North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 12

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 12 | THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025

NSJONLINE.COM

BERNAT ARMANGUE / AP PHOTO

The American pope A United States flag waves in the crowd as Pope Leo XIV — a native from Chicago and the first American pontiff — appears at the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for his first Sunday blessing after his election in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sunday. Read more on the new pope on A8.

New Elections board replaces Brinson Bell, picks successor

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BRIEF this week

Riggs sworn in to new term on N.C. Supreme Court Raleigh North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs was sworn in to a new term Tuesday after the Democrat won a monthslong fight against her Republican opponent’s challenges to thousands of ballots. The State Board of Elections earlier Tuesday issued an election certificate to Riggs based on a 734-vote victory over GOP candidate Jefferson Griffin from over 5.5 million ballots cast. The board was complying with a federal judge’s order last week against Griffin, who conceded rather than appeal. Riggs’ term lasts through late 2032. Griffin remains a state Court of Appeals judge.

N.C. feels effects of Tenn. earthquake Atlanta A 4.1-magnitude earthquake in Tennessee woke up families and rattled homes as far away as Atlanta as it spread tremors across portions of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning, including into North Carolina. The website for USGS said the earthquake originated shortly after 9 a.m. EDT about 12 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, about 30 miles south of Knoxville. More than 23,000 reports from the public were received by USGS in the first hour after the earthquake, USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis told The Associated Press in an email. Meteorologists at television news stations serving Georgia and North Carolina reported feeling the tremors as well. There is a 5% chance of a magnitude 4 or larger aftershock in the next week, according to USGS.

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The 3-2 Republican majority relieved her of the role and brought on Samuel Hayes

K-3 reading scores show ‘substantial’ improvement Across all grades, North Carolina students exceeded national numbers By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Midyear literacy assessment results presented at the May meeting of the North Carolina State

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

Board of Education show continued improvement for K-3 students over last fall’s results. The results were compiled by Amy Rhyne, the Department of Public Instruction’s senior director of the Office of Early Learning, and presented by board member Jill Camnitz, who co-chairs the Student Learning and See SCHOOLS, page A8

RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Board of Elections met Wednesday to swear in new members appointed by State Auditor Dave Boliek, who was given authority over the board through legislation passed in 2024. The new board members include Republicans Francis DeLuca and Bob Rucho, along with current board member Stacy “Four” Eggers. Democrats Siobhan Millen and Jeff Carmon, both of whom currently sit on the board, were also named to continue their roles.

‘Threat actors’ contact 20 NC districts related to PowerSchool breach The FBI and state cybersecurity authorities are investigating By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Emails from “threat actors” were received by 20 North Carolina school districts on May 7, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The emails are linked to a data breach involving the statewide school information system PowerSchool that occurred near the end of December. PowerSchool is used by 55

million students spanning 90 countries worldwide. Typically, individual districts in U.S. states use PowerSchool. The application is used statewide in North Carolina K-12 schools. During a virtual press conference, North Carolina State Superintendent Mo Green said the FBI and the appropriate state cyberthreat agencies and offices are investigating the incident. N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) Chief Information Officer Vanessa Wrenn said the agency is not prepared to release the names of the 20 districts. See BREACH, page A2

“PowerSchool did assure its customers that the compromised data would not be shared and had been destroyed. Unfortunately, that, at least at this point, is proving to be incorrect.” Mo Green, state superintendent

DeLuca was voted to be the new chair despite Millen and Carmon voting against him, instead wanting Eggers to take the chair spot. Eggers, however, said he would decline the nomination to be chair. “It’s a great honor to be selected as chair of the North Carolina State Board of Elections,” De Luca said in a press release. “I look forward to engaging with my colleagues as we take on the administration of State Board business and operations.” DeLuca said his focus as chairman will be to “build and maintain the public’s confidence in elections. We want to follow the law and make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.” The new board also removed Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell and replaced her See BOARD, page A8

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

THURSDAY

5.15.25 #489

“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 by North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232

or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

the word | Building up ourselves The Christian life is a process of building. Jude says, “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith” (verse 20). Growing in grace and in the various attainments of the spiritual life, is a slow building-up process. We often hear of people edifying and building up others, of helping those about them — but it is as important that they help themselves. They expect to be built up by their brethren, by preaching, by the prayers of others, by exhortations, encouragement — but the Apostle puts our building up where it rightly belongs — most largely with ourselves. When we start to build, the first thing we need is a good foundation. Jude tells us what foundation we need: “Building up yourselves on most holy faith.” Some people try to build themselves up on their emotions. When everything is going well — they build a structure of courage, determination, hope, expectation. But presently reverses come — and their building comes down with a crash. Their courage is gone, hope is clouded, and their expectation is pointed. Only faith provides a solid foundation which we may build a structure that will the storms. By the grace of God we have power to build up ourselves in faith, courage, love, hope, gentleness, meekness, goodness, strength, and all the other elements of Christian character. We largely are — what we make ourselves. An experience David once had gives us a good example of how a man can help himself when he is in trouble. In First Samuel 30, we are told how David and his men, who had gone out to war, came back and found their city destroyed and their wives and children taken captive. This was a critical situation. The whole blame was thrown upon David, because he had led his men out to war and left the city unguarded. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him” (verse 6). What did David do in such a crisis?

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“King David Playing the Harp” by Gerard van Honthorst (1622) is a painting in the collection of the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, Netherlands. Sneak off like a coward and hide? No, he faced the situation like a man. When everyone was finding fault with him and speaking evil of him, “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” What was the result? He pursued after his enemies, defeated them, and recaptured all that had been lost. If you have met with a defeat, if you have been blaming yourself, and others have been blaming you — do not get downcast. Encourage yourself in the Lord your God. In the forty-second Psalm, David tells another of his experiences. In the third verse we read, “My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is God?” David must have felt depressed indeed. “My soul is cast down within me. All your waves and your billows are over me.” What did he do? He looked forward and saw a brighter day:

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” An example of a person hindering himself is found in Elijah, when he bewailed his situation and thought that he alone was left in Israel to worship God. We may look on the dark side, and discourage ourselves. Some people are always finding fault with themselves. Such attitude is unjust. Of course, you have faults and failures — everyone does; but instead of criticism, adopt a positive attitude. Try to correct your faults and profit by your failures. “I can” wins; “I can’t” loses. Believe God will take care of you in time of danger — believe God will bring you through your troubles. By doing these things, you will strengthen your heart to meet your difficulties. But one may say, “You do not know my troubles.” No, but I know your God. Some have written me lamenting over their situation. What shall they do? “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19. Thus the prophet built up himself. And so may we if we will exercise real faith in God.

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.

U.S. Education Department investigating WCU The Office of Civil Rights is looking into the school for Title IX violations By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX investigation into Western Carolina University The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) began the investigation into Western Carolina University “amid allegations that WCU has openly refused to comply with Title IX and to ensure sex-separated intimate spaces in federally funded institutions of higher education.” “WCU’s reported contempt for federal antidiscrimination laws and indifference to, and retaliation against, girls who have spoken up about males invading their intimate spaces is simply unacceptable,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a press release. ”After fighting for years to secure Title IX protections, women must again fight hostile institutions to ensure their right

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

Payton McNabb waves as she is recognized by President Donald Trump during his address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4. to equal protection and opportunity in sports, living spaces, and intimate facilities is respected, “Trainor said. “The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will continue to deploy every lawful means to eradicate this wholly unnecessary and egregious violation of women and girls’ civil rights.” OCR’s press release also cites “credible reports” that the

school allowed a male to room with a female in a girls’ dormitory. Those reports include public records from WCU obtained by Speech First regarding a Title IX investigation by WCU into former student Payton McNabb. The records were shared and reported on by the right-leaning outlet National Review. “Western Carolina Univer-

BREACH from page A1 The data appears to be the same information included in the PowerSchool data breach announced earlier this year; PowerSchool received similar emails demanding money for the return of the data. Schools and districts received an email from PowerSchool on Dec. 28, about the data breach affecting the Student Information System that stores and manages student records, grades, attendance, enrollment and personally identifiable information such as names, addresses, medical information and Social Security numbers. Wrenn said the emails received by North Carolina schools were like what PowerSchool had received last year, noting the new emails used the “same tactic” but targeted “a different audience.” Wrenn indicated the emails contained demands for Bitcoin to be paid to the threat actors in return for the data they allegedly possess.

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“At the time of the original incident notification in January of this year, PowerSchool did assure its customers that the compromised data would not be shared and had been destroyed,” Green said. “Unfortunately, that, at least at this point, is proving to be incorrect.” Green is referring to a Dec. 28 email PowerSchool emailed to clients that said the data in the December breach would “not be shared or made public,” and they “believe it has been deleted” without being copied or shared. PowerSchool re-

A breach of the statewide school information system PowerSchool is believed to be the source of blackmail efforts toward 20 North Carolina school districts.

portedly paid an undisclosed ransom to the hackers to stop the data from being shared or released. The data in the December breach included certain student and staff names, addresses, medical information and Social Security numbers. “It is not yet clear if the same threat actor is responsible for both of these incidents,” Green said, adding that PowerSchool has indicated it does not believe there was a second breach, as the data was the same as the December breach.

sity has perpetrated a policy that is not in full compliance with Title IX. The violation has impacted not only me but many other female students at the university that deserve our rights to single-sex spaces,” McNabb said in the OCR press statement. McNabb is an Independent Women’s Forum ambassador and was a special guest of President Donald Trump during his address given to a joint session of Congress earlier this year. “In addition to my experience discovering a male in the women’s restroom on campus, men who self-identify as transgender are entering other women’s intimate spaces like restrooms, dorm rooms and locker rooms,” said McNabb. “Female college students will not sit idly by as men take over our spaces. I’m thankful to have an administration that will stand up for us.” McNabb was knocked unconscious and suffered a brain injury during a high school volleyball match after a transgender opponent spiked the ball into her head. Following her injury, McNabb and All-American swimmer Riley Gaines

testified in front of the North Carolina House Judiciary Committee about their experiences with men in women’s spaces. The pair spoke in support of the 2023 Fairness in Women’s Sports Act (House Bill 574), which bars males from female sports. WCU’s Title IX investigation against McNabb was opened after she encountered a male student in a women’s locker room and asked that male student to leave. The records obtained by Speech First show WCU’s chief compliance officer was resistant to Trump’s January executive order that removed gender ideology and defined sex based on biology, as well as limiting the use of spaces like bathrooms based on those definitions. Trump’s order followed the final legal end to former President Joe Biden’s alteration of Title IX, which rewrote the definition of sex to include gender ideology, paving the way for men to enter into women’s sports and shared spaces like locker rooms. The Biden administration quietly withdrew the Title IX changes in late December 2024, citing mounting legal challenges.

At least one other state, Oregon, has received identical emails from the threat actors. Additionally, the demands are international, with Canada receiving an identical email from the threat actors on May 5. North State Journal asked Green if NCDPI was contemplating legal action against PowerSchool. Green noted the February 2025 announcement by the N.C. Department of Justice (NCDOJ) and Attorney General Jeff Jackson of an investigation into the previous breach incident, and said, “We will certainly communicate this information to (NCDOJ).” Green added that whatever action brought by the NCDOJ would be on behalf of NCDPI, the State Board of Education and the state. NCDPI has instructed the state’s districts and schools not to engage the threat actors and report contact to NCDPI. A form has been provided to the districts to use and share with their students and families. Wake County Public Schools,

the state’s largest district, issued a statement to parents the same evening NCDPI made its announcement about the threat emails. Two years of credit monitoring and Identity theft services are being provided by PowerSchool free of charge with enrollment due by July 31. More information on these services can be found on the PowerSchool website. Wrenn told reporters NCDPI is in talks with PowerSchool about extending that deadline. The state’s contract with PowerSchool will end in a few months, and North Carolina will begin transitioning to a new system, Infinite Campus, on July 1. The transition is scheduled to happen over two years. NCDPI’s Cybersecurity Team “conducted a thorough investigation of Infinite Campus’ security practices and reviewed all other technology contracts to ensure proper security standards are in place,” per an NCDPI press release.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Outdoors commission honors inductees, legislators The NC Outdoors Hall of Fame enshrined Derick Close, Julian “Bubba” Rawl and Robert C. “Bob” Johnson By K.D. Beard North State Journal WALLACE — As society becomes increasingly reliant upon the internet and the devices that connect to it, technology can seem inescapable. For most young Americans, it’s all they’ve ever known: Born into an age of iPhones, smartwatches, WiFi refrigerators and AI-generated content, many may never attempt to separate real life from the world behind screens. The North Carolina Youth Outdoors Engagement Commission (NCYOEC) seeks to change that. Since its creation in 2015 through legislation sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Stanly), the commission has worked to create opportunities for the state’s youth to put down their phones and experience life outside of their feeds and For You pages by helping them explore all the great outdoors through hunting, fishing, archery, kayaking, horseback riding and more. Last Tuesday, the North Carolina Outdoors Foundation (NCOF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2024 to support the mission of the NCYOEC and youth outdoor learning efforts across the state, held its second annual North Carolina Youth Outdoors Invitational at River Landing, welcoming three new inductees into the NC Outdoors Hall of Fame — Derick Close, Julian “Bubba” Rawl and Robert C. “Bob” Johnson — and recognizing Reps. Kyle Hall (R-King) and Donny Lambeth (R-Winston-Salem), and Sens. Todd Johnson (R-Union) and Michael Lazzara (R-Onslow) as Legislators of the Year for their dedication to the cause. Wendell “Dell” Murphy Jr., chairman of the NYOEC, welcomed guests to the award cer-

emony at River Landing’s Grand Ballroom following a cocktail hour that allowed legislators, dignitaries, sponsors and honorees an opportunity to mingle while commission staff sold raffle tickets to raise funds for its mission. “This foundation is special because its sole focus is to monetarily support youth outdoor education and recreational activities through the North Carolina Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission,” said Murphy. “Anybody that knows me knows that one of my mottos when it comes to the youth is: The children are the future. I have a very heartfelt, strong belief that they deserve all the attention that we can possibly give them.” Murphy thanked the legislators who have stood by the commission and board members for the NCOF and the NCYOEC, as well as the sponsors and donors who made the event possible. “Every single penny’s important, but those major sponsors put us over the top,” Murphy said. “We greatly appreciate every single one of them.” After a presentation detailing the commission’s programs and accomplishments, NCOF President Justin Burr, also the executive director of NCYOEC expressed his gratitude for the support the commission has received since its establishment. “We’ve impacted over 300,000 youth across this state, and the number’s really a lot higher than that,” Burr said. “We’ve awarded over 1,700 grants and almost $10 million. There’s only one reason that that has happened — only one — and that is the support of the General Assembly,” said Burr. “Without their support, this program would be nonexistent — we would have impacted zero kids.” Burr thanked all members of the North Carolina General Assembly in attendance for their assistance as the commission works to get kids outdoors before calling upon the Legislators of the Year to receive their awards. “Just your presence here tonight tells everyone that you tru-

ly believe in our youth and the importance of getting them outside,” Johnson said as the legislative honorees each spoke; Lambeth was unable to attend. NCYOEC Vice Chairman James “Jim” Harrell III introduced this year’s Hall of Fame inductees and recognized last year’s honorees present for the event. He advised those in attendance that Close, unable to attend due to the death of his mother-in-law, will be honored at next year’s invitational before Murphy introduced the night’s first Hall of Fame honoree, detailing Johnson’s altruistic achievements and his love for the outdoors. “The mission statement at House of Raeford is ‘to do the right thing in all things we do.’ Bob, you are doing the right thing, and I’m so proud to call you up and to honor you in this way,” Murphy said. Johnson expressed his appreciation for being selected for the honor and thanked his wife of 46 years, Luanne, for her steadfast support. “To receive this award is amazing, but to receive it from a best friend is truly amazing,” Johnson said. “It’s really an honor. Thank you so much.” NCYOEC commissioner Harry Shawl next introduced Rawl. “Over his career, Bubba has been a champion of youth development and outdoor education, which is true to what we’re doing here,” Shawl said. “He truly believes in giving back and shaping the next generation.” Rawl said the outdoors can enrich all, especially young people, in ways modern technology can’t. “I think the ability to enjoy God’s creation is what we’re all here for,” said Rawl. “Nintendo, I don’t think, is where we were intended to be. I’m delighted to be honored here tonight.” Attendees had an opportunity to further contribute to the foundation through a live auction that featured donated lots ranging from turkey hunts and fly-fishing trips to beach vacation stays and pearl chain necklaces following the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Robert C. “Bob” Johnson Bob Johnson’s family has been in the poultry business for more than a century. Son of House of Raeford Farms founder Marvin Johson of Rose Hill, he currently serves as president and CEO of the company. Under his leadership, House of Raeford has consistently ranked in the top 10 in chicken production nationally. Johnson worked in processing plants and on farms before becoming CEO of House of Raeford in 1997. He oversaw a period of expansion that included the acquisition of chicken processing plants, feed mills and grow-out operations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana. In 2013, House of Raeford exited the turkey business to focus on the company’s core competency — vertically integrated chicken production. Outside of the company, Johnson strongly believes in giving back to the communities where House of Raeford has operations through monetary and product donations as well as personal involvement. In 2009, Johnson spearheaded the founding of FLOCK (Faithful Love Offering for Christ’s Kingdom), a nonprofit charitable organization focused on feeding the hungry, supporting mental health and addiction recovery programs, and especially on youth development. FLOCK has supported UNC Wilmington athletics and the North Carolina Coaching Association, as well as many local schools, athletics departments and private parks. Johnson is a Harrells Christian Academy graduate who attended Louisburg College and is a member of the board of trustees for the University of Mount Olive. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Rose Hill. Johnson and his wife, Luanne, have three children actively involved in House of Raeford. In his spare time, Johnson enjoys watching his grandchildren play sports and attending USA Archery competitions with his grandson, Robert. “What the NC Youth Outdoors have done to encourage young people to get outside and get off the couch is really good work.”

Bob Johnson, left, is presented with a statue by Dell Murphy Jr. as part of his induction into the NC Outdoors Hall of Fame. COURTESY NCYOEC

Julian W. “Bubba” Rawl Julian “Bubba” Rawl was born and raised in Greenville. His family and life have been closely intertwined with East Carolina, where he briefly attended before pursuing his business endeavors. Rawl has been a successful businessman for decades, from his imprinted T-shirt business and the formation of the Preston Development Group with Tim Smith in the 90s to the current development of Chatham Park. Rawl has been a champion of youth development and outdoor education for more than 35 years and worked to create opportunities for the state’s youth to engage with the outdoors through activities such as fishing, camping and environmental education to build leadership and promote a love for the outdoors. His commitment to organizations like the NC Youth Outdoor Commission reflects his passion for helping young people connect with nature and develop life skills. Deeply involved in the Boy Scouts, Rawl has attained the rank of Eagle Scout and received the Silver Beaver award. He is a longtime board member of the East Carolina Council Boy Scouts of America and has been recognized by both the East Carolina and Occoneechee Councils as the Boy Scout Citizen of the Year. His leadership extends to numerous community boards, including the North Carolina Zoological Society, the Cary Academy Board and the Triangle Habitat for Humanity Advisory Board. Rawl served on the SBA Board of Advisors during President Ronald Reagan’s second term and presently serves on the TowneBank Board. A charter member of the Oakmont Baptist Church, Rawl has served as both deacon and finance committee chair, and he has participated in 22 mission trips to Central America and Cuba. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children: Jordy, married to Melissa; Julia, married to Russel Stewart; and Allie, married to Sandy Thorpe. Rawl enjoys hunting, boating, skiing, and traveling with his family in his free time. “I’m so proud of the folks that put this organization together, honored to be a part of it tonight,” Rawl said. “Having kids be introduced to the outdoors is probably one of the best initiatives the state can do, no matter what they do.”

Bubba Rawl, left, poses with his family during an event at which he was honored by the North Carolina Youth Outdoors Engagement Commission.

COURTESY NCYOEC

State Sens. Michael Lazzara (left) and Todd Johnson (center) and Rep. Kyle Hall (right) were among the legislators honored last week by the North Carolina Youth Outdoors Engagement Commission.

COURTESY NCYOEC

UNC System nonfaculty staff up nearly 15% From 2015-24, the staffing rose by 14.6%, whereas student enrollment rose 10.2% and faculty staff rose 9.5% By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A new report by the James G. Martin Center shows administrative staff added at higher rates than teaching faculty and student enrollment in the UNC System. The report examines faculty, nonfaculty and student enrollment percentage rates from 2015-16 to 2024-25. “The data show a clear trend: administrative growth has exceeded instructional growth at

nearly every institution,” Jenna Robinson, president of the Martin Center, said in a press release. “This expansion raises important questions about institutional priorities and whether resources are being directed toward the core academic mission.” Across the UNC System, nonfaculty staff increased by 14.6%, outpacing faculty growth (9.5%) and student enrollment growth (10.2%_) during the decade, according to the 28-page report. Two schools that stood out in the data were Appalachian State and Winston-Salem State. Appalachian State had a 25.4% decrease in nonfaculty staff, while faculty grew by 20.5% during the period covered by the report. Winston-Salem State Uni-

“The data show a clear trend: administrative growth has exceeded instructional growth at nearly every institution.” Jenna Robinson, James G. Martin Center president versity had a faculty decline of just under 30%, whereas nonfaculty grew by over 11%. The report highlights a trend toward expanding administrative and support functions, such as Fiscal Affairs, Academic and Student Affairs and Information Technology, over instructional roles. Faculty salary expenditures

rose by 44.78%, and nonfaculty salary expenditures increased by 55.53%. The report notes that spending outpaced the Consumer Price Index increase of 32.72%. Fiscal Affairs saw the biggest staff increase, with a 53.8% rise in headcount (from 1,343 to 2,065 employees) and the highest expenditure rate of nearly 91%. An analysis by the public policy think tank American Enterprise Institute shows a concentration of administrative bloat at mainly top private universities and colleges. National data on administrative bloat in higher education suggests that expected future falling enrollment rates may further increase the percentage gaps between nonfaculty

staff and teaching staff or cause schools to close their doors. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for 2022–23 says the average total cost of attendance for at a four-year school for fulltime undergraduate students was “higher at private nonprofit institutions ($58,600) than at private for-profit institutions ($33,600) and public institutions ($27,100).” NCES data also shows that the all-institution cost for a four-year degree, which included tuition, fees, and room and board, has exponentially increased over the years, jumping more than 2,300% from 1963 to 2023. In 1963-64, the cost was $1,286. By 1980, the cost had more than doubled to $3,167. By 2022-23, that cost was $30,884. The private school starting and ending rates for the same years were higher, at $1,810 in 1964 and $49,654 in 2023; an overall increase of 2,564%.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The rule of law versus mayhem

“The rule of law simply means no one is above the law ― and no one is below it either.”

Have you ever noticed how Democrats bring up the “rule of law” only when they talk about President Donald Trump ― but nothing else? “Donald Trump doesn’t respect the ‘rule of law,’” they say. “Donald Trump wants to shred the Constitution and destroy the ‘rule of law!’” they bray when he asserts his duty to defend the borders as lowly liberal district judges try to block him. Democrats across the board couldn’t care less about the “rule of law” when it comes to sentencing criminals to prison. They travel to foreign countries and storm prison gates to defend illegal immigrants who have been charged with heinous crimes of rape and murder against innocent women and children in America. They turn a blind eye to the mayhem caused by the BLM riots of 2020 and the violence of pro-Palestinian protestors on college campuses at the expense and detriment of Jewish students who want to go to class in peace. To them, “the rule of law” is just another bloody shirt to wave about, much like they toss around arcane Ivy League words such as “oligarchy” and “collusion.” What is this vaunted “rule of law” anyway, and where does it come from? It has its roots in philosophy alongside every political and legal concept we take for granted today. The rule of law simply means no one is above the law ― and no one is below it either. Every citizen, regardless of social standing, is considered equal and deserving of all the rights and privileges accorded them in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Aristotle talked about the rule of law as opposed to the right of any individual to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. French philosopher Montesquieu published “The Spirit of Law” in 1748, which profoundly influenced the thinking of the founders of the United States such as Thomas Jefferson, who wrote these words which stands the test of time: “all men are created equal” which is exactly what the rule of law was established to defend. The French revolutionaries (sadly) took it one step further when they adopted the motto “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité ou la mort” in 1793: “liberty, equality, brotherhood ― or death.” They followed the motto a little too literally as they cut the heads off the previous rulers of France and pretty much negated the whole kumbaya of “everyone is equal under the law” from the get-go. One thing a person learns once they get into elective politics and government is that campaigns are like Duke-Carolina basketball games, which can get heated and bloody at times: Once the game is over, it is over. Everyone has to lay down their arms and realize the winners control the show for at least the next two years. Another biennial election will be held, and incumbents will be held accountable for their actions and either be returned to office as majority holders or thrown out ignominiously to become the minority. That is the only way our constitutional democratic republic will survive. Once elected, the majority has to govern as “public servants,” which means they have to work for everyone in their state, district or

country, regardless of political philosophy, race, creed, gender or color “under the rule of existing law at the time.” The losing side has to lick its wounds and collect itself to get ready for the next election if it wants to change the law. They do not have the right to shut down the country by supporting criminal behavior as part of any so-called “Resistance,” as we have seen the Democrats do time and again over the past decade. Wouldn’t it be great if members of the Democratic Party would stand before the cameras and join with Republicans to decry the wanton violence caused by not only illegal immigrants with immense criminal records but anyone in America who rapes or kills innocent people of any race, creed or color? It is the criminal behavior everyone should be against ― after all, no one is voting for politicians who want them to be less safe in their homes and on the streets, are they? Elections have consequences, as President Barack Obama famously sneered at Republicans in 2009. But the rule of law has to remain above the fray in between biennial elections, which means elected leaders have to be real leaders and stop listening to political hacks, lawfare junkies and nonprofit activists who are encouraging them to it ignore it.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

On reactions to Pamela Anderson’s Met Gala appearance

Like every other human being on this Earth, she doesn’t look like she did back in her 20s.

CONTRARY TO THE “out there” and “over-the-top” glam looks you typically see at the annual Met Gala event, actress/model Pamela Anderson arrived wearing what People magazine described as “a structured, long-sleeve gown (that) featured a wide neck and (which) was completely embellished with blue, red and silver crystals.” More notable about Anderson’s look were the bob haircut, baby bangs and minimal makeup, a subdued look that was at odds with the beauty queen many remember from her mid-1990s Baywatch days and her time as the wife of rock star icon Tommy Lee and, later, Kid Rock. Anderson is now 57 years old, and like every other human being on this Earth, she doesn’t look like she did back in her 20s during her TV series/glamour girl years. Time and life experiences age us all, of course, but when you’re a woman who has worked in Hollywood most of your life as a “bombshell” with long blonde hair and an enhanced curvy figure, it would seem that you’re expected to maintain that look as long as you can whether by surgery or injections in order to have “worth” and “respect” in the industry and beyond. But as Anderson’s understated Met Gala appearance indicated, she’s chosen a different path, one that young girls who are inundated daily with filtered and digitally altered magazine covers and Instagram photos of women looking “perfect” should consider.

While Anderson earned praise for her fashion decisions and simple cosmetic choices at the swanky event, some social media netizens were unkind, with some suggesting she should retire if she couldn’t keep up with current beauty trends. Others declared her “past her prime,” saying she “let herself go” because Anderson dared to walk away from the botox and plastic surgery on her search for inner peace. On the other hand, the applause was noteworthy, as well. Actor Lorenzo Lamas, for instance, said this about Anderson’s look: “(She) is strong, independent and stunning. As a father of five daughters, she is the woman I would want my daughters to emulate,” Lamas noted. “Above all the false narratives of what makes women attractive, authenticity and integrity are sorely ignored in my opinion,” he also wrote. Former Miss America Erika Harold wrote, “She remains a beautiful woman who has the audacity to age and still appear in public. May we learn to stop shaming people for aging, and instead save our criticism for those who refuse to grow up.” What’s struck me the most about Anderson’s appearance in recent months is something men and women alike should all strive to do: be comfortable in our own skins. Anderson has never looked more radiant, more confident and more genuinely happy

than she does now. And she’s doing it without the endless touch-ups, the special lighting, the 10-person hair and makeup squads, the carefully crafted pose angles and all the rest. It’s an unstated but understood societal expectation that women, in particular, are supposed to look and act 25 forever (especially true if you work in the entertainment industry) and that if they don’t, they somehow lose their value. That harmful, unrealistic “standard” needs to be torn down brick by brick, something Anderson is doing brilliantly and in her own way. No matter what you do in life, there should be no shame in aging gracefully, no shame in showing gray hair and wrinkles and an imperfect figure. Hats off to Anderson for being willing to set this example regardless of what her small-minded critics have to say. 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 15, 2025

COLUMN

COLUMN | MATT MERCER

Biden’s job growth mirage vs. Trump’s private sector revival

Nearly 1 in 4 jobs Biden claimed to have created never even existed.

THE NUMBERS may have looked good at first glance, but Joe Biden’s supposed “job boom” was nothing more than an illusion. As the cost of living soared and businesses fought to stay afloat, the Biden administration used its power to grow the federal workforce and called it economic growth. But adding to the ranks of bureaucrats in Washington isn’t the same as creating opportunities for everyday Americans. Under Biden, government growth was hurting the private sector, driving inflation and leaving American families with less buying power. President Donald Trump understands that real growth doesn’t come through propping up Washington but through empowering workers and revitalizing American industries. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, “The private sector has been in recession. … Our goal is to reprivatize the economy.” That’s exactly what Trump is doing; he’s reversing Biden’s damage and rebuilding an economy that puts American workers first. Biden may have spent the last four years bragging about job growth, but in reality, it was nothing more than a government hiring spree funded by his administration’s reckless spending. While American families were struggling to afford groceries and gas, Biden padded the federal bureaucracy with thousands of taxpayer-funded jobs. In 2023 alone, Biden added 709,000 new government jobs, which was more than double the number he added in 2022. State government employment grew at its fastest rate since 1968, and the federal workforce swelled by nearly 6% under his watch. That’s not economic growth, that’s a taxpayer-funded power grab. According to The Heritage Foundation, nearly 1 in 4 jobs Biden claimed to have created never even existed, and Biden’s

supposed “job growth” was grossly overestimated by nearly 800,000. This was not prosperity — it was a taxpayer-funded crisis created by Biden. He failed to build an economy ― instead, he built a bigger government and stuck American workers with the bill. Trump is once again delivering on real job growth in the private sector where it benefits everyday Americans and families across the country. In March, the economy added 228,000 jobs, delivering one of the strongest months in years. April’s numbers also beat economists’ expectations. Under Trump’s leadership, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been added. Even better, they’re creating surges in retail, transportation and warehousing. Across the country, wages are rising, confidence is returning, and the private sector is coming back to life. Labor force participation grew, and the federal government cut jobs for the third straight month. Trump is keeping his promise to slash waste from the federal bureaucracy. Investments from companies are coming to North Carolina thanks to Trump’s administration. Even better, it’s not just a select few areas reaping the benefits. In Wilson, Johnson & Johnson is investing $2 billion to bring manufacturing and construction jobs to eastern North Carolina. Our president understands government doesn’t create prosperity; hard-working Americans do. He’s bringing jobs home and proving that real growth comes from empowering workers and businesses, not inflating Washington. Matt Mercer is communications director for NCGOP and worked on Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

COLUMN | WILLIAM J. WATKINS JR.

Judges are not special guardians of the Constitution Judges should be “a mere machine” when performing their duties.

JUDGES ARE VEXED at the Trump administration’s lack of deference. One hundred fifty retired state and federal judges recently signed a letter condemning the administration’s spats with the judiciary. Prepared by the Society for the Rule of Law, a Never-Trump organization formed by self-described “conservative lawyers and jurists,” the letter accuses the administration of myriad efforts to “intimidate and threaten the judiciary.” Such efforts will fail, the signatories assert, “because the American people trust judges as guardians of the Constitution and the Rule of Law.” Such a lofty role for the judges is a modern invention. Americans at the time of the Revolution did not deify judges as we do today. As the American colonists formed new state constitutions, they understood that the legislature and executive could act in dangerous extra-constitutional manners. The people did not look to the courts to protect them from unconstitutional enactments. Instead, the people believed that the best security would be internal safeguards such as bicameralism, delaying veto, term limits, frequent elections and juries. And while not all these safeguards appeared in each state constitution, some combination of them did. Moreover, as pointed out by historian Gordon Wood, “the early constitutionmakers had little sense that judicial independence meant independence from the people.” Juries were especially sacrosanct bodies and could not be overridden by a judge even if the judge believed the jury’s decision was against the greater weight of the evidence. Judges were often relegated to deciding pretrial motions and other ministerial matters. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, written shortly after penning the Declaration of Independence, judges should be “a mere machine” when performing their duties. If judges took actions tending to undermine customary rights or republican government, citizens expected that the jurors would check them by ignoring or overturning the judges’ opinions and determinations. Eventually, Americans accepted that principles of popular sovereignty established the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government. But judges were not transformed into special “guardians of the Constitution.” Yes, they could review certain decisions of the coordinate branches and overturn executive or legislative actions, but their word was not the final say on the Constitution nor the powers of the other branches. Writing to Abigail Adams in 1804, Jefferson summed up this commonsense

constitutionalism as follows: “That instrument meant that its co-ordinate branches should be checks on each other. But the opinion which gives to judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional, and what are not, not only for themselves in their own sphere of action, but for the Legislature & Executive also, in their spheres, would make the judiciary a despotic branch.” Jefferson realized that the coordinate branches would occasionally disagree on matters of constitutional interpretation. Rather than any one branch having the power to decide for the others or serve as a special guardian, he envisioned the people acting through the ballot box or in convention to make the final decision. But didn’t Chief Justice John Marshall state in Marbury v. Madison (1803) that “it is emphatically the province of the judicial department to say what the law is?” He did. But it was not until modern times that these words were interpreted to mean something outside Jefferson’s understanding as expressed to Adams. As Charles F. Hobson, the editor of “The Papers of John Marshall,” has noted: “For nearly a century after the decision, Marbury was almost always cited in connection with issues of original jurisdiction … not as authority to pronounce laws unconstitutional.” Yale Law School’s Akhil Amar has also observed that “not until the late twentieth century did the Court begin to describe itself as the ‘ultimate interpreter’ of the Constitution.” Of course, even if we accept the judiciary as special guardians of the Constitution, they deserve the Trumpian apprentice treatment of “you’re fired!” The judges have stretched the Constitution beyond recognition. The “few and defined” federal powers James Madison wrote about in The Federalist have become numerous and indefinite powers under judicial interpretation. The courts serve as continuous constitutional conventions, twisting and molding the Constitution to support a European-style unitary state. The federation created by the framers has been rejected by judges who claim supreme authority over American law. In sum, the Society of the Rule of Law gets judicial power wrong. But even if the Society was right, it’s laughable to claim that Americans should “trust” the judges considering their long track record of selling out American first principles of limited government. William J. Watkins Jr. is a research fellow at the Independent Institute and author of “Crossroads for Liberty: Recovering the Anti-Federalist Values of America’s First Constitution.”

ANDREW BIGGS

Retirement accounts lift over 1M seniors out of poverty FROM THE New York Times, in 2023: “The proportion of older Americans living below the official poverty level fell drastically through the 1960s and 1970s, largely because of expansions and increases in Social Security. But there has since been a plateau. “‘It’s not fully appreciated how persistent senior poverty has been,’ Dr. (Richard) Johnson said. ‘The decline really slowed in the 1990s and hasn’t improved significantly since.’” And seemingly they’re right. According to official statistics, the 9.7% poverty rate for Americans aged 65 and over in 2024 was the same as in the year 2000, showing no progress in fighting elderly poverty in over two decades. But what if I told you these statistics were just wrong? And for a simple reason: The federal government isn’t counting seniors’ entire incomes. An important component is largely left out. No, this isn’t something arcane, like whether rent subsidies or health insurance should be counted as income when calculating poverty. (Some say yes, others say no.) It’s whether what’s likely to be the main source of income of most retirees on top of Social Security, the thing that puts money in their bank account and food on their table, is counted as “income.” I’m talking about withdrawals from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s. The bizarre reality is that official government poverty statistics don’t count retirement account withdrawals as “income.” That doesn’t matter for kids or working-age adults. But it’s increasingly important for seniors, so much so that the official poverty rate for Americans aged 65, which largely ignores income from retirement accounts, is nearly double the true rate when retirement account withdrawals are included. The most common source of data on retirees’ incomes is the federal government’s Current Population Survey. It should go without saying that the government’s main data source on retiree incomes should, you know, “count their incomes!” Income, according to the OECD, “represents the money available to a household for spending on goods or services.” However, the CPS measures “money income,” which the Census Bureau defines as “income received on a regular basis.” So what is a monthly Social Security check or pension benefit, or a biweekly paycheck from a job in retirement? They’re “income.” But what about when a retiree draws down their IRA, 401(k) or other savings as needed? “Not income,” as far as the Census Bureau surveys are concerned. The problem with the Census Bureau’s definition of income shouldn’t be hard to grasp, especially as retirement accounts take the place of traditional pensions. One type of retirement plan, which is counted as income, is being replaced by another plan, which isn’t counted as income. Obviously, this can skew our perceptions of how well 401(k)s have taken the place of traditional pensions. Official statistics on incomes and poverty are literally useless in analyzing this change to the U.S. retirement system because they all but ignore the income seniors receive from IRAs and 401(k)s, the very savings vehicles that led this change. Fortunately (for data nerds, if not for taxpayers), the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t give a crap where you got your income from. They just want their slice of it. Which means we have some alternate data to illustrate how big a problem the CPS’s mismeasurement of retirement income is. For instance, in 2023, the CPS reports that seniors received $583 billion in income from retirement accounts, traditional pensions and annuities. By contrast, the IRS reports that seniors receive $1 trillion in retirement account, pension and annuity income, a 72% increase. Presumably, most of that gap is from retirement account income not being captured in the CPS. This same error applies to income from ordinary nonretirement investment accounts. As I point out in “The Real Retirement Crisis,” the Social Security Administration was aware of this reporting problem as early as 1968: A survey the SSA conducted at the time captured less than half of the investment income that seniors reported to the IRS on their tax returns. Over time, as pensions were replaced by retirement accounts, the problem only becomes more widespread. The true poverty rate among age 65+ Americans in 2018 wasn’t the 9.75% reported in official statistics based upon the CPS. The true elderly poverty rate was just 5.75%. Put another way, official government statistics claim the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over is nearly twice the actual rate. Retirees don’t simply have a dramatically lower risk of poverty than official figures claim. They have a dramatically lower poverty rate than other Americans. For comparison, using the same more accurate data, the Census Bureau finds the 2018 poverty rate for children was 15.6% and for working-age adults 9.5%. It is truly shocking that, with so much on the line regarding Social Security reform and the future of household retirement savings, we do not actually know the incomes and poverty rates of seniors in the United States today. We know with near certainty that the official statistics overestimate poverty and underestimate retiree incomes, but we don’t know what the true rates of poverty and level of incomes are. Andrew Biggs is senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and allowed this reprint of a post from his Substack, “Little-Known Facts.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Jones & Blount

Murphy to Manteo

LGC approves health care, airport funding

This week in NC … Whether you’re interested in world-class golf, local festivals or culinary excellence, there’s something for everyone to enjoy across the state array of activities that highlight each region. From the prestigious PGA Championship in Charlotte, The Raleigh Arts Festival, and N.C. Agriculture’s Got To Be NC Festival to watching championship hang gliding, listening beach music on the coast or sipping home-grown Cheerwine, there are opportunities to explore the best of the state’s vibrant traditions, both new and old. Here’s a snapshot of North Carolina’s cultural and sporting landscape for the week of May 12-18.

1

2. Cheerwine Festival

4. Atlantic Beach Music Festival

3a. Got To Be NC Festival

5. Hang Gliding Spectacular

Salisbury (May 17)

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina Local Government Commission approved

3b. Artsplosure/The Raleigh Arts Festival

Charlotte (May 15-18)

Duke Health University Systems will receive $540 million, while Charlotte Douglas Airport had $330 million in projects OK’d

5

3

2

1. PGA Championship

infrastructure and airport improvements during its May 6 meeting. The Local Government Commission (LGC), chaired by State Treasurer Brad Briner, authorized more than $870 million in bonds for Duke University Health System and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, among other projects across the state. Duke University Health System’s (DUHS) request for $540 million in conduit revenue bonds was approved following a green light from the North Carolina Medical Care Commission. This type of bond will allow the Medical Care Commission to loan the bond proceeds directly to DUHS. DUHS plans to use the funds to

4

Raleigh (May 17-18)

Atlantic Beach (May 17)

Raleigh (May 16-18)

Jockey’s Ridge State Park (May 15–18)

itself for expenses for an expansion in

WEST Private property debris removal program extended

Forsyth County inmate found dead 3 days after arrest

McDowell County

Forsyth County An inmate has died in custody at the Forsyth County Detention Center just days after his arrest, according

WBTV

Police investigating altercation between “belligerent” man, Edwards Buncombe County a reported disturbance at a downtown Asheville hotel where U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards was in attendance Saturday night. In a statement, Edwards said that after a speaking engagement at the hotel, he “refused to engage with an intoxicated man that was cursing.” Edwards said the man became more belligerent and called the police. “His behavior was embarrassing to the people at the event and was duly noted by the police,” Edwards said. WLOS

Pedestrian bridge debuts for NASCAR All-Star Race Wilkes County NASCAR’s All-Star Race is this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and race fans now have easier and safer access from the parking lot. NCDOT has installed a $2 million pedestrian bridge across U.S. 421 ahead of next week’s race. Before the pedestrian bridge installation, fans used the Fisher Creek Road bridge for years. NCDOT said closing it and putting up barriers was time-consuming and unsuitable for pedestrian crossings because the handrails are lower than standards. Steven Wilson, the co-founder of Save the Speedway, told reporters he’s glad to see this investment in the community. Wilson said the organization helped reopen the speedway after it shut down in 1996 due to a loss in popularity, being outdated and lacking modern amenities. Since its reopening in 2023, Wilson says he’s hopeful the speedway can continue to grow and thrive. NSJ

building, supporting infrastructure, a freestanding emergency department, ambulatory surgery center and specialty clinics.

EAST

PIEDMONT

by Hurricane Helene now have more time to apply for free debris removal. The deadline to enroll in the Private Property Debris Program is now Thursday. Eligible residents may qualify to have disaster debris removed from their property at no cost. Applicants can apply in person through Thursday at McDowell County Emergency Services at 129 Barnes Road in Marion.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

On Saturday afternoon, David Elliot Dickerson, 72, was found unresponsive completing rounds. Following pronounced dead. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was contacted to complete its independent investigation. Dickerson had been with a child by an adult and indecent liberties with a minor. WGHP

Alamance County 3-year-old Hunter Hatch as the little boy who was killed in an accidental responded to the scene after reports a car with a critical injury and a gun. He was taken to the hospital and died that night. Investigators say that accidentally inside the car.

decision, the Medical Care Commission also received approval to issue $50 million in conduit revenue bonds for

“Forcible entry” into lighthouse under investigation Dare County

Wyndham announces partnership with Grandover Resort Guilford County With the Wyndham Championship tournament’s corporate sponsor announced a new “family” relationship with a resort a few miles away. Wyndham Hotels announced Tuesday a marketing arrangement with the Grandover Resort and Spa, which already serves as the host hotel for the tournament. In a news release, Wyndham, which owns some 9,000 hotels and resorts in 96 countries and calls itself the “world’s largest hotel franchising company,” said it was “adding” Grandover under its elite Wyndham Grand brand, which includes domestic and international locations. Grandover, which was opened in 1999 by the Koury family, features 244 rooms, convention space and two golf courses, and it anchors a surrounding residential and retail development. It ranks among North Carolina’s best golf resorts, as cited in U.S. News & World Report and other travel sites. NSJ

County. The 173-bed independent living

trying to determine who broke into a well-known lighthouse last week. The incident in which someone “forcibly entered” the Bodie Island Lighthouse is being investigated by law enforcement rangers, according to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

in crash involving deer

damage involved in the incident. The lighthouse is not publicly accessible this year because the iconic Cape Hatteras landmark is closed for

the mayor was driving on a rural road when he encountered a herd of deer just before midnight in Largo, Maryland. While trying to avoid the deer, Robinson overcorrected his steering, resulting in him losing control of his vehicle. It caused the car to hit wet grass before crashing into a power line pole and a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the crash,

existing bonds and to fund campus improvements like mechanical systems,

Halifax County was seriously hurt following a crash involving a deer on Saturday night,

NSJ

Morehead City to host pop-up roller skate event Carteret County Morehead City will host the City Skate, a pop-up park event, on May 16-18. It will be held at Katherine Davis Park on 601 Arendell St. City Skate, which is a free roller-skating rink, will include a DJ and a dessert food truck. Those who want to participate are asked to bring socks as rental skates will be provided. Each participant can sign up for a 30-minute session at the 7th Street entrance of the park.

storage/maintenance building. The city of Charlotte was given approval for $330 million in revenue bonds to support expansion of terminals, runways, concourses and infrastructure at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the world’s seventh-busiest airport. The funding package includes is expected to result in $3.5 million in net present value savings.

care and airport projects, the LGC approved several other funding requests: • $70 million, Pitt County: Greenville Utilities Commission revenue bonds for Combined Enterprise System projects including electrical transmission upgrades, substation additions, community solar system, sewer plant upgrades and natural gas plant improvements. • $43 million, Wake County: Raleigh Housing Authority conduit revenue low- and moderate-income multifamily residential rental facility. • $33.6 million, Forsyth County: Two-thirds general obligation bonds for school and park maintenance, new Ashley Elementary School construction, Forsyth Technical Community College improvements, Law Enforcement Detention Center work and library renovations. • $31 million, Camden County: Private sale of general obligation bond anticipation note for construction of new Camden County High School and Camden Early College High School. • $29.5 million, Brunswick County: prior sewer project bonds, expected to yield $1.2 million in savings. • $9 million, Rockingham County: City of Eden State Revolving Fund loan for wastewater treatment system improvements, including replacement of • $4.5 million, Henderson County: Hendersonville State Revolving Fund loan for water and sewer line replacement. • $1 million, Pasquotank County: Financing arrangement to lease four transfer trucks for solid waste transportation. • $637,519, Gaston County: Stanley truck with specialized aerial capabilities. • $594,703, Wilkes County: vehicles. • $578,409, Wilkes County: Additional Wilkesboro lease agreement for 13 vehicles. • $360,000, Stanly County: Norwood lease agreement for seven police vehicles. • $100,000, Robeson County: Lumberton loan from N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to conduct required inventory of water lines for lead detection. Charlotte Douglas International Airport received approval for $540 million in bonds from the Local Government Commission.

Robinson was quickly transported to a nearby trauma unit, where he’s currently being treated for “serious but survivable” injuries. The mayor wished the public to be informed of the accident and has since been discharged from the intensive care unit and admitted to his own room, NSJ

NSJ ERIK VERDUZCO / AP PHOTO

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

US Catholics pray new pope fulfills their hopes People of all political spectrums are eager to see the path of the first American pontiff

“Until we all get to know him better, we can pour our expectations into him.”

By David Crary and Tiffany Stanley The Associated Press NEW YORK — News that the global Catholic church would get its first-ever U.S.-born pope was welcomed by Catholics across the ideological spectrum in Pope Leo XIV’s homeland, raising the question of whether he might be able to ease some of the deep divisions within its ranks. From U.S. Catholics to the left of the ideological center, there is optimism that Leo will carry on Pope Francis’ outreach to poor and marginalized people, including migrants, and provide a counterweight to policies of the Trump administration that distress them. To the right, there is hope the new pope will faithfully uphold Catholic doctrine, including opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and women’s ordination. One reason for optimism: The new pope has made clear — in his remarks and his choice of a motto — that unity within the global church will be a paramount priority. “In these early days, he’s still an empty vessel,” said Steven Millies, a public theology professor at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. “Until we all get to know him better, we can pour our expectations into him.” Notre Dame Provost John McGreevy, a historian of Catholicism, said he was “completely stunned” after the papal announcement, having shared the conventional wisdom that a

SCHOOLS from page A1 Achievement Committee. “We see substantial kindergarten growth from the beginning of the year to the middle of the year and moderate growth in grades 1 and 2 with third grade holding steady,” Camnitz said. “In all grades, North Carolina exceeded the national numbers. Subgroups outperformed or at least equal the national data.” The reporting of the Amplify Formative Diagnostic Reading Assessment results is a requirement of the 2021 Excellent Public Schools Act. The act required the use of the “Science of Reading,” defined as “evidenced-based reading instruction practices that address the acquisition of language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and spelling, fluency, vocabulary, oral language,

Steven Millies, Catholic Theological Union professor

pope from the U.S. was a near impossibility. But Leo “is a global Catholic citizen,” McGreevy said, citing the pontiff’s time in Peru, at the Vatican and leading an international religious order. “Even though he’s an American, and we’re super proud that he’s American, it’s hard to think of someone more embedded in a lot of the global church,” he said. It’s too soon to tell what Leo’s relationship will be with his fellow American prelates and the broader U.S. Catholic Church, McGreevy cautioned. “The early indications are

that there’ll be some similarities to Pope Francis,” he said — suggesting that differences with conservative U.S. bishops could continue. McGreevy said he expects some tension between the Vatican and the White House over immigration and climate change, two of Francis’ key priorities likely to be reaffirmed by Leo. Francis, in many ways, saw Robert Prevost as a possible successor, assigning him to positions in Peru that bolstered his global resume and later calling him to the Vatican to oversee

the influential office that vets bishop nominations. “Francis was paying close attention to new U.S. bishops,” said Millies, the public theology professor. “Prevost has been Francis’ man overseeing the careful selection of a different sort of bishop to fill important posts in the U.S.” Millies said the top leadership of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — which was sometimes at odds with Francis — remains relatively conservative. But in the ranks of bishops below them, “the change has al-

ready happened,” Millies said. “They are men who are more pastoral than focused on doctrine. The election of Leo means we are firmly in a different era.” Traditionally, the taboo against a U.S. pope reflected reluctance to give the world’s No. 1 superpower even more influence. That shouldn’t be a concern with Leo, according to Austen Ivereigh, a British-based journalist and author of two books on the Francis papacy. “If anybody thinks he (Leo) is going to take a different line from Francis on migration or climate change, they’re in for a surprise,” Ivereigh said. “Francis was putting into practice church teaching, and Leo will do the same.” There was muted reaction to Leo’s election from Bishop Robert Strickland, who was ousted by Francis in 2023 from leadership of the Diocese of Tyler in Texas. Strickland had been a fierce critic of Francis and came to symbolize the polarization within the U.S. hierarchy. In social media posts after Leo assumed the papacy, Strickland expressed hope that he would faithfully uphold the sacred Scriptures and traditions known as the Deposit of Faith. “With the heavy weight of the papacy now on his shoulders he needs our prayers,” Strickland added.

and comprehension that can be differentiated to meet the needs of individual students.” To support the Science of Reading, former N.C. State Superintendent Catherine Truitt implemented teacher training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS). LETRS, which follows phonics-based reading instruction methods, quickly produced positive results for K-3 students and continued substantial gains for kindergarteners. The data presented during the meeting shows North Carolina students are scoring higher than national averages in most categories, with kindergarteners scoring 21% higher on middle of the year testing (MOY) over beginning of the year (BOY) scores. Kindergartener MOY results were also 2% higher than the national scores. North Car-

olina kindergarteners were behind national scores by 5% in BOY results. Grades 1 and 3, which were just ahead of national scores in BOY testing, increased their scores in MOY testing. Grade three MOY testing was equal to national scores. K-3 students in the state are assessed using DIBELS 8, which includes assessing students’ proficiency in phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency with connected text, vocabulary and comprehension. Demographically, the state’s students improved over their BOY scores across the board by seven percentage points. Black students gained four, Hispanics gained five and American Indian/Alaskan Natives gained the most with nine. White students’ MOY results rose 8% over BOY, and

Asian students gained three. Camnitz also said that reviewing the past four years of data, the state continues to have fewer students scoring below the benchmark and more students with results at or above benchmarks in each testing cycle. According to the presentation, compared to BOY results, 28,943 more students scored at or above benchmarks in MOY testing, bringing the total achieving benchmark levels to 249,182 students. Despite the gains, MOY results showed 19,331 students (27%) are still “well below” benchmarks. Compared to testing in 202122, there are 46,134 more students at or above benchmark and 35,982 fewer students below benchmark. “We also looked at data on progress monitoring,” said

Camnitz. “Which indicates the need to increase the number of at-risk students who are receiving this critical monitoring, which, again, informs the classroom instruction for individual students.” Per the presentation shared with the board, 10% of the most at-risk students (13,868) never had their progress monitored. Progress monitoring for “well below benchmark” students is recommended every two weeks, but data suggests this isn’t happening consistently. Recommendations to continue literacy improvement included tying instruction and “high-quality” materials to the Science of Reading and a reemphasis to all districts and teachers that instruction aligned to the Science of Reading must include word recognition and language comprehension.

VATICAN MEDIA VIA AP

Pope Leo XIV meets the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican on Saturday.

BOARD from page A1 with Samuel Hayes, the general counsel to the office of the North Carolina speaker of the house. Eggers made the motion to replace Brinson Bell. “Mr. Chairman, I would thank Miss Bell for her service over the past several years,” said Eggers. “But, at this time, I would move that we appoint Samuel Hayes as the executive director of the state Board of Elections for the two-year term beginning May 15, 2025.” Hayes has also served as past general counsel to the state treasurer (2019-21) and N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (2015-17). He was also a candidate for state attorney general in 2020 but lost in the Republican Primary to Forsyth District Attorney Jim O’Neill. Hayes received his undergraduate degree from the UNC Chapel Hill (1994) and his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law (1998). Before the vote, Carmon thanked Brinson Bell for her service in overseeing elections through the pandemic and two major hurricanes, as well as mentioning four elections clearinghouse awards she had won. “It’s been a joy,” Carmon told Brinson Bell. “When we brought you on, we challenged you to take the state board from a reactive board to a proactive board,

LEFT: AP PHOTO; RIGHT: COURTESY

Karen Brinson Bell, left, was replaced by Samuel Hayes as executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections. and I’m proud to say you did it.” Brinson Bell’s tenure wasn’t without criticism. A secret legal agreement Brinson Bell entered into during the 2020 election cycle with former go-to Democratic Party Attorney Marc Elias involved election changes, some of which changed rules after voting had begun. Brinson Bell and the agreement became the subject of a 2021 Senate Redistricting and Elections Committee hearing, and a federal judge later ruled that some of the changes violated equal protection laws. “I second the remarks of my colleague, and I think this is a shabby way to treat a nationally admired executive election director,” said Millen. “And further, that the recent habit of changing the executive director whenever the composition of

the election board changes runs counter to our goal to bolster people’s faith in fair elections.” Eggers countered Millen’s remarks, saying, “I would say that there is precedent for a change in the executive director position, that when this board composition changed following the election of Gov. (Roy) Cooper; this is a position that does change.” Cooper’s elections board appointments established a 3-2 Democratic majority, and that board then removed Kim Strach as executive director and installed Brinson Bell. The move drew fire from The Charlotte Observer editorial board, which said Strach, who was registered as unaffiliated, was fired “because she is not a Democrat and the Board of Elections is majority Demo-

crat.” The editorial board also noted Democrats had “launched an ugly attempt at character assassination” on Strach, referring to a press release issued by then-N.C. Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin. The N.C. Democratic Party (NCDP) criticized Boliek and Hayes for the recent changes. “Today, as their very first act since taking over the board, Dave Boliek’s cronies chose to remove a career professional from her role so that he could appoint a loyalist who will carry out their partisan agenda,” the lengthy NCDP statement said. “Hayes is the perfect idealogue (sic) for the job, having a long record supporting Republican gerrymandering and working with organizations that support election deniers.” The vote to install Hayes

passed down party lines 3-2. Immediately following that vote, the board adjourned over objections from Millen, who stated she would “remain in the room” to give additional remarks. Those additional remarks were not captured by the Webex session, as the feed ended after the Republican board members departed the meeting room. N.C. House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) issued a statement on Hayes taking up the post. “Sam Hayes will be an excellent Executive Director, who will follow the law as passed by the NC General Assembly,” Hall said. “As General Counsel, Sam has demonstrated exceptional judgment, professionalism, and a deep commitment to public service. I am confident that his leadership will serve the citizens of our state with fairness and integrity.” Boliek also issued a statement on Hayes as the next executive director. “Sam has the experience and integrity to properly manage the State Board of Elections. He’s worked across state agencies, and as an accomplished attorney he brings a sharp legal mind to the table,” Boliek said. “With his background and dedication, I’m confident in his leadership capabilities to improve election management in North Carolina. This is a great hire.”

nsstrophe about when A7 normal

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

to this get back to norm The comfo How Chinawe willbegin payThe for COVID-19 3 big questionsc A9

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025 WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at China lied about the origin of the ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after thisthanks COVID-19 virus cavalierofmanner orders to local ordissipates state governments,The a majority Ameri WEEK, virus, according to members tried to tell the world there were only “THIS around the globe and in the United will to pay forTHIS this covered up its spI areStates, havingChina to adjust what is being called the “new normal.” and state and local governments, Amer worldwide panic, economic collapse and in it” (Psal catastrophe one way or another. 3,341 related ha Some of these orders extend at least through the end deaths of this m or stay-at-home fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus and the need the curve in the novel coronavirus outbr ylace being thrown out of work. I know In order to put the crisis causedVirginia’s 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 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 to do what we can to keep our U.S. tax credits to companies whosimply willknow source at least halfdata of their in 1986. what they questioning the and asking when we can start gettin and many more that presumes Sponsored by Union and our communities safe. But we still continue more liberalized society w Sponsored by should also to the dissolution of theourselves, Soviet In thisled sw bit of remediation. Let’s first examine what Obesity affects production back in the States. There is though approximately program of are Reagan, 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 nearly 40% of adults billion worth checked. of American direct investment in plants and equipment 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 Jonel Alecciaremain 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 PEOPLE TAKING Eli Lilly’s investment 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 obesity drug, Zepbound, lost suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topande in. Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A.nearly 50% more weight than sources 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 thatthose rse, to is my family. Stacey Matthews also written under the Norpseudonym Sister Toldjah manyas people are dying home. cted operate as I’m responsible citizens of using rival Novo 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 Insurrection. Even more importantly, we have no cl disk’s Wegovy in the first headnation. past. the world like any othe But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone in academia, especially within certainto-head study of the blockbusthe 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scienti China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They caller medications. 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 studies,” where Clinical trial participants Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronav senio prefer notscholarship to repeat. is not so much based upon number of people who have had intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and who took tirzepatide, the drug most everyone hastruth but upon attending to finding replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi. sold as Zepbound, lost an av-

s’

business & economy Fixing college n.c. corruption FAST

FACTS

Zepbound beats Wegovy in first head-to-head weigh loss trial

Cadillac F1 makes entrance as official team at Miami social grievances. Grievance scholars erage of 50 pounds over 72 Grand Prix bully students, administrators and other Approved Logos

A6

north STA

VISUAL VOICES

weeks, while those who took departments into adhering to their semaglutide, or Wegovy, lost worldview. The worldview is 33 pounds. That’s acJason MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — they The promote about n neither scientific nor officially rigorous. Grievance | STACEY MATTHEWS cording to theEDITORIAL study funded new Cadillac F1 team ose studies consist of disciplines such as by Lilly, which was published announced its arrival at a glitzy sociology, anthropology, gender studies, Sunday in the New England South Beach extravaganza COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and critical race Journal of Medicine. packed with industry studies. Both drugs are part of a new executives and influencers JONEL ALECCIA / AP PHOTO In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, class of medications that work and highlighted by a musical Lindsay and Boghossian started by mimicking hormones in the In a recent study, Zepbound helped people lose 50% more weight than those who took fellow showcase from Janelle Monáe s submitting bogus academic papers to gut and brain that regulate weight loss drug Wegovy. and actor Terry Crews Jr., who queer, academic journals in cultural, shared an anecdote how studies appetite and feelings of fullrace, gender, fat andabout sexuality ness. But tirzepatide targets he’d never been bornwould had hispass peer to determine if they those taking Wegovy, the study bound generated $4.9 biltwo such hormones, known as father relocated at age “THIS IS THE DAY the lord has mad he seriousness ofnot the virus and the need review and be accepted for20 publication. MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home fallen into place. I unde lion in global sales last year. found. GLP-1 and GIP, while semaglu- “It’s WITH important to have to Flint, Michigan, in search of a that Acceptance of dubious research in it” (Psalm 118:24). asy with how people who simply ask Wegovy brought in nearly orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans Weight loss was about 6% to take precautions, bu tide targets GLP-1 alone, said with General Motors. journal editors found sympathetic to their I know that during this challenging of drugs to treat hen thingsjob can start getting back to $8.8 billion. in called men than in womDr. Louis Aronne, director of a range are having to adjust to what lower is being the “new normal.” questions about the datt A splashy video ultimately leftist vision intersectional or postmodern Access and affordability en in both groups, the authors the Comprehensive Weight a disease working from home or losing a job, it es with contempt. Some as of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. normal are treated inm s widespread of the world would prove the problem Control of unveiled the Cadillac F1 team have limited wider use of the noted. As participants in both Center at Weill Cornell 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. logo at a multimillion-dollar as obesity in the U.S.” drugs. Tirzepatide and sema-has remind groups lost more weight, they and dad, the Easter holiday ells us about when it’s safe to begin thepapers Medicine. Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. RoyinCooper during question what the gove Several of the fake research party jammed elbow-to-elbow glutide were removed recentsaw improvements healthstated “Two drugs together can have to be thankful and of hopeful for, eve malcy. inwere for publication. The Fatproduce better weight loss,” Dr. aAngela recentFitch coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” if the process returning ba the accepted Queen Miami Beach markers such as blood pres- ly from a list of drug shortages Lenten and pandemic. r us, and we have the right to ask those Studies journal published a hoax paper state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May. No. The government venue. by the U.S. Food and Drug Adsure, blood fat and blood sugsaid Aronne, who led the study Since when did that argued therevealed? term was For me, my faith is an important par t-home orders arewasn’t in place all bodybuilding over the Easter seasons What ministration. If he does decide to extendarit,levels. questions should be asked as to the questions. And the long and presented the findings exclusionary and should making. As I celebrated Easter with my f them getCadillac’s in states,car, such as a bit ofMichigan, a be replaced Sunday at the questioning Other factors can affect acMore than three-quarters injections of the highest European Con- weekly justification for it. And the answers should notabe vague ones like “we country, and the stricte provide with “fat bodybuilding, a fat-inclusive government cess. This week, CVS Health of patients taking both drugs tolerated doses of Zepbound, gress on Obesity in Spain. disappointment for thoseas who 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 message of politicized said Wegovy willwhen become the one sideofefmilligrams mil- reported out in eitherIt10will expected toperformance.” see all the bellsOne andreviewer While tirzepatide affliction, so that we may able com ding for their families, will demand at allwon levels need to or be 15 explained in detailathope toleast the people this state who theybe can gettoback ns said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this we will preferred with option oncomfort its stanto moderate what Aronne said many views ligrams, or Wegovy, 1.7 milli- fect, mostly mildthat whistles at the brand launch affliction, the which we ou are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined , article and believe it has an importantas “a drag race become a both grams or list of covgastrointestinal issues such dard formulary, answers. or 2.4 milligrams. of efficacy,” introduction to F1’s newest once again enjoy God.” levels should be as forthcoming as they contribution to make to the field and this amount ofoftime why models of thousands cases as of July Leaders at the local a 1. Zepas nausea, hundreds constipation, di- eredofdrugs, By the end the trial, those predicting are important bad toolsthing? for treatteam. sporting events, If youwill arebecelebrating the Easter seas d again, not vague answers, but answer journal.” are reliable. can be with those answ bound excluded. arrhea and vomiting. About who took Zepbound lost about ing obesity, which affects about No worries promised the “Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity That is what reflect on this message and be comforte ments believability. concerts, family It’s importantwith to details have athat give th 6%what of the participants takingand then along state has asked 20% To of date, their I’ve bodygone weight on with 40% of American adults. leaders of the new team: Feminism as an Intersectional Reply to “The point of these medica- average, compared with a Zepbound left the trial be- God’s example comfort allallthose in what we can to keep our families, rangeabout of drugsand to treat a disfree citizens mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions We should contin gatherings, Cadillac F1 is on pace to be on se Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” wastions is to improve health,” he nearly 14% loss for those who cause of adverse events, com- this ease as widespread as obesidifficult time. Through faith and by safe. But the we should also still continue the data. State Republican leaders have, too. services ourselves, and our com grid in for 2026. church living of in people a free took accepted publication by Affilia, a said. “The majority ty in the U.S., said Dr. Angepared with 8% of those taking Wegovy. The tirzepatide 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 “We’re journal buildingfor cars, we’ve s feminist social workers. The many more were laIn Fitch, chief medical officer group trimmed about 7 inch- semaglutide. won’t need thesociety most effective this same spirit, I continue to be in hey shouldbeen alsoinhave an expiration the wind tunnel sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those measures are understa paper consisted in partfor of aadate. rewritten medication.” of knownwell, an obesity care The GLP-1 drugs have bees from their waist circumafter our own supposed neighbors helping neighbors. and it is not normal. Not in any way, long time,” said Dan Towriss, passage from Mein Kampf. Two other The trial included 751 people ference, simplycompared questioning the data when we popular, can start getting back all new to Am company. WegovyThis has isbeen comeasking increasingly to about 5 and temporary ofpapers TWG Motorsports, In Concord, a shape, high senior nam uld remainCEO vigilant and stay safe, at includingfrom across thetoU.S. hoax were published, do,who lastwere I to normal though they conspiracy are people who form. So whil found to cut the risk school oforseriat least 1theorists in 8 U.S.or adults inches with as semaglutide. Inarewith the team owner. “Chassis has . “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic comfortable with this so-called “new sacrifices are by 20%, reporting theiroruse, accordotherwise don’t if they get themselves others sick. ous heart problems nearly 32%care of people the same time we shou overweight or had obesity and addition, checked. at Urban Dogcontinuing Parks.” This subject arrived, we’re to paper’s add health care workers out of his own hom she anoted. A drug may work to a 2024 survey by KFF, Zepbound lost questioning at least inggovernment at least one other weight-relat- taking Since when did at all levels become bad normal.” over. was dog-on-dog But the dog rapeed health problem, but not di- a quarter of their body weight, a independent health policy well for one patient, but not (personnel) to therape. team, there thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. paper eventually Boghossian, are so many work forced streams that to I about 16% of research organization. Zep- for others. abetes. Participants received compared to do, last checked. Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out are happening all at once. But 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 A Wall Street Journal writer Ithemselves. want to make sure everybody RedState and Legal Insurrection. had figured out worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After and is a regular contri understands justwhat how they deepwere doing. papersisaccepted for publication suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, theSome partnership with General in academic journals advocated training I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up Motors and with Cadillac.” men like dogs and punishing white male It was a long road for Cadillac way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. college students for historical slavery by F1 to get to this point. The But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has asking them to sit in silence on the floor in project started with Michael n chains during class and to be expected to Andretti, who failed to buy learn from the discomfort. Other papers Sauber in his effort obesity to create ity celebrated morbid asaa healthy life true American team that would privately choice and advocated treating feature at least one American conducted masturbation as a form of driver. When he close d sexual violence didn’t against women. Typically, the Sauberjournal deal, Andretti as academic editors send submitted Gold prices hit petitioned governing papers outF1 toand referees for review. In record highs “They’re melting things body FIA to expand the field for publication, recommending acceptance Andretti Global, which led topapers glowing many reviewers gave these with their family’s the equivalent of an IRS audit praise. By Jaimie Ding wedding dates and things Political scientist Zach Goldberg ran during a grueling application The Associated Press ss certain grievance studies concepts through process. from the 1800s.” d the database, to see how often F1Lexis/Nexis denied the application. LOS ANGELES — At the Olivia Kazanjian they appeared in our press over the years. Towriss and Cadillac biggest jewelry center in the He found increases in the usagesUnited States, Alberto Herpressed onhuge — they spent the of “white privilege,” bias,” last year saying work“unconscious on the nandez fired up his machine on ng “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” project “continues on pace” ounces, the standard for prea recent day and waited until it Alland of this isTowriss being taught to college glowed bright orange inside becious metals equivalent to — when bought students, many whom 31 grams. fore shoveling in an assortment out Andretti late of last year,become primary c. and secondary school teachers who then But Kazanjian doesn’t plan of rings, earrings and necklacF1 changed course, and the indoctrinate our young people. to melt the piece. The real ares weighing about as much as new team was suddenly fastn I doubt whether the coronavirus- a bar of soap: just under 100 tistic and historical value was a tracked. caused financial crunch will give college lot more, she said. grams, or 3.2 troy ounces. General Motors President JAE C. HONG / AP PHOTO o? and university administrators, who are aMinutes later, the bubbling “It’s just stunning … and you Mark Reuss was finally able to crossbreed between a parrot and jellyfish, won’t see that kind of craftsliquid metal was cooling in a Sam Nguyen shows a gold bar at her shop in the St. Vincent attend anand F1 race — the to Miami the guts backbone restore academic manship again,” Kazanjian rectangular cast the size of a Jewelry Center in the Jewelry District of Los Angeles. Grand Prix overFar thetoo weekend respectability. often, — they get much said, adding she has persuadwoman’s shoe. An X-ray main an official capacity. of their political support from campuschine determined it was 56.5% ed some customers to change Cadillac people will initially grievance whorace are members ofgold, the making it worth $177,000 their big pieces,” said Alberto’s Others, thinking their money their minds about melting with Ferrari faculty andengines diversitybefore and multicultural based on the price of gold that nephew, Sabashden Hernan- might be safer in gold than in items. “It’s a piece of history, GM’s power unitoffices. is ready for administrative dez, who works at A&M Pre- the volatile stock market, are and if you’re lucky enough to day. 2029. said the TheReuss best hope lies Cadillac with boards of inherit it, it’s a piece of your As gold prices soar to record cious Metals. “We’re getting a snapping it up just as fast. trustees, though manytoserve approach is deliberate haveas a yes-men Los Angeles jeweler Olivia family.” highs during global economic lot of new customers who are for the university president. I think that a hundreds of thousands just getting all of their grand- Kazanjian said people are even reliable, fast engine rather than Businesses on the sales side jitters, goodone start would be to find 1950s or 1960s rush out for next season. of the action, offering gold bars of dollars’ worth of gold are cir- father’s stuff, melting it down bringing in family heirlooms. catalogs. Look at the at “You have to go slowcourse to go offerings culating “They’re melting things with and other material, also are through the doors of pretty much.” a timeReuss whensaid. college graduates knew how fast,” Gold’s current rally comes their family’s wedding dates working hard to keep up with St. Vincent Jewelry Center in toCadillac read, write and compute, and makedowntown Los Angeles on any as President Donald Trump is- and things from the 1800s,” the frenzy. will have the largest them today’s curricula. Another helpful U.S. presence of any F1 team “Stuff comes in and it sues ever-changing announce- Kazanjian said. given day. toolwill would be toout give consideration She recently paid a client for goes right out,” said Edand operate ofcareful facilities Many of the center’s 500 in- ments on tariffs, roiling finantoFishers, eliminating all classes/majors/minors dependent tenants, which in- cial markets and threatening to a 14-karat gold woven brace- win Feijoo, who owns Stefko in Indiana, as well as in containing the word “studies,” such asclude jewelers, gold refin- reignite inflation. let with intricate blue enam- Cash for Gold in PennsylvaCharlotte, North Carolina. The women, Asian, black or queer studies.ers and assayers, say they In response, people across el work that could be turned nia and receives shipments team also has a satellite facility I’d bet that by restoring the traditional have never seen such a surge in the country are flocking to sell into a brooch. The customer from customers across the at Silverstone, England. academic mission to colleges, they would or melt down their old jewelry walked away with $3,200 for U.S. looking to sell their gold. customers. put a serious dent into the COVID-19 “Right now, we’re seeing a for quick cash, including mid- the amount of gold contained budget shortfall. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS lot of rappers and stuff melting dlemen like pawn shop owners. in the piece measured in troy See GOLD, page A10

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

Economic jitters, soaring prices create frenzy for jewelry merchants

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

A10 As ‘junk fee’ rule takes effect, Ticketmaster will display fees more clearly A Biden administration ban on so-called “junk fees” took effect Monday. In response, Ticketmaster said it will start displaying the full price of a ticket as soon as U.S. consumers begin shopping. Ticketmaster, long a subject of complaints about its hidden fees, was among those targeted by the new rule, which was announced in December by the Federal Trade Commission. The rule requires ticket sellers, hotels and others to disclose processing fees, cleaning fees and other charges up front. Ticketmaster said it will also tell shoppers where they are in line when they log in to buy tickets to an event.

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Trump sets 30-day deadline for drugmakers to lower prices on prescription drugs The pharmaceutical lobby is pushing back

President Donald Trump signs an executive order related to drug prices, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Monday.

By Amanda Seitz and Seung Min Kim The Associated Press

its from America,” Trump said. Trump has played up the announcement, saying it will save taxpayers big money. He boasted in one post that his plan could save “TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.” “Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before,” Trump said in another post ahead of Monday’s announcement. Oz, speaking on Monday, said that he and the agency’s other top leaders would be meeting with drug company executives over the next 30 days to offer new prices on drugs that are based off what other countries pay. The health department has the most authority to change the prices of drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid because it can set regulations. Even still, the agency’s power to do so is limited. Congress just approved in 2022 a new law that allows Medicare to negotiate the price it pays for a handful of prescription drugs starting in 2026. Prior to the law, Medicare paid what the drug companies charged. Drug companies unsuccessfully sued over the implementation of the law. The price that millions of Americans covered by private insurance pay for drugs is even harder for the agency to manipulate. The U.S. routinely outspends other nations on drug prices, compared with other large and wealthy countries, a problem that has long drawn the ire of both major political parties, but a lasting fix has never cleared Congress.

Google will pay $1.4 billion to Texas to settle claims the company collected data on users without permission. The state’s attorney general announced the settlement Friday. The agreement settles several claims Texas made against the search giant in 2022 related to geolocation, incognito searches and biometric data. The state argued Google was “unlawfully tracking and collecting users’ private data.” Google spokesperson José Castañeda said the agreement settles an array of “old claims,” some of which relate to product policies the company has already changed. Paxton said the $1.4 billion is the largest amount won by any state in a settlement with Google over this type of data-privacy violations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Monday signed a sweeping executive order setting a 30-day deadline for drugmakers to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. or face new limits over what the government will pay. The order calls on the health department, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to broker new price tags for drugs. If a deal is not reached, a new rule will kick in that will tie the price of what the U.S. pays for medications to lower prices paid by other countries. “We’re going to equalize,” Trump said during a Monday morning press conference. “We’re all going to pay the same. We’re going to pay what Europe pays.” It’s unclear what — if any — impact the Republican president’s executive order will have on millions of Americans who have private health insurance. The federal government has the most power to shape the price it pays for drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars on prescription drugs, injectables, transfusions and other medications every year through Medicare, which covers nearly 70 million older Americans. Medicaid, meanwhile, covers nearly 80 million poor and disabled people in the U.S.

FDA approves first at-home cervical cancer test kit

US, China reach deal to slash tariffs with 90-day pause

Google to pay Texas $1.4B in user data case

Washington U.S. officials have approved the first cervical cancer test that allows women to collect their own sample at home. Teal Health said Friday that the Food and Drug Administration approved its Teal Wand for home use, offering a new way to collect vaginal samples for the detection of HPV. The virus is very common and is spread through sex. Previous test kits allowed women to collect their own samples but had to be performed at a health clinic.

Crypto platform founder sentenced to 12 years New York The founder and former CEO of the cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl imposed the sentence on 60-yearold Alexander Mashinsky last Thursday, calling his crimes “extremely serious.” Prosecutors had requested a 20-year prison term, while Mashinsky’s lawyers sought a year or less behind bars for him. Mashinsky pleaded guilty in December to fraud charges after an indictment alleged that he told lies and engaged in self-dealing that cost customers billions of dollars in losses.

The stock market surged from the announcement By Jamey Keaten, David McHugh, Elaine Kurtenbach and Ken Moritsugu The Associated Press GENEVA — The United States and China agreed Monday to slash their massive recent tariffs, restarting stalled trade between the world’s two biggest economies and setting off a rally in global financial markets. But the de-escalation in President Donald Trump’s trade wars did nothing to resolve underlying differences between Beijing and Washington. The deal lasts 90 days, creating time for U.S. and Chinese negotiators to reach a more substantive agreement. But the pause also leaves tariffs higher than before Trump started ramping them up last month. And businesses and investors must contend with uncertainty about whether the truce will last. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the U.S. agreed to drop the 145% tax Trump imposed last month to 30%. China agreed to lower its tariff rate on U.S. goods to 10% from 125%. A deal averts a total blockade Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the tariff reductions at a news conference in Geneva. The officials struck a posi-

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO

Ahead of the signing, the nation’s leading pharmaceutical lobby on Sunday pushed back against Trump’s plan, calling it a “bad deal” for American patients. Drugmakers have long argued that any threats to their profits could impact the research they do to develop new drugs. “Importing foreign prices will cut billions of dollars from Medicare with no guarantee that it helps patients or improves their access to medicines,” Stephen J. Ubl, the president and CEO of PhRMA, said in a statement. “It jeopardizes the hundreds of billions our member companies are planning to invest in America, making us more reliant on China for innovative medicines.” Trump’s so-called “most favored nation” approach to Medicare drug pricing has been controversial since he first tried to implement it during his first term. He signed a similar executive order in the final weeks of his presidency, which called for the U.S. to only pay a lower price that other countries pay for some drugs — injectables or cancer drugs given through infusions — ad-

tive tone as they said the two sides had set up consultations to continue discussing their trade issues. Bessent said that the triple-digit tariffs the two countries imposed on each other last month — in an escalation of tensions Trump started — amounted to “the equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade.’’ The delegations, escorted around town and guarded by scores of Swiss police, met for at least a dozen hours on both days of the weekend at a sunbaked 18th-century villa that serves as the official residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. At times, the delegation leaders broke away from their staffs and settled into sofas on the villa’s patios overlooking Lake Geneva, helping deepen personal ties in the effort to reach a much-sought deal. Finally, a deal The 30% levy that America is now imposing on Chinese goods includes an existing 20% tariff intended to pressure China into doing more to prevent the synthetic opioid fentanyl from entering the United States. It also includes the same 10% “baseline’’ tariff Trump has slapped on imports from most of the world’s countries. The 30% tax comes on top of other levies on China, including some left over from Trump’s first term and kept by former President Joe Biden. Trump had ratcheted the

ministered in a doctor’s office. That narrow executive order faced hurdles, with a court order that blocked the rule from going into effect under President Joe Biden’s administration. The pharmaceutical industry argued that Trump’s 2020 attempt would give foreign governments the “upper hand” in deciding the value of medicines in the U.S. Trump repeatedly defended pharmaceutical companies, instead blaming other countries for the high price Americans pay for drugs, during a wide-ranging speech at the White House on Monday. The president was flanked by Kennedy, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya. He did, however, threaten the companies with federal investigations into their practices and opening up the U.S. drug market to bring in more imported medications from other countries. “The pharmaceutical companies make most of their prof-

The full impact on the complicated tariffs and other trade penalties enacted by Washington and Beijing remains unclear. And much depends on whether they will find ways to bridge longstanding differences

during the 90-day suspension. Bessent said in an interview with CNBC that U.S. and Chinese officials will meet again in a few weeks. But investors rejoiced as trade envoys from the world’s two biggest economies blinked. Futures for the S&P 500 jumped 2.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2%. Oil prices surged more than $1.60 a barrel, and the dollar gained against the euro and the Japanese yen. “This is a substantial de-escalation,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist at Capital Economics. But he warned “there is no guarantee that the 90-day truce will give way to a lasting ceasefire.” Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the speed at which the agreement came about suggested that “both sides were more economically boxed in than they let on.” “For China, the economic pain was real: Rising unemployment, capital flight, and export orders falling at their fastest rate in nearly two years,” Singleton said. “For Trump, markets mattered, and this deal gives him a win without abandoning leverage.” The announcement by the U.S. and China sent shares surging, with U.S. futures jumping more than 2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged nearly 3%, and benchmarks in Germany and France were both up 0.7%

Customers hoping to buy bullion “think gold will go up” even more, according to Sam Nguyen, whose business, Newport Gold Post Inc., has bought and sold gold and other precious metals at St. Vincent for five years. While gold has cooled from its record high of $3,500 per troy ounce, Nguyen thinks it could reach $4,000 to $5,000 by year’s end. Jeff Clark agrees. The founder of The Gold Advisor, which provides investment advice, said he wouldn’t be sur-

prised if gold prices continue rising since the metal is considered a haven for people to park their money when there is anxiety about a possible recession. “History shows it has gone much higher in the past,” Clark said, referring to a frenzy in the 1970s when the average price of gold increased 17-fold amid double-digit inflation rates. “If the fear and uncertainty continue in the general populace, the prices are going to keep going up.”

“This is a substantial de-escalation.” Mark Williams, Asia economist at Capital Economics combined tariff to 145% last month, furious that China was retaliating, before backing down Monday. China’s Commerce Ministry called the agreement an important step for the resolution of the two countries’ differences and said it lays the foundation for further cooperation. “This initiative aligns with the expectations of producers and consumers in both countries and serves the interests of both nations as well as the common interests of the world,” a ministry statement said. China hopes the U.S. will stop “the erroneous practice of unilateral tariff hikes” and work with China to safeguard the development of economic and trade relations, injecting more certainty and stability into the global economy, the ministry said. Markets rally as two sides de-escalate

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 9

Beginning Cash

$2,670,245,211 Receipts (income)

$158,066,444 Disbursements

$316,606,976 Cash Balance

$2,411,688,868

GOLD from page A9 “Everybody’s busy right now.” Business hasn’t been good for everyone, though. For some jewelers who source their products from places abroad like Italy, Turkey and China, the combination of high gold prices and added tariffs have cut into profit margins and hurt demand. “Our profit margins are so razor thin here,” said Puzant Berberian, whose family founded V&P Jewelry inside

St. Vincent in 1983. Berberian said he recently paid an extra $16,000 on a package from overseas. Customers also are feeling “sticker shock” when they can’t afford the things they used to. A chunky, 14-karat gold bracelet weighing about 10 grams (0.32 troy ounces) might have sold for around $600 last year, but now it’s closer to $900, Berberian said. Some believe those trends could continue, both for consumers and businesses.

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Pearl Jam in Raleigh The Seattle “grunge” genre, which exploded onto the mainstream in the ’90s when MTV had real influence over American culture, had Pearl Jam front and center. Alongside bands like Nirvana, whose breakout album “Nevermind” captured an entire generation, Pearl Jam were equally influential. The grunge icons brought their Dark Matter tour to Raleigh for two nights at the Lenovo Center. Here are photos from Sunday night’s show.

PHOTOS BY STAN GILLILAND FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

a muddy expedition

Ford’s family fortress gets its adventure on By Jordan Golson North State Journal LOUISVILLE, Ky. — I’m not sure what Ford Expedition buyer will take the enormous, three-row family SUV off-road. Yet here I am, ripping through muddy trails in southern Indiana, while the six empty seats in this people-and-stuff-hauler wait patiently for their hypothetical occupants. The 2025 Ford Expedition Tremor is doing exactly what Ford claims it can do, even if most buyers will use it primarily to intimidate lesser crossovers in the parking lot at soccer practice. But let’s back up. The Expedition enters 2025 with its first complete redesign in years, and Ford has clearly been paying attention to what families actually want. Gone is the dated interior of the previous generation, replaced by a tech-forward cabin dominated by a 24-inch panoramic display that rethinks how information should be shared with the driver. Add in the new Tremor variant — think of it as the Expedition’s Eddie Bauer-gone-redneck edition — and suddenly Ford’s full-size SUV is interesting again. The most brilliant innovation might be the sliding center console. Press a button and the entire assembly glides backward nearly eight inches, creating a cavernous storage area up front while giving second-row passengers easier access to cupholders and controls. There’s even a clever iPad slot carved into the back of the console, perfectly positioned so parents can pop in a tablet for rear-seat entertainment while maintaining control from the driver’s seat. It’s the kind of thoughtful design that only comes from actually talking to families who use these things. Ford’s new Split Gate — borrowed shamelessly but thoughtfully from Range Rover (and a number of other brands) — transforms the Expedition’s rear into a mobile command center. The upper three-quar-

ters lifts like a traditional hatch while the lower portion folds down into a reinforced tailgate capable of supporting 500 pounds. Optional accessories include a cargo table that doubles as stadium seating, complete with adjustable LED spotlights for late-night tailgating. It’s almost too clever. Under the hood, the Expedition soldiers on with variations of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Standard models make 400 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, while the Tremor gets the high-output version with 440 horses and 510 lb-ft. Yes, I wish there was a hybrid option like the F-150, but Ford claims customer demand isn’t there. The standard engine never feels inadequate, even when loaded with people and stuff. BlueCruise hands-free driving makes highway slogs less tedious, though I encountered the occasional hiccup when the system couldn’t decide which lane to follow at complex interchanges. The latest version is smoother than before, and Ford now offers it on nearly 90% of Expedition models — a smart democratization of previously exclusive tech. But it’s the Tremor that steals the show. Despite Ford’s insistence that it’s a Real Off-Road-

PHOTOS COURTESY FORD

er (proven by our jaunt through the mud), most buyers will treat it as an appearance package, drawn to its murdered-out trim and orange accents. That’s a shame because this thing is genuinely capable. With 10.6 inches of ground clearance, 33inch General Grabber all-terrain tires, and a full suite of off-road driving modes including the absurdly named “Rock Crawl” — no one will be crawling on any rocks with this thing, though you certainly could — the Tremor handled everything from deep mud to more technical trails with surprising composure. If you’re considering buying one, know that the Tremor might actually be the best-rid-

ing Expedition. Those chunky tires and retuned suspension that make it so capable off-road also excel at absorbing pothole-riddled city streets. It’s a lesson I learned spending time with the F-150 Raptor — sometimes the hardcore variant is the most comfortable for daily driving. On-road, the Expedition maintains the planted feel you’d expect from something sharing its bones with the F-150. The new independent rear suspension (finally) brings modern ride quality, though body roll in corners reminds you this is still a 5,600-pound truck. Fuel economy hovers around 17 mpg in mixed driving — not great, but what did you expect?

Inside, the Expedition strikes a balance between luxury and functionality. My loaded King Ranch tester featured beautiful leather and real wood trim that wouldn’t look out of place in a vehicle named “Navigator.” The massive panoramic display dominates the dashboard, though Ford’s decision to angle it toward the driver by exactly 10 degrees (they mentioned this multiple times) seems oddly specific. Google’s Android Automotive powers the infotainment, which means built-in Google Maps, voice commands that actually work and the promise of downloadable apps that mostly haven’t materialized yet. So who should buy this over a Lincoln Navigator? Pretty much anyone who doesn’t need massage seats and a Lincoln badge. The Expedition offers 95% of the Navigator experience for significantly less money. At $90,000 for a loaded King Ranch, it’s still expensive, but it undercuts similarly equipped Navigators by five figures. The Expedition’s real competition comes from GM’s Tahoe/ Yukon twins and Stellantis’ Jeep Wagoneer. Brand loyalty runs deep in this segment, but Ford’s redesign puts it right in the conversation. The Tremor, in particular, offers something unique: genuine off-road capability in a package that doesn’t sacrifice daily livability. My biggest complaint? No phone-as-key functionality in 2025 feels like an oversight, and the FordPass app could use some work. Minor quibbles in an otherwise impressive package. The 2025 Expedition proves that the full-size SUV formula still works when executed properly. It hauls people and their stuff in comfort, tows 9,600 pounds when properly equipped, and now it’ll even crawl rocks if you’re into that sort of thing. Most buyers will never explore its limits, but so what? Sometimes it’s just nice to know you could.

PHOTOS BY JORDAN GOLSON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

North Wilkesboro hosts All-Star Race, B3

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

Sergio Garcia, of Spain, hits his tee shot on the sixth hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

MLS

Nashville beats Charlotte 2-1 amid supporters’ immigration worries Nashville Nashville earned a 2-1 victory over Charlotte in a match that took a back seat to immigration issues. Thousands of Nashville supporters boycotted the game and many of those in attendance presented signs that said “We are not all here” in English and Spanish in response to increased ICE activity in Nashville. Charlotte scored first when Liel Abada connected three minutes into the second half.

MLB

Rockies fire manager day after losing 21-0 to San Diego Denver The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black, the winningest manager in franchise history. The Rockies are off to a 7-33 start, one of the worst in MLB history. Colorado promoted third base coach Warren Schaeffer to be the interim manager. Schaeffer managed the Asheville Tourists from 2015 to 2017 and also played for the Tourists in 2008.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Out-of-bounds plays could be reviewed only by coach challenge The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee has recommended video reviews of out-of-bounds calls only be initiated by coach’s challenge. Other than in the last two minutes of a game and overtime, a coach’s challenge also would be necessary to initiate a review of basket interference/goaltending and restricted arc plays. interruptions. Officials could not initiate video review on out‑of‑bounds calls at any point in a game.

Players to watch at PGA Championship The major is making its second appearance in the Queen City By Jesse Deal North State Journal CHARLOTTE — For just the second time ever, the PGA Championship will be held in the Queen City to play on one of the longest golf courses on the PGA Tour. The 107th edition of the legendary professional men’s golf major is scheduled for Thursday to Sunday at Quail Hollow Club, where Justin Thomas came away with a two-stroke victory in the event’s first stop in Charlotte eight years ago. Featuring the strongest field in men’s professional golf, the second major championship of the season will host a 156-player field that includes 99 of the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Founded in 1959 and originally laid out by George Cobb in the early 1960s, Quail Hollow will once again play as a par 71 and at a length of 7,626 yards. Here are some event favorites and a few local connections to keep an eye on in the 2025 PGA Championship. Rory McIlroy The 36-year-old Irishman is a two-time PGA Championship winner (2012 Kiawah Island and 2014 Valhalla) and a fourtime winner of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club; his renowned skill at the course recently prompted Jordan Spieth to refer to it as the “Rory McIlroy Country Club.” “I think I’m in a good place,” McIlroy said after his seventh-place finish on Sunday at the Truist Championship. “Even my — what I feel is my bad golf, I’m still there or thereabouts. A couple little improve-

JULIO CORTEZ / AP PHOTO

Scottie Scheffler hits on the 16th hole during the Presidents Cup tournament at Quail Hollow in 2022. Prior to this week, that was his only previous experience on this course. ments and little tweaks, especially going to a place I love like Quail Hollow, and I feel like I’m in a really good spot.” After becoming the sixth player ever to complete a career Grand Slam last month, McIlroy (+450) is now looking for his fourth win of 2025 to follow up his monumental Masters Tournament victory. Scottie Scheffler As the betting favorite to win Quail Hollow this weekend, No. 1 ranked golfer in the world and two-time major championship winner Scottie Scheffler (+400)

Hurricanes push Capitals to brink with 5-2 Game 4 win Carolina’s Taylor Hall and Shawn Walker both had a goal and an assist in the third period By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — Many saw this season as a retooling year for the Carolina Hurricanes. After winning Monday’s Game 4 over the Capitals 5-2, they are within one victory of reaching the Eastern Conference final. Taylor Hall and Sean Walker both cleanly beat Washington goalie Logan Thompson — earning assists on each other’s goals — in the third period as Carolina responded each time the visiting Capitals scored to build a 3-1 series lead with a win at Lenovo Center. “Certainly there’s no panic when things don’t go our way,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Whatever

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall celebrates after his goal with Capitals defenseman Matt Roy nearby during Carolina’s 5-2 win Thursday in Game 4 of its playoff series with the Capitals. The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. it is — tonight, they’re closing the gap. We just keep playing.” After the Capitals scored for the first time in more than five

periods on Jakob Chychrun’s goal at 5:18 of the third period to cut Carolina’s lead to 2-1, the Hurricanes responded just

will be making his sixth visit to the PGA Championship. The 28-year-old from Ridgewood, New Jersey, is fresh off a win earlier this month at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, but has only played Quail Hollow in match play at the 2022 Presidents Cup and never has never played the course on his own ball. Bryson DeChambeau Ranked 13th in the world, the LIV Golf League star will be aiming for his third major championship win See PGA, page B3

“It’s just a different game when you can play from in front, that’s for sure.” Rod Brind’Amour over three minutes later thanks to a good read by Hall. Hall hung back near the Capitals’ blue line as the Hurricanes prepared to exit the defensive zone — a good read, Brind’Amour said — and Jack Roslovic’s pass up ice sent him in on a breakaway. The former Hart Trophy winner and deadline acquisition shot and beat Thompson to reestablish a two-goal lead. “He plays somewhat deep in his net,” Hall said of Thompson, “so shooting is a pretty good option. If you deke, he’s going to have a better chance at it. So I just picked my corner, and it was a good shot.” Washington got within one again with under eight minutes left when Alex Ovechkin — to that point blanked in the series — scored on a 5-on-3 power play. But Carolina again had a See CANES, page B4

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

B2 THURSDAY

5.15.25

TRENDING

Savy King: The Angel City defender and 2023 UNC Tar Heel was hospitalized in stable condition a day after she was “medical event” during a NWSL match against Utah. Other players were visibly shaken as trainers rushed to King’s side after she collapsed in the 74th minute. She was attended to for 10 minutes before

Tim Elko: was one of two Charlotte Knights to make their MLB debuts with the Chicago White Sox last week. Elko, who also played with Kannapolis (2022-23) and Winston-Salem (2023) went 0 for 3 against the Marlins. Teammate Caleb Freeman, in his second year pitching for Charlotte after playing for Kannapolis (2019) and Winston-Salem (2021) appeared in four games for Chicago last week,

Jonathon Brooks: The Carolina Panthers’ second-round pick in 2024 was placed on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he will not play in 2025. The running back retore the ACL in his knee as a rookie in Week 14. Brooks injury to the same knee during his University of Texas that cost him the his rookie year.

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

NASCAR

Kyle Larson made it back-to-back wins at Kansas Speedway. He dominated from the pole to win for the third time this season. Larson swept both of the stages and led 221 of 267 laps. Larson now will take his momentum to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this coming week as he begins another shot at “the Double,” running every lap of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

NICK WASS / AP PHOTO

“Guys with kids here all said, ‘Your life’s going to change,’ and for sure it did.” Sebastian Aho after the Hurricanes’ star became a father for the

COLIN E. BRALEY / AP PHOTO

NCAA FOOTBALL

NHL

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP PHOTO

“We’ve been going through it as a team, and it’s not any fun.” Former UNC catcher Jacob Stallings, now with the Colorado Rockies, who are 6-33, the worst start by a team since 1988.

BRYNN ANDERSON / AP PHOTO

UNC says the girlfriend of football coach Bill Belichick is “welcome” at its football facilities amid a report that 24-year-old Jordon Hudson had been banned. The school said Hudson isn’t a school employee but will “continue to manage” activities related to Belichick’s personal brand outside of his coaching duties.

WILFREDO LEE / AP PHOTO

Former Carolina Hurricane Eric Staal Sabres as special assistant to general manager Kevyn Adams. Staal will be involved in all aspects of hockey in the newly created role. The 40-year-old is reunited with Adams, his teammate on the 2006 Hurricanes Stanley Cup team.

NFL

The Carolina Panthers released veteran Jadeveon Clowney after selecting two edge rushers in the NFL Draft. Clowney, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, had

PRIME NUMBER

8 Number of times jockey Junior Alvarado struck Sovereignty with his riding crop en route to winning the Kentucky Derby, two more than regulations permit. Alvarado was suspended two racing days.

DANNY KARNIK / AP PHOTO

for the Panthers. He had one year left on his contract. The Panthers drafted Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton in the second round and Mississippi’s Princely Umanmielen in the third.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP ’25

A hole-by-hole look at Quail Hollow

ter down the left side presents the risk with driver off the tee. From the fairway, the green is long and narrow and can be difficult to get it close to the pin. Birdies are as common as bogeys.

The club hosts its second PGA Championship and first since 2017

long iron up the hill toward the green. Two front bunkers guard the green, which has a lot of movement to it.

The Associated Press

No. 10, 592 yards, par 5

CHARLOTTE — A hole-byhole look at Quail Hollow Club, site of the 107th PGA Championship to be played May 15-18:

Players can reach this in two provided they avoid the bunker on the left and trees on the right. The green is sloped from back to front and right to left, so position is everything to convert birdie chances. Bunkers are situated on both sides of the green.

The final par 5 is deceptively challenging with water on the left and trees to the right. It plays uphill, and anything in the fairway should leave a fairway metal into the green, which has a ridge down the middle that can feed the ball close or repel it further away. This is the last easy birdie opportunity.

No. 11, 462 yards, par 4

No. 16, 529 yards, par 4

Two large bunkers guard the corner of the slight dogleg, and deep bunkers are in play to the left of a slightly elevated green.

The green sits on the edge of the water. The tee shot to a slight dogleg right should avoid a bunker on the right side, and a mid-iron to a green with a bunker on the right and water on the left.

No. 1, 505 yards, par 4 A strong opening hole. A big left-to-right tee shots leaves players atop an elevated landing zone beyond the dogleg. The approach is mid-iron to a narrow, undulated green guarded by three big bunkers. No. 2, 452 yards, par 4 A 280-yard drive reaches a slight turn in the fairway, leaving about 170 yards to an elevated green that slopes from back to front. No. 3, 483 yards, par 4 The tee shot must be long and straight, avoiding a deep bunker on the right. The approach is to an elevated green that is surrounded by three bunkers and divided by a small ridge that separates the back from the front. No. 4, 184 yards, par 3 The shortest par 3 is framed by pine trees and features a large, undulating green guarded by three bunkers in the front. Anything long will end up below the green and leave a tough par save.

MATT YORK / AP PHOTO

Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, plays in the rain during Monday’s practice round for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club. No. 5, 449 yards, par 4 The hole slightly drops then heads up a shallow valley to a green that is situated on a hillside behind the sixth tee. The fairway has bunkers on both sides, and the green is narrow with a front right bunker. No. 6, 249 yards, par 3 The long par 3 plays downhill and asks a player to be accurate with a hybrid or a long iron. The green slopes back to front, and is guarded by a front right bunker. No. 7, 546 yards, par 5 The shortest and most exciting of the par 5s, this is easily reachable in two provided the

tee shot avoids bunkers on the left and water on the right that runs long the fairway and cuts in front of the green. The green is surrounded by bunkers. It should be a birdie, but can lead to a big number. No. 8, 346 yards, par 4 Depending on the tees and the wind, players can try to drive the green or lay up and attack with a wedge. Two bunkers on the left side must be avoided, and a large bunker guards the right side of the green. No. 9, 530 yards, par 4 Typically among the toughest par 4s, the drive should avoid a bunker on the right for a player to have a clear shot with a

No. 12, 456 yards, par 4 The fairway is narrow with trees tightly guarding both sides. From the fairway, players face a short iron to an elevated green that slopes severely from back to front. It’s crucial to keep the ball below the cup to have a chance at birdie or avoid potential three-putts. No. 13, 205 yards, par 3 The green is situated between two large bunkers. The putting surface has two levels with a collection area on the right middle portion, along with a severe slope from back to front. Par shouldn’t be a problem. Birdies figure to be difficult. No. 14, 344 yards, par 4 Players can go for the green or lay up with an iron. The wa-

NASCAR to host All-Star Race this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway It’s the third year in a row the event has been in the foothills of North Carolina By Ryan Henkel North State Journal NASCAR RETURNS to western North Carolina this weekend as the All-Star Race is set to take place at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third year in a row. The 41st iteration of the nonpoints exhibition race is set to take place May 15-18, and the main event — an expanded 250-lap race — will feature a $1 million prize pot. “The NASCAR All-Star Race continues to evolve as one of the most fun and innovative events on our calendar,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst in a press release. “Returning to historic North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third year in a row allows us to honor our sport’s roots while pushing the envelope with fresh competitive elements.” Opened in 1947, the North Wilkesboro Speedway is a 0.625 mile track that originally ran as a dirt track for its first decade of existence. The track was a NASCAR staple for nearly 50 years until it was eventually abandoned

PGA from page B1 after topping the U.S. Open in 2020 and 2024; DeChambeau’s (+700) last two starts at Quail Hollow were ninth-place and fourth-place finishes. The 31-year-old from Modesto, California, has three top-four finishes in his last four PGA starts and is looking to bounce back from a Sunday fade at last month’s Masters. Justin Thomas As the co-runner-up last week and winner at the RBC Heritage the week after the

in 1997 due to ownership issues and the association’s desire to expand its footprint. Outside of a brief ninemonth reopening in 2010-2011, the track laid desolate and in disarray until efforts to repair and revive the speedway really got underway near the turn of the 2020s. And by August of 2022, the facility was back in action and NASCAR opted to move back to the foothills of North Carolina, electing to schedule the AllStar Race at NWS. The All-Star weekend opens Thursday with the CARS Tour pro late model and late model stock qualifiers, followed by a 75-lap CARS Tour pro late model feature. On Friday, the All-Star Race and Open practices will take place along with the Pit Crew Challenge — a race between all teams to see who can have the fastest stop — and a 100-lap, CARS Tour late model stock feature. “This is going to be an exciting and entertaining weekend of racing at North Wilkesboro,” said CARS Tour Co-Owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a press release. “I’m very proud about how much the series has grown and this is an incredible opportunity for our drivers and teams to showcase themselves. Kevin (Harvick) and I are going to have a lot of fun calling

that race from the booth on Friday.” In addition, the qualifying structure has been revised this year as the All-Star and Open qualifying sessions will be combined with the Pit Crew Challenge. The qualifiers will feature a three-lap session with a mandatory four-tire pit stop on the second lap. The total time will set both the All-Star Open starting lineup and the starting grid for the 60-lap All-Star heats. On Saturday, the Craftsman Truck Series will take place followed by the heat races.

Then Sunday will feature the Whelen Modified Tour — a practice, qualifier and then 150-lap feature — before the All-Star Open, a 100-lap race, where the top two finishers — along with the winner of a NASCAR.com fan vote — will earn spots in the final, 250-lap AllStar Race. The main event will take place that night, featuring not only 50 more laps than the previous two installments at NWS, but also a new twist that will see a random yellow flag thrown prior to lap 220, so long as a natural yellow flag

Masters, Thomas (+2000), returns to Charlotte as the city’s event-defending champion and the No. 5 player in the world. The 32-year-old Kentuckian and two-time PGA Championship winner (2017 and 2022) ended his nearly threeyear winless drought with his RBC Heritage win, and will now look to conquer the event for the third time in total and second time at Quail Hollow.

for success — the 31-year-old San Diego native and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion is the defending PGA Championship winner and also the runner-up in his past two starts at Quail Hollow. Following a recovery process from a rib injury, the two-time major championship winner and No. 3 player in the world is the only golfer who finished in the top 10 in each of the past five majors.

ceived a special invitation from the PGA of America after putting together a runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open and a top-10 finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open this season Gerard is currently 38th in the 2025 FedExCup Standings.

Xander Schauffele

Ryan Gerard

Schauffele (+2200) enters the event with the pedigree

The Raleigh native and UNC Chapel Hill alum re-

CHUCK BURTON / AP PHOTO

Bubba Wallace (23) races down the front stretch during last year’s All-Star Open for a spot in the big All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Ben Griffin Fellow UNC grad Ben Griffin is 25th in the FedExCup Standings after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and a $1.3 million prize alongside Andrew Novak on April 27.

No. 15, 577 yards, par 5

No. 17, 223 yards, par 3 The signature hole at Quail Hollow is a peninsula green that requires a carry of 195 yards from the back tees. With a firm green, players have to be careful with back pin positions so the ball doesn’t run off the back into the water. The popular miss is to the right, which leaves a tough up-and-down. No. 18, 494 yards, par 4 One of the strongest closing holes, players must avoid a bunker on the right and a creek that meanders down the left side of the hole, with a steep slope to the left of the creek. The second shot is uphill with bunkers right and the creek to the left.

hasn’t fallen between lap 200 and 220. “There’s never been an AllStar Race Week like this, with more racing and entertainment than at any other time in the history of the event,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith in a press release. “From grassroot stocks and modifieds to NASCAR trucks, Cup cars and a concert, NASCAR All-Star Race Week is jam-packed with four days of fun to satisfy any race fan who joins us in the beautiful mountains surrounding North Wilkesboro Speedway.” The list of drivers who have already clinched spots in the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race includes: William Byron, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Harrison Burton, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Josh Berry and Kyle Busch. Logano is the current defending All-Star Race champion, having won the event twice. Additionally, the weekend also features the new “Manufacturer Showdown,” which will pit teams representing NASCAR’s original equipment manufacturers — Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota — against one another to see who will have the best overall combined finish. “The introduction of the Manufacturer Showdown brings a new layer of intensity and pride for our OEM partners, and fans can expect even more strategy, teamwork and drama on race day,” Probst said.

The 29-year-old Chapel Hill has three top-five finishes in 2025. Jacob Bridgeman Raised just an hour away from Charlotte just over the North Carolina border in Inman, South Carolina, the 25-year-old former Clemson Tigers standout has four top‑10 finishes this year and has climbed to 21st in the FedExCup Standings. Bridgeman tied for fourth at last weekend’s Truist Championship at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.

B4

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

3 local teams earn bids to NCAA softball tournament The Blue Devils will host for the fourth time in program history By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal NOT ONLY will the 2025 NCAA Division I softball championship include North Carolina programs — the quest for a national title will go through the Tar Heel state. Duke, UNC and Elon earned bids to the NCAA Tournament which will get started Friday. The 14-seeded Blue Devils will get to host for the fourth time in program history, welcoming Howard, Coastal Carolina and Georgia to the Durham Regional. Duke will start the postseason against Howard Friday at noon. In a 40-win season, the most victories since 2017, UNC will dance for the first time since 2019 and for the 15th time in program history. The Tar Heels will head to the Knoxville Regional hosted by No. 7 Tennessee and take on Ohio State Friday at 4 p.m. Miami (Ohio) is the fourth team in the regional. After winning the CAA tournament title for the first time ever, Elon will head to the Columbia Regional hosted by No. 8 South Carolina, making its first tournament appearance since 2010. The Phoenix will take on the Gamecocks Friday at 5:30 p.m. Virginia and North

Florida are the other teams in the regional. For Duke, this year’s tournament run is about giving itself another chance. Last year, the Blue Devils reached their first Women’s College World Series in program history, but they lost big to the eventual national champions and fell in a close battle with Alabama. Even with the graduation of Jala Wright and Claire Davidson, crucial pieces to Duke’s historic 2024 campaign in the circle and at the plate respectively, the Blue Devils still had a successful season in 2025, beating elite teams throughout the year, including Florida, UCLA and ACC Tournament champions Clemson twice. Duke had 10 players return from last year’s team that knew what it took to get to the World Series, so another shot could go much differently given the experience it’s packing this time. However, there’s no trip to Oklahoma City without taking care of business at home. Duke has already seen Howard this season, run-ruling the Bison 13-1 on Feb. 21. The Blue Devils had no problems putting bat to ball, especially senior Ana Gold who homered and went 2 for 2 from the plate with a team-high four RBIs. Although the Bison dominated the MEAC, they haven’t found much success outside of their league and shouldn’t give Duke much trouble. Coastal Carolina, a team that

UNC’s Sanaa Thompson (19) chases down a fly ball. The Tar Heels hope Thompson also brings her bat when NCAA play starts.

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

won 40 games in the regular season, is an interesting opponent, though as it has wins over tournament teams such as South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and UConn. The Chanticleers’ bats have power, boasting the Sun Belt’s top two home-run hitters in Delaney Keith (19) and Georgia Hood (18). Georgia, coming from a tough SEC conference, can’t be taken lightly neither. The Bulldogs played a grueling schedule and are battle tested for close-game situations against good teams. However, Georgia doesn’t do much spectacularly well, ranking near the bottom in the SEC in batting average (.295) and ERA (3.93). The Bulldogs can create runners, though, logging on-base percentage of .386. A lot of Duke’s success will depend on its pitching from graduate student Dani Drogemuller and junior Cassidy Curd. The Blue Devils are 33-3 when they give up three or less runs to opponents this season. As for UNC, the Knoxville regional will give a sense of déjà vu, considering the last time it made the tournament, it faced

Baseball is back in Kinston

response, with Walker winning a puck battle against two Capitals in the defensive zone and then beating them up ice to create a 3-on-1 rush. Walker carried the puck up the left wing, hesitated, cut to the inside of the left circle, and beat Thompson’s glove to extinguish Washington’s comeback by making it 4-2 at 16:45 of the third. “I tried to be patient,” Walker said. “Once I stepped inside, I felt like I had a good lane, so I shot it. Just happy it went in.” Patient is a good way to describe Carolina’s play through four games in the series. “It’s playoffs, and momen-

out the Capitals on Thursday. “We’re happy right now where we are in the series,” Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov said. “But the series is not over. It’s always hard to finish it.” Jarvis added, “We’re expecting their best next game, but it’s a good step in the right direction.” Notes: Hurricanes forward Eric Robinson finished with a career-high nine hits. … Thompson has allowed 15 goals with an .871 save percentage in four road playoff games this postseason compared to seven goals and a .954 in five home games. … Washington’s Nic Dowd was 17 of 21 on faceoffs, while Kotkaniemi won 3 of 16.

Years since the Tar Heels last made the tournament

lowing day, 2,745 attended the team’s second game. By comparison, the 2024 Down East team drew 1,669 and 1,540 in its first two home games. The historic stadium got a makeover for its new tenant with the most noticeable improvement being a brand new $675,000 video board in left field. The water tower located beyond the left field foul pole also got repainted to feature the Bird Dawgs’ logo. Other less visible but still important improvements included new kitchen equipment for the conces-

sions stands as well as upgrades to the team locker rooms. There are several players on the Bird Dawgs roster with experience in the affiliated mi-

tum swings are everything,” Hall said. “So it’s about managing those and trying to just step on the pedal no matter what the score is.” After a strong start for the Capitals during which Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen (19 saves) made seven stops in the first six-plus minutes, a dominant shift by the top line of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov helped the home team seize control. Carolina’s fourth line kept the pressure on in the Capitals zone, and Shayne Gostisbehere held the puck near the blue line and created a space with a nifty series of moves. He then wristed a shot from the left point

through a screen by Jesperi Kotkaniemi, beating Thompson short side just past the midway point of the opening period. Gostisbehere’s goal, his third of the playoffs, was the first scored in the opening 20 minutes of any game by either team in the series. “It’s just a different game when you can play from in front, that’s for sure,” Brind’Amour said. Carolina then ended the first period killing off the majority of a four-minute high-sticking penalty by Jordan Martinook, finishing it off to start the second. That led to them doubling the lead shortly thereafter when an Aho shot went off Thomp-

son’s glove. The puck fluttered in the air and grazed the crossbar, and Jarvis found the rebound and put it in for his third goal of the postseason. “You never want to do that,” Jarvis said of killing the penalty. “But when the time comes, everyone answered the bell really well.” The Hurricanes are now 25 of 27 on the kill in the postseason, a league-best 92.6% after being tops in the NHL during the regular season. Svechinkov added his team-best seventh goal of the playoffs into an empty net at 17:39 of the third to send Carolina back to Washington with a chance to close

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

CANES from page B1

Several veteran players saw action with independent league teams in the state. Tapia hit 32 home runs for the Atlantic League Gastonia Honey Hunters in 2021 and 2022. He also played for the High Point Rockers in the same league in 2023. Outfielder Jaylen Smith was a teammate of Tapia’s on the Honey Hunters in 2022, stealing 10 bases as Gastonia won the South Division. Catcher Tyler Blaum was a teammate of Tapia’s on the 2023 Rockers, as High Point took the South Division. The team is managed by Brett Wellman, who describes himself on the team website as a “North Carolina native.” His father Phil was a Durham Bulls player and coach and also managed the Winston-Salem Warthogs. The Bird Dawgs continue a long history of minor league baseball in Kinston, dating back to 1908. CC Sabathia, who will enter the Hall of Fame this summer, played for the Kinston Indians. He joins a list of former Kinston players in Cooperstown that includes Rick Ferrell, Jim Thome and Fred McGriff. All-Stars Charlie Keller, Ron Guidry, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle and Charlie Nagy are also former Kinston players. The journey to the big leagues might be a little longer, but the next generation of Kinston players is ready to continue it at one of the oldest stadiums in the state.

6

nor leagues. Outfielder Cameron Masterman reached as high as Double-A in the Athletics organization, and pitcher TJ Czyz (Athletics), first baseman Emmanuel Tapia (Guardians) and first baseman Yassel Pino (Reds) all played in Single A for their respective franchises. The team also has plenty of players who might be familiar to baseball fans in North Carolina. Pitcher Danny Beal is a Winston-Salem native and Reagan High graduate who went 20-6 with eight saves for East Carolina from 2021 to 2024. He also played for Asheboro in the summer college Coastal Plains League. He’s getting his first professional experience with Down East. Pitcher Zach Grace played for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2022 before transferring. He also played in the Coastal Plains summer league in 2021, with the Wilson Tobs. Pitcher Nate Roof started his college career at Cleveland Community College in Shelby. He made his professional debut over the weekend. Other Coastal Plains veterans who came through the state include outfielder Steve DiTomaso, who played for the 2023 Wilmington Sharks, and second baseman Trotter Harlan, a veteran of the 2021 Sharks. Like Beal, both are in their first pro season. Trey Law, a shortstop, played for the Burlington Sock Puppets in the summer college Appalachian League in 2022.

The Down East Bird Dawgs played their first game at Grainger Stadium

IT WAS A month later than in previous seasons, but Kinston’s Grainger Stadium celebrated opening day on May 9. The 75-year-old ballpark played host to the Down East Bird Dawgs, a new team in the Frontier League. The Dawgs replaced the Wood Ducks, who left following last season to relocate in Spartanburg, S.C. Kinston appeared to be facing the end of a long history of professional baseball before finding a new home in the MLB partner league. While not affiliated with a specific major league team, the Frontier League’s 18 teams supply the big leagues with players. A total of eight former Frontier League players made their MLB debuts during the 2024 season. The area seems to have rallied around its newest team. A total of 3,211 fans packed Grainger Stadium for the opener, more than the Wood Ducks drew in their final 170-plus games in the same ballpark. It was the highest Kinston baseball attendance since April 27, 2022. The fol-

off against Ohio State and Tennessee. The Tar Heels will have their work cut out for them against Ohio State this time around. The Buckeyes are a 40win team with arguably the most batting power in nation, leading the country with 137 home runs. Ohio State sophomore Jasmyn Burns has homered 23 times this season, tied for the fifth most in Division I. The other extreme for UNC in the regional is Tennessee, a team that isn’t the most dangerous at the plate but is lethal from the circle. Led by Karlyn Pickens, who boasts a 20-8 record and an ERA of 0.92 (tied for second in the country), the Volunteers have given up more than three runs 11 times this season and are 1-10 when they do so. The Tar Heels will have to

play their most complete softball to make it out of this tough regional. Junior pitcher Kenna Raye Dark has won nine of her last 10 appearances, including four zero-earned run performances in that stretch, and will need to carry that momentum into Friday’s game against the Buckeyes. The combination of power from UNC’s Carlie Myrtle (16 home runs) and Sanaa Thompson (eight home runs) with the high on-base potential from Kat Rodriguez will be crucial against Tennessee. Going against teams that can run up a multitude of runs and strikes, the Tar Heels should look to be aggressive and score as much as they can. Elon has a tall task in pulling off a win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks went 26-3 against nonconference opponents, including a 20-0 start over nonconference teams. Senior Kaitlyn Wells, who leads the team with 16 home runs, came up big for the Phoenix against Campbell in the conference tournament, and she’ll have to do show up in the same fashion to give Elon a chance.

DOWNEASTBIRDDAWGS / INSTAGRAM

A full house watches the opening game of the Down East Bird Dawgs at Grainger Stadium.

1,107

Number of days since Grainger Stadium had a larger baseball crowd than the 3,211 fans that attended opening day

B5

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NUMBER: 25E000544-250 In the Matter of the Estate of: CLINTON JAMES BONNELL, Deceased. ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTICE The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Clinton James Bonnell, 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 15, 2025 (which is three (3) months after the day of 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 payment to the undersigned. THIS the 12th day of May, 2025. _________________________________ __________ Stefanie Firkins, Executor of the Estate of Clinton James Bonnell, Deceased c/o J. Thomas Neville Yarborough, Winters & Neville, P.A. P.O. Box 705 Fayetteville, NC 28302-0705 Publish: 05/15/2025, 05/22/2025, 05/29/2025 and 06/05/2025

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as the executor of the Estate of Michael Dale Harris, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all person, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 15th 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 descendant are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 6th day of May 2025 Barbara Horne Harris Administrator/ Executor 812 Stedman Cedar Creek Road Stedman, NC 28391 Of the Estate of Michael Dale Harris

NOTICE

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

State of North Carolina In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #:25E000443-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Dorothy Jean Ray Jones, 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 15th 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 discovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 15th day of May, 2025. Franklin and Flora Elliott Administrator/Executor 270 Longhill Drive Fayetteville, NC 28311 Of the Estate of Dorothy Jean Ray Jones, Deceased.

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

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

Administrator’s / Executor’s 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___________________, 20_25_______. ___Ivy M. Wright_______________________ ___ 3110 Braddock Drive __Fayetteville, NC 28301 Of the Estate of William Jennings Wright, Deceased.

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

ADMINISTRATOR CTA’S NOTICE 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

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 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

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 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

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

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

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

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Michael Bonner of the Estate of Denise Jackson, 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 15th day of August of 2025(which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in the bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the dependent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This day of May 7th, 2025 Michael Bonner 2913 Tindle Hill Ln Charlotte, NC 28216 Of the Estate of Denise Jackson, deceased

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 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 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

NOTICE In General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #25E000055-250 State of North Carolina Cumberland County Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Annie G. Hudson, 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 15th 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 15th day of May, 2025 Michael W. Hudson, Executor, 738 Rustland Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28301 Of the Estate of Annie G. Hudson, Deceased.

NOTICE In The General Court of Justice Division Before the Clerk Estate File #24E1671 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Richard R. Lampman 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 15th day of August, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will pleaded in bar of the recovery. All persons indebted to the state will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 8th day of May, 2025. Administrator of the Estate of Richard R. Lampman 4127 Dellwood Dr. Fayetteville NC 28304-5227

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

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 TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

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

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Catherine Elizabeth Solomon and David Solomon, having qualified on the 28th day of March 2025, as Co-Personal Representatives of the Estate of Geraldine B. Steel (2025-E001456-640), 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 18th 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 15th day of May 2025. Catherine Elizabeth Solomon and David Solomon Co-Personal Representatives ESTATE OF GERALDINE B. STEEL David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: May 15, 2025 May 22, 2025 May 29, 2025 June 5, 2025

NEW HANOVER NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, JOHN LECLERC MALLETTE, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of RENEE LECLERC MALLETTE, Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said JOHN LECLERC MALLETTE, at the address set out below, on or before August 17, 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 9th day of May, 2025. JOHN LECLERC MALLETTE. EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF RENEE LECLERC MALLETTE c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

Published Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Donna Lee Barthold (25E001375640), 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 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 NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Charles Wesson, having qualified on the 18th day of March 2025, as Administrator CTA of the Estate of George A. Wesson (2025-E-001353640), 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 4th 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 1st day of May 2025. Charles Wesson Administrator CTA ESTATE OF GEORGE A. WESSON David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: May 1, 2025 May 8, 2025 May 15, 2025 May 22, 2025

RANDOLPH NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Bertha Hernandez Gudino, 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 15th 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 15th day of May 2025. Maria Gudino Marquez Administrator of the Estate of Bertha Hernandez Gudino Jonathan M. Parisi Attorney at Law Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994 Greensboro, NC 27435

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

RANDOLPH

ROBESON

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION 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

Notice to Creditors

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

WAKE 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

CABARRUS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CABARRUS COUNTY 24SP001632-120 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY SOUTHPOINT REALTY SERVICES, LLC DATED SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 16647 AT PAGE 97 IN THE CABARRUS 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

24SP000379-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Donald R. Morgan a/k/a Donald Morgan and Sheila L. Morgan a/k/a Sheila Morgan to Mortgage Information Services, Inc., Trustee(s), which was dated February 21, 2004 and recorded on March 16, 2004 in Book 5192 at Page 292, 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 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 28, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cabarrus

24SP000217-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY 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 for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county

CUMBERLAND 25SP000219-250 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 Shadae Latreece Landa to Allan B Polunsky, Trustee(s), which was dated May 10, 2021 and recorded on May 11, 2021 in Book 11119 at Page 541, 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

GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 24CVS005273-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF SALE MidFirst Bank, Plaintiff, v. Melissa Jeffries; Donna Jeffries; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Midland Funding LLC Defendant(s). Under and by virtue of the power and

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)

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 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)

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 Cabarrus County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 28, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Southpoint Realty Services, LLC, dated September 5, 2023 to secure the original principal amount of $384,800.00, and recorded in Book 16647 at Page 97 of the Cabarrus 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: 117 S Ridge Ave, Kannapolis, NC 28083 Tax Parcel ID: 26136972160000

Present Record Owners: Southpoint Realty Services, LLC The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Southpoint Realty Services, LLC. 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 May 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 LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www. LOGS.com Posted: By: 24-118158

County, North Carolina, to wit: LYING AND BEING IN WARD NO. 3 OF THE CITY OF CONCORD, CABARRUS COUNTY, N. C., AND BEING LOT NO. 18 AND PART OF 17 IN BLOCK D OF DUBLIN, A MAP OF WHICH IS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR CABARRUS COUNTY IN MAP BOOK 1, PAGE 69, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A STAKE ON THE WEST EDGE OF ASHLYN AVENUE, CORNER OF J. H. EUDY’S LOT; AND RUNS THENCE S. 46-45 E. 75 FEET TO A STAKE, A CORNER OF LOT NO. 19; THENCE WITH THE LINE OF LOT NO. 19 N. 43-15 E. 120 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE IN THE LINE OF LOT NO. 31; THENCE N. 46-45 W. 75 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE , CORNER OF J. H. EUDY’S LOT; THENCE WITH HIS IRON S. 43-15 W. 120 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, AND IS THAT PROPERTY CONVEYED BY VIRGINIA EDGISON (UNREMARRIED) TO GABE S. STEWART AND WIFE BETTY LOU B. STEWART AND ROBERT R. PRESSLEY AND WIFE BRENDA R. PRESSLEY BY DEED DATED JANUARY 23, 1978, AND RECORDED

IN DEED BOOK 487, PAGE 651. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 51 Ashlyn Dr SE, Concord, NC 28025. 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 DONALD R. MORGAN AND WIFE SHEILA L. MORGAN. 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.: 24-06755-FC01

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 § 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.: 24-10687-FC01

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 28, 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 No. 68, in a subdivision known as Summerhill, Section 2, according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Book of Plats 29, Page 57, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 321 Summer Hill 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 Shadae Latreece Landa. 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.: 25-04881-FC01

authority contained in the Order for Judicial Sale dated January 14, 2025, 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 28, 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 Melissa M. Jeffries; Donna M. Jeffries, dated June 4, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $127,940.00, and recorded in Book No. 6547, at Page 239 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. Address of property: 518 Sunpointe Drive, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax Parcel ID: 0424-44-2288 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 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 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 24th day of April, 2025. Grady I. Ingle, NC State Bar No. 16692 Attorney for Comissioner, Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of

B7

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

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

CAROLINA,

CUMBERLAND

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:

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.

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.

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

Said property is commonly known as 6421 Newcastle Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 25 SP 000030-250 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Louetta L McKinnis, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $448,500.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for First National Bank of Layton, Mortgagee, dated February 9th, 2012 and recorded on March 1st, 2012 in Book 08844, Page 0077, as instrument number 07737, Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed,

23SP000697-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA,

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 county courthouse for conducting the

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 for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 19, 2025 and will sell to the

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 of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: 3631 Wind Sock Ct, Eastover, NC 28312

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, Cumberland County,

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

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.

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.

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

An Order for possession of the property

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”.

the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on May 27, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: The Land described herein is situated in the State of North Carolina, County of Cumberland County, and is described as follows: Being all of Lot Number 2 as shown on a Plat entitled, “God`s Little Acre”, recorded in Plat Book 61, page 104. And being the same property described in a Deed to Emmett L. McKinnis and wife, Louetta L. McKinnis, dated September 30, 1983 and recorded in Book 2954, Page 161. Reference to said instruments, recorded at the Cumberland County Registry, is hereby made for a more perfect description of said lot. Parcel Number(s): 0422-69-0694 Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 549 Sand Hill Road, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax ID: 0422-69-0694 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 §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special

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

under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee 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 24-001346-01

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:

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.

The

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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).

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 # 42-5, 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

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

An Order for possession of the property

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”.

File No.: 24-25618-FC01

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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: 2319 - 5229

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: 17207 - 81061

B8

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

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 Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Lexington, Davidson County,

DURHAM AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP001895-310 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Habakkuk Taylor, Cynthia Elaine Taylor and Carolyn B. Taylor (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Cynthia Elaine Taylor and Habakkuk Taylor and Carolyn B. Taylor) to PRLAP, Inc., Trustee(s), dated May 5, 2004, and recorded in Book No. 4381, at Page 302 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

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,

FORSYTH NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 231 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by David Flores-Tamayo (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): David Flores-Tamayo) to Anderson Langford, Trustee(s), dated August 10, 2022, and recorded in Book No. RE 3714, at Page 2378 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 Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 225 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Blonda H. Lindsey (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Blonda H. Lindsey) to Joseph P. Clark, Trustee(s), dated August 29, 2011, and recorded in Book No. RE 3018, at Page 954 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 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 28, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of

25 SP 189 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Cory Ryan Giles a/k/a Cory Giles to Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated August 29, 2023 and recorded on August 29, 2023 in Book 3770 at Page 1780, Forsyth 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

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 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

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 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.

designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:15 PM on May 28, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being known and designated as Unit Number 25 Building 2 as shown on a plat or plats entitled Georgetown condominiums, as recorded in Unit Ownership File 1, at Pages 177-181 inclusive, and as rerecorded and corrected in Condominium and Unit Ownership File 1 at Page 182, 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 all rights and easements appurtenant to said unit as specifically enumerated in the ‘declarations of Georgetown Condominiums’ (which specifically includes a .0085 percent undivided fee simple ownership interest in and to the common areas of Georgetown Condominiums) issued by Georgetown Partners, LTD., and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina in Book 1381 at Pages 1531, et seq., on December 28, 1982, at 9:34 O’clock A.M., and pursuant thereto membership in the Georgetown Condominium Homeowners Association, Inc., a North

Carolina non-profit corporation. Including the Unit located thereon; said property being located at 631 Gunston Court, Apt. C, Winston Salem, North Carolina

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.

Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Unit D including Garage D, Building 707 of Academy Park Condominium, in fee simple as is more fully described in the Declaration of Condominium filed by Grantor pursuant to the Provisions of Chapter 47A of the North Carolina General Statutes and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina in Book 1467 at Page 659 (hereinafter called the “Declaration”) and as more particularly described in the plans of Academy Park Condominium which are recorded in Condominium Book 2, Pages 115 through 122, inclusive in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina. Provided, however, Garage D is subject to any easement as shown on the Plans of Academy Park Condominium for the purpose of allowing access to the adjoining garage by its owner or licensee. Including the Unit located thereon; said Unit being located at 707 Marshall Street Unit D, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Facilities”.

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

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 27, 2025 and will sell to the highest 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 127 of Frazier Forest Phase I as per plat and survey by Neal C. Hamlett, R.L.S., dated May, 1987 and recorded in Plat Book 114 at Page 166, Durham County Registry, to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1009 Glenrose Drive, 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

at 3:00 PM on May 20, 2025 and will sell to the highest 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).

Together with a 3.4104 percent interest in and to the “Common Areas and Facilities” as referred to in said Declaration, to which reference is made for a more particular description of “Common Areas and

on May 29, 2025 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Lot(s) 2, final plat for Henley General Contractors, LLC, according to the plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 71, Page 53, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, NC. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 2521 Henley Lane, Walkertown, NC 27051. 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

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

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,

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 Cory Ryan Giles. 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

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: 21765 - 105982

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

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: 18080 - 125634

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.

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.

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.

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

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: 23783 - 118295

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.: 25-04625-FC01

B9

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

FORSYTH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 647 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Velma M. Edgerson and Duane Edgerson (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Velma M. Edgerson and Velma Martin Bowens) to Norwest Mortgage, Inc., Trustee(s), dated November 3, 1997, and recorded in Book No. 1971, at Page 3580 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on July 22, 2010, in Book No. RE 2955, at Page 3436, 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 Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FORSYTH COUNTY 25SP65 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY SAMUEL C. HOLDER AKA SAMUEL S. HOLDER AND RACHEL S. HOLDER DATED MARCH 28, 2005 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2558 AT PAGE 1409 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

IREDELL NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 106 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Linda Y. Clark (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Linda Y. Clark) to Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated April 11, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 2912, at Page 633 in Iredell 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 Iredell 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 Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00

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 Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at

NEW HANOVER NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP000011-640 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Michael Alan Sykes (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Michael Alan Sykes) to First American Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated February 4, 2016, and recorded in Book No. RB 5947, at Page 324 in New Hanover County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on April 30, 2020, in Book No. 6307, at Page 1117, 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 New Hanover County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness

ONSLOW NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP001130-660 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Wallace Hyche (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Wallace Hyche) to Sholar Law, PLLC/Chicago Title Company LLC, Trustee(s), dated February 4, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 5680, at Page 644 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on August 3, 2023, in Book No. 6011, at Page 343, 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 Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of

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.

usual place of sale at the Forsyth County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 29, 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 Samuel C. Holder aka Samuel S. Holder and Rachel S. Holder, dated March 28, 2005 to secure the original principal amount of $55,000.00, and recorded in Book 2558 at Page 1409 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. 1186 Address of property: North Main Street, Kernersville, NC 27284 Tax Parcel ID: 6897-01-2645.000 Present Record Owners: Mark C. Holder and Lisa Michelle Holder The record owner(s) of the property,

according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Mark C. Holder and Lisa Michelle Holder. 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 May 9, 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 Posted: By:

AM on May 29, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Statesville in the County of Iredell, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an existing concrete marker, the intersection of the eastern side of Magnolia Avenue with the northern side of East Broad Street; and running with the eastern margin of Magnolia Avenue, North 19 deg. 40 min. 00 sec. West 215 feet to an existing iron pin; thence running North 70 deg. 48 min. 00 sec. East 80 feet to a new iron pin; thence South 19 deg. 40 min. 00 sec. East 215 feet to an existing iron pin in the northern margin of East Broad Street; thence running with the northern margin of East Broad Street, South 70 deg. 48 min. 00 sec. West 80 feet to the point and place of Beginning, said property being all of Lot Five (5) and a portion of Lot Thirteen (13) of Block Five (5), of Forest Park Subdivision, as the same is platted, planned and recorded in Plat Book 1, at Page 21, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Iredell County, North Carolina, as the same is shown on a survey by L.B. Grier, NCPLS, dated November 14,1989 and revised July 31,1998. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1101 East Broad Street, Statesville, North Carolina. Parcel ID: 4744585052.000

Commonly known as 1101 E BROAD Street, Statesville, NC 28677 However, by showing this address no additional coverage is provided

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 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.

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.

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.

door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on May 28, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake in the North line of Waughtown Street, as established by the City of Winston-Salem, said iron stake being the Southeast corner of Lot No. 3; running thence with the East line of Lot No. 3, North 34 deg. 00 min. West 186.8 ft. to an iron stake in the South line of Lot No. 5; thence with the South line of Lot No. 5, North 56 deg. 08 min. East 85.3 ft. to an old iron stake in the West line of Lot No. 101, G.A. Weir’s (now or formerly) lot: thence with the West line of Lot No. 101, South 31 deg. 01 min. East 186.2 ft. to an iron stake in the North line of Waughtown Street, as established by the City of Winston-Salem; thence with the North line of Waughtown Street, South 55 deg. 31 min. West 75.6 ft. to an iron stake, the point of BEGINNING. Being known and designated as a portion of Lot No. 4 on the map of W.E. Spach Estate, recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 43, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina. Also known as a portion of Lot No. 4, Block 1828, Forsyth County Tax

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. 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).

having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 27, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Castle Hayne in the County of New Hanover, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being Parcel 2 as shown on map entitled “Map of Division for Rose K. Bordeaux” and recorded in Map Book 57, Page 374 New Hanover County Registry, reference to said map being hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1521 Oakley Road, Castle Hayne, North Carolina. A.P.N. #: R03306-003-003-000 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.

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 Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on May 28, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 351 as shown on that certain map entitled “Raintree, Phase IV, Section l” which map was prepared by Lanier Surveying Company and is recorded in Map Book 35, Page 153, Slide J-660, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 304 Fall Drive, Jacksonville, 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

Map. Also as shown on map on file in the Office of the Commissioner of Public Works, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2109 Waughtown Street, 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.

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.

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: 4002 - 14018

23-116194

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: 24364 - 121792

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

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: 1768 - 81588

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: 18075 - 85616

B10

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

RANDOLPH 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,

24SP000272-750 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 Janine Marie Kube to William R. Echols, Trustee(s), which was dated May 24, 2011 and recorded on May 24, 2011 in Book RE 2234 at Page 541, 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, or the usual and customary location at the

ROBESON 24SP000148-770 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 Lucille M. Christian and Johnny L. Christian to Hutchens & Senter, Trustee(s), which was dated January 7, 2004 and recorded on January 13, 2004 in Book 1362 at Page 0039, 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

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 described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 120401054

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 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

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 Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the

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 01:00 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 27205-8479. 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

county courthouse for conducting the sale on May 28, 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 19 of the Final Plat of Water’s Edge Subdivision as recorded in Plat Book 112 Page 73 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 112 Parkview Court, Archdale, NC 27263-3456. 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 JANINE KUBE AKA JANINE MARIE KUBE. 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.: 23-07609-FC02

on May 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Robeson County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land, with the improvements thereon, situate, lying and being in the City of Fairmont, County of Robeson, State of North Carolina, the same being shown and designated as follows: Located on the Western side of Park Avenue in the Town of Fairmont and being all of Lot No. Nineteen (19) in Block R of Fisher Park as shown on a map of same duly recorded in Robeson County Registry in Book of Maps No. 7, page 69, reference to which map is hereby made for a more particular description of said lands. Said lot has a 75 feet frontage on Park Avenue and runs back in parallel line for a depth of 150 feet. This conveyance is made subject to the Fisher Park Restrictive Covenants as appear of record in Book 10-K, page 16, Robeson County Registry. This is the same property conveyed to Johnny L. Christian and wife, Lucille M. Christian by deed of Vernon K. Whitley, Jr. and wife, Marilyn P. Whitley, dated 06/06/2002 and recorded 06/12/2002 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for

Robeson County, North Carolina in Book 1236, Page 848. TMS: 3007-03-021 Property Address: 602 Park Avenue, Fairmont, North Carolina, 28340 Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 602 Park Ave, Fairmont, NC 28340. 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 ALL LAWFUL HEIRS OF JOHNNY L. CHRISTIAN. 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.: 24-09779-FC01

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.

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

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.

delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

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.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion,

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

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.

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

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

B11

North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

UNION IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION UNION COUNTY 24sp320 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY WAYNE E. WHITT AND FAYE WHITT DATED MAY 2, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 4156 AT PAGE 843 IN THE UNION 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

WAKE 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

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 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 at the Wake County

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 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

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 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

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, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM

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 Union County courthouse at 11:00AM on May 29, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Union County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Wayne E. Whitt and Faye Whitt, dated May 2, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $147,000.00, and recorded in Book 4156 at Page 843 of the Union 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. 4421 Address of property: Pageland Hwy, Monroe, NC 28112 Tax Parcel ID: 04036018 Present Record Owners:

The Estate of Wayne E. Whitt The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Wayne E. Whitt. 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 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 LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com Posted: By:

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 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 §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00)

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

undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property 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 §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is

unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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 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 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:

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 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 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 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:

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. Address of property: 2913 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 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 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 Posted: By:

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

referred to. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 8604 Greenway Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.

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.

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

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

07-96787

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

22-114474

13-048285

24-119446

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

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

PEN & PAPER PURSUITS

sudoku

solutions LAST WEEK

VOLUME 148 ISSUE 12 | THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

A good walk spoiled Takumi Kanaya, of Japan, walks on the on the 13th hole for the PGA Championship, taking place this weekend at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

the

BRIEF this week

Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years.

Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro Atlanta residents has changed over several generations.

Is the Southern accent fixin’ to disappear? In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park.

It’s fading with younger generations and new transplants moving in By Mike Schneider The Associated Press GROWING UP in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s visits to New York City relatives included being the star of an impromptu novelty show: Her cousin invit-

The $3.2 million ask will cover the free meal program and teacher supplements By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record

ed over friends and charged 25 cents a pop for them to listen to Levine’s Southern accent. Even though they too grew up in Atlanta, Levine’s two sons, born more than a quarter century after her, never spoke with the accent that is perhaps the most famous regional dialect in the United States, with its elongated vowels and soft “r” sounds.

PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Schools Board of Education took another step toward finalizing its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. At its May 12 meeting, the board approved the district’s proposed local current expense budget request for FY 2025-26. The appropriation request to the county totals nearly $3.2 million and accounts for supplements, fixed employee benefits cost, fixed operational costs, the free meals program, stipend, current expense appropriation requests, charter school transfers and capital outlay. The district’s total current expense fund for 2025‑26 is just over $53.3 million, a 3.79% increase from the prior year. The priorities for CCS in the upcoming year driving

See ACCENT, page A10

See BOARD, page A10

Feds set timeline for Helene aid to farmers “Farmers operate on extremely tight margins, and to rebuild from a storm of this magnitude could be impossible for some to shoulder.” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp

$2.00

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

School board approves local appropriation request

Georgia will exempt Helene payments from state income taxes By Jeff Amy The Associated Press FORSYTH, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law last week to exempt federal crop insurance and disaster payments following Hurricane Helene damage from Georgia state income taxes, but it could be months more before some federal money starts flowing to farmers in the hardest-hit states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a schedule last Wednesday to start disbursing disaster aid, part of a $100 billion package passed by Congress in December.

ARVIN TEMKAR / ATLANTA JOURNALCONSTITUTION VIA AP

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks before signing Hurricane Helene relief bills at the Georgia Forestry Association in Forsyth last Thursday. The September storm cut a swath from Florida’s Big Bend across eastern Georgia and See AID, page A2

A2

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

THURSDAY

5.15.25 #91

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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 BUSINESS 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:

AID from page A1 upstate South Carolina before causing historic flooding in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Helene is the seventh-most expensive disaster in the United States since 1980, causing an estimated $78 billion in damage and 219 deaths. Officials have estimated that Helene caused billions in property and economic damage to agriculture, including $5.5 billion in Georgia and $4.9 billion in North Carolina. Federal officials in March began handing out $10 billion designated in the bill for farmers nationwide harmed by low crop prices and high fertilizer prices. But billions more were set aside for farmers harmed by Helene and other natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was questioned about the timeframe last Tuesday by lawmakers including Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia. He told Rollins that “Time is of the essence.” “I’ve seen the devastation firsthand,” Rollins said. “It is heartbreaking to witness it.” Some farmers have dipped into savings to pay for losses not covered by insurance. Others have unpaid debts from last year, restricting borrowing to plant 2025 crops. A few have sold equipment or land to generate cash. The schedule shows feder-

al officials will open applications for some aid in stages from May 30 through Sept. 15. But states have to negotiate plans to distribute other aid through block grants. If state and federal officials agree on a plan by May 28, block grants would be finalized by June 13, federal officials said. If agreements can be reached by June 13, they would be finalized by June 30. After that, states must give out the money. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said Thursday that he didn’t know how much money Georgia would get in block grants. He said whether the state made the May 28 deadline “depends on how our negotiations go with USDA over the next couple of weeks.” Kemp last Thursday signed into law tax breaks for farmers and timber owners harmed by Helene that could be worth nearly $300 million. “Farmers operate on extremely tight margins, and to rebuild from a storm of this magnitude could be impossible for some to shoulder,” Kemp said at Georgia Forestry Association headquarters in Forsyth, saying Helene was “a storm like no other in out state.” The tax breaks come on top of $867 million in spending that Georgia lawmakers earlier allotted for Hurricane Helene relief. The law exempts federal payments to farmers because of Helene from Georgia state

income taxes. That could be worth $140 million. Georgia’s law also lets private timberland owners claim a credit for damaged timber on state income taxes if they replant trees. The timberland tax break could be worth $83 million to $104 million through 2030, estimates show. Another tax break waives state and local sales taxes on building materials to rebuild chicken houses, barns and fences. A fourth program lets counties waive taxes when timber owners cut down trees for 15 months. Any county that waives taxes would refund any taxes collected since Oct. 1. The state could spend $17.4 million to reimburse counties’ lost tax money. Georgia lawmakers earlier approved $285 million for low-interest loans to farmers and to remove downed trees from private lands so they don’t become a fire hazard. There’s also $25 million in grants to nonprofits that are supposed to go to help individuals. In South Carolina, Republican legislative leaders are discussing hundreds of millions in Helene relief as part of the state’s budget. North Carolina lawmakers agreed to a $524 million supplemental Helene relief in March, in part to provide more funds for agricultural needs. It was North Carolina’s fourth Helene aid package.

Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344 CONTACT US

• Codey Alan Kosut, 30, of Pittsboro, was arrested for assault on a female and domestic violence. • Katherine McDonald Johnson, 47, of Pittsboro, was arrested for hit and run with property damage. May 9 • Brandon Scott Lackey, 40, of Lenoir, was arrested for burglary, larceny after breaking and entering and fleeing arrest with a motor vehicle. May 10 • Ruben Josue Perez Corona, 33, of Bear Creek, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon. • Derrick Anderson Nipper, 38, of Pittsboro, was arrested for driving while impaired.

• Justin Howard Gaines, 37, of Bonlee, was arrested for false pretense, possession of five or more counterfeit instruments and forgery.

Opinionation Trivia at House of Pops 6-8 p.m. Two sessions of this “Family Feud”-style game are held each evening, first round at 6 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m., offering contestants two opportunities to win House of Hops gift cards worth $15 and $25 each. 112 Russet Run Suite 110 Pittsboro

May 16 96.1 BBB Summer Jam Music Series: Band of Oz 7-9 p.m. Tickets to this outdoor musical performance are free. Lawn opens to the public at 6 p.m. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy this family- and pet-friendly event. Concessions are available for purchase onsite.

8 a.m. to noon

RESIDENTIAL

LAND

• 471 Deer Run (Pittsboro), 4.92 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $375,000

• 37 E Cotton Road (Pittsboro), 0.996 acres, $100,000

• 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 • 1656 NC-42 Highway (Moncure), 36.17 acres, 3 bed/4 bath, $1,600,000 • 557 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 12.802 acres, 3 bed/3 bath, $2,500,000

RESIDENTIAL • 9652 S Nc-87 Highway (Pittsboro), 5 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $325,000 • 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $500,000

• 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 • Tract 1 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 15.123 acres, $189,000 • Tract 3 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.029 acres, $212,865 • Tract 2 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.425 acres, $217,800

• 9311 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 4.602 acres, $225,000

• 0 Pasture Branch Road (Rose Hill), 29 acres, $1,250,000

• 9231 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 5.630 acres, $250,000

• 0 Crawford Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 52.81 acres, $1,750,000

• 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 • 00 US Highway 64 W (Siler City), 7.87 acres, $800,000 • 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21 acres, $825,000

• 1834 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 30.49 acres, 3 bed/2.5 bath, $850,000

• 00 Hamlets Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 118.742 acres, $4,250,000

LAND

COMMERCIAL IMPROVED

• 1701 Mitchells Chapel Road (Pittsboro), 10 acres, $200,000

• 13604 US Hwy 64 W (Siler City), 4.36 acres, $650,000

• 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 • 919 N 2nd Avenue (Siler City), 0.34 acres, $550,000 • 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 acres, $1,350,000

COMMERCIAL UNIMPROVED • 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 acres, $1,000,000 • 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 acres, $4,500,000

This weekly outdoor farmers market is a producers‑only market, which means the wide variety of goods offered there, from fresh produce to other groceries, including eggs, cheese and meat, along with health and wellness items and crafts, are produced or created by the vendors themselves. Lawn of the historic Chatham Mills 480 Hillsborough St. Pittsboro

Krav Maga Self‑Defense Class 2-3:30 p.m. Krav Maga is a form of self‑defense. Participation in self-defense classes has been shown to boost physical fitness and self‑confidence, and improve an individual’s ability to protect themselves when threatened. This workshop is open to rising ninth graders to adults. Registration pricing varies; individual adult cost/class = $45. Adult & student pairing cost/class = $75. Woods Charter School 160 Woodland Grove Lane Chapel Hill

May 18 The Lore Family Concert

May 12 • Charles Scott Wood, 35, of Dunn, was arrested for identity theft and obtaining property by false pretenses.

May 15

Chatham Mills Farmers Market

We stand corrected

May 7

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

May 17

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CRIME LOG

happening

Philip H. Kohl MOSAIC Family Commons 457 Freedom Parkway. Pittsboro

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

To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

CHATHAM

10 a.m.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO What It Took to get 1000 SALES ON ZILLOW!

A concert featuring Southern Gospel harmonies performed by this popular group, comprised of a family of five from southern Ohio, The Lore Family has built a loyal fan base since they began touring full time in 1999, preaching and singing at various religious events and venues. Community Baptist Church 2575 Hamp Stone Road Siler City

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

congratulations!

Church News

Each year, Mountaire Farms offers college scholarships to children and grandchildren of its employees, growers and grain producers. This year, 31 students received the $2,500 awards — including a number from North Carolina — while more than 80 applied. “This is a highly competitive event each year, and we are honored to support the families who mean so much to Mountaire,” said Amanda Irwin, president of Mountaire Farms, in a press release. In North Carolina, scholarship winners will be honored at Mountaire’s Faith and Family Night at the Fayetteville Woodpeckers game on Saturday, June 14.

• Mansour AdamouMohamed, from Jamestown, attends NC State. His mother, Ghaisa Yahaya-Mohamed, works at our Siler City processing plant. • Cade Auman, from Seagrove. His parents grow broilers for us for our Siler City processing plant. He attends UNC Charlotte. • Weston Brown, from Hiddenite. He will be attending Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. His father, Brandon Brown, works in our Statesville breeder division. • Macy Chapman, from Taylorsville, is attending NC State. Her parents are breeder growers for Mountaire.

Chapel Hill. Her father, Q’ianna Martin, works at our Scotland County Feed Mill.

College in Sanford. Her father, Dustin Patterson, works at our Siler City processing plant.

• Howard Jacobs, from Raleigh, attends NC State. His father, Bobby Jacobs, works at our Lumber Bridge processing plant.

• Thompson Stone, of Rowland, is awaiting a decision. His father grows grain for Mountaire.

• Jailene Lemus Hurtado, from Broadway, attends UNC Chapel Hill. Her father, Juan Lemus Chavez, works at our Siler City processing plant. • Addison O’Neal, from Rockingham, attends UNC Chapel Hill. Her grandfather, Eddie McDonald, works at our Candor Feed Mill. • Emma Patterson, of Sanford, attends Central Carolina Community

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 Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Moncure. Mt. 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.

• Kaylee Thomas, from Fayetteville, attends UNC Pembroke. Her mother, Tiffany Thomas, works at the Siler City processing plant.

HOUSE OF PRAYER FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

• Callie Trexler, of Salisbury, attends Catawba College in Salisbury. Her father, Darrin Trexler, grows grain for Mountaire.

The House of Prayer Fellowship Church at 549 Horton Road in Goldston will be celebrating the 47th anniversary of our pastor, Annie C. Glover, on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18. The guest speaker for Saturday at 5 p.m. will be Apostle Alexander Lockamy from Burning Bush Church in Erwin. The speaker for Sunday at 11 a.m. will be Assistant Pastor Jeff Covington Sr. of the House of Prayer Fellowship Church. Dinner will be served after Sunday morning service. Everyone is invited to attend this great celebration!

• Zaara Wandawi, of Raeford, attends UNC Charlotte. Her father, Almass Othman, works at our Lumber Bridge processing plant.

• Micah Chapman, from Taylorsville, is attending NC State. His parents are also breeder growers for Mountaire. • Laryn Echerd, from Taylorsville, is attending NC State. Her parents are breeder growers for Mountaire. • I’Nia Hough, from Fayetteville, attends UNC

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

That glorious plural pronoun

Even at the most basic level of everyday encounters, we practice respect and caretaking.

I SPENT A FEW DAYS in Pittsburgh, which was enough time to recall why I’d wished to move South to live in a rural county like Chatham. A big city is loud in a way that’s challenging for me to come to grips with. It’s not just the rumbling trash trucks, blaring car horns or screaming children in strollers, all of which we have here. It’s all those noises and more, all at once, from all directions. That said, there’s a certain charm to the way that strangers in a city interact with one another. Unlike my neighborhood, where I greet every pedestrian, urbanites care for strangers in subtle ways by adjusting and accommodating almost imperceptibly to the inexperienced eye. But once I caught on, I noticed this kind of tenderness everywhere — someone bearing right in the crosswalk to allow the fleet-footed jogger to pass, or leaning back at the bus stop to give the pregnant woman space, or shifting to make room at the coffeeshop’s tabletop so that a stranger might enjoy his beverage while he scribbled thoughts in a notebook. As I exited that shop, I thanked an older gentleman for holding the door. He replied, “Of course.” Even at the most basic level of everyday encounters, we practice respect and caretaking. The exceptions prove the rule; for every jerk or Karen, there must be hundreds of folks doing the simple, gentle thing, which is actually extraordinary to me. We form communities all the time through our actions, even if those groups are as temporary as sharing a restaurant or subway train. While such brief engagements might not represent a slice of heaven, they make life a little easier and softer around the edges. For this reason, poet Pádraig Ó Tuama

PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE VIA VECTEEZY

A cardinal rests on the branch of a flowering dogwood tree.

writes that “our” is “that glorious plural pronoun.” I returned from my trip to the city and happily reentered the slower pace of life. Walking my dog this morning, I happily wished each passerby a good morning. I was grateful for a chance to connect, however fleeting, for this is our home, our common way of life. 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

Reach out – and touch someone If you’ve still got your mama, touch her. Hug her. Wrap your arms around her and hang on for a long time.

BY NOW, Mother’s Day, at least as the calendar says, has come and gone, and with it lots of cards, flowers, candy, jewelry and such. Nothing wrong with any of that, especially if it’s more than just tossing a bone because Hallmark or the calendar says it’s time to do that. The day we celebrate as Mother’s Day — the second Sunday in May — is one of those sometimes difficult days for many folks. Others include, obviously, Father’s Day, as well as Valentine’s Day and some birthdays. Why so? Well, one reason Valentine’s Day can be a bit difficult is that in the romantic persuasion Valentine’s Day has come to be, some folks may not have a significant other at the moment and so there can be feelings ranging from isolation to insignificance. On the question of Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, some folks have neither parent in their lives. Others who may still have one or both may not have had a great relationship through the years, and so the day can send mixed and difficult signals ranging from remorse to guilt to something in between. And combinations of those factors, and others such as deceased parents with whom relationships weren’t so good, can compound the feelings even more. So what’s a good response to all this? In part, the response will depend on how the respondent is wired. Some folks may choose to simply ignore it all and forge ahead with whatever they’re already doing. Or they may choose to “do” nothing, especially if they’re not “doers.” Other folks may try to make amends with living parents, while those whose folks are deceased may dedicate themselves to developing different attitudes

about relationships. And it’s in that area I’d like to offer a thought. Not for Mother’s Day 2025, which has obviously come and gone, but for the next official such day on the calendar and really for all days — and all people. One Sunday some years ago at the church house where I was pastor, the morning meditation concerned such thoughts and many of the good folks present got a good belly laugh when I confessed to them that “women often touch me.” A few may have been shocked. Some may have thought it was the opening line of a joke ... but it wasn’t. It was — and is — a true statement but with a meaning not necessarily clear at first thought. The ladies being described at the time of that statement are those gentle souls who now live elsewhere than their own residences, usually in a care facility or nursing home. When I see them — those I know and those I don’t — many are sitting in chairs in the doors to their rooms or in groups in the halls or parlors. At times, they don’t know where they’re sitting or, in some instances, that they are sitting. But they do know another human being is in their vicinity, and their response to that is often, maybe even usually, to reach out a hand for a touch. If you’ve still got your mama, touch her. Hug her. Wrap your arms around her and hang on for a long time. She was the first to touch you. And if your mama is alive only in your memory, find a “second mama” you can touch. And then do it. 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 15, 2025

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN

A brief guide to escaping a morass

Thanks to our hereditary, millions of years old, threatresponse brain, any Tyrannosaurus Rex-like challenge becomes a case for all‑out survival; values be damned.

I NEVER, EVER, imagined that automated phone systems would become an ongoing path to spiritual enlightenment for me. But it’s true … Not meaning to brag or anything, I think you’d find that I’m a truly nice person. In conversation and on social media, I hold strong values about not contributing to cesspool‑like dialogues. (Yay, me!) However, verbal dumpster diving can be so satisfying, so cutting-down-to-size, and often, so full of, let’s be honest, @&!$!*’s. None of these behaviors, or so I thought, were on my chosen values list. (Dream on, Jan.) Thanks to our hereditary, millions of years old, threat-response brain, any Tyrannosaurus Rex-like challenge becomes a case for all‑out survival; values be damned. Oh, wait, Tyrannosaurus rex? Please, excuse me! I’ve been told those fierce critters aren’t around anymore. Today, it’s the ferocious beasts of differing opinions, political beliefs, religious differences, gender issues, and gosh, even, “How can you possibly eat that?!” Also … The uncompromising jungles of automated phone systems. Trapped! That’s the modern‑day culprit of my powerlessness in the face of a charging saber-toothed tiger. Get me outta here! Worst case scenario, especially coming from the mouth of a Quaker pacifist, lots of shouted @&!$!*’s and “I’m gonna kill you!” (You won’t tell on me, will you?) I just want to speak with a live human … Sigh. So embarrassing. So very human. I absolutely lose control of myself in the purgatory of automated phone systems. With a real-life human heart, I don’t. My values, so inclusive of civility, are laid to waste. I just head for the bottom of the barrel. The v-e-r-y

bottom. Absolutely mortifying to me. Head hanging in disgust at my post-civility-deprived interlude via an unhearing automated phone system. As a dear old friend of mine said when I was clearly “in a mood,” “What gives?” I sat down to think about that recently after one of my automated phone system tirades. It’s my brain. Harking back to our millions of years old threat response brains, and pointing my finger. “You’re at fault!” How could I have forgotten to share that our collective human brains tend to respond negatively to any outside stimuli, any at all? “Our brains became Teflon for the positive and Velcro for the negative.” Being alert to the negative kept us alive, and having a good ol’ time often left us ignoring life-threatening events. Whoops, I’m dead … Bingo! Yep, I may feel absolutely powerless in the face of a charging saber-toothed tiger. (Wouldn’t you?) But an automated phone system is not going to wrangle my nerves every single time. Nope. Reminder to self: I always manage to find a human voice in what seems like an impenetrable system. Always. Before my hereditary threat brain’s yelling and screaming is triggered, I do have a choice. Every automated phone system is not trying to eat me (I don’t think). I can breathe (what a concept), not throw a hissy fit and know that somewhere, in that byzantine mess, a real human voice lurks. That’s always been the case, but I forget when I’m triggered. Oh heavens, my blood pressure will just be so happy … Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

COLUMN | JESSICA WARD AND MATTIAS GUGEL

Why are North Carolina lawmakers copying Illinois’ worst swipe fee policy? Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system.

SOME NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers are eyeing a shiny new idea — straight from the land of broken budgets and busted promises: Illinois. Yes, Illinois, the state famous for fiscal faceplants and legislative landmines. At issue? A proposal to regulate and cap credit card “swipe fees”. Sounds consumerfriendly, right? Until you dig into what happened in Illinois and how it’s backfiring on the folks lawmakers said they were trying to help. When you cap swipe fees, it doesn’t mean the costs disappear — they just get moved around. And, spoiler alert: they usually land squarely in the laps of small businesses and consumers. That’s what’s happening in Illinois right now. Merchants didn’t magically eat those higher processing costs — they’re passing them right along. The end result? Higher prices at the register and fewer rewards from the credit card in your wallet. Those airline miles and cashback perks sure were nice while they lasted. Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system: fraud protection, technology upgrades and security. Limiting them might sound like a win, until you realize you’re kneecapping the innovation that makes digital payments safe and seamless. If North Carolina chooses this path, don’t be surprised when card security weakens, customer perks dry up, bank fees increase, and the start-up capital that small businesses rely on dwindles. Want to bring back checkbooks, dialup internet, and Blockbuster too? Because capping swipe fees is basically asking for a financial time machine — and not the fun kind. Big retailers love these kinds of regulations. They have armies of lawyers and custom pointof-sale systems. But mom-and-pop shops across North Carolina? They’re the ones who really suffer. From the pulled pork pits of Lexington to

the indie cafés tucked between Blue Ridge boutiques, North Carolina’s backbone is built on small business hustle — not corporate handouts and Chicago-style schemes. Some rely on swipe rewards to manage purchases. And many will have to overhaul their payment systems just to stay compliant. That’s money out the door, and time they don’t have. Worse, these businesses won’t get the sweetheart deals big box stores can negotiate. They’ll get squeezed, and some may not survive the pinch. Banks won’t take this lying down. When swipe fees get capped, they’ll make up the difference elsewhere. That “free checking account”? Say goodbye. That nice mobile banking service? Expect fees. This means higher costs and fewer options for everyday North Carolinians — all so a handful of national retailers can boost their bottom lines. Here’s the kicker: Illinois lawmakers are already scrambling to undo the very policy North Carolina legislators are considering to copy. One of the original backers of the swipe fee ban has introduced legislation to repeal it. Apparently, the economic hangover kicked in faster than expected. When a state with a history of budget blunders realizes it’s made another mistake, maybe — just maybe — it’s not a blueprint worth following. North Carolina prides itself on pragmatic policy and sound fiscal management. Following Illinois down a regulatory rabbit hole doesn’t match that tradition. This swipe fee scheme might sound sweet, but it’s likely to end in regret for North Carolina consumers and small businesses. Lawmakers should think twice before importing Illinois’ mistakes and selling them as solutions. Bless their well-intentioned hearts, but North Carolina taxpayers deserve better. Jessica Ward is Senior Director of State Affairs and Mattias Gugel is Director of State External Affairs for the National Taxpayers Union.

MARC DION

The Pope’s nose I SAW A PRIEST in the coffee shop last Wednesday morning. He was wearing a cassock, the long black robe with buttons down the front that Catholic priests wore everywhere until You should Vatican II. always listen The cassock might mean he’s what they call a “trad to a guy with Catholic,” which is short a big house for “traditional Catholic,” and means you act the way and no job. every Catholic did in 1964, which is when I learned to be an altar boy, in Latin. I introduced myself to the priest and, God help me, because I think I’m funny, I asked him a question. “Do you have any inside information on who they’re going to pick as the next pope?” I asked him. “You know, in case I want to get a bet down.” God bless him, he laughed. “What do you think?” he said. “God knows,” I said. “If you go online, the bookmakers have Parolin out front, with Tagle the second favorite.” “I was surprised when Francis was elected,” the priest said. “I’d never heard of him.” I considered the possibility of a dark horse. “They won’t elect anyone today,” the priest said. “It’s just the first vote.” “Do you know it’s a sin to bet on who is going to be pope?” the priest said. I was going to ask him why, but his bacon, egg and cheese sandwich and coffee came up, and he left. “Don’t worry, Father,” I said. “I don’t have a bet down.” I took my ham, egg and cheese to a corner table. “My God,” I thought. “What if he doesn’t want people to bet on the pope race because he doesn’t want the odds to shift?” I told the boys at the bar about it that night, and John, who doesn’t have a job, laughed. “I know that priest,” John said. “He’s got a parish out in the suburbs. My house is bigger than his church. It’s like he’s saying Mass in my garage.” It’s true John has a big house, and you should always listen to a guy with a big house and no job. He’s probably going to jail soon, but he knows something about money. What I think is that John knows something about selling things by the gram. Doesn’t matter. I don’t have any money down on grams, either. “It’s probably a sin because it’s disrespectful,” Frank, who delivers mail, said. “What are you gonna do, go to the casino and say, ‘Gimme $20 on the pope’s nose?’” Frank’s wife goes to church, so he knows stuff from her. Also, he has a small house and his truck is nine years old. God makes honest people poor so you can see how honest they are. Frank’s not gonna do anything bad to get money, and next year his truck is gonna be 10 years old. It’s like my pension. It took me 30 years of ruining my digestion in a newsroom to earn it, and it’s about 20% of what I made in a month when I was working, but I earned it, so I can be proud. My God, I can be proud. John called the casino. “They don’t take bets on popes,” he said. “I know a guy, if you really wanna bet.” I did not. “There’s only one difference between the pope race and a horse race,” I told John. “Yeah? What?” John said. “The guy who wins pope usually he dies in office,” I said. “But if he retires, they don’t put him out to stud.” Marc Dion is a syndicated columnist. His latest book is “Mean Old Liberal” and available in paperback from Amazon and for Nook, Kindle and iBooks.

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 15, 2025

obituaries

Bobby Gene Davis Jan. 15, 1939 – May 8, 2025 Bobby Gene Davis, Sr., 86, of Siler City, died Thursday, May 8, 2025, at home surrounded by his family. Bobby was born in Alamance County, NC on January 15, 1939, to Eric J. Davis and Beatrice Searcy Davis. He was a member of Oakley Baptist Church where he was always willing to do what was needed. Bobby was a Deacon, on the Finance and Building and Grounds Committees, and member of the choir. He was a Sunday school teacher and a prayer warrior. He loved to be outside whether it was in his garden or bird watching. Bobby enjoyed spending time with his family and telling them all kinds of stories. Bobby is survived by his children, Bobby Gene Davis, Jr, Kimberly Yarborough and

Patsy Larue Maynor April 25, 1940 – May 1, 2025 Patsy Larue Maynor, beloved mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister and aunt of Pittsboro, died on May 1, 2025. She was born April 25, 1940, to the late Britt and Lavera Maynor in Chapel Hill. Patsy will be remembered by all who knew her as a caring and loving friend. Patsy was always plain-spoken and direct; you knew exactly how she felt. Patsy had a difficult life, losing two of her children and her long-time companions, Jerry and Tom, yet she was always positive,

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Bogart and Collin Davis; and his as her sisters Sally Hearne Funeral services will be eight great grandchildren, Micaela, and Susan Taylor, her stepheld at 12:00 PM on Friday, Michael, Abigail, Adaline, Alyssa, sister Marie Pittman, her stepMay 16th, 2025 in the Chapel Jackson, Wyatt, and Everett. He brother J.C. Barrett and her of Gordon Funeral Service, is also survived by his brother, half-brother George Barrett. 1904 Lancaster Ave. Monroe, Joseph Davis and wife, Gayle; Louise graduated from NC 28112. Visitation will take and his sisters, Judy Wood and Pittsboro High School in 1959 place prior to the service from husband, Ron and Ruby Carden where she also drove a school 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM. She will and husband, Charles. bus. She went on to get her be privately interred next to In addition to his parents Bobby Master’s in Education from Harry by the family following was preceded in death by his wife, UNC Chapel Hill to teach gifted May 9, 2025 the service in the Waxhaw City Eva Conklin Davis; his stepfather, elementary school children. Cemetery. Lynn Holt; his daughter-in-law, Lorri Louise traveled the world, Louise Barrett Derr passed Online condolences Davis; his brother, Howard Davis; getting her private pilot’s peacefully on May 9, 2025, at may be made at www. and his sister, Margie Holland. her home in Pittsboro Christian license and a motorcycle to gordonfuneralservice.com A visitation will be held keep life adventurous. Village, Pittsboro, NC. Gordon Funeral Service & Wednesday, May 14, 2025, In 1999 she and Harry Louise was born in Crematory is honored to be from 1:00 - 2:45 p.m. at Oakley moved to Waxhaw, NC to Wilmington, NC, in 1941 to entrusted to care for the Derr Baptist Church. The Funeral will J.A.A.R.S. (Wycliff’s Jungle Ethel and Warren Barrett. Family. follow at 3:00 p.m., with Dr. Jeff Aviation And Radio Services) She was predeceased by her Johnson officiating. Burial will be immediately after in the church cemetery. The family would like to say a special thank you to Brittany Clephane for all her help and care. IN MEMORY The family request memorials be made to Oakley Baptist Church or to Amedysis Hospice of NC; sons, Jeff Webster (Joyce) of Bear Creek, NC RICHARD ALEXANDER WEBSTER Burlington. and Sean Webster (Stephanie) of Kannapolis, Smith & Buckner Funeral Home MAY 6, 2025 NC; step-sons, Nicki Adams of Broadway, NC and is honored to be serving the Davis Richard Alexander Webster, age 84 of Bear Creek, Michael Baggett (Alicia) of Four Oaks, NC; sisters, family. NC, passed away on Tuesday (5/6/2025) at UNC Millie Webster of Goldston, NC, Gail Webster of Online Condolences may be Hospitals in Chapel Hill. He was born in Chatham Goldston, NC, Carol Webster of Fayetteville, NC made at www.smithbucknerfh.com County, son of the late John William Webster and Dot Hall of Sanford, NC and Betty Wallace of Vonnie Jane Spivey Webster. He was preceded Goldston, NC; brothers, Clifton Webster (Jane) in death by his parents, and his first wife, Judy of Siler City, NC, Jack Webster (Jean) of Siler cheerful and willing to help anyone. Webster. Richard was a Sunday School teacher City, NC, Ben Webster (Frances) of Bear Creek, Patsy was a great friend to many, for many years and enjoyed teaching others about NC, Charles Webster (Mary) of Goldston, NC and and her sense of humor and direct several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. the Bible. He loved the Lord, is with Jesus today manner of speaking will be missed and was a master carpenter like Jesus. Surviving The family will receive friends on Saturday by all who knew her. (5/10/2025) from 12:30- 1:50pm at the Holly is his wife, Doris Locklear Webster of the home; Patsy was tragically preceded daughter, Heather Phillips (Daren) of Siler City, Springs Baptist Church multi-purpose building. in death by her daughter, Jodie Williamson, and a son, Barry Cash. She also lost her sister, Carolyn Overaker, earlier this year. Patsy was also preceded in death by longtime friends Jerry Jacobs and Tom Moore. She is survived by her daughter, Wanda Cash, a stepson, Gary Williamson, her sister, Reba Mangum of Walnut Cove, NC, a brother, Ronald Maynor of Athens, GA, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to convey a special thank you to the staff of The Laurels of Chatham, the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough CCU team and the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice House. Larue, we will miss you. There will be no formal services or visitation. Online condolences may be offered at burroughsfuneralhome. com Burroughs Funeral Home, Walnut Cove, is honored to be serving the Maynor family.

Louise Barrett Derr

IN MEMORY

REBECCA “BECKY” HARRINGTON MAY 11, 2025 Rebecca “Becky” Harrington, age 76, of Sanford, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 11, 2025 in the comfort of her home. She was born in Opelika, Alabama to the late Leonard Howard Smith and Lillian Hayes Smith. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Wade Harrington and sister Phyllis Diane Metcalf. Becky worked many years at Eagle Electric. She was a people person and never met a stranger—every person she encountered became a friend. Above all, she cherished her family. Whether gathered around the dinner table or celebrating holidays her love for her children, grandchildren, and extended family was unwavering and deep. Becky also enjoyed attending Central Baptist Temple and spending time with her church family. She is survived by her sons Robert “Bob” Place and wife, Sandy, Billy Place and wife, Sandi and step-son Lee Harrington and wife, Wendy, all of Sanford; brother Danny Smith and wife Debbie of Cameron; sisters Johnny Faye McLean and Deborah Sue Fore; seven dearly loved grandchildren, Matthew Place, Phillip Place, Adam Place, Zachery Place, Justin Harrington, Jeffrey Harrington and Amber Place and several special great-grandchildren.

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May

Team Spotlight

Ken Ellis

Funeral Service Assistant

Thank you for your service and dedication to our community.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 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.

Maurice Sanders Jan. 21, 1953 – May 2, 2025 Maurice Sanders, 72, passed peacefully at home on Friday, May 2, 2025, surrounded by family. He was born on January 21, 1953, to Carden and Elnora Powell Sanders, both of whom predeceased him. Maurice, better known by “Mo” to friends and family, loved cooking on the grill, listening to beach music, his gun collection, going to the

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Chatham County Aging Services Weekly Activities Calendar

Monday, May 19 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - Total Body Conditioning Exercise 10 a.m. - Geri-Fit 11 a.m. - Dominos Noon - Reading Out Loud with Gaines 1 p.m. - Mahjong; Table Tennis 3 p.m. - Caregiver Support Group 3:30 p.m. - Virtual Meditation Siler City Center for Active Living 9 a.m. - Strong & Fit 10 a.m. - Cornhole 10:30 a.m. - Gospel Choir 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone Tuesday, May 20 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. - Science with Alan 11:30 a.m. - Newcomer’s Lunch 1 p.m. - Rummikub 2 p.m. - Zumba Gold 3 p.m. - Healthy Lifestyles with Alan Siler City Center for Active Living 8 a.m. - Quilting and Sewing Time 9 a.m. - Cardio Drumming 10 a.m. - Chair Exercises 10:30 a.m. - Tuesdays with Talyse 1 p.m. - Rook, Phase 10 & Rummikub; Grandparents Raising Grandchildren 2 p.m. - Fitness Room Orientation (by appointment) Wednesday, May 21 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Lower Body Exercise 10 a.m. - Chair Yoga with Liz; Music Jam 10:30 a.m. - Coffee & Games with Chatham County Sheriff’s Office 11 a.m. - The Chosen with discussion 1 p.m. - Beginning Beading Class; Leaving Your Legacy Siler City Center for Active Living 10 a.m. - Bible Study; Elder Abuse Awareness Event 1 p.m. - Crafts; Pickleball & Cornhole 2:30 p.m. - Garden Club: Bird Feeder Craft Thursday, May 22 Pittsboro Center for Active Living 8:30 a.m. - QiGong 10 a.m. - Hooks & Needles; Kindermusik; Trip to Walmart 11 a.m. - Bingo with Mr. Ed 1 p.m. - Rummikub; Pinochle 3 p.m. - Gentle Yoga with Liz Siler City Center for Active Living 9 a.m. - Men’s Coffee & Conversations 10 a.m. - Chair Exercises; Crochet Workshop; Music Jam Session Visit our centers! 1 p.m. - Lifelong Gardening: Adaptive Tools 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone Pittsboro Center for 3 p.m. - Thursday Social: Trivia Active Living Friday, May 23 365 Highway 87 North Pittsboro Center for Active Living 919-542-4512 8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Upper Body Exercise 10 a.m. - Geri-Fit Siler City Center for 11 a.m. - Stories with Neriah Active Living 11:30 a.m. - French Conversation Lunch 112 Village Lake Road 1 p.m. - Euchre; Table Tennis 919-742-3975 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

Visit our website at www.chathamcountync. gov/agingservices

dragstrip in his younger days, building his race cars, and meeting and talking with his friends daily at his workshop. He enjoyed being retired and spending time with his wife and their dog “Chance”. He is survived by his wife of 54 years Bobbie Sanders; son Philip Sanders (Megan), grandson Bryson Sanders, granddaughter Addison Sanders, granddaughter Courtney Sanders; daughter Kimberly Minter (Larry), granddaughter Brittney Sanders (Melvis Alston), greatgrandson Adonis Alston, granddaughter LaNitra Minter, granddaughter KiArra Minter, granddaughter LaToya Jeffries, and grandson Kelvin Penney. There are no services planned at this time. Condolences may be made at www.donaldsonfunerals. com. Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Sanders family.

IN MEMORY

JOHN JOSEPH BRADLEY OCT. 3, 1948 – MAY 9, 2025 John Joseph Bradley, age 76 of Sanford, passed away on Friday (5/9/2025) at his home. He was born on October 3, 1948, son of the late Lotis Bradley and Ann Sedesse Bradley. He was preceded in death by his parents. Joe was a graduate of NC State and was a tool and dye maker by trade. He was the charter master of Friendship Masonic Lodge No. 763 AF&AM in Broadway and received his 50-year membership award in 2022. He was a member of the Scottish Rite, Valley of New Bern, and had received the honor of Knight Commander Court of Honor. He was also a member of the Lee County Scottish Rite Club where he served as Past President. He was employed by M.R. Stoner Electric, and for many years worked for Van Sharpe Trucking and Rhett Butler Trucking. Surviving are his sons, James Edwin Bradley (Tammy) of Sanford, NC and John Joseph Bradley II of Bear Creek, NC and grandchildren, J.D. Bradley, Savannah Bradley and Christian Bradley.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 26, 2025 2:30 pm at Veterans Memorial 700 Alston Bridge Road Siler City

 Prayers: Pastor Jason Golden  Taps Across America: Cliff Tilly Sponsored by:

Chatham County American Legion Posts Veterans Strengthening America

Household Hazardous Waste Event 2025 Chatham County residents can bring household hazardous items such as: antifreeze chemicals cleaners gasoline pesticides solvents paint (20 gallon limit for latex)

Saturday, May 17 9:00 am to 3:00 pm 28 County Services Road, Pittsboro

Do not bring trash or empty containers. No business waste.

For a complete list of items, more details, and future event dates, call 919-542-5516 or visit: www.chathamcountync.gov/hhw

Share with your community! Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@chathamnewsrecord.com. The weekly deadline is Monday at Noon.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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POWELL SPRINGS APTS. Evergreen Construction introduces its newest independent living community for adults 55 years or older, 1 and 2 bedroom applications now being accepted. Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 919-533-6319 for more information, TDD #1-800-7352962, Equal housing opportunity, Handicapped accessible. A2,tfnc ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS now for one-bedroom apartments, adults 55 years or older. Water included, appliances furnished, on-site laundry, elevator, keyless entry. Section 8 accepted. No security deposit. Application fee $25 per adult. Call Braxton Manor, 919-663-1877. Handicap accessible. Equal Housing Opportunity. J14,tfnc

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FOR SALE For sale by owner to settle Estate. (2) Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Burial Plots $2,000.00 (valued today at $2,800.00) (2) Outer burial ash containers $500.00 (valued today at over $1,000.00). Contact by txt 919-930-4206 or Email sschnetzler52@hotmail.com

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

TAKE NOTICE NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

RE-ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Town of Siler City Water Treatment Plant Solids Handling Improvements ARPA Project No. SRP-W-ARP-0166 Sealed bids for the project entitled Siler City Water Treatment Plant Solids Handling Improvements will be received by the Town of Siler City until 2:00 p.m. on May 29, 2025 in the Town of Siler City’s Town Hall located at 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344. At said place and time, all Bids that have been duly received, will be publicly opened and read aloud. The project includes improvements at the Town’s water treatment plant to improve the solids handling process. The project includes construction of improvements to the existing equalization tank, construction of two new lagoons with concrete liners, pump stations, and associated piping and electrical. The project also includes demolition of an existing building, sand drying beds, and an unlined lagoon. The Information for Bidders, Bid Form, Contract Plans, Specifications, Bid Bond, Performance and Payment Bond, and other contract documents may be examined at the following: Siler City Town Hall, Parkton, NC; McGill Associates, PA, Pinehurst, NC; and QuestCDN at https://www.questcdn.com/. Digital copies of Bid Documents are available for purchase at www.mcgillengineers.com for a fee of $50.00 per set. These documents may be downloaded by selecting this project from the “Bids” link and by entering Quest Project Number 9618623. For assistance and free membership registration, contact QuestCDN at (952) 233-1632 or info@ questcdn.com A Pre-Bid Conference was held at the Siler City Town Hall April 10, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Each bid shall be accompanied with a cash deposit or certified check drawn on a bank or trust company insured by the FDIC or a Bid Bond prepared on the form of Bid Bond contained in the Bidding Documents or a Surety Company’s standard form and properly executed by a corporate surety licensed under the laws of North Carolina to execute such bonds. The amount of the bid bond shall be equal to five (5) percent of the total of the bid. The bid deposit shall be retained by the Owner if the successful bidder fails to execute the contract or fails to provide the required bonds, as stated above, within ten (10) days after the proper notice of award of the contract. Bidders must comply with the requirements of the State of North Carolina and be appropriately licensed as a Contractor as provided in General Statutes Chapter 87. Neither the Owner nor the Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including any Addenda, obtained from any source other than the Owner’s representative, McGill Associates, P.A. Each Bidder shall be responsible for the review of all addenda for the project and shall acknowledge the addenda on the bid form. The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to waive informalities, or to reject nonconforming, non-responsive, or conditional bids. The Owner reserves the right to award a contract to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder or bidders, taking into consideration quality, performance and time. Contractors submitting a Bid on this project must solicit bids from minority subcontractors and provide documentation of any outreach efforts as required by the Special Conditions Packages. Date: May 12, 2025 Jack Meadows, Town Manager Town of Siler City Authorized Representative

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.

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.

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000198-180 The undersigned, AMANDA JOHNSTON GROCE and EMILY JOHNSTON GORDON, having qualified on the 11TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as CO-ADMINISTRATORS of the Estate of LINDA CHRISTINE BOGGS 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 15TH 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 15TH DAY OF MAY, 2025. AMANDA JOHNSTON GROCE, CO-ADMINISTRATOR 145 SCOTTSDALE LANE CLEMMONS, NC 27012 EMILY JOHNSTON GORDON, CO-ADMINISTRATOR 3128 HICKORY RIDGE DR. WINSTON SALEM, NC 27127 Run dates: M15,22,29,J5p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E000212-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 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

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

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE 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 NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ 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

NOTICE NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CHATHAM COUNTY BEFORE THE CLERK 22E000318-180 IN THE MATTER OF: ) ) THE ESTATE OF MAYBELLINE) ANN ARZATE ) NOTICE OF SERVICE OF ) PROCESS BY PUBLICATION TO: RAMIRO ARZATE BONITEZ Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief sought is as follows: Petition for Determination of Lawful Heirs and Abandonment. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than June 24, 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 8th day of May, 2025. MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE BY:_______________________________ W. BEN ATWATER, JR. ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF Post Office Box 629 Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Telephone: (919) 663-2850 Facsimile: (919) 663-3790 State Bar Number 6986

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 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

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The proposed budget for the Town of Goldston for fiscal year 2025/2026 has been presented to the town council and is available for public inspection at the Town Hall Building, 40 Coral Avenue, Goldston, NC, by appointment, after 5:00 pm weekdays. The Town of Goldston will hold a public hearing on June 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Goldston Municipal Center, 40 Coral Avenue, Goldston NC for the purpose of receiving comments on the proposed budget. Citizens are invited to make oral or written comments. Jonathan W Hensley Mayor of Goldston

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 4tp

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 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 to Creditors 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

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

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

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Matthew Ray Johnson, 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 15th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 7th day of May, 2025. Amy Stackhouse Johnson, Executor of the Estate of Matthew Ray Johnson 596 R.E. Wright Road Snow Camp, North Carolina 27349 4tp

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#25E000205-180 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 Run dates: A24,M1,8,15p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 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

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 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. ETHAN DUNLAP SMITH, EXECUTOR 156 WINDSOR CIRCLE CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: A24,M1,8,15p

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

Notice of Public Hearings 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. Legislative Public Hearings 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. 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 TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#___25 E000233-180_ 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

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 15, 2025

BOARD from page A1 the budget request are to enhance workforce excellence by reinstating the Master’s supplement as well as investing in a competitive local salary supplement, securing financial stability by smartly allocating funding, promoting equity and student achievement through the universal free meals program and strengthening safety and modernization. “We strive daily to operate as a dynamic, high performing organization, focused on preparing students for bright and prosperous futures,” said Inter-

ACCENT from page A1 “My accent is nonexistent,” said Ira Levine, her oldest son. “People I work with, and even in school, people didn’t believe I was from Atlanta.” The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the diminishment of the regional accent among black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who grew up in Raleigh. More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation’s three other regions. Linguists don’t believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places. Late 20th-century migration surge affects accents The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 and then dropped off with Gen

im Chief Finance Officer Brittany Smith. The board was also provided an update on how the universal free meal program went last year. Universal free meals were offered throughout the school system, which saw a 3.6% increase in breakfast participation and a nearly 16% increase in lunch participation district-wide. “Thank you all for the lunch and breakfast for everybody this year,” said Board Chair Gary Leonard. “That has been a wonderful addition. I know it’s a lot more work, but I’m just so appreciative of it, and I know

our board has been too. It’s wonderful.” The board was then presented with the proposed 2026-27 academic calendar. “Each year, we work through our two-year cycle for calendar proposals,” said Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Kelly Batten. “Overall, Draft A was the preferred calendar for 2026-27. That includes a start day on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, aligning spring break with the nine-week grading period and then maintaining a real targeted use of workdays.” The preferred calendar has

a total of 174.5 instructional workdays, with the final day of school for students falling on June 9, 2026. District staff also collected community feedback on the calendars and one area that was mentioned, and that continues to gain traction around the state, is a desire for high school exams to take place before winter break and for both semesters to be balanced. “Under the current auspices of the legislative requirements, this is a true challenge to be able to work out those two things,” Batten said. “We are continuing to watch what the General As-

sembly decides as far as calendar flexibility.” The board will vote on the calendar next month. In addition, the board also approved a contract renewal with The Budd Group for custodial services. “Overall, it’s very comparable to what we would have been paying,” said Assistant Superintendent for Operations Chris Blice. “The advantage is that The Budd Group is actually able to hire people in the times when we were not.” The Chatham County Schools Board of Education will next meet June 2.

Xersborn between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century. It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents. In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a generation after the Research Triangle’s establishment, typically don’t talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a paper published in December. Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype.

“Young people today, especially the educated young people, they don’t want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown,” said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who cowrote the Atlanta study. “They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.”

Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it’s missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001. “I think they speak clearer than I do,” Richard Beck, a law enforcement officer, said of his sons. “They don’t sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.”

Carmichael said in a paper published in December. Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent, worries that part of the region’s uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears. “It’s kind of like we’re losing our distinct personality,” she said.

Accents change for younger people The Southern dialect among black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the “Reverse Great Migration.” During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated. Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta. Michelle and Richard Beck,

New Orleans “yat” accent diminished Unlike other accents that have changed because of an influx of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class “yat” accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern. The hurricane was a “catastrophic” language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade. The diminishment of the “yat” accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie

Southern identity changing While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because “accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves,” said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies. It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said. “So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South,” Renwick said. “And it’s not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.”

TAKE NOTICE NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

CHATHAM COUNTY FY26 BUDGET HEARING NOTICE

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE # 24SP001157-180 To: Samuel Lee Jackson and Delena J. Spinelli Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Petitioner is the duly appointed and qualified administrator of the Estate of John Henry Jackson; see Chatham County Estate File #22E000690180. The purpose of this action is to sell John Henry Jackson’s property to pay the debts of his estate. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than June 17, 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. Shelby L. Lennon, Attorney for Administrator Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish: 05/08/25, 05/15/25, 05/22/25

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

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.

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

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000049-180 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Michael Patton aka Michael Scott Patton (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Michael Patton) to The Caudle Law Firm, P.A., Trustee(s), dated August 5, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 02319, at Page 0846 in Chatham 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 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 29, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Siler City in the County of Chatham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain parcel of land situate in the City of Siler City, Matthews Township, County

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.

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. the property be Should 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.

of Chatham and State of North Carolina bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake located in the southern right-of-way of Dolphin Street (old Wrenn Street) in Paul Johnson’s present northeastern corner; and running thence with the southern right-of-way of Dolphin Street South 80 degrees 49 minutes 44 seconds East 56.28 feet to an iron stake; thence continuing with the southern rightof-way of said street South 83 degrees 51 minutes 56 seconds East 96.50 feet to an iron stake located in the northwestern corner of the Charlie Dark heirs; thence with the Dark heirs’ line South 4 degrees 48 minutes 56 seconds West 156.05 feet to an iron stake located in S. G. Brooks, Jr.’s northwestern corner in W.C. Webb’s northeastern corner, thence with Webb’s line North 78 degrees 30 minutes 49 seconds West 161.70 feet to an iron stake located in Paul Johnson’s southeastern corner; thence with Johnson’s line North 8 degrees 00 minutes 10 seconds East 143.98 feet to an iron stake located in the southern right-of-way of Dolphin Street and being the point and place of BEGINNING, containing 0.724 acres, more or less, and being all of Parcel 3 and a portion of Parcel 4 of Forest Hills Subdivision as per plat entitled “topo Survey for Joseph J. and wife, Jane T. McEvoy,” as prepared by James D. Hunter, RLS, dated March 31, 1987, recorded in Plat Slide 87-94, Chatham County Registry, to

which plat reference is made for greater certainty of description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 519 West Dolphin Street, Siler City, North Carolina. Being the same property as transferred by deed dated 11/16/2017, recorded 11/20/2017, from Claudia Andrews Mace, unmarried and Nancy Andrews Palmer and Robert Stephen Palmer, wife and husband, to Michael Scott Patton, unmarried, recorded in book 1958, page 311. Tax ID: 0014973 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. the property be Should 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

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: 24481 - 122552

CHATHAM SPORTS

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth first baseman Alyssa Harris scoops a throw to retire Whiteville’s Angel Smith (2). The Hawks knocked off the Wolfpack in the first round of the NCHSAA state playoffs.

Matthews outlines plan for new era of Seaforth football

Seaforth softball claims first-ever playoff victory

Seaforth introduced its new coach to the community on May 8

Four local baseball and softball teams advanced past the second round

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — While a member of the Willow Spring football coaching staff years ago, Tolbert Matthews stepped foot on Seaforth’s new campus for the first time prior to a ju‑ nior varsity game, and he was in awe. Amazed by the school’s size and impressive athletic fa‑ cilities, Matthews, who had dreams of leading his own pro‑ gram, thought to himself that he wouldn’t mind coaching at a school like it. “I’m like, ‘This is a special place,’” Matthews said. “This place is very, very special.” Matthews didn’t see it then, but he caught a glimpse into the future. Now he gets to lead Chatham County’s youngest high school football program into a new era. Seaforth introduced Mat‑ thews to a crowd of players, parents and other members of the school’s community on May 8. Matthews, who is re‑ placing the school’s first foot‑ ball coach, Terrance Gary, presented his background, coaching philosophy and vi‑ sion for the program. “I’m happy to be here,” Mat‑ thews said. “The excitement is in the building from the play‑ ers to the parents to the ad‑ min. I just have to match it, and that’s an easy task for me.” Matthews has previously been a defensive coordinator and position coach on the high school and college level. Step‑ ping into his first head coach‑ ing position, he has the oppor‑ tunity to foster the first taste of success at Seaforth. The Hawks went a combined 9-21 in their first three varsity sea‑ sons and have yet to make the

“We’re going to be an aggressive, running football team.” Tolbert Matthews state playoffs despite improved play over the years. Matthews said having the chance of achieving the pro‑ gram’s “firsts” — first winning season, first playoff berth and first playoff wins — are excit‑ ing but “scary” at the same time. “It’s only scary because I know what I can do,” Mat‑ thews said. “And I know what I want to do. I want to give them my all, and I want to make this Seaforth football program one of the best in the country. And if I fail to do that, it sucks. That’s the scary part.” To get the program where he wants it to be, Matthews plans to have his players take on his personality on the grid‑ iron. He describes himself as an “old‑school football guy,” picking up his hard-nosed way of coaching from Al Lavan, his coach at Delaware State Uni‑ versity, where he won a MEAC championship, Waverly Til‑ lar, his coach at Elizabeth City State University, and Rich‑ ard Hayes Jr., the head coach at Fayetteville State, where he coached linebackers. “I’m an aggressive guy,” Matthews said. “We’re going to be an aggressive, running foot‑ ball team. That’s the only way I can put it.” Said Matthews, “When we step on the field, they’re go‑ ing to know when they play Seaforth.” Outside of new faces to fill the JV head coach, strength and conditioning, and offen‑ sive line coaching positions, Matthews will bring back Vin‑ cent Atkinson, Tobias Palmer, Gerald Henderson and Chris

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

New Seaforth coach Tolbert Matthews discusses his vision for the program. Mann to his coaching staff. Matthews’ vision for a suc‑ cessful program goes well be‑ yond football, too. During his presentation, he introduced a “Player Develop‑ ment and Transition” plan — a four-year outline of career and financial goals to help players transition from high school athletics to a life outside of sports. Over the course of their high school careers, Matthews wants his future players to develop skills in money management and job interviewing, as well as build a professional portfolio and join internship programs with local businesses. The emphasis on the transi‑ tion out of sports comes from Matthews’ own journey with finding his path after his NFL dreams didn’t work out. “Give them tools to be suc‑ cessful,” Matthews said. “I don’t care what you do. I don’t care where you get the tools from, but the more tools you stack in your tool box, the bet‑ ter you’ll be prepared for life, no matter where life takes you.” Said Matthews, “My plan wasn’t to be coaching at Fay‑ etteville State. If everything worked out my way, I’d be in the NFL right now. But again, plans change. God had a dif‑ ferent plan for me, but I had to have those tools in my tool‑ box and say, ‘Hey, I messed up here. Let me get it right now and do it this way.’” With Matthews already making his mark on the pro‑ gram, Seaforth will debut its new era on Aug. 22 at Chapel Hill.

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record BY THE WAY of a walk‑off win, nail-biter finishes and stellar performances on the mound, four Chatham County baseball and softball teams ad‑ vanced past the second round of the state playoffs last week. Here’s a recap of the action in the first two rounds for all eight local teams that earned a play‑ off bid. Baseball In the 1A East bracket, No. 7 Chatham Charter played keep away with home plate. The Knights’ defense post‑

ed back-to-back shoutouts in the opening two rounds, beat‑ ing No. 26 Ocracoke 8-0 in the playoff opener and No. 23 Gates County 7-0 to advance to the third round for the second time in three seasons. Against Gates County on Fri‑ day, senior pitcher Zach Car‑ trette dominated on the mound with six strikeouts (39 strikes out of 63 pitches) while allowing just one hit in five innings. “Just playing my game as usual,” Cartrette said. “Just try‑ ing not to give them any free bases and just letting my team work behind me.” The defense behind the pitchers also pulled its weight, especially when Gates County began to find some momentum in the sixth inning. With no outs and sophomore Jax Young See SOFTBALL, page B5

Local athletes commit to college programs Brennen Oldham will play basketball at Catawba Valley Community College By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record A FEW CHATHAM athletes made their college decisions last week. Chatham Central boys’ bas‑ ketball standout Brennen Old‑ ham committed to Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. Oldham, a senior 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 15.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this past winter. He also

recorded nine double-doubles, including a 31-point, 13-rebound performance against South Da‑ vidson on Feb. 5. Prior to his one season at Cha‑ tham Central, Oldham played for Jordan-Matthews his junior year, and he spent his first two high school seasons at Chatham Charter. During his 2023-24 cam‑ paign at Jordan-Matthews, Old‑ ham led the Jets to their most wins since the 2015-16 sea‑ son, averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game on a 51% shoot‑ ing clip. As a freshman, he helped lead See SIGNINGS, page B5

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Emma Grace Hill

Chatham American Legion baseball to begin this weekend Post 305 looks to build on last year’s playoff series win By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record IT’S TIME FOR summer baseball in Chatham County. The Chatham American Le‑ gion team, otherwise known as Post 305 (previously Post 292), will start its 2025 season Sunday. Post 305 brings together high school players from Chatham County and the surrounding ar‑ eas, including recent grads and freshmen in college who are still 19 years of age. All of its home games will be played at Jor‑ dan-Matthews High School. This year’s team will be coached by Bryce Marsh, who returns from last year’s coaching staff. Bill Slaughter, the coach at Chatham Charter, Will Felder, the coach at Jordan-Matthews, and John Headen will also re‑ turn for this year’s staff. The full roster will be com‑ pleted prior to Sunday’s season

opener. The roster is fluid and can change throughout the sum‑ mer. Players from Seaforth and Chatham Charter could miss some of the early games depend‑ ing on how far they go in the NCHSAA playoffs. Last year, the team finished with a 14-10 record and won its first playoff series in over two de‑ cades. After starting the 2024 sea‑ son 3-6, Chatham went on an eight-game winning streak, in‑ cluding sweeps of Durham Post 416 and Wake Forest Post 187. Post 292 swept Wake For‑ est again in a best-of-five series in the first round of the playoffs. Chatham outscored Wake For‑ est 25-11 in the three games and were led by a combined six hits and five RBIs from Landon Mos‑ er and Ian McMillan in the se‑ ries-clinching 11-5 win. In the second round, Post 292 was swept by Garner Na‑ tionals, which is once again on the schedule this summer. Cha‑ tham lost Games 1 and 3 both by a score of 5-4, with Game 1 slip‑ ping away on a walk-off RBI in extra innings.

Other repeat opponents from last season on the 2025 sched‑ ule include Randolph Coun‑ ty (RC 25), Hamlet Post 49, Da‑ vidson County Post 8, Durham Post 416 and Liberty Post 81. Chatham American Legion schedule: May 18 — vs. Post 8 Carolina Hawks (7 p.m.); May 21 — vs. Garner Nationals (8 p.m.); May 24 — vs. North Wilkesboro (6 p.m.); May 25 — at Davidson County Post 8 (7 p.m.); May 28 — at Durham Post 416 (6:30 p.m.); May 29 — vs. Durham Post 416 (6:30 p.m.); May 31 — at Ham‑ let Post 49 (1 p.m.); June 1 — at Hamlet Post 49 (4:30 p.m.); June 3 — at Garner Nationals (7 p.m.); June 16 — at RC 25 (7 p.m.); June 19 — at Hamlet Post 49 (7 p.m.); June 20 — at Liberty Post 81 (7 p.m.); June 21 — vs. Liberty Post 81 (4 p.m.); June 23 — at Moore County Legion Post 13 (7 p.m.); June 24 — vs. Aberdeen Post 72 (4 p.m.); June 24 — vs. Aber‑ deen Post 72 (7 p.m.); June 26 — vs. RC 25 (7 p.m.); June 30 — vs. Hamlet Post 49 (7 p.m.); July 1 — vs. Moore County Legion Post 13 (7 p.m.); July 3 — at RC 25; July 5 — playoffs begin

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth, softball Seaforth sophomore Emma Grace Hill earns athlete of the week honors for the week of May 5. Tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning against No. 24 Whiteville in the first round of the 2A East playoffs, Hill knocked in a double and sent Kaylynn Long home for the walk-off win. The play secured Seaforth’s first-ever softball playoff win. Hill also struck out 12 batters in the circle. Against No. 8 North Johnston in the second round, Hill recorded a team-high two hits and struck out eight batters in a 1-0 shutout. Hill has been a key two-way player for the Hawks when the stakes are high. Her stellar pitching has come up huge, especially in Seaforth’s close wins in the conference tournament final and the playoffs.

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Westin Phillips of Chatham Charter takes a swing against Hamlet Post 49 during an American Legion game last May.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

Local track and field athletes qualify for state meet By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record TRACK AND FIELD REGIONAL CHAMPIONS and state qualifiers were de‑ termined last week. The state championships will be held at Marcus T. Johnson Track on the North Carolina A&T University campus with 1A competing Fri‑ day and 2A competing Saturday. Here are Chatham Coun‑ ty’s 1A Mideast regional cham‑ pions and state qualifiers (top four from each event) from Sat‑ urday’s regional meet at Pend‑ er High School (school, event, time/mark). Boys Regional champions: Tor‑ ris Price — Chatham Char‑ ter, 800 (2 minutes, 6.90 sec‑ onds), 1,600 (4:32.79) and 3,200 (10:48.31); Ezra Roebuck, Wyatt Webster, Jackson Selleck, Dylan Villanueva — Woods Charter, 4x400 (3:34.98) Other state qualifiers: Wy‑ att Webster — Woods Charter, 200 (23.38) and 400 (52.97); Ezra Roebuck — Woods Char‑ ter, 400 (50.95); Eli Coleman — Chatham Charter, 800 (2:07.77) and 1,600 (4:32.79); Holton Mody — Woods Charter, 1,600 (4:54.01) and 3,200 (11:09.89); Jeremiah Young — long jump (19-6.5); Reid Albright, Nick Glover, Elijah Turner, Tyler Congrove — Chatham Central, 4x100 (44.88); Holton Mody, Jackson Selleck, Coen Fig‑ ge, Dylan Villanueva — Woods Charter, 4x800 (8:58.30) Girls Regional champions: Jor‑ dyn Garner — Chatham Charter, long jump (13 feet, 11.75 inches) and discus (88-1); Dana Sudhir, Dara Sudhir, Michaela Valen‑ tine, Sofia Rodriguez — Woods Charter, 4x800 (10:56.90) Other state qualifiers: Aa‑

liyah Walden — Chatham Char‑ ter, 100 (13.15) and high jump (46); Jordyn Garner — Chatham Charter, triple jump (31-5.5) and discus; Anna Peeler — Woods Charter, 800 (2:28.22), 1,600 (5:27.67) and 3,200 (12:46.44); Michaela Valentine — Woods Charter, 800 (2:40.71); Morgan Peele — Chatham Central, long jump (13-10); Ally O’Neill, Sofia Rodriguez, Molly Selleck, Anna Peeler — Woods Charter, 4x400 (4:52.58) Here are Chatham Coun‑ ty’s 2A Mideast regional cham‑ pions and state qualifiers from Friday’s regional meet at Heide Trask High School: Girls Regional champions: Claire Morgan — Seaforth, pole vault (9-6) Other state qualifiers: Sa‑ sha Helmer — Seaforth, 400 (1:03.35); Claire Morgan — Sea‑ forth, 800 (2:30.87); Natalia Davis — Seaforth, 800 (2:35.24) and 1,600 (5:30.12); Julia Hall — Northwood, 1,600 (5:31.83) and 3,200 (12:43.91); Caidence Bazemore — Seaforth, 3,200 (12:50.50); Tinsley Borland — Seaforth, 100 hurdles (17.10); Khamya Woods, Danyell Rone, Lizzie Alston, Sophia Kope‑ la — Jordan-Matthews, 4x200 (1:49.32); Sasha Helmer, Nata‑ lia Davis, Claire Morgan, Tins‑ ley Borland — Seaforth, 4x400 (4:29.45); Sasha Helmer, Caid‑ ence Bazemore, Piper Gens‑ ler, Natalia Davis — Seaforth, 4x800 (10:40.40); Gabby White — Seaforth, high jump (5-2); Rachael Woods — Jordan-Mat‑ thews, long jump (16-6) and tri‑ ple jump (35-4); Jada Everson — Northwood, discus (108-4); Amari Bullet — Northwood, shot put (32-10.75) Boys Regional champions: Se‑ bastian Calderon — Seaforth, 400 (49.90); Will Cuicchi —

Seaforth, 800 (2:02.08); Jack Anstrom — Seaforth, 1,600 (4:34.61) and 3,200 (9:56.99); Sebastian Calderon, Paul Cuic‑ chi, Walter Entrekin, Will Cuicchi — Seaforth, 4x400 (3:28.15); Paul Cuicchi, Way‑ lon Vose, Jack Anstrom, Will Cuicchi — Seaforth, 4x800 (8:14.11); Luke Waldstein — Northwood, high jump (6-2); Kamarie Hadley (tied for first) — Jordan-Matthews, long jump (20-7); Ryan Yoder — Seaforth, pole vault (14-6); Dylan Wat‑ kins — Seaforth, discus (140-7) Other state qualifiers: Se‑ bastian Calderon — Seaforth, 200 (22.55); Tequone Moore — Northwood, 400 (51.33); Will Cuicchi — Seaforth, 1,600 (4:34.66); Samuel Neil — Sea‑ forth, 3,200 (10:18.39); Jordan Wiley — Northwood, 3,2000 (10:21.52); Luke Waldstein — Northwood, 110 hurdles (15.88); Yadiel Zayas — Jordan-Mat‑ thews, 300 hurdles (41.68); Joe Flynn, Zaire Ellis, Brian Krebs, Jordan Wiley — Northwood, 4x800 (8:57.62); Kamarie Had‑ ley — Jordan-Matthews, triple jump (41-4); Benjamin Alten‑ burg — Northwood, pole vault (12-6) BOYS’ TENNIS In the third round of the 1A East dual team playoffs on May 7, No. 6 Chatham Charter fell to No. 2 Triangle Math and Science 5-2. The Knights took down No. 3 Rosewood 7-2 in the second round on May 5. After beating No. 1 Clinton 5-1 in the third round of the 2A East bracket, No. 9 Seaforth fell to No. 13 NCSSM: Durham 6-3 in the fourth round. Chatham Charter’s Thom‑ as Bjork came up short to El‑ kin’s Grant Ballard after two sets in the first round of the 1A state singles tournament. In the first round of the 2A sin‑ gles bracket, Seaforth’s Joa‑ quin Hernandez-Gonzalez beat North Lenoir’s Casey Alston

in two straight 6-0 sets. Her‑ nandez-Gonzalez fell to North Stanly’s Rex Wang in the sec‑ ond round. GIRLS’ SOCCER Seaforth went undefeated in regular season conference play for the third straight sea‑ son. Behind four goals from ju‑ nior Sofia Viana, the Hawks beat Jordan-Matthews 9-0 on May 5. In a dominant 14-0 win over Bartlett Yancey on May 6, senior Caitlin Erman scored a team-high six goals. Woods Charter clinched its fourth straight Central Tar Heel 1A conference title (un‑ defeated in conference play in the last four seasons) after beating Clover Garden School 9-0 on May 5 (four goals from sophomore Annabel Unah) and Southern Wake Academy 7-1 on May 7 (five goals from Lucy Poitras). Northwood finished the reg‑ ular season with a 4-3 win over North Moore on May 8. The Chargers ended the year with 11 conference wins for the sec‑ ond season in a row. Final Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (overall, conference) (as of Sunday)

tham Charter (5-14, 3-9); 7. Tri‑ angle Math and Science (0-18, 0-12) BOYS’ LACROSSE Seaforth ended the season with their two most explosive offensive performances, includ‑ ing a 21-6 win over Eastern Al‑ amance on May 6 and a 21-1 win over Western Alamance the next day. Senior Camer‑ on Exley scored a team-high six goals against Eastern Ala‑ mance, and junior Ivan Grimes scored four times against West‑ ern Alamance. Northwood fell to Union Pines 10-8 to end its regular season. Final Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings T1. Orange (19-4, 15-1); T1. Seaforth (17-3, 15-1); 3. South‑ ern Alamance (18-4, 12-4); 4. Williams (11-10, 9-7); 5. Cedar Ridge (9-9, 8-8); 6. Northwood (7-12, 7-9); 7. Eastern Ala‑ mance (5-14, 3-13); 8. Southeast Alamance (7-17, 2-14); 9. West‑ ern Alamance (1-18, 1-15) GIRLS’ LACROSSE

1. Seaforth (17-2-1, 13-0); 2. Northwood (12-8-1, 11-3); 3. Southeast Alamance (11-7-2, 103); 4. North Moore (13‑4, 8-3); 5. Jordan-Matthews (6‑13-1, 4-9-1); 6. Bartlett Yancey (5-14, 4-9); 7. Graham (3‑12‑1, 2-11-1); 8. Cummings (0-15, 0-13)

Seaforth finished the regu‑ lar season strong with a 19-4 win over Northwood on May 5. Sophomore Natalie Boecke re‑ corded five goals, notching her 12th game with at least five goals this season. Northwood also finished the regular season with a win, beat‑ ing Riverside-Durham 12‑10 on May 7.

Final Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday)

Final DC/Northern Lakes Athletic/Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings

1. Woods Charter (13-4-1, 12‑0); 2. Southern Wake Acad‑ emy (10-4, 10-2); 3. Clover Gar‑ den School (9-10, 7-5); 4. Riv‑ er Mill (8-10-1, 6-6); 5. Ascend Leadership (5-9, 4-8); 6. Cha‑

1. Chapel Hill (21-1, 12-0); 2. East Chapel Hill (18-4, 10-2); 3. Seaforth (9-6, 8-4); 4. Carrboro (8-9, 6-6); T5. Northwood (3-9, 3-9); T5. Jordan (3-12, 3-9); 7. Riverside-Durham (0-18, 0-12)

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT NFL

Saints QB Carr retiring due to “degenerative changes” in shoulder New Orleans The New Orleans Saints say veteran quarterback Derek Carr has decided to retire because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff. The 34-year-old Carr has played for 11 pro seasons. Carr was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while also struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FCS teams could be allowed to play 12 regular-season games every year Indianapolis FCS teams would be allowed to play 12 regular‑season games every year under a Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee recommendation. The NCAA announced the one-game extension would go into effect in 2026 if the Division I Council gives its approval during its June 24-25 meeting. Current legislation permits 12 regular-season games in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November. In all other years, only 11 regular-season contests are permitted.

MLB

Astros’ McCullers receives threats directed at children after tough start Houston Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online death threats directed at his children after his tough start against the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers, who was making just his second start since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, allowed seven runs while getting just one out in Houston’s 13-9 loss on Saturday night. Afterward, McCullers said he had received the threats on social media and that people had threatened to “stab my kids.” The Astros said that the Houston Police Department and MLB security had been alerted to the threats.

NHL

Smith scores with 0.4 seconds left, Golden Knights stun Oilers Edmonton, Alberta Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left to give the Vegas Golden Knights a stunning 4-3 victory in Saturday’s Game 3. It was officially the third latest third-period winning goal in playoff history, at least since the NHL added decimals to the final minute. Nazem Kadri had one with 0.1 seconds left for Colorado in 2020, and Jussi Jokinen scored with 0.2 remaining for Carolina in 2009.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Denny Hamlin (11) holds onto the lead during an April’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Bristol, Tennessee.

Judges may toss order allowing 23XI, Front Row to race as chartered status The teams are currently able to race while suing NASCAR By Mike Barber The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — A three-judge federal appellate panel indicated it might over‑ turn an injunction that allows 23XI Racing, co-owned by re‑ tired NBA great Michael Jor‑ dan and veteran driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Mo‑ torsports to race as chartered teams in NASCAR this sea‑ son while the two teams sue the stock car series over alleged an‑ titrust violations. NASCAR attorney Chris Yates argued the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners, and that it harms other teams because they earn less money. Yates said the district court broke precedent by granting the injunction, saying the “re‑ lease” clause in the charter con‑ tracts forbidding the teams from suing is “common.” He

argued, essentially, that the teams should not have the ben‑ efits of the charter system they are suing to overturn. Overturning the injunction would leave the two organiza‑ tions able to race but without any of the perks of being char‑ tered, including guaranteed weekly revenue. They would also have to qualify at every Cup Series event to make the field, which currently has only four open spots each week; 23XI and Front Row are each running three cars in Cup this season. Judges Steven Agee, Paul Niemeyer and Stephanie Thack‑ er at multiple points during the 50-minute hearing pushed back on the argument made by plain‑ tiff’s attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who accused NASCAR of being a monopoly. “There’s no other place to compete,” Kessler told the judg‑ es, later noting that overturn‑ ing the injunction would cause tremendous damage to the two teams, which could lose drivers and sponsors. “It will cause havoc to overturn this in‑ junction in the middle of the season.” The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on

Oct. 2, arguing that the series bullied teams into signing new charters that make it difficult to compete financially. That came after two years of failed nego‑ tiations on new charter agree‑ ments, which is NASCAR’s equivalent of franchise deals. 23XI — co-owned by Jor‑ dan, Hamlin and Curtis Polk, a longtime Jordan business part‑ ner — and Front Row Motor‑ sports, were the only two out of 15 charter-holding teams that refused to sign new agreements in September. The charters, which teams originally signed before the 2016 season, have twice been extended. The most recent ex‑ tension runs until 2031, match‑ ing the current media rights deal. It guarantees that 36 of the 40 available spots in week‑ ly races will go to teams hold‑ ing charters. The judges expressed agree‑ ment with Yates’s argument that the district court had erred in issuing the injunction allow‑ ing the teams to race, because it mandated they sign the NA‑ SCAR charter but eliminated the contract’s release. “It seems you want to have your cake and eat it, too,” Niemeyer told Kessler.

At another point, the judge pointedly told Kessler that if the teams want to race, they should sign the charter. Yates contended that forc‑ ing an unwanted relationship between NASCAR and the two teams “harms NASCAR and other racing teams.” He said that more chartered teams would earn more money if not for the injunction and noted that the two teams are being “given the benefits of a contract they rejected.” Kessler argued that even if the district court’s reason‑ ing was flawed, other evidence should lead the circuit court to uphold the injunction. Niemay‑ er disagreed. “The court wanted you to be able to race but without a con‑ tract,” he said. A trial date is set for Decem‑ ber and Agee strongly urged the sides to meet for media‑ tion — previously ordered by a lower court — to attempt to resolve the dispute over the injunction. “It’ll be a very interesting tri‑ al,” Agee said with a wry smile. The prospect of successful mediation seems unlikely. Yates told the judges: “We’re not go‑ ing to rewrite the charter.”

NCAA decision could alter junior hockey, NHL talent pipelines Canadian Hockey League players are now allowed to compete in the NCAA By John Wawrow The Associated Press BOSTON UNIVERSITY sophomore Aiden Celebrini has no regrets over the decision he reached at 16 to maintain his college eligibility by skipping a chance to play for the West‑ ern Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades. And it makes no difference that college hockey wasn’t on his radar growing up in North Vancouver and regularly at‑ tending WHL games with his younger brother Macklin, the NHL’s Draft’s No. 1 pick last summer. “We didn’t know much about college hockey,” Celebrini said. “Going to Vancouver Giants games, that was always kind of our dream to play in the WHL and then eventually play in the NHL.” It’s a dream Macklin has al‑ ready achieved in completing his rookie season with the San Jose Sharks and after one year at BU. Aiden could well fol‑ low after being drafted by his hometown Canucks in 2023. Last fall, the NCAA made a landmark eligibility deci‑

sion to allow Canadian Hock‑ ey League players to compete at the college level. The ruling frees today’s players from the either-or choice the Celebrin‑ is faced to either join the CHL team that drafted them or pre‑ serve their college eligibility as they did by playing at the Cana‑ dian Junior A or USHL levels — Aiden in Alberta and Macklin in Chicago. “I’m kind of jealous,” Aiden Celebrini said. “I think it’s awe‑ some that guys can experience both now because I think the WHL is a top league, and ob‑ viously the NCAA is also. It’s great to have that kind of pipe‑ line now.” While players will benefit most, the NCAA ruling has the potential to dramatically tilt North America’s junior hock‑ ey developmental landscape toward U.S. colleges in a fun‑ damental altering of how pros‑ pects reach the NHL. The route for many has tradi‑ tionally run through the CHL’s three leagues, the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. The CHL remains the clear leader in having 839 players drafted from 2015-24, with the NCAA’s 74 a distant sev‑ enth. And yet, of those 74 col‑ lege players, 63 were chosen in the first round, including two Canadians selected first over‑

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Members of Western Michigan celebrate after defeating Boston University in the championship game of the NCAA Frozen Four. all (Celebrini and Michigan’s Owen Power in 2021). The 16-team USHL says it has produced more NHL draft picks (197) over the past four years than each of the CHL’s individual leagues, led by the OHL (166), the WHL (155) and QMJHL (89). Meanwhile, college hockey players now make up about a third of NHL rosters, up from 20% in 2000, with Hockey East commissioner Steve Met‑ calf envisioning that number growing. “I don’t think it’s that com‑ plicated. There’ll be an increas‑ ing number of NHLers that come from college,” Metcalf said. ”(The CHL and USHL) will feed players up into col‑ lege hockey. And college hock‑ ey will feed the players up to the NHL.” A big concern is the NCAA’s change in eligibility rules lead‑ ing to Canadians potentially displacing Americans on col‑ lege rosters. USA Hockey exec‑

utive director Pat Kelleher said he’d like to see the U.S. Con‑ gress cap the number of in‑ ternational players on college teams. Currently, NHL teams re‑ tain the draft rights to play‑ ers for 30 days after they leave college. By comparison, teams hold CHL players’ right for two seasons after being drafted. One benefit NHL teams have in drafting college players is, once signed, those players can be sent directly to the minors. CHL players must be returned to their CHL teams until their eligibility expires. “The NCAA made whatev‑ er decision, and we’re all going to have to adjust,” NHL Com‑ missioner Gary Bettman said. “We’re going to have to talk to the union and understand how we think it works based on the current rule and what maybe we need to modify to be reflec‑ tive of the way we think things would flow best.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

SIGNINGS from page B1 Chatham Charter to the 2022 1A state championship game. Oldham is joining a Cataw‑ ba Valley CC program that went 14‑13 in the winter, averaging 90.5 points per game. The Red Hawks finished sixth in the NJ‑ CAA Division II Region 10 con‑ ference this past season. Chatham Central softball se‑ nior Caleigh Warf signed to North Carolina Wesleyan on May 5. Warf, a catcher, has helped the Bears to four playoff appearanc‑ es. In her senior season as of Sun‑ day, Warf has achieved a .303 batting average. Behind the plate, she has recorded 152 putouts and turned two double plays. Throughout her entire career (as of Sunday), Warf has batted at an .328 average with 76 hits, 66 RBIs and 59 runs. As a base‑ runner, she’s stolen 22 bases (five so far in her senior season), and she’s up to 504 putouts with only seven errors. NC Wesleyan finished its 2025 campaign with a 29-16 re‑ cord, falling to Pfeiffer in the USA South Conference champi‑ onship series last week. The Bat‑ tling Bishops finished second in the regular season conference standings. Sydney Ballard, a senior from the Northwood girls’ basketball team signed with North Green‑ ville University in Tigerville, South Carolina, to continue her career on the hardwood.

SOFTBALL from page B1 now on the mound, the Red Bar‑ ons loaded the bases. Follow‑ ing a strikeout by Young, junior shortstop Westin Phillips field‑ ed a ground ball and flipped to it to senior second baseman Hunt‑ er Murphy for the out at second base, and Murphy turned the double play at first. “That was huge because if they get a couple right there, all of a sudden it’s 7-2, 7-3,” Cha‑ tham Charter coach Bill Slaugh‑ ter said. “That was a big-time play.” Over in the 2A East brack‑ et, No. 9 Seaforth advanced to the third round for the second straight season. Seaforth beat No. 25 Fair‑ mont 4-1 in the second round Friday thanks to stellar pitching from junior Jaedyn Rader and sophomore Bryce Huneycutt, who combined for nine strike‑ outs and three allowed hits. The Hawks didn’t have the best hitting night themselves, but they pulled away with a single from sophomore Bau‑ er Bowling in the bottom of the

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Career steals for Sydney Nezos, a junior

Ballard, a 6-foot-3 forward, averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 re‑ bounds per game in her senior season.

Prior to her lone season with the Chargers, Ballard spent her first three years at Seaforth where she helped the Hawks

reach the 2A state title game in 2023. As a freshman, Ballard had her best statistical season, aver‑

aging 7.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, in‑ cluding a career-high 17 points against Cummings. In her whole career, Ballard achieved averag‑ es of 5.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and one block. North Greenville went 7-21 in its 2024-25 campaign. Sydney Nezos, a junior on the Seaforth girls’ soccer team, an‑ nounced her commitment to the University of Lynchburg. Nezos, a defender and mid‑ fielder, has notched a team-high 92 steals as of Sunday, including a season-high 15 steals against Southeast Alamance on April 10. Across three seasons, she’s re‑ corded 291 steals and five goals. Nezos helped Seaforth win the 2024 2A state title over Pine Lake Prep as a sophomore. Lynchburg, her future home, is also a winning program. The Hornets are the fourth winnin‑ gest program in NCAA Division III women’s soccer history and won the national title in 2014. Since 1994, all Lynchburg re‑ cruits have won an Old Domin‑ ion Athletic Conference champi‑ onship. Lynchburg went 12-5-3 in 2024.

third that brought in a run and resulted in another score due to an error in the outfield. The bats came with power in the first round, though. Behind a team-best 3-for-4, one-RBI bat‑ ting performance from senior Daniel White, including a dou‑ ble and a triple, the Hawks took down No. 24 Princeton 7-0 in the playoff opener. White also made it home af‑ ter all three of his hits, contrib‑ uting to four of Seaforth’s runs. “When Daniel’s hitting from the top, it’s pretty tough for us to not score a run when he gets on base just because of his speed and who we have behind him with their bat control,” Seaforth coach Spenser Messmore said. Further down in the 2A East playoffs, No. 27 North‑ wood fell just short of an up‑ set in the first round, losing to No. 6 South Lenoir 6-5. Tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning, South Lenoir’s Matthew Rhodes singled and knocked in a walk‑off RBI. Northwood fin‑ ished the season with a 13-10 overall record. Chatham Central, the 31 seed

in the 1A East playoffs, fell to No. 2 Bear Grass Charter 9-1 in the first round. The Bears gave up three runs in two separate innings and struggled to bring runners home. Chatham Cen‑ tral ended its season with an 8-16 overall record.

ston also came down to the fi‑ nal plays. Both teams struggled to put runners on base and bring them home, with the exception of Al‑ yssa Harris’ double in the top of the fourth that brought Long home for the only score. North Johnston had one last chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the seventh, but the Panthers went three up and three down. Hill ended the game with her eighth strikeout of the night. In the 1A East bracket, No. 7 Chatham Central put its bats to work. The Bears beat No. 26 East Wake Academy 10-0 in the first round on the back of a 4-for‑4, two-RBI batting night from freshman Addison Gold‑ ston. Sophomore pitcher Mad‑ die Kaczmarczyk pitched an im‑ pressive 14-strikeout shutout, allowing just two hits through six innings. Chatham Central outdid themselves in the second round, recording 16 hits to beat No. 10 Clover Garden 13-6 in the sec‑ ond round. Sophomore Mae‑

son Smith went 4 for 5 from the plate, while Goldston, who con‑ tributed three hits, recorded a team-high four RBIs. Tied at 3-3 through three innings, the Bears pulled away with three runs in the fourth inning. They scored five more in the sixth, and although she walked 10 batters, Kaczmarczyk helped keep the Grizzlies down with 13 strike‑ outs (101 strikes in 172 pitches). Once again in the 2A East playoffs, No. 23 Jordan-Mat‑ thews fell to No. 10 Heide Trask 10-4 in the first round. Down 3-0 through the first three in‑ nings, the Jets tied the game in the top of the fourth with three hits, but they were outscored 7-1 the rest of the way. Jordan-Mat‑ thews ended its season with a 13-9 overall record. Further down in the 1A East bracket, No. 19 Chatham Char‑ ter lost to No. 14 North Moore 13-3 in the first round. North Moore recorded 12 hits to the Knights’ four and put the game away with six runs in the bot‑ tom of the fourth inning. Cha‑ tham Charter ended its season with an 11-9 overall record.

NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS, FRIENDS, & ALUMNI ASSOCIATION / FACEBOOK

Northwood’s Sydney Ballard signed to play basketball at North Greenville.

Softball History was made in a dra‑ matic fashion for No. 9 Seaforth in the 2A East bracket. The Hawks, making the school’s first playoff appearance, won their first playoff game over No. 24 Whiteville 2-1 by a walk‑off RBI. Tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Annika Jo‑ hansson flied out for the second out, sending Abigail Johnson to second base and Kaylynn Long to third. Emma Grace Hill, who had already notched two hits, doubled to send Long in for the winning score. Hill struck out 12 batters and only allowed three hits in the circle. Seaforth’s 1-0 second round win over No. 8 North John‑

Local Service Directory

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entertainment MUSIC REVIEW

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Mark Pritchard collab for inventive ‘Tall Tales’ Avant-garde electronic music meets melancholic vocals

“We sign their papers/ We line their pockets.”

By Jim Pollock The Associated Press

Tom Yorke, Radiohead

“TALL TALES,” the first fulllength collaboration between Radiohead singer Thom Yorke and electronic music pioneer Mark Pritchard, captures two prolific artists without much to prove and whole worlds left to explore. The project was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic when Yorke and Pritchard, both working remotely, began exchanging and modifying sound files. A half-decade later, the collaboration journeys back into the isolation of that period and far beyond. (And the partnership shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise: Pritchard previously worked with Yorke on the 2016 track “Beautiful People.”) “Tall Tales” captures their shared, endearing spirit of experimentation in a collection of dystopian, prog electronics that will satisfy fans of both artists. Across the album, Pritchard’s inventive productions often serve as a perfect foil for Yorke’s darker lyrics and mournful vocals. Pritchard is a synthesizer sommelier, too, utilizing clas-

sic vintage electronic instruments dating back many decades, such as the Arp Odyssey, Wurlitzer Sideman and the Minimoog. Yorke returns to themes of tech dystopia, consumerism and alienation that he has explored since the 1997 Radiohead album “OK Computer,” evidenced in tracks like “Gangsters” and “The Men Who Dance in Stag’s Heads.” On the later, a droning satire of billionaire self-indulgence, he sings, “We sign their papers/We line their pockets.” The opening track, “A Fake in a Faker’s World,” serves up a mission statement for the project. There, Pritchard presents a whirlwind of digital sounds, with Yorke’s human voice the sole organic element. The two tracks that follow are ambient works that seem destined for IMAX films or A24 soundtracks. “Ice Shelf” is cold and glacial as Yorke sings “Standing solo on an ice shelf.” “Bugging Out Again” follows, haunting and dense with retro-futuristic effects.

A strong middle section begins with “Back in the Game.” The opening lyrics evoke the project’s genesis: “Have you missed me? How’ve you been? Back to 2020 again.” As in so much of Yorke’s work, the track blends emotional despair with an infectious musicality. It is anchored by the album’s two catchiest tracks. “Gangsters” evokes 1980s video games with its use of a Mattel Bee Gees rhythm machine. The wonderfully titled “This Conversation Is Missing Your Voice” follows, with a propulsive electronic pop energy that falls somewhere between Gorillaz and Squeeze. The final third houses the oddball tracks. The overlapping voices in “Tall Tales” evoke a bardo of unsettled spirits. “Happy Days” features a bouncy carnival beat. The late songs gradually add analog instruments to the mix, and by the finale, “Wandering Genie,” the initial musical premise seems almost inverted: In the beginning, Yorke’s voice was the only organic sound; by the end, it’s all recognizable instruments and his voice has been digitized beyond recognition. Atop analog flute, bassoon and pipe organ, a mechanical Yorke brings the journey to its coda, repeating the single lyric, “I am falling.” And in 2020, who wasn’t? “Tall Tales” is a new collaborative full-length album by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and electronic musician Mark Pritchard.

WARP RECORDS VIA AP

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

this week in history

2

nd

Halley’s Comet passes Earth, Mount St. Helens erupts, Anne Boleyn beheaded

party and marked the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. 2022: The death toll from COVID-19 reached 1 million in the U.S.

1994: Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in New York at age 64.

The Associated Press

MAY 17

MAY 15

1792: The Buttonwood Agreement, a document codifying rules for securities trading, was signed by 24 New York stockbrokers, marking the formation of the New York Stock Exchange. 1875: The first Kentucky Derby was held; the race was won by Aristides, ridden by jockey Oliver Lewis. 1954: A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court handed down its Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, which held that racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional.

1862: President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlements west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for farming. 1916: The Saturday Evening Post published its first Norman Rockwell cover; the illustration shows a scowling boy dressed in his Sunday best, dutifully pushing a baby carriage past a couple of boys wearing baseball uniforms. 1927: Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, aboard the Spirit of St. Louis on his historic solo flight to France.

1800: President John Adams ordered government offices to relocate from Philadelphia to the newly constructed city of Washington, in the federal District of Columbia. 1862: President Abraham Lincoln signed an act establishing the Department of Agriculture. 1940: Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald’s fast-food restaurant, in San Bernardino, California. MAY 16

*Must set up Auto Draft for 2nd Month. Offer valid through February 1st 2024.

1770: Marie Antoinette, age 14, married the future King Louis XVI of France, who was 15. 1929: The first Academy Awards were presented. “Wings” won the award for Outstanding Picture. 1966: The Chinese Communist Party issued the May 16 Notification, a document that criticized “counterrevolutionary revisionists” within the

MAY 18 1652: Rhode Island became the first American colony to pass a law abolishing African slavery. 1863: The Siege of Vicksburg began during the Civil War, ending July 4 with a Union victory. 1910: Halley’s Comet passed by Earth, brushing it with its tail.

MAY 20

MATHEW BENJAMIN BRADY VIA WIKIPEDIA

Clarissa (Clara) Barton, nicknamed the “Angel of the Battlefield,” founded the American Red Cross on May 21, 1881. 1980: The Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing. MAY 19 1536: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England’s King Henry VIII, was beheaded after being convicted of adultery. 1921: Congress passed, and President Warren G. Harding signed, the Emergency Quota Act, which established national quotas for immigrants. 1962: Film star Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday to You” to President John F. Kennedy during a Democratic fundraiser at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

MAY 21 1471: King Henry VI of England died in the Tower of London at age 49. 1881: Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. 1927: Charles A. Lindbergh landed his Spirit of St. Louis monoplane near Paris, completing the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 331/2 hours.

The Who announce North America farewell tour dates The English rockers will play New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Las Vegas By Pan Pylas The Associated Press LONDON — British rock band The Who are to say their final goodbye to North America this summer. Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed last Thursday that they will perform hits from six-decade career during “The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour,” named after the band’s 1971 hit. The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world’s biggest touring bands, easily filling the largest U.S. stadiums, will play their first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Vancouver, before a final date in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the U.S. and becoming one of the biggest box-office draws in the world. The band were inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990. Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of rock’s most prolific double acts, surviving the deaths of drummer Keith Moon in 1978

“Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time.” Pete Townsend, The Who and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002. “Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans,” Townshend said. “I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back.” Though Daltrey didn’t write songs, he was able to channel Townsend’s many and complicated moods — defiance and rage, vulnerability and desperation. Together, they forged some of rock’s most defining sounds: the stuttering, sneering delivery of “My Generation,” the anguished cry of “They’re all wasted!” from “Baba O’Reilly,” and the all-time scream from “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Two albums — “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia” — were also adapted into successful films in 1975 and 1979, respectively. Ticket sales begin May 16. “Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time,” Townshend said. “For me, playing to American audiences

solutions

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Roger Daltrey, left, and Pete Townshend of The Who perform at TQL Stadium on May 15, 2022, in Cincinnati. and those in Canada has always been incredible.” Daltrey, who said a throat specialist has told him he should have a “day off” after every gig he

performs, and Townshend also revealed there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the U.K. “Let’s see if we survive this

one,” Daltrey said. “I don’t want to say that there won’t be (a U.K. farewell tour), but equally I’m not confident in saying there will be.”

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famous birthdays this week Brian Eno is 77, Taj Mahal turns 83, Janet Jackson is 59, Tina Fey hits 55 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. MAY 15 Actor-singer Lainie Kazan is 85. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson is 85. Musician Brian Eno is 77. Actor Chazz Palminteri is 73. MAY 16

DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP PHOTO

Actor and motivational speaker Mr. T turns 73 on Wednesday.

Actor Danny Trejo is 81. Actor Pierce Brosnan is 72. Actor Debra Winger is 70. Rock musician Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) is 60. Singer Janet Jackson is 59. MAY 17 Musician Taj Mahal is 83. Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard is 69. Sports announcer Jim Nantz is 66. Singer-composer Enya is 64. TV host-comedian Craig Ferguson is 63. Musician Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) is 60. MAY 18

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Singer Janet Jackson is 59 on Friday.

Country singer George Strait is 73. Actor Chow YunFat (“Anna and the King,” ″The Replacement Killers”) is 70. Comedian Tina Fey is 55. Musician Jack Johnson is 50. MAY 19 TV personality David Hartman is 90. Actor James Fox is 86. Musician Pete Townshend is 80. Singer-actor-model Grace Jones is 77. MAY 20 Singer-actor Cher is 79. Actor Dave Thomas (“Grace Under Fire,” ″SCTV”) is 77. Actor Bronson Pinchot is 66. Actor Tony Goldwyn (“Scandal”) is 65. Rapper Busta Rhymes is 53.

ROB GRABOWSKI / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Trent Reznor performs on day three of Riot Fest in 2022. The Nine Inch Nails founder and front man celebrates 60 on Saturday.

MAY 21 Actor Mr. T is 73. Actor Judge Reinhold is 68. Actor-director Nick Cassavetes (“The Notebook”) is 66.

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the stream

SONY PICTURES VIA AP

“Paddington in Peru” comes to Netflix on Thursday.

‘Paddington in Peru,’ Prince Royce, ‘Mormon Wives,’ Doom: The Dark Ages ‘Oops!... I Did It Again” turns 25

“(‘The Brutalist’) is about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails.”

The Associated Press NEW YORK — Paddington bear going on an Indiana Jones‑style adventure in “Paddington in Peru” and Alexander Skarsgard playing a robot with free will in Apple TV+’s series “Murderbot” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno,” the surprise Bravo hit “Mormon Wives” returns for Season 2, and there’s a new gaming chapter in the groundbreaking Doom series, Doom: The Dark Ages.

Jocelyn Noveck, AP film writer

MOVIES TO STREAM Brady Corbet’s epic “The Brutalist” is finally making its way to Max on Friday. The 31/2-hour postwar saga won Adrien Brody the best actor Oscar earlier this year for his portrayal of László Tóth, a fictional architect and Holocaust survivor who attempts to build a new life in America. It was also awarded the best score (Daniel Blumberg) and best cinematography prizes. Director of photography Lol Crawley shot in VistaVision, a 70-year-old format famously utilized in films like “Vertigo” and “North by Northwest.” In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote, “It’s about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails. It also explores a different dream: the artist’s dream, and what happens when it meets opposing forces, be they geographic displacement or cold economic calculus.” Paddington bear and the Brown family go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in “Paddington in Peru,” streaming on Netflix on Thursday. This third installment in the charming series has a few changes from its predecessors — in the filmmaker (Dougal Wilson taking over for Paul King) and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer subbing in for Sally Hawkins). In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that Wilson “can’t quite summon the same comic spirit” as King but added that “bright and buoyant, will do. If some

LAURA RAUCH / AP PHOTO

Pop sensation Britney Spears received the Billboard Music award for Artist of the Year in 2000. The 25th anniversary edition of “Oops!... I Did It Again” drops this week. of King’s Wes Anderson-inspired pop-up book designs and skill with fine character actors is missing, the bedrock earnestness and unflaggingly good manners of its ursine protagonist remain charmingly unaltered.” In March 1988, the students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., staged a historic protest over the appointment of a hearing president instead of one who was deaf. “Deaf President Now!” a documentary streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, chronicles that moment and examines its broader impact, like how it helped pave the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act. MUSIC TO STREAM Somehow, some way it has been 25 years since Britney Spears first put on a red latex catsuit and sang “Oops!... I Did It Again” through her singular breathy tone, the title track of her sophomore album. Across

the album — which includes other hits “Lucky” and “Stronger” — she ushered in new millennium as a zeitgeist-shaping pop superstar. Her influence in the decades that followed is unimpeachable, and on Friday, Sony will release a 25th anniversary edition of the record, complete with bonus tracks. Colombian Canadian singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta returns with an ambitious new album, “La Belleza.” It arrives five years after her breakout, “Miss Colombia,” and features the inventive artist veering into new, classical influences while maintaining her interest in Afro-Indigenous polyrhythms. The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno” – offering Spanglish, bachata-infused reimaginations of tracks like “Killing Me Softly” as made famous by Roberta Flack, the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” The Temptations’ “My Girl” and more.

TELEVISION TO STREAM With shows like “The Kardashians,” “Vanderpump Villa” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Hulu is building a roster of reality TV that’s quite Bravo-esq. “Mormon Wives” was a surprise hit when it debuted last year. It’s back for a second season on Thursday. The show follows the drama among a group of Mormon women living in the Salt Lake City area who have built a following on TikTok. After scoring big with “The Pitt,” Max is looking to keep the momentum going with “Duster.” Co-created by JJ Abrams, the show stars Josh Holloway of “Lost” as a getaway driver in the ’70s who gets flipped by a rookie FBI agent, played by Rachel Hilson. Holloway has described the show as a throwback to when TV was less dark and more fun. “Duster” premieres Thursday. “The Chi,” a drama about a young black community living

in Chicago’s South Side returns Friday. Critics and fans have praised its portrayal of life as a black person growing up in a rough neighborhood faced with systematic racism, violence, incarceration, and poverty. Kyla Pratt — known for playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy’s character in the “Dr. Dolittle” films and as the voice of Penny in “The Proud Family” — joins the cast for season seven. The Chi” streams on Paramount+ with Showtime. We’ve seen Skarsgård as a tech bro on “Succession” and an abusive husband on “Big Little Lies.” Next, we get to see his comedic chops as a robot who gains free will in “Murderbot” for Apple TV+. Premiering Friday, the show is based on a book series. Stanley Tucci is once again roaming through Italy. The Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning actor eats and meets in National Geographic’s new food-travel series “Tucci in Italy,” which premieres Sunday, and streams on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. Each episode of the first season of “Tucci in Italy” explores a different region in Italy — from Tuscany to Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy, Abruzzo and Lazio. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY If you like your games big, noisy and unabashedly gory, id Software’s groundbreaking Doom series is hard to beat. Doom: The Dark Ages, the new chapter from publisher Bethesda Softworks, takes the demon-hunting space marine — now known as the Doom Slayer — back in time, sort of. His bosses have hauled the big lug to a quasi-medieval planet that’s riddled with hell portals and under siege by the most bloodthirsty monsters yet. It’s like a heavy metal album cover come to life, and it arrives Thursday on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 12 | THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

BRIEF this week

Man killed while attempting break-in with ax Magnolia A man was pronounced dead at the scene of an attempted break-in Sunday morning in Magnolia. According to the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a shooting incident at 120 Sheffield Road. The residents reported that a man was attempting to break into their home using an ax, and they fired multiple shots through the door. Upon arrival, deputies found David Bradley White lying on his back at the bottom of the steps with multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies also observed a large ax, other weapons near his body and damage to the back door. No charges have been filed against the homeowners, however, the investigation remains ongoing.

Suspect in stolen vehicle case apprehended after ATV chase Albertson Deputies from the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office arrested a suspect in a vehicle theft case after he attempted to flee during a traffic stop on May 9. Alex Nathaniel King was operating an ATV in the Albertson area when deputies spotted him. The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into a vehicle theft reported on Feb. 5 in the Mount Olive area. The Criminal Investigation Division had identified King as a suspect after recovering the stolen vehicle on March 10. King, a 25-year-old resident of Mount Olive, was booked into the Duplin County Jail without bond and is facing multiple charges.

Faison Fire and Rescue improves insurance rating Faison Effective Aug. 1, Faison Fire and Rescue’s ISO rating improves to 2 in the Town of Faison and 2/9E in the Goshen Fire District. The improvement was announced at an event Monday night that was attended by local elected officials, firefighters from Faison and neighboring departments and their families. An ISO rating of 2 is considered excellent and reflects the department’s work on improving fire protection and community safety. It also typically translates into lower insurance premiums for property owners. The department’s current grade is 4 in town and 4/9E in the rural district.

$2.00

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Construction is underway at the site of Wallace’s new fire station.

New businesses, 600-plus homes coming to Wallace Duplin Journal recently sat down with Planning Director Rod Fritz to discuss the town’s growth By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal WALLACE — Starbucks, Wawa and Dunkin’ — oh my! Rumors surrounding what new businesses are coming to Wallace have circulated since be-

fore the town’s 2024 acquisition of 150 acres in Pender County and have been given fuel following the start of construction on its $20 million airport improvement project and $5 million fire station earlier in the year. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Duplin Journal recently sat down with Planning Director Rod Fritz to discuss the factors driving the town’s commercial and residential growth, what these developments mean

for Wallace residents, and how new state legislature could impede the small town in achieving its aspirations for expansion. Several factors contribute to the town’s attractiveness as an investment for commercial companies and residential builders, according to Fritz, including its ability to grow its infrastructure. “A lot of little towns are at their full capacity in their sewage treatment plants,” Fritz said.

“We’re still growing — we’re on the very beginnings of becoming urban.” Rod Fritz “We’re blessed that we have a plant that’s only running at, I think, 40-50% capacity, so we’re able to entice housing and commercial development to Wallace.” Another reason is the town’s location. “We’ve got three exits off of I-40 that add to the allure,” he said. See WALLACE, page A3

Beulaville moves forward with vape store moratorium The board also approved a resolution opposing changes to local planning and zoning by the General Assembly By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE — An ordinance imposing a 24-month moratorium for hookah, tobacco, vape and similar establishments within town zoning limits was approved unanimously by the Beulaville Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting last Monday following a public hearing that featured

testimony from key figures in the state’s crusade against vaping. The board also approved a resolution opposing recent state legislation impacting local zoning and land use controls. Town Manager Lori Williams recommended the board move forward with the moratorium as the current zoning ordinance fails to effectively regulate vape and tobacco shops, its provisions far less comprehensive than those of nearby jurisdictions. “The only thing it states is that they are allowed in our commercial district,” explained Williams. “Due to the facts of the dangers of it and the num-

“You’re going against a billion-dollar industry, and that’s just a fact.” Ernest Watts ber of those type of stores popping up everywhere, my recommendation is to adopt the moratorium, give our zoning board time to review it and set some more strict regulations.” Police Chief Karl Mobley, absent due to injury, had previously expressed his concern over such establishments at the town’s April meeting.

Carolina Strawberry Festival a record-setting success The yearly celebration is a cultural and economic engine for Wallace By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WALLACE — Dating back to the early 1930s, the Carolina Strawberry Festival is a symbol of local pride and historied tradition. Today, it represents the heart and soul of Wallace, celebrating the town’s people and its agricultural roots. The festival has become a tool for giving back, a driver of economic and cultural vitality and a platform for visibility and growth in Wallace. “I truly love the Carolina Strawberry Festival. It gives me, and I think a lot of other folks in the community as well as folks on our board, a real sense

of pride,” said Charley Farrior, president of the festival board of directors. The Carolina Strawberry Festival is a beloved tradition, but what makes it truly extraordinary isn’t just the strawberries or the music or the crowd — it’s the people behind it. At the heart of the festival is an army of dedicated individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes, each one playing a critical role in bringing the event to life. With their quiet dedication, they manage logistics, solve problems on the fly, and provide a safe and family-friendly event that families, from near and far, look forward to year after year. What began as a two-month sprint to organize has become a yearlong labor of love, with a planning process involving See FESTIVAL, page A5

“I’ve got two little girls that had the time of their lives riding the rides and eating ice cream.” Jimmy Crayton

A public hearing preceded the board’s vote on the ordinance that included insight from Ernest Watts, Region 8 Tobacco Lead with the North Carolina Department of Health, and Charlene Zorn, a parent advocate from New Hanover County whose 15-year-old stepson Solomon “Solly” Wynn died due to complications that arose from vaping in June 2023. Watts, a veteran in the fight to keep vape devices out of the hands of children, has helped communities in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Pender, New Hanover, Robeson, See BEULAVILLE, page A2

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

THURSDAY

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DUPLIN CALENDAR

Duplin Journal

www.duplinjournal.com North State Media LLC 104 W Main Street Wallace, NC 28466 Copyright 2024

Neal Robbins Publisher

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Ena Sellers News Editor

K.D. Beard Reporter

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May 17 • 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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• Duplin County Senior & 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 • 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 first aid instruction, touch-a-truck exhibits, vendors, hands-on activities, education and entertainment for the whole family. • A Community Resource Day will be held in Magnolia on May 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Magnolia Park located on Highway 117. There will be food trucks, community resources available and free food distributed. For more information, please call 910-289-3205.

• Registration is now open for the Chinquapin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Catfishing Tournament. The deadline to register is June 5 at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the Ladies Auxiliary at 910-375-0717.

• Goshen Medical Center will be hosting a Health event at the Kingdom Partnership Christian Center in Beulaville on June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Goshen’s mobile medical unit will be providing primary care and preventative health services, including Pap smears, vaccinations, injury triage and acute care for minor injuries, weight loss, diabetes, health education and more. 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. • Join the Kenansville Pro Rodeo, featuring the best rodeo action on dirt, on June 13‑14 starting at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Come see the finest rodeo athletes from the East Coast compete in bull riding, bronc riding and barrel racing. No dogs or coolers are allowed. Advance tickets are $15, and children aged 5 and under can attend for free. Concessions will be available at the arena. For more information, call 540-521-3959.

June 20 • Celebrate Juneteenth at the Duplin Events Center at 7 p.m. on June 20. The event will feature special guest 803 Fresh with “Boots on the Ground.

June 21 • Visit the Albertson Community Building on June 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to join a small business event, which will include food, vendors and crafts.

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Charlene Zorn addressed the Beulaville Town Board during a public hearing on a 24-month vape and tobacco shop moratorium on May 5. “Now we’re seeing fentanyl, we’re seeing THC — anything that can be liquefied can be used for vape,” Watts warned. “We’ve got vapes that look like dolls, we’ve got vapes that look like ‘Toy Story’ characters, hoodies where the string is a tube. … We had one in this county, a fifth grader that was selling vapes at $5 a puff on the playground — it is rampant. You’re going against a billion-dollar industry, and that’s just a fact.”

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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. • 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 Rd. 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. • The Warsaw town board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 121 S. Front St. For information, call 910-293-7814. • The Magnolia town board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at 108 Taylor St. in Magnolia. For information, call 910-289-3205. • The Rose Hill town board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at 103 Southeast Railroad St. For more information, call 910-289-3159. • The Duplin County Health Department is offering Diabetes Self Management Classes from 1-5 p.m., the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 340 Seminary St. in Kenansville. For information, call 910-372-9178. • The Wallace town council meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at 316 East Murray St. in Wallace. For more information, call 910-285-4136. • Duplin County Beekeepers meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m., at the Duplin Extension Center. • Friends of Horticulture meet the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Duplin Extension Center.

• Get ready for the Bow Ties & Tiaras Daddy-Daughter Dance, happening on Saturday, June 7 from 6-9 p.m. at

BEULAVILLE from page A1 Sampson and Onslow counties in implementing tobacco-free policies since 2012. After hearing of the board’s intention to hold a public hearing for the proposed temporary moratorium last month, he contacted the town to offer assistance in drafting the ordinance. “This gives you a time to put something that will stand up in court,” said Watts. “It will also give you an opportunity to look at the concept of emulsion.” Through emulsion, Watts explained, any business operating as anything other than a vape shop (such as a laundromat, gas station, convenience store, etc.) that exceeds a board-determined limit in sales of vape or vape paraphernalia could have its business license pulled by the board. Though the ordinance wouldn’t affect existing shops, it would create barriers to vape accessibility near residential areas, churches and schools. Watts advised the board that they were able to set any rate or distance limit they wanted and offered to assist in the two‑year process. He also said such regulations were important and cautioned the board about the battle ahead.

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• Chinquapin Volunteer Fire and Rescue will host a Touch-a-Truck Day and BBQ plate sale on June 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. BBQ plates will be available for $10. Come explore the department’s impressive equipment, look inside the trucks, tour the facility and meet the dedicated volunteers from our community.

June 5

Duplin Journal

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the Wallace Woman’s Club located at 216 NE Railroad St. This event serves as a scholarship fundraiser for the 2025 SCCNL Nurses Ball. Tickets are $25 for a dad and one daughter, with an additional cost of $5 for each extra daughter. Your outfits and dance moves will help determine the 2025 Best Daddy‑Daughter Duo. All father‑daughter duos are welcome to join in on an evening of elegance, laughter, and love — no age limit.

SPONSORED BY

Jim Sills

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Zorn was the next to speak. “I need to do anything I can do to make sure nobody else’s parent loses their child. I have been to the legislature, been anywhere I could go within the state to convince everyone that we need to work together to get rid of these vape shops to save our kids.” Zorn’s stepson died just 10 days after his 15th birthday, the youngest example of a vape-induced death in the state of North

Carolina. A bill in his honor, called “Solly’s Law,” is currently working its way through state legislature as House Bill 430, sponsored by Rep. Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston), and Senate Bill 318, sponsored by Sen. Gale Adcock (D-Wake). The bill would require a tobacco retail sales permit for businesses and raise the age to purchase tobacco and vape products in the state from 18 to 21. “These kids don’t know what they’re doing to their bodies,” Zorn explained. Following testimony from Watts and Zorn, the board voted unanimously to move forward with the temporary moratorium. Also on the agenda was a resolution to oppose state legislature that seeks to limit the authority of smaller municipalities as regards zoning and land-use planning — specifically S.B. 495, S.B. 497, S.B. 498, S.B. 688 and H.B. 765. According to the resolution, “these bills change many aspects of local planning and zoning and dramatically affect the ability of local governments to reflect the will of their citizenry.” “The biggest things are regulating our residential areas. The state will pretty much tell you what can go there,” said Wil-

liams. “They’re putting a lot of restrictions on what the town’s planning can and cannot do.” Williams added that limitations on application turnaround timelines were also being imposed with the new legislation. “That kind of slaps you on the hand because you have to advertise so many days for public hearings, give the public time to comment before the town council can make a decision,” she said. Williams confirmed in a response to Commissioner Gene Wickeline that the state had no communication with the League of Municipalities prior to bringing the legislation. “And there’s a ton of opposition from most municipalities,” added Mayor Hutch Jones. “There’s a lot of this that leaves you scratching your head.” In other business, the town approved a resolution accepting a $2.7 million Community Development Block Grant for Infrastructure from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. The grant will cover sewer improvements, which will include rehabilitation at the treatment plant as well as facilitating the replacement of sewer lines in southern Beulaville.

Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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Faison’s budget discussions postponed Concerns rise as homeowners brace for increased tax bills By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal FAISON — Last week, the Faison Town Board conducted a public hearing prior to its regular meeting. Town officials spoke about the impact of recent property tax revaluations and the pressure this puts on homeowners. Due to the revaluations, many residents are seeing their property values nearly double, raising concerns about a corresponding sharp increase in tax bills. They also discussed the possibility of reducing the local tax rate to alleviate the burden and help offset the effects of rising assessments. “We moved up to 60 cents two years ago. And we did not plan any increase this year. And when the new evaluations came out, Duplin said they were going to drop theirs,” said Mayor Billy Ward, adding that the town could do the same thing to help residents. Ward explained that while the revaluation process aims to reflect current market values, it also serves to increase revenue for local governments. Town Clerk Sharon Lee noted that even with a rate cut, the town will still see an increase in revenue due to the higher property values. Lee presented data indicating that dropping the rate from the current 60 cents per $100 of assessed value to 55 cents, combined with an estimated property value increase of 35–50%, would still yield over $130,000 in additional revenue. “I would drop it back down

WALLACE from page A1 Fritz explained that Wallace’s proximity to large, vital municipalities like Wilmington and Raleigh, coupled with its accessibility to the interstate, could further draw the eye of potential investors. “Wilmington’s becoming an expensive place to live,” added Fritz. “I used to live there 30-something years ago. A nice home, you could buy for $300,000-$350,000 — now, that’s starter home stuff.” For those looking to move away from urban environments to more rural, small-town locales, Wallace is an option. “We’re still growing — we’re on the very beginnings of becoming urban,” said Fritz. “A lot of the agricultural fields we see around will maybe become developed in the future, and maybe Tin City grows out towards River Landing.” The planning director confirmed that in addition to the roughly 1,000 new homes on the books, the town is already experiencing some commercial growth. “From a commercial standpoint, the ones that are permitted — not rumors — but the ones that are permitted are: Starbucks, Dunkin’, Chick-fil-A, Wawa gas station and Royal Farms fuel station,” he said, adding that the new Snappy Lube on Highway 41 is already doing business. “Just north of Tin

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Faison Town Board discussed potential strategies to alleviate tax burden on residents during a public hearing prior to the monthly meeting. The board will continue discussion in June. to 55 or 56. That’s what I would do to help people out,” said Lee. “To show them that we’re trying to help them. And we’re still going to have an increase in revenue even if you do that.” The main challenge was timing, as the town needed to adopt its budget ordinance. However, to do that, they need the final property assessment data, which they typically receive in May or June. “The problem is that the county’s not on the same schedule as us. So they don’t have to do it until next month,” explained Tyndal. “We’re kind of in the dark.” Attendees voiced concerns that some property values have doubled, while others have increased only slightly. “We’re going to go up from the county and the town,” said Lee. “I would say if your tax bill this year was $1,000, it’s going to be

$2,000 next year if we don’t reduce our tax rate. And then the same thing with the county. If they don’t reduce it, it could be double.” The board decided to table the discussion and announced that budget discussions, including the 2025 budget, tax rate, and the related ordinance, would be postponed until the June meeting. Following the public hearing, the regular meeting began with a moment of silence in memory of Brent Turner, who passed away last month at the age of 48. After a heartfelt prayer, Ward read sympathy notes expressing gratitude for the community’s support and mourning the sudden loss of the public works employee. Tyndall read a resolution adopted by the town, honoring Turner’s contributions and ensuring his memory would be

preserved in the town’s permanent records. Ward announced the start of a new adult volleyball league last weekend. The recreation department also has upcoming summer programs, including basketball and flag football, with sign-ups already open. The board addressed an error regarding an HVAC estimate from Anderson Heat and Air, and voted to approve the correct amount of $17,154.24. Additionally, minor changes were announced for the afterschool program for the upcoming year, such as implementing a flat $45 weekly fee, regardless of attendance days. Tyndall explained these adjustments aim to better align with the program’s needs. Lastly, the board discussed the condition of the town’s soccer field. Officials expressed frustration over being caught in

a cycle of temporary fixes, particularly regarding areas that have worn down to bare dirt. “We can’t get enough time off of it to fix it. So we’re still trying to figure out how to make a workaround on that part because we’re getting down to dirt,” said Tyndall. Despite previous efforts to preserve the field by moving the goals and restricting access during the off-season, these measures were not consistently upheld, leading to further degradation. “There is one way to ultimately fix it, but that’s going to come with a serious price tag,” said Tyndall, adding that ultimately they are trying to create a practice field. The meeting also included personnel discussions, resulting in plans to hire two new employees.

City all the way up to Henderson Road is going to be residential growth.” Fritz advised that more than 300 homes were projected within that area. In addition to over 40 home sites in the western half of Eastwood Acres that will soon be for sale, there will be 600 quarter-acre home sites on the 150 acres of land the town annexed from Pender County in 2024, with the potential for even more commercial development. “There’s rumors of all kinds of other projects coming, but I hate to spread rumors until I see plans. That just stirs people up,” said Fritz. “The way I understand the marketing is, our Walmart is right at about $80 million a year in sales. Certain businesses, the big box stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Lone Star Steakhouse, Outback, Texas Roadhouse, those kinds of places start looking at a community when their Walmart does $100 million.” While Fritz feels the prospect of future development is good for the community overall, he acknowledges that not everyone may view the town’s projected growth in a similar light. “It might be bad for some small business entrepreneurs who own smaller hardware stores and stuff close by that now have to compete with Lowes or Home Depot,” he said. Growth could have other adverse impacts, according to

Fritz, specifically regarding Interstate 40, Highway 41, Highway 117 and Highway 11. “Transportation is gonna be the biggest one because the major arteries that run through Wallace are not under our control — they’re state highways,” advised the planning board director, indicating that communication between the municipality, the developer’s needs and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is of paramount importance to avoid congestion as the town grows. “That’s why we just did a brand new bicycle and pedestrian master plan.” The plan, currently awaiting approval by the NCDOT for entry into their State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP, could set the town up for funding toward pedestrian paths, bicycle routes and road improvement in 2028. Fritz also indicated the town has requested developers in residential areas to leave a right-of-way or easement for the future implementation of alternative transportation routes, such as a greenway bicycle path. “There’s some alternatives that are being thought about while this growth is happening to make us more like a community that thinks holistically about recreation and transportation, and alternative transportation. Gasoline’s not going to get any cheaper, probably,” said Fritz. “Those things are import-

ant. You’re thinking about a city as it grows up that’s fun to live in, fun to work in and fun to play in.” While Wallace’s projected growth seems inevitable, Fritz said proposed state legislation could hinder or otherwise complicate efforts to facilitate its further development and challenge the expansion of small communities throughout North Carolina. “Senate Bill 493 is the one that’s potentially out there to take away the ETJ of small towns in counties with populations of less than 50,000,” advised Fritz. An ETJ, or extraterritorial jurisdiction, is an area outside of a municipality that is still subject to its zoning and building regulations. Without them, Fritz said, those places located outside of the city’s zoning limits “basically become the Wild Wild West” — potentially resulting in hog farms next to residential areas or adult bookstores near highway exits. As the county currently has no zoning in place for the town’s ETJ, a building moratorium may be implemented until they’ve established a zoning plan for the area. “Then there’s House Bill 661. House Bill 661 would impact our planning jurisdiction by limiting our control over land use regulation,” he said. “More specifically, it restricts our ability to negotiate what we call conditional zoning.” Fritz said without the ability to negotiate, local municipalities

would need to turn to quasi-judicial special use permits that he feels introduce another unnecessary level of bureaucracy. House Bill 765, another bill that could impede progress in small towns, “Creates a patchwork of mandates that, in my opinion, bans local common sense land use practices,” said Fritz. “It will eliminate the decision-making powers of our local governments and their voters. Basically, subjecting everybody to legal penalties if they don’t follow the new laws, just for routine planning decisions.” Lastly, House Bill 876, titled Development Application Review Timelines — or, as Fritz calls it, the “shock-clock bill” — will drastically shorten the residential development application in building permit review times. “If you don’t issue the permit in 90 days, it’s automatically good,” he said of language in the bill. “And there are certain processes like the rezoning process that take us 90 days in order to complete.” The bill also allows developers to hire third-party reviewers to review those permits. “It’s a fox in a hen house thing — let’s just say it like it is,” Fritz said. “If you’ve got somebody that you’re hiring to review your building permit, who’s to say you’re not giving them a little on the side money to approve it? I don’t like it. It’s taking authority away from communities in order to guide their own development.”

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN

Freedom for and from religion

Our U.S. form of government is based on the idea that the majority rules, but always with the responsibility of protecting the rights of all people.

OVERLOOKING VIRGINIA’S Blue Ridge mountains, Thomas Jefferson’s grave is located downhill from his beloved home, Monticello. Jefferson was the second governor of Virginia, a member of the Continental Congress, the first secretary of State, our second vice president, and the third president. And yet these accomplishments are not listed on his grave marker. Instead, his monument is inscribed, “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom & Father of the University of Virginia.’” Jefferson said, “because by these, as testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered.” In 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Statute for Religious Freedom, that no person can be compelled to attend a particular church, support an established religion through taxation, or be discriminated against in any way because of faith or religious beliefs. Jefferson was reacting against the tradition of the state‑established Church of England and

in his own state of Virginia. Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom was the main motivation behind the freedom of religion clause in the First Amendment of the American Constitution. In 1802, Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury (Connecticut) Baptist Convention in which he used the illustration of a “wall of separation” to describe his strongly held belief in limiting the influence of religious denominations and leaders in national government. While Jefferson intended his Statute for Religious Freedom to provide for both freedom to practice one’s religion and freedom from the establishment of any one particular religion, many Christians today complain that the idea of the separation of church and state is a direct attack on their beliefs, traditions and practices. However, as J. Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, has written, “To say God has been banished from the public square is also a huge misconception. The institutional separation of church and state does not mean the segregation of religion from

politics or God from government or strip the right of people of faith to speak forcefully in the public square. It only means government cannot pass laws that have the primary purpose or effect that advances religion.” He ends his article with this claim that many people will surely argue with, “The separation of church and state is good for both!” Our U.S. form of government is based on the idea that the majority rules, but always with the responsibility of protecting the rights of all people, including those in the minority. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately two-thirds of American adults identify as Christian. It is important for Christians to be involved in the important issues that affect our communities while safeguarding the rights and freedoms of our neighbors. When we commit to the idea of the separation of church and state in its truest sense and demonstrate through our actions our deepest faith beliefs, we can say with Thomas Jefferson, “because by these, as testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered.” Philip Gladden is a retired minister who lives in Wallace.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

The crisis of radical district judges

Resign and run for office.

THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected president of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate and president. Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of

refugees — never mind the humanitarian or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the founding fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As president, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach

anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219‑213), it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected president and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the president will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Two Duplin County students accepted into NC Governor’s School The pair were recognized by the Duplin school board By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Education’s regular business meeting on May 6 included a special recognition for two students accepted into the North Carolina Governor’s School, the oldest statewide summer residential educational program in the nation. Eduardo Gonzalez of Wallace-Rose Hill High School and Maya Smith of Duplin Early College High School were selected for the honor of attending the four-week explor-

atory learning opportunity following a rigorous application process facilitated by Janice Goldsby that involved essay submissions, personal reflections and teacher recommendations. According to Nicole Murray, chief academic officer for STEAMA Curriculum and Instruction/Professional Development, selection for participation in the program is a high honor. “We certainly congratulate these two students. They represent the best of Duplin County and North Carolina students based on their outstanding achievements,” said Murray. “It is a very competitive process to be selected for the North Carolina Governor’s School.” Gonzalez, son of Isis Yanez

“We certainly congratulate these two students.” Nicole Murray and Eduardo Gonzalez, will be attending Governor School West at Greensboro College for social sciences. Smith, daughter of Sara Marinelli and Jamal Smith, will attend Governor School East at Meredith College to study natural sciences. Murray explained that the program focuses not on tests and grades but growth and exploration. “Our students have the opportunity to spend four weeks

learning, engaging with other students, integrating academic disciplines, arts, and lots of unique courses that they can take.” Though the students weren’t able to attend Tuesday’s meeting, Murray indicated that they would be honored with certificates at their respective schools in recognition of their selection for the program. “We extend as usual our thanks to their teachers, their parents, and all of the staff that have supported them through the years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to recognize them.” A complete list of items approved and discussed at the board’s meeting can be found at duplinschools.net.

Warsaw James Kenan High School will be holding a reunion weekend presented by James Kenan alumni for all classes from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s on May 23‑24. May 23 will feature a $15 meet and greet with Veterans of Foreign Wars at 364 Bruce Costin Road in Warsaw from 6-11 p.m. On May 24, doors will open at the Lois G. Britt Agriculture Building in Kenansville for an “All Denim Affair” featuring old-school legend Chubb Rock and Gilbert Baez, master of the Supermix. Registration is $75 and includes food and drinks. Tickets are available at jameskenanalum. eventbright.com.

Duplin County to hold Community Day celebration June 21

FESTIVAL from page A1 monthly meetings that shift into weekly sessions six weeks before the event. This dedication speaks to the deep commitment of the core group — a board of 11 members, led by an event chairman. “The officers of the board are on a rotation,” Farrior explained. “It keeps everybody excited and fresh and just ready to get in there and want to make things the best that they can possibly be.” The group works tirelessly to ensure that the festival leaves a lasting impression on all who attend. “It takes a lot of planning, but it truly is an event that we all take pride in. And I just think that it says Wallace up one side and down the other. It’s Carolina Strawberry Festival, and when folks hear that name, they think about Wallace,” said Farrior, adding that he hopes people walk away feeling happy after spending time among thousands of smiling faces. Whether they left with fresh strawberries in hand, enjoyed delicious bites from the food vendors or explored the wide variety of booths lining the streets, Farrior said they hope visitors were not only impressed by the festival itself but also the warm, welcoming spirit of Wallace. The impact of the festival goes far beyond Main Street. With an estimated attendance of 25,000 people coming through Wallace over Friday and Saturday, local businesses — both downtown and even out on Highway 117 — felt the ripple effect. “A friend that has a business on 117 told me that she had seen a lot of traffic from the strawberry festival. So I hope it gave all the businesses in town a boost on that day,” said Farrior, explaining that he believes this was the largest crowd they’ve had. “We really had a boost in attendance last year, and I think we had even more than that this year. … We had about 195 vendors, and that’s the most we’ve ever had.” But the board is just the beginning. The real heartbeat of the festival comes from its volunteers, who help throughout the weekend — it’s about community pride, about neighbors coming together to create something beautiful for Wallace and its visitors. The town of Wallace itself stands as a pillar of support. “To see the town staff, the police department, public works department, parks and rec, all work hand in hand with our community and our volunteers, is truly amazing,” said Farrior. Parks and Rec manages the 5K run, which this year saw

James Kenan High School Reunion Weekend May 23-24

Wallace A Community Day celebration will take place June 21 at the Thell B. Overman Football Field in Wallace and feature emcee Syara Kornegay and Javonte Williams of the Dallas Cowboys. The event, free and open to the public, will also include face painting, bouncy houses, balloon animals and more, in addition to local vendors and community resources such as Saved by Grace Soul Food, Sunset Slush, Shackle Free Community Outreach, ECU Health, Royal Vibes Beauty Brand, Prepaid Legal Services and various others. For more information, call 910‑271‑2193. ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Participants of the Carolina Strawberry Festival enjoyed delicious strawberry treats from area vendors. nearly 380 runners — the largest group ever, according to Farrior. Meanwhile, Public Works ensures the streets are clean and facilities are maintained in peak condition. “Public Works did an incredible job keeping up with the pace of the festival,” said Police Chief Jimmy Crayton. “When the festival was over, by Sunday morning, you didn’t even know there had been a festival there. The streets were clean. They were swept. The trash was gone.” According to Crayton, more than 20 officers were on duty this year, including deputies from Duplin and Pender counties, with some arriving as early as 5 a.m. and staying until the very last tent was packed up. This is not just an extra shift — it’s three straight weekends of duty for many officers. What makes all of this even more remarkable is that so much of it is done behind the scenes. Crayton, who served as president for three years, also praised the festival committee and the volunteers they bring in to help run the event. He added it’s a thankless and demanding job, but one done with care and purpose. Proceeds from the festival are reinvested into the community through a small grants program, which caps at $2,500. “The festival in 2023 was the first festival that had been financially successful enough for us to give money back to the community,” Farrior explained. That year, grants helped with projects like the Wallace Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas at Twilight and new permanent infrastructure for the Downtown Wallace Merchants As-

sociation’s iconic strawberry installation. The Wallace Depot Commission brought music and celebration to the community with their Downtown Get Down event, while Pet Friends received support for their Pet Day in the Park. Other grant recipients included the town of Wallace for the refurbishment of the Welcome to Wallace sign, the restoration of the historic Railway Postal Car and the planting of trees at Farrior Park. “In 2024, we gave away $15,000 in grants,” Farrior told Duplin Journal. The grants have served the community in meaningful ways, from light pole banners that brighten the streets to food drives by Impact Church’s Helping Hands Outreach Ministry, Whether supporting hurricane relief trips to western North Carolina to help storm victims or upgrading the dog park, the funds are helping Wallace grow stronger, more connected and more vibrant. According to Farrior, grant applications typically open midsummer and are carefully reviewed and scored by the board before awards are announced in the fall. The process is rooted in transparency and stewardship, guided by the festival’s financial reports to ensure that every dollar given back is used wisely. The festival has become one of Wallace’s most defining events, significantly enhancing the town’s visibility and identity. Farrior shared that as part of developing a Wallace Economic Development Strategic Plan — set to be presented to the town council soon — it was striking how often the Carolina Straw-

berry Festival came up as a key community asset. “The lady that has guided us through this process is Samantha Darlington, who is a Community Economic Development planner for the North Carolina Main Street Center,” he explained. “It kind of is rewarding to know that all the effort that goes into the festival is being recognized not only by folks in Wallace, but folks on a state level as well.” Farrior shared that this year, the festival layout got a refresh — vendors were spaced out more strategically to encourage visitors to explore not just the booths but also the shops and businesses along Main Street. With a record number of vendors, the event expanded beyond its usual footprint on Main and Railroad streets to include Raleigh and Bonney streets. “When you’re bringing that many folks in and you need to be prepared for them, it takes a great deal of planning. And that’s part of why it takes a year’s worth of meetings to get it all put together,” said Farrior. Annual favorites like the Strawberry Princess Contest, dinosaur rides and live bands create a draw across generations. “My family was down there for much of the festival,” said Crayton. “I’ve got two little girls that had the time of their lives riding the rides and eating ice cream.” The Carolina Strawberry Festival is not only a celebration of people and service but reflects the very best of Wallace, its hospitality, resilience and the spirit of small-town America.

Voting for Teachey’s Movie Night in the Park ends May 19 Teachey Voting is open until May 19 for the town of Teachey’s Movie Night in the Park on Saturday, May 24, which will be held at the Boney Street Park in Teachey at 7:30 p.m. Prospective attendees can vote on “Sonic 3,” “The Wild Robot” or “Inside Out” to be shown as the evening’s entertainment, which will include free doughnuts and unlimited popcorn. Votes can be placed on the Town of Teachey’s Facebook page. Those planning to attend should bring a lawn chair and/or blanket.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@ duplinjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

ESTATE AUCTION (NAME WITHHELD) DECEASED May 17 — 9 a.m. 161 Church Rd., Pink Hill, NC, 28572 Contents of house. Over 25 pieces antique furniture. Collectibles, Lots of glassware. Concrete lawn pieces. See auctionzip.com or brownandthigpenauctions.com for list, photos and terms of sale. NCAL#7363

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Five decades of dedication to dancing Dancer’s corner owner bids farewell to students after 51 years of teaching By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WALLACE — After more than five decades of teaching and inspiring generations through the art of dance, Jane Highsmith, owner of Dancer’s Corner, has retired. From tiny ballerinas taking their first steps to teenagers performing on stage, Highsmith has guided countless students with unwavering passion, patience and dedication. Highsmith’s love of dance began in childhood, sparked by a doctor’s suggestion to strengthen her “weak ankles.” Her mother, a devoted schoolteacher and farmer’s wife, drove her and her sister to dance lessons in Wilmington every Saturday. “There was no one around that taught dance, like there is now. … The only way she could get my sister and I dance lessons was to take us for private lessons every Saturday… and I loved it,” Highsmith told Duplin Journal. Looking back, she reflected on her mother’s dedication —chauffeuring two little girls in leotards on her only day off — and how that planted the seeds for what would become a lifelong passion. Her teaching journey began when a friend who was pregnant reached out for help giving dance lessons. They had both learned from the same teacher. “I went and taught my first lesson, and I loved it,” she recalled. And just like that, a dance teacher was born. “I love children and I love music,” said Highsmith. “It’s amazing what music can do.” With a record player, a stack of records that she still keeps and a trunk full of determination, Highsmith started traveling to small towns to give dance lessons. There were times when

COURTESY JANE HIGHSMITH

Left to right, Georgia Farrior, Jane Highsmith and Windsor Farrior. the ceilings would leak, and they had to place buckets beneath them. Despite those conditions, she loved teaching dance. “The first place I went was Hampstead to the community center, and the children would come there,” said Highsmith. “I went to Warsaw and taught at the armory, and I believe the next place I went to was Kenansville, and taught on stage at one of the elementary schools.” A few years later, she started teaching in Wallace and later purchased an old beauty shop, which she renovated to establish Dancer’s Corner. “Back then, I did it all by myself. I taught from 2 to 18 years olds, just one class right after the other,” Highsmith recalled. For 20 years, while running her dance studio, she also worked as a school teacher’s assistant. “I would do that in the mornings and then leave there and come teach dance because I was a single mom,” Highsmith explained. “I had two girls and I had to make ends meet, so I had two jobs which made for long days but that’s okay.” For Highsmith, teaching tap was the most fun and helped the kids learn the beat of the music. “It’s rhythmic and it kept

their interest. That’s what I always started my babies in,” said Highsmith, adding that the duck song never failed to engage children and help them feel the rhythm. “Because it started quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack,” and every baby lit up the moment they heard it. “I can see them right now.” “It truly has been a lifetime of happiness,” said Highsmith, who at 71, remains physically active and full of energy, attributing much of her vitality to her passion for dance. Highsmith had two daughters — Georgia and Harley. The active mom worked through both of her pregnancies without skipping a beat. “I taught right through them. I held my stomach while I danced,” Highsmith recounted. “My daughter [Georgia] is the only one I ever threw out of class for misbehaving,” reminisced Highsmith with a chuckle. “[She had] long, curly hair, she was probably like four. … I opened the door and said, ‘Out! Just go!’ The waiting room was full of people, and I thought, well, that didn’t sound good. So I opened the door back and said, ‘she’s mine; it’s okay,’ so they wouldn’t

think I was just throwing out some random child.” When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Highsmith kept her studio alive by creating taped-off boxes on the floor, each of which the students called their “house,” allowing them to dance safely. “Everybody was thrilled because nobody could do anything and the children went crazy. But they could come to dance,” Highsmith. “They all wore their masks. But they stayed in their little house — you can make anything fun.” This small but clever innovation preserved a sense of structure, turning an obstacle into something fun and novel for the children during a time of widespread disruption. Highsmith shared that over the years her students taught her patience. She finds herself deeply moved by the children’s continued capacity for love. “They’re just so loving. They’re so loving and forgiving. And you can be in the worst mood in the world and walk into that room. And all that goes away,” she explained. Creativity has been a hallmark of Highsmith’s work, particularly in her annual recitals — 51 in total, each unique. From choreography to costume selection, she meticulously planned every detail. “I never, ever had the same theme,” said Highsmith, adding that she likes to create. The music had to suit the children, the costumes had to flatter diverse body types, and everything had to align to tell a cohesive story. This thoughtful approach made her recitals not only entertaining but meaningful, reflecting her artistic vision and high standards. Highsmith considers herself lucky and believes that her love for children and teaching them dance is what made her studio special. She wanted her students to also learn about perseverance, compassion, re-

silience, and teamwork. Over the years, many of her students have brought their own children to learn dance with her, and she affectionately refers to these students as her grandchildren. Others went on to teach and carry on her legacy. “Two of them are still teaching,” said Highsmith. “That makes me feel good because I know how much both of them loved it as little girls.” The decision to retire from her dance studio was not an easy one for Highsmith. Although she initially considered retiring in 2024, at the 50-year mark, she found herself holding on. Her decision to step back from teaching was driven by an awareness of changing attitudes in dance education. “I don’t want to babysit. I want to teach and some of the children are not willing to work now,” she said, adding that her approach to dance was more traditional, particularly the commitment she brought to annual recitals. Her process required nearly a full year of planning and fine-tuning — from August through April. While she’s open to teaching again, she humorously admits she’d only take on the youngest dancers. “I would go teach for somebody else where I could walk in and walk out. But give me the 2-year-olds. Don’t give me the teenagers,” she said with a chuckle. Though the spotlight faded on recital day without tears, Highsmith shared that it was the quiet moments in the week before when the emotions truly danced in. Her final recital, themed “Broadway,” was a celebratory close to an extraordinary chapter. As her students took their final bow, they carried her legacy in every step, leap, and turn. Although retired from her studio, Highsmith continues to inspire young minds at Wallace Christian Academy, where she teaches in the computer lab.

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DUPLIN SPORTS NCHSAA BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

Kern, Panthers give Gators first-round fight before falling The East Duplin pitcher limited Martin County to two hits and a pair of first inning runs in a loss to the No. 7 seed in the 2A playoffs By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ND’s Marissa Bernal tags out a Vance Charter runner at third base during the Rebels’ 5-0 win in the second round of the 1A playoffs.

Rebels make adjustments at plate to overcome Rice It took ND five innings to figure out how to hit Vance Charter’s Leah Rice, but when they did, the Rebels exploded for a “win-it-now” sixth inning By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO — North Duplin played “small ball” until it could figure out how to put the ball into the sweet spot of their bats against Leah Rice. Once the light went on the Rebels lineup came to life for four runs in the sixth inning to beat Vance Charter 5-0 last Friday in the second round of the 1A playoffs. Another key was the defense the Rebels played behind hurl-

er Lilly Fulghum and how their aggressive base-running paid an early dividend. No. 6 North Duplin (14-3) advanced to play No. 3 Bear Grass Charter (21-4). On Friday, the winner will face the survivor of No. 7 Chatham Central (20-3) and No. 2 Roxboro Community (18-5) for a spot in the best-of-three East Region next week. No. 1 Perquimans (23-2) and No. 13 Rosewood (18-4), the Rebels’ chief Carolina Conference rival, are two of the better teams in the top half of the bracket. The Eagles would have to beat No. 11 Oxford Prep (146) and the top seed to reach the region final. Perquimans faces No. 9 Falls Lake (13-10) in its third-round test. Notice a theme?

WILLIAMSTON — Even a perfect performance by Kyle Kern wouldn’t have been enough to extend the baseball season for East Duplin. The Panthers’ ace limited No. 7 Martin County to two hits and the games’ lone runs in the first innings during a 2-0 loss in the first round of the 2A playoffs. Kern, who leads the state with 130 strikeouts, whiffed 11 and walked just two as the Panthers’ rebounded from a 10-14 mark in 2024 to go 13-8.

A late push that included a sweep of North Lenoir, allowed East Duplin to finish second in the East Central 2A Conference, a season after falling to fifth place. “No one gave us a chance to go 9-3 and wind up second in this conference,” said Panther coach Brandon Thigpen, who is 121-59 in nine seasons in Beulaville. “We played with a chip on our shoulder all year. “We had a chance to win every game we played except one.” JP Murphy and Shawn Marshburn were the only Panthers to get a hit off Jackson Ward, who struck out 11, though Jack Tuck, Gavin Holmes and Calvin Harper reached base via walks. But East Duplin never got a runner to third base against the Gators (21-5), though twice had See BASEBALL, page B4

Indeed, the week began with four non-public schools alive in the East bracket and there are three in the West Region, as seven of the 16 schools can openly recruit players. Crunch time Vance Charter crumbled in the sixth as mental and physical errors aided North Duplin, which found the secret to hitting Rice. “It’s hard because we were two teams in a conference in which we don’t see enough good pitching outside of Rosewood,” said North Duplin coach Jaimie Kylis Higginbotham. “We won’t face anything but good teams from here out. One of See SOFTBALL, page B2

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

JP Murphy fires the ball to third base in an attempt to throw out a base runner.

NCHSAA TRACK AND FIELD REGIONALS

Pickett’s four medals key to Panthers’ first region track title The Rebels’ Marcus Hill, Trashawn Ruffin and Tateyawna Faison claimed individual titles By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin head coach Jeremy Joyner and his girls’ track and field team captured the school’s first region title.

KINSTON — Last Friday was a day to remember for Ja’Myah Pickett and her Panthers teammates. Pickett captured three gold medals and a silver at the NCHSAA’s 2A track and field championships in Kinston and East Duplin tallied enough points to win its first-ever regional title.

The Panthers fell one point short of a title last season, but were able to put second-place Manteo this time. “I told Ja’Myah that we needed a minimum of 32 points from her,” said head coach Jeremy Joyner. “But this was a team win. Every girl we took except one was able to score at least a point.” Pickett’s push produced 36 points from a possible total of 40. The top four place-winners in each event qualify for the state tournament next week at NC A&T University. The 2A and 4A classes go on Friday and 1A and 3A on Saturday.

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North Duplin’s Marcus Hill, Trashawn Ruffin and Tateyawna Faison each won an event and had other outstanding showings at the 1A MidEast Region in Burgaw. Region title hype fills the air “It’s very satisfying for all of us,” said Joyner in regard to the girls’ crown. “I was too nervous to look at the score and got updates from our coaches. East Duplin had to perform without star sprinter Anamarie Rodriguez, which was a See TRACK, page B3

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Defending champ Raiders tested by Panthers No. 1 Midway slipped past No. 16 East Duplin during a stern second-round test

have smacked eight homers by seven players. Whack Redskins behind 11-hit attack

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal DUNN — Second-round games are not supposed to be so hard for a No. 1 seed. Credit Morgan Brown for wearing the upset slipper. Top-seeded Midway scratched out runs in the third and fifth innings last Friday and held on to beat No. 16 East Duplin 2-0. Brown, a senior southpaw hurler, scattered seven hits and worked her way out of several jams to give the Panthers a fighting chance. “Mo threw really well, and we went toe-to-toe with the best team in the East,” said ED head coach Greg Jenkins. “It was 0-0 in the fourth. We made them work for this one. “We just couldn’t get it done with our bats against (Sarah) Autry.” Autry lowered her ERA to an astounding 0.17 as only Rebecca Beach and Morgan made good enough contact to produce a hit. Beached doubled in the opening inning but was left stranded. “We played outstanding softball, and their pitcher threw a nice mix of changeups and

TEACHEY — Wallace-Rose Hill baseball coach Logan Kissner calls Caden Gavin “a coach’s dream” and Kaiden Liu a pitcher that allowed his team to win any game he was on the mound. The two Bulldog pillars will go their separate ways after graduation in June. Liu and his right arm are headed to Rocky Mount to play at North Carolina Wesleyan, while shortstop/third baseman Gavin is taking his bat and glove to Southeastern Community College in Whiteville. Both signed letters of intent

on Atlantic Conference foes.

the advantages we have is experience and our ability to hold on and make adjustments against their pitcher was big.” No. 2 hitter Gabby Zamudio singled to right field with one out in the sixth to start the uprising. Left fielder Kendall Ayscue misplayed a swirling ball hit by Higginbotham and Fulghum walked to load the bases. Ady Smith made it 2-0 with a single and two more runs scored on a ground ball out by Abby Noris. No. 7 hitter Cadence Locklear’s singled to center gave North Duplin a five-run edge. Fulghum recovered from an infield error leading off the seventh with three ground ball outs. Second baseman Hannah Gonzalez reacted perfectly to a line drive to finish the first. Right fielder Melany Sanchez had to run hard to the line to for a catch to end the second. In the fifth, Rice hit a bullet that bounced off Fulghum and ricocheted to shortstop Higginbotham who raced to second and lunged to touch the base for a force out to thwart Vance Charter’s opportunity. “We took advantage of some of their mistakes and that’s what good teams do,” Higginbotham said. “I thought they were a good team and that we just played better at key moments. “We’re excited to face a good team in the fourth round. We know we’ll be tested and that mistakes will be amplified.” And the Bears are a legitimate contender, having already beaten Perquimans, DH Conley, and Pamlico County and then running the table

Running Rebels

Morgan Brown laced four hits in her final two games for East Duplin. had a good riser,” said Jenkins, whose club finished 14-8 after going 9-3 in ECC play. “They have a real athletic team and can hit the ball. “It was a great game to watch. Our defense right now is as good or better than any team I’ve had in terms of how few errors we made,” said the Panther coach who is 361‑171 in 24 seasons and

a member of the NC Coaches Association’s Softball Hall of Fame. “No doubt, our defense kept us in the game.” Midway (18-2), which plays No. 9 Seaforth (16-6) in the third round, logged its ninth shutout of the season and have surrendered a mere 26 runs this spring. The Raiders beat the Pan-

Caden Gavin, left, and Kaiden Liu signed college baseball letters of intent last week in front of their family, coaches and peers. WallaceRose Hill baseball coaches Brady Johnson, Logan Kissner and Bubba James posed as Liu signed with NC Wesleyan and Gavin at Southeastern Community College.

Gavin, Liu sign letter of intent to play baseball in college By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

SOFTBALL from page B1

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Infielder Caden Gavin and pitcher Kaiden Liu will play collegiately at small North Carolina schools

thers twice last season – 4-1 and 10-7 – and have only lost to 3A Richlands (20-5) and 4A Scotland County (25-1). Both are playing third-round games this week in their respective classifications. Midway is also an offensive team with a .349 team average, with six players having 20 or more hits. The Raiders have belted 37 doubles, 19 triples and

Brown had the first three-hit game of the spring in the first round and pitched the Panthers past Manteo 8-2 last Tuesday in Beulaville. The senior whiffed nine and walked one, while firing 103 pitches in the direction of backstop Beach. Callie Mewborn drove in her team-leading 20th run and Karsyn Parker and Leighton Davis also had run-scoring hits. Beach and Emory Raynor scored twice, while Kinsey Cave and Zoe Turner legged out triples. ED scored twice in the first, third and fifth to go in front 6-0. The Redskins tallied two runs in the seventh. Parker, Beach and Cave finished up with averages near or above the .400 mark. Raynor and Brown were the lone senior starters. Furthermore, Turner and Beach are the only juniors, making the Panthers a team of the future. That will likely be enhanced if sophomore all-Duplin shortstop Ava Noble can return from her ACL surgery and be the player she was as a freshman (.538, eight doubles, seven triples, two home runs).

two weeks ago in the school’s media center. “He’s so coachable and does what you ask,” Kissner said of Gavin. “He’s played every position. He was our leadoff guy because he could handle the pressure and find ways to get on base. “He led us in on-base-percentage and was in the top 3 last year in stolen bases in the state. He’s a great kid who is getting an opportunity at a good school that is close to home.” Gavin hit .358 the past two seasons with 55 stolen bases. Southeastern went 14-32 this spring and plays schools from Pitt, Lenoir, Rockingham, Cumberland and Brunswick counties on its roster. The Rams accumulated a teamwide 3.3 grade-point average this spring. Liu, Mr. Baseball in 2024 in Duplin County, had 86 strike-

outs in 37 innings this season, going 4-2 with an ERA of 3.41. He had 84 whiffs in 46 innings in 2024, with a 5-2 mark and a 4.29 ERA. The opposition hit .220 against him the past two seasons. He hit .434 with six doubles, a triple, three home runs and 15 RBI He was at .482 with 10 extra base efforts and 22 RBIs as a junior. Liu wants to continue his career on the hill for the Bishops, a Division 3 school tat went 3613 this spring and have won two national championships and a handful of regional titles as a member of the USA South Conference. “If he listens to what they ask him to do I think he’ll be OK,” Kissner said. “He’s going to have to adjust, but he’ll be alright at the next level. When he get locked in he put us in position to win.”

Rice struck out five of the first 10 hitters she faced in her first three innings. She got around a twoout triple in the opening inning by Addy Higginbotham by getting Fulghum to swing through a riser. She retired the side in order in the second and third yet wasn’t prepared to withstand the pressure put on her defense in the fourth. Higginbotham reached first base on an infield hit and then swiped two bases while the Knights’ infield fell asleep. Fulghum hit a ball to third base and Lillian Beckwith froze. She looked Higginbotham back to the base but never threw the ball to first. Ady Spence followed with a bunt for that plated the speedy Higginbotham and even though Fulghum was thrown out at the plate, North Duplin had a 1-0 lead. Fulghum gave up two hits and three walks, while logging six strikeouts. Dugout chatter North Duplin scored five times in the opening inning and seven more in the third in a 15-0 opening playoff win over River Mill last Tuesday. Higginbotham and Fulghum are in the top 50 hitters in the state, average wise, all of which are over .600. Fulghum is third in slugging percentage. Higginbotham has eight triples. Fulghum has seven homers. North Duplin is hitting nearly .402 as a team. Kylis Higginbotham is 66‑16 in four seasons as the coach.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Wildcats nab 20th win, seek to continue playoff run

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Richlands reached that win total in the fast‑pitch format for the first time and could face No. 1 Southern Nash

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By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal RICHLANDS — Sweet is a 20-win season and a conference crown. An added layer of sugar is making a run for a postseason title. Richlands’ first 20-win campaign came when the No. 4 Wildcats beat No. 13 Cedar Ridge 10-0 last Friday, to earn a third-round assignment against No. 5 South Johnston, who has won 21 of 22 games this season. No.1 Southern Nash (23-0) hosts No. 8 Eastern Alamance in the other East Region quarterfinal, meaning the Wildcats could have another home game if the Eagles (19-7) pull an off an upset. Fourth-round games are Friday. The best-of-three region finals are next week. Don’t count out the Wildcats, especially with Makenzie Goin, whose 270 strikeouts are the third-most in the state. The senior right-hander whiffed 14 and gave up a hit and also had three hits and drove in a run. Richlands, who has won 12 of its last 13 games, scored five runs in the first four innings and five more in the blowout sixth that forced the hammer to fall on the 10-run mercy rule. Jordan Meece had three hits and scored twice and LeNayah Jackson two and drove in three. Jailah Wilson added a pair of hits as Richlands (20-5) had a far easier day than it did during a 2-1 win over Coastal 3A foe White Oak in the opening round last Tuesday. Addi Anderson had three hits and scored, and Cameron Cubas and Wilson drove in runs.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Makenzie Goin is the second-leading hitter for Richlands and ranks third in the state in strikeouts in the circle. Jackson was more of a menace to the Vikings by stroking a pair of slap hits through the infield. Yet it was close the entire way. Richlands scored single runs in the third and sixth frames off Alyssa Carkhuff. The junior hurler let the Wildcats put the ball in play and to their credit they made plays to keep it close. White Oak had just one error. There was no way Goin was going to let the Vikings, who don’t have a senior starter, spoil her final playoff adventure. Richlands beat the Vikings 2-1 and 4-2 during the regular season. Fellow Coastal foe West Carteret lost 1-0 to South Johnston in the second round. The No. 12 Patriots (19-5) and Rich-

lands tied for the league flag, with the Wildcats winning a 2-1 thriller in a one-game playoff for league’s top seed in the 3A playoffs. By the numbers Jackson is hitting .410, Goin .324, Andrews .288, Cubas .273 and Wilson .261. Jackson’s 18 RBIs lead the team. Piper Turner has 14 and Andrews 11. Jackson is also the team leader in on-base-percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.628), extra-base hits (13) and runs (16). Cubas and Meece have each crossed the plate 13 times. Goin is 15-4 with a 1.02 ERA in 144.2 innings of work in the circle. She fanning 841 in 452 innings in the past four years.

TRACK from page B1 concern Joyner had with the Panthers relay squads. But ED’s 1,600-meter foursome of Tabor Holley, Anastan Holley, Zy’ashi Newton and Aubry Hall came in third and the 3,200 squad of Tabor and Anastan Holley, Kate Miller and Miranda Roblero were third. Pickett took the discus with a 113-foot heave, shot with a 34-5 toss and triple jump by going to 34-111.5. The senior went 4-10 for second in the high jump. “She was coming off not doing as well as she can at the conference tournament and I just told her to relax, perform normally and be yourself,” Joyner said. “Up to that time no one had ever beaten her in the ECC championships.” Pickett, who was an all-Duplin basketball player the previous two years, showed her power and speed and ability to go from one field event to the next, often having little time to catch her breath after one before making her way to the next event. “She didn’t have time to warmup, really,” Joyner said. “That’s what made some of what she did amazing.” Pickett won the high jump and shot put and was second in the discus at the region meet in 2024 and was third in the shot and fourth in the discus at the state championships. Bella Gaby (100 hurdles) and Alaina Delarosa (1,600) added fifth-place finishes, Jakayla Carr (300 hurdles) and Angela Hernandez (3,200) nothing sixth-place points and Mari Benetiez (800) and Ciarra Pickett (shot put) pitched in with eighth-place showings. The Panther boys were led by Jordan Hall (fifth in the triple jump), Zachary Hall (sixth in the 300 hurdles) and Shawn Davis (seventh in the discus). Ball, Landon Bond, Jordan Hall and Aaron Hall put together a 1:30.89 clocking in the 800 relay for fourth place. Adrian Glover had the best performances from a Wallace-Rose Hill tracksters. The sophomore was fourth in the long jump (20-9.5) and ran

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin, baseball Gavin Holmes has been a model of consistency for the East Duplin baseball team the past two seasons. The sophomore hit safely in 18 of 22 games for a .352 average with 14 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He raised his average from .308 in 2024, via five more hits, while also cutting his errors in half (from eight to four) playing one of the most difficult positions — shortstop. He had a .925 field percentage mark this spring. Holmes went 3-1 on the mound and had two saves as a stable force to help the Panthers recover from a tough season in 2023 (10-14) to go 13-8 this season. This season he became a foundation piece for the program that head coach Brandon Thigpen can count on.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Ja’Myah Pickett won three gold and one silver medal at the NCHSAA’s 2A East Region championships last Friday in Kinston. a 10.66 in the 100 in the prelims, which was the fourth-fastest time. Rebel threesome, relay team shine Ruffin, who was third in the shot put and fourth in the discus at last spring’s state championships and who is going to play football at UNC in 2026, was first in the shot put 50-5.75) and second in the discus (125‑7). Hill placed in four events, going first in the 110 hurdles (15.67), second in the 300 hurdles (42.83) and triple jump (41-7) and fourth in the long jump (19-2). The senior finished fourth in the state last spring in the 110 hurdles while landing 10th in the 300 hurdles

and 15th in the long jump. Faison, who signed to play basketball at Fayetteville Tech after a 1,000-point career, won the 100 hurdles (16.94) and was third in the 200 (27.48). Jair Quintana, Jayden Clemens, Luis Avilez and Carell Phillips ran 3:38.87 in the 1,600 relay race for second place and a new school record. Donavan Armwood was fourth in the high jump (5-6). Abby Rose came through with fourth-place honors in the 400 (1:06.73) as did Saniah McNeill in the 100 hurdles (19.57). At the 3A regional at Wilson Fike, Richlands’ Tyler Clouarte grabbed silver medals in the 100 (10.95 and 200 (22.63), while Kamrey Watkins was runner-up in the girls 800 (2.21.36).

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

NFL

ACC cuts 20-game men’s basketball schedule to 18

Saints QB Carr retiring due to “degenerative changes” in shoulder

The league hopes fewer games will allow more teams to make tourney

SIDELINE REPORT

New Orleans The New Orleans Saints say veteran quarterback Derek Carr has decided to retire because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff. The 34-year-old Carr has played for 11 pro seasons. Carr was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while also struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FCS teams could be allowed to play 12 regular-season games every year Indianapolis FCS teams would be allowed to play 12 regular‑season games every year under a Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee recommendation. The NCAA announced the onegame extension would go into effect in 2026 if the Division I Council gives its approval during its June 24-25 meeting. Current legislation permits 12 regular-season games in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November.

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference is hoping its men’s basketball programs trade two fewer league games for marquee nonconference matchups in an effort to reverse a dwindling haul of NCAA Tournament bids. The league is reducing its 20‑game men’s basketball schedule to 18. The change comes after Commissioner Jim Phillips has been vocal about spending the past two seasons examining the conundrum of the ACC getting fewer bids — down to four this year, its fewest since 2013 — despite having teams regularly playing deep into March. Going to 18 games could make room for schools to add quality nonconference matchups to help their schedule strength — and therefore the ACC’s stature, provided the league wins its share of measuring-stick games, unlike last year. It will shake up the scheduling model, which will mean ACC teams won’t face one league member each year. In a statement, Phillips said the move is “a direct result of our ongoing strategic review and analysis” and gives them more control of scheduling by freeing up two slots. It also comes as the league implements a new revenue-distribution model that will factor in TV viewership in its pay-

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Duke center Khaman Maluach and head coach Jon Scheyer celebrate with the trophy after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. outs to league schools, which could offer even more incentive to schedule marquee opponents that fans want to watch to boost the bottom line. “This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Basketball,” Phillips said, “and we appreciate the thoughtfulness of our membership and the support from our television partners.” The new model will have the league schedule running from late December into the first Saturday of March. Each team will play one primary partner at home and away every year, with those pairings — such as famed rivals Duke and UNC

“This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Basketball.” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips or instate opponents Virginia and Virginia Tech — designed to create some protection for long-running series. The others primary pairings are Boston College-Notre Dame, Clemson-Georgia Tech, California-Stanford, Florida State-Miami, Louisville-SMU,

NC State-Wake Forest and Pittsburgh-Syracuse. Each team also will play a home-and-away series against a partner that will change each year, then play one game against 14 of the remaining 15 teams. It won’t be perfect. Aside from the fact that some teams won’t play each other, there are hiccups such as no guarantees that neighboring rivals UNC and NC State will have their typical home-and-away meetings; the Tar Heels and Wolfpack have played those every year reaching back to their Southern Conference days long before the ACC’s birth in May 1953. Still, Phillips had been clear the league had to make changes to address the newfound shakiness in a sport widely and long regarded as its crown jewel. The ACC had played an 18‑game schedule from the 2012-13 season through 2018‑19, then moved to a 20game slate for the 2019-20 season with its ESPN-partnered launch of the ACC Network. At the time, the ACC was coming off a fourth straight season with at least seven NCAA bids — including a record nine in 2017 and 2018 — while having three No. 1 seeds in 2019 and winning three of five national titles (Duke in 2015, North Carolina in 2017 and Virginia in 2019). Things have been tougher since the pandemic. The league had seven bids in 2021, then fell to five for three straight seasons before sliding to four this year, its first as an expanded 18-team basketball conference. By comparison, the ACC had 12 teams the last time it got just four bids in 2013. And yet the league also had both UNC and Duke in the Final Four in 2022, Miami there in 2023, NC State in 2024 and Duke again in April.

MLB

Astros’ McCullers receives threats directed at children after tough start Houston Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online death threats directed at his children after his tough start against the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers, who was making just his second start since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, allowed seven runs while getting just one out in Houston’s 13-9 loss on Saturday night. Afterward, McCullers said he had received the threats on social media and that people had threatened to “stab my kids.” The Astros said that the Houston Police Department and MLB security had been alerted to the threats.

TAKE NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#25E001169-300 The undersigned, HENRY JARMAN, having qualified on the 7TH DAY of MAY, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DAVID LEE COLE, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 15TH 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 15th Day of MAY 2025 HENRY JARMAN, ADMINISTRATOR 3900 E NC 24 BEULAVILLE, NC 28518 Run dates: M15,22,29,J5p

BASEBALL from page B1 runners at first and second. “The difference was getting a leadoff hitter on and getting a two-out hit,” Thigpen said. “They did and we didn’t. Kyle was as good as he’s been all season. You have to string hits together and today we just didn’t do it.” East Duplin, three years removed from its schoolbest 23-1 season, recovered from the loss of its best player (Baines Raynor) by getting standup performances from a number of inexperienced players and seniors who came up big in the clutch. Leadoff hitter and shortstop Tuck (.339, 16 RBIs) was way more than a pleasant surprise. So was outfielder Jesus Mojica, whose play was bigger than his stats (14 hits for a .222 average). “Jesus was the heartbeat of our team,” Thigpen said. “If everyone had the heart he showed I would never worry about anything. “Jack and JP were basically first-year varsity players and our left fielder Calvin (.271, 11 RBIs, 11 steals) had played baseball in two years, but had a real solid season.” So did junior catcher Marshburn (.318, 13 RBIs) and senior outfielder Austin Rouse (.246, 17 RBIs) each both came through in critical times. “Austin was a big two-out hit guy all year and Shawn was solid behind the plate and contributed greatly to the offense,” Thigpen said.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ED head coach Brandon Thigpen said his team was “in every game but one” it played this season en route to a second-place finish in the ECC. While sophomore shortstop Gavin Holmes led the club in average (.352), extra-base hits (10), walks (14) and stolen bases (17) was clearly the Panthers’ best everyday player, senior first baseman Cain Graham drove in 14 runs and provided help on the mound. So did Murphy, with Holmes being used as the fireman out of the bullpen. He went 3-1 and had two saves. Yet East Duplin’s success was more about the many contributions of its “non-stars.” “We beat teams with more talent and a good team can outplay a talented team,” Thigpen said. “This wasn’t

my most talented team, but what we did working together makes this group one of the best I’ve seen here in 11 years.” Credit Thigpen, an assistant his first two seasons after playing for the Panthers and Methodist University for four seasons, for getting his players to buy into his team-ball concept. That development and the arrival of Kern as a strikeout king helped East Duplin return to its place among the better teams in 2A. Rebels fall to Gators North Duplin had a similar

problem during its first round assignment in the 1A playoffs. Noah Price and Parker Anderson notched the Rebels’ only hits during a 12-0 loss to No. 12 East Columbus, which fell 13-12 to No. 4 East Wake in the second round. The No. 20 Rebels lost their final five games (three to 2A schools) to finish 9-11, as Wesley Holmes (.346), Garris Warren (.298, team-high 20 runs), Noa Quintanilla (.300, 15 RBIs), Hunt Pate (.306) and Noah Price (.293, team-high in innings pitched) all had outstanding springs. The good news is the Rebels graduate only Holmes and Pate.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

obituaries

Gary Thomas Cook June 5, 1956 – May 3, 2025 Gary Thomas Cook, 68, of Warsaw passed away on Saturday, May 3rd in Chapel Hill. A devoted husband, father, grandfather and community servant, Gary leaves behind a legacy of love, service and quiet strength. Gary is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Becky Rivenbark Cook. Together, they built a life rooted in faith, family and dedication. He is also survived by his son, Thomas Cook and wife Jessica of Clinton; daughter, Betsy Cook of Warsaw; and his cherished grandson, Colton Ray Cook, who affectionately knew him as “Papa.” Colton was the apple of his eye, and Gary took great joy in spending time with him, especially attending his ball games. He is also survived by his sister, Jo Ann Barrett; and brother, Jeff Cook and wife Eva. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Ollie Rifton Cook and Gladys Ann Cook. Gary served as a law enforcement officer for 18 years, including four years as Chief of Police, dedicating himself to the safety and well-being of his community. After his career in law enforcement, he transitioned to a maintenance role with Smithfield’s Hog Production, from which he retired. A talented woodworker, Gary spent countless hours in his backyard shop, crafting pieces with skill and care. He was especially proud of his involvement with the Boy Scouts of America. An Eagle Scout himself, he served for many years as a Scoutmaster, mentoring and guiding countless young men—even beyond his own son’s achievement of Eagle Scout. Gary was honored with the prestigious Silver Beaver Award and was a member of the Order of the Arrow, testaments to his lifelong commitment to scouting and youth leadership. Visitation was Monday, May 12th at Community Funeral Home in Warsaw, followed by a funeral service. Burial took place at Devotional Gardens in Warsaw. Gary will be remembered for his dedication to family, his service to others and his unwavering integrity. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Andrew Dixon Jr. March 7, 1932 – May 5, 2025 Mr. Andrew Dixon Jr., age 93, of Rose Hill passed away on Monday, May 5 at The Laurels of Pender in Burgaw. A viewing was held on Monday, May 12 at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill, followed by the funeral service. Burial was at Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia. He leaves to cherish his precious memories his wife, Daisy Batts Dixon of Rose Hill; two sons: Randy Dixon (Debbie) of Wallace and Bryon Dixon (Joyce) of South Carolina; one daughter, Anita Vann (Rick) of Fayetteville; three sisters: Edna Batts of Rose Hill, Mamie Baker of Raleigh and Martha Wells of Wallace; thirteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly.

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Audry (Willaford) Craft

Martha (Blackburn) Hudson

Jonathan Michael Bartlett Sr.

July 2, 1958 – May 8, 2025

May 1, 1936 – May 9, 2025

Oct. 24, 1987 – May 7, 2025

Audry Willaford Craft, age 66, of Wallace left this earthly life for her eternal rest on Thursday, May 8. She was in UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill Audry was born on July 2, 1958, in Onslow County, the daughter of the late Garland and Helen Foy Willaford. Audry was also preceded in death by her son, Dwain Craft; her granddaughter, Courtney Ann Craft; and sister, Patsy Ward. Surviving to cherish her memory is her best friend and husband of 48 years, Jerald Craft of the home; sons, Jerald “Jerry” Craft and wife Alisha of Leland, Kirk Craft of Wallace; grandchildren, Kyleigh Craft, Billy Page Sue-Craft, ElizaBeth Sue-Craft and Audryanna SueCraft; sisters, Peggy Shepard of Charlotte, Barbie Simmons (Sinclair) of Concord and Donna Maready (Rex) of Chinquapin; brother, Douglas Willaford (Phyllis) of Nine Mile Community; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that loved Audry dearly. Audry was a devoted wife to Jerald and a caring mother, grandmother and sister. She enjoyed the simple things in life, but her greatest joy was her family, especially her grandchildren. She was a quiet lady who had a gentle nature with a ‘spark’ when she needed it. She was a diligent homemaker and great cook. With a heart full of love and compassion, Audry saw the good in others. She was a hard worker who started her career at US Marine Corp Base in Camp LeJune as a housekeeper of the housing division. Due to her efficiency, determination and dedication, Audry excelled from the lowest level of housekeeping to the highest level during her 37 years of service. She became maintenance supervisor over the housing division and purchaser of furniture and details for housing on the base. During those years she prepared rooms and housing for many highranking generals and leaders of the United States Military. Audry was a hardworking, dedicated housekeeper and trustworthy employee who shared deep friendships with many during her years at Camp Lejune. Her favorite pastime was reading and spending time with her family. She and her sister Donna were like ‘two peas in a pod’. They enjoyed each other’s company and shopping, especially at Walmart. Audry was a true example of a Proverbs 31 woman who loved God deeply; a woman of strong faith. Treasured memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved Audry and she will be sorely missed. Funeral service was held on Wednesday, May 14, at QuinnMcGowen Funeral Home Wallace Chapel with the Reverend Dan Sellers and the Reverend Jan Fucili officiating. The family received friends at the funeral home in the hour preceding services on Wednesday.

Martha Blackburn Hudson, 89, of Harrells passed from this life to her eternal rest on Friday, May 9. She was born on May 1, 1936 in Sampson County; the daughter of the late Claude Issac Blackburn and Nancy Boone Blackburn. Martha was also preceded in death by her best friend and husband of 67 years, James Thomas Hudson; her son, Thomas Ray Hudson; sisters Joyce Smith, Geneva Atkison, Bell Croom and Dorothy Herring; brothers Amos Blackburn, Wilbert Blackburn, David Lee Blackburn and Harold Blackburn. Surviving to cherish her memory are her devoted children, Linda H. Cole of Harrells, Twylar H. Harvell and friend Andy Burchfield of Harrells, and James Allen Hudson and friend Iris Costin of Maple Hill; grandchildren, Chuck Cole and wife Jennifer, Justin Ray Harvell, Allen Dwayne Hudson and wife Lorie, Jennifer Hernandez, Collin Trey Hudson and Austin Ray Hudson; several great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that loved Martha dearly. Martha was a devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother and sister. She found great joy in the simplest of things, but her greatest joy was family. She was a diligent homemaker and with a joyful spirit she filled her home with love and welcomed all who entered. Martha and Thomas loved to travel throughout the years and take the children to see many different sights in United States. Both Thomas and Martha loved blue grass music and attended many blue grass festivals during the years. Martha was a very talented guitar player. She could play and teach others to play. Martha enjoyed fishing, playing blue grass and spending time with her family. Coming from a family of nine children, she enjoyed the time she spent with her siblings and all her family. Martha was a kindhearted and loving woman who would do anything she could for others. She will surely be missed but treasured memories of her will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. A private graveside funeral service was held at Harrells Cemetery in Harrells with Reverend Sammy Shepard officiating. The family of Martha Hudson would like to thank the staff of The Gardens of Rose Hill and Gentiva Hospice for the compassionate care they gave to Martha and to the family during her illness. You were truly a blessing.

Jonathan Michael Bartlett Sr. passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 7 at Wayne UNC Health Care as a result of an automobile accident following a long-term illness. He was lovingly welcomed into the arms of his Lord and Savior. Jonathan devoted his life to caring for others, working as a rehabilitation technician with RHA Health Services and Caring Heart Case Management. He was a faithful member of Purpose by Design Church, where he found strength and joy in worship. Known for his big heart, Jonathan deeply loved his two sons, Jonathan Michael Bartlett Jr. and Ethan James Bartlett. He especially enjoyed playing basketball with them and creating cherished memories. He loved spending time with his family, particularly grilling with his baby brother, Matthew, and perfecting his secret barbecue sauce. He also treasured fishing trips with his big brother, Andy. Jonathan found joy in music—especially church rap—which reflected his vibrant and spirited personality. Even through his illness, he will be remembered for the exceptional care he gave to his mother. Jonathan is survived by his beloved sons; his mother and stepfather, Margaret Smith Hall and Daniel Kevin Hall; his father, Charles Eugene Bartlett; his brothers, Charles Andrew Bartlett, Matthew Justin Bartlett and wife Kayla; and his grandmother, Pearlie Kidd Smith. He is also survived by his cherished niece and nephews. He was preceded in death by his infant sister, Brittany Nicole Bartlett; his maternal grandfather and a father figure, Robert H. Smith; and his paternal grandparents, Alfred and Betsy Bartlett. A service of love and remembrance was held on Wednesday, May 14 at Tyndall Funeral Home, with Apostle Denise Clarke officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. To honor Jonathan’s memory, the family invited all who attended to wear his favorite color—blue. Jonathan’s legacy of kindness, faith, and devotion to his family will forever live on in the hearts of those who loved him.

Ruth Waters Whitfield May 6, 1934 – May 7, 2025 In the early morning of Wednesday, May 7, Ruth Waters Whitfield departed from our midst and was received in the presence of the Lord. Her passing came as she was loved and cared for at Spring Arbor of Kinston. Whitfield was a native of Duplin County’s White Flash community, being one of the daughters of the late Leslie and Donnie Grady Waters. She graduated from the B. F. Grady High School. Married to Joseph L. “Jay” Whitfield, a service man, she traveled the world with him as his assignments led them to various points. After his retirement, the couple settled in his native community, the Rones Chapel community, just outside of Mount Olive. She was a member of Long Ridge Free Will Baptist Church where the congregation loved her, and of course, she loved them in return. She had worked at duPont Company for a few years, and also at Mount Olive Sportswear, but her main goal in life was to provide love and happiness for her family as she was a consummate homemaker, a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Whitfield leaves behind her three children, Kim Whitfield of Winterville, Toni Edwards of Grimesland, and John Whitfield and wife Valerie of Jamestown; sister, Ava Gray Price of the White Flash community, Mount Olive; five grandchildren, Garland Edwards and wife Ashley, Cody Whitfield, Trey Whitfield and wife Tristin, Kayley Whitfield, and Ashley Ziemer; greatgrandchildren, Kyndall Edwards, Cheyanne Edwards, Bryce Edwards, Caysen Edwards, and Audrey Rose Whitfield; several nieces and nephews; and her church family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph L. “Jay” Whitfield; parents, Leslie and Donnie Grady Waters; brother and sister-in-law, Ernest and Dorothy Waters; and brother-inlaw, L. L. “Bud” Price Jr.. The Whitfield family received friends at Tyndall Funeral Home on Saturday, May 10funeral services following. Officiating was her pastor, the Rev. Kelvin Coates. A private burial completed the service. A special note of acknowledgment is extended to the fine staff of Spring Arbor of Kinston who provided Mrs. Whitfield love, compassion, and care, and a home away from home. They also appreciate the exemplary service of Gentiva Hospice as they brought comfort and peace to her in her waning days.

Jean Cavenaugh Stephens Nov. 7, 1946 – May 6, 2025

Elizabeth Ann Piner Batts May 14, 1943 – May 4, 2025 Elizabeth Ann Piner Batts, age 81, died Sunday, May 4 at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro. She is survived by her sons, Anthony Gene Batts of Reidsville, Timmy Ray Batts of Trinity; sisters, Carolyn Hopkins of Beulaville, Wanda Lanier of South Carolina; brother, J.E. Piner of South Carolina; four grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.

Jean Cavenaugh Stephens, 78, passed away on Tuesday, May 6 in ECU Duplin Hospital, Kenansville. She is preceded in death by her parents, Wilbur and Annie Mae Cavenaugh; son, Jason Stephens; sister, Ruth Brown; and brother, James Cavenaugh. She is survived by her daughter, Beth Cashwell (Glenn) of Warsaw; and grandchildren, Nelson Cashwell, Gina Cashwell, Haley Cashwell, Patrick Stephens, Kayla Jacobs and Mitchell Stephens. Visitation was held Saturday, May 10 at Unity Methodist Church in Warsaw. The family received friends at other times at the Annabeth Cashwell home in Warsaw.

More obituaries on page B6

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

OBITUARIES

Betty Sue DeLuca

James Scott Heath

May 26, 1943 – May 8, 2025

March 31, 1971 – May 7, 2025

Betty Sue Deluca passed away peacefully Thursday May 8 at the age of 81 after a long battle with Alzheimers. She was born in New Bern on May 26, 1943. Visitation was held Tuesday, May 13 at Fellowship Church of God, Rose Hill. A funeral service was held at the church; burial followed the service in Devotional Gardens. Betty was a sweet and gentle spirit. She lived her life each day worshiping God and sharing his word. She is now reaping the pay off of years of spiritual obedience. No more earthly pain and anguish, only peace and harmony of God’s promise to us all. Now she is back with the love of her life “Baby Ray” in the presence of our lord. Betty is survived by her sons, Tony Tucker and wife, Cindy; and Bobby Tucker and wife, Regina; as well as many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Silvio Ray DeLuca; father, Elwood Wetherington; mother, Christine Caton; son, David Tucker; brothers, James Wetherington and Robert Wetherington; sister Virginia Rill; and Horace and Blonnie Mae Byrd, who played a vital role in her life.

James Scott Heath, 54, of Beulaville passed away at his home on May 7. Born on March 31, 1971, in Petersburg, Virginia, he was the son of Elijah and Lynn Heath and a brother to Barbara Heath. Scott was a dedicated machinist and computer programmer who loved listening to music, playing guitar, and watching sports. He was known for his sharp mind, great sense of humor, and his devotion to his faith and his family. If you had a problem, Scott was the one you could count on. Scott shined in moments big and small—like the time his nephew spent two months trying to solve a 2x2 Rubik’s Cube, only for Scott to finish it in ten minutes. His ability to make others laugh while impressing them was just part of his charm. Scott never gave up, no matter the challenge, and he remained the rock of the Heath family. Scott is survived by his loving wife, Jennifer Heath, and his son, Camden Heath, who carry forward his love and memory. He was preceded in death by his son, Branson Scott Heath. He is also survived by his nephews, Bryan Jones (Ami) of Pink Hill and Devin Jones of Beulaville; and great-nephews, Brayden Jones and Kaleb Jones. Funeral service was held Saturday, March 10 followed by visitation at the Community Funeral Home in Beulaville. Graveside Service was held Sunday, May 11 at the KennedyCole Cemetery in Beulaville.

PHOTOS COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE

Mount Olive students recognized for their achievements Jessica Ruiz-Castro (left), a senior majoring in art education at the University of Mount Olive, received the Senior Citizenship Cup award. The award honors individuals who exemplify the spirit of civic responsibility. Catherine Summerlin (right), also a senior at Mount Olive, was awarded the prestigious Psychology Student of the Year title. As a psychology major, Summerlin demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and remarkable clinical proficiency.

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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

The Class of 2025 spirit rock was shining bright in Bulldog blue in front of Albemarle High School on Tuesday afternoon.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years. Overall, the report suggests tariffs haven’t yet impacted prices for many items.

Stanly Schools’ career, technical programs see strong enrollment Local SkillsUSA winners were recognized by the school board By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Stanly County Schools has revealed its annual presentation on the highlights and accomplishments of the school district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) department. At the Stanly County Board of Education meeting May 6, CTE Director Mandy Melton provided an update on the career pathway program that adds up to 67 different course offerings within the county. “A total of 1,518 students — 68.8% of our students — have taken or enrolled in a high school CTE course, filling 3,120 seats,” Melton said. “Also, 671

COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SCHOOLS

Stanly County Schools were well represented at the SkillsUSA North Carolina Games on April 14. students, or 45.9%, have taken a middle school CTE exploration class. In the fall of 2024, students earned 2,563 workplace credentials. That was 75% of our credential potential for that semester.” Additionally, 46 students are participating in the internship

program, while seven students are participating in the preapprenticeship program. As of this past year, SCS has introduced a new program where it advertises CTE by sending every eighth grade student in the county a book explaining the depart-

More than 600 graduate from 49 different programs at SCC “On this joyous day, I hope you are filled with gratitude, humility, and love.” SCC President John Enamait

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Some 760 different credentials were awarded By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Stanly Community College held its graduation ceremonies and commencement events at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center last Thursday night. This year’s graduating class of 603 people completed 760 credentials in 49 programs. Many of them attended the event in person to walk across the stage and receive their credentials as they were cheered on by family and friends, as well as faculty and staff from the college. The SCC Student Honors

Ceremony was held the night prior in the same venue, during which numerous awards and honor cords were handed out by SCC President John Enamait, VP of Student Success Carmen Nunalee and Chief Academic Officer Jeff Parsons. Laura Sides was named the recipient of the Shirley Dennis Outstanding Student Award, given to an individual who has overcome notable obstacles to achieve a high school diploma. The Annie Ruth Kelley Leadership Award, created in 2001 to honor the service and leadership of the first chairperson of the college board of trustees and the first woman to chair a community college board in the state, went to Albemarle High See SCC, page A4

ment, complete with a list of courses offered at their high schools, descriptions of the classes, and pictures and names of instructors. “I think that’s really helping kids go ahead and get a head start of what they like, and that’s awesome,” board member Meghan Almond said. SCS also introduced three new CTE courses during the 2024-25 academic calendar year: Interior Design Studio at Albemarle High School, Electrical Trades II at North Stanly High School and Natural Resources at South Stanley High School. Along with classes and skills competitions, the county’s CTE department has been involved in numerous events for students, including Be Pro Be Proud (BPBP) See SCHOOLS, page A2

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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Parts of rural Stanly should soon STANLY have fiber-powered broadband happening Local and state funds bring service to almost 900 homes By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal SEVERAL RURAL areas of Stanly will soon have drastically improved internet access following groundbreaking ceremony hosted by the Stanly Chamber. Thanks to both state and local funding, Kinetic, the internet branch of local telephone company Windstream, announced the expansion of fiber optic internet services to rural Stanly. Large portions of Millingport and neighborhoods close by located off N.C. Hwy. 73, including Ridenhour, along with rural areas just northwest and southeast of Aquadale, were included in a map provided by Kinetic at Friday’s groundbreaking. Also included in the new plans was a neighborhood off N.C. 24‑27-73 heading towards Montgomery County. Stacy Hale, president of Kinetic’s North Carolina operations, said the orange projects

“It takes partners, county, city and state, to get that done. This is an unprecedented time in our history.” Stacy Hale, Kinetic on the map were “the projects that we’re celebrating today to get started, and we hope they’ll even be more projects in the future.” Hale said the county will receive 78 miles of fiber cable, which could service 873 potential households. “Without the cooperation of the county and state, we would not be able to do this because it’s just cost prohibitive to go out here and start plowing in the middle of nowhere and not have a lot of customers out there,” Hale said. According to Hale, Kinetic put up roughly $912,000 for the project, with the county and the North Carolina Department of Information Technology adding approximately $1 million each.

Hale also added the project will be completed “no later than the fall of 2026. Some of those (projects) will finish before then. … We will turn them up as we go.” Before the meeting, Hale said permitting and burying cable in the ground is very expensive. “It takes partners, county, city and state, to get that done. This is an unprecedented time in our history.” “We’re super excited to be partnering with Windstream and the Department of Information Technology,” county manager Andy Lucas said. “The commissioners have made broadband a priority in the community.” Lucas added, “having internet is critical for our kids and education, and also for health care and telehealth. It’s being able to get online and book a DMV appointment. Albemarle City Council Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall said, “What a blessing to be able to put this cable and fiber in. … We’re glad that you’re still in an Albemarle ZIP code out here providing these services to our citizens.”

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County:

May 15 Pop-up Picnic in the Park Date Night 1-5 p.m. Each pop-up picnic sunset date night for couples is self-guided, allowing you to attend at the time of your choice. All you need is a mobile device and an Internet connection to access your Digital Date Nite Box. Guided activities included are Quality Time with a discount code for food delivery to the park; Acts of Service with custom couple-coupons; Gifts featuring a “Digital Love Jar,” a Couple Games App and more. Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park 8850 Fairview Road Mint Hill

May 16 Color & Connect: Drop In 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Locust Town Council hears details on proposed budget No tax increases are proposed for the next fiscal year By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal THE PROPOSED budget for Locust for the 2025‑26 fiscal year presented at Thursday’s meeting of the Locust City Council will not have a rate increase or increased taxes. City manager Cesar Correa presented the proposed budget to city council members, saying the general fund budget will be approximately $5.1 million.

The wastewater budget comes to $1.5 million, for a total of approximately $6.6 million. Correa’s proposed budget would reduce the city’s tax rate from 36 cents to 29 cents per $100 of valuation, which would be a tax-revenue neutral rate. User fees will remain the same at $41.11 for residential service and $85.05 for commercial. No fund balance appropriation would be needed for next year’s budget, with capital projects paid with cash and no additional debt incurred. The estimated value for property combined from Stanly and Cabarrus counties in

For those who need some relaxing “me” time. Come to the library and enjoy coffee or tea while you get a little creative. Supplies are provided, or feel free to bring your own.

Locust is projected to increase to about $1.1 billion, up from $840 million last year. Correa said the neutral rate accounts for an 8.86% growth based on average valuation since 2021. The presentation updated council members on capital projects, including patrol vehicles purchased for the Locust Police Department, as well as dash and body cameras. The city bought equipment and a vehicle for its public works department, and mowing equipment as well. At the June 12 meeting, the council will have a public hearing regarding the proposed budget.

Main Library 133 E. Main St. Albemarle

Needle Bugs, Knitting and Crocheting 10:30-11:30 a.m. Social group for those who enjoy any type of needlework. Bring your supplies. Norwood Branch Library 207 Pee Dee Avenue Norwood

May 17 Health Fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SCHOOLS from page A1 — a national workforce development initiative focused on technical careers — and Manufacturing Day, where students were able to tour American Racing Headers, Pre-Form Line Products, Stanly Community College, and the NC Farm Bureau Livestock Arena. Melton and the school board began the night by recognizing the county’s SkillsUSA state champions who will be heading to Atlanta on

June 23-27 for the SkillsUSA’s National Leadership and Skills Conference. More than 60 students represented Stanly County Schools at the SkillsUSA North Carolina Games on April 14. West Stanly High School’s Ethan Kesegich (Auto Maintenance and Light Repair), Jaxon Kimrey (Masonry Estimating) and Hadley Herrin (Baking and Pastry) will join the school’s five Quiz Bowl winners: Erin Bigford, Raula Chenuna, Gloris Robert,

Claire Sherrill and Natalie Smith. Jasmine Brown (Firefighting Intermediate) and Michelle Starnes (Poster Design) are Albemarle High School’s two winners, while North Stanly High School’s Henry Smith (Masonry I) was also victorious in his field. The Stanly County School Board will hold its next regular meeting on June 3 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

First Care Medical Clinic, Stanly County NAACP and Stanly County Partners In Health are hosting a health fair with resources from local organizations and agencies, free food, activities and exercises, and a professional panel to answer your questions on health, physical exercise, Medicare and more. E.E. Waddell Community Center 621 Wall St. Albemarle

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

The crisis of radical district judges

Resign and run for office.

THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected President of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against President Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate, and President. President Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of refugees — never mind the humanitarian

or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the Founding Fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As President, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges

no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219213) it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected President and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the President will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | JESSICA WARD AND MATTIAS GUGEL

Why are North Carolina lawmakers copying Illinois’ worst swipe fee policy? Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system.

SOME NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers are eyeing a shiny new idea — straight from the land of broken budgets and busted promises: Illinois. Yes, Illinois, the state famous for fiscal faceplants and legislative landmines. At issue? A proposal to regulate and cap credit card “swipe fees.” Sounds consumer‑friendly, right? Until you dig into what happened in Illinois and how it’s backfiring on the folks lawmakers said they were trying to help. When you cap swipe fees, it doesn’t mean the costs disappear — they just get moved around. And, spoiler alert: They usually land squarely in the laps of small businesses and consumers. That’s what’s happening in Illinois right now. Merchants didn’t magically eat those higher processing costs — they’re passing them right along. The end result? Higher prices at the register and fewer rewards from the credit card in your wallet. Those airline miles and cashback perks sure were nice while they lasted. Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system: fraud protection, technology upgrades and security. Limiting them might sound like a win, until you realize you’re kneecapping the innovation that makes digital payments safe and seamless. If North Carolina chooses this path, don’t

be surprised when card security weakens, customer perks dry up, bank fees increase and the start-up capital that small businesses rely on dwindles. Want to bring back checkbooks, dial-up internet and Blockbuster too? Because capping swipe fees is basically asking for a financial time machine — and not the fun kind. Big retailers love these kinds of regulations. They have armies of lawyers and custom point‑of-sale systems. But mom-and-pop shops across North Carolina? They’re the ones who really suffer. From the pulled pork pits of Lexington to the indie cafés tucked between Blue Ridge boutiques, North Carolina’s backbone is built on small business hustle — not corporate handouts and Chicago-style schemes. Some rely on swipe rewards to manage purchases. And many will have to overhaul their payment systems just to stay compliant. That’s money out the door and time they don’t have. Worse, these businesses won’t get the sweetheart deals big box stores can negotiate. They’ll get squeezed, and some may not survive the pinch. Banks won’t take this lying down. When swipe fees get capped, they’ll make up the difference elsewhere. That “free checking account”? Say goodbye. That nice mobile banking service? Expect fees.

This means higher costs and fewer options for everyday North Carolinians — all so a handful of national retailers can boost their bottom lines. Here’s the kicker: Illinois lawmakers are already scrambling to undo the very policy North Carolina legislators are considering to copy. One of the original backers of the swipe fee ban has introduced legislation to repeal it. Apparently, the economic hangover kicked in faster than expected. When a state with a history of budget blunders realizes it’s made another mistake, maybe — just maybe — it’s not a blueprint worth following. North Carolina prides itself on pragmatic policy and sound fiscal management. Following Illinois down a regulatory rabbit hole doesn’t match that tradition. This swipe fee scheme might sound sweet, but it’s likely to end in regret for North Carolina consumers and small businesses. Lawmakers should think twice before importing Illinois’ mistakes and selling them as solutions. Bless their well-intentioned hearts, but North Carolina taxpayers deserve better. Jessica Ward is senior director of state affairs and mattias gugel is director of state external affairs for the National Taxpayers Union.

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Jovian aurorae captured by Webb Space Telescope The light show is comparable to Earth’s “aurora borealis” By Webb Mission Team NASA NASA’S JAMES WEBB Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. With Webb’s advanced sensitivity, astronomers have studied the phenomena to better understand Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Auroras are created when high-energy particles enter a planet’s atmosphere near its magnetic poles and collide with atoms or molecules of gas. On Earth these are known as the Northern and Southern Lights. Not only are the auroras on Jupiter huge in size, they are also hundreds of times more energetic than those in Earth’s atmosphere. Earth’s auroras are caused by solar storms — when charged particles from the Sun rain down on the upper atmosphere, energize gases, and cause them to glow in shades of red, green and purple. Jupiter has an additional source for its auroras: The strong magnetic field of the gas giant grabs charged particles from its surroundings. This includes not only the charged particles within the solar wind

but also the particles thrown into space by its orbiting moon Io, known for its numerous and large volcanoes. Io’s volcanoes spew particles that escape the moon’s gravity and orbit Jupiter. A barrage of charged particles unleashed by the Sun also reaches the planet. Jupiter’s large and powerful magnetic field captures all of the charged particles and accelerates them to tremendous speeds. These speedy particles slam into the planet’s atmosphere at high energies, which excites the gas and causes it to glow. Now, Webb’s unique capabilities are providing new insights into the auroras on Jupiter. The telescope’s sensitivity allows astronomers to capture fast-varying auroral features. New data was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) Dec. 25, 2023, by a team of scientists led by Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. “What a Christmas present it was — it just blew me away!” shared Nichols. “We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” In particular, the team studied emission from the trihydrogen cation (H3+), which can be created in auroras. They found that this emission is far more

variable than previously believed. The observations will help develop scientists’ understanding of how Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is heated and cooled. The team also uncovered some unexplained observations in their data. “What made these observations even more special is that we also took pictures simultaneously in the ultraviolet with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope,” added Nichols. “Bizarrely, the brightest light observed by Webb had no real counterpart in Hubble’s pictures. This has left us scratching our heads. In order to cause the combination of brightness seen by both Webb and Hubble, we need to have a combination of high quantities of very low-energy particles hitting the atmosphere, which was previously thought to be impossible. We still don’t understand how this happens.” The team now plans to study this discrepancy between the Hubble and Webb data and to explore the wider implications for Jupiter’s atmosphere and space environment. They also intend to follow up this research with more Webb observations, which they can compare with data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to better explore the cause of the enigmatic bright emission. These results were published this week in the journal Nature Communications.

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Left, Observations of Jupiter’s auroras at 3.36 microns (F335M) were captured with the Webb Telescope’s nearinfrared camera on Christmas Day 2023. Right, The location of the observed auroras on Jupiter in a separate image.

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U.S. welcomes 59 ‘Afrikaner’ refugees from South African The State Department says the group faced persecution at home By Martha Lee, Rebecca Santana and Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press DULLES, Virginia — The Trump administration on Monday welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refugees, saying they face discrimination and violence at home, which the country’s government strongly denies. The decision to admit the Afrikaners also has raised questions from refugee advocates about why they were admitted when the Trump administration has suspended efforts to resettle people fleeing war and persecution who have gone through years of vetting. Many in the group from South Africa — including toddlers and other small children, even one walking barefoot in pajamas — held small American flags as two officials welcomed them to the United States in an airport hangar outside Washington. The South Africans were then leaving on other flights to various U.S. destinations. A group of 49 Afrikaners had been expected, but the State De-

SCC from page A1 School student Vincent Gregory. The Edward J. Snyder Jr. Exceptional Scholars Award was given to student commencement speaker Kayleigh Faircloth, who was honored for grade point average and an essay she submitted to the college. “Thank you for nominating

partment said Monday that 59 had arrived. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said. President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Monday that he’s admitting them as refugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “being killed” and he plans to address the issue with South African leadership next week. That characterization has been strongly disputed by South Africa’s government, experts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum, which says farm attacks are not being taken seriously by the government. South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “completely false,” the result of misinformation and an inaccurate view of the country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country. Speaking at a business conference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump recently and told him

his administration had been fed false information by groups who were casting white people as victims because of efforts to right the historical wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apartheid system of forced racial segregation, which oppressed the black majority. “I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s going on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are opposed to transformation back in South Africa is not true,” Ramaphosa said. Afrikaners make up South Africa’s largest white group and were the leaders of the apartheid government, which brutally enforced racial segregation for nearly 50 years before end-

ing it in 1994. While South Africa has been largely successful in reconciling its many races, tensions between some black political parties and some Afrikaner groups have remained. The Trump administration has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes “racially discriminatory property confiscation.” No land has been expropriated. Trump has promoted the allegation that white farmers in South Africa are being killed on a large scale as far back as 2018 during his first term. Conservative commentators have promoted the allegation about a genocide against white farmers, and South African-born Trump ally Elon Musk has post-

ed on social media that some politicians in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.” South Africa has extremely high levels of violent crime, and white farmers have been killed in rural Afrikaner communities. It has been a problem for decades. The government condemns those killings but says they are part of the country’s problems with crime. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans or white Afrikaners in particular who are farmers,” South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday. “White farmers get affected by crime just like any other South Africans who do get affected by crime. So this is not factual, it is without basis. Landau said many of those who arrived Monday experienced “threatening invasions of their homes, their farms and a real lack of interest or success of the government in doing anything about this situation.” They all had met stringent vetting standards, including the ability to assimilate into American culture, Landau said. Critics of the refugee program suggest that refugees aren’t properly vetted, though supporters say they go through some of the strictest vetting of anyone seeking to come to America.

and choosing me for this opportunity to speak to my fellow graduates and community members tonight,” Faircloth said in her speech. “The journey through these past years hasn’t always been easy, but every step of the way it has molded and prepared us for the greater things yet to come.” Throughout the commence-

ment process, SCC honored graduates from a variety of programs and affiliated schools, including health sciences, advanced manufacturing industry and trades, public services, business, technology, university transfer, college and career readiness, Stanly Early College, and Stanly STEM Early College.

The three programs with the highest number of graduates were associate in arts, business administration and early childhood education. In his closing remarks, Enamait said he was proud to call every SCC graduate an alumnus. “On this special day, we are celebrating the wonderful ac-

complishments that these graduates have made over the course of their careers at Stanly Community College,” he said. “To the graduates, may the skills you have developed be the foundation on which you build successful careers and lives. On this joyous day, I hope you are filled with gratitude, humility, and love.”

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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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 6, 2025.

NOTICE 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 6, 2025.

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CITY OF ALBEMARLE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING 300 SOUTH BELL AVENUE ALBEMARLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28001 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice Date: May 14, 2025 No$ce is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held on June 23, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the Authority’s Central Office to solicit public comment on various agency planning documents for the City of Albemarle Department of Public Housing. The plans being reviewed are required to be prepared and presented for public comment by the U. S. Department of HUD under various programs. The Authority is seeking public comment on the following plans: FY2025 – FY2029 Five-Year Agency Plan FY2025 Annual Agency Plan FY2025 – FY2029 Capital Fund Program Five-Year Plan FY2025 Capital Fund Program Annual Statement The above plans will be available for review over the next 45 days at the Authority’s Central Office located at: 300 South Bell Avenue Albemarle, North Carolina 28001 Comments may be submiWed in person at the Public Hearing or in wri$ng to the above address. WriWen comments will be received up to and through the Public Hearing. If you require assistance or reasonable accommoda$on to access the plans, please contact Renae Miller at (704) 984-9585 or by email at rmiller@ci.albemarle.nc.us.

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NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISIONBEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000117-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Co-Executor of the estate of Albert R. Allen, Jr. aka Albert Ralph Allen, Jr., deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Albert R. Allen, Jr. aka Albert Ralph Allen, Jr. to present them to the undersigned on or before August 14, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

Staff, Food Service

This the 14th day of May, 2025

Tutoring Specialist, Academic Support Center

Co-Executor: Dana Jo Hepler aka Dana Allen Hepler 117 Logan Riley Road Thomasville, NC 27360 Co-Executor: Joel Shane Allen PO Box 267 Mt. Gilead, NC 27306

Job descriptions are on our website. Please complete an online application at www.stanly.edu/college-information/employmentopportunities

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000234-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Imogene S. Snuggs aka Imogene Sophia Snuggs, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Imogene S. Snuggs aka Imogene Sophia Snuggs to present them to the undersigned on or before August 14, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 14th day of May, 2025. Executor: Samuel D. Swaringen 604 Lexington Drive Albemarle, NC 28001 Publish: May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2025.

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISIONBEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000196-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Jane Irby Gillespie, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Jane Irby Gillespie to present them to the undersigned on or before August 11, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 14th day of May, 2025. Administrator: Sherrie E. Wood 12448 NC 138 Hwy Norwood, NC 28128 Publish: May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2025.

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) 7973054. 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.

Publish: May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2025

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000257-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Dolores Hart Carter, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Dolores Hart Carter to present them to the undersigned on or before August 14, 2025 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 14th day of May 2025. Executor: Christina M. Vanderburg aka Christina Marie Vanderburg 2207 Carolina Avenue Kannapolis, NC 28083 Publish: May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Email ads@ stanlynewsjournal.com to submit classified ads

NOTICE

Having qualified as Ancillary Administrator of the Estate of Donna L. Brandon, late of Stanly 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 14th 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 14th day of May, 2025. Melissa Brandon Ancillary Administrator of the Estate of Donna L. Brandon Jonathan M. Parisi Attorney at Law Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994 Greensboro, NC 27435 Publish: 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4, 2025

NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF RICHFIELD A Public Hearing for the approval of the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year Budget has been set for May 19 th , 2025, 6:00pm at Richfield Town Hall located at 137 Highway 49, Richfield, NC 28137. Any interested persons are welcome to attend the hearing and make comments. Regular Council Meeting follows at 7:00pm. Any questions contact the Town at 704-463-1308. Publish: May 11, 14, 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

NOTICE NOTICE OF ALBEMARLE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING The Budget Officer of the City of Albemarle has submitted the Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 beginning July 1, 2025, to the City Council and has also filed a copy with the City Clerk in the City Hall for public inspection from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday and at the Stanly County Library. Copies are available for news media in Stanly County. The proposed budget is also available at www.albemarlenc.gov. A public hearing will be conducted by City Council in Council Chambers of City Hall, located at: 144 North Second Street Albemarle, NC 28001 On Monday, June 2, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. All interested parties are invited to attend the hearing. Anyone wishing to speak for or against any items in the proposed budget should plan to attend the hearing. City Council will make any final amendments to the proposed budget after the Public Hearing and adopt the Appropriation Ordinance after the Public Hearing. Christina Brown City Clerk Publish: Wednesday, May 14

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

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Is the Southern accent fixin’ to disappear?

CRIME LOG

It’s fading with younger generations and new transplants moving in

• Joseph Trayvonne Dryden, 46, was arrested for communicating threats. • Quantarius Little, 27, was arrested for assaulting a government official, communicating threats, and littering less than 15 pounds.

By Mike Schneider The Associated Press GROWING UP in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s visits to New York City relatives included being the star of an impromptu novelty show: Her cousin invited over friends and charged 25 cents a pop for them to listen to Levine’s Southern accent. Even though they too grew up in Atlanta, Levine’s two sons, born more than a quarter century after her, never spoke with the accent that is perhaps the most famous regional dialect in the United States, with its elongated vowels and soft “r” sounds. “My accent is nonexistent,” said Ira Levine, her oldest son. “People I work with, and even in school, people didn’t believe I was from Atlanta.” The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the diminishment of the regional accent among black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who grew up in Raleigh. More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation’s three other regions. Linguists don’t believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places. Late 20th-century migration surge affects accents The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 and then dropped off with Gen Xersborn between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century. It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents. In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a generation after the Research Triangle’s establishment, typically don’t talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a pa-

May 6

• Izaac Cole Viars, 25, was arrested for possessing methamphetamine, resisting a public officer, possessing marijuana up to half an ounce, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possessing marijuana paraphernalia. • Anthony Joseph Polk, 43, was arrested for possessing a firearm as a felon. May 7

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro Atlanta residents has changed over several generations.

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

Michelle and Richard Beck, right, stand outside their Atlanta-area home earlier this month. They are Gen Xers who speak with Southern accents, while their Gen Z sons, Dylan and Richard, left, do not. per published in December. Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype. “Young people today, especially the educated young people, they don’t want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown,” said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who co-wrote the Atlanta study. “They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.” Accents change for younger people The Southern dialect among black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the “Reverse Great Migration.” During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and ear-

In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park. ly 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated. Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta. Michelle and Richard Beck, Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it’s missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001. “I think they speak clearer than I do,” Richard Beck, a law enforcement officer, said of his sons. “They don’t sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.” New Orleans “yat” accent diminished Unlike other accents that have changed because of an in-

flux of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class “yat” accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern. The hurricane was a “catastrophic” language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade. The diminishment of the “yat” accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie Carmichael said in a paper published in December. Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent, worries that part of the region’s uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears. “It’s kind of like we’re losing our distinct personality,” she said. Southern identity changing While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because “accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves,” said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies. It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said. “So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South,” Renwick said. “And it’s not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.”

• James Kevin Byrd, 40, was arrested for habitual impaired driving, driving while impaired, driving an unregistered vehicle, operating a vehicle without insurance, and reckless driving with wanton disregard. • Alfonsa Junior Bryant, 40, was arrested for firstdegree trespassing. May 8 • Brett Adam Rupp, 30, was arrested for violating felony probation and failing to register as a sex offender. May 9 • Richard Arnold Vangorder, 53, was arrested for assaulting a female, assault by strangulation, misdemeanor domestic violence, and seconddegree forcible sex offense. May 10 • Christina Marie Ford, 47, was arrested for felony marijuana possession, intent to sell or distribute marijuana, possessing methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances, driving with a revoked license, possessing schedule IV controlled substances, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possessing marijuana paraphernalia. • Nathan Wayne Hollingsworth, 48, was arrested for littering 15 to 500 pounds. May 11 • Justin Wayne Waldroup, 40, was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender, violating felony probation, and possessing methamphetamine. May 12 • Kelli Rae Dunn, 35, was arrested for identity theft and obtaining property by false pretense. • Jordan Terrill Stewart, 19, was arrested for intent to sell or distribute marijuana, carrying a concealed gun, and possessing marijuana paraphernalia.

FORECLOSURE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP000125-830 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Donald Daniel Poling and Ellen Yvonne Poling (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Donald Daniel Poling and Ellen Yvonne Poling) to Cliff Crabtree, Trustee(s), dated April 6, 2000, and recorded in Book No. 0746, at Page 0054 in Stanly 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 Stanly 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 Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 28, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Norwood in the County of Stanly,

North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 4 of LEE’S #3 SUBDIVISION as shown on plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 17 at Page 39, filed in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Stanly County, North Carolina, to which reference is hereby made for a complete description of said lot by metes and bounds. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 8592 Amanda Lane, Norwood, North Carolina. This conveyance Is subject to all rights-ofways, easements, uses, permits, zoning ordinances, restrictions and reservations as may appear of record. For reference see Substitute Trustee’s Deed from Mark T. Aderhold to Conseco Finance Servicing Corp. f/k/a Green Tree Financial Servicing Corporation dated November 17, 1999 and recorded in Book 730, Page 547, Stanly County Registry. For further reference see Deed Book 673, Page 617, Stanly 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 SingleFamily 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: 20560 - 98831

STANLY SPORTS

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

South Stanly’s Braylon Tyson (4) celebrates after reaching base in the Rowdy Rebel Bulls’ playoff game against Eastern Randolph. South Stanly lost 11-2, however, ending its season.

North, West Stanly wins set up county showdown Two home playoff wins for the Comets and Colts pit the teams together in the third round By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal WITH WINS in the second round Friday of the 2A state playoffs, the baseball teams of North and West Stanly are set for a showdown in the third round, which was scheduled for Tuesday night. North Stanly 12, North Surry 0 An eight-run inning for the Comets lifted the hosts to the third round for the second straight season in a lopsided five-inning win. Heath Klingersmith pitched four innings to pick up the win for North (26-1), allow-

ing one hit while walking two and striking out four. Cameron Cooper pitched a scoreless, hitless fifth inning of relief. Zack Lowder put North Stanly on the board with a one‑out RBI single in the bottom of the second to make it 1-0. North Stanly forced two pitching changes from the Greyhounds (16-10) in an eight‑run third inning, sending 12 batters to the plate. The Comets added three runs in the fourth inning for the 10-run rule win. “Our guys were locked in from pitch one tonight,” North Stanly head coach Scott Clemmons said. “Last game we came out and put up eight runs in the first two innings. The focus this week was to score every time we had the opportunity with runners in scoring position. I thought our (at-bats) were very competitive, and

we didn’t give any outs away.” Regarding the matchup with West Stanly, Clemmons said, “We now have to prepare for a very good West Stanly team that is playing well. It should be a great atmosphere.” West Stanly 1, West Davidson 0 For the second straight game, the Colts (20-6) shut out an opponent with another solid pitching performance from the West Stanly staff in the win over the Dragons (17-10). Cooper Crisco pitched six shutout innings to earn the victory for the Colts, scattering four hits while walking four and striking out nine. Logan Faile struck out one batter in the seventh to earn the save. “(It was) top-notch pitching by Cooper and a cold-asice save by Logan,” West Stanly head coach Chad Yow said.

CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

North Stanly’s Noah Carter moves a runner over with a sacrifice bunt in Friday’s home playoff win. Yow also credited “clutch defense” from Ben Mecimore, Drew Hatley and Logan Molatch for the win. The only run in the game came for West Stanly in the bottom of the first. Landon Bailey led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and reached third on a Drew Hatley single. Bailey then scored on a passed ball.

“Top-notch pitching by Cooper and a cold-as-ice save by Logan.” Chad Yow, West Stanly baseball coach

North Stanly softball advanced to third round of playoffs The Comets rallied from a one-run deficit to earn their second straight trip to the third round

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal THREE STANLY softball teams had second-round games Friday night in the 2025 NCHSAA state playoffs. North Stanly 3, Forbush 2 The No. 3-seeded Comets hosted Friday’s 2A second-round softball matchup with No. 14 Forbush in a game decided in the later innings. Trailing by a run midway through the game, the Comets scratched across single runs in the fifth and sixth innings

3

Hits by North Stanly’s Ella Varner in a second-round win over Forbush CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

to advance to the third round with a 3-2 win. Ella Varner had three hits to lead North Stanly, including the game-tying RBI in the bottom of the fifth, which scored Comets starting pitcher Sophia Crist. Makayla Barger drove in Allie Morgan with a hit in the bottom of the sixth for the game-winning RBI. Leah Frick put North on the board in the bottom of the

North Stanly first baseman Makaylah Barger eyes a pitch during the Comets’ playoff game. first with an RBI, but Forbush (20‑8) answered with two runs in the top of the fourth. Crist went the distance on the mound for North (18-6) walking two and striking out seven. The Comets were scheduled to host No. 6 West Stokes (17‑5) on Tuesday night. The Wildcats topped No. 11 West Davidson at home Friday night, 3-1.

Union Academy 10, South Stanly 0 The Rebel Bulls went on the road Friday night and saw the team’s season end in a 10-0 six-inning loss to the top seed in the 1A West, the Union Academy Cardinals (23-1). Avery Wilson earned the win for the Cardinals, not allowing a hit in six innings with

no walks and 10 strikeouts. South Stanly finished fourth in the 1A/2A Yadkin Valley Conference standings this season. McMichael at West Stanly The Colts game scheduled for Friday was rained out and rescheduled for Tuesday, weather permitting.

B2

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Tuckers coach final game for South baseball The Bulls lost at home in the second round of the state playoffs Friday night

South Stanly head coach Terry Tucker hugs his brother Mark Tucker after their loss to Eastern Randolph, ending a long coaching career for the retiring pair.

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal THE SOUTH STANLY baseball season ended Friday night in a second-round playoff loss, bringing to a close the 16-year career of the coaching staff at South. South led early, but the visiting Eastern Randolph Wildcats rallied for six runs in the fourth and scored five runs in the final three innings to earn an 11-2 win. Terry Tucker, coaching in his 16th and final season along with his brother, Mark, and their cousin, Bryan, announced their retirement before the current baseball season.

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

Bryson Marley earned the win for the Wildcats (13-12) going six innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Jarrett Hinson took the loss for South (21-7) giving up four earned runs on three hits with

three walks and five hits in 3.2 innings. “Needless to say, Friday night was not our best performance of the year,” Tucker said. “I really thought we were the better team. But as we know, if you don’t pitch it, hit it and catch

it, it doesn’t matter if you are the better team.” Tucker added Marley’s slower off-speed pitches did not allow the Bulls to “ever adjust to in getting the bats hot. Eastern Randolph was not as bad as we thought from our scouting, a good-hitting team.” Regarding the season, Tucker said, “winning the conference tournament over North Stanly was definitely the highlight of the year in giving them their first loss of the year. Six awesome seniors leave us this year who have made an impact on South Stanly baseball. They are going to do great things in the near future. Those kids made a huge change from last season to this year. They really came together as ‘One Family’. Assistant Coach JP Lisk, who will take over as head coach next

season, “will have some good returners still for the next season.” Tucker said he knew the time would come to put his coaching hat down. “The last 20 years of my life have been very rewarding, to say the least,” Tucker said. “I leave the program, along with my brother Mark and cousin Bryan, in good hands with JP Lisk. We had all decided that when I decided to leave that we’d all leave as well. I thank all the coaches, score booth folks, athletic director and all the administration over the past 17 years here at South for their support.” Tucker added, “Many community people have spent time and money on this program to make it what it is today. Finally, my family has been instrumental in me being able to do what I do. My wife has supported me in many ways, and the kids have always been there to support us in what we do.”

Pfeiffer enters 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament red hot The Falcons have won 23 consecutive matchups By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — On the heels of its third-straight USA South Tournament Title victory, the Pfeiffer University softball team is set for the first round of the 62-team 2025 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament this week. The Falcons (35-7) are the No. 2 seed for the Salisbury Regional in Salisbury, Maryland, and will face off in Regionals with the No. 3 Mount Union Purple Raiders (27-12) on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The two teams have never competed against each oth-

COURTESY PFEIFFER ATHLETICS

er and share no common opponents this season. Pfeiffer, ranked 20th in the country in the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Top 25 Coaches Poll for NCAA Division III schools, is riding a 23-game winning streak, while Mount Union earned the Ohio Athletic Conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament for their accomplishments in their conference tournament.

Pfeiffer softball poses for a team photo after winning the USA South Tournament last week — the third straight conference title for the Falcons.

Mount Union is now 6-1 in its last seven contests, moving well beyond a rough early-season stretch of games back in March where the team piled up seven losses in a short time period. Following the Game 1 matchup between the Falcons and Purple Raiders, the winner will square off on Friday at 11 a.m., with the winner of No. 1 Salisbury/No. 4 Westminster (PA); either Rowan, Cortland, Tufts,

or Rensselaer will still be alive to face Pfeiffer on Sunday at 11 a.m. should the Falcons make it past their first two opponents. Along with Pfeiffer coach Monte Sherrill, who captured his fourth straight USA South Coach of the Year award, numerous Falcons have been awarded for their efforts this season. Senior pitcher and infielder Emma Bullin is the USA South Pitcher of the Year, while sophomore outfielder Landry Stewart was named the conference’s overall Player of the Year. Additionally, senior infielder Gracie Griffin was honored with a All-USA South first team berth and sophomore shortstop Ky Perdue and junior outfielder Charly Cooper took home All‑USA South second team honors.

The 2025 Pfeiffer Falcons team went undefeated (18-0) against USA South opponents this season, marking an improvement even over last season’s successful Falcons squad (25-4, 16-2 conference). The 2024 Falcons suffered a 9-4 loss to Ramapo in the first matchup of the NCAA Regional last May, sending Pfeiffer down the path of elimination games as the team went 2-1 in those three contests. At this point, any loss by the Falcons would be the team’s first defeat since a 6-4 road loss to Christopher Newport back on March 15. As the 2025 NCAA Tournament progresses, Super Regionals are scheduled for May 22‑23 and Finals are scheduled for May 29 to June 4.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT NFL

Saints QB Carr retiring due to “degenerative changes” in shoulder New Orleans The New Orleans Saints say veteran quarterback Derek Carr has decided to retire because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff. The 34-year-old Carr has played for 11 pro seasons. Carr was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while also struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Denny Hamlin (11) holds onto the lead during an April’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Bristol, Tennessee.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FCS teams could be allowed to play 12 regular-season games every year Indianapolis FCS teams would be allowed to play 12 regular‑season games every year under a Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee recommendation. The NCAA announced the one-game extension would go into effect in 2026 if the Division I Council gives its approval during its June 24-25 meeting. Current legislation permits 12 regular-season games in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November. In all other years, only 11 regular-season contests are permitted.

MLB

Astros’ McCullers receives threats directed at children after tough start Houston Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online death threats directed at his children after his tough start against the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers, who was making just his second start since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, allowed seven runs while getting just one out in Houston’s 13-9 loss on Saturday night. Afterward, McCullers said he had received the threats on social media and that people had threatened to “stab my kids.” The Astros said that the Houston Police Department and MLB security had been alerted to the threats.

NHL

Smith scores with 0.4 seconds left, Golden Knights stun Oilers Edmonton, Alberta Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left to give the Vegas Golden Knights a stunning 4-3 victory in Saturday’s Game 3. It was officially the third latest third-period winning goal in playoff history, at least since the NHL added decimals to the final minute. Nazem Kadri had one with 0.1 seconds left for Colorado in 2020, and Jussi Jokinen scored with 0.2 remaining for Carolina in 2009.

Judges may toss order allowing 23XI, Front Row to race as chartered status The teams are currently able to race while suing NASCAR By Mike Barber The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — A three-judge federal appellate panel indicated it might overturn an injunction that allows 23XI Racing, co-owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and veteran driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports to race as chartered teams in NASCAR this season while the two teams sue the stock car series over alleged antitrust violations. NASCAR attorney Chris Yates argued the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners, and that it harms other teams because they earn less money. Yates said the district court broke precedent by granting the injunction, saying the “release” clause in the charter contracts forbidding the teams from suing is “common.” He

argued, essentially, that the teams should not have the benefits of the charter system they are suing to overturn. Overturning the injunction would leave the two organizations able to race but without any of the perks of being chartered, including guaranteed weekly revenue. They would also have to qualify at every Cup Series event to make the field, which currently has only four open spots each week; 23XI and Front Row are each running three cars in Cup this season. Judges Steven Agee, Paul Niemeyer and Stephanie Thacker at multiple points during the 50-minute hearing pushed back on the argument made by plaintiff’s attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who accused NASCAR of being a monopoly. “There’s no other place to compete,” Kessler told the judges, later noting that overturning the injunction would cause tremendous damage to the two teams, which could lose drivers and sponsors. “It will cause havoc to overturn this injunction in the middle of the season.” The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on

Oct. 2, arguing that the series bullied teams into signing new charters that make it difficult to compete financially. That came after two years of failed negotiations on new charter agreements, which is NASCAR’s equivalent of franchise deals. 23XI — co-owned by Jordan, Hamlin and Curtis Polk, a longtime Jordan business partner — and Front Row Motorsports, were the only two out of 15 charter-holding teams that refused to sign new agreements in September. The charters, which teams originally signed before the 2016 season, have twice been extended. The most recent extension runs until 2031, matching the current media rights deal. It guarantees that 36 of the 40 available spots in weekly races will go to teams holding charters. The judges expressed agreement with Yates’s argument that the district court had erred in issuing the injunction allowing the teams to race, because it mandated they sign the NASCAR charter but eliminated the contract’s release. “It seems you want to have your cake and eat it, too,” Niemeyer told Kessler.

At another point, the judge pointedly told Kessler that if the teams want to race, they should sign the charter. Yates contended that forcing an unwanted relationship between NASCAR and the two teams “harms NASCAR and other racing teams.” He said that more chartered teams would earn more money if not for the injunction and noted that the two teams are being “given the benefits of a contract they rejected.” Kessler argued that even if the district court’s reasoning was flawed, other evidence should lead the circuit court to uphold the injunction. Niemayer disagreed. “The court wanted you to be able to race but without a contract,” he said. A trial date is set for December and Agee strongly urged the sides to meet for mediation — previously ordered by a lower court — to attempt to resolve the dispute over the injunction. “It’ll be a very interesting trial,” Agee said with a wry smile. The prospect of successful mediation seems unlikely. Yates told the judges: “We’re not going to rewrite the charter.”

NCAA decision could alter junior hockey, NHL talent pipelines Canadian Hockey League players are now allowed to compete in the NCAA By John Wawrow The Associated Press BOSTON UNIVERSITY sophomore Aiden Celebrini has no regrets over the decision he reached at 16 to maintain his college eligibility by skipping a chance to play for the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades. And it makes no difference that college hockey wasn’t on his radar growing up in North Vancouver and regularly attending WHL games with his younger brother Macklin, the NHL’s Draft’s No. 1 pick last summer. “We didn’t know much about college hockey,” Celebrini said. “Going to Vancouver Giants games, that was always kind of our dream to play in the WHL and then eventually play in the NHL.” It’s a dream Macklin has already achieved in completing his rookie season with the San Jose Sharks and after one year at BU. Aiden could well follow after being drafted by his hometown Canucks in 2023. Last fall, the NCAA made a landmark eligibility deci-

sion to allow Canadian Hockey League players to compete at the college level. The ruling frees today’s players from the either-or choice the Celebrinis faced to either join the CHL team that drafted them or preserve their college eligibility as they did by playing at the Canadian Junior A or USHL levels — Aiden in Alberta and Macklin in Chicago. “I’m kind of jealous,” Aiden Celebrini said. “I think it’s awesome that guys can experience both now because I think the WHL is a top league, and obviously the NCAA is also. It’s great to have that kind of pipeline now.” While players will benefit most, the NCAA ruling has the potential to dramatically tilt North America’s junior hockey developmental landscape toward U.S. colleges in a fundamental altering of how prospects reach the NHL. The route for many has traditionally run through the CHL’s three leagues, the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. The CHL remains the clear leader in having 839 players drafted from 2015-24, with the NCAA’s 74 a distant seventh. And yet, of those 74 college players, 63 were chosen in the first round, including two Canadians selected first over-

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Members of Western Michigan celebrate after defeating Boston University in the championship game of the NCAA Frozen Four. all (Celebrini and Michigan’s Owen Power in 2021). The 16-team USHL says it has produced more NHL draft picks (197) over the past four years than each of the CHL’s individual leagues, led by the OHL (166), the WHL (155) and QMJHL (89). Meanwhile, college hockey players now make up about a third of NHL rosters, up from 20% in 2000, with Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf envisioning that number growing. “I don’t think it’s that complicated. There’ll be an increasing number of NHLers that come from college,” Metcalf said. ”(The CHL and USHL) will feed players up into college hockey. And college hockey will feed the players up to the NHL.” A big concern is the NCAA’s change in eligibility rules leading to Canadians potentially displacing Americans on college rosters. USA Hockey exec-

utive director Pat Kelleher said he’d like to see the U.S. Congress cap the number of international players on college teams. Currently, NHL teams retain the draft rights to players for 30 days after they leave college. By comparison, teams hold CHL players’ right for two seasons after being drafted. One benefit NHL teams have in drafting college players is, once signed, those players can be sent directly to the minors. CHL players must be returned to their CHL teams until their eligibility expires. “The NCAA made whatever decision, and we’re all going to have to adjust,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We’re going to have to talk to the union and understand how we think it works based on the current rule and what maybe we need to modify to be reflective of the way we think things would flow best.”

B4

HoraceJean Keith Barbara Furr (Taylor) Drye

Dec. 25, 1933 – May14, 9, 2023 2025 April 17, 1936 ~ January Horace Keith Furr, 91, 86, Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, of Albemarle passed away of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, peacefully on Friday, May January 14, 2023 at her home. 9, 2025, at Trinity Place, Barbara was born April 17, 1936 surrounded by his loving family. in North Carolina to the late Robert The family will receive friends Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Watts Taylor. from 1 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. at She was also preceded in death Stanly Funeral and Cremation by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Care in Albemarle. A funeral Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee service, officiated by Pastor Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Drew Edmiston, will follow at 2 Taylor. p.m. in the Stanly Funeral Home Survivors include children, Chapel. Burial will take place at Debbie (Mike) Williams of Stanly Gardens of Memory. Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry Born in Stanly County on of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) December 25, 1933, Horace Drye of the Oakboro; was son ofgrandchildren, the late Allen and Melissa (Don) Albemarle, Carrie Furr.Parrish He wasofpreceded in Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Margie death by his beloved wife, Oakboro, Smith Oakboro, Furr, inBradley 2019, and by of siblings Jonathan of Peachland, andand WayneStover Furr, Helen Hathcock Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterBrenda Hill. in-law,Horace Beatrice many isGoodman; survived by his nieces and nephews; and her beloved sons, Tony Furr (Peggy) of cats, Bo and Garfield. Albemarle, Perry Furr (Mison) Barbara was a member of Furr of of Albemarle, and Gene Oakboro Baptist Church for overhis Albemarle. Also cherishing 60 memory years. Sheare worked over 30 years his grandchildren, at Stanly Knitting Mills.Justin AfterFurr just Allen Furr (Jenny), two(Katie), years ofYunmi retirement, she began Furr and Lora managing thegreat-grandchildren Oakboro Senior Furr, and Center and did that for 18 years Addison, Emerson, Eli, Landon, until this past week.and Barbara was Chase, Brooke Kai. He is also known for her cooking and Furr survived bygood brothers Calvin always takingand careBoyd of others. She also (Wanda) Furr (Vickie), loved going on day long shopping and sisters Ruby Rummage trips - she could walk and out (Robert) andout Evola Thompson shop people half her age. She kept (Wayland). her mind and body throughby Horace lived active a life defined gardening, wordfaith searches, and He dedication, and family. various other hobbies. was known for his strong work

ethic, beginning his career in milk delivery and later retiring from Custom Doors. He also served faithfully as a volunteer fireman with the Eastside Volunteer Fire Department. A longtime member of Anderson Grove Baptist Church, Horace served as a deacon when his health allowed, contributing meaningfully to his church community. A devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Horace will be remembered for his kindness, his sense of duty and the love he gave to all who knew him. The Furr family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff of Tillery Compassionate Care and Trinity Place for their attentive and loving care during Horace’s declining health. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Anderson Grove Baptist Church, 2225 E. Main Street, Albemarle, NC 28001. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is honored to serve the Furr family.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

7

obituaries obituaries

GroverFarmer Wayne Dwight Mauldin

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023 July 21, 1943 – May 9, 2025 Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 81, 83, Grover Wayne Mauldin, ofof Norwood died Sunday morning, New London, passed away January 15, 2023 at home Forreston Oakes. peacefully at his Friday, Dwight was born January 24, May 9, 2025, surrounded by his 1939 in Stanly loving family.County to the late Walter Virgil andwill Martha Adkins The family receive friends Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, offrom Norwood High and was 6 to 8 p.m.School at Stanly a United States Army Veteran. Funeral and Cremation Care in HeAlbemarle. was a member of Cedar Grovewill A funeral service United Methodist Church where he be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, had served as church treasurer and May 15, 2025, at Albemarle First choir member.Burial He began his career Assembly. will follow at with theLondon Stanly County Sheriff’s New Cemetery. Department moving to the Born July 21, 1943, inNorwood Stanly Police Department andthe retiring as County, Wayne was son of Chief Police with Town of the of late Pearl andthe Ethel Mauldin. Norwood after many years of service. A devoted husband, father, Dwight was an gardener, grandfather andavid friend, Wayne bird watcher fan. was knownand for Carolina his humility, He is survived by his wife strength of character andHilda Whitley Farmer; oneethic. son D.He Britten unwavering work was Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, a devout Christian and lived NC; hisone lifedaughter as a quietSharon leaderFarmer and Lowe (David) of He Norwood; one wit peacemaker. had a quick sister Dennis ofalways Troy; two andGeraldine a generous heart, grandchildren, “Dee” ready to lendDwight a handBritten to those in Farmer need.III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe. He is lovingly survived by his son, Rodney Mauldin (Tammy) He was preceded in death by of and his daughter, hisNew son London, Alex, brothers, Tommy and Amy Napier of Myrtle Jimmy, sisters, (Charles) Nancy, Cornelia Beach, SC. He also leaves behind Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. his cherished grandchildren, Memorials may be made to Cedar Avery Mauldin and Seth Mauldin; Grove United Methodist Church, his sisters, Lois Almond Cemetery or Choir Fund c/oand Pam Marie Thompson (Bobby); and Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs many extended family members Road, Norwood, NC 28128. and friends who will miss him deeply. Wayne was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carolyn Louise Mauldin, who passed in 2011; his brothers, Alvin Mauldin and William Mauldin; and his sister, Shelby Jean Mauldin. The Mauldin family wishes to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the compassionate staff of Tillery Compassionate Care for their dedicated care and support during Wayne’s declining health. Arrangements are entrusted to Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

JoanRoseboro Herlet James Woodard

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

March 27, 1941 – May 3, 2025 James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, Joan Herlet Woodard, 84, January 10,of 2023 at Anson Health formerly Stanfield, NC, passed and Rehab. away peacefully Saturday, May 3, Mr. Roseboro was born on 2025, at The Haven in Highland June 23, 1967 to the late Robert Creek Memory Care Facility in and Delena Shipp Charlotte, NC. Roseboro. He graduated from South Born on March 27,Stanly 1941, in High School and wasYork, employed Jamestown, New Joan by was Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching the daughter of the late Howard football and basketball, especially and Mildred Herlet. Joan was athe Carolina TarHeelsofand Miami. 1958 graduate Jamestown In addition his parents he is High School,tofinishing eleventh preceded in death byage his brothers in her class at the of 17. After and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, graduation, she briefly worked Dorothy Brown, Verna at Falconer Glass. AtRoseboro, age 18, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Sr. Joan married Alan Woodard Roseboro. of Stockton, NY. Together, they He is survived by his sisters: raised three children, Alan Jr., Helen (James) Edwards Michael and Roseboro Denise. Marriage ofand Albemarle, Marythe Roseboro family were pride of ofJoan’s Washington life. DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; Over the years, thebrothers: family Thomas Roseboro Charlotte, enjoyedD.golfing andofbowling Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of together. They also enjoyed Norwood, and Vanblueberry Horne; a special her homemade pie, friend of over 40 years, Michelle with the berries being picked McLendon of the home; special from Alan’s garden. Joan and nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Alan were active for several Little, Laquanza special yearsand later in life atCrump; the Kiantone Congregational Church in nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Kiantone,and NY.Marcus In October Roseboro, Lilly;2020, and Joan and Alan relocated to and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; Stanfield, NC,Vetrella to live with theirand special friends, Johnson son, Michael. Ben McLendon.

In her roles as wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother, Joan showed kind, loving and sincere devotion, and she will be greatly missed. Joan is lovingly survived by her husband, Alan of 65 years; her children, Alan Jr.(Beth) of Oak Ridge, NC, Michael (Susan) of Stanfield, NC and Denise Pribis(Barry) of Wade, NC; Her grandchildren: Ryan Woodard(Kelsey),Nick Woodard(Kayla), Alex Woodard(Kathy), Kelly Woodard, Emily Woodard, Joshua Pribis(Cailey) and Cameron Pribis, her great-grandchildren, Maxwell, Walter, Harrison, Oliver, Madison, Colten and Graham. She is also7,survived by her sisterJanuary 1973 ~ January 8, in-law, Debbie2023 Brownell, and niece, Meredith Herlet. Joan was preceded in death by her age brother, Darrick Vashon Baldwin, 50, Ronald Herlet. entered eternal rest, Sunday, January A memorial service be 8, 2023, Albemarle, Northwill Carolina. heldJanuary on Sunday, June 1, at 3 Born 7, 1973, in Stanly p.m. atNorth St. Martin’s Lutheran County, Carolina, Darrick was Church, 16592James St. Martin Road, the son of Eddie Baldwin Sr. Albemarle, NC 28001. A second and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. one will be held onalways Sunday, Darrick enjoyed life, kept July 6, at 3and p.m. at Kiantone things lively enjoyed making Congregational Church,is646 others smile. His presence no Kiantone NY, longer in ourRoad, midst,Jamestown, but his memory 14701. will forever live in our hearts. Inwas lieueducated of flowers, theStanly family He in the kindlypublic requests donations County schools and attended be madeSenior to anyHigh hospice care Albemarle School, organization of your choice. Albemarle. Arrangements are entrusted He was a great conversationalist to Stanly Funeral and and loved meeting people.Cremation Darrick Caremet of Locust, NC. never a stranger and always

Darrick Baldwin

showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky. He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

Brenda Ann John B. Kluttz March Myers 23, 1935 - January 9,

2023 Sept. 25, 1949 – May 5, 2025

Judy Swanner Doris Jones Holt Coleman

April 1948 – October 11,26, 1944 - January 10, April 24, 2025 2023

John grew up in the Millingport Brenda Ann Myers of Richfield, community where he drove a school NC, passed away on May 5, 2025, Mrs. Judy Swanner Holt, Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, bus and worked at the age of 75. at the local gas age 76,home of 1229 Poplar Street, on went into God’ s presence station during hison High School years. She was born September Albemarle, passed away January 10NC, after a sudden illness and He 1949, graduated from Millingport 25, in Alamance County to peacefully on Thursday, April a valiant week-long fight in ICU. High inPaul 1954and andDorothy entered (Dot) into the late 24th, 2025, atborn her home with her Doris was on October 11, service with the US Airforce Younger. family by her mountains side. 1944, in the of Marion, immediately afterward. Brenda was a studentUpon at Born April Mrs. NC while her26th, father1948, was away return from the service, he and Mecklenburg High School. She his Holt was the daughter ofduring the late fighting in the US Navy high school were worked as asweetheart retail clerk.Julie She loved George Arnold Swanner and thewas World War II. Raymond Jones married in 1956. graduated puzzle books andHe walks on the from late DesdytoLee Smith Swanner. so proud return after the war Nashville Auto Diesel College later in In addition to her parents, she and beach, collecting seashells. meet his little girl! Doris grew up in 1959 and began his career as ashe diesel was In addition to her parents, preceded in death by a sister, Durham, NC and graduated from mechanic atinMitchell Distributing is preceded death by her sister, Wanda Hilliard. Durham High School. She furthered Company, moving his growing Glenda Upright. Mrs. Holt at was a retired her studies Watts Hospital family where they lived employee Left to to Charlotte cherish her memory of Lowe’sinofDurham Albemarle. School of Nursing and until their retirement. are her husband, B.T. Myers of She was a devoted wife, mother, graduated as a Registered Nurse in When John purchased his(JR) first Richfield; daughters Tammy sister, and friend to many. 1966. ModelofANew FordLondon, at the age of 17, he Webb and Wanda SheDoris lovedmarried cooking,Rev. gardening, Dr. Ted said thatHouck he tookofthe car to the (James) Hornbeck, antiquing, spending time with Coleman in 1966 and had twoher community when LA; stepsonsmechanic Chris Myers of he had cat Miggy, and was known for her daughters Amy and Laura. Doris a small problem.The mechanic told Spencer, and Chris (Teresa) collection of all things, chicken. raised Amy and Laura in North him that if he was going to keep Myers of Salisbury; as well as the She is survived by her beloved Augusta, SC. car, he needed to learn to work on 11 grandchildren and 22 greathusband of 43 years, Billy Holt Doris was an incredible neonatal it. This is when John’s passion for grandchildren. ofintensive Albemarle, NC; onefor daughter, care nurse most of her Model A Fords began and how he Visitation will be from 1-2 Leigh Holt Taylor (Mark) of China career, and this was her passion. spenton hisMay happiest daysatwith his best Grove, p.m. 13, 2025, Rowan NC; oneChronicle son, Michael The Augusta did friends from around globe for the Mauldin of Albemarle, NC; a feature Memorial Park, 4125the Franklin on her in 1985. She was a clinical rest of his life! Road, Salisbury, NC Comm Center one sister, Joyce Swanner of nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia At age 50, after years as a Detroit 28144. Service will follow at 2 p.m. Albemarle, NC, and many nieces at University Hospital NICU and Diesel Mechanic andserves Julie the Lyerly Funeral he Home and nephews. worked there for 20 years. During decided to take the plunge and Myers family. In lieu of flowers, memorials or this time, Doris mentored young open a full Model A Restoration donations can be made to: Trellis nurses and assisted in saving the Shop. They thrived at their shop in Supportive Care Foundation, lives of so many babies. She also Cornelius, NC until their retirement 101 Hospice Ln, Winston-Salem, worked for Pediatrician Dr. William in 1998 when they moved back to NC 27103 or The Stanly County A. Wilkes in Augusta for several Cabarrus County. John once again Humane Society, 2049 Badin Rd, years prior to her NICU career. Doris set up shop in his back yard garage Albemarle, NC 28001, or another retired from the mother/baby area at where he attracted a loyal group of charity of the donor’s choice. Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 friends who visited almost daily. years of nursing. While on the farm in Gold Hill, Doris was a gentle and sweet John also began a lifelong love with spirit and loved her Lord. She never Alis Chalmers tractors after he met a stranger, and she always left restored his Dad’s tractor and began you feeling uplifted after talking amassing his collection of tractors with her. She would often claim that as well. she had “adopted” friends into her John restored many cars of immediate family, and honestly, she his own and had the crowning never made a distinction between achievement of winning the most the two. Positivity radiated from her prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her top points. He was also presented lifetime she was an active member with the Ken Brady Service Award of First Baptist Church of Durham, the highest award given to members First Baptist Church of Augusta, at the national level. Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church This is what John’s Model A in Augusta, and Palestine United Community had to say upon Methodist Church in Albemarle. learning of his death: She especially loved helping at He was an active member of church with older adults, youth, and Wesley Chapel Methodist Church children. where he loved serving as greeter on She was especially talented Sunday mornings. He also belonged at sewing from a young age and to the United Methodist Men. made gifts for friends, Christmas John is survived by his wife ornaments, Halloween Costumes, Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom of the home. He is also survived Celebrate the life of dresses, your coats, loved ones. tote bags, scarves, by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) outfits for Amy and Laura, and of Oakboro, NC; twoobituaries daughters, Submit and death notices Christening gowns for each of her Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and for StanlyCO; Newsgrandchildren. Journal to Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, Doris was preceded in death by three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz her father Arthur Raymond Jones, obits@northstatejournal.com Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC her mother Mary Ellen Cameron John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) Jones, and her sister Maryanne of Asheville, NC and Seth William Jones Brantley. McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; Survivors include her two five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, precious daughters: Amy Cameron Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Ronan. John is also preceded in Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; and loving group of brothers and seven grandchildren: Cameron sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Fowler Kluttz. Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

B5

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dead at 103 She returned to live in Berlin, speaking publicly about her experiences By Geir Moulson The Associated Press

CHARLES TASNADI / AP PHOTO

President George H.W. Bush talks with Supreme Court nominee Judge David Souter in the Oval Office of the White House in Sept. 1990.

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dead at 85 The GOP nominee became a favorite of Democrats By Mark Sherman The Associated Press RETIRED SUPREME Court Justice David H. Souter, the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench, has died. He was 85. Souter died Thursday at his home in New Hampshire, the court said in a statement Friday. He retired from the court in June 2009, giving President Barack Obama his first Supreme Court vacancy to fill. Obama, a Democrat, chose Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina justice. Souter was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush in 1990. He was a reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts. Souter also dissented from the decision in Bush v. Gore in 2000, which effectively handed the presidency to George W. Bush, the son of the man who put him on the high court. While liberals were delighted with a justice they initially feared, conservatives turned Souter’s appointment into a rallying cry, “No more Souters,” that fueled their successful drive to move the court more firmly to the right. In retirement, Souter warned that ignorance of how government works could undermine American democracy. “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough ... some one person will come forward and say, ‘Give me total power and I will solve this problem.’ That is how the Roman republic fell,” Souter said in a 2012 interview. His lifestyle was spare — yogurt and an apple, consumed at his desk, was a typical lunch — and he shunned Washington’s social scene. He couldn’t wait to leave town in early summer. As soon as the court finished its work in late June, he climbed into his Volkswagen Jetta for the drive back to the worn farmhouse where his family moved when he was 11. Yet for all his reserve, Souter was beloved by colleagues, court employees and friends. He was a noted storyteller and generous with his time. “Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. Souter continued hearing cases on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for more than a decade after he left the high court, Roberts said. Sotomayor recalled the kindness of the man she succeeded on the Supreme Court. “When I arrived at the court, no one was more welcoming to me than David,” she said in a statement. “After his retire-

JIM COLE / AP PHOTO

U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter smiles after speaking during a dedication ceremony at the State Supreme Courthouse in Concord, New Hampshire, in July 2008. ment, he periodically sent me notes, which I will forever treasure for their insightfulness and beautiful turns of phrase.” When Bush plucked Souter from obscurity in 1990, liberal interest groups feared he would be the vote that would undo the court’s Roe v. Wade ruling in favor of abortion rights. He was called a stealth nominee by some. Bush White House aide John Sununu, the former conservative governor of New Hampshire, hailed his choice as a “home run.” And early in his time in Washington, Souter was called a moderate conservative. But he soon joined in a ruling reaffirming women’s right to an abortion, a decision from 1992 that is his most noted work on the court. Thirty years later, a more conservative court overturned that decision and the constitutional right to abortion. Souter asked precise questions during argument sessions, sometimes with a fierceness that belied his low-key manner. “He had an unerring knack of finding the weakest link in your argument,” veteran Supreme Court advocate Carter Phillips said. Souter was history’s 105th Supreme Court justice and only its sixth bachelor. Although hailed by The Washington Post as the capital city’s most prominently eligible single man when he moved from New Hampshire, Souter resolutely resisted the social whirl. “I wasn’t that kind of person before I moved to Washington, and, at this age, I don’t see any reason to change,” the intensely private Souter told an acquaintance. He worked seven days a week through most of the court’s term from October to early summer, staying at his Supreme Court office for more than 12 hours a day. He said he underwent an annual “intellectual lobotomy” at the start of each term because he had so little time to read for pleasure. Souter rented an apartment a few miles from the court and jogged alone at Fort McNair, an Army installation near his apartment building. He was once mugged while on a run, an apparently random act. Souter returned to his wellworn house in Weare, New

Hampshire, for a few months each summer and was given the use of an office in a Concord courthouse. An avid hiker, Souter spent much of his time away from work trekking through the New Hampshire mountains. When Souter in 2005 joined an unpopular 5-4 decision on eminent domain allowing a Connecticut city to take several waterfront homes for a private development, a group angered by the decision tried to use it to evict him from his Weare farmhouse to make way for the “Lost Liberty Hotel.” But Weare residents rejected the proposal. Shortly after his retirement, Souter bought a 3,500-squarefoot Cape Cod-style home in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. It was reported, though perhaps it was just part of Souter’s lore, that he worried that the foundation of the house in Weare would give way under the weight of all the books he owned. Souter had been a federal appellate judge for just over four months when picked for the high court. He had heard but one case as a federal judge, and as a state judge previously had little chance to rule on constitutional issues. Though liberals were initially wary of his appointment, it was political conservatives who felt betrayed when, in two 1992 rulings, Souter helped forge a moderate-liberal coalition that reaffirmed the constitutional right of abortion and the court’s longtime ban on officially sponsored prayers in public schools. Yet as Souter biographer Tinsley Yarbrough noted, the justice did not take “extreme positions.” Indeed, in June 2008, Souter sided with Exxon Mobil Corp. and broke with his liberal colleagues in slashing the punitive damages the company owed Alaskan victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Before serving as a New Hampshire judge, Souter was his state’s attorney general for two years. He worked on the attorney general’s staff for the previous eight years, after a brief stint in private practice. Souter earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University, and a master’s degree from Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.

BERLIN — Margot Fried­ länder, a German Jew who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp and became a high-profile witness to Nazi persecution in her final years, died Friday. She was 103. Her death was announced by the Margot Friedländer Foundation in Berlin on its website. Details about where she died, as well as the cause of death, were not immediately made public. She died the week of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II. After spending much of her life in the United States, Friedländer returned to live in the German capital in her 80s. She was honored with Germany’s highest decoration and with a statue at Berlin’s City Hall. “What I do gives me my strength and probably also my energy, because I speak for those who can no longer speak,” Friedländer said at an event at Berlin’s Jewish Museum in 2018. “I would like to say that I don’t just speak for the 6 million Jews who were killed, but for all the people who were killed — innocent people,” she said. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences in a statement, saying she gave Germany reconciliation despite the horrors she went through here in her life. Steinmeier said the country cannot be grateful enough for her gift. A report released last month said more than 200,000 Jewish survivors are still alive but 70% of them will be gone within the next 10 years. “We’re Germans” Friedländer was born Margot Bendheim on Nov. 5, 1921. Her father, Artur Bendheim, owned a shop in Berlin. He had fought for Germany and had been decorated in World War I. Friedländer recalled that, after the Nazis took power, her father initially said that “they don’t mean us; We’re Germans.” She added that “we didn’t see it until it was too late.” Friedländer wanted to design clothes and started an apprenticeship as a tailor. After her parents divorced in 1937, Friedländer, her mother and younger brother went to live with her grandparents. In 1941, they had to move to a socalled “Jewish apartment,” and Friedländer was forced to work nights at a metal factory. In January 1943, just as the family was planning to flee Berlin, Friedländer returned home to discover that her brother, Ralph, had been taken away by the Gestapo. A neighbor told her that her mother had decided to go to the police and “go with Ralph, wherever

that may be.” She passed on her mother’s final message — “Try to make your life,” which would later become the title of Friedländer’s autobiography — along with her handbag. Friedländer went into hiding, taking off the yellow star that Jews were obliged to wear. She recalled getting her hair dyed red, reasoning that “people think Jews don’t have red hair.” She said that 16 people helped keep her under the radar over the next 15 months. That ended in April 1944 when she was taken in by police after being stopped for an identity check after leaving a bunker following an air raid. She said she quickly decided to tell the truth and say that she was Jewish. “The running and hiding was over,” she said. “I felt separated from the fate of my people. I had felt guilty every day; had I gone with my mother and my brother, I would at least have known what had happened to them.” Theresienstadt concentration camp and ghetto Friedländer arrived in June 1944 at the packed Theresienstadt camp. In the spring of 1945, she recalled later, she saw the arrival of skeletal prisoners who had been forced onto death marches from Auschwitz ahead of that camp’s liberation. “At that moment, we heard of the death camps, and at that moment I understood that I would not see my mother and my brother again,” she said. Both were killed at the Auschwitz death camp. Her father had fled in 1939 to Belgium. He later went to France, where he was interned, before being deported in 1942 to Auschwitz, where he was also killed. Shortly after the camp’s liberation, she married Adolf Friedländer, an acquaintance from Berlin whom she met again at Theresienstadt. He had a sister in America, and — after months in a camp for displaced persons — they arrived in New York in 1946. A return to Germany Friedländer stayed away from Germany for 57 years. She and her husband became U.S. citizens; she worked as a tailor and later ran a travel agency. Adolf Friedländer died in 1997, aged 87. Margot returned to Germany for the first time in 2003, when she was received at Berlin’s City Hall along with others who had been pushed out by the Nazis. In 2010, she moved back to the German capital, where she told her story to students and was decorated with, among other things, the country’s highest honor, the Order of Merit. She was made a citizen of honor of Berlin in 2018. Noting that there were few Holocaust survivors still alive, she told an audience that year: “I would like you to be the witnesses we can’t be for much longer.”

ANDREW HARNIK / AP POOL PHOTO

Holocaust Survivor Margot Friedlander appears for an event with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin in June 2021.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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THE FORSYTH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

A good walk spoiled Takumi Kanaya, of Japan, walks on the on the 13th hole for the PGA Championship, taking place this weekend at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Commissioners approve $2.5M allocation for emergency school repairs

Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor

East Forsyth High School needs tunnel repairs and a boiler replacement

Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years. Overall, the report suggests tariffs haven’t yet impacted prices for many items.

$2.00

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald WINSTON-SALEM — The Forsyth County Commissioners tapped into its budget reserves to address some emergency school needs. At its May 8 meeting, the board approved an amendment to the 2016 Schools Capital Projects Ordinance in order to allocate $2.568 million to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools for emergency repairs and a boiler replacement at East Forsyth High School. The repairs relate to a water intrusion issue that was discovered as part of an East Forsyth canopy replacement project. “When the original canopies were installed back in 1962, they were bolted to the sidewalk,” said Senior Executive Director of Construction and Planning Darrell Walker. “Un-

derneath that sidewalk is a utility tunnel and over the last 50 or so years, water has intruded through the bolts of those canopies and into the tunnel and now the tunnel is failing and those sidewalks are on top of it.” The intrusion was not initially discovered by WSFCS when they requested funding for the canopy replacement project. “We knew we were going to do a canopy replacement, but it had not been fully engineered at that point,” Walker said. “We had just noted that we were going to do that and had estimated costs to replace those. When we went to engineer this as part of our summer projects, that’s when it was identified that we had a water intrusion issue.” According to Walker, the plan is to demo the old canopies as well as to pull up and eventually replace every sidewalk within the interior of the campus. The new canopies will also be attached to the building and not the sidewalk. “We’ve tried to restrict access to those over the last three or

“It is a safety issue we need to resolve.” WSFCS Senior Executive Director of Construction and Planning Darrell Walker four weeks to prevent any kind of catastrophic event which has been really challenging,” Walker said. “It’s an unfortunate part of this, but it is a safety issue we need to resolve.” According to County Manager Shontell Robinson, this move will leave approximately $3.2 million remaining in budget reserves. The board also approved a resolution designating net premiums related to the recently approved general obligation bonds. “This will designate 65% of net premium’s for county facilities, 30% to Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County School projects and 5% to community college projects,” Robinson said.

“We won’t know the exact dollar amounts until we close (the bond sales).” The board also approved the expenditure direction of approximately $4.5 million in FY 26 Opioid Settlement Funds. The money will be allocated between 30 different projects. In addition, the board approved the distribution of just over $2 million in Behavioral Health Funds for 19 projects related to mental health, substance use and developmental disability services, and another approximately $2 million in Behavioral Health Funds for county staff and programs, Partner’s Health Management and the Mental Health/Substance Abuse and IDD advisory boards. The board also approved a one-year, nearly $700,000 contract renewal with Mythics for its Oracle cloud subscriptions services. The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will next meet May 22.

Is the Southern accent fixin’ to disappear? It’s fading with younger generations and new transplants moving in By Mike Schneider The Associated Press GROWING UP in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s visits to New York City relatives included being the star of an impromptu novelty show: Her cousin invited over friends and charged 25 cents a pop for them to listen to Levine’s Southern accent. Even though they too grew up in Atlanta, Levine’s two sons, born more than a quarter century after her, never spoke with the accent that is perhaps the most famous regional dia-

lect in the United States, with its elongated vowels and soft “r” sounds. “My accent is nonexistent,” said Ira Levine, her oldest son. “People I work with, and even in school, people didn’t believe I was from Atlanta.” The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the diminishment of the regional accent among black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who See ACCENT, page A2

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro Atlanta residents has changed over several generations.

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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ACCENT from page A1 grew up in Raleigh. More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation’s three other regions. Linguists don’t believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places. Late 20th-century migration surge affects accents The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 and then dropped off with Gen Xersborn between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century. It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which

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Tennessee earthquake rattles North Carolina, Georgia Earthquakes in the east travel further than those out west By Ben Finley and Bill Cormier The Associated Press ATLANTA — A 4.1-magnitude earthquake in Tennessee woke up families and rattled homes as far away as Atlanta as it spread tremors across portions of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning. No injuries or major damage were immediately reported. The website for USGS said the earthquake originated shortly after 9 a.m. EDT about 12 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville. More than 23,000 reports from the public were received by USGS in the first hour after the earthquake, USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis told The Associated Press in an email. Meteorologists at television news stations serving Georgia and North Carolina reported feeling the tremors as well. Gabriela Reilly was making waffles with her husband when they felt their entire home shake in Braselton, Georgia, which is northeast of Atlanta. “Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she said. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!’” Jason Pack was still in bed at his home outside Knoxville when he felt the walls shaking and heard a rumbling that was loud enough to wake up his family and for the dog to start barking. “In east Tennessee, you’re used to tornadoes and floods, that kind of thing,” Pack said. “It’s unusual to have an earthquake.” Pack has experienced tremors before, although this one is probably the strongest he’s felt in Tennessee. “Even though this one was small, it’s a good reminder — if

also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents. In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a generation after the Research Triangle’s establishment, typically don’t talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a paper published in December. Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype. “Young people today, especially the educated young people, they don’t want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown,” said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who co-wrote the Atlanta study. “They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.”

CHRIS STEWART / AP PHOTO

A seismograph records activity at the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in 2009. it had been a big quake, would you know what to do? Drop, cover, and hold on if you’re inside,” said Pack, a retired FBI agent who now works in crisis communications. “Stay clear of buildings if you’re outside.” Damage does not usually occur from earthquakes until they reach a magnitude of somewhere above 4 or 5, according to USGS, although it depends on variables such as building construction, soil and distance from the epicenter. The southeastern U.S. carries a significant earthquake risk, particularly around the

Accents change for younger people The Southern dialect among black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the “Reverse Great Migration.” During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated. Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta. Michelle and Richard Beck, Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it’s missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001. “I think they speak clearer than I do,” Richard Beck, a law

New Madrid Seismic Zone to the west and in the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is where Saturday’s earthquake occurred, said Davis. Since 1950, 15 other earthquakes of magnitude 4 or larger have occurred within 155 miles of Saturday’s earthquake, Davis said. The largest of those was a magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Knoxville in November 1973. More recently, two tremors struck the seismic zone in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Ten-

nessee, which is south of Knoxville. It shook homes as far away as Atlanta. Another earthquake struck a few days later with a magnitude of 3.0. Its epicenter was about two miles southeast of Mascot, near Knoxville. It also was felt in parts of Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. Seismic waves from earthquakes spread more efficiently in the eastern U.S. compared to the west because of the region’s geology, Davis said. “Earthquakes in the east are felt over a much larger distance and by more people,” she said.

enforcement officer, said of his sons. “They don’t sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.”

64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent, worries that part of the region’s uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears. “It’s kind of like we’re losing our distinct personality,” she said.

New Orleans “yat” accent diminished Unlike other accents that have changed because of an influx of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class “yat” accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern. The hurricane was a “catastrophic” language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade. The diminishment of the “yat” accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie Carmichael said in a paper published in December. Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a

Southern identity changing While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because “accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves,” said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies. It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said. “So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South,” Renwick said. “And it’s not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.”

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | JOYCE KRAWIEC

I’m from the government and I’m here to take your children

Child Protective Services and the Foster Care System are destroying families and children in the process.

UNTIL RECENTLY, we all studied science, and we believed that science was factual, and we followed science wherever it led. Things have changed. During the COVID pandemic, we were told to ignore science and believe what Lord Fauci said. Now science can mean whatever one chooses. We can make it up as we go along. For all recorded history, we pretty much held gender questions as self-evident. The new gender orthodoxy has supplanted the idea of humanity’s self-evident belief. If anyone disagrees with this new orthodoxy, they are a bigot, hater, etc. Very intelligent people struggle to identify what a woman is. Even a learned justice of the Supreme Court explained that since she was not a biologist, she could not give the definition of a woman. These massive cultural changes have caused lots of stress and confusion. Now there is a fight over “trans women” (men) completing against real women in sports. Ordinary people tie themselves in knots to try to make explanations without insulting someone. It’s impossible. The Canadian Cancer Society apologized for not calling the cervix a “front hole” in a nonbinary disclaimer. There is an even more disturbing trend starting to show its ugly head. Parents are losing their children for refusing to allow their children to transition or identify as transgender. It is being described as “child abuse.” Families all over our country are being separated from their children and

deemed abusive for following normalcy. The Daily Caller has put together a docuseries of a few parents who have lost their children. It is eye-opening and it’s hard to believe that it’s happening in America. Child Protective Services and the Foster Care System are destroying families and children in the process. The very people who are entrusted to care for children and keep them safe are the ones perpetrating disaster on these young people. A Montana couple lost custody of their 14-year-old daughter for opposing gender transition. The couple has filed a suit against CPS for violating their religious rights, and they claim CPS did not have a warrant signed by a judge. The state placed the child in a psychiatric facility in Wyoming and banned the parents from communicating with their child. Parents in Indiana lost custody of their trans teen. They were accused of being verbally and emotionally abusive to their child by not accepting that the child was transgender. A judge demanded that the child be removed from the home, but the abuse charges were dropped. The teen also suffers from an eating disorder. A military family in Washington, D.C., lost custody of their 16-year-old autistic son for refusing to allow him to transition to a girl. The family claims he never showed any interest in transitioning until he was hospitalized for self-harming after a breakup

with his girlfriend. The family has accused the staff at the hospital of a “full-on campaign” to transgender this child. They say their son is very impressionable due to his autism. A lawyer representing the family said, “This is the craziest case I’ve ever had. I don’t know why there are people who think this makes sense. But I guess lots of people agree with this in Washington, D.C., now.” Sadly, it’s not just Washington, D.C. It could be coming soon to a family near you. European countries, which have been way ahead of the United States in gender transitioning, have started to slow down. Many doctors and transgender providers have stated that the first step in gender transitioning should be psychiatric counseling. Amen to that. In speaking with professionals that I personally know, the stories are consistent. Each one affirms what I suspected. These professionals say they have never had a patient with gender dysphoria who did not have many other serious mental issues. These stories are sad, and families are broken and devastated when their children are taken away. I’m betting in every case, these children are more confused and unhappy now than they have ever been. Children need to be with their families who love them more than anyone else ever could. 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

The crisis of radical district judges

Resign and run for office.

THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected president of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate and president. Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of refugees — never

mind the humanitarian or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the founding fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As president, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson

simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219‑213), it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected president and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the president will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned reporters while praising free speech, press He urged avoiding wars of words and images and focusing on peace By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff. Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general public. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless. He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and report the truth. Drawing applause from the crowd, he asked for their release. “The church recognises in these witnesses — I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives — the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the

DOMENICO STINELLIS / AP PHOTO

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the international media on Monday in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” he said. “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.” Leo opened the meeting with

a few words in English, joking that if the crowd was still awake and applauding at the end, it mattered more than the ovation that greeted him. Turning to Italian, he thanked the journalists for their work covering the papal transition and urged them to use words of peace. “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at oth-

ers, listen to others and speak about others,” he said. “In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.” After his brief speech, in which he reflected on the power of words to do good, he greeted some of the journalists in the front rows and then shook

hands with the crowd as he exited the audience hall down the central aisle. He signed a few autographs and posed for a few selfies. Journalists later shared some of the few words they exchanged with him, including hints that Vatican plans are going ahead for Leo to travel to Turkey to commemorate an important event in Catholic-Orthodox relations: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. Other tidbits emerged: Journalists offered to play doubles in tennis, or to organize a charity match. Leo, a regular tennis player, seemed game “but we can’t invite Sinner,” he joked, referring to the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is playing just up the Tiber at the Italian Open. It was in the 2013 audience with journalists who covered the election of history’s first Latin American pope that Pope Francis explained his choice of name, after St. Francis of Assisi, and his desire for a “church which is poor and for the poor!” During his 12-year pontificate, Francis too spoke about the value of journalism and as recently as January, he appealed for the release of imprisoned journalists during a Holy Year event with the media.

COURTESY NASA

On left: Observations of Jupiter’s auroras at 3.36 microns (F335M) were captured with the Webb Telescope’s near-infrared camera) on Christmas Day 2023. Right: The location of the observed auroras on Jupiter in a separate image from 2023.

Jovian aurorae captured by Webb Space Telescope The light show is comparable to Earth’s “aurora borealis” By Webb Mission Team NASA NASA’s JAMES WEBB Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. With Webb’s advanced sensitivity, astronomers have studied the phenomena to better understand Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Auroras are created when high-energy particles enter a planet’s atmosphere near its magnetic poles and collide with atoms or molecules of gas. On Earth these are known as the Northern and Southern Lights. Not only are the auroras on Jupiter huge in size, they are also hundreds of times more energetic than those in Earth’s atmosphere. Earth’s auroras are

caused by solar storms — when charged particles from the Sun rain down on the upper atmosphere, energize gases, and cause them to glow in shades of red, green and purple. Jupiter has an additional source for its auroras: The strong magnetic field of the gas giant grabs charged particles from its surroundings. This includes not only the charged particles within the solar wind but also the particles thrown into space by its orbiting moon Io, known for its numerous and large volcanoes. Io’s volcanoes spew particles that escape the moon’s gravity and orbit Jupiter. A barrage of charged particles unleashed by the Sun also reaches the planet. Jupiter’s large and powerful magnetic field captures all of the charged particles and accelerates them to tremendous speeds. These speedy particles slam into the planet’s atmosphere at high energies, which excites the gas and causes it to glow. Now, Webb’s unique capabilities are providing new insights

“We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” Jonathan Nichols, University of Leicester

into the auroras on Jupiter. The telescope’s sensitivity allows astronomers to capture fast-varying auroral features. New data was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) Dec. 25, 2023, by a team of scientists led by Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. “What a Christmas present it was — it just blew me away!” shared Nichols. “We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and

popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” In particular, the team studied emission from the trihydrogen cation (H3+), which can be created in auroras. They found that this emission is far more variable than previously believed. The observations will help develop scientists’ understanding of how Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is heated and cooled. The team also uncovered some unexplained observations in their data. “What made these observations even more special is that we also took pictures simultane-

ously in the ultraviolet with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope,” added Nichols. “Bizarrely, the brightest light observed by Webb had no real counterpart in Hubble’s pictures. This has left us scratching our heads. In order to cause the combination of brightness seen by both Webb and Hubble, we need to have a combination of high quantities of very low-energy particles hitting the atmosphere, which was previously thought to be impossible. We still don’t understand how this happens.” The team now plans to study this discrepancy between the Hubble and Webb data and to explore the wider implications for Jupiter’s atmosphere and space environment. They also intend to follow up this research with more Webb observations, which they can compare with data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to better explore the cause of the enigmatic bright emission. These results were published this week in the journal Nature Communications.

Forsyth SPORTS ACC cuts 20-game men’s basketball schedule to 18 The league hopes fewer games will allow more teams to make tourney By Aaron Beard The Associated Press THE ATLANTIC Coast Con‑ ference is hoping its men’s bas‑ ketball programs trade two few‑ er league games for marquee nonconference matchups in an effort to reverse a dwindling haul of NCAA Tournament bids. The league is reducing its 20‑game men’s basketball schedule to 18. The change comes after Commissioner Jim Phillips has been vocal about spending the past two seasons examining the conundrum of the ACC getting fewer bids — down to four this year, its few‑ est since 2013 — despite having teams regularly playing deep into March. Going to 18 games could make room for schools to add quali‑ ty nonconference matchups to help their schedule strength — and therefore the ACC’s stat‑ ure, provided the league wins its share of measuring-stick games, unlike last year. It will shake up the scheduling model, which will mean ACC teams won’t face one league member each year. In a statement, Phillips said the move is “a direct result of our ongoing strategic review and analysis” and gives them more control of scheduling by freeing up two slots. It also comes as the league implements a new reve‑ nue-distribution model that will factor in TV viewership in its payouts to league schools, which could offer even more incentive to schedule marquee opponents that fans want to watch to boost the bottom line. “This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Bas‑ ketball,” Phillips said, “and we appreciate the thoughtful‑ ness of our membership and the support from our television partners.”

SPONSORED BY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Luis Acevedo

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Duke center Khaman Maluach and head coach Jon Scheyer celebrate with the trophy after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. The new model will have the league schedule running from late December into the first Sat‑ urday of March. Each team will play one primary partner at home and away every year, with those pairings — such as famed rivals Duke and UNC or instate opponents Virginia and Virgin‑ ia Tech — designed to create some protection for long-run‑ ning series. The others primary pair‑ ings are Boston College-Notre Dame, Clemson-Georgia Tech, California-Stanford, Florida State-Miami, Louisville-SMU, NC State-Wake Forest and Pittsburgh-Syracuse. Each team also will play a home-and-away series against a partner that will change each year, then play one game against 14 of the remaining 15 teams. It won’t be perfect. Aside from the fact that some teams won’t play each other, there are hic‑ cups such as no guarantees that neighboring rivals UNC and NC State will have their typical home-and-away meetings; the Tar Heels and Wolfpack have played those every year reaching back to their Southern Confer‑ ence days long before the ACC’s birth in May 1953.

Still, Phillips had been clear the league had to make changes to address the newfound shaki‑ ness in a sport widely and long regarded as its crown jewel. The ACC had played an 18‑game schedule from the 2012-13 season through 2018‑19, then moved to a 20game slate for the 2019-20 sea‑ son with its ESPN-partnered launch of the ACC Network. At the time, the ACC was coming off a fourth straight season with at least seven NCAA bids — in‑ cluding a record nine in 2017 and 2018 — while having three No. 1 seeds in 2019 and win‑ ning three of five national titles (Duke in 2015, North Carolina in 2017 and Virginia in 2019). Things have been tougher since the pandemic. The league had seven bids in 2021, then fell to five for three straight seasons before sliding to four this year, its first as an expanded 18-team basketball conference. By comparison, the ACC had 12 teams the last time it got just four bids in 2013. And yet the league also had both UNC and Duke in the Fi‑ nal Four in 2022, Miami there in 2023, NC State in 2024 and Duke again in April.

@WFTITANBASEBALL / X

West Forsyth, baseball Luis Acevedo is a senior shortstop on the West Forsyth baseball team. The Titans moved into the Sweet 16 in the NCHSAA class 4A baseball playoffs with a dramatic walk-off win over Reagan, 5-4. Acevedo scored two runs in the game and went 3 for 5. His biggest hit came in the seventh, when his line drive to left center drove in the game-winning run to start the celebration.

Larson stays hot by winning again, dominating at Kansas for 3rd NASCAR Cup Series win of season His attention now turns toward preparing for the Indy-Charlotte double

“Glad to not win by an inch this time. A little safer gap.”

By Dave Skretta The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Kan.— Kyle Larson took most of the drama out of his second straight spring victory at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. After putting his No. 5 car on the pole for Hendrick Mo‑ torsports, Larson led 221 of 267 laps, winning both stag‑ es and cruising to his third NA‑ SCAR Cup Series win of the season. He was never chal‑ lenged down the stretch by sec‑ ond-finishing Christopher Bell — and he most certainly didn’t need another last-lap pass to win at the wire like he did a year ago. The margin over Chris Buescher then was 0.001 sec‑ onds, the closest in Cup Series history. It was 0.712 seconds on Sunday. “Glad to not win by an inch this time,” Larson said with a smile. “A little safer gap.” Larson, who also has wins at Homestead and Bristol, has fin‑ ished in the top four in each of his past four Cup Series races, and now he will take that mo‑ mentum to Indianapolis Mo‑ tor Speedway. Larson will be on track Tuesday as he begins an‑ other shot at “the Double” — running every lap of the India‑ napolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day Memorial Day weekend. Last year, he contended in the rain-delayed Indy 500 before a speeding penalty on pit road re‑ sulted in an 18th-place finish. He

Kyle Larson

COLIN E. BRALEY / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. then hopped a flight to Charlotte for the NASCAR race, but rain there kept him from ever com‑ pleting a lap. “It’s a cool win here at Kansas,” Larson said in Victory Lane, “and

now we’ll try to execute two good weeks at Indy.” Though Larson spent most of a hot, sunny day at Kansas in the lead, he found himself trail‑ ing Chase Elliott early in the fi‑

nal stage. But when Elliott’s team dropped the jack too soon before his right rear tire was on during a pit stop, Larson was able to get back to the front on the restart, and he spent the last 50 laps

cruising to the checkered flag. Bell, a three-time winner al‑ ready, finished in the top three for the sixth time this season. Ryan Blaney came in third, giv‑ ing Team Penske another good run after Austin Cindric won two weeks ago at Talladega and Joey Logano won last week at Texas. “I was just trying to get to the end. I know Ryan was coming on really strong there,” Bell said. “I feel like our day was kind of a product of qualifying well and having good pit stops and re‑ starts.” Blaney knew he was coming on strong, too, but he was left to lament what might have been. “We were kind of running those guys down quick,” Blaney said. “A few more laps, I would have scared the 5 a bit at least.” Chase Briscoe finished fourth, and Larson’s teammate Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Brad Keselowski looked as if he might finally have his first top-10 finish this season. He started from the rear but steadi‑ ly made his way forward, and the 2012 series champion had moved into second behind El‑ liott when his right rear went down with 72 laps to go. Kes‑ elowski wound up in the wall, ending his hopes of contending. “I mean, it was going to be a great day,” Keselowski said. “I heard a big boom and around it went. It’s unfortunate.”

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 15, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT NFL

Saints QB Carr retiring due to “degenerative changes” in shoulder New Orleans The New Orleans Saints say veteran quarterback Derek Carr has decided to retire because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff. The 34-year-old Carr has played for 11 pro seasons. Carr was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while also struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Denny Hamlin (11) holds onto the lead during an April’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Bristol, Tennessee.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FCS teams could be allowed to play 12 regular-season games every year Indianapolis FCS teams would be allowed to play 12 regular‑season games every year under a Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee recommendation. The NCAA announced the one-game extension would go into effect in 2026 if the Division I Council gives its approval during its June 24-25 meeting. Current legislation permits 12 regular-season games in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November. In all other years, only 11 regular-season contests are permitted.

MLB

Astros’ McCullers receives threats directed at children after tough start Houston Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online death threats directed at his children after his tough start against the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers, who was making just his second start since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, allowed seven runs while getting just one out in Houston’s 13-9 loss on Saturday night. Afterward, McCullers said he had received the threats on social media and that people had threatened to “stab my kids.” The Astros said that the Houston Police Department and MLB security had been alerted to the threats.

NHL

Smith scores with 0.4 seconds left, Golden Knights stun Oilers Edmonton, Alberta Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left to give the Vegas Golden Knights a stunning 4-3 victory in Saturday’s Game 3. It was officially the third latest third-period winning goal in playoff history, at least since the NHL added decimals to the final minute. Nazem Kadri had one with 0.1 seconds left for Colorado in 2020, and Jussi Jokinen scored with 0.2 remaining for Carolina in 2009.

Judges may toss order allowing 23XI, Front Row to race as chartered status The teams are currently able to race while suing NASCAR By Mike Barber The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — A three-judge federal appellate panel indicated it might over‑ turn an injunction that allows 23XI Racing, co-owned by re‑ tired NBA great Michael Jor‑ dan and veteran driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Mo‑ torsports to race as chartered teams in NASCAR this sea‑ son while the two teams sue the stock car series over alleged an‑ titrust violations. NASCAR attorney Chris Yates argued the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners, and that it harms other teams because they earn less money. Yates said the district court broke precedent by granting the injunction, saying the “re‑ lease” clause in the charter con‑ tracts forbidding the teams from suing is “common.” He

argued, essentially, that the teams should not have the ben‑ efits of the charter system they are suing to overturn. Overturning the injunction would leave the two organiza‑ tions able to race but without any of the perks of being char‑ tered, including guaranteed weekly revenue. They would also have to qualify at every Cup Series event to make the field, which currently has only four open spots each week; 23XI and Front Row are each running three cars in Cup this season. Judges Steven Agee, Paul Niemeyer and Stephanie Thack‑ er at multiple points during the 50-minute hearing pushed back on the argument made by plain‑ tiff’s attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who accused NASCAR of being a monopoly. “There’s no other place to compete,” Kessler told the judg‑ es, later noting that overturn‑ ing the injunction would cause tremendous damage to the two teams, which could lose drivers and sponsors. “It will cause havoc to overturn this in‑ junction in the middle of the season.” The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on

Oct. 2, arguing that the series bullied teams into signing new charters that make it difficult to compete financially. That came after two years of failed nego‑ tiations on new charter agree‑ ments, which is NASCAR’s equivalent of franchise deals. 23XI — co-owned by Jor‑ dan, Hamlin and Curtis Polk, a longtime Jordan business part‑ ner — and Front Row Motor‑ sports, were the only two out of 15 charter-holding teams that refused to sign new agreements in September. The charters, which teams originally signed before the 2016 season, have twice been extended. The most recent ex‑ tension runs until 2031, match‑ ing the current media rights deal. It guarantees that 36 of the 40 available spots in week‑ ly races will go to teams hold‑ ing charters. The judges expressed agree‑ ment with Yates’s argument that the district court had erred in issuing the injunction allow‑ ing the teams to race, because it mandated they sign the NA‑ SCAR charter but eliminated the contract’s release. “It seems you want to have your cake and eat it, too,” Niemeyer told Kessler.

At another point, the judge pointedly told Kessler that if the teams want to race, they should sign the charter. Yates contended that forc‑ ing an unwanted relationship between NASCAR and the two teams “harms NASCAR and other racing teams.” He said that more chartered teams would earn more money if not for the injunction and noted that the two teams are being “given the benefits of a contract they rejected.” Kessler argued that even if the district court’s reason‑ ing was flawed, other evidence should lead the circuit court to uphold the injunction. Niemay‑ er disagreed. “The court wanted you to be able to race but without a con‑ tract,” he said. A trial date is set for Decem‑ ber and Agee strongly urged the sides to meet for media‑ tion — previously ordered by a lower court — to attempt to resolve the dispute over the injunction. “It’ll be a very interesting tri‑ al,” Agee said with a wry smile. The prospect of successful mediation seems unlikely. Yates told the judges: “We’re not go‑ ing to rewrite the charter.”

NCAA decision could alter junior hockey, NHL talent pipelines Canadian Hockey League players are now allowed to compete in the NCAA By John Wawrow The Associated Press BOSTON UNIVERSITY sophomore Aiden Celebrini has no regrets over the decision he reached at 16 to maintain his college eligibility by skipping a chance to play for the West‑ ern Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades. And it makes no difference that college hockey wasn’t on his radar growing up in North Vancouver and regularly at‑ tending WHL games with his younger brother Macklin, the NHL’s Draft’s No. 1 pick last summer. “We didn’t know much about college hockey,” Celebrini said. “Going to Vancouver Giants games, that was always kind of our dream to play in the WHL and then eventually play in the NHL.” It’s a dream Macklin has al‑ ready achieved in completing his rookie season with the San Jose Sharks and after one year at BU. Aiden could well fol‑ low after being drafted by his hometown Canucks in 2023. Last fall, the NCAA made a landmark eligibility deci‑

sion to allow Canadian Hock‑ ey League players to compete at the college level. The ruling frees today’s players from the either-or choice the Celebrin‑ is faced to either join the CHL team that drafted them or pre‑ serve their college eligibility as they did by playing at the Cana‑ dian Junior A or USHL levels — Aiden in Alberta and Macklin in Chicago. “I’m kind of jealous,” Aiden Celebrini said. “I think it’s awe‑ some that guys can experience both now because I think the WHL is a top league, and ob‑ viously the NCAA is also. It’s great to have that kind of pipe‑ line now.” While players will benefit most, the NCAA ruling has the potential to dramatically tilt North America’s junior hock‑ ey developmental landscape toward U.S. colleges in a fun‑ damental altering of how pros‑ pects reach the NHL. The route for many has tradi‑ tionally run through the CHL’s three leagues, the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. The CHL remains the clear leader in having 839 players drafted from 2015-24, with the NCAA’s 74 a distant sev‑ enth. And yet, of those 74 col‑ lege players, 63 were chosen in the first round, including two Canadians selected first over‑

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Members of Western Michigan celebrate after defeating Boston University in the championship game of the NCAA Frozen Four. all (Celebrini and Michigan’s Owen Power in 2021). The 16-team USHL says it has produced more NHL draft picks (197) over the past four years than each of the CHL’s individual leagues, led by the OHL (166), the WHL (155) and QMJHL (89). Meanwhile, college hockey players now make up about a third of NHL rosters, up from 20% in 2000, with Hockey East commissioner Steve Met‑ calf envisioning that number growing. “I don’t think it’s that com‑ plicated. There’ll be an increas‑ ing number of NHLers that come from college,” Metcalf said. ”(The CHL and USHL) will feed players up into col‑ lege hockey. And college hock‑ ey will feed the players up to the NHL.” A big concern is the NCAA’s change in eligibility rules lead‑ ing to Canadians potentially displacing Americans on col‑ lege rosters. USA Hockey exec‑

utive director Pat Kelleher said he’d like to see the U.S. Con‑ gress cap the number of in‑ ternational players on college teams. Currently, NHL teams re‑ tain the draft rights to play‑ ers for 30 days after they leave college. By comparison, teams hold CHL players’ right for two seasons after being drafted. One benefit NHL teams have in drafting college players is, once signed, those players can be sent directly to the minors. CHL players must be returned to their CHL teams until their eligibility expires. “The NCAA made whatev‑ er decision, and we’re all going to have to adjust,” NHL Com‑ missioner Gary Bettman said. “We’re going to have to talk to the union and understand how we think it works based on the current rule and what maybe we need to modify to be reflec‑ tive of the way we think things would flow best.”

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 15, 2025

the stream

SONY PICTURES VIA AP

“Paddington in Peru” comes to Netflix on Thursday.

‘Paddington in Peru,’ Prince Royce, ‘Mormon Wives,’ Doom: The Dark Ages ‘Oops!... I Did It Again” turns 25

“(‘The Brutalist’) is about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails.”

The Associated Press NEW YORK — Padding‑ ton bear going on an Indiana Jones‑style adventure in “Pad‑ dington in Peru” and Alexan‑ der Skarsgard playing a robot with free will in Apple TV+’s se‑ ries “Murderbot” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno,” the surprise Bra‑ vo hit “Mormon Wives” returns for Season 2, and there’s a new gaming chapter in the ground‑ breaking Doom series, Doom: The Dark Ages.

Jocelyn Noveck, AP film writer

MOVIES TO STREAM Brady Corbet’s epic “The Bru‑ talist” is finally making its way to Max on Friday. The 31/2-hour postwar saga won Adrien Bro‑ dy the best actor Oscar earli‑ er this year for his portrayal of László Tóth, a fictional archi‑ tect and Holocaust survivor who attempts to build a new life in America. It was also award‑ ed the best score (Daniel Blum‑ berg) and best cinematography prizes. Director of photogra‑ phy Lol Crawley shot in VistaVi‑ sion, a 70-year-old format fa‑ mously utilized in films like “Vertigo” and “North by North‑ west.” In her review, AP’s Joce‑ lyn Noveck wrote, “It’s about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails. It also explores a different dream: the artist’s dream, and what happens when it meets op‑ posing forces, be they geograph‑ ic displacement or cold econom‑ ic calculus.” Paddington bear and the Brown family go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in “Pad‑ dington in Peru,” streaming on Netflix on Thursday. This third installment in the charming se‑ ries has a few changes from its predecessors — in the filmmak‑ er (Dougal Wilson taking over for Paul King) and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer subbing in for Sally Hawkins). In his re‑ view, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that Wilson “can’t quite summon the same comic spirit” as King but added that “bright and buoyant, will do. If some

LAURA RAUCH / AP PHOTO

Pop sensation Britney Spears received the Billboard Music award for Artist of the Year in 2000. The 25th anniversary edition of “Oops!... I Did It Again” drops this week. of King’s Wes Anderson-in‑ spired pop-up book designs and skill with fine character actors is missing, the bedrock earnestness and unflagging‑ ly good manners of its ursine protagonist remain charmingly unaltered.” In March 1988, the stu‑ dents at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., staged a his‑ toric protest over the appoint‑ ment of a hearing president in‑ stead of one who was deaf. “Deaf President Now!” a documenta‑ ry streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, chronicles that moment and examines its broader im‑ pact, like how it helped pave the way for the Americans with Dis‑ abilities Act. MUSIC TO STREAM Somehow, some way it has been 25 years since Britney Spears first put on a red latex catsuit and sang “Oops!... I Did It Again” through her singular breathy tone, the title track of her sophomore album. Across

the album — which includes other hits “Lucky” and “Stron‑ ger” — she ushered in new mil‑ lennium as a zeitgeist-shaping pop superstar. Her influence in the decades that followed is un‑ impeachable, and on Friday, Sony will release a 25th anni‑ versary edition of the record, complete with bonus tracks. Colombian Canadian sing‑ er-songwriter Lido Pimienta re‑ turns with an ambitious new al‑ bum, “La Belleza.” It arrives five years after her breakout, “Miss Colombia,” and features the in‑ ventive artist veering into new, classical influences while main‑ taining her interest in Afro-In‑ digenous polyrhythms. The Dominican Ameri‑ can singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno” – offer‑ ing Spanglish, bachata-infused reimaginations of tracks like “Killing Me Softly” as made fa‑ mous by Roberta Flack, the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” Elvis Pres‑ ley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” The Temptations’ “My Girl” and more.

TELEVISION TO STREAM With shows like “The Kar‑ dashians,” “Vanderpump Villa” and “The Secret Lives of Mor‑ mon Wives,” Hulu is building a roster of reality TV that’s quite Bravo-esq. “Mormon Wives” was a surprise hit when it de‑ buted last year. It’s back for a second season on Thursday. The show follows the drama among a group of Mormon women liv‑ ing in the Salt Lake City area who have built a following on TikTok. After scoring big with “The Pitt,” Max is looking to keep the momentum going with “Dust‑ er.” Co-created by JJ Abrams, the show stars Josh Holloway of “Lost” as a getaway driver in the ’70s who gets flipped by a rookie FBI agent, played by Ra‑ chel Hilson. Holloway has de‑ scribed the show as a throwback to when TV was less dark and more fun. “Duster” premieres Thursday. “The Chi,” a drama about a young black community living

in Chicago’s South Side returns Friday. Critics and fans have praised its portrayal of life as a black person growing up in a rough neighborhood faced with systematic racism, violence, in‑ carceration, and poverty. Kyla Pratt — known for playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy’s character in the “Dr. Dolittle” films and as the voice of Penny in “The Proud Family” — joins the cast for season seven. The Chi” streams on Paramount+ with Showtime. We’ve seen Skarsgård as a tech bro on “Succession” and an abusive husband on “Big Lit‑ tle Lies.” Next, we get to see his comedic chops as a robot who gains free will in “Murderbot” for Apple TV+. Premiering Fri‑ day, the show is based on a book series. Stanley Tucci is once again roaming through Italy. The Golden Globe- and Emmy-win‑ ning actor eats and meets in National Geographic’s new food-travel series “Tucci in It‑ aly,” which premieres Sunday, and streams on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. Each epi‑ sode of the first season of “Tucci in Italy” explores a different re‑ gion in Italy — from Tuscany to Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombar‑ dy, Abruzzo and Lazio. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY If you like your games big, noisy and unabashedly gory, id Software’s groundbreaking Doom series is hard to beat. Doom: The Dark Ages, the new chapter from publisher Bethes‑ da Softworks, takes the de‑ mon-hunting space marine — now known as the Doom Slayer — back in time, sort of. His bosses have hauled the big lug to a quasi-medieval planet that’s riddled with hell portals and under siege by the most blood‑ thirsty monsters yet. It’s like a heavy metal album cover come to life, and it arrives Thursday on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, May 15, 2025

STATE & NATION Georgia Insurance Commissioner enters Republican race for US Senate John King is campaigning ahead of what will be a busy 2026 election cycle By Jeff Amy The Associated Press ATLANTA — Georgia Insur‑ ance Commissioner John King on Monday became the second major Republican to enter the 2026 race to challenge Demo‑ cratic U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, say‑ ing “President Trump needs re‑ inforcements and Georgia needs a new senator.” King jumped in after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene an‑ nounced Friday that she would not seek the Republican nom‑ ination for Senate, and a week after King’s political patron, Gov. Brian Kemp, made the same decision. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, a Re‑ publican who represents a coast‑ al Georgia district, announced his campaign for the Senate af‑ ter Kemp announced he wasn’t running. Five other GOP officehold‑ ers have acknowledged interest to The Associated Press, signal‑ ing what could be a wide-open Republican contest. They in‑ clude two other Republicans

ALYSSA POINTER / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King speaks during a May 2020 press conference. in Congress, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Also consid‑ ering the race are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Ty‑ ler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal. King, 61, emphasized his bi‑ ography in his announcement, including being born in Mexi‑ co, his rise to major general in the Georgia National Guard and his work in law enforce‑ ment as an Atlanta police officer

and Doraville police chief. “I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems,” King said in an announcement video. “He needs help and I’m asking for your support to go help President Trump and solve these incredibly big problems.” King said Monday that he had been stabbed and shot

while serving as an Atlanta po‑ lice officer. He also was a mem‑ ber of the Atlanta Police De‑ partment’s Red Dog unit, an anti-crime task force that drew widespread criticism for its ag‑ gressive tactics. It was King’s experience in the National Guard that brought him to Kemp’s attention. King had never held elective office and had lost out on his appli‑ cation to be Kemp’s Nation‑ al Guard chief when Kemp was faced with filling a vacancy in the insurance commissioner’s office after Jim Beck was indict‑ ed on federal criminal charges and suspended in 2019. Kemp chose King, saying he would “re‑ store trust” in the office after not only Beck but also his predeces‑ sor John Oxendine faced crimi‑ nal charges. King held the post on an in‑ terim basis for years, and Kemp appointed him permanently af‑ ter Beck was convicted in 2022. Later that year, King became the first Hispanic person to be elected to a statewide post in Georgia. Kemp has made a number of appointments to diversify what has traditionally been an over‑ whelmingly white and male group of Republican officehold‑

US welcomes 59 ‘Afrikaner’ refugees from South Africa The State Department says the group faced persecution at home By Martha Lee, Rebecca Santana and Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press DULLES, Virginia — The Trump administration on Mon‑ day welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refu‑ gees, saying they face discrim‑ ination and violence at home, which the country’s govern‑ ment strongly denies. The decision to admit the Af‑ rikaners also has raised ques‑ tions from refugee advocates about why they were admit‑ ted when the Trump adminis‑ tration has suspended efforts to resettle people fleeing war and persecution who have gone through years of vetting. Many in the group from South Africa — including tod‑ dlers and other small chil‑ dren, even one walking bare‑ foot in pajamas — held small American flags as two officials welcomed them to the Unit‑ ed States in an airport han‑ gar outside Washington. The

South Africans were then leav‑ ing on other flights to various U.S. destinations. A group of 49 Afrikaners had been expected, but the State Department said Monday that 59 had arrived. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said. President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Monday that he’s admitting them as ref‑ ugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “be‑ ing killed” and he plans to ad‑ dress the issue with South Afri‑ can leadership next week. That characterization has been strongly disputed by South Africa’s government, ex‑ perts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum, which says farm attacks are not being tak‑ en seriously by the government. South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “com‑ pletely false,” the result of mis‑ information and an inaccurate

Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

view of the country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country. Speaking at a business con‑ ference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ra‑ maphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump recent‑ ly and told him his administra‑ tion had been fed false informa‑ tion by groups who were casting white people as victims because of efforts to right the histori‑ cal wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apart‑ heid system of forced racial seg‑ regation, which oppressed the black majority. “I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s go‑ ing on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are op‑ posed to transformation back in South Africa is not true,” Ra‑

maphosa said. Afrikaners make up South Africa’s largest white group and were the leaders of the apart‑ heid government, which brutal‑ ly enforced racial segregation for nearly 50 years before end‑ ing it in 1994. While South Af‑ rica has been largely successful in reconciling its many races, tensions between some black political parties and some Af‑ rikaner groups have remained. The Trump administration has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes “racially dis‑ criminatory property confisca‑ tion.” No land has been expro‑ priated. Trump has promoted the al‑ legation that white farmers in South Africa are being killed on a large scale as far back as 2018 during his first term.

“I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems.” John King, GOP Senate candidate ers. Fluent in Spanish, King of‑ ten delivered messages on behalf of Kemp in that language during the pandemic, and released an‑ nouncement videos Monday in both English and Spanish. King was also a key messen‑ ger during Kemp’s successful push to limit civil lawsuit ver‑ dicts and has become a frequent speaker at political events the last two years. But King, like a number of other Senate hope‑ fuls, remains little-known by the broader electorate. He also needs to prove that he can raise the large amounts of money needed for a Senate campaign. He raised $1 million during his 2022 reelection cam‑ paign, enough for a low-pro‑ file statewide office but not for a competitive Republican prima‑ ry. Overall, the 2026 Senate race is likely to cost hundreds of mil‑ lions. Ossoff raised more than $11 million just in the first three months of 2025.

Conservative commenta‑ tors have promoted the allega‑ tion about a genocide against white farmers, and South Af‑ rican-born Trump ally Elon Musk has posted on social me‑ dia that some politicians in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.” South Africa has extremely high levels of violent crime, and white farmers have been killed in rural Afrikaner communi‑ ties. It has been a problem for decades. The government con‑ demns those killings but says they are part of the country’s problems with crime. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecu‑ tion of white South Africans or white Afrikaners in particu‑ lar who are farmers,” South Af‑ rican Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday. “White farmers get affected by crime just like any other South Af‑ ricans who do get affected by crime. So this is not factual, it is without basis. Landau said many of those who arrived Monday experi‑ enced “threatening invasions of their homes, their farms and a real lack of interest or success of the government in doing any‑ thing about this situation.” They all had met stringent vetting standards, including the ability to assimilate into American culture, Landau said. Critics of the refugee pro‑ gram suggest that refugees ar‑ en’t properly vetted, though supporters say they go through some of the strictest vetting of anyone seeking to come to America.

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Randolph record THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

A good walk spoiled Takumi Kanaya, of Japan, walks on the on the 13th hole for the PGA Championship, taking place this weekend at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years. Overall, the report suggests tariffs haven’t yet impacted prices for many items.

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Asheboro Police look into opening former shooting range for training The range on Old Lexington Road hasn’t been used since 2000 By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record ASHEBORO — The Asheboro Police Department is looking into reopening the old shooting range on Old Lexington Road. At the Asheboro City Council’s May meeting, Asheboro police chief Robert Brown Jr. discussed the process the department is undergoing toward that goal. The North Carolina Department of Labor had conducted a test last year that determined officers were being exposed to a high level of lead at the Randolph Community College’s Emergency Services Training Center. Traditionally, the department would bring 18 people

to the range for qualifications, which takes them about a week, Brown said. But the recommendation from the NCDOL was to reduce the number per trip to eight, which could take up to two weeks or more to get the entire department qualified. “With fewer officers being able to train and qualify, more time and additional days must be requested at the training center,” Brown said. “This is a challenge because approximately 15 agencies utilize this facility. So we’re determining if opening the old police shooting range is possible.” The old shooting range, which hasn’t been utilized by the department since 2000, would provide an area to be able to get through their testing and qualifications much quicker. “Our operational plans for the range is for it to only be used by the Asheboro Police Department for authorized training,” Brown said. “It wouldn’t be

“It wouldn’t be open to the public or any other law enforcement agencies.” Robert Brown Jr., Asheboro police chief open to the public or any other law enforcement agencies.” Brown said there would be no shooting before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. at the range. The range would be utilized periodically for open range training, SWAT training, spring and fall firearm testing, new employee qualifications, department firearm instruction training and test-firing weapons. The city has already purchased Hesco barriers to help protect the bank of John Bunch Lake. While no formal vote took

place, the council was in support of continuing to pursue reopening the range. Rezoning requests The council held a public hearing for a rezoning request for just more than 2 acres of property located at 721 Sunset Ave. and 129 South Cherry St. from Office Apartment and High-Density Residential (OA6/RA6) to OA6 conditional zoning (OA6-CZ) to allow for the construction of a two-story apartment complex with 44, one-bedroom units divided between two buildings. The applicant will also construct a sidewalk along South Cherry Street and a connection to Sunset Avenue per the application. The council also held a hearing for a rezoning request for approximately 6 acres of See RANGE, page A2

Chambers take ‘Power of 5’ view in county Leaders from the five Chambers of Commerce in Randolph County will meet monthly By Bob Sutton Randolph Record THE FIVE separate Chambers of Commerce in Randolph County have joined forces in terms of sharing more information and meeting on a regular basis. It’s under the “Power of 5” concept. “We’re all of the opinion that we’re stronger together,” said Adam Deathe, president/CEO of the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber. “We all realized that we were on the same page.” There was a “Business After Hours” meeting last month for members of all the chambers of commerce. It was held at Holly

Ridge Golf Links in Archdale. “A great turnout and networking opportunity with people from all over Randolph County,” said J.C. Parrish of the Ramseur Eastern Randolph Area Chamber. Ashlee Willett, the relatively new director of the Archdale-Trinity Chamber, helped initiate the group concept by reaching out to Deathe. “Coming into the Chamber world as someone new, I was trying to lean on other Chambers for advice,” Willett said. The collaboration also involves the Liberty Chamber of Commerce and Randleman Chamber of Commerce. “We kind of wanted to see what to celebrate and how we were hurting in the county,” Willett said. The “Power of 5” concept allows for broader networking, Willett said, because it extends

to more than one chamber. The leaders of each chamber have agreed to meet monthly. There will be quarterly meetings, much last the one last month, for the members of all the chambers in the county. The next one comes in July, likely in Asheboro. “We are all of the mindset that we’re going to continue with this,” Deathe said. Deathe took his position last summer. He said he was happy to hear from Willett when she contacted him. This led to the self-named “Power of 5” group. This is a way for certain projects and ideas to be addressed with a perspective of the full county, Deathe said, particularly with new personnel in some positions at the chambers of commerce in Randolph County. “Fresh blood and fresh eyes,” he said. “We need to work together and should work togeth-

“We need to work together and should work together.” Adam Deathe, Asheboro/ Randolph Chamber er. I think only good things are ahead.” Willett said there had been a “stay in your lane” mentality among the chambers that wasn’t necessary. “We’re all working toward the same things,” she said. While the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber and Archdale-Trinity Chamber have full-time staff, the other three agencies are volunteer based. Willett said the “Power of 5” group will aim to create its own mission, something that might center around education.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

THURSDAY

5.15.25

Feds set timeline for Randolph Guide Helene aid to farmers Georgia will exempt Helene payments from state income taxes

“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

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By Jeff Amy The Associated Press FORSYTH, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law last week to exempt federal crop insurance and disaster payments following Hurricane Helene damage from Georgia state income taxes, but it could be months more before some federal money starts flowing to farmers in the hardest-hit states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a schedule last Wednesday to start disbursing disaster aid, part of a $100 billion package passed by Congress in December. The September storm cut a swath from Florida’s Big Bend across eastern Georgia and upstate South Carolina before causing historic flooding in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Helene is the seventh-most expensive disaster in the United States since 1980, causing an estimated $78 billion in damage and 219 deaths. Officials have estimated that Helene caused billions in property and economic damage to agriculture, including $5.5 billion in Georgia and $4.9 billion in North Carolina. Federal officials in March began handing out $10 billion designated in the bill for farmers nationwide harmed by low crop prices and high fertilizer prices. But billions more were set aside for farmers harmed by Helene and other natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was questioned about the timeframe last Tuesday by lawmakers including Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia. He told Rollins that “Time is of the essence.”

“Farmers operate on extremely tight margins, and to rebuild from a storm of this magnitude could be impossible for some to shoulder.” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp

“I’ve seen the devastation firsthand,” Rollins said. “It is heartbreaking to witness it.” Some farmers have dipped into savings to pay for losses not covered by insurance. Others have unpaid debts from last year, restricting borrowing to plant 2025 crops. A few have sold equipment or land to generate cash. The schedule shows federal officials will open applications for some aid in stages from May 30 through Sept. 15. But states have to negotiate plans to distribute other aid through block grants. If state and federal officials agree on a plan by May 28, block grants would be finalized by June 13, federal officials said. If agreements can be reached by June 13, they would be finalized by June 30. After that, states must give out the money. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said Thursday that he didn’t know how much money Georgia would get in block grants. He said whether the state made the May 28 deadline “depends on how our negotiations go with USDA over the next couple of weeks.” Kemp last Thursday signed into law tax breaks for farmers and timber owners harmed by Helene that could be worth nearly $300 million. “Farmers operate on extremely tight margins, and to

rebuild from a storm of this magnitude could be impossible for some to shoulder,” Kemp said at Georgia Forestry Association headquarters in Forsyth, saying Helene was “a storm like no other in out state.” The tax breaks come on top of $867 million in spending that Georgia lawmakers earlier allotted for Hurricane Helene relief. The law exempts federal payments to farmers because of Helene from Georgia state income taxes. That could be worth $140 million. Georgia’s law also lets private timberland owners claim a credit for damaged timber on state income taxes if they replant trees. The timberland tax break could be worth $83 million to $104 million through 2030, estimates show. Another tax break waives state and local sales taxes on building materials to rebuild chicken houses, barns and fences. A fourth program lets counties waive taxes when timber owners cut down trees for 15 months. Any county that waives taxes would refund any taxes collected since Oct. 1. The state could spend $17.4 million to reimburse counties’ lost tax money. Georgia lawmakers earlier approved $285 million for low-interest loans to farmers and to remove downed trees from private lands so they don’t become a fire hazard. There’s also $25 million in grants to nonprofits that are supposed to go to help individuals. In South Carolina, Republican legislative leaders are discussing hundreds of millions in Helene relief as part of the state’s budget. North Carolina lawmakers agreed to a $524 million supplemental Helene relief in March, in part to provide more funds for agricultural needs. It was North Carolina’s fourth Helene aid package.

Tennessee earthquake rattles North Carolina, Georgia Earthquakes in the east travel further than those out west By Ben Finley and Bill Cormier The Associated Press ATLANTA — A 4.1-magnitude earthquake in Tennessee woke up families and rattled homes as far away as Atlanta as it spread tremors across portions of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning. No injuries or major damage were immediately reported. The website for USGS said the earthquake originated shortly after 9 a.m. EDT about 12 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville. More than 23,000 reports from the public were received by USGS in the first hour after the earthquake, USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis told The Associated Press in an email. Meteorologists at television news stations serving Georgia and North Carolina reported

feeling the tremors as well. Gabriela Reilly was making waffles with her husband when they felt their entire home shake in Braselton, Georgia, which is northeast of Atlanta. “Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she said. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!’” Jason Pack was still in bed outside Knoxville when he felt the walls shaking and heard a rumbling that was loud enough to wake up his family and for the dog to start barking. “In east Tennessee, you’re used to tornadoes and floods, that kind of thing,” Pack said. “It’s unusual to have an earthquake.” Pack has experienced tremors before, although this one is probably the strongest he’s felt in Tennessee. “Even though this one was small, it’s a good reminder — if it had been a big quake, would you know what to do? Drop, cover, and hold on if you’re in-

side,” said Pack, a retired FBI agent who now works in crisis communications. “Stay clear of buildings if you’re outside.” Damage does not usually occur from earthquakes until they reach a magnitude of somewhere above 4 or 5, according to USGS, although it depends on variables such as building construction, soil and distance from the epicenter. The southeastern U.S. carries a significant earthquake risk, particularly around the New Madrid Seismic Zone to the west and in the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is where Saturday’s earthquake occurred, said Davis. Since 1950, 15 other earthquakes of magnitude 4 or larger have occurred within 155 miles of Saturday’s earthquake, Davis said. The largest of those was a magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Knoxville in November 1973. More recently, two tremors struck the seismic zone in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Tennessee, which is south of Knoxville.

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Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Randolph County:

May 16 Friday Night Bluegrass Presents: Cooper Marona & Friends 7 p.m. A talented bluegrass artist from Cameron, Cooper is a recent graduate of the bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University. He has released his first recorded project, “On My Way Back Home,” which features him on guitar and lead vocals. Joining him on stage are Nick Keen, Zak McLamb, Chase Bennett and Daniel Norton. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Sunset Theatre 234 Sunset Ave. Asheboro

May 17 Barn Quilt Painting Class 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Instructor-led and all supplies provided for your choice of two designs: Patriotic Pinwheel or Stars & Stripes. Classes are best suited for those 12plus to adults. From $50 to $65, depending on your choice of quilt size. Beverages and food are available for purchase on-site. Millstone Creek Orchards 506 Parks Crossroads Church Road Ramseur

RANGE from page A1 property located at 124 Woodcrest Road to an amended General Industrial conditional zoning district (I2-CZ) to allow for manufacturing, processing, and assembly-heavy, specifically for the use of the property as a machine shop along with auxiliary open storage. “Back in 2021, this property was rezoned for a warehouse and wholesale distribution land use,” said John Evans, community development director. “It was the Hunt Electric Supply that has since relocated, so this is for a new user, a machine shop.” The applicant is proposing no site or building changes as part of the request. The council also held a hearing for a rezoning request for 3.25 acres of property located on Mountain Road, Lincoln Avenue and Springdale Lane to go from High-Density Residential district (RA6-CZ) to a Medium-Density Residential district (R10-CZ) for the purpose of constructing seven single-family lots and an additional two lots that can be either single-family or two-family dwellings. The council held a hearing for a special use permit request for property located at 2112 South Fayetteville St. for the construction of a billboard. Following each hearing, the requests were approved by the council. The Asheboro City Council will next meet June 5.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

The crisis of radical district judges

Resign and run for office.

THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected president of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate and president. Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of refugees — never

mind the humanitarian or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the founding fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As president, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson

simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219‑213), it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected president and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the president will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | JESSICA WARD AND MATTIAS GUGEL

Why are North Carolina lawmakers copying Illinois’ worst swipe fee policy? Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system.

SOME NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers are eyeing a shiny new idea — straight from the land of broken budgets and busted promises: Illinois. Yes, Illinois, the state famous for fiscal faceplants and legislative landmines. At issue? A proposal to regulate and cap credit card “swipe fees.” Sounds consumer‑friendly, right? Until you dig into what happened in Illinois and how it’s backfiring on the folks lawmakers said they were trying to help. When you cap swipe fees, it doesn’t mean the costs disappear — they just get moved around. And, spoiler alert: They usually land squarely in the laps of small businesses and consumers. That’s what’s happening in Illinois right now. Merchants didn’t magically eat those higher processing costs — they’re passing them right along. The end result? Higher prices at the register and fewer rewards from the credit card in your wallet. Those airline miles and cashback perks sure were nice while they lasted. Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system: fraud protection, technology upgrades and security. Limiting them might sound like a win, until you realize you’re kneecapping the innovation that makes digital payments safe and seamless. If North Carolina chooses this path, don’t

be surprised when card security weakens, customer perks dry up, bank fees increase and the start-up capital that small businesses rely on dwindles. Want to bring back checkbooks, dial-up internet and Blockbuster too? Because capping swipe fees is basically asking for a financial time machine — and not the fun kind. Big retailers love these kinds of regulations. They have armies of lawyers and custom point‑of-sale systems. But mom-and-pop shops across North Carolina? They’re the ones who really suffer. From the pulled pork pits of Lexington to the indie cafés tucked between Blue Ridge boutiques, North Carolina’s backbone is built on small business hustle — not corporate handouts and Chicago-style schemes. Some rely on swipe rewards to manage purchases. And many will have to overhaul their payment systems just to stay compliant. That’s money out the door and time they don’t have. Worse, these businesses won’t get the sweetheart deals big box stores can negotiate. They’ll get squeezed, and some may not survive the pinch. Banks won’t take this lying down. When swipe fees get capped, they’ll make up the difference elsewhere. That “free checking account”? Say goodbye. That nice mobile banking service? Expect fees.

This means higher costs and fewer options for everyday North Carolinians — all so a handful of national retailers can boost their bottom lines. Here’s the kicker: Illinois lawmakers are already scrambling to undo the very policy North Carolina legislators are considering to copy. One of the original backers of the swipe fee ban has introduced legislation to repeal it. Apparently, the economic hangover kicked in faster than expected. When a state with a history of budget blunders realizes it’s made another mistake, maybe — just maybe — it’s not a blueprint worth following. North Carolina prides itself on pragmatic policy and sound fiscal management. Following Illinois down a regulatory rabbit hole doesn’t match that tradition. This swipe fee scheme might sound sweet, but it’s likely to end in regret for North Carolina consumers and small businesses. Lawmakers should think twice before importing Illinois’ mistakes and selling them as solutions. Bless their well-intentioned hearts, but North Carolina taxpayers deserve better. Jessica Ward is senior director of state affairs and mattias gugel is director of state external affairs for the National Taxpayers Union.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned reporters while praising free speech, press He urged avoiding wars of words and images and focusing on peace By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff. Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general public. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless. He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and report the truth. Drawing applause from the crowd, he asked for their release. “The church recognises in these witnesses — I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives — the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because

DOMENICO STINELLIS / AP PHOTO

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the international media on Monday in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. only informed individuals can make free choices,” he said. “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.” Leo opened the meeting with a few words in English, jok-

ing that if the crowd was still awake and applauding at the end, it mattered more than the ovation that greeted him. Turning to Italian, he thanked the journalists for their work covering the papal transition and urged them to use words of peace. “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at oth-

ers, listen to others and speak about others,” he said. “In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.” After his brief speech, in which he reflected on the power of words to do good, he greeted some of the journalists in

the front rows and then shook hands with the crowd as he exited the audience hall down the central aisle. He signed a few autographs and posed for a few selfies. Journalists later shared some of the few words they exchanged with him, including hints that Vatican plans are going ahead for Leo to travel to Turkey to commemorate an important event in Catholic-Orthodox relations: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. Other tidbits emerged: Journalists offered to play doubles in tennis, or to organize a charity match. Leo, a regular tennis player, seemed game “but we can’t invite Sinner,” he joked, referring to the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is playing just up the Tiber at the Italian Open. It was in the 2013 audience with journalists who covered the election of history’s first Latin American pope that Pope Francis explained his choice of name, after St. Francis of Assisi, and his desire for a “church which is poor and for the poor!” During his 12-year pontificate, Francis too spoke about the value of journalism and as recently as January, he appealed for the release of imprisoned journalists during a Holy Year event with the media.

Jovian aurorae captured by Webb Space Telescope The light show is comparable to Earth’s “aurora borealis” By Webb Mission Team NASA NASA’s JAMES WEBB Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. With Webb’s advanced sensitivity, astronomers have studied the phenomena to better understand Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Auroras are created when high-energy particles enter a planet’s atmosphere near its magnetic poles and collide with atoms or molecules of gas. On Earth these are known as the Northern and Southern Lights. Not only are the auroras on Jupiter huge in size, they are also hundreds of times more energetic than those in Earth’s atmosphere. Earth’s auroras are

caused by solar storms — when charged particles from the Sun rain down on the upper atmosphere, energize gases, and cause them to glow in shades of red, green and purple. Jupiter has an additional source for its auroras: The strong magnetic field of the gas giant grabs charged particles from its surroundings. This includes not only the charged particles within the solar wind but also the particles thrown into space by its orbiting moon Io, known for its numerous and large volcanoes. Io’s volcanoes spew particles that escape the moon’s gravity and orbit Jupiter. A barrage of charged particles unleashed by the Sun also reaches the planet. Jupiter’s large and powerful magnetic field captures all of the charged particles and accelerates them to tremendous speeds. These speedy particles slam into the planet’s atmosphere at high energies, which excites the gas and causes it to glow. Now, Webb’s unique capabilities are providing new insights

“We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” Jonathan Nichols, University of Leicester

into the auroras on Jupiter. The telescope’s sensitivity allows astronomers to capture fast-varying auroral features. New data was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) Dec. 25, 2023, by a team of scientists led by Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. “What a Christmas present it was — it just blew me away!” shared Nichols. “We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and

popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” In particular, the team studied emission from the trihydrogen cation (H3+), which can be created in auroras. They found that this emission is far more variable than previously believed. The observations will help develop scientists’ understanding of how Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is heated and cooled. The team also uncovered some unexplained observations in their data. “What made these observations even more special is that we also took pictures simultane-

ously in the ultraviolet with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope,” added Nichols. “Bizarrely, the brightest light observed by Webb had no real counterpart in Hubble’s pictures. This has left us scratching our heads. In order to cause the combination of brightness seen by both Webb and Hubble, we need to have a combination of high quantities of very low-energy particles hitting the atmosphere, which was previously thought to be impossible. We still don’t understand how this happens.” The team now plans to study this discrepancy between the Hubble and Webb data and to explore the wider implications for Jupiter’s atmosphere and space environment. They also intend to follow up this research with more Webb observations, which they can compare with data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to better explore the cause of the enigmatic bright emission. These results were published this week in the journal Nature Communications.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

obituaries

Roxanna Smith Bryant, 61, passed away peacefully at her home in Asheboro on May 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. A proud graduate of Eastern Randolph High School, Roxanna went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Media from Appalachian State University. She devoted her life to teaching and mentoring children, leaving a lasting mark on countless young lives through her passion for teaching, her deep love and her larger-than-life personality.

Above all, Roxanna loved Jesus with all her heart, centering her life on serving and honoring Him. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother to four children and a passionate animal lover who shared her home with nine cherished dogs. Roxanna is survived by her husband, Bill Bryant of Asheboro; her children, Connor Bryant of Miami, Tucker Bryant of Mebane, and Chloe and Madison Bryant of the home; and her brother, Elton Smith, and his wife, Patsy, of Greensboro. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 9, 2025, from 5–7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro, NC. A service to celebrate Roxanna’s life and legacy will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Cross Road Baptist Church, 1566 Old Cox Road, Asheboro, NC, with Rev. John Voncannon and Rev. Anthony Cheek officiating. A private burial will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: New Life Family Fellowship — Matthew 25 Fund, 1354 East Allred Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 or Back Creek Church — Good Neighbor Fund, 147 Back Creek Church Road, Asheboro, NC 27205.

Vann “Dinkie” Herbert Gales

Tonya Lynn York

June 27, 1953 – May 9, 2025

Jan. 29, 1979 – May 8, 2025

Vann Herbert Gales, affectionately known as “Dinkie”, was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, to the late George and Mary Louise Gales. He graduated from Randolph High School in 1965 and went on to serve his country honorably in the United States Marine Corps beginning in 1968. Dinkie was rooted in faith from an early age, attending St. Stephen AME Church and later becoming a dedicated member of Rock Creek AME Church. He was known for his kind spirit, warm smile and zest for life. Dinkie had a lifelong passion for cars, a love for classic Westerns, and was an enthusiastic Tar Heels fan. NASCAR Sundays were a favorite pastime he deeply enjoyed. He dedicated 39 years of hard work to Beaman Corporation in Liberty, NC, where he remained until his retirement. Dinkie was preceded in death by four brothers: Harveston Gales, Peter Gales (Charlene), Fray Gales (Marjorie), and John Gales; and four sisters: Nancy Jeffries, Josephine Tinnin, Mattie Gales Carter, and Ella Gales. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Queenie Gales of Asheboro; three sons: Leslie Greene of Asheboro, Douglas Greene of Houston, TX, and Keith Greene (Regina) of Hillsborough, NC; one stepson, Shaheed Mujaahid of Charlotte, NC; one brother, George Gales (Linda) of Greensboro; and three sisters: Delois Martin of Snow Camp, Shelby Jean Jeffries of Burlington, and Mamie Outlaw (John) of Maryland. Dinkie is also survived by four grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, three greatgrandchildren and a host of devoted nieces, nephews, extended family and friends who will forever hold him in their hearts. The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 6-7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025, at noon, at Covenant Christian Church, 1565 East Salisbury Street, Asheboro, with Rev. Dexter Trogdon officiating. Burial will be held at Amos Grove Cemetery in Liberty.

Tonya Lynn York, age 46, of Asheboro, passed away May 8, 2025, and was greeted by her granddaughter, Zoey Schwan, in Heaven. She was born on January 29, 1979, in High Point, North Carolina, the daughter of Elizabeth Surmons and the late Richard Brice Williamson. Tonya’s life was a vibrant tapestry woven with creativity, individuality and love for those around her. A graduate of South Western Randolph High School in Asheboro, North Carolina, her artistic spirit was evident in her appreciation for art and her talent for drawing. Her creativity knew no bounds, and she expressed it through the vivid canvas of tattoos and the vibrant colors in her ever-changing hair. These outward expressions were a testament to her embrace of individuality and personal freedom. Her love for the outdoors was just as boundless, whether basking in the sun, visiting the beaches, the fresh air of the mountains, or gathering around a campfire with family and close friends. She found peace and joy in nature, always cherishing these moments. Tonya’s competitive spirit shone brightly in her talent for pool, a game she played with skill and passion. Above all else, her heart belonged to her family. Time spent with her grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family brought her immeasurable joy. For Tonya, family was the cornerstone of her life, and her love for them was unwavering. Left to cherish her memory are her mother, Elizabeth Surmons; children, Jesse Brice York and Autumn Yvonne Williamson; grandchildren, Remi Everlyn Ann Locklear Williamson, Raidyn Adrew Brice Ratcliff and Zola Sbea Locklear; brothers, Roger Dixon, Michael Tomlin and wife Tiffany, Kyle Tomlin and Kevin Tomlin and wife Autumn; and numerous other beloved family and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Richard B. Williamson, and a beloved granddaughter, Zoey Yvonne Schwan. The family will announce a service to celebrate her life.

Roxanna Smith Bryant Feb. 24, 1964 – May 5, 2025

Thelma Weaver Kindley Swaim July 13, 1932 – May 7, 2025 Thelma Weaver Kindley Swaim, age 92, of Asheboro, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2025, at Terra Bella Assisted Living. She was born on July 13, 1932, in Forsyth County, North Carolina, the daughter of the late Earlie Weaver and Margaret Weaver. She is also preceded in death by her beloved husband, Clayton Edward Kindley, and two sisters, Loraine Shirley and Olamae Bean. Thelma’s life was a testament to dedication, faith and family. She attended school at Arcadia School in Clemmons, North Carolina. Following her education, she was employed with Nantucket Jockey International as a floor supervisor over the boarding department. Thelma was rooted in her faith, finding community as a member of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church in Lexington, North Carolina. Her spirituality was a guiding force in life. She had an admiration for the beautiful flowers in her beloved greenhouse and enjoyed time spent tending to her plants. Thelma enjoyed being active, delighted in dancing and was an enthusiastic basketball player. Her family was the most important part of her life; she relished the time spent in the company of loved ones and will be deeply missed by all. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Brenda Ann Kindley and Wanda Kay Robbins; son, Clayton Treavor Kindley; grandchildren, Jennifer Kay Morris and James Edward Gunter; great-grandchildren, Makayla Raynor, Laurin Stewart, Bryson Morris, Addison Morris and Easton Raynor; and numerous other beloved family and friends. A graveside memorial service to honor Thelma’s memory will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church cemetery, with Rev. Max Summey officiating. Midstate Cremation & Funeral Service is honored to assist the family of Ms. Thelma Weaver Kindley Swaim.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Randolph Record at obits@ randolphrecord.com

Margaret Ann “Maggie” Blackwell Jan. 17, 1971 – May 7, 2025 Margaret Ann “Maggie” Blackwell, 54, passed away on May 7 in Asheboro, North Carolina. Born on January 17, 1971, in Princeton, West Virginia, Margaret was the daughter of Nancy Alley. She was known for her strength, honesty and deep love for her family. She proudly described herself as “forward, blunt and 100% real,” and those who knew her would agree. Though her given name was Margaret, she preferred to be called Maggie by friends, and she had a lifelong love of elephants. Margaret grew up in West Virginia and spent most of her life between Virginia and North Carolina. As a child, she worked in the tobacco fields and lived on a farm, experiences that shaped her resilience and independence. She had four brothers and three sisters and shared a particularly close bond with her sister, Tina. and her brother, Richard. Her youth was fiery, outgoing and full of strength. In 1990, Margaret became a mother for the first time with the birth of her daughter, Amber Hlili. They quickly formed a powerful bond; Amber wasn’t just her daughter but her best friend and fiercest ally. In 1991, she gave birth

to her first son, Justin Dodson. Throughout his life, Margaret was Justin’s steady source of love and strength. In 1994, she welcomed her youngest son, Brandon Alley. She was endlessly proud of Brandon, especially as he pursued his dreams as a professional dancer. Margaret’s love for her children was immeasurable, they were her world. In 2009, Margaret’s life changed forever when she became “Mimi” to her first grandchild, HevenLei. She often said that becoming a grandmother saved her life. In 2016, she welcomed her second grandchild, Sarah Hlili, and her heart grew even fuller. In 2019, Margaret met David Blackwell. Their connection was instant and deep, and after three years of love and partnership, they married in 2022 in Asheboro. Margaret and David were soulmates, and together they built a family rooted in love, forgiveness and unbreakable bonds. Margaret is survived by: – Her husband, David Blackwell – Her children: Amber Hlili and husband Jamal Hlili, Justin Dodson, and Brandon Alley and wife Racheal Prince – Her beloved grandchildren: HevenLei Spencer and Sarah Hlili – Her siblings: Tina Oliver, Richard Clowers, Rebecca Jenkins, Jeff Clowers and Anthony Clowers She was preceded in death by her mother, Nancy Alley, and her brother, Mike Clowers. A celebration of Maggie’s life will be held on Wednesday, May 14, at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro, NC 27203. Viewing will take place from noon to 1:45 p.m., with the service beginning at 2 p.m. All who knew and loved Maggie are welcome to attend and share memories. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Pugh Funeral Home. After May 14, support and messages for the family can be directed to 1010 Cornell Street, Asheboro, NC 27203.

Paul Allan Skodak

Lisa Darlene Harvell Williams

Oct. 27, 1961 – May 6, 2025

Jan. 6, 1959 – May 5, 2025

Paul Allan Skodak, age 63, of Randleman, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2025, surrounded by loved ones at his home. He was born October 27, 1961, in Owosso, Michigan, the son of Clifford A. Skodak and Mary Edwina Boschult. Paul graduated with an Associate Degree in Engineering and was employed with PAM Trading Corporation. He found immense joy in building functional items for his home, often using his inventive talents to create delightful swings and ziplines for his grandchildren, whose laughter was his greatest reward. As a dedicated husband, father and grandfather, his family was the center of his world, and he cherished every moment spent with them. In marrying Teresa, the love of his life, Paul found a partner who shared his enthusiasm and zest for life. Together, they embarked on many adventures, finding joy in simple pleasures like exploring estate sales and discovering unique treasures. Paul’s life was marked by love and an unwavering commitment to family. Left to cherish his memory are his devoted wife of 32 years, Teresa Earegood Skodak; son, Ronald “Ron” Parkin and wife Dawn; grandchildren, Aurora Williams, Alyssa Williams and James Williams; greatgrandchildren, Nickolai, Kaiser, Liam and Graycen; mother, Mary Boschult; father, Clifford Skodak; sisters, Pam Carter and Shelly Banker; brother, Steve Skodak; and numerous other beloved family and friends. He is preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Tina Williams, and a brother, James Skodak. The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.

Lisa Darlene Harvell Williams, age 66, of Franklinville, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2025, at High Point Regional Hospital. She was born on January 26, 1959, in Guilford County. Lisa was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend who touched the lives of many with her warmth and kindness. She was the devoted owner and operator of Williams Super Clean, a house cleaning business she managed for many years with dedication and care. Her greatest joys in life were simple pleasures shared with family. Lisa cherished her time at the beach, where she found solace and happiness under the sun’s embrace. Her love for butterflies was evident in her life and surroundings, as she adored everything adorned with their beautiful presence. Lisa was preceded in death by her parents, Larry Franklin and Libby Cline Harvell. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving husband, Stephen Williams of the home; her granddaughter, Halee Palmer of Kings Mt., NC, and numerous siblings, family and friends who will forever hold her dear in their hearts. The family will honor Lisa’s memory with a private service of remembrance at a later date. In this time of sorrow, they invite all who knew and loved Lisa to remember the joy she brought into their lives and the light she shared with the world. Midstate Cremation & Funeral Service in Asheboro is honored to assist the family of Mrs. Lisa Williams.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

STATE & NATION Georgia Insurance Commissioner enters Republican race for US Senate John King is campaigning ahead of what will be a busy 2026 election cycle By Jeff Amy The Associated Press ATLANTA — Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King on Monday became the second major Republican to enter the 2026 race to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, saying “President Trump needs reinforcements and Georgia needs a new senator.” King jumped in after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Friday that she would not seek the Republican nomination for Senate, and a week after King’s political patron, Gov. Brian Kemp, made the same decision. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican who represents a coastal Georgia district, announced his campaign for the Senate after Kemp announced he wasn’t running. Five other GOP officeholders have acknowledged interest to The Associated Press, signaling what could be a wide-open Republican contest. They include two other Republicans

ALYSSA POINTER / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King speaks during a May 2020 press conference. in Congress, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Also considering the race are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal. King, 61, emphasized his biography in his announcement, including being born in Mexico, his rise to major general in the Georgia National Guard and his work in law enforcement as an Atlanta police officer

and Doraville police chief. “I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems,” King said in an announcement video. “He needs help and I’m asking for your support to go help President Trump and solve these incredibly big problems.” King said Monday that he had been stabbed and shot

while serving as an Atlanta police officer. He also was a member of the Atlanta Police Department’s Red Dog unit, an anti-crime task force that drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics. It was King’s experience in the National Guard that brought him to Kemp’s attention. King had never held elective office and had lost out on his application to be Kemp’s National Guard chief when Kemp was faced with filling a vacancy in the insurance commissioner’s office after Jim Beck was indicted on federal criminal charges and suspended in 2019. Kemp chose King, saying he would “restore trust” in the office after not only Beck but also his predecessor John Oxendine faced criminal charges. King held the post on an interim basis for years, and Kemp appointed him permanently after Beck was convicted in 2022. Later that year, King became the first Hispanic person to be elected to a statewide post in Georgia. Kemp has made a number of appointments to diversify what has traditionally been an overwhelmingly white and male group of Republican officehold-

US welcomes 59 ‘Afrikaner’ refugees from South Africa The State Department says the group faced persecution at home By Martha Lee, Rebecca Santana and Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press DULLES, Virginia — The Trump administration on Monday welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refugees, saying they face discrimination and violence at home, which the country’s government strongly denies. The decision to admit the Afrikaners also has raised questions from refugee advocates about why they were admitted when the Trump administration has suspended efforts to resettle people fleeing war and persecution who have gone through years of vetting. Many in the group from South Africa — including toddlers and other small children, even one walking barefoot in pajamas — held small American flags as two officials welcomed them to the United States in an airport hangar outside Washington. The

South Africans were then leaving on other flights to various U.S. destinations. A group of 49 Afrikaners had been expected, but the State Department said Monday that 59 had arrived. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said. President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Monday that he’s admitting them as refugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “being killed” and he plans to address the issue with South African leadership next week. That characterization has been strongly disputed by South Africa’s government, experts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum, which says farm attacks are not being taken seriously by the government. South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “completely false,” the result of misinformation and an inaccurate

Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

view of the country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country. Speaking at a business conference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump recently and told him his administration had been fed false information by groups who were casting white people as victims because of efforts to right the historical wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apartheid system of forced racial segregation, which oppressed the black majority. “I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s going on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are opposed to transformation back in South Africa

is not true,” Ramaphosa said. Afrikaners make up South Africa’s largest white group and were the leaders of the apartheid government, which brutally enforced racial segregation for nearly 50 years before ending it in 1994. While South Africa has been largely successful in reconciling its many races, tensions between some black political parties and some Afrikaner groups have remained. The Trump administration has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes “racially discriminatory property confiscation.” No land has been expropriated. Trump has promoted the allegation that white farmers in South Africa are being killed on a large scale as far back as 2018 during his first term.

“I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems.” John King, GOP Senate candidate ers. Fluent in Spanish, King often delivered messages on behalf of Kemp in that language during the pandemic, and released announcement videos Monday in both English and Spanish. King was also a key messenger during Kemp’s successful push to limit civil lawsuit verdicts and has become a frequent speaker at political events the last two years. But King, like a number of other Senate hopefuls, remains little-known by the broader electorate. He also needs to prove that he can raise the large amounts of money needed for a Senate campaign. He raised $1 million during his 2022 reelection campaign, enough for a low-profile statewide office but not for a competitive Republican primary. Overall, the 2026 Senate race is likely to cost hundreds of millions. Ossoff raised more than $11 million just in the first three months of 2025.

Conservative commentators have promoted the allegation about a genocide against white farmers, and South African-born Trump ally Elon Musk has posted on social media that some politicians in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.” South Africa has extremely high levels of violent crime, and white farmers have been killed in rural Afrikaner communities. It has been a problem for decades. The government condemns those killings but says they are part of the country’s problems with crime. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans or white Afrikaners in particular who are farmers,” South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday. “White farmers get affected by crime just like any other South Africans who do get affected by crime. So this is not factual, it is without basis. Landau said many of those who arrived Monday experienced “threatening invasions of their homes, their farms and a real lack of interest or success of the government in doing anything about this situation.” They all had met stringent vetting standards, including the ability to assimilate into American culture, Landau said. Critics of the refugee program suggest that refugees aren’t properly vetted, though supporters say they go through some of the strictest vetting of anyone seeking to come to America.

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PREP BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Pitcher Bryson Marley of Eastern Randolph reacts to the end of an inning during the Wildcats’ victory against South Stanly in the Class 1A state playoffs.

Four area teams advance to third round There was a meeting on the docket this week between two PAC teams in Class 2A Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO — Two-time defending state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy pulled out a 3-2 baseball victory against 12th-seeded East Wilkes in the Class 1-A second round Friday. Brett Smith and Logun Wilkins combined to strike out 10 batters for the fifth-seeded Eagles, who were to travel to

fourth-seeded North Stokes in the third round. UCA opened the playoffs with a 14-2 stomping of No. 28 seed Bessemer City. DJ Brandon, who drove in two runs, and Brody Eagle both supplied three hits. The Eagles scored seven first-inning runs. Logun Wilkins pitched three perfect innings in the five-inning game. • No. 15 seed Eastern Randolph’s Cade McCallum and Chance Holdaway knocked in three runs apiece in an 11-2 upset of second-seeded South Stanly in the second-round game. Bryson Marley pitched six in-

nings for the Wildcats, who next were to be home vs. No. 26 seed Mountain Heritage. In the opening round, Eastern Randolph overcame a seven-run deficit to defeat No. 18 seed Cornerstone Charter 10-9 when Bryson Marley drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Lucas Smith struck out 11 batters in five innings of relief. Class 2A Randleman’s Jake Riddle was the winning pitcher in relief for the sixth-seeded Tigers in a 6-2 victory against

PREP SOFTBALL

Tight games mark softball victories for Cougars, Tigers UCA overwhelmed its first two opponents in the state playoffs Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO — Macie Crutchfield’s one-hitter with 13 strikeouts was enough for defending state champion Southwestern Randolph in a 1-0 victory against No. 20 seed Maiden in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs Friday night. Crutchfield drove in Alyssa Harris in the sixth inning for the game’s run. Harris had three hits. The fourth-seeded Cougars were to face No. 5 seed West Stanly or No. 12 seed McMichael on Tuesday. Southwestern Randolph’s first-round game ended in six

innings as Crutchfield struck out 15 batters in a 10-0 trouncing of No. 29 seed Chase. Maddie Strider had three hits and three runs batted in. • No. 15 seed Randleman strung together consecutive doubles from Kaylee Phillips, Kaylie St. John, Teanna Bostick and Lilah Covington for three six-inning runs in a 3-2 upset of second-seeded West Caldwell. Kinzie Ivey struck out six for the Tigers. Randleman was coming off a 4-2 victory vs. No. 18 seed Rutherfordton-Spindale Central behind Ivey’s complete game. • No. 25 seed Providence Grove was done with an 8-1 loss at eighth-seeded East Rutherford despite Lara Wiseman leading off the game with a home run.

The Patriots ended up 11-9. Class 1A Uwharrie Charter Academy defeated No. 13 seed Starmount 13-2, buoyed by 11 first-inning runs. The fourth-seeded Eagles received four runs batted in from winning pitcher Paityn Williams. UCA next was to play home against No. 12 seed Murphy. UCA’s first-round game was a 20-2 pointing of No. 29 seed Bradford Prep with Carly Rush homering, Katelyn West driving in three runs and Ryley Thompson scoring three runs. • In the first round, fifth-seeded Bethany Community eliminated No. 28 seed Eastern Randolph 18-2. The Wildcats finished 2-18.

No. 11 seed Madison in the second-round game. Next was to be a clash with Piedmont Athletic Conference rival Trinity at home in the third round. Lincoln Lawson smacked a two-run home run against Madison, and Braxton Walker also knocked in two runs. Randleman had dramatics in pulling off an 8-7 victory against No. 27 seed Providence Grove in the first round in a matchup of PAC teams. The Tigers scored five runs across the last two innings to wipe out a four-run deficit. Riddle and Walker both drove in two runs in the match-

up of Piedmont Athletic Conference teams. Riddle was the winning pitcher in relief. Providence Grove’s Trevor Kirkman had three hits, but took the pitching loss in relief. It marked the third time this season that the Tigers defeated Providence Grove (10-13). • No. 14 seed Trinity never trailed in knocking off third-seeded West Strokes 3-2 in the second round. West Stokes ended at 23-3. Trinity’s first game of the playoffs resulted in a 6-5 home victory against No. 19 See BASEBALL, page B2

Randleman’s regional champs head to states Five schools from Randolph County have athletes qualified for the state championships Randolph Record staff RANDOLPH County will have entrants in three classifications in the high school track and field state championships. Led by a strong effort by Randleman in Class 2A regionals, there will be some high seeds for the meets at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. The Class 1A and Class 3A state meets are set for Friday. The Class 2A and Class 4-A state competitions will be held Saturday. Here’s a look at regional results. Class 2A Randleman has seven qualifiers in the state meet, though

senior Chase Farlow is entered in three boys’ events. Gracie Beane and Jaquline McDaniel advanced in two girls’ events apiece based on results in the Midwest Regional on Saturday at High Point Athletic Complex. Farlow, the reigning state champion in the high jump, also qualified in the long jump and triple jump. Farlow won the regional high jump at 6 feet, 6 inches with Wheatmore’s Finley Bryant third at 6-0. Farlow was first in long jump (22-11½) and triple jump (44-1). McDaniel won the high jump at 5-4, edging Beane who cleared the same height. Teammate Ava Jones was seventh at 4-10. Beane won the triple jump at 35-6, with teammate Janiyah Brooks seventh at 30-6 and Trinity’s Kayla Franklin eighth at 28-10. See TRACK, page B2

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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Kendall Jarrell

Ex-Randleman pitcher Way undergoes surgery Liberty’s baseball team has a few players from Randolph County By Bob Sutton Randolph Record FORMER Randleman baseball pitcher Seth Way, in his first year in college, has undergone Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Way is in his freshman year at Liberty, though he hasn’t pitched for the Flames because of the ailment. “I’m currently a little over four weeks post-surgery,” he said earlier this month. Way said he has been in-

Seth Way volved with the Liberty team on a regular basis in terms of

off-field work. He’s not on road trips with the Flames. Way was the left fielder on Randleman’s 2022 state championship team as a sophomore. When he wasn’t pitching, he moved to center field in 2023 and to infield positions in 2024. Liberty enters the last couple of weeks of the regular season with a 29-23 record. The team’s second-leading batter is Tanner Marsh of Asheboro with a .299 batting average. Marsh has 17 stolen bases on 20 attempts. Also for the Flames, former Randleman pitcher Trey Cooper has made 14 relief appearances without a decision this year.

UCA holds high seed in soccer Games in the first and second rounds were slated for this week

to begin Monday, though there had been some postponements. Second-round games were set for Thursday. UCA’s first game was to come against No. 30 seed South Davidson. In Class 2A, seventh-seeded Providence Grove was assigned to begin the postseason at home against No. 26 seed Black Mountain Owen. Wheatmore, the 2022 state

champion, holds the No. 17 seed with a trip to No. 16 seed Bandys. No. 21 seed Trinity was going to No. 12 seed Hendersonville for the opening round. Randleman is seeded No. 32 with a first-round game at top-seeded Pine Lake Prep. In Class 3A, No. 17 seed Asheboro was going to No. 16 seed St. Stephens for the first round.

Davidson secures 100-lap victory in Caraway race In Chargers, Matthew Smith held off 2024 track champion Brody Duggins, who was in his first start of the year at the speedway. Justin Hathcock was third, followed by Cody Griffin and Corey Wilson. The 602 Modified winner was Joel Belanger, who was moved up to the top spot when Rylan Lowder’s team declined a postrace inspection. Brian Weber became the runner-up. In UCARs, Jason Gallimore captured the 20-lap feature ahead of Daniel Hughes, Jeremy Kidd, Tito Clapp and Corbin Payne. For the Crown Vic division, Dean Levi was the win-

ner ahead of reigning track champion Bentley Black, with Steven Collins, Bobby Bescher and TJ Gibson in the next three positions. In Legends, Keelan Harvick edged Colton Hale by less than a half-second to win in the 20-car field. Hunter Jordan, Neal Dulin and Samuel Macedo rounded out the top five. In the Bandolero class, Charlie Evans was the top finisher, with Carson Caudle and Brody Zacharias in the next two spots. For Any Car Enduro, Darren Free was the victor for 50 laps, with Jamie Vance second and Kyle Siler in third. The next racing card at the speedway comes May 31 with Limited Late Models, Chargers, Mini Stocks, UCARs, 602 Mods, Crown Vics, the Allison Legacy Series and the East Coast Flathead Fords.

ble was the winning pitcher. • In the first round, Wheatmore gave up six first-inning runs in an 8-5 loss at No. 2 North Stanly. The No. 31-seeded Warriors (8-16) received

two hits from Caleb Coggins. • Also in the opening round, top-seeded Eastern Rutherford topped No. 32 seed Southwestern Randolph 11-1, with the Cougars ending with a 9-16 record.

nhardt also was sixth in the 1,600 (5:52.34). Malachia Combo of Providence Grove was eighth in the 300 hurdles (43.05). Wheatmore’s 400 relay of Seth Hollern, Kase Wilson, Daylin Ludwick and Dakota Ludwick placed eighth in 44.36. The same quartet was eighth in the 800 relay in 1:32.72. Trinity’s Giovanni Jaimes, Riley Foster, Tommy Smithers and Andrew Cox ended seventh in the 3,200 relay in 8:51.93. Wheatmore’s 3,200 relay of Emma Davidson, Lyda Madison, Olivia Hildreth and Scarlett Hildreth finished seventh (11:54.31). Southwestern Randolph’s Kiersten Litell was seventh in the girls’ 300 hurdles (51.40). Randleman’s Bryson Nall scored in the 400 with an eighth-place finish.

Corea was first in the discus at 121-6, while she placed second in the shot put at 35-2¼ in the Midwest Regional at North Stokes in Danbury. Davis was the high jump winner at 5-0, while teammate Callie Craven was sixth at 4-6.

Randolph Record staff

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter Academy, girls’ soccer Jarrell has been a key contributor for the Piedmont Athletic Conference champions. She averaged more than one goal and one assist per game during the regular season as the second-leading scorer among the Eagles. That included one goal and one assist in the regular-season finale in a 9-0 romp last week against Southwestern Randolph. Jarrell, a senior forward, helped UCA to a 15-3 record going into this week’s Class 1A state playoffs.

Asheboro to hold baseball state final Two teams will compete for a championship at McCrary Park Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association’s Class 2A state finals for baseball will be held this week in Asheboro. The best-of-3 finals are slated for Friday and Saturday at McCrary Park. The finalists were to be determined in Tuesday’s semifinals. Top-seeded Burlington Christian Academy was set to

meet fifth-seeded Westchester Country Day School in one semifinal, while second-seeded Freedom Christian Academy and third-seeded Faith Christian School (out of Rocky Mount) were matched up in the other semifinal. Game 1 of the finals is slated for Friday. Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 will be contested Saturday. The NCISAA’s Class 1A final is pegged for North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, while the Class 3A and Class 4A finals are slated to be played at the site of the highest remaining seed.

PIEDMONT Athletic Conference champion Uwharrie Charter Academy is the No. 3 seed for the Class 1A West Region state playoffs in girls’ soccer. The postseason was slated

There were some strong car counts for the speedway’s first racing night in May Randolph Record staff SOPHIA — Grant Davidson notched another victory in the Limited Late Models at Caraway Speedway. Davidson set the fastest qualifying time Saturday night before winning the 100lap race. Following a redraw, Davidson overcame Bryson Brinkley to win the race. Annabeth Crum was third, followed by London McKenzie and Rusty Daniels.

BASEBALL from page B1 seed Mount Pleasant as Brody Little homered and scored two runs and Ethan Willard scored two runs. Lincoln Co-

TRACK from page B1

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McDaniel was the runner-up in the long jump (17-3), with Brooks fifth at 15-5. Randleman boys Jay Richards (pole vault), Matthew Bowman (pole vault), Triston Chriscoe (110 hurdles) and Ty Moton (shot put) had top-four regional finishes. Richards (11-6) and Bowman (11-0) were second and third in the pole vault. Chriscoe was second in the 110 hurdles (15.13 seconds) and Providence Grove’s Jackson Rhyne was fifth (15.48). Chriscoe was sixth in the triple jump (41-11¼). Moton’s toss of 46-10 in the shot put was good for fourth place. Moton was seventh (125-4) in the discus and teammate Izaiah Troxler was eighth (124-0). Also making it to states in Class 2A are Wheatmore’s Scarlett Hildreth (girls’ 1,600) and Bryant (boys’ high jump) and Providence Grove’s Lauren Bernhardt (girls’ 800). Hildreth (5:38.20) and Bernhardt (2:31.47) were both fourth in the regional. Ber-

Class 1A Going to the state meet will be Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea in the discus and shot put and teammate Roxanne Davis in the high jump.

Class 3A Asheboro’s state qualifiers are Aaron Tyson (long jump, pole vault) and Juan Pablo Munoz (discus) on the boys’ side, while Rebecca Wilson (high jump) on the girls’ side. In regionals at Concord, Munoz’s throw of 143-11 was second in the discus. Tyson ranked second in the pole vault at 12-6 and had a fourth-place long jump at 214¾. He also was fifth in the triple jump (44-8). Elijah Woodle of Asheboro’s boys scored with a seventh-place spot in the 100 (11.03). The Blue Comets were fifth in the 400 relay in 43.39 with Luke Brumley, Jalial Timmons, Michael Mark and Woodle. Wilson had a high jump of 4-10 for fourth place.

Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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pen & paper pursuits this week in history Halley’s Comet passes Earth, Mount St. Helens erupts, Anne Boleyn beheaded The Associated Press MAY 15 1800: President John Adams ordered government offices to relocate from Philadelphia to the newly constructed city of Washington, in the federal District of Columbia. 1862: President Abraham Lincoln signed an act establishing the Department of Agriculture. 1940: Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald’s fast-food restaurant, in San Bernardino, California. MAY 16 1770: Marie Antoinette, age 14, married the future King Louis XVI of France, who was 15. 1929: The first Academy Awards were presented. “Wings” won the award for Outstanding Picture. 1966: The Chinese Communist Party issued the May 16 Notification, a document that criticized “counterrevolutionary revisionists” within the party and marked the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. 2022: The death toll from COVID-19 reached 1 million in the U.S. MAY 17 1792: The Buttonwood Agreement, a document codifying rules for securities trading, was signed by 24 New York stockbrokers, marking the formation of the New York Stock Exchange. 1875: The first Kentucky Derby was held; the race was

MATHEW BENJAMIN BRADY VIA WIKIPEDIA

Clarissa (Clara) Barton, nicknamed the “Angel of the Battlefield,” founded the American Red Cross on May 21, 1881. won by Aristides, ridden by jockey Oliver Lewis. 1954: A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court handed down its Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, which held that racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional. MAY 18 1652: Rhode Island became the first American colony to pass a law abolishing African slavery. 1863: The Siege of Vicksburg began during the Civil War, ending July 4 with a Union victory. 1910: Halley’s Comet passed by Earth, brