out and compete the way they did.”

“I love each of every one of those kids on our team,” he said. “We have a ‘family’ concept. I could not have picked a better bunch of young men to have for the staff and myself to retire after the season. We still have big goals to take care of before the season is complete.”

South Stanly earned the No. 2 seed in the 1A Western Region of the NCHSAA state playoffs and was scheduled to host No. 31 Elkin (6-16) in the first round Tuesday night.

North Stanly also earned a No. 2 seed, this one in the 2A Western Region, and was scheduled to host No. 32 Wheatmore (8-15) on Tuesday.

Stanly County sends teams to state baseball, softball playoffs Three baseball and two softball teams were scheduled to host first-round games

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal THE NORTH Carolina High School Athletic Association released the final brackets Monday night for the 2025 baseball and softball playoffs.

Several teams from Stanly County earned berths with some hosting games Tuesday.

2A baseball The North Stanly Comets were not the only 2A baseball team in the county to earn a home game in the opening round of the playoffs.

West Stanly (18-6) earned a No. 7 seed in the 2A West after finishing the regular season undefeated in Rocky River Conference play, clam-

ing the regular-season crown.

The Colts hosted the No. 26 Walkertown Wolfpack (18‑8) Tuesday night, after press time.

West and North could meet in the third round of the state playoffs next week, with the higher-seeded No. 2 Comets hosting.

1A baseball Along with South Stanly qualifying for the postseason, the Gray Stone Day Knights (7‑12) earned a playoff berth.

Gray Stone is the No. 27 seed and was scheduled to travel to No. 6 Jimmy Draughn (13-8) in the first round.

2A softball Two Stanly high schools were also to host first-round playoff games this week.

North Stanly earned the No. 3 seed out of the Yadkin Valley Conference as the top 2A

squad, finishing second overall in the conference standings behind 1A Union Academy. The Comets will host No. 30 Surry Central (11-11) in the first round of the state playoffs.

West Stanly finished 20-4 this season, second in the RRC standings as the Colts reached the finals of the conference tournament. The Colts are a No. 5 seed and were scheduled to host No. 28 Burns (12-7).

1A softball South Stanly (12-13) qualified for the postseason in the 1A West as a No. 17 seed.

The Bulls will make the long trek across the state to No. 16 Hiwassee Dam (9-7) for a first‑round matchup.

Gray Stone (5-11) also earned a berth into the playoffs as the No. 26 seed. The Knights were scheduled to play at No. 7 Piedmont Community Charter (15-4) on Tuesday night.

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

West Stanly pitcher Madi Whitley fires a pitch during a game against Randleman earlier this season. The Colts are one of several local baseball and softball teams headed to the state playoffs.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Stanly tennis teams wrap up 2025 postseason play The Colts and Comets were defeated by Lincoln Charter in the playoffs

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal STANLY COUNTY — The county’s four high school boys’ tennis teams have completed their 2025 seasons after finishing up regular season and postseason play.

The West Stanly Colts (9‑9, 6-4 Rocky River) landed in third place in the RRC standings, sitting behind firstplace Piedmont (12-7, 10-0 RRC) and second-place Cen-

tral Academy (12-4, 7-2 RRC).

The Colts then received a No. 11 seed and first-round bye in the NCHSAA 2A state playoff bracket, setting up a second-round matchup with No. 6 Southwestern Randolph (11-3, 8-2 Piedmont) where West came away with a 5-4 win on April 30.

In a 5-0 defeat, West fell short in its third-round action against the No. 14 Lincoln Charter Eagles (14-6, 9-3 Catawba Shores) on Monday.

Junior one-singles player Nicolas Smith (11-5) and junior two-singles Ethan Barringer (9-5) finished with West’s top individual records this season.

On April 30, the Eagles had previously ended the postseason hopes of the Yadkin Valley Conference-winning and third-seeded North Stanly Comets (13-2, 6-0 YVC), who went undefeated in league play but suffered a 5-2 second-round loss to Lincoln Charter in the 2A bracket after a first-round bye.

While it marked North’s first loss since an 8-1 road loss at Cox Mill (11-4, 6-0 Greater Metro) on March 18, the Comets still came away from this season with their third-consecutive conference title.

Sophomore one-singles player Rex Wang (13-1) and senior

three-singles player Hayden Towne (12-2) finished with North’s top individual records this season.

As for Gray Stone Day (11‑5, 4-2 YVC), who finished second in the Yadkin Valley Conference standings behind the Comets, the squad generated more wins this season (11) than it did in the past three seasons combined (nine).

Senior three-singles player Max Foote (9-5) and senior four-singles player Tyler Conforti (8-4) finished with Gray Stone’s top individual records this season.

The Knights were given a No. 7 seed in the state tourna-

ment and faced off with No. 10 Mount Airy (18-3, 9-2 Northwest) in the first-round of the 1A bracket on April 30. The Granite Bears came away with an 8-0 victory over Gray Stone.

The South Stanly Rebel Bulls (0-6, 0-6 YVC) went winless in their six matches this season; the Bulls have not had a winning campaign since their 11-1 (8-0 YVC) campaign back in 2022.

NCHSAA tournament action will now continue without Stanly County’s teams with fourth-round action set for May 13, regionals on May 15, and state championships on May 20.

Logano gets 1st win of season in OT at Texas Motor Speedway The defending cup champion led just seven laps in the win

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano surged ahead on the restart in overtime at Texas on Sunday to get his first victory this season.

Logano led only seven of the 271 laps, four more than scheduled at the 11/2-mile track. He had started 27th in the 11th race this year.

It came a week after Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric’s win at Talladega, where Logano had a fifth-place finish that became 39th after a postrace inspection found an issue with the spoiler on his No. 22 Ford. There was also Logano’s expletive-laden rant on the radio toward his teammate in the middle of that race that the two smoothed out during the week.

On the final restart after the 12th caution, Logano was on the inside of his other teammate, Ryan Blaney. But Logano pulled away on the backstretch and stayed easily in front the final 11/2 laps, while Ross Chastain then passed Blaney to finish second.

Logano got his 37th career victory, getting the lead for the first time on lap 264. He went low to complete a pass of Michael McDowell, who on a cau-

LARRY PAPKE / AP PHOTO

Joey Logano celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway. tion with 47 laps left took only two tires and moved up 15 spots to second.

McDowell got loose a few laps after that being passed by Logano and crashed to bring out the caution that sent the race to overtime. He finished 26th.

Odds and ends Chase Elliott left Texas last spring with his first victory after 42 races and 18 months without one. He hasn’t won since and now has another long winless drought — this one 38 races and nearly 13 months after finishing 16th. ... A crew

member for Christopher Bell crawled in through the passenger side of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and was fully in the car to reconnect an air hose to the driver’s helmet during a caution in the second stage. It took two stops during that caution, and twice climbing into the car, to resolve the issue.

After the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lost power, something blew up when Hamlin recycled the engine. There were flames coming out from under the car, and it was engulfed in smoke by the time it rolled to a stop on the inside of the track and Hamlin climbed out unharmed.

Fiery end to Hamlin streak

Youngest polesitter

Denny Hamlin had finished on the lead lap in 21 consecutive races, but a fiery finish on lap 75 ended that streak that had matched the eighth-longest in Cup Series history. He was the first car out of the race.

Carson Hocevar, McDowell’s 22-year-old teammate with Spire Motorsports, was the youngest polesitter ever in Texas. He led the first 22 laps of the race, losing it while pitting during the first caution. He fin-

With Popovich, it was Olympic ties that truly bind Former Team USA players reflected on the legendary coach after he announced his retirement

Stage cautions Both in-race stages finished under caution. Cindric won Stage 1 after Hamlin’s issues, and Kyle Larson took the second after a yellow flag came out because of debris on the track after the right rear tire on Chris Buescher’s car came apart.

Larson got his 68th overall stage win and his sixth at Texas, with both marks being records. He has won a stage in each of the last five Cup races at Texas, starting in his 2021 win there.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there.”

Draymond Green

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press IT WAS DEC. 4, 2021. The game was over. San Antonio knocked off Golden State 112‑107. And when the final buzzer sounded, Draymond Green didn’t seem bothered whatsoever by the loss.

He just wanted to talk to Pop. The announcement by the San Antonio Spurs that Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all‑time coaching wins leader — is stepping down as coach after 29 seasons deeply resonated throughout the league. And it clearly hit Green hard, the longtime Golden State forward saying he can’t fathom what it’ll be like to not see Popovich on the sideline anymore.

“Coach Pop is incredible,” Green said. “And none of us knew when that day would come that he’d hang them up.

But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running down the court, seeing him on the sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him and winning a gold medal.”

Green is one of eight players who went against a Popovich-coached team more than 50 times in an NBA game. But it’s the time he spent playing for Popovich — in USA Basketball’s run to an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — that stands out to Green.

It wasn’t uncommon for Popovich to chat with or em-

ished 24th after a late accident.

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

United States players put a gold medal on head coach Gregg Popovich during the men’s basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics. brace opposing players before, during or after games during his career. Those who played for him on that Olympic team, without fail, always found the time to engage with their coach in Tokyo.

“You’ve got that bond,” Miami center and two-time gold medalist Bam Adebayo said after one of the Heat-Spurs games

in the years that followed the Tokyo Olympics. “You’re going to have that bond forever after what we did, after what Pop led us to.”

Everyone on that U.S. team knew what the Olympic victory meant to Popovich, who studied at the U.S. Air Force Academy and unsuccessfully tried out to play for the 1972 U.S. Olym-

pic team. A half-century or so later, he got to lead his country to gold instead.

Popovich officially had Golden State coach Steve Kerr (who succeeded him as USA Basketball’s head coach for the 2024 Paris Games) on his Olympic staff as an assistant, along with the Indiana Pacers’ Lloyd Pierce and Villanova’s Jay

Wright. Unofficially, he had a who’s who of the coaching community as part of his think tank that summer — a list that included, among many others, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy and Ime Udoka, who had both played and coached for Popovich in San Antonio.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best do it — or the best to do it,” Udoka said. “I’m glad I got a chance to work with him, learn from him and call him a friend.”

Green walked off the court arm in arm with Popovich on that December 2021 night, smiling and chatting, the loss on the scoreboard almost completely forgotten. That was the first game between the Spurs and the Warriors after those Olympics.

Green gave Popovich the shoes he wore in the 2021 gold-medal win over France as a gift; Popovich, he said, had them on for that first Spurs-Warriors game following the Olympics.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there,” Green said.

“And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game. ... He’s meant so much to this league, and he means so much to me. Job well done, well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

B3

SIDELINE REPORT GOLF

Dent, among top black golfers on PGA Tour Champions, dead at 85 Jim Dent died a week before his 86th birthday. Dent was one of the top black golfers of his generation, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions.

He started out as a caddie at the municipal course in Augusta, Georgia, known as The Patch. Dent went from caddying to the PGA Tour. He never won a tour event. His best finish was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.

NFL

Former agent for Elway dies after golf cart accident La Quinta, Calif.

California authorities say the death of Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s business partner and former agent, in a golf cart accident appears to be a horrific accident. The sheriff’s department is investigating the incident. A witness says Elway was at the scene of the crash and several reports claim Elway was driving the golf cart. The 62-year-old Sperbeck died after his injury at the Madison Club near Palm Springs. Sperbeck was Elway’s longtime agent during Elway’s time on the Denver Broncos, his business partner and his close friend.

GOLF

Scheffler matches PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in 8-shot win McKinney, Texas Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, finishing at 253 and running away with an eight-shot victory at his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The top-ranked player, who closed with a 63 to finish at 31 under par, tied the mark set by Justin Thomas in 2017 and matched six years later by Ludvig Aberg. Scheffler was in position to break the record before a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

MLB

20-year-old man who fell to the warning track at Pirates game awake Pittsburgh The fan who fell from a 21-foot‑high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game is awake and alert. Kavan Markwood, the 20-year-old who slipped off a railing and onto the field during a game, is improving. Markwood has made significant progress since being admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. The team’s internal investigation says Markwood did not purchase any alcohol, but one of the people who attended the game with him did legally buy alcoholic beverages.

SOCCER

Soccer organizations might have to cover care costs for ex-players with dementia London Soccer organizations in Britain could be forced to pay toward the care costs of ex-players who have suffered brain conditions caused by heading balls, under proposals to be tabled in Parliament. Campaigners are drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill with the aim of treating it as an “industrial injuries issue” and overseeing a scheme to provide care and support for those affected. The proposals seek to require the industry, to provide the necessary financial support.

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden does box jumps as part of his physical workout, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune the entire body for strength and endurance in racing.

Don’t think race car drivers are elite athletes? Give their workouts a try Circuit training with weights, core exercises, rowing and ski machines help drivers prepare

By Jim Vertuno The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — First came the mounting tension in the shoulders and the weakening grip while carrying 25-pound weights.

Then the labored breathing while ripping through the rowing and skiing simulators, and the pain in the thighs on the box jumps.

Topping it off: The strain on the neck simulating what it feels like to hit the brakes while racing at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and the G-forces felt though sweeping turns.

Welcome to the workout routine for two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune his body for strength and endurance in racing.

“You’re taxing every part of

the body, which is what happens in an IndyCar,” Newgarden said. “There’s no power steering, you’re pulling high G-forces, it’s hot and your heart rate is elevated. Everything is being stressed.”

Newgarden trainer Jeff Richter designs the workout routine for the driver. It’s a nonstop circuit of weight lifting, rowing and ski machines, core stretches and balance exercises, burpees and broad jumping, with only a few seconds rest between each exercise.

Picking the most fit athlete is a topic that tends to be a conversation starter. Wrestlers? Endurance runners? Water polo players? Boxers, swimmers, cross-country skiers?

Race car drivers don’t tend to end up high on any of those lists; they just sit and drive ... right?

Not so fast.

Drivers across every elite series do some kind of physical training, from Newgarden’s cross-fit training to the endurance training and reac-

“You have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing.”

Joey Logano tion-time exercises of Formula 1 drivers. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is a fitness buff who has run the Boston Marathon.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano questions why anyone might not consider top-level drivers to be elite athletes.

The fitness challenges are different from basketball or football but still real, he said.

“I run a fair amount, I lift some. We don’t want to be big and bulky inside a race car. But you have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing,” Logano said.

Race fans are becoming

more aware of the physical demands drivers face behind the wheel, Newgarden said.

“People aren’t as in the dark,” Newgarden said. “Twenty years ago, people might say, ‘I have a car, I drive to the grocery store every day, it can’t be that difficult.’ The physical demand is extremely high. It’s not whoever is the fittest is going to win the race, but it plays a factor. The appreciation is gaining ground.”

One of the most notable challenges for IndyCar drivers, and perhaps most unknown element of the series for the casual fan, is that Indy cars do not have power steering, something most people take for granted.

Newgarden and other drivers train to handle the strain on their shoulders, neck and grip needed to muscle a 1,700-pound car through a race, whether navigating a street course like St. Petersburg, Florida, or ripping around the high-speed oval at the Indianapolis 500.

NHL players are all about pregame routine, whether it’s naps or walking the dog Doing the same thing every game day helps players get in the right frame of mind

By Pat Graham The Associated Press BEFORE GAMES, Dallas forward Matt Duchene relies on the same, tried-andtrue routine. He blocks out a two‑hour window for a nap, eats an identical meal — pasta and salmon — and spends time reviewing notes he’s made in his journal.

Like many NHL players and coaches, Duchene is a creature of habit. Little pregame rituals and routines help them slip into the proper frame of mind for the next big game.

These familiar patterns can be sleep- or food-related. Or revolve around how they get dressed for a game. Or the way they warm up. Or how they tinker with their hockey sticks. Or be as simple as taking their dog for a walk.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious,” Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson explained.

“Lots of guys have routines.”

One frequent requirement — sneaking in a pregame nap.

If they can’t sleep, at least they log some chill time.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious. Lots of guys have routines.”

Erik Johnson “I nap around the same time, that’s just routine more than ritual. I was a little bit more (superstitious) when I was younger, but with my life the way it is, I’ve kind of had to change my schedule on the fly with a busy household,” said Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has four kids, including triplets. “I try not to overthink it.”

Following morning home skates, Carolina forward Mark Jankowski typically takes Lucy, his 6-year-old golden retriever, for a stroll.

“Get some sunlight,” said Jankowski, who was acquired by the Hurricanes in March.

“Get the legs moving a little bit.”

Then, a pregame meal for Jankowski, followed by slipping on a pair of Normatec boots — compression therapy to enhance circulation. He naps (60-90 minutes) before taking off for the rink.

As part of his pregame rou-

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Hurricanes’ Mark Jankowski (77), who likely walked his golden retriever earlier in the day, fights for the puck with Montreal Canadiens’ Jake Evans during a March game. tine, Tomas Hertl cranks up the tunes. These days, his playlist is heavy Czech music because it’s been setting the proper goal-scoring mood.

“I’m the kind of guy who can listen to everything,” Hertl said. “I like just the songs I kind of know I can sing along.

I have a terrible voice, I can’t sing, but this I do by myself.”

Other ways that players loosen up for a game: Gustavsson, like many, kicks around a soccer ball, while Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin takes a cold plunge. Hanifin’s teammate Brayden McNabb chomps on gum (peppermint) in warmups.

Players spend all sorts of time making sure their equipment is as prepared as them.

Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin spray-paints the bottom of his sticks to add a little extra weight. Stars forward Mason Marchment makes

sure his stick is stiff and newly taped.

Duchene slightly tweaks his routine depending on if it’s a road or home game. On the road, he includes rice with his pasta and salmon. At home, it’s salad. He also naps in a hyperbaric chamber before home games.

“As a younger player, I was extremely superstitious, and I hated it,” said Duchene, who writes the title of a song — “Jim Bob” by Hardy — on his stick. “I did everything to the minute before a game. I was almost obsessive about it. I got away from it a few years back.

“My biggest thing is you do what you do to get prepared, and then you just throw the gear on and go play,” he added. “That’s the most pure form of playing hockey. That’s how you do it your whole life. You don’t need to do ‘A-through-Z’ to get ready.”

B4

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

obituaries obituaries

Rev. Lonnie Lee Lonnie Swanner Master Barbara Jean Dwight Farmer James Roseboro Sept. 7, 1947 – April 29, 2025 Poole Sr. Sergeant Larry January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023 (Taylor) Drye Jan. 4, 1924 – May 2, 2025 2023 77, of Laura’s Lawson Eudy Lonnie Swanner, April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023 Rev. Lonnie Lee Poole Sr., Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86,an was a beacon of hope and of Oakboro, passed embodiment ofaway faithSaturday, throughout January 14,years 2023 of at life. her home. his 101 Born on Barbara born April 17, 1936 Januarywas 4, 1924, in Montgomery in North Carolina the late Robert County, NC, hetowas a pillar of his Leecommunity Taylor and the latehis Eva Belle on until passing Watts Taylor.

May 2, 2025, at the VA Health She was also preceded in death Care Center in Salisbury. by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Funeral services will be held at Drye, and brothers, Robert 3 p.m. on Sunday, MayLee 4, 2025, Taylor, Jr. andWorship George Kenneth at Family Ministries Taylor. in Troy, officiated by Dr. Harold Survivors children, Pope andinclude Rev. Carl Burrow.

Debbie (Mike) Williams of Burial will follow at Hickory Grove Pentecostal Church Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Cemetery Curry in Candor.

The family will receive of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) friends one hour prior to the Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, service.

AtParrish 18, Rev.ofPoole joined Melissa (Don) Albemarle, the service during World Samantha (Destiny) Smith of War II, whereBradley he served withofdistinction Oakboro, Smith Oakboro, as a Range and and as Jonathan StoverInstructor of Peachland, part of the Jessie Stover ofAirborne Lylesville;glider sistertroops.

His 2.5 years ofmany service in-law, Beatrice Goodman; included significant nieces and nephews; andcampaigns her beloved England.

It was during this cats,inBo and Garfield. time overseas that heof felt the call Barbara was a member to preach, setting thefor course Oakboro Baptist Church over for his lifelong ministry.

60 years.

She worked over 30 years Rev. Poole’sMills. love for music at Stanly Knitting After just God’s word led she himbegan to sing twoand years of retirement, in quartets, and he soon managing the Oakboro Seniorbegan his work in ministry. founded Center and did that for 18He years five churches during his ministry, until this past week. Barbara was which Pentecostal known forincluded her good Troy cooking and Church in care 1955ofand Calvary always taking others.

She also Temple Church in Biscoe in 1997. loved going on day long shopping He was also a dedicated member trips - she could out walk and out ofpeople the Gideons. shop half herHis age.mission She kept work was far-reaching, as he her mind and body active through helped start numerous churches gardening, word searches, and overseas and raised funds for various other hobbies. church construction in Ukraine and South America. His efforts were a testament to his generous and kind nature, always seeking to spread faith and support where it was most needed.

Rev. Poole is survived by his son, Lonnie Poole Jr. (Debra) of Commerce, GA; daughter, Shelia Talbert (Jerry) of Albemarle; his grandchildren, Lori Poole McClay (Jay), Crisden Poole Cain (Cody), Bruce Hamilton (Anna); and his great-grandchildren, Makaylee Cain, Haylee Cain, Blakelee Cain, Taylor McClay, Corbin McClay, Landon Hamilton, Macy Hamilton and Taylor Hamilton.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Ann Harris Poole, who passed away in 1999; his parents, David Franklin Poole and Dora Kelly Poole; his sisters, Lena Hudson and Annie Liles; and his brother, Robert Poole.

A graduate of Holmes Bible College, Rev. Poole’s education laid the foundation for a life of service. His story is one of a faith-filled man who dedicated himself to the service of others, both spiritually and through his actions. He was a man who not only preached the word of God but lived it every day through his generosity and kindness.

Memorials may be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 103, Troy, NC 27371.

Bumgarner Family Funeral Service is assisting the Poole family.

7

Lane in Albemarle, passed into Dwight Britten Farmer Sr.,29, 83, eternity on Tuesday, April of Norwood died Sunday 2025, at Spring Arbormorning, Senior January Living.15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.

Dwight born January 24, Born was in the community of 1939 in Stanly County the late Arjay, Kentucky, onto September Walter Virgil and Martha 7, 1947, Lonnie was theAdkins eighth of Farmer. was a 1957 twelveHe children borngraduate to the late of Norwood High School and was Walter and Sarah Swanner.

Six of a United Statessurvive.

Army Veteran. his siblings He was a member Cedar Grove Upon joiningof the United States United ArmyMethodist at age 17, Church Lonnie where trainedheas had served as church treasurer and a paratrooper at Fort Campbell, choir member.and Heserved began his Kentucky, as career a with the Stanly County s member of the 101stSheriff’ Airborne Division. He completed a tour of Department moving to the Norwood dutyDepartment in Vietnam and and retiring subsequently Police as served in the USthe Army Reserve Chief of Police with Town of for thirty years, retiring asservice. a Norwood after many years of Command Major.

Dwight wasSergeant an avid gardener, Following his return from bird watcher and Carolina fan. active duty, Lonnie at He is survived by hisenrolled wife Hilda Greenville Technical in Whitley Farmer; one sonCollege D. Britten SouthJr.Carolina before earning his Farmer (Mary) of McLeansville, master’s degree while Farmer working NC; one daughter Sharon full-time.

Following his marriage Lowe (David) of Norwood; one to Wanda Gallimore, a native of sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two Denton, NC,Dwight the twoBritten moved“Dee” to grandchildren, Albemarle, heRose worked Farmer III andwhere Whitley Hui at Stanly Community College, Lowe. eventually retiringinas a vice He was preceded death by hispresident. son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Over a 54-year Jimmy, sisters, Nancy,marriage, Cornelia Lonnie and Wanda raised two Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. daughters, Jennifer Coble Memorials may be made to (Jason) Cedar andUnited Alicia Landis (Danny), all Grove Methodist Church, of whom He isc/o also Cemetery orsurvive.

Choir Fund Pam survived five grandchildren: Smith 36071byRocky River Springs Emma Grace Coble, Lily Coble, Road, Norwood, NC 28128.

Mattie Coble, Tanner Landis and Kasey Landis. Lonnie was a dedicated father and grandfather, never missing an opportunity to spend time with his relatives and treasuring every moment that the entire family could be together.

A passionate outdoorsman, Lonnie enjoyed any outside activity. In past years, he hiked the Grand Canyon as well as numerous trails in the Uwharrie, Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains.

Following his retirement from Stanly Community College, he became an avid cyclist and rode numerous Cycle North Carolina events as well as informal rides with friends (usually including longtime SCC President, Dr. Michael Taylor) on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Erie Canal Trail, the Great Alleghany Passage, the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Silver Comet Trail, to name a few. He also enjoyed road trips with Wanda, exploring new destinations or visiting friends and family in Kentucky.

The family will receive friends from 10-10:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will be on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Hartsell Funeral Home’s Lefler Memorial Chapel in Albemarle.

Memorials may be made to the Dr. Michael and Alice Taylor Nurse Aide Scholarship Fund at Stanly Community College, to Tillery Compassionate Care of Albemarle, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Spring Arbor Senior Living in Albemarle for their kind and loving care during Lonnie’s stay.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Swanner family.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Aug. 8, 1937 AprilTuesday, 27, 2025 Albemarle, passed–away January 10, 2023 at Anson Health is with profound sadness and It Rehab. that announce passing of Mr.we Roseboro wasthe born on retired Army Master Sergeant June 23, 1967 to the late Robert Larry Lawson Eudy, a beloved and Delena Shipp Roseboro.

He husband, cousin and friend who graduated from South Stanly left us peacefully April 27,by High School and wasonemployed 2025 at the age of 87.

Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching Born onbasketball, August 8, especially 1937, football and the in Albemarle, N.C., Mr. Eudy Carolina TarHeels and Miami. dedicated his life to service, In addition to his parents he is honor, and community. After preceded in death by his brothers graduating from Albemarle and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Senior High School in 1955, he Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, enlisted in the United States Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Navy, where he served faithfully Roseboro. for eight years, and then he He is survived by his sisters: served in the United States Army Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards and the Army National Guard offor Albemarle, Mary Roseboro 24 years. During his military ofcareer, Washington DC, and Marion Larry was stationed in Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Hawaii and Sanford, Florida, as Thomas Roseboro Charlotte, well as D. working for of Pan American Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of for the Airways on Tracking Ships Norwood, and Van a special U. S. Air Force onHorne; projects that friend of over years, Michelle included the40 Mercury Program, McLendon of the home; special Gemini Program and Apollo nieces: Nybrea Montague, Program through ApolloKnya Seven.

Little, and Laquanza Crump; special Mr. Eudy began working for nephews: Robert Jr.,inDesmond Wiscassett Mills Albemarle Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and during his senior year in high God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and school, where he worked special friends, Vetrella Johnson second shift for 65 cents per and Ben McLendon. hour.

He would go on to work

for Southeastern Sporting Goods, Pilot Life Insurance, Leisure Sporting Goods and several other sporting goods distributors. He also worked for the Florida State Road Department and for the North Carolina Department of Transportation where he served as the Safety Officer for Highway Division 10.

Upon retiring from the Army as a Master Sergeant, Mr. Eudy continued to embody the values he upheld in uniform. He volunteered to go to disaster areas after many hurricanes while working with NCDOT. He was a valuable asset due to his acquisition skills that he acquired January 7, 1973 ~ January while serving in the military. 8, 2023 Mr. Eudy always enjoyed being around his friends and especially Darrick Vashon Baldwin, 50, those at Whispering Pinesage BBQ entered eternal rest, Sunday, January in Albemarle.

8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina.

He was preceded in death Born January 1973, in Stanly by his wife of7,55 years, Nell County, North Carolina, Darrick was Hanscom Eudy, his sister, Billie the son Eudy, of Eddie James BaldwinLevi Sr. Jane and his parents, and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin.

P. Eudy and Charlotte Smith Darrick enjoyed life, always kept Eudy. He is survived by his first things lively andSmith, enjoyed making cousin, Tom and his others smile.

His presence no brother, Johnny LawsonisLowder, longer midst,honor but hishis memory who in willour forever will forever live in our hearts. memory.

He educated in the Stanly A was service celebrating Larry’s County public schools attended life and legacy with and full military honors will be held May 2 at Albemarle Senior HighonSchool, 11 a.m. at the Hartsell Funeral Albemarle.

Home Chapel Albemarle.

He was a greatinconversationalist In lieumeeting of flowers, theDarrick family and loved people. asksmet thata donations bealways made never stranger and to your favorite Veterans for his showed love and compassion organization or the charity of fellowman.

He also loved his dog, your choice in memory of Retired Rocky.

Master Sergeant L. Eudy.

He is survived

by Larry his father, Larry lived aSr.; lifesisters: of purpose, Eddie J. Baldwin Crystal kindness andLaFondra unwavering (Eric) Jackson, (Stoney) devotion. will beBaldwin; deeply Medley, andHe Morgan missedEddie and forever remembered. brothers: Baldwin Jr., Anton Hartsell of a Baldwin, and Funeral LamontHome Baldwin; Albemarle is serving the Eudy A host of other relatives and friends. family. limb has fallen from our family tree.

Darrick Baldwin

We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

scheduled. Donna was born in Charleston County, SC, on March 3, 1957, to the late James and Peggy Trivette. She is lovingly survived by her husband, Willie Gray, of 46 years. Those also left to cherish her memory are her children: Tabatha Hines (Bradley) of Locust, William Carl Gray (Hope) of Locust, Kathy Barton of Charleston, SC, and Keith Gray, grandchildren Whitney Hines, Darrell Hines, Hunter Foutz, Timothy Sides, Roger Barton, and Kyle Barton, great-grandchildren Eva and Allen, and four sisters.

Donna loved her family and March 23, 1935 - January 9, was a devoted wife. She loved 2023 and enjoyed all things March 3, 1957 – April 28, 2025 animals October 11, 1944 - January 10, outdoors. Donna enjoyed the 2023 John grew up in the Millingport simple pleasures of life.

Donna Trivette Gray, 68, community where he drove a school Stanly funeral and Cremation of Locust passed away on Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, bus and worked at the local gas Care of Locust is serving the Gray Monday, April 28, 2025, at Stanly went station during his High School years. family.home into God’s presence on Manor. No formal services are January 10 after a sudden illness and

Donna Trivette John B. Kluttz Gray

He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.

When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he Dec. 11, 1955 – April 26, 2025 spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the Samuel Hunter Blakely III, rest of his life!

69, of Locust passed away on At age 50, after years as a Detroit Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Diesel Mechanic he and Julie Atrium Health Cabarrus. The decided to receive take thefriends plunge and family will at open a Funeral full Model A Restoration Stanly and Cremation Shop.ofThey thrived at1their Care Locust from p.m.shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement until 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, in 1998 moved back to May 10, when 2025.they A memorial Cabarrus County. John once again service officiated

by Rev. Kevin set up shop in his back yard garage McCormac will follow at 3 p.m. at where he attracted loyal group of the Stanly Funeral aHome Chapel friends who visited almost daily. in Locust.

While on the farm inin Gold Hill, Hunter was born Richland John also began a lifelong love County, South Carolina, on with Alis Chalmers tractors he December 11, 1955, toafter the late restored his Dad’ s tractor and Samuel and Flora Blakely. Hebegan amassing collection of tractors is lovinglyhis survived by his wife, as well.

Tonya Blakely. Those also left John restored many cars to cherish his memory are of sons his own and had the crowning Jason Blakely (Katie) of Midland achievement of winning the most and Nick Blakely (Danielle) prestigious award from MARC, The of Albemarle, grandchildren, HenryKelsey, for a restoration that garnered Kayla, Rylee, nephew, top points.

He was presented Bobby Blakely, andalso children’s with the Ken Brady Award grandmother, MaryService Ellen Nelms. the highest givenintodeath members Hunter wasaward preceded at the level. by his national first wife, Karen Blakely, in This is what John’s Model A 2021.

Community had tomany say upon Hunter worked years learning of his death: as a mechanic but later found He passion was an active member of a new for landscaping.

Wesley Chapel Methodist Church He created Hunter’s Lawn where heand loved serving as greeter Service was the owner and on Sunday mornings. also Hunter belonged operator for manyHe years. to the United Methodist Men. was known for his incredible John is survived byinstilled his wife work ethic, which he Julie Kluttz, 66 years in hisUssery boys. He was for a genuine, loyal who met a of theperson home. He is never also survived stranger.

Hunter was a great by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) husband, dad, and of Oakboro, NC;grandpa two daughters, friend, who willof beDenver, dearlyCO missed Sally Simerson and by all who During his Betsy Tusaknew (John)him. of Lafayette, CO; declining health, his Bonnie stubborn three grandchildren, Kluttz tenacity became in his Sammons (Ben) ofevident Richfield, NC fight survive. McKinnon (Sarah) Johnto Alexander The familyNC would like to of Asheville, and Seth William express their sincere of gratitude to McKinnon (Amanda) Germany; Jeremy and Beth Blalock, Dalton five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, McCoy, Zach andVictoria Nina Jones, Meredith, Grant, and Teresa the many Ronan.Grace John isand alsoall preceded in friends assistedJ.S. Hunter death bywho his parents, Kluttz and during his declining Mary Wyatt Clayton health.

Kluttz; a large Stanly Funeral and Cremation and loving group of brothers and Care ofJack Locust is serving the sisters, Methias Kluttz, Annie Blakely family.

Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.

Samuel Hunter Blakely III

Doris Jones Coleman

a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her Sept.

1945 April 2025 career,14, and this – was her 25, passion.

The Augusta Chronicle did a feature Ivey Smith, onMary her in“Tonie” 1985. She was a clinical 79, of Oakboro, passed away nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia peacefully on Hospital Friday, April 25,and at University NICU 2025, at there Atrium Stanly. worked forHealth 20 years.

During Athis private of Life time,Celebration Doris mentored young will be held a laterindate.

Born nurses andat assisted saving the on September 1945,She in also lives of so many14, babies.

Mecklenburg County, Tonie was worked for Pediatrician Dr. William the daughter of the late and A. Wilkes in Augusta forJohn several Nan Ivey.

She wasNICU preceded in Doris years prior to her career. death byfrom her beloved husband, retired the mother/baby area at Richard and herover 40 AtriumCecil StanlySmith, in 2007 after sister, Nancy Dellinger. years of nursing.

Tonie lovingly survived Dorisiswas a gentle and sweet by her and devoted spirit lovedlongtime her Lord. She never companion, Howard Dorton; met a stranger, and she always left her Nancyafter Haywood youdaughter, feeling uplifted talking (Mack) of She Cary; and often her son, with her. would claim that Lee Douglas (Ellen) she“Tripp” had “adopted” friends into her ofimmediate Mt. Airy. She wasand a proud family, honestly, she grandmother Jimmy between never made a to distinction Haywood, Charlie radiated Haywood andher the two. Positivity from Hailey Rhodes, and a delighted like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, great-grandmother to Elliot.

Sheher smart, and sentimental.

During islifetime also remembered with love she was an active member by ofher Firstbrother-in-law, Baptist ChurchTerrell of Durham, Dellinger of Rougemont; her First Baptist Church of Augusta, nephew, David Dellinger (Tara) of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church Durham; and her niece, Kimberly in Augusta, and Palestine United Dellinger Leonard of Methodist Church(Parrish) in Albemarle.

Wake Forest.

She especially loved helping at Toniewith was older a caring mother, church adults, youth, and a loyal partner and a friend children. to many. Known for her kind She was especially talented heart and willingness to help at sewing from a young age and others, she brought warmth made gifts for friends, Christmas and light into every room. She ornaments, Halloween Costumes, enjoyed reading, relaxing with doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom a good movie, and, in earlier dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, years, found great joy in square outfits for Amy and Laura, and dancing. She will be deeply Christening gowns for each of her missed by all who knew and grandchildren. loved her.

Doris was preceded in death by In lieu of flowers, the family her father Arthur Raymond Jones, kindly requests that memorial her mother Mary Ellen Cameron contributions be made to the Jones, and her sister Maryannein American Heart Association, Jonesof Brantley. honor Tonie’s memory.

Survivors include two Stanly Funeral andher Cremation precious daughters: Amy Cameron Care of Locust is serving the Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Smith family.

Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, For more obituaries, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved please ones. see page B5

Mary “Tonie” Ivey Smith

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

B5

OBITUARIES

Shirley H. Easley

Sara Evelyine Smith RItch

Nov. 13, 1937 – April 27, 2025

Dec. 22, 1929 – April 29, 2025

Shirley Honeycutt Easley, 87, of Kannapolis passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2015, at Tucker Hospice House.

Shirley was born on November 13, 1937 to the late Charles Franklin Honeycutt and Beulah Linker Honeycutt of Landis, NC, and was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Olin Ray Easley, her child, Cassandra Lynn Whited, and Arvie Trent Hartsell, as well as several beloved brothers and sisters of which she was the youngest.

Shirley worked for Air Gas National Welders for the bulk of her career and loved all of her friends and coworkers over the years. She was a member of Harrisburg Baptist Church for many years and involved with children’s ministries when her kids were younger, as well as assisting with children/youth activities until the time of her death. She enjoyed baking, traveling to the mountains and the beach and being an awesome Gigi to her six greatgrandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her daughter in love, Dawn Shenda, and grandson in love, Jayden Michael Shenda of Landis; granddaughters Meredith Rae Milstead and husband Nick with their daughters Emily and Maddy of Kannapolis; Tiffany Marie Jones of Mooresville; Lacey Nichole Thompson and husband Corey with their sons Hunter and Holston of Concord; grandson Dale Carter Jr. and wife Laura with their daughters Skyler and Amelia of Concord; Nicholas Caleb Booth of Athens, GA; as well as many loving nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home in Harrisburg.

The funeral service will be held at Harrisburg Baptist Church on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at Roberta Church Cemetery, 3925 Cochran Road, Concord, NC.

Sara Evelyine Smith Ritch, 95, of Concord, peacefully passed away in her home, surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Sara was born December 22, 1929, in Cabarrus County to the late Allen Elmer Smith and the late Ida Marie Harris Smith. She was also preceded in death by husband, James Madison Ritch Jr.; and siblings, Louise Smith, Beulah Williamson, Claude Smith, Dewey Smith, Arlo “Buck” Smith, Everette Smith and Rev. Dick Smith.

Sara spent much of her career at Cannon Mills, where she worked in the weave room at Plant 6. Known for her dedication and steady hands, she took pride in her work and the friendships she formed there. After retirement, she continued to embody the same hardworking spirit in everything she did.

Sara was a member of First Foursquare Church in Concord and a past member of Faith Covenant Church in Concord.

A woman of simple joys and enduring grace, Sara loved sewing, cooking, sharing stories with her children and grandchildren, spending afternoons at the lake and relaxing with a good western movie. Her quiet wisdom, generous heart and warm presence will be missed deeply by all who knew her.

Survivors include daughter, Teresa (Rev. Steve Scarboro) Scarboro of Concord; son, James M. Ritch, III of Gold Hill; son, Wayne Ritch of Troy; five grandchildren, Justin, Jordan, Travis, Summer and Olivia; 18 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., Friday, May 2, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel, officiated

by Rev. Arlo Smith Jr. and Rev. Steve Scarboro. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park, Kannapolis.

Memorial donations may be made to Atrium Health Hospice & Palliative Care, Cabarrus, or to your local hospice.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Ritch family.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Randolph Record at obits@northstatejournal.com

NICK UT / AP PHOTO

“Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” cast members, from left, Lily Tomlin, Henry Gibson, Ruth Buzzi and Gary Owens in Los Angeles in 2002.

Ruth Buzzi, comedy sketch player on groundbreaking series ‘Laugh-In,’ dies at 88 Condolences poured in from around the entertainment industry

By Beth Harris The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Ruth Buzzi, who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career, died Thursday. She was 88.

Buzzi died at her home in Texas, her agent Mike Eisenstadt said. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was in hospice care. Shortly before her death, her husband Kent Perkins, had posted a statement on Buzzi’s Facebook page, thanking her many fans and telling them: “She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.”

Buzzi won a Golden Globe and was a two-time Emmy nominee for the NBC show that ran from 1968 to 1973. She was the only regular to appear in all six seasons, including the pilot.

“Ruth Buzzi was a comedic genius,” Nancy Sinatra posted on X. “Working alongside her on Laugh-In was the most fun I ever had working. I treasured her friendship and I am heartbroken to wake up to the news that she is gone. I love you, Ruthie.”

Singer Deana Martin posted, “Her laughter and warmth touched us all, leaving an everlasting void.”

Ormphby character leads to ‘Laugh-In’ ///// Buzzi was first spotted by “Laugh-In” creator and producer George Schlatter playing various characters on “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour.”

Schlatter was holding auditions for “Laugh-In” when he received a picture in the mail of Buzzi in her Ormphby costume, sitting in a wire mesh trash barrel. The character was clad in drab brown with her bun covered by a hairnet knotted in the middle of her forehead.

“I think I hired her because of my passion for Gladys Ormphby,” he wrote in his 2023 memoir “Still Laughing A Life in Comedy.” “I must admit that the hairnet and the rolled-down stockings did light my fire. My favorite Gladys line was when she announced that the day of the office Christmas party, they sent her home early.”

The Gladys character used her purse as a weapon against anyone who bothered her, striking people over the head.

On “Laugh-In,” her most frequent target was Arte Johnson’s dirty old man character Tyrone F. Horneigh.

“She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.”

Kent Perkins, Ruth Buzzi’s husband “Gladys embodies the overlooked, the downtrodden, the taken for granted, the struggler,” Buzzi told The Connecticut Post in 2018. “So when she fights back, she speaks for everyone who’s been marginalized, reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused. And that’s almost everyone at some time or other.”

Buzzi took her act to the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts in Las Vegas, where she bashed her purse on the heads of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Lucille Ball, among others.

“Ruth Buzzi brought a singular energy and charm to sketch comedy that made her a standout on ‘Laugh-In’ and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts.

Her characters, especially the unforgettable Gladys Ormphby, captured the delightful absurdity of the era,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.

Her other recurring characters on “Laugh-In” included Flicker Farkle; Busy-Buzzi, a Hollywood gossip columnist; Doris Swizzler, a cocktail-lounge regular who got drunk with husband Leonard, played by Dick Martin; and an inconsiderate flight attendant.

“I never took my work for granted, nor assumed I deserved more of the credit or spotlight or more pay than anyone else,” Buzzi told The Connecticut Post. “I was just thrilled to drive down the hill to NBC every day as an employed actor with a job to do.”

Buzzi remained friends through the years with “LaughIn” co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jo Anne Worley.

From cheerleading to the stage Born Ruth Ann Buzzi on July 24, 1936, in Westerly, Rhode Island, she was the daughter of Angelo Buzzi, a nationally known stone sculptor.

Her father and later her brother operated Buzzi Memorials, a gravestone and monument maker in Stonington, Connecticut, where she was head cheerleader in high school.

Buzzi enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse at age 17. Two years later, she traveled with singer Rudy Vallee in a musical and comedy act during her summer break. That earned

her an Actors’ Equity union card before she graduated from the playhouse’s College of Theatre Arts.

Buzzi moved to New York and was immediately hired for a lead role in an off-Broadway musical revue, the first of 19 such shows she performed in on the East Coast.

She got her national television break on “The Garry Moore Show” in 1964, just after Carol Burnett was replaced

by Dorothy Loudon on the series. She played Shakundala the Silent, a bumbling magician’s assistant to Dom DeLuise’s character Dominic the Great.

Buzzi was a regular on the CBS variety show “The Entertainers” whose hosts included Burnett and Bob Newhart.

She was in the original Broadway cast of “Sweet Charity” with Gwen Verdon in 1966.

Buzzi toured the country with her nightclub act, including appearances in Las Vegas.

She was a semi-regular on “That Girl” as Marlo Thomas’ friend. She co-starred with Jim Nabors as time-traveling androids on “The Lost Saucer” in the mid-1970s.

Her other guest appearances included variety shows hosted by Burnett, Flip Wilson, Glen Campbell, Tony Orlando, Donny and Marie Osmond and Leslie Uggams.

She appeared in Ball’s last comedy series “Life With Lucy.”

Buzzi appeared in music videos with “Weird Al” Yankovic, the B-52’s and the Presidents of the United States of America.

She did hundreds of guest voices in cartoon series including “Pound Puppies,” “Berenstain Bears,” “The Smurfs” and “The Angry Beavers.”

She was Emmy nominated for her six-year run as shopkeeper Ruthie on “Sesame Street.”

Her movie credits included “Freaky Friday,” “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash,” “The North Avenue Irregulars” and “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.”

Buzzi was active on social media and had thousands of followers whom she rewarded with such one-liners as “I have never faked a sarcasm” and “Scientists say the universe is made up entirely of neurons, protons and electrons. They seem to have missed morons.”

She married actor Perkins in 1978.

The couple moved from California to Texas in 2003 and bought a 640-acre ranch near Stephenville.

Buzzi retired from acting in 2021 and suffered a series of strokes the following year.

Her husband told The Dallas Morning News in 2023 that she had dementia.

B6

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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Solution to last week’s puzzle

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VOLUME 7 ISSUE 22 | THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025

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THE FORSYTH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NICK WASS / AP PHOTO

Never in doubt Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in Carolina’s 2-1 win over the Capitals on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., giving them a 1-0 lead in their Stanley Cup Playoffs second round series.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Republican concedes court election to Democratic incumbent Raleigh The Republican challenger for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat has conceded last November’s election to the Democratic incumbent.

Jefferson Griffin said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would not appeal a federal judge’s decision favoring Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s decision sets the stage for Riggs to be officially elected to an eightyear term as an associate justice. It would end the nation’s last undecided race from the 2024 general election. The federal judge said disputed ballots challenged by Griffin must remain in the final tally and ordered results to be certified to show Riggs is the winner by 734 votes.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

$2.00

Search underway for new WSFCS superintendent Tricia McManus announced her retirement after five years with the district

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald WINSTON-SALEM — Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has begun the search for a new superintendent following the resignation of Superintendent Tricia McManus.

At the WSFCS Board of Education meeting on April 22, McManus announced her retirement, stating that she wants to be able to spend more time focusing on her family.

She will finish out this current

year and officially leave the district on June 30 to return back home to Florida.

“I’ve been reflecting in the past five to six months with my family and it is with a heavy heart that I’ve decided to retire at the end of this school year in order to support my growing family,” McManus said. “I have loved my time in our school district. This is a very special place.

“Thank you for the opportunity to lead the amazing students and staff in this great community I have called home for the past five years. I have enjoyed meeting and serving thousands of students, families, and community members in pursuit of our vision for ed-

ucational excellence, collaboration, and inclusiveness.”

Before coming to Forsyth County, McManus was an educator in the Hillsborough County Public Schools for 30 years having served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of leadership development and an assistant superintendent.

She first joined the district in June of 2020 as a deputy superintendent and was quickly named interim in Nov. 2020 following the resignation of Angela Hairston and then officially was named superintendent in March of 2021.

“Being selected as interim and then superintendent was extremely meaningful for me because that wasn’t even why I came to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools,” McManus said. “I came to be the Deputy Superintendent and work on school transformation and all of that and it just evolved from there and I appreciated the opportunity.”

“It has been our honor to have you as our superintendent and you will be greatly missed,” said board chair Deanna Ka-

‘Ethics Bowl’ offers students gentler alternative to debating With no assigned positions, teams explore rather than argue

By Travis Loller The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — At the National Speech and Debate Tournament, two high school students take the stage. The first articulates the position he has been assigned to defend — people should have a right to secede from their government — and why it is correct.

Another student, assigned the opposite position, begins to systematically tear down her opponent’s views.

A year later and 800 miles away, two teams of high school

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Students from the Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey confer during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl. students convene at the University of North Carolina for the National High School Eth-

ics Bowl finals. A moderator asks about the boundaries of discourse — when a public

“This is a very special place.”

Tricia McManus, WSFCS superintendent plan. “You have made our district so much stronger and I’m crying tears of joy because I’m so happy you can start this chapter of your life. But you will be greatly, greatly missed.”

Under McManus, the district reached its highest ever graduation rate (87.7% in 2023) and was recognized as one of five districts in the country to achieve the greatest post-pandemic recovery in reading and math.

“We have built the foundation for educational equity and excellence, and I wish nothing but the best for the future of WS/FCS,” McManus said.

“Our students are capable of so much. Please continue pouring into them every day and do not allow the many distractions to get in the way of doing what See SCHOOLS, page A2

figure dies, how do you weigh the value and harm of critical commentary about their life?

Teams have not been assigned positions. One presents their ideas. The opposing team asks questions that help everyone to think about the issue more deeply. No one attacks.

Many a young debater may learn the rhetorical skills to become a successful lawyer or politician, subduing an opponent through wit and wordplay. But are they learning skills that will make them better citizens of an increasingly complex and contentious republic?

In an age when many Americans are wondering whether it is still possible to have a principled, respectful disagreement over important issues, proponents of Ethics Bowl say it points the way.

In Ethics Bowl, teams aren’t assigned a specific position on an issue that they have to defend regardless of their beSee SCHOOLS, page A4

A2

Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 NSJONLINE.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

SCHOOLS from page A1 is right. No student should fall through the cracks. There’s still so much work to do in public education and so much to be done and I know great things are going to continue.”

The retirement also comes just a few weeks after the board of education held a vote (5-3) to cut central office staff positions due to a $8 million shortfall found in a recent district audit caused by significant overspending of its budget in 2023‑24.

The cuts, which will take effect in the 2025-26 school year, will impact up to 81 positions and 42 employees, resulting in either reductions in salaries, months of employment change or even termination.

CFO Thomas Kranz announced his resignation earlier in April following that vote.

The district has begun an immediate search for an interim superintendent.

“It’s anticipated that the larger superintendent search could take anywhere between four to six months, so getting an interim in place is a very important next step for the board to take,” said chief legal counsel Dionne Jenkins.

According to Jenkins, there are no specific licensure requirements to serve as interim and so the board will have “pretty wide latitude” in its selection process, although multiple board members discussed experience and/or familiarity with the district as being key criteria they’ll be looking for.

The recommended timeline from the board’s legal counsel is that an interim be selected and announced by June 1.

The WSFCS Board of Education will next meet May 13.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: forsythcommunity@ northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

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Visa crackdown leads international students in US to reconsider summer travel Some colleges have issued warnings about “strict vetting” on visas

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press ON SUMMER break from a Ph.D. program, an international student at University of California, San Diego, was planning a trip with a few friends to Hawaii. But after seeing international students across the United States stripped of their legal status, the student decided against it.

Any travel, even inside the U.S., just didn’t seem worth the risk.

“I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few interactions with governments as possible,” said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted.

International students weighing travel to see family, take a vacation or conduct research are thinking twice because of the Trump administration’s crackdown, which has added to a sense of vulnerability.

Even before students suddenly began losing permission to study in the U.S., some colleges were encouraging international students and faculty to postpone travel, citing government efforts to deport students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. As the scale of the status terminations emerged in recent weeks, more schools have cautioned against nonessential travel abroad for international students.

University of California, Berkeley, for one, issued an advisory last week saying upcoming international travel was risky due to “strict vetting and enforcement.”

At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and

REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO

A group of Florida International University students protest against cuts in federal funding and an agreement by campus police to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, last month in Miami. university systems have had their visas revoked or legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records.

The number of affected students appears far higher, though. At least 4,736 international students’ visa records were terminated in a government database that maintains their legal status, according to an April 10 Immigration and Customs Enforcement response to inquiries from Congress.

Suddenly at risk for deportation, some students went into hiding while others left the country on their own. Many of the students said they had only minor infractions on their records or didn’t know why their records were removed.

After federal judges raised due process concerns in sev-

eral students’ cases, the U.S. government reversed the terminations but then issued new guidance expanding the reasons international students can lose their legal status in the future.

Under the new policy, valid reasons for status termination include the revocation of the visas students used to enter the U.S. In the past, if a student’s visa was revoked, they generally could stay in the U.S. to finish school. They simply would not be able to reenter if they left the country.

The fast-evolving situation has left colleges struggling to advise students.

A Michigan college employee who helps international students navigate the visa process said they are inquiring more than ever about summer travel. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said he

Mom reunites with 911 operator who helped deliver baby Sarah Gianni unexpectedly went into labor

Sarah Gianni and her two sons pose in front of the ‘Tree of Life’ with Lorie Teague holding Daisy, the baby she helped deliver over the phone.

By Dan Reeves Twin City Herald PITTSBORO — Reporters surrounded 911 telecommunicator Lorie Teague as she cradled Daisy Gianni, a bubbling, healthy 8-pound, 1-ounce baby girl who had popped into the world just two weeks prior, thanks to a bit of help from someone on the other end of the phone.

Teague was preparing to eat breakfast when an urgent early morning call came in to the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center. 911 operators never know what might be on the other end of the phone, but this wasn’t an incoming report of a car crash or a house fire. Instead, she professionally answered the trembling voice of Corinne Townsend, who said that her 36-year-old and very pregnant daughter, Sarah Gianni, had unexpectedly gone into labor.

“I started having contractions just after six that morning and was preparing to head to the hospital,” Gianni said. “I

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

“It’s just a part of my job, I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Lorrie Teague, Chatham County had just put the kids in the car when my water broke. My husband was already at work, but thankfully, my mom was there and called 911.”

Teague began talking both mothers through each step of the delivery and, crucially,

helped Townsend stay relaxed as they delivered Daisy together. She was born without incident at 6:56 a.m., before EMS arrived.

Two weeks later, Sarah and Lorie — those voices on each end of the phone — got to meet each other, and mom got to show off her new arrival to the woman whose calm, professional demeanor helped make it possible.

“It’s just a part of my job,” said Teague. “I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Daisy is the second baby she has helped deliver, said Teague, who worked with the Pitts-

often has been unable to give sufficient answers.

Last year, the U.S. hosted around 1.1 million international students, a source of essential tuition revenue at many schools. Advocates say that number is likely to shrink as the crackdown hurts America’s appeal.

Over the past few weeks, Rishi Oza’s immigration law firm in North Carolina has received calls about travel risks almost daily from people of varied immigration status, including international students.

“You kind of shake your head and say, ‘Is this the character of the country we want?’”

Oza said. “It just seems that it’s a bit out of whack that people are fearful of leaving and whether they’ll be able to come back.”

Students in the U.S. with a visa need to decide if their travels are critical, Oza said.

When attempting reentry after leaving the country, they should bring immigration documents, school transcripts and even court documents if they were charged with a crime and the court dismissed the case.

Ultimately, lawyers can’t foretell what will happen at the airport, he said.

The unpredictability has put one international student at the University of Illinois in distress. The student, who requested anonymity to avoid being targeted, has laid low since one of his classmates left the country after their legal status was terminated.

The student’s plan to travel to his home country in Asia this summer causes feelings of panic, but he has nowhere else to stay. He bought his plane ticket and is committed to the trip. His anxiety over what could happen when he returns, however, is still there.

“Right now,” he said, “I’m afraid I might not be able to come back.”

boro Police Department and as a paramedic before joining the 911 center.

Since the 911 Center opened in its new location in September 2023, telecommunicators have assisted with the delivery of four babies.

“We have a ‘Tree of Life’ on our wall here at the 911 Center, so we can celebrate positive outcomes that our telecommunicators have assisted in critical moments such as baby deliveries and CPR saves,” said Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director.

“It’s really special to show the Gianni family their pink leaf on the tree, which represents Daisy.”

Chatham County Emergency Communications is open to answer calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with 27 certified telecommunicators dispatching the county’s fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies — and acting as a lifeline both for those emergency responders and members of the public.

Adam Gaines, assistant communications director, says staffing is heaviest during the day when call volume is highest.

And it’s not just Chatham County that they’re supporting.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the state, disabling emergency call centers in western North Carolina, Gaines’ operators started taking emergency calls from as far away as Yancey, Watauga and Madison counties. “We were getting nine calls a minute,” he said.

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | JOYCE KRAWIEC

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life

Liberalism is based on feelings.

The problem with that philosophy is that we all have feelings.

They just differ.

The key to happiness has been found. It’s so simple that I don’t know why someone didn’t reveal it earlier. If you want to be happy, don’t be liberal and get married.

The recent American Family Survey reveals some deep stuff.

People on the left are chronically unhappy. Whether their party is in power or not, they are constantly complaining and displaying discontent and unhappiness. Being in a state of constant dissatisfaction must have an impact on one’s wellbeing.

The survey found that liberal women have the lowest satisfaction rate of all, and they feel loneliness more often than their counterparts on the right. I have long suspected that leftist beliefs can play a role in one’s unhappiness and outlook on life. This survey validates my belief.

Only 12% of liberal women aged 18-40 reported feeling “completely satisfied,” while 37% of conservative women and 28% of moderate women express complete satisfaction.

Liberal women are three times more likely to feel lonely than conservatives.

A whopping 40% of liberal women reported being single, and only 31% were married. Conservative women reported that 33% were single and 51% were married. No surprise here. No matter how long the left has worked to convince women that their happiness depends upon their “having it all,” women still place high value on their home and family.

Faith provides another tenet into the happiness of conservative women. Women with conservative philosophies are far more likely to participate in faith-based community activities. This provides a sense of purpose and fellowship.

Brad Wilcox, Institute for Family Studies fellow, responded to the study on Fox News. He stated that conservative women do not believe they are victims of “larger structural realities or forces.” He said conservative women tend to think they are captains of their own fate. He also noted that “lower levels of marriage and church-going among liberal women may also have a hand in their elevated reports of loneliness, which, in turn, diminishes their odds of being happy.”

You may have noticed that liberals, particularly women, don’t want to discuss issues. They tend to yell and scream and try to shut you down. They become angry and even violent at times. Their frustration level is off the charts. Conservatives try to convince you with honest debate, facts and figures.

If one disagrees with a conservative, we may think they are misguided or uninformed. But liberals tend to think those who disagree with their philosophy are stupid, ignorant and even evil.

Liberalism is based on feelings. The problem with that philosophy is that we all have feelings. They just differ.

Conservatives look to the past to prove our views of human nature. We can cite what worked and what didn’t by looking at history. Liberals always look to the future because it can’t disprove their philosophy. This or that failed policy will work if only certain liberals were in charge. But it never does.

No doubt, some of the reason for the happiness of conservative women is that most of us chose a traditional path.

The role of wife and mother is, by far, the most rewarding path one could choose. There is nothing to describe the joy of watching your children grow, thrive and reach milestones in their lives.

You may remember that many years ago, I did my own independent survey. I lived in Alabama at the time. I asked older people, “What was the happiest time of your lives?”

Overwhelmingly, the answer was, “When my children were young.” I didn’t understand it then. How could that be with all the chaos and confusion in the household? Now I understand it completely.

Which comes first? It’s sort of a chicken or egg question. Am I happy because I’m conservative, or am I conservative because I’m happy? Mostly, my happiness and joy come from my Savior who cherishes me. That may be all I need to know.

Joyce Krawiec represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate from 2014 to 2024. She lives in Kernersville.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate

would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life.

This time, there was more discipline.

He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of the

mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

National Endowment for the Arts cuts off funding, pushes for staff resignations President Trump has sought to defund the NEA for years

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s proposed budget calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts, which provides hundreds of millions of dollars each year to individuals and institutions around the country.

Meanwhile, dozens of organizations have received notifications that grants have been rejected or rescinded, and an NEA official reported Monday that staff members have been asked to resign or retire.

The NEA is the latest target of Trump’s sweeping overhaul of federal cultural agencies as he seeks to eliminate what he calls “woke” influences. The president has fired top officials, cut funding and demanded new guidelines at the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The endowment did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Michael Orlove, the NEA’s director of state, regional & local partnerships, posted on an endowment-affiliated newsletter that he had accepted the “deferred resignation program” and would be stepping down at the end of the month. “Given the current situation, it was the best option for me and my family,” he wrote.

Those being denied grants range from the Berkeley Repertory Company to a leading resource for literature in translation, Three Percent, based at the University of Rochester.

Three Percent director Chad Post shared with The Associated Press a letter from the NEA, saying it would now “prioritize projects” ranging from historically

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO

The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, home of the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum is in Washington.

Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.

“The NEA will now prioritize projects that elevate the Nation’s HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities,” the email reads in part, “assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and

veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.”

The NEH and NEA recently announced that they would be providing grants for Trump’s proposed “National Garden of American Heroes,” which would feature sculptures of an eclectic range of public figures from Benjamin Franklin to Kobe Bryant.

The NEA and NEH were established in the mid-1960s, part

of a wave of domestic initiatives during President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, and have become an essential part of the country’s cultural infrastructure. At least two of Monday’s Pulitzer Prize winners are former NEA honorees. Novelist Percival Everett, whose “James” won the Pulitzer for fiction, and poetry winner Marie Howe each have been awarded creative writing fellowships.

Republicans have targeted NEA in the past.

In the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan proposed phas-

ing it out, but backed off after an advisory panel he had assembled noted the financial benefits of NEA funding. A few years later, North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms was among those angered by NEA grants to artists such as photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and performance artist Karen Finley and demanded the endowment be shut down. A bipartisan compromise saved the endowment.

During his first term, Trump also called for the NEA to be defunded, but the money was restored by Congress.

DEBATE from page A1 liefs. Instead, members are given cases to discuss and make their own decisions about what they consider the best position.

Teams can, and often do, come to similar conclusions. It is — and this is important — OK for them to agree. Scoring is based on how deeply they explore the issues, including other viewpoints.

Robert Ladenson, who developed the Ethics Bowl as a college philosophy classroom exercise back in 1993 and went on to lead the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for decades, explains what he considers an ethical understanding of an issue in an oral history for the University of Illinois in 2023.

It means “having some capacity to view, from the inside, the ethical outlooks of people who disagree with you. That means not simply being aware of what they’ve said or what they’ve written, or being able to develop a nifty debaters’ responses to the viewpoints they hold — but really looking inside the other view and trying to understand it from the other person’s way of looking at the world.”

That plays out at Ethics Bowl.

Take the case “See Spot Clone,” about whether it is ever ethical to clone a pet.

Harpeth Hall from Nashville starts the discussion with six minutes to present their thoughts. There are millions of homeless pets, so the ethical choice is to adopt, they believe. Cloning is self-serving for the human. The pet cannot consent. Also, cloning may involve unknown health issues for the cloned pet. The team also believes that it is important for people to confront death.

Now it is the turn of team B, Miami’s Archimedean Upper Conservatory — not to attack and refute, but to ask questions that expand the discussion. What about pet breeders? Where do they fit on the ethical continuum? Also, what’s so wrong with cloning a pet for your own happiness? Are all

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Midtown High School Ethics Bowl teammates Eric Snell, left, and Eve Nahmias speak with coach Eddy Nahmias, Eve’s father, last month in Chapel Hill. selfish pursuits bad?

Next, the judges ask questions. What if there were no possible health problems for the cloned animal? What if the animal is not cloned to comfort an owner but for a more noble purpose? Would it be ethical to clone a skilled search-and-rescue dog?

In a society awash in shortcuts and simple solutions, simply setting the ground rules for contentious conversations like these can be a high hill to climb. At the Ethics Bowl, though, it’s part of the point: The process of conversation is as important as the outcome.

And subtlety matters.

A good Ethics Bowl case is one where “two well-meaning individuals can take in all of the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite, value-driven answers,” says Alex Richardson, who directed the National Bowl for five years.

The cases students grapple

with include real-life scenarios pulled from the headlines, like the less-than-respectful response to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. There are also more philosophical issues, like whether humans should pursue immortality. And there are dilemmas that teenagers deal with every day, like whether not posting on Instagram about a hate crime in your community makes you complicit.

That last case was a difficult one for the team from Harpeth Hall, they say, but it helped them clarify some of their thoughts around social media.

Teams have been discussing a group of cases for weeks, but they don’t know which they’ll be asked about. Once the question is read, they are given a few minutes to discuss. That’s when one or two of the teammates generally scurry around the table to huddle. Intense whispering and furious scrib-

bling ensue.

There is a winning team and a trophy. But students say it is not competitive in a traditional sense.

“It’s not about beating people,” says Lizzie Lyman, whose first-year team from Midtown High School in Atlanta lost in the semifinals. “When it’s about constructively answering a question and just having a really interesting, engaging conversation, that’s where you get to have all these amazing conversations.”

Part of the point of the Ethics Bowl is to create well-rounded students who ingest other viewpoints and engage without arguing. A 2022 survey of participants in nationals found that 100% believed that their critical thinking skills had improved. A large majority said their ethical or political beliefs had changed.

There is clearly a thirst for a different kind of competition.

The National High School Ethics Bowl is only 12 years old and this year saw 550 teams competing in regional bowls around the country.

Sona Zarkou, also on the BASIS Flagstaff team, sees herself as a case study in Ethics Bowl benefits. When she practiced debate, she says, she was “kind of a jerk” — “very quick to attack and very rude.” In Ethics Bowl, she sees herself “turn the discussion to something a lot more respectful, a lot more truth-oriented.”

Rhiannon Boyd, a judge at this year’s competition, a high school teacher and coach and the organizer of the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, has seen the positive changes. Two of her students last year were on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Their disagreement was great. Could they be on the same team together? In the end, both joined and made it all the way to nationals.

Forsyth SPORTS With Popovich, it was Olympic ties that truly bind Former Team USA players reflected on the legendary coach after he announced his retirement

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press IT WAS DEC. 4, 2021. The game was over. San Anto‑ nio knocked off Golden State 112‑107. And when the final buzzer sounded, Draymond Green didn’t seem bothered whatsoever by the loss.

He just wanted to talk to Pop. The announcement by the San Antonio Spurs that Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all‑time coaching wins leader — is stepping down as coach after 29 seasons deeply resonat‑ ed throughout the league. And it clearly hit Green hard, the longtime Golden State forward saying he can’t fathom what it’ll be like to not see Popovich on the sideline anymore.

“Coach Pop is incredible,” Green said. “And none of us knew when that day would come that he’d hang them up.

But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running down the court, seeing him on the sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him and winning a gold medal.”

Green is one of eight play‑ ers who went against a Popo‑ vich-coached team more than 50 times in an NBA game. But it’s the time he spent playing for Popovich — in USA Basketball’s

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there.”

Draymond Green run to an Olympic gold med‑ al at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — that stands out to Green.

It wasn’t uncommon for Popovich to chat with or em‑ brace opposing players before, during or after games during his career. Those who played for him on that Olympic team, without fail, always found the time to engage with their coach in Tokyo.

“You’ve got that bond,” Mi‑ ami center and two-time gold medalist Bam Adebayo said af‑ ter one of the Heat-Spurs games in the years that followed the Tokyo Olympics. “You’re going to have that bond forever after what we did, after what Pop led us to.”

Everyone on that U.S. team knew what the Olympic victory meant to Popovich, who stud‑ ied at the U.S. Air Force Acade‑ my and unsuccessfully tried out to play for the 1972 U.S. Olym‑ pic team. A half-century or so later, he got to lead his country to gold instead.

Popovich officially had Gold‑ en State coach Steve Kerr (who succeeded him as USA Basket‑ ball’s head coach for the 2024 Paris Games) on his Olym‑

pic staff as an assistant, along with the Indiana Pacers’ Lloyd Pierce and Villanova’s Jay Wright. Unofficially, he had a who’s who of the coaching com‑ munity as part of his think tank that summer — a list that in‑ cluded, among many others, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, long‑ time NBA coach Jeff Van Gun‑ dy and Ime Udoka, who had both played and coached for Popovich in San Antonio.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best do it — or the best to do it,” Udoka said. “I’m glad I got a chance to work with him, learn from him and call him a friend.”

Green walked off the court arm in arm with Popovich on that December 2021 night, smiling and chatting, the loss on the scoreboard almost com‑ pletely forgotten. That was the first game between the Spurs and the Warriors after those Olympics.

Green gave Popovich the shoes he wore in the 2021 gold-medal win over France as a gift; Popovich, he said, had them on for that first Spurs-Warriors game following the Olympics.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there,” Green said.

“And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game. ... He’s meant so much to this league, and he means so much to me. Job well done, well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”

United States players put a gold medal on head coach Gregg Popovich during the men’s basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

SPONSORED BY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Kaiden Erler

@‌K AIDENERLER_ / INSTAGRAM

Forsyth Country Day, boys’ lacrosse Kaiden Erler is sophomore on the Forsyth Country Day boys’ lacrosse team.

Erler has scored in three straight games for the Furies, including two goals on four shots and an assist against Charlotte Christian, and a goal and two assists against Greensboro Day. In his last game, against Asheville Independent, he had five goals on 10 shots on goal as well as a half-dozen assists.

Erler leads NC Independent Schools District 2 in assists and is sixth in goals. He has tallied three games with seven assists this year. No one else in the nation has more than one.

Logano gets 1st win of season in OT at Texas The defending cup champion led just seven laps in the win

lap 75 ended that streak that had matched the eighth-longest in Cup Series history. He was the first car out of the race.

After the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lost power, some‑ thing blew up when Hamlin re‑ cycled the engine. There were flames coming out from under the car, and it was engulfed in smoke by the time it rolled to a stop on the inside of the track and Hamlin climbed out un‑ harmed.

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Reigning NASCAR Cup cham‑ pion Joey Logano surged ahead on the restart in overtime at Texas on Sunday to get his first victory this season.

Logano led only seven of the 271 laps, four more than sched‑ uled at the 11/2-mile track. He had started 27th in the 11th race this year.

It came a week after Team Penske teammate Austin Cin‑ dric’s win at Talladega, where Logano had a fifth-place fin‑ ish that became 39th after a postrace inspection found an issue with the spoiler on his No. 22 Ford. There was also Lo‑ gano’s expletive-laden rant on the radio toward his teammate in the middle of that race that the two smoothed out during the week.

On the final restart after the 12th caution, Logano was on the inside of his other team‑ mate, Ryan Blaney. But Logano pulled away on the backstretch and stayed easily in front the final 11/2 laps, while Ross Chastain then passed Blaney to finish second.

Logano got his 37th career

Youngest polesitter

LARRY PAPKE / AP PHOTO

Joey Logano celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway. victory, getting the lead for the first time on lap 264. He went low to complete a pass of Mi‑ chael McDowell, who on a cau‑ tion with 47 laps left took only two tires and moved up 15 spots to second.

McDowell got loose a few laps after that being passed by Logano and crashed to bring out the caution that sent the race to overtime. He finished 26th.

Odds and ends Chase Elliott left Texas last spring with his first victory af‑ ter 42 races and 18 months with‑ out one. He hasn’t won since and now has another long win‑ less drought — this one 38 races and nearly 13 months after fin‑ ishing 16th. ... A crew member for Christopher Bell crawled in through the passenger side of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

and was fully in the car to recon‑ nect an air hose to the driver’s helmet during a caution in the second stage. It took two stops during that caution, and twice climbing into the car, to resolve the issue.

Fiery end to Hamlin streak Denny Hamlin had finished on the lead lap in 21 consecu‑ tive races, but a fiery finish on

Carson Hocevar, McDow‑ ell’s 22-year-old teammate with Spire Motorsports, was the youngest polesitter ever in Tex‑ as. He led the first 22 laps of the race, losing it while pitting during the first caution. He fin‑ ished 24th after a late accident.

Stage cautions Both in-race stages finished under caution. Cindric won Stage 1 after Hamlin’s issues, and Kyle Larson took the second after a yellow flag came out be‑ cause of debris on the track af‑ ter the right rear tire on Chris Buescher’s car came apart.

Larson got his 68th overall stage win and his sixth at Texas, with both marks being records.

He has won a stage in each of the last five Cup races at Texas, start‑ ing in his 2021 win there.

the better pa ing to earn a stitutions,” U don’t know w now.”

The outbre for millions taking virtu while also d about tuition

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT GOLF

Dent, among top black golfers on PGA Tour Champions, dead at 85 Jim Dent died a week before his 86th birthday. Dent was one of the top black golfers of his generation, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions.

He started out as a caddie at the municipal course in Augusta, Georgia, known as The Patch. Dent went from caddying to the PGA Tour. He never won a tour event. His best finish was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.

NFL

Former agent for Elway dies after golf cart accident La Quinta, Calif.

California authorities say the death of Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s business partner and former agent, in a golf cart accident appears to be a horrific accident. The sheriff’s department is investigating the incident. A witness says Elway was at the scene of the crash and several reports claim Elway was driving the golf cart. The 62-year-old Sperbeck died after his injury at the Madison Club near Palm Springs. Sperbeck was Elway’s longtime agent during Elway’s time on the Denver Broncos, his business partner and his close friend.

GOLF

Scheffler matches PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in 8-shot win McKinney, Texas Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, finishing at 253 and running away with an eight-shot victory at his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The top-ranked player, who closed with a 63 to finish at 31 under par, tied the mark set by Justin Thomas in 2017 and matched six years later by Ludvig Aberg. Scheffler was in position to break the record before a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

MLB

20-year-old man who fell to the warning track at Pirates game awake Pittsburgh The fan who fell from a 21-foot‑high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game is awake and alert. Kavan Markwood, the 20-year-old who slipped off a railing and onto the field during a game, is improving. Markwood has made significant progress since being admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. The team’s internal investigation says Markwood did not purchase any alcohol, but one of the people who attended the game with him did legally buy alcoholic beverages.

SOCCER

Soccer organizations might have to cover care costs for ex-players with dementia London Soccer organizations in Britain could be forced to pay toward the care costs of ex-players who have suffered brain conditions caused by heading balls, under proposals to be tabled in Parliament. Campaigners are drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill with the aim of treating it as an “industrial injuries issue” and overseeing a scheme to provide care and support for those affected. The proposals seek to require the industry, to provide the necessary financial support.

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden does box jumps as part of his physical workout, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune the entire body for strength and endurance in racing.

Don’t think race car drivers are elite athletes? Give their workouts a try Circuit training with weights, core exercises, rowing and ski machines help drivers prepare

By Jim Vertuno The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — First came the mounting tension in the shoulders and the weakening grip while carrying 25-pound weights.

Then the labored breathing while ripping through the row‑ ing and skiing simulators, and the pain in the thighs on the box jumps.

Topping it off: The strain on the neck simulating what it feels like to hit the brakes while rac‑ ing at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and the G-forces felt though sweeping turns.

Welcome to the workout rou‑ tine for two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune his body for strength and endurance in racing.

“You’re taxing every part of the body, which is what happens in an IndyCar,” Newgarden said. “There’s no power steer‑ ing, you’re pulling high G-forc‑ es, it’s hot and your heart rate is elevated. Everything is being stressed.”

Newgarden trainer Jeff Rich‑ ter designs the workout routine for the driver. It’s a nonstop cir‑ cuit of weight lifting, rowing and ski machines, core stretches and balance exercises, burpees and broad jumping, with only a few seconds rest between each exercise.

Picking the most fit athlete is a topic that tends to be a conver‑ sation starter. Wrestlers? En‑ durance runners? Water polo players? Boxers, swimmers, cross-country skiers?

Race car drivers don’t tend to end up high on any of those lists; they just sit and drive ... right?

Not so fast.

Drivers across every elite se‑ ries do some kind of physi‑ cal training, from Newgarden’s cross-fit training to the endur‑

“You have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing.”

Joey Logano ance training and reaction-time exercises of Formula 1 drivers.

Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is a fitness buff who has run the Boston Mara‑ thon.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano questions why anyone might not consider top-level drivers to be elite athletes.

The fitness challenges are dif‑ ferent from basketball or foot‑ ball but still real, he said.

“I run a fair amount, I lift some. We don’t want to be big and bulky inside a race car. But you have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance

is a huge thing,” Logano said.

Race fans are becoming more aware of the physical demands drivers face behind the wheel, Newgarden said.

“People aren’t as in the dark,” Newgarden said. “Twenty years ago, people might say, ‘I have a car, I drive to the grocery store every day, it can’t be that diffi‑ cult.’ The physical demand is ex‑ tremely high. It’s not whoever is the fittest is going to win the race, but it plays a factor. The appreciation is gaining ground.”

One of the most notable chal‑ lenges for IndyCar drivers, and perhaps most unknown ele‑ ment of the series for the casual fan, is that Indy cars do not have power steering, something most people take for granted.

Newgarden and other driv‑ ers train to handle the strain on their shoulders, neck and grip needed to muscle a 1,700-pound car through a race, whether navigating a street course like St. Petersburg, Florida, or rip‑ ping around the high-speed oval at the Indianapolis 500.

NHL players are all about pregame routine, whether it’s naps or walking the dog Doing the same thing every game day helps players get in the right frame of mind

By Pat Graham The Associated Press BEFORE GAMES, Dal‑ las forward Matt Duchene re‑ lies on the same, tried-andtrue routine. He blocks out a two‑hour window for a nap, eats an identical meal — pas‑ ta and salmon — and spends time reviewing notes he’s made in his journal.

Like many NHL players and coaches, Duchene is a creature of habit. Little pregame ritu‑ als and routines help them slip into the proper frame of mind for the next big game.

These familiar patterns can be sleep- or food-related. Or revolve around how they get dressed for a game. Or the way they warm up. Or how they tinker with their hockey sticks. Or be as simple as tak‑ ing their dog for a walk.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re super‑ stitious,” Avalanche defense‑ man Erik Johnson explained.

“Lots of guys have routines.”

One frequent requirement — sneaking in a pregame nap.

If they can’t sleep, at least they log some chill time.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious. Lots of guys have routines.”

Erik Johnson “I nap around the same time, that’s just routine more than ritual. I was a little bit more (superstitious) when I was younger, but with my life the way it is, I’ve kind of had to change my schedule on the fly with a busy household,” said Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has four kids, including triplets. “I try not to overthink it.”

Following morning home skates, Carolina forward Mark Jankowski typically takes Lucy, his 6-year-old golden re‑ triever, for a stroll.

“Get some sunlight,” said Jankowski, who was acquired by the Hurricanes in March.

“Get the legs moving a little bit.”

Then, a pregame meal for Jankowski, followed by slip‑ ping on a pair of Normatec boots — compression thera‑ py to enhance circulation. He naps (60-90 minutes) before taking off for the rink.

As part of his pregame rou‑

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Hurricanes’ Mark Jankowski (77), who likely walked his golden retriever earlier in the day, fights for the puck with Montreal Canadiens’ Jake Evans during a March game. tine, Tomas Hertl cranks up the tunes. These days, his playlist is heavy Czech music because it’s been setting the proper goal-scoring mood.

“I’m the kind of guy who can listen to everything,” Hertl said. “I like just the songs I kind of know I can sing along.

I have a terrible voice, I can’t sing, but this I do by myself.”

Other ways that players loosen up for a game: Gus‑ tavsson, like many, kicks around a soccer ball, while Ve‑ gas defenseman Noah Hanifin takes a cold plunge. Hanifin’s teammate Brayden McNabb chomps on gum (peppermint) in warmups.

Players spend all sorts of time making sure their equip‑ ment is as prepared as them.

Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin spray-paints the bot‑ tom of his sticks to add a lit‑ tle extra weight. Stars forward Mason Marchment makes

sure his stick is stiff and new‑ ly taped.

Duchene slightly tweaks his routine depending on if it’s a road or home game. On the road, he includes rice with his pasta and salmon. At home, it’s salad. He also naps in a hyperbaric chamber before home games.

“As a younger player, I was extremely superstitious, and I hated it,” said Duchene, who writes the title of a song — “Jim Bob” by Hardy — on his stick. “I did everything to the minute before a game. I was almost obsessive about it. I got away from it a few years back.

“My biggest thing is you do what you do to get prepared, and then you just throw the gear on and go play,” he add‑ ed. “That’s the most pure form of playing hockey. That’s how you do it your whole life. You don’t need to do ‘A-through-Z’ to get ready.”

B3

Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

the stream

PEACOCK / NETFLIX / ACORN TV VIA AP

“Poker Face,” “Forever” and “Safe House” land on a screen near you this week.

Lyonne back in ‘Poker Face,’ spy thriller ‘Black Bag, Vaughn hits kitchen in ‘Nonnas’ Blake Shelton drops first album in four years The Associated Press NEW YORK — The popular whodunit series “Poker Face” starring Natasha Lyonne re‑ turning for its second season and Steven Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” are some of the new tele‑ vision, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the stream‑ ing offerings worth your time: Blake Shelton releasing a new full-length album, gamers can fight off all sorts of gnarly wild‑ life in the sci-fi world of Re‑ venge of the Savage Planet and there’s a new Lifetime docu‑ mentary series about the coun‑ try music iconic family the Judds.

MOVIES TO STREAM Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” (stream‑ ing now on Peacock), stars Mi‑ chael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as married British intelligence operatives whose agency has a mole that needs ferreting out. In his review, AP film writer Jake Coyle praised the third collaboration be‑ tween Soderbergh and screen‑ writer David Koepp (“Presence, “Kimi”): “Their movie adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel, yet hinges on the sturdiness of its married couple, like a super spy version of Nick and Nora from ‘The Thin Man’ or a more cere‑ bral ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith.’”

In “Nonnas” (Friday on Net‑ flix), Vince Vaughn stars as Jody “Joe” Scaravella, an MTA work‑ er who, after the death of his mother, opens up a traditional Italian restaurant to honor her memory. He hires only grand‑ mothers — played by Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Susan Sa‑ randon and Brenda Vaccaro — to do the cooking.

James Jones’ documenta‑ ry “Antidote,” playing as part of PBS’ “Frontline,” follows the Bulgarian investigative journal‑ ist Christo Grozev, a prominent reporter on the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, and Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of activist Vladimir Ka‑ ra-Murza, who was poisoned twice and sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison. The film, now streaming on PBS and the PBS app, details the lives of op‑ ponents to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

If the end of season three of “White Lotus” has you down, a new film series on the Criteri‑ on Channel collects some bril‑ liant tales of trouble in sea‑

CLAUDETTE BARIUS / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

Michael Fassbender, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan star in “Black Bag,” now streaming on Peacock. documentary series, “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told” will pre‑ miere, becoming available to stream the following day. The show promises to peek behind the curtain, getting at the heart of the family’s triumphs and tragedies.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

NETFLIX / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

The films “Nonnas” and “Black Bag” are available for streaming this week. side locales. The series, dubbed “Coastal Thrillers” includes gems like “Key Largo” (1948), “The Breaking Point” (1950) and “The Ghost Writer” (2010).

MUSIC TO STREAM After four years, country star Shelton will release a new fulllength album, “For Recreation‑ al Use Only.” It kicked off with the rocking, George Strait-ref‑ erencing immediate radio hit “Texas,” followed by the HAR‑ DY-penned ballad “Let Him In Anyway.” This is classic Shel‑ ton, with a few notable collab‑ orations: with John Anderson, Craig Morgan and his wife, Gwen Stefani.

Regional Mexican music — a catchall term that encompass‑

“(‘Black Bag’) adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel…”

Jake Coyle, AP film writer es mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres — has become a global phenomenon over the last few years. Hitmakers Grupo Firme are at least partially responsi‑ ble for the growth. On Thurs‑ day, the Sinaloan norteño ban‑ da will release “EVOLUCIÓN,” their first new album in three years.

On Saturday, a new Lifetime

An ex-cop gets asked by a former colleague to let a family in danger hide out in his guest‑ house. What could go wrong?

A lot, apparently. Christopher Eccleston (also remembered as the ninth doctor in BBC’s “Doc‑ tor Who,”) stars alongside Mar‑ sha Thomason. “Safe House” is streaming now on Acorn TV. It’s part of its first Murder Mys‑ tery May where they’re stream‑ ing crime dramas and whodun‑ its all month long.

The popular whodunit, “Pok‑ er Face,” starring Lyonne re‑ turns to Peacock for its sec‑ ond season Thursday. Lyonne stars as Charlie, a woman with an innate ability to know when someone is lying. “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson is the creator and executive producer.

The show’s second season has more than 30 big name guest stars appearing, including Cyn‑ thia Erivo, John Mulaney, Katie Holmes and John Cho, to name a few.

Judy Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever” about teenage sexual‑ ity is the inspiration for a new Netflix series of the same name from Mara Brock Ali, who cre‑ ated acclaimed shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary

Jane.” This “Forever” features a predominantly black cast in a love story between two teens living in Los Angeles at its center. Lovie Simone and Mi‑ chael Cooper Jr. star. It drops Thursday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The goofy sci-fi shooter Jour‑ ney to the Savage Planet didn’t get the audience it deserved in 2020, thanks to some unfor‑ tunate corporate maneuvers that left its developers out in the cold. But they held onto the idea and started a new studio called Raccoon Logic, and now they’re unleashing Revenge of the Savage Planet. You’ve been dumped on a faraway rock, and you’ll need to explore every inch and fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife before you can “get re‑ venge on your former employ‑ er” (ahem). You can play solo or join forces with a friend online or on the couch. Blast off Thurs‑ day on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. Potboy? Sure, I knew a guy like that in high school. But that’s not the Potboy who stars in The Midnight Walk — this poor kid has a lantern for a head, and he can use its flame to keep warm or fend off ghouls.

It’s the debut title from Swed‑ ish studio MoonHood, whose founders are best-known for 2021’s eerie Lost in Random, and it has creepy stop-motion animation reminiscent of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The hike begins Thursday on PlayStation 5 and PC.

B4

Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 8, 2025

STATE & NATION States push for speed-limiters on cars of excessive speeders The tech would limit vehicles to a certain amount over the limit

By Jeff McMurray The Associated Press A TEENAGER who admit‑ ted being “addicted to speed” behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year be‑ fore he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph in a Seattle suburb, killing the driver and three of the five children she was trans‑ porting for a homeschool co-op.

After sentencing Chase Dan‑ iel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison, the judge tacked on a novel condi‑ tion should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerat‑ ing far beyond the speed limit.

Virginia this year became the first state to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dan‑ gerous drivers on the road. Wash‑ ington, D.C., already is using it, and similar measures await gov‑ ernors’ signatures in Washing‑ ton state and Georgia. New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths.

“It’s a horror no one should have to experience,” said Amy Cohen, who founded the victims’ advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year‑old son, Sammy Cohen Eckstein, was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago.

Andrea Hudson, 38, the min‑ ivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light, was build‑

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES VIA AP

People gather at a vigil in Renton, Washington, for Andrea Hudson, Matilda Wilcoxson, Eloise Wilcoxson and Boyd “Buster” Brown, who were killed in a March car crash. ing a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle be‑ tween homes during the school day, her father, Ted Smith, said.

Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson’s home in Renton, Washington, were Boyd “Buster” Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson, both 12, and Matil‑ da Wilcoxson, 13. Hudson’s two children were sitting on the pas‑ senger side and survived, but they spent weeks in a hospital.

“You always hear of these horrific accidents, and it’s al‑ ways far away, you don’t know anybody. But all of a sudden, that’s my daughter,” Smith said.

“This guy did not swerve or brake. And it was just a missile.”

Smith knew Washington state Rep. Mari Leavitt, who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring

legislation to mandate intelli‑ gent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speed‑ ers to get back their suspended licenses.

Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privi‑ leges, citing studies showing around three-quarters of peo‑ ple who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway.

Between 2019 and 2024, the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 50 mph over the speed limit, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“I guess I don’t understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast,” Leavitt said. “But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limit‑ er, they can’t. It’s going to stop them in their tracks.”

The measure, which Wash‑ ington legislators passed last month and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign, is called the BEAM Act, using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Bust‑ er, Eloise, Andrea and Matilda.

Because Jones, 19, didn’t re‑ ceive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes, he like‑ ly wouldn’t have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one. And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect, the judge’s require‑ ment at sentencing only applies to his time on probation af‑ ter being released from prison, Smith said.

Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance.

Brandy Nannini, chief gov‑ ernment affairs officer at one manufacturer, Grapevine, Tex‑ as-based Smart Start, said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation’s capital have been trying it out for years.

But it took a lot of refine‑ ment before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehi‑ cles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly.

“We’ve got a lot more satel‑ lites in the sky now,” said Ken Denton, a retired police offi‑ cer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based Life‑ Safer, part of the coalition of companies.

When court-mandated, the devices would prevent cars

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine — For‑ mer Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polariz‑ ing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Con‑ gress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for anoth‑ er term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democrat‑ ic Rep. Jared Golden. The dis‑ trict is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021.

Washington four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consec‑

utive presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight as

governor with incendiary state‑ ments about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political ri‑ val he said would “give it to the people without providing Vase‑ line.” He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Don‑ ald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at ev‑ ery turn as he works to fix prob‑ lems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for four

from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set. An override button allows speeding in emergencies, but states can decide whether to ac‑ tivate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed.

A more passive version, which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast, is required for new cars in the European Union.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, explaining vehicle safety re‑ quirements are set by the feder‑ al government and he was con‑ cerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion.

Before Del. Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature, he tried out the device in Nannini’s car, which was calibrated to not go more than 9 mph over the speed limit.

“That was my first question: Is it safe?” Hope said.

Not only did he come away convinced it was safe, Hope is now pondering whether to in‑ stall it on the cars of his three children, all of whom are new drivers.

For those mandated by a court, the price could be hefty: $4 per day and a $100 instal‑ lation fee. The fee would be re‑ duced for low-income offenders.

Cohen with Families for Safe Streets, which provides sup‑ port services to the loved ones of crash victims, knows first‑ hand the kind of impact slow‑ ing down speeders can make.

A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment, another boy was injured in the same spot.

By then, the road’s speed lim‑ it had been lowered.

“That boy lived when he was hit, and mine did not,” she said. “When you are going a few miles slower, there’s more time to stop. And when you hit somebody, it’s much less likely to be deadly.”

years while LePage was gover‑ nor. A spokesperson for Gold‑ en said the congressman is pri‑ oritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fight‑ ing Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retire‑ ment.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the gov‑ ernor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the can‑ didates are, the 2nd Congres‑ sional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 be‑ cause Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

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HOKE COUNTY THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NICK WASS / AP PHOTO

Never in doubt Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in Carolina’s 2-1 win over the Capitals on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., giving them a 1-0 lead in their Stanley Cup Playoffs second round series.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Republican concedes court election to Democratic incumbent Raleigh The Republican challenger for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat has conceded last November’s election to the Democratic incumbent. Jefferson Griffin said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would not appeal a federal judge’s decision favoring Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s decision sets the stage for Riggs to be officially elected to an eightyear term as an associate justice. It would end the nation’s last undecided race from the 2024 general election. The federal judge said disputed ballots challenged by Griffin must remain in the final tally and ordered results to be certified to show Riggs is the winner by 734 votes.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

$2.00

Commissioners approve special use permit, no water allocation granted The 45-unit townhome project was submitted before the county’s construction halt

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal RAEFORD — The Hoke County Board of Commissioners met May 5 for a fairly brief meeting.

The board undertook only a single action item, holding a public hearing for a special use permit submitted by AGS Land.

The permit was for an unaddressed parcel of land totalling approximately 56 acres located on Scull Rd. in order to construct up to 45-units of townhomes on a portion of the property.

Currently, the project allows for the construction of 16 single-family residential units.

“A lot has taken place since we first came before the board, but this is almost a year old now and kind of sitting in a situation where we couldn’t go forward or backward,” said developer Ben Stout. “The project, as originally presented, we’re super comfortable with, but my projections down the line, affordability is still going to be a concern and for us, it’s an opportunity to try and create a more affordable product.”

The project was originally approved for rezoning by the planning board in 2023, but was tabled by the board in 2024.

“Recently, we decided to stop the building of new homes and infrastructures as of April 28,” said vice chair Harry Southerland. “So any application we received prior to that date, could be subject to approval.

This conditional use met the requirements, but anything go-

“We’re working now with the state of North Carolina to put together more water infrastructure.”

Vice Chair Harry Southerland ing forward will not come before this board because we’re not approving anything until we get the infrastructure in place.”

“We’ve been working on this long before the current issues that we’re all facing,” Stout said. “We’re in it just like everyone else, but we’d love to see the project move forward.”

Following the hearing, the board approved the request.

“This does not mean we’re approving this for water allocation,” said Commissioner Al-

len Thomas. “We have seen this before and tabled it to get more information. He’s done his due diligence and I see no reason as of this point to not approve the special use permit and as I said, the water allocation would be something that happens later.”

“We’re working now with the state of North Carolina and also with our utilities department to put together more water infrastructure,” Southerland said.

The board had another planning matter – a request for the construction of townhomes on four acres of property located on RL Smith Ln. – as well as a presentation from Hoke County Schools Superintendent Kenneth Spells on the agenda, but both items were tabled until a later meeting.

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet May 19.

‘Ethics Bowl’ offers students alternative to debating With no assigned positions, teams explore rather than argue

By Travis Loller The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — At the National Speech and Debate Tournament, two high school students take the stage. The first articulates the position he has been assigned to defend — people should have a right to secede from their government — and why it is correct. Another student, assigned the opposite position, begins to systematically tear down her opponent’s views.

A year later and 800 miles away, two teams of high school students convene at the University of North Carolina for the National High School Ethics Bowl finals. A moderator asks about the boundaries of discourse — when a public fig-

ure dies, how do you weigh the value and harm of critical commentary about their life?

Teams have not been assigned positions. One presents their ideas. The opposing team asks questions that help everyone to think about the issue more deeply. No one attacks.

Many a young debater may learn the rhetorical skills to become a successful lawyer or politician, subduing an opponent through wit and wordplay.

But are they learning skills that will make them better citizens of an increasingly complex and contentious republic?

In an age when many Americans are wondering whether it is still possible to have a principled, respectful disagreement over important issues, proponents of Ethics Bowl say it points the way.

In Ethics Bowl, teams aren’t assigned a specific position on See BOWL, page A4

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Three judges listen to questioning during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl in Chapel Hill last month.

A2

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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Mom reunites with 911 operator who helped deliver baby Sarah Gianni unexpectedly went into labor

Sarah Gianni and her two sons pose in front of the ‘Tree of Life’ with Lorie Teague holding Daisy, the baby she helped deliver over the phone.

By Dan Reeves North State Journal PITTSBORO — Reporters surrounded 911 telecommunicator Lorie Teague as she cradled Daisy Gianni, a bubbling, healthy 8-pound, 1-ounce baby girl who had popped into the world just two weeks prior, thanks to a bit of help from someone on the other end of the phone.

Teague was preparing to eat breakfast when an urgent early morning call came in to the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center. 911 operators never know what might be on the other end of the phone, but this wasn’t an incoming report of a car crash or a house fire. Instead, she professionally answered the trembling voice of Corinne Townsend, who said that her 36-year-old and very pregnant daughter, Sarah Gianni, had unexpectedly gone into labor.

“I started having contractions just after six that morning and was preparing to head to the

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

“It’s just a part of my job, I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Lorrie Teague, Chatham County hospital,” Gianni said. “I had just put the kids in the car when my water broke. My husband was already at work, but thankfully, my mom was there and called 911.”

Teague began talking both mothers through each step of

the delivery and, crucially, helped Townsend stay relaxed as they delivered Daisy together.

She was born without incident at 6:56 a.m., before EMS arrived.

Two weeks later, Sarah and Lorie — those voices on each end of the phone — got to meet each other, and mom got to show off her new arrival to the woman whose calm, professional demeanor helped make it possible.

“It’s just a part of my job,” said Teague. “I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Daisy is the second baby she has helped deliver, said Teague, who worked with the Pittsboro Police Department and as a

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paramedic before joining the 911 center.

Since the 911 Center opened in its new location in September 2023, telecommunicators have assisted with the delivery of four babies.

“We have a ‘Tree of Life’ on our wall here at the 911 Center, so we can celebrate positive outcomes that our telecommunicators have assisted in critical moments such as baby deliveries and CPR saves,” said Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director. “It’s really special to show the Gianni family their pink leaf on the tree, which represents Daisy.”

Chatham County Emergency Communications is open to answer calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with 27 certified telecommunicators dispatching the county’s fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies — and acting as a lifeline both for those emergency responders and members of the public.

Adam Gaines, assistant communications director, says staffing is heaviest during the day when call volume is highest.

And it’s not just Chatham County that they’re supporting.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the state, disabling emergency call centers in western North Carolina, Gaines’ operators started taking emergency calls from as far away as Yancey, Watauga and Madison counties. “We were getting nine calls a minute,” he said.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: hokecommunity@northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep. He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart.

Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of

the mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

What does Russia want?

Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place.

RUSSIA’S WAR to conquer Ukraine has been raging since February 2022.

At first, the Russian offensive seemed fated for success: Russian troops came within a few kilometers of Kyiv, and Western powers offered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exit from the country. Zelenskyy refused; Ukrainian forces proceeded to hold off and reverse the Russian offensive. Within a few weeks, the battle lines solidified, with Russia continuing to hold much of the territory in the East and Crimea they had held since 2014. The only potential solution was the obvious solution: an armistice essentially freezing the lines of conflict and security guarantees to Ukraine sufficient to deter another Russian attack.

But no solution could be found.

Russia demonstrated little interest, after mid‑2022, in any negotiated end to the war.

President Donald Trump came into office pledging to end the war — a war that has cost Ukrainians at least 50,000 dead and the Russians as many as 200,000 dead.

To that end, he pressured Zelenskyy to come to the table. Zelenskyy eventually did, offering an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has thus far refused any such ceasefire — presumably because he hopes that the Trump administration will pull its support from Ukraine, thereby leaving the country vulnerable to a final Russian offensive.

And herein lies the problem for Trump.

He knows — as everyone knows — that the only off-ramp for the war lies in a

Korean War-style armistice. But Russia still refuses to come to the table, no matter the pleading and cajoling of special envoy Steve Witkoff, whose negotiating style seems to be warmly embracing various anti-American dictators, speaking kindly about them in public and then hoping they will give him what he seeks.

In order to reach an end to the war, therefore, the Trump administration ought to fully consider just what Russia wants at this point. And the answer happens to be surprisingly simple: Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place or a clear pathway to conquering Ukraine in the future.

We know this because Russia repeatedly says it.

Alexander Dugin, a philosopher and geopolitics expert known colloquially as “Putin’s brain,” spelled all of this out in his magnum opus, “Foundations of Geopolitics” (1997) — a book that was apparently used as a textbook at the General Staff Academy. For Dugin, the Russian spirit can only be animated by imperial dreams; regional power alone would be “tantamount to suicide for the Russian nation.”

The antithesis of the Russian spirit is “‘the West’ as a whole.” And Ukraine — an independent country that should be suffused with that “Russian spirit” but that wants to orient toward the West — represents a stinging rebuke to the Russian identity as a whole. Thus, Dugin argues, Ukraine must rejoin Russia or forever be condemned to a “puppet existence and geopolitical service” to the West.

Ukraine’s continued existence as a sovereign state, Dugin argues, “is tantamount to a monstrous blow to Russia’s geopolitical security, tantamount to an invasion of its territory.” Now, during the war, Dugin writes, “We must win the war in Ukraine, liberate the entire territory of this former country from the Nazi regime. Regardless of Trump’s victory or anything else, this imperative remains unchanged. Just as the ancient Roman consul Cato the Elder used to say, ‘Carthage must be destroyed,’ in our case, ‘Kiev must be taken.’”

So if the true Russian goal is the destruction or subjugation of Ukraine, how could Russia be brought to the table?

Only through the “peace through strength” policy Trump pursued during his first term. Only a Russia that believes that the West will refuse to surrender Ukraine will be pressured into an armistice.

Trump seems ready to consider that possibility; he’s now acknowledging publicly that Putin seems to be slow‑playing him. But the answer won’t be more sanctions. It will be a recognition that Ukraine’s sovereignty can only be guaranteed by force of arms — and that an off-ramp can only be achieved by a guarantee of that sovereignty.

Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

A4

North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to Washing-

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021. ton four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consecu-

tive presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight

as governor with incendiary statements about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political rival he said would “give it to the people without providing Vaseline.” He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House

BOWL from page A1 an issue that they have to defend regardless of their beliefs. Instead, members are given cases to discuss and make their own decisions about what they consider the best position. Teams can, and often do, come to similar conclusions. It is — and this is important — OK for them to agree. Scoring is based on how deeply they explore the issues, including other viewpoints.

Robert Ladenson, who developed the Ethics Bowl as a college philosophy classroom exercise back in 1993 and went on to lead the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for decades, explains what he considers an ethical understanding of an issue in an oral history for the University of Illinois in 2023.

It means “having some capacity to view, from the inside, the ethical outlooks of people who disagree with you. That means not simply being aware of what they’ve said or what they’ve written, or being able to develop a nifty debaters’ responses to the viewpoints they hold — but really looking inside the other view and trying to understand it from the other person’s way of looking at the world.”

That plays out at Ethics Bowl.

Take the case “See Spot Clone,” about whether it is ever ethical to clone a pet.

Harpeth Hall from Nashville starts the discussion with six minutes to present their thoughts. There are millions of homeless pets, so the ethical choice is to adopt, they believe. Cloning is self-serving for the human. The pet cannot consent. Also, cloning may involve unknown health issues for the cloned pet. The team also believes that it is important for people to confront death.

Now it is the turn of team B, Miami’s Archimedean Upper Conservatory — not to attack and refute, but to ask questions that expand the discussion. What about pet breed-

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Students from the Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey confer during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl. ers? Where do they fit on the ethical continuum? Also, what’s so wrong with cloning a pet for your own happiness? Are all selfish pursuits bad?

Next, the judges ask questions. What if there were no possible health problems for the cloned animal? What if the animal is not cloned to comfort an owner but for a more noble purpose? Would it be ethical to clone a skilled search-and-rescue dog?

In a society awash in shortcuts and simple solutions, simply setting the ground rules for contentious conversations like these can be a high hill to climb. At the Ethics Bowl, though, it’s part of the point: The process of con-

versation is as important as the outcome. And subtlety matters.

A good Ethics Bowl case is one where “two well-meaning individuals can take in all of the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite, value-driven answers,” says Alex Richardson, who directed the National Bowl for five years.

The cases students grapple with include real-life scenarios pulled from the headlines, like the less-than-respectful response to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. There are also more philosophical issues, like whether humans should pursue immortality. And there are dilemmas

that teenagers deal with every day, like whether not posting on Instagram about a hate crime in your community makes you complicit.

That last case was a difficult one for the team from Harpeth Hall, they say, but it helped them clarify some of their thoughts around social media.

Teams have been discussing a group of cases for weeks, but they don’t know which they’ll be asked about. Once the question is read, they are given a few minutes to discuss. That’s when one or two of the teammates generally scurry around the table to huddle. Intense whispering and furious scribbling ensue.

of Representatives for four years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

There is a winning team and a trophy. But students say it is not competitive in a traditional sense.

“It’s not about beating people,” says Lizzie Lyman, whose first-year team from Midtown High School in Atlanta lost in the semifinals. “When it’s about constructively answering a question and just having a really interesting, engaging conversation, that’s where you get to have all these amazing conversations.”

Part of the point of the Ethics Bowl is to create well-rounded students who ingest other viewpoints and engage without arguing. A 2022 survey of participants in nationals found that 100% believed that their critical thinking skills had improved. A large majority said their ethical or political beliefs had changed.

There is clearly a thirst for a different kind of competition.

The National High School Ethics Bowl is only 12 years old and this year saw 550 teams competing in regional bowls around the country.

Sona Zarkou, also on the BASIS Flagstaff team, sees herself as a case study in Ethics Bowl benefits. When she practiced debate, she says, she was “kind of a jerk” — “very quick to attack and very rude.” In Ethics Bowl, she sees herself “turn the discussion to something a lot more respectful, a lot more truth-oriented.”

Rhiannon Boyd, a judge at this year’s competition, a high school teacher and coach and the organizer of the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, has seen the positive changes. Two of her students last year were on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Their disagreement was great. Could they be on the same team together? In the end, both joined and made it all the way to nationals.

Their differing opinions remain. But now, Boyd says, they are “really good friends.”

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HOKE SPORTS Ejections, behavior concern NCHSAA president Unsportsmanlike behavior is on the rise at high school athletic events across the state

“What bothers me is we’re having this interfere with all the positives of high school athletics.”

By Bob Sutton North State Journal A RISE IN ejections across sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has raised the concern of Stephen Gainey.

Gainey, the superintendent of the Randolph County School System, is serving as NCHSAA president.

“I’m seeing sportsmanship issues,” Gainey said last week after the association’s spring meetings wrapped up. “I see it on the field. I see it in the stands.

And it’s very concerning to me.”

The number of ejections of players has increased dramatically during the 2024-25 school year, NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said.

For Gainey, who regularly attends sports competitions in Randolph County and at the state level in the postseason, there needs to be adjustments in behavior. In some ways, it stems from cultures within the programs.

“I’m just going to tell you, we have a problem,” Gainey said.

“We need to get it turned the other way. … What bothers me is we’re having this interfere with all the positives of high school athletics.”

Gainey said it’s possible to have less-confrontational en-

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Breno Radici

Stephen Gainey, RCSS superintendent

Stephen Gainey vironments for athletics. There have been more than 1,000 ejections this school year.

“We need to look and see if we can strengthen those consequences a little bit,” Gainey said. “If you look at our ejections, they just continue to rise from year to year. I have schools of my own that I get concerned about. I watch things going on there in the stands and on the court.”

Prior to the State Board of Education overseeing certain rules and structure, Tucker said NCHSAA penalties were stiffer, mandating a two-game suspension.

“Not that we want students to have more penalties,” she said, but deterrents to misbehavior generally result in fewer problems.

Fill out a bracket Regarding postseasons and

bracketing, Ratings Percentage Index will be used exclusively to seed teams. The best seeds will no longer be reserved for conference champions. In fact, conference regular-season and tournament champions won’t even been guaranteed spots in the postseason.

The RPI is a combination of a team’s winning percentage (40 percent), its opponents winning percentage (40 percent) and its opponents’ opponents winning percentage (20 percent).

Protecting conference champions would have been more problematic because of the expanded number of classifications. Many conferences have teams from multiple classifications.

Some schools have never been in a split conference, Gainey said. Now, there will be conferences with schools representing up to three classifications.

“This eight-class system was a result of a vote of membership,” he said. “We have to have some time to see how all this is going to work out.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Breno Radici is an activeduty sergeant first class in the Army, stationed at Fort Bragg. The Hoke native realized last fall he was getting close to retirement and felt he needed to do something about his weight and health. He began running and worked his way up to 3K and 5K races. Then, he had hernia surgery and was cleared to resume light running.

Instead, on May 3, 18 days after surgery, with no training, after not running at all in more than three weeks, he ran the Pittsburgh half marathon. He finished with a time of 3:16:30.

With Popovich, it was Olympic ties that truly bind Former Team USA players reflected on the legendary coach after he announced his retirement

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there.”

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press IT WAS DEC. 4, 2021. The game was over. San Antonio knocked off Golden State 112‑107. And when the final buzzer sounded, Draymond Green didn’t seem bothered whatsoever by the loss.

He just wanted to talk to Pop. The announcement by the San Antonio Spurs that Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all‑time coaching wins leader — is stepping down as coach after 29 seasons deeply resonated throughout the league. And it clearly hit Green hard, the longtime Golden State forward saying he can’t fathom what it’ll be like to not see Popovich on the sideline anymore.

“Coach Pop is incredible,” Green said. “And none of us knew when that day would come that he’d hang them up.

But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running down the court, seeing him on the

Draymond Green

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

United States players put a gold medal on head coach Gregg Popovich during the men’s basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics. sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him and winning a gold medal.”

Green is one of eight players who went against a Popovich-coached team more than 50 times in an NBA game. But it’s the time he spent playing for Popovich — in USA Basketball’s run to an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — that stands out to Green.

It wasn’t uncommon for Popovich to chat with or embrace opposing players before,

during or after games during his career. Those who played for him on that Olympic team, without fail, always found the time to engage with their coach in Tokyo.

“You’ve got that bond,” Miami center and two-time gold medalist Bam Adebayo said after one of the Heat-Spurs games in the years that followed the Tokyo Olympics. “You’re going to have that bond forever after what we did, after what Pop led us to.”

Everyone on that U.S. team knew what the Olympic victory meant to Popovich, who studied at the U.S. Air Force Academy and unsuccessfully tried out to play for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team. A half-century or so later, he got to lead his country to gold instead.

Popovich officially had Golden State coach Steve Kerr (who succeeded him as USA Basketball’s head coach for the 2024 Paris Games) on his Olympic staff as an assistant, along with the Indiana Pacers’ Lloyd Pierce and Villanova’s Jay Wright. Unofficially, he had a who’s who of the coaching community as part of his think tank that summer — a list that included, among many others, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gun-

dy and Ime Udoka, who had both played and coached for Popovich in San Antonio.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best do it — or the best to do it,” Udoka said. “I’m glad I got a chance to work with him, learn from him and call him a friend.”

Green walked off the court arm in arm with Popovich on that December 2021 night, smiling and chatting, the loss on the scoreboard almost completely forgotten. That was the first game between the Spurs and the Warriors after those Olympics.

Green gave Popovich the shoes he wore in the 2021 gold-medal win over France as a gift; Popovich, he said, had them on for that first Spurs-Warriors game following the Olympics.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there,” Green said.

“And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game. ... He’s meant so much to this league, and he means so much to me. Job well done, well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Logano gets 1st win of season in OT at Texas The defending cup champion led just seven laps in the win

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano surged ahead on the restart in overtime at Texas on Sunday to get his first victory this season.

Logano led only seven of the 271 laps, four more than scheduled at the 11/2-mile track. He had started 27th in the 11th race this year.

It came a week after Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric’s win at Talladega, where Logano had a fifth-place finish that became 39th after a postrace inspection found an

issue with the spoiler on his No. 22 Ford. There was also Logano’s expletive-laden rant on the radio toward his teammate in the middle of that race that the two smoothed out during the week.

On the final restart after the 12th caution, Logano was on the inside of his other teammate, Ryan Blaney. But Logano pulled away on the backstretch and stayed easily in front the final 11/2 laps, while Ross Chastain then passed Blaney to finish second.

Logano got his 37th career victory, getting the lead for the first time on lap 264. He went low to complete a pass of Michael McDowell, who on a caution with 47 laps left took only two tires and moved up 15 spots to second.

McDowell got loose a few

laps after that being passed by Logano and crashed to bring out the caution that sent the race to overtime. He finished 26th.

Odds and ends Chase Elliott left Texas last spring with his first victory after 42 races and 18 months without one. He hasn’t won since and now has another long winless drought — this one 38 races and nearly 13 months after finishing 16th. ... A crew member for Christopher Bell crawled in through the passenger side of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and was fully in the car to reconnect an air hose to the driver’s helmet during a caution in the second stage. It took two stops during that caution, and twice climbing into

the car, to resolve the issue.

Fiery end to Hamlin streak Denny Hamlin had finished on the lead lap in 21 consecutive races, but a fiery finish on lap 75 ended that streak that had matched the eighth-longest in Cup Series history. He was the first car out of the race.

After the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lost power, something blew up when Hamlin recycled the engine. There were flames coming out from under the car, and it was engulfed in smoke by the time it rolled to a stop on the inside of the track and Hamlin climbed out unharmed.

Youngest polesitter Carson

Hocevar,

McDow-

ell’s 22-year-old teammate with Spire Motorsports, was the youngest polesitter ever in Texas. He led the first 22 laps of the race, losing it while pitting during the first caution. He finished 24th after a late accident.

Stage cautions Both in-race stages finished under caution. Cindric won Stage 1 after Hamlin’s issues, and Kyle Larson took the second after a yellow flag came out because of debris on the track after the right rear tire on Chris Buescher’s car came apart.

Larson got his 68th overall stage win and his sixth at Texas, with both marks being records. He has won a stage in each of the last five Cup races at Texas, starting in his 2021 win there.

LARRY PAPKE / AP PHOTO

Joey Logano celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway.

SIDELINE REPORT GOLF

GOLF

Dent, among top black golfers on PGA Tour Champions, dead at 85

Scheffler matches PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in 8-shot win

Jim Dent died a week before his 86th birthday. Dent was one of the top black golfers of his generation, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions. He started out as a caddie at the municipal course in Augusta, Georgia, known as The Patch. Dent went from caddying to the PGA Tour. He never won a tour event. His best finish was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.

NFL

Former agent for Elway dies after golf cart accident La Quinta, Calif.

California authorities say the death of Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s business partner and former agent, in a golf cart accident appears to be a horrific accident. The sheriff’s department is investigating the incident. A witness says Elway was at the scene of the crash and several reports claim Elway was driving the golf cart. The 62-year-old Sperbeck died after his injury at the Madison Club near Palm Springs. Sperbeck was Elway’s longtime agent during Elway’s time on the Denver Broncos, his business partner and his close friend.

McKinney, Texas Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, finishing at 253 and running away with an eightshot victory at his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The top-ranked player, who closed with a 63 to finish at 31 under par, tied the mark set by Justin Thomas in 2017 and matched six years later by Ludvig Aberg. Scheffler was in position to break the record before a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

A weekly podcast getting to the facts across the state, around the world and at home HERE in Raeford, Hoke County, NC.

MLB

20-year-old man who fell to the warning track at Pirates game awake Pittsburgh The fan who fell from a 21-foot‑high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game is awake and alert.

Kavan Markwood, the 20-year-old who slipped off a railing and onto the field during a game, is improving. Markwood has made significant progress since being admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. The team’s internal investigation says Markwood did not purchase any alcohol, but one of the people who attended the game with him did legally buy alcoholic beverages.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

the stream

PEACOCK / NETFLIX / ACORN TV VIA AP

“Poker Face,” “Forever” and “Safe House” land on a screen near you this week.

Lyonne back in ‘Poker Face,’ spy thriller ‘Black Bag, Vaughn hits kitchen in ‘Nonnas’ Blake Shelton drops first album in four years The Associated Press NEW YORK — The popular whodunit series “Poker Face” starring Natasha Lyonne returning for its second season and Steven Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Blake Shelton releasing a new full-length album, gamers can fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife in the sci-fi world of Revenge of the Savage Planet and there’s a new Lifetime documentary series about the country music iconic family the Judds.

MOVIES TO STREAM Soderbergh’s sleek and lean spy thriller “Black Bag” (streaming now on Peacock), stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as married British intelligence operatives whose agency has a mole that needs ferreting out. In his review, AP film writer Jake Coyle praised the third collaboration between Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp (“Presence, “Kimi”): “Their movie adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel, yet hinges on the sturdiness of its married couple, like a super spy version of Nick and Nora from ‘The Thin Man’ or a more cerebral ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith.’”

In “Nonnas” (Friday on Netflix), Vince Vaughn stars as Jody “Joe” Scaravella, an MTA worker who, after the death of his mother, opens up a traditional Italian restaurant to honor her memory. He hires only grandmothers — played by Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Susan Sarandon and Brenda Vaccaro — to do the cooking.

James Jones’ documentary “Antidote,” playing as part of PBS’ “Frontline,” follows the Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, a prominent reporter on the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, and Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was poisoned twice and sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison. The film, now streaming on PBS and the PBS app, details the lives of opponents to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

If the end of season three of “White Lotus” has you down, a new film series on the Criterion Channel collects some brilliant tales of trouble in sea-

CLAUDETTE BARIUS / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

Michael Fassbender, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan star in “Black Bag,” now streaming on Peacock. documentary series, “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told” will premiere, becoming available to stream the following day. The show promises to peek behind the curtain, getting at the heart of the family’s triumphs and tragedies.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

NETFLIX / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP

The films “Nonnas” and “Black Bag” are available for streaming this week. side locales. The series, dubbed “Coastal Thrillers” includes gems like “Key Largo” (1948), “The Breaking Point” (1950) and “The Ghost Writer” (2010).

MUSIC TO STREAM After four years, country star Shelton will release a new fulllength album, “For Recreational Use Only.” It kicked off with the rocking, George Strait-referencing immediate radio hit “Texas,” followed by the HARDY-penned ballad “Let Him In Anyway.” This is classic Shelton, with a few notable collaborations: with John Anderson, Craig Morgan and his wife, Gwen Stefani.

Regional Mexican music — a catchall term that encompass-

“(‘Black Bag’) adopts the air of menace and suspicion of a John Le Carré novel…”

Jake Coyle, AP film writer es mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres — has become a global phenomenon over the last few years. Hitmakers Grupo Firme are at least partially responsible for the growth. On Thursday, the Sinaloan norteño banda will release “EVOLUCIÓN,” their first new album in three years.

On Saturday, a new Lifetime

An ex-cop gets asked by a former colleague to let a family in danger hide out in his guesthouse. What could go wrong?

A lot, apparently. Christopher Eccleston (also remembered as the ninth doctor in BBC’s “Doctor Who,”) stars alongside Marsha Thomason. “Safe House” is streaming now on Acorn TV. It’s part of its first Murder Mystery May where they’re streaming crime dramas and whodunits all month long.

The popular whodunit, “Poker Face,” starring Lyonne returns to Peacock for its second season Thursday. Lyonne stars as Charlie, a woman with an innate ability to know when someone is lying. “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson is the creator and executive producer.

The show’s second season has more than 30 big name guest stars appearing, including Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Katie Holmes and John Cho, to name a few.

Judy Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever” about teenage sexuality is the inspiration for a new Netflix series of the same name from Mara Brock Ali, who created acclaimed shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary

Jane.” This “Forever” features a predominantly black cast in a love story between two teens living in Los Angeles at its center. Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. star. It drops Thursday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The goofy sci-fi shooter Journey to the Savage Planet didn’t get the audience it deserved in 2020, thanks to some unfortunate corporate maneuvers that left its developers out in the cold. But they held onto the idea and started a new studio called Raccoon Logic, and now they’re unleashing Revenge of the Savage Planet. You’ve been dumped on a faraway rock, and you’ll need to explore every inch and fight off all sorts of gnarly wildlife before you can “get revenge on your former employer” (ahem). You can play solo or join forces with a friend online or on the couch. Blast off Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. Potboy? Sure, I knew a guy like that in high school. But that’s not the Potboy who stars in The Midnight Walk — this poor kid has a lantern for a head, and he can use its flame to keep warm or fend off ghouls.

It’s the debut title from Swedish studio MoonHood, whose founders are best-known for 2021’s eerie Lost in Random, and it has creepy stop-motion animation reminiscent of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The hike begins Thursday on PlayStation 5 and PC.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

STATE & NATION States push for speed-limiters on cars of excessive speeders The tech would limit vehicles to a certain amount over the limit

By Jeff McMurray The Associated Press A TEENAGER who admitted being “addicted to speed” behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph in a Seattle suburb, killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op.

After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison, the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit.

Virginia this year became the first state to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road. Washington, D.C., already is using it, and similar measures await governors’ signatures in Washington state and Georgia. New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths.

“It’s a horror no one should have to experience,” said Amy Cohen, who founded the victims’ advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year‑old son, Sammy Cohen Eckstein, was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago.

Andrea Hudson, 38, the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light, was build-

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES VIA AP

People gather at a vigil in Renton, Washington, for Andrea Hudson, Matilda Wilcoxson, Eloise Wilcoxson and Boyd “Buster” Brown, who were killed in a March car crash. ing a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day, her father, Ted Smith, said.

Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson’s home in Renton, Washington, were Boyd “Buster” Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson, both 12, and Matilda Wilcoxson, 13. Hudson’s two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived, but they spent weeks in a hospital.

“You always hear of these horrific accidents, and it’s always far away, you don’t know anybody. But all of a sudden, that’s my daughter,” Smith said.

“This guy did not swerve or brake. And it was just a missile.”

Smith knew Washington state Rep. Mari Leavitt, who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring

legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses.

Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges, citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway.

Between 2019 and 2024, the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 50 mph over the speed limit, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“I guess I don’t understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast,” Leavitt said. “But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter, they can’t. It’s going to stop them in their tracks.”

The measure, which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign, is called the BEAM Act, using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster, Eloise, Andrea and Matilda.

Because Jones, 19, didn’t receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes, he likely wouldn’t have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one. And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect, the judge’s requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison, Smith said.

Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance.

Brandy Nannini, chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer, Grapevine, Texas-based Smart Start, said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation’s capital have been trying it out for years.

But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly.

“We’ve got a lot more satellites in the sky now,” said Ken Denton, a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer, part of the coalition of companies.

When court-mandated, the devices would prevent cars

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021.

Washington four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consec-

utive presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight as

governor with incendiary statements about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political rival he said would “give it to the people without providing Vaseline.” He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for four

from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set. An override button allows speeding in emergencies, but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed.

A more passive version, which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast, is required for new cars in the European Union.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion.

Before Del. Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature, he tried out the device in Nannini’s car, which was calibrated to not go more than 9 mph over the speed limit.

“That was my first question: Is it safe?” Hope said.

Not only did he come away convinced it was safe, Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children, all of whom are new drivers.

For those mandated by a court, the price could be hefty: $4 per day and a $100 installation fee. The fee would be reduced for low-income offenders.

Cohen with Families for Safe Streets, which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims, knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make.

A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment, another boy was injured in the same spot.

By then, the road’s speed limit had been lowered.

“That boy lived when he was hit, and mine did not,” she said. “When you are going a few miles slower, there’s more time to stop. And when you hit somebody, it’s much less likely to be deadly.”

years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 11 | THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025 | MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 919-663-3232

MOORE COUNTY THE MOORE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest-fallen

An ecstatic Liam Dutton (5) celebrates his two-run homer with Landon Bunker (7) in the conference tournament championship game last Thursday against Richmond Sr. Pinecrest lost 5-3.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Republican concedes court election to Democratic incumbent Raleigh The Republican challenger for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat has conceded last November’s election to the Democratic incumbent. Jefferson Griffin said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would not appeal a federal judge’s decision favoring Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s decision sets the stage for Riggs to be officially elected to an eight‑year term as an associate justice. It would end the nation’s last undecided race from the 2024 general election. The federal judge said disputed ballots challenged by Griffin must remain in the final tally and ordered results to be certified to show Riggs is the winner by 734 votes.

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender military members Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military while legal challenges proceed. The high court acted Tuesday in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

$2.00

‘Ethics Bowl’ offers students gentler alternative to debating With no assigned positions, teams explore rather than argue

By Travis Loller The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — At the National Speech and Debate Tournament, two high school students take the stage. The first articulates the position he has been assigned to defend — people should have a right to secede from their government — and why it is correct. Another student, assigned the opposite position, begins to systematically tear down her opponent’s views.

A year later and 800 miles

away, two teams of high school students convene at the University of North Carolina for the National High School Ethics Bowl finals. A moderator asks about the boundaries of discourse — when a public figure dies, how do you weigh the value and harm of critical commentary about their life?

Teams have not been assigned positions. One presents their ideas. The opposing team asks questions that help everyone to think about the issue more deeply. No one attacks.

Many a young debater may learn the rhetorical skills to become a successful lawyer or See DEBATE, page A4

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Students from the Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey confer during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl.

Visa crackdown leads international students in US to reconsider summer travel Some colleges have issued warnings about “strict vetting” on visas

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press ON SUMMER break from a Ph.D. program, an international student at University of California, San Diego, was planning a trip with a few friends to Hawaii. But after seeing international students across the United States stripped of their legal status, the student decided against it.

Any travel, even inside the U.S., just didn’t seem worth the risk.

“I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few interactions with governments as possible,” said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted.

International students weighing travel to see family, take a

REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO

A group of Florida International University students protest against cuts in federal funding and an agreement by campus police to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, last month in Miami. vacation or conduct research are thinking twice because of the Trump administration’s crackdown, which has added to a sense of vulnerability.

Even before students suddenly began losing permission to study in the U.S., some colleges were encouraging international students and faculty to

postpone travel, citing government efforts to deport students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. As the scale of the status terminations emerged in recent weeks, more schools have cautioned against nonessential travel abroad for international students.

University of California, Berkeley, for one, issued an advisory last week saying upcoming international travel was risky due to “strict vetting and enforcement.”

At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records.

The number of affected students appears far higher, though.

At least 4,736 international See VISAS, page A2

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THURSDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

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“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

We stand corrected To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

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Sarah Gianni unexpectedly went into labor

By Dan Reeves North State Journal PITTSBORO — Reporters surrounded 911 telecommunicator Lorie Teague as she cradled Daisy Gianni, a bubbling, healthy 8-pound, 1-ounce baby girl who had popped into the world just two weeks prior, thanks to a bit of help from someone on the other end of the phone.

Teague was preparing to eat breakfast when an urgent early morning call came in to the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center. 911 operators never know what might be on the other end of the phone, but this wasn’t an incoming report of a car crash or a house fire. Instead, she professionally answered the trembling voice of Corinne Townsend, who said that her 36-year-old and very pregnant daughter, Sarah Gianni, had unexpectedly gone into labor.

“I started having contractions just after six that morning and was preparing to head to the hospital,” Gianni said. “I had just put the kids in the car when my water broke. My husband was already at work, but thankfully, my mom was there and called 911.”

April 29

VISAS from page A1

• Jesse Franklin Odom, 32, was arrested by the Moore County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

students’ visa records were terminated in a government database that maintains their legal status, according to an April 10 Immigration and Customs Enforcement response to inquiries from Congress.

Suddenly at risk for deportation, some students went into hiding while others left the country on their own. Many of the students said they had only minor infractions on their records or didn’t know why their records were removed.

After federal judges raised due process concerns in several students’ cases, the U.S. government reversed the terminations but then issued new guidance expanding the reasons international students can lose their legal status in the future.

Under the new policy, valid reasons for status termination include the revocation of the visas students used to enter the U.S. In the past, if a student’s visa was revoked, they generally could stay in the U.S. to finish school. They simply would not be able to reenter if they left the country.

April 30 • Elijah Malik Jones, 18, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for robbery with a dangerous weapon.

• Alanna Shay Peterson, 29, was arrested by MCSO for fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle.

May 1 • Samare Diohvahnnie Mancebo, 28, was arrested

by MCSO for failure to report change of address as a sex offender.

May 4 • Steven Allen Kerns, 70, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for breaking or entering.

Teague began talking both mothers through each step of the delivery and, crucially, helped Townsend stay relaxed as they delivered Daisy together. She was born without incident at 6:56 a.m., before EMS arrived.

Two weeks later, Sarah and Lorie — those voices on each end of the phone — got to meet each other, and mom got to show off her new arrival to the woman whose calm, professional demeanor helped make it possible.

“It’s just a part of my job,” said Teague. “I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Daisy is the second baby she has helped deliver, said Teague, who worked with the Pittsboro Police Department and as a paramedic before joining the 911 center.

Since the 911 Center opened in its new location in Septem-

ber 2023, telecommunicators have assisted with the delivery of four babies.

“We have a ‘Tree of Life’ on our wall here at the 911 Center, so we can celebrate positive outcomes that our telecommunicators have assisted in critical moments such as baby deliveries and CPR saves,” said Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director. “It’s really special to show the Gianni family their pink leaf on the tree, which represents Daisy.”

Chatham County Emergency Communications is open to answer calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with 27 certified telecommunicators dispatching the county’s fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies — and acting as a lifeline both for those emergency responders and members of the public.

Adam Gaines, assistant communications director, says staffing is heaviest during the day when call volume is highest. And it’s not just Chatham County that they’re supporting.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the state, disabling emergency call centers in western North Carolina, Gaines’ operators started taking emergency calls from as far away as Yancey, Watauga and Madison counties. “We were getting nine calls a minute,” he said.

The fast-evolving situation has left colleges struggling to advise students.

A Michigan college employee who helps international students navigate the visa process said they are inquiring more than ever about summer travel. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said he often has been unable to give sufficient answers.

Last year, the U.S. hosted around 1.1 million international students, a source of essential tuition revenue at many schools. Advocates say that number is likely to shrink as the crackdown hurts America’s appeal.

Over the past few weeks, Rishi Oza’s immigration law firm in North Carolina has received calls about travel risks almost daily from people of varied immigration status, including international students.

“You kind of shake your head and say, ‘Is this the character of the country we want?’”

Oza said. “It just seems that it’s a bit out of whack that people are fearful of leaving

and whether they’ll be able to come back.”

Students in the U.S. with a visa need to decide if their travels are critical, Oza said.

When attempting reentry after leaving the country, they should bring immigration documents, school transcripts and even court documents if they were charged with a crime and the court dismissed the case.

Ultimately, lawyers can’t foretell what will happen at the airport, he said.

The unpredictability has put one international student at the University of Illinois in distress. The student, who requested anonymity to avoid being targeted, has laid low since one of his classmates left the country after their legal status was terminated.

The student’s plan to travel to his home country in Asia this summer causes feelings of panic, but he has nowhere else to stay. He bought his plane ticket and is committed to the trip. His anxiety over what could happen when he returns, however, is still there.

“Right now,” he said, “I’m afraid I might not be able to come back.”

“It’s just a part of my job, I love being able to help other people, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Lorrie Teague, Chatham County

• Marc Wade Farnham, 45, was arrested by Pinebluff PD for expired registration.

• Nicholas Peter Meserve, 30, was arrested by the Southern Pines PD for possession of methamphetamine.

• Kennith Jermar Terry, 37, was arrested by MCSO for violation of a domestic violence protection order.

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Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

May 8-10 Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House and Property Tours 1-4 p.m.

The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds and properties are open for tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. The tours are free and open to all ages. Enjoy learning about the impressive history here in Moore County.

Shaw House 110 Morganton Road Southern Pines

May 9 The Wine Cellar Presents a Live Musical Performance

by Nick Vernon 7:30-10:30 p.m.

For more information, call 910-692-3066.

The Wine Cellar 241 Northeast Broad St. Southern Pines

Movie: “Moms Unhinged” 8 p.m.

Sunrise Theatre 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

May 10 Movie: “Troy Ramey: Songs & Stories” 7 p.m.

Sunrise Theatre 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

May 17 The Metropolitan Opera: Salome

May 5 • Tyler Allen Deese, 25, was arrested by MCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia.

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WEDNESDAY MAY 14

Mom reunites with 911 operator moore happening who helped deliver baby

CRIME LOG

• Brian Bernard Swann, 60, was arrested by the Aberdeen PD for breaking or entering.

TUESDAY MAY 13

12:55-2:30 p.m.

MOORE CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM

MOORE COUNTY Remember that we live in the best country, the best state, and by far the best county.

MOORE COUNTY, WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts his first Met performances of Strauss’s whitehot one‑act tragedy, which receives its first new production at the company in 20 years.

Tickets are $29.50 each.

Sunrise Theatre 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Inside the wildest battle for the White House

Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep.

THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL race had no shortage of surprises. But the most remarkable part might be what author Jonathan Allen called “the most epic comeback in American political history.”

Allen and his co-author Amie Parnes joined me recently on my podcast, Newt’s World, to talk about their new book, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” It’s an amazing, behind‑the‑scenes account of how a race that started as a rematch between two political veterans turned into one of the most dramatic elections in American history.

As Allen told me, the moment everything changed was the first debate.

Incumbent President Joe Biden visibly struggled to stay coherent, and it became painfully clear to the American people that something was wrong.

“You just couldn’t unsee it,” he said.

From that moment on, the campaign spiraled in a completely new direction.

What stunned me — and I think will surprise a lot of readers — is that Biden only did 45 minutes of debate prep. He held no serious rehearsals or mock debates.

His team thought an early debate would help reset the race. Instead, it ended his campaign.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama began quietly working to get Biden to step aside without tearing the party apart.

Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and her team were scrambling to lock in support before anyone else could jump in the race. Within days, Harris was suddenly the nominee.

But as Parnes explained, Harris walked into a political trap. She was publicly tied to Biden by his insistence that there was “no daylight” between them.

So, she was unable to be the change candidate voters clearly wanted.

While Democrats were managing internal chaos, Donald Trump was doing what he does best. He was grabbing attention and connecting with everyday Americans. Whether it was passing out McDonald’s french fries or showing up at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight, he showed voters he was still in touch with real life. This time, there was more discipline. He stuck to his message, took advice from his team and avoided many of

the mistakes that were made in 2020.

As Allen mentioned on the podcast, Trump’s comeback wasn’t just surprising — it was historic. After two impeachments, criminal trials, and even an assassination attempt, Trump didn’t just survive — he won. He defeated Biden and then Harris. In doing so, he reshaped the political landscape for a second time in his relatively short political career.

Parnes also shared something that stuck with me. She recalled a moment when one of Trump’s closest aides broke down and said, “If they can’t stop him legally, someone might try to kill him.” That tells you just how tense and emotionally charged this election really was behind the scenes.

Allen and Parnes know the full story of a once-in-a-lifetime election that upended the political world and remade American history. Their book, “FIGHT,” is packed with insight, detail, and scenes that will stick with you.

If you haven’t already, it is well worth reading.

Newt Gingrich was Republican speaker of the House.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

What does Russia want?

Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place.

RUSSIA’S WAR to conquer Ukraine has been raging since February 2022.

At first, the Russian offensive seemed fated for success: Russian troops came within a few kilometers of Kyiv, and Western powers offered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exit from the country. Zelenskyy refused; Ukrainian forces proceeded to hold off and reverse the Russian offensive. Within a few weeks, the battle lines solidified, with Russia continuing to hold much of the territory in the East and Crimea they had held since 2014. The only potential solution was the obvious solution: an armistice essentially freezing the lines of conflict and security guarantees to Ukraine sufficient to deter another Russian attack.

But no solution could be found.

Russia demonstrated little interest, after mid‑2022, in any negotiated end to the war.

President Donald Trump came into office pledging to end the war — a war that has cost Ukrainians at least 50,000 dead and the Russians as many as 200,000 dead.

To that end, he pressured Zelenskyy to come to the table. Zelenskyy eventually did, offering an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has thus far refused any such ceasefire — presumably because he hopes that the Trump administration will pull its support from Ukraine, thereby leaving the country vulnerable to a final Russian offensive.

And herein lies the problem for Trump.

He knows — as everyone knows — that the only off-ramp for the war lies in a

Korean War-style armistice. But Russia still refuses to come to the table, no matter the pleading and cajoling of special envoy Steve Witkoff, whose negotiating style seems to be warmly embracing various anti-American dictators, speaking kindly about them in public and then hoping they will give him what he seeks.

In order to reach an end to the war, therefore, the Trump administration ought to fully consider just what Russia wants at this point. And the answer happens to be surprisingly simple: Russia wants either Ukraine conquered or a puppet government in place or a clear pathway to conquering Ukraine in the future.

We know this because Russia repeatedly says it.

Alexander Dugin, a philosopher and geopolitics expert known colloquially as “Putin’s brain,” spelled all of this out in his magnum opus, “Foundations of Geopolitics” (1997) — a book that was apparently used as a textbook at the General Staff Academy. For Dugin, the Russian spirit can only be animated by imperial dreams; regional power alone would be “tantamount to suicide for the Russian nation.”

The antithesis of the Russian spirit is “‘the West’ as a whole.” And Ukraine — an independent country that should be suffused with that “Russian spirit” but that wants to orient toward the West — represents a stinging rebuke to the Russian identity as a whole. Thus, Dugin argues, Ukraine must rejoin Russia or forever be condemned to a “puppet existence and geopolitical service” to the West.

Ukraine’s continued existence as a sovereign state, Dugin argues, “is tantamount to a monstrous blow to Russia’s geopolitical security, tantamount to an invasion of its territory.” Now, during the war, Dugin writes, “We must win the war in Ukraine, liberate the entire territory of this former country from the Nazi regime. Regardless of Trump’s victory or anything else, this imperative remains unchanged. Just as the ancient Roman consul Cato the Elder used to say, ‘Carthage must be destroyed,’ in our case, ‘Kiev must be taken.’”

So if the true Russian goal is the destruction or subjugation of Ukraine, how could Russia be brought to the table?

Only through the “peace through strength” policy Trump pursued during his first term. Only a Russia that believes that the West will refuse to surrender Ukraine will be pressured into an armistice.

Trump seems ready to consider that possibility; he’s now acknowledging publicly that Putin seems to be slow‑playing him. But the answer won’t be more sanctions. It will be a recognition that Ukraine’s sovereignty can only be guaranteed by force of arms — and that an off-ramp can only be achieved by a guarantee of that sovereignty.

Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

Midtown High School Ethics Bowl teammates Eric Snell, left, and Eve Nahmias speak with coach Eddy Nahmias, Eve’s father, last month in Chapel Hill.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

DEBATE from page A1 politician, subduing an opponent through wit and wordplay.

But are they learning skills that will make them better citizens of an increasingly complex and contentious republic?

In an age when many Americans are wondering whether it is still possible to have a principled, respectful disagreement over important issues, proponents of Ethics Bowl say it points the way.

In Ethics Bowl, teams aren’t assigned a specific position on an issue that they have to defend regardless of their beliefs. Instead, members are given cases to discuss and make their own decisions about what they consider the best position. Teams can, and often do, come to similar conclusions. It is — and this is important — OK for them to agree. Scoring is based on how deeply they explore the issues, including other viewpoints.

Robert Ladenson, who developed the Ethics Bowl as a college philosophy classroom exercise back in 1993 and went on to lead the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for decades, explains what he considers an ethical understanding of an issue in an oral history for the University of Illinois in 2023.

It means “having some capacity to view, from the inside, the ethical outlooks of people who disagree with you. That means not simply being aware of what they’ve said or what they’ve written, or being able to develop a nifty debaters’ responses to the viewpoints they hold — but really looking inside the other view and trying to understand it from the other person’s way of looking at the world.”

That plays out at Ethics Bowl.

Take the case “See Spot Clone,”

Three judges listen to questioning during a quarterfinal round of the National High School Ethics Bowl in Chapel Hill last month.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

about whether it is ever ethical to clone a pet.

Harpeth Hall from Nashville starts the discussion with six minutes to present their thoughts. There are millions of homeless pets, so the ethical choice is to adopt, they believe. Cloning is self-serving for the human. The pet cannot consent. Also, cloning may involve unknown health issues for the cloned pet. The team also believes that it is important for people to confront death.

Now it is the turn of team B, Miami’s Archimedean Upper Conservatory — not to attack and refute, but to ask questions that expand the discussion. What about pet breeders? Where do they fit on the ethical continuum? Also, what’s so wrong with cloning a pet for your own happiness? Are all selfish pursuits bad?

Next, the judges ask questions. What if there were no possible health problems for the

cloned animal? What if the animal is not cloned to comfort an owner but for a more noble purpose? Would it be ethical to clone a skilled search-and-rescue dog?

In a society awash in shortcuts and simple solutions, simply setting the ground rules for contentious conversations like these can be a high hill to climb. At the Ethics Bowl, though, it’s part of the point: The process of conversation is as important as the outcome. And subtlety matters.

A good Ethics Bowl case is one where “two well-meaning individuals can take in all of the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite, value-driven answers,” says Alex Richardson, who directed the National Bowl for five years.

The cases students grapple with include real-life scenarios pulled from the headlines, like the less-than-respectful response to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. There are also more phil-

osophical issues, like whether humans should pursue immortality. And there are dilemmas that teenagers deal with every day, like whether not posting on Instagram about a hate crime in your community makes you complicit.

That last case was a difficult one for the team from Harpeth Hall, they say, but it helped them clarify some of their thoughts around social media.

Teams have been discussing a group of cases for weeks, but they don’t know which they’ll be asked about. Once the question is read, they are given a few minutes to discuss. That’s when one or two of the teammates generally scurry around the table to huddle. Intense whispering and furious scribbling ensue.

There is a winning team and a trophy. But students say it is not competitive in a traditional sense.

“It’s not about beating people,” says Lizzie Lyman, whose

first-year team from Midtown High School in Atlanta lost in the semifinals. “When it’s about constructively answering a question and just having a really interesting, engaging conversation, that’s where you get to have all these amazing conversations.”

Part of the point of the Ethics Bowl is to create well-rounded students who ingest other viewpoints and engage without arguing. A 2022 survey of participants in nationals found that 100% believed that their critical thinking skills had improved. A large majority said their ethical or political beliefs had changed.

There is clearly a thirst for a different kind of competition.

The National High School Ethics Bowl is only 12 years old and this year saw 550 teams competing in regional bowls around the country.

Sona Zarkou, also on the BASIS Flagstaff team, sees herself as a case study in Ethics Bowl benefits. When she practiced debate, she says, she was “kind of a jerk” — “very quick to attack and very rude.” In Ethics Bowl, she sees herself “turn the discussion to something a lot more respectful, a lot more truth-oriented.”

Rhiannon Boyd, a judge at this year’s competition, a high school teacher and coach and the organizer of the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, has seen the positive changes. Two of her students last year were on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Their disagreement was great. Could they be on the same team together? In the end, both joined and made it all the way to nationals.

Their differing opinions remain. But now, Boyd says, they are “really good friends.”

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MOORE SPORTS Grimes notches 6 goals to lead Seaforth over Union Pines The Hawks are now 3-0 all time against the Vikings

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal PITTSBORO — Junior Ivan Grimes scored a team-high six goals, including two in the tightly contested fourth quarter, to lead the Seaforth boys’ lacrosse team over non-conference foe Union Pines 12-9 on April 30.

After Union Pines junior Hayne Tobias tied the game at 8 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Grimes and sophomore Oscar Ditter combined for four goals to close out the win.

With just under seven minutes left to play, Grimes used a flashy spin on a defender to get open and sent a shot from the right side through the back of the net, putting the Hawks up 11-9. Two minutes later, Ditter, who gave the Hawks the lead after Tobias’ game-tying score, put the game away with his second goal of the night.

“Great coaching by coach Hubbard, telling me to move on attack and get open,” Grimes said.

“That really helped me elevate my game. What was working was just getting to my left hand, or I could go right. Just mixing it up.”

Prior to the decisive fourth quarter, Seaforth and Union Pines traded blows all night.

After senior Cameron Exley notched a goal less than a minute into the first quarter, Seaforth didn’t reach a lead of more than three scores for the rest of the game.

The Hawks went up 3-1 following a goal from senior Conner Yalch with under four minutes to play in the opening period, but the Vikings got a lucky break for a response. Seaforth goalkeeper Finn Prospero got pushed out of the crease during a scramble for the ball, allowing Union Pines sophomore Drew Chapin, who scored a team-high five goals, to tap in an easy score.

Union Pines then picked up momentum in the second quarter, scoring three goals to Seaforth’s two. Back-to-back scores from junior Samuel Farirel and Tobias to end the first half brought the Vikings back within one (6-5).

“We were looking at some stats on shooting,” Seaforth coach Joe Hubbard said about his halftime adjustments. “I think they had eight shots and five goals from those, so we felt like our defense needed to address that and re-

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ian Scott

GENE GALIN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Seaforth’s Ivan Grimes takes a shot during the Hawks’ game against Union Pines.

“As soon as they start getting momentum, we want them to think they have it, and then we take it right back.”

Ivan Grimes ally extend out a little bit more, get in their gloves and apply a little bit more pressure. We did that in the second half, and that’s why he had the ball more on the offensive end.”

From that point, Seaforth brought immediate responses to each of Union Pines’ punches. After Chapin’s third-quarter score, Grimes fired a shot through the net less than a minute later.

Then, Tobias put in back-to-back scores, one in the end of the third and one at the start of the fourth, but the Hawks came back with two straight scores of their own for a 10-8 lead.

“It’s just next play,” Grimes said. “They get one. The offense is like we get together and let’s get a goal. As soon as they start getting momentum, we want them to think they have it, and then we

take it right back.”

Seaforth also got one score each from junior Jack Petrusa and senior Jackson Powell.

Seaforth, which is now 3-0 over Union Pines all-time gained some early highly competitive, postseason-like experience in the win as it could possibly see the Vikings in the 1A/2A/3A state playoffs.

“That’s why we want them on the schedule,” Hubbard said.

“That’s why we’ve had them. We keep the competition going each year. Both ways, we know and recognize there’s value in playing each other going into the playoffs and finding a way to win. Working through some of that adversity when things don’t go your way, or maybe we’re not in the right spots.”

Looking at the RPI standings as of Friday morning, Union Pines sits at 11th in the 1A/2A/3A East classification.

As for Union Pines, which is second in the United 8/All American/Sandhills conference, a share of the conference title isn’t likely, but it’s still in good standing to make the state playoffs.

State playoff brackets will be seeded Friday. The first round will begin Tuesday.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pine Crest, boys’ lacrosse Ian Scott is a sophomore on the Pinecrest boy’s lacrosse team. The Patriots lead the Sandhills Conference with an unbeaten 11-0 league record.

Scott came up big in a win over Union Pines, scoring six of the team’s 10 goals on just nine shots on goal. He also assisted on two of the team’s other four goals.

For the season, Scott leads Pinecrest in goals, points, shots on goal and shooting percentage, and he is second in assists.

With Popovich, it was Olympic ties that truly bind Former Team USA players reflected on the legendary coach after he announced his retirement

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there.”

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press IT WAS DEC. 4, 2021. The game was over. San Antonio knocked off Golden State 112‑107. And when the final buzzer sounded, Draymond Green didn’t seem bothered whatsoever by the loss.

He just wanted to talk to Pop. The announcement by the San Antonio Spurs that Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all‑time coaching wins leader — is stepping down as coach after 29 seasons deeply resonated throughout the league. And it clearly hit Green hard, the longtime Golden State forward saying he can’t fathom what it’ll be like to not see Popovich on the sideline anymore.

“Coach Pop is incredible,” Green said. “And none of us knew when that day would come that he’d hang them up.

But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running down the court, seeing him on the sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him and winning a gold medal.”

Green is one of eight play-

Draymond Green

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

United States players put a gold medal on head coach Gregg Popovich during the men’s basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics. ers who went against a Popovich-coached team more than 50 times in an NBA game. But it’s the time he spent playing for Popovich — in USA Basketball’s run to an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — that stands out to Green.

It wasn’t uncommon for

Popovich to chat with or embrace opposing players before, during or after games during his career. Those who played for him on that Olympic team, without fail, always found the time to engage with their coach in Tokyo.

“You’ve got that bond,” Mi-

ami center and two-time gold medalist Bam Adebayo said after one of the Heat-Spurs games in the years that followed the Tokyo Olympics. “You’re going to have that bond forever after what we did, after what Pop led us to.”

Everyone on that U.S. team knew what the Olympic victory meant to Popovich, who studied at the U.S. Air Force Academy and unsuccessfully tried out to play for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team. A half-century or so later, he got to lead his country to gold instead.

Popovich officially had Golden State coach Steve Kerr (who succeeded him as USA Basketball’s head coach for the 2024 Paris Games) on his Olympic staff as an assistant, along with the Indiana Pacers’ Lloyd Pierce and Villanova’s Jay Wright. Unofficially, he had a who’s who of the coaching community as part of his think tank

that summer — a list that included, among many others, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy and Ime Udoka, who had both played and coached for Popovich in San Antonio.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best do it — or the best to do it,” Udoka said. “I’m glad I got a chance to work with him, learn from him and call him a friend.”

Green walked off the court arm in arm with Popovich on that December 2021 night, smiling and chatting, the loss on the scoreboard almost completely forgotten. That was the first game between the Spurs and the Warriors after those Olympics.

Green gave Popovich the shoes he wore in the 2021 gold-medal win over France as a gift; Popovich, he said, had them on for that first Spurs-Warriors game following the Olympics.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there,” Green said.

“And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game. ... He’s meant so much to this league, and he means so much to me. Job well done, well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT GOLF

Dent, among top black golfers on PGA Tour Champions, dead at 85 Jim Dent died a week before his 86th birthday. Dent was one of the top black golfers of his generation, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions.

He started out as a caddie at the municipal course in Augusta, Georgia, known as The Patch. Dent went from caddying to the PGA Tour. He never won a tour event. His best finish was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.

NFL

Former agent for Elway dies after golf cart accident La Quinta, Calif.

California authorities say the death of Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s business partner and former agent, in a golf cart accident appears to be a horrific accident. The sheriff’s department is investigating the incident. A witness says Elway was at the scene of the crash and several reports claim Elway was driving the golf cart. The 62-year-old Sperbeck died after his injury at the Madison Club near Palm Springs. Sperbeck was Elway’s longtime agent during Elway’s time on the Denver Broncos, his business partner and his close friend.

GOLF

Scheffler matches PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in 8-shot win McKinney, Texas Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, finishing at 253 and running away with an eight-shot victory at his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The top-ranked player, who closed with a 63 to finish at 31 under par, tied the mark set by Justin Thomas in 2017 and matched six years later by Ludvig Aberg. Scheffler was in position to break the record before a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

MLB

20-year-old man who fell to the warning track at Pirates game awake Pittsburgh The fan who fell from a 21-foot‑high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game is awake and alert. Kavan Markwood, the 20-year-old who slipped off a railing and onto the field during a game, is improving. Markwood has made significant progress since being admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. The team’s internal investigation says Markwood did not purchase any alcohol, but one of the people who attended the game with him did legally buy alcoholic beverages.

SOCCER

Soccer organizations might have to cover care costs for ex-players with dementia London Soccer organizations in Britain could be forced to pay toward the care costs of ex-players who have suffered brain conditions caused by heading balls, under proposals to be tabled in Parliament. Campaigners are drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill with the aim of treating it as an “industrial injuries issue” and overseeing a scheme to provide care and support for those affected. The proposals seek to require the industry, to provide the necessary financial support.

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden does box jumps as part of his physical workout, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune the entire body for strength and endurance in racing.

Don’t think race car drivers are elite athletes? Give their workouts a try Circuit training with weights, core exercises, rowing and ski machines help drivers prepare

By Jim Vertuno The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — First came the mounting tension in the shoulders and the weakening grip while carrying 25-pound weights.

Then the labored breathing while ripping through the rowing and skiing simulators, and the pain in the thighs on the box jumps.

Topping it off: The strain on the neck simulating what it feels like to hit the brakes while racing at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and the G-forces felt though sweeping turns.

Welcome to the workout routine for two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden, a cross-fit session designed to fine-tune his body for strength and endurance in racing.

“You’re taxing every part of

the body, which is what happens in an IndyCar,” Newgarden said. “There’s no power steering, you’re pulling high G-forces, it’s hot and your heart rate is elevated. Everything is being stressed.”

Newgarden trainer Jeff Richter designs the workout routine for the driver. It’s a nonstop circuit of weight lifting, rowing and ski machines, core stretches and balance exercises, burpees and broad jumping, with only a few seconds rest between each exercise.

Picking the most fit athlete is a topic that tends to be a conversation starter. Wrestlers? Endurance runners? Water polo players? Boxers, swimmers, cross-country skiers?

Race car drivers don’t tend to end up high on any of those lists; they just sit and drive ... right?

Not so fast.

Drivers across every elite series do some kind of physical training, from Newgarden’s cross-fit training to the endurance training and reac-

“You have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing.”

Joey Logano tion-time exercises of Formula 1 drivers. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is a fitness buff who has run the Boston Marathon.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano questions why anyone might not consider top-level drivers to be elite athletes.

The fitness challenges are different from basketball or football but still real, he said.

“I run a fair amount, I lift some. We don’t want to be big and bulky inside a race car. But you have to be able to do something for a long time, so endurance is a huge thing,” Logano said.

Race fans are becoming

more aware of the physical demands drivers face behind the wheel, Newgarden said.

“People aren’t as in the dark,” Newgarden said. “Twenty years ago, people might say, ‘I have a car, I drive to the grocery store every day, it can’t be that difficult.’ The physical demand is extremely high. It’s not whoever is the fittest is going to win the race, but it plays a factor. The appreciation is gaining ground.”

One of the most notable challenges for IndyCar drivers, and perhaps most unknown element of the series for the casual fan, is that Indy cars do not have power steering, something most people take for granted.

Newgarden and other drivers train to handle the strain on their shoulders, neck and grip needed to muscle a 1,700-pound car through a race, whether navigating a street course like St. Petersburg, Florida, or ripping around the high-speed oval at the Indianapolis 500.

NHL players are all about pregame routine, whether it’s naps or walking the dog Doing the same thing every game day helps players get in the right frame of mind

By Pat Graham The Associated Press BEFORE GAMES, Dallas forward Matt Duchene relies on the same, tried-andtrue routine. He blocks out a two‑hour window for a nap, eats an identical meal — pasta and salmon — and spends time reviewing notes he’s made in his journal.

Like many NHL players and coaches, Duchene is a creature of habit. Little pregame rituals and routines help them slip into the proper frame of mind for the next big game.

These familiar patterns can be sleep- or food-related. Or revolve around how they get dressed for a game. Or the way they warm up. Or how they tinker with their hockey sticks. Or be as simple as taking their dog for a walk.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious,” Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson explained.

“Lots of guys have routines.”

One frequent requirement — sneaking in a pregame nap.

If they can’t sleep, at least they log some chill time.

“I have a routine, but I don’t think that means you’re superstitious. Lots of guys have routines.”

Erik Johnson “I nap around the same time, that’s just routine more than ritual. I was a little bit more (superstitious) when I was younger, but with my life the way it is, I’ve kind of had to change my schedule on the fly with a busy household,” said Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has four kids, including triplets. “I try not to overthink it.”

Following morning home skates, Carolina forward Mark Jankowski typically takes Lucy, his 6-year-old golden retriever, for a stroll.

“Get some sunlight,” said Jankowski, who was acquired by the Hurricanes in March.

“Get the legs moving a little bit.”

Then, a pregame meal for Jankowski, followed by slipping on a pair of Normatec boots — compression therapy to enhance circulation. He naps (60-90 minutes) before taking off for the rink.

As part of his pregame rou-

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Hurricanes’ Mark Jankowski (77), who likely walked his golden retriever earlier in the day, fights for the puck with Montreal Canadiens’ Jake Evans during a March game. tine, Tomas Hertl cranks up the tunes. These days, his playlist is heavy Czech music because it’s been setting the proper goal-scoring mood.

“I’m the kind of guy who can listen to everything,” Hertl said. “I like just the songs I kind of know I can sing along.

I have a terrible voice, I can’t sing, but this I do by myself.”

Other ways that players loosen up for a game: Gustavsson, like many, kicks around a soccer ball, while Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin takes a cold plunge. Hanifin’s teammate Brayden McNabb chomps on gum (peppermint) in warmups.

Players spend all sorts of time making sure their equipment is as prepared as them.

Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin spray-paints the bottom of his sticks to add a little extra weight. Stars forward Mason Marchment makes

sure his stick is stiff and newly taped.

Duchene slightly tweaks his routine depending on if it’s a road or home game. On the road, he includes rice with his pasta and salmon. At home, it’s salad. He also naps in a hyperbaric chamber before home games.

“As a younger player, I was extremely superstitious, and I hated it,” said Duchene, who writes the title of a song — “Jim Bob” by Hardy — on his stick. “I did everything to the minute before a game. I was almost obsessive about it. I got away from it a few years back.

“My biggest thing is you do what you do to get prepared, and then you just throw the gear on and go play,” he added. “That’s the most pure form of playing hockey. That’s how you do it your whole life. You don’t need to do ‘A-through-Z’ to get ready.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

obituaries

Yesaya Moler Dec. 29, 2004 – April 29, 2025 It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Yesaya Moler on April 29, 2025. Yesaya was born on December 29, 2004, in Pasadena, California, to Eric and Jasmin Moler.

Yesaya was a student at Sandhills Community College and was a 2023 graduate of Pinecrest High School, where he played football and wrestled for Coach Bob Curtin.

Please join family and friends for services at 1:00 p.m. on May 9, 2025, at the Southern Pines United Methodist Church.

Graveside services will be held immediately after at Bethesda Cemetery in Aberdeen, NC. A celebration of life reception will be held at 4 p.m. at Southern Pines CrossFit, Southern Pines, NC.

Thomas Fairley Murray Sr.

Rachel Gouyer High

Veronica Greenfield

Martha Louise (Adams) Davis

June 23, 1939 – April 28, 2025

March 11, 1963 – April 27, 2025

May 21, 1933 – April 26, 2025

Nov. 17, 1945 – April 26, 2025

Veronica Greenfield, 91, a resident of Belle Meade in Southern Pines, NC, passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

Veronica grew up in Yonkers, New York, and went on to attend Syracuse University. She spent many wonderful years raising her son and three daughters in Irvington, NY, creating a home full of love, laughter and lasting memories.

Summers at Brant Lake were some of her favorite times, surrounded by family, sunshine, and the simple joys of being together.

She was predeceased by her beloved son, Johnny, and her husband of 62 years, John.

She leaves behind her three daughters, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her so much pride and happiness.

Later in life, she loved spending time with her friends at Bell Meade, especially playing cards and working on puzzles, two of her favorite pastimes.

“Grammy” will be remembered for her warmth, her quick wit and the way she made everyone around her feel loved and welcome.

A service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at Belle Meade’s Chapel, 100 Waters Drive, Southern Pines, NC 28387. Interment will take place at Seven Lakes Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Veronica’s memory to FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Martha Louise (Adams) Davis passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Southern Pines, NC, with her daughter, Jocey, by her side, following a brief battle with cancer. Born on November 17, 1945, in Portsmouth, Ohio, she was the daughter of Dr. Samuel P. and Mary Louise Adams.

Martha is survived by her husband, Dennis Davis of Southern Pines, NC; her brother, Samuel Preston Adams (Karen); her daughter, Jocelyn Bolender (Milo) of Pinehurst, NC; her stepchildren, Mark Davis (Gina) and Michelle Bartlett; eight cherished grandchildren; and ten greatgrandchildren, all of whom brought her tremendous joy and were always warmly welcomed in her home.

After graduating from Ohio University, Martha devoted 30 years to teaching in the Cleveland Public School system, where she was honored as Teacher of the Year. For more than four decades, she and Denny summered in Rapid City, Michigan, where they cultivated deep and lasting friendships. In retirement, they split their time between their cherished cabin on Rapid River and their winter home on Marco Island, Florida.

Martha was an active member of both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Marco Island Women’s Club. In 2021, Martha and Denny moved to Southern Pines to be closer to family.

Martha invited Jesus Christ into her life as a young woman and sought to live out the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your might, and all your strength,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Her faith was clearly reflected in her sweet spirit, generous heart and love for others.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Christ Community Church in Pinehurst, NC. Martha will be laid to rest beside her parents at Memorial Burial Park in Wheelersburg, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Martha’s honor to Project 658 in Charlotte, NC. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Thomas Fairley Murray Sr., 85, of Pinehurst, NC, passed away on Monday, April 28, 2025, at Reid Heart Center, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.

He was born in Wagram, NC, to the late Hunter and Myrtle Ingram Murray.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Kathy McGuire Murray; children, Jan Murray Spivey (Walter), Thomas Fairley Murray, Jr (Melissa), Josh Murray (Lisa) and Theresa Forbis (Billy); grandchildren, Reid Spivey (Candis), Paige Spivey Paris (AJ), Evan Spivey, Luke Forbis (Court), Matt Forbis, Savannah Strickland, Marissa Pittman, and Kyleigh Murray; great-grandchildren, Parker Paris, Rilan Geraghty, Roby Dean Forbis, Alina Pittman, and Hunter Pittman; many other nieces, nephews, other extended family and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Braxton Murray (his wife Beverly survives him) and loving aunt Mary Ella Ingram “Lolla.”

Thomas was a car enthusiast and the past president of the Sandhills Classic Street Rod Association. During his working career he was a Human Resources Manager at Waverly Mills and founding owner and operator of Tom-Kat Embroidery with his wife Kathy. He also enjoyed playing golf. He was a loyal supporter of Sandhills Teen Challenge.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 7-9 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home, 425 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

The family requests memorial contributions be directed to Sandhills Teen Challenge, PO Box 1701, Southern Pines, NC 28388, or St Jude or Moore Regional Hospital Foundation.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Rachel Gouyer High, 62, of Whispering Pines, NC, passed away Sunday, April 27, 2025, at her residence.

She was born in Lynchburg, VA, to the late Henry and Suzanne Taylor Gouyer.

She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Larry E. High; sister, Rebekah G. Fisher; step-daughter, Beth H. Langley (Fred) and her granddaughter, Abigail Langley, who affectionately called her Nana.

Rachel graduated from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA. She worked as a Commercial Underwriter and Fire Adjuster for State Farm Insurance. Upon retirement, she enjoyed her flowers and playing golf with her friends: Linda, Yvonne, Diana, Darrel and June.

To know Rachel was to love Rachel. Always a smiling face and not afraid to make new acquaintances. The most beautiful person inside and out, always full of humor and constantly looking to compliment others.

She was a three year survivor of ovarian cancer.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Merritt’s Chapel Church, 1090 Farrington Point Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517.

The family respectfully asks for no flowers but welcomes contributions to Merritt’s Chapel Church in her honor.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 8, 2025

STATE & NATION States push for speed-limiters on cars of excessive speeders The tech would limit vehicles to a certain amount over the limit

By Jeff McMurray The Associated Press A TEENAGER who admitted being “addicted to speed” behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph in a Seattle suburb, killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op.

After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison, the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit.

Virginia this year became the first state to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road. Washington, D.C., already is using it, and similar measures await governors’ signatures in Washington state and Georgia. New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths.

“It’s a horror no one should have to experience,” said Amy Cohen, who founded the victims’ advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year‑old son, Sammy Cohen Eckstein, was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago.

Andrea Hudson, 38, the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light, was build-

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES VIA AP

People gather at a vigil in Renton, Washington, for Andrea Hudson, Matilda Wilcoxson, Eloise Wilcoxson and Boyd “Buster” Brown, who were killed in a March car crash. ing a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day, her father, Ted Smith, said.

Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson’s home in Renton, Washington, were Boyd “Buster” Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson, both 12, and Matilda Wilcoxson, 13. Hudson’s two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived, but they spent weeks in a hospital.

“You always hear of these horrific accidents, and it’s always far away, you don’t know anybody. But all of a sudden, that’s my daughter,” Smith said.

“This guy did not swerve or brake. And it was just a missile.”

Smith knew Washington state Rep. Mari Leavitt, who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring

legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses.

Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges, citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway.

Between 2019 and 2024, the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 50 mph over the speed limit, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“I guess I don’t understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast,” Leavitt said. “But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter, they can’t. It’s going to stop them in their tracks.”

The measure, which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign, is called the BEAM Act, using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster, Eloise, Andrea and Matilda.

Because Jones, 19, didn’t receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes, he likely wouldn’t have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one. And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect, the judge’s requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison, Smith said.

Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance.

Brandy Nannini, chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer, Grapevine, Texas-based Smart Start, said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation’s capital have been trying it out for years.

But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly.

“We’ve got a lot more satellites in the sky now,” said Ken Denton, a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer, part of the coalition of companies.

When court-mandated, the devices would prevent cars

Former Maine Gov. to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Republican Paul LePage will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden

By Patrick Whittle The Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district.

LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to Washing-

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), left, speaking in 2022, and former Gov. Paul LePage in 2021. ton four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consecutive

presidential elections.

LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight as

governor with incendiary statements about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating “young white” girls and a political rival he said would “give it to the people without providing Vaseline.” He also described himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular” and threw support behind the future president in 2016.

LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that “entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.” He also vowed to fight “extreme woke policies that defy common sense,” protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for four

from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set. An override button allows speeding in emergencies, but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed.

A more passive version, which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast, is required for new cars in the European Union.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion.

Before Del. Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature, he tried out the device in Nannini’s car, which was calibrated to not go more than 9 mph over the speed limit.

“That was my first question: Is it safe?” Hope said.

Not only did he come away convinced it was safe, Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children, all of whom are new drivers.

For those mandated by a court, the price could be hefty: $4 per day and a $100 installation fee. The fee would be reduced for low-income offenders.

Cohen with Families for Safe Streets, which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims, knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make.

A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment, another boy was injured in the same spot.

By then, the road’s speed limit had been lowered.

“That boy lived when he was hit, and mine did not,” she said. “When you are going a few miles slower, there’s more time to stop. And when you hit somebody, it’s much less likely to be deadly.”

years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine’s fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection.

Golden said in a Monday statement: “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.”

LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor’s office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then reestablished residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history.

Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.

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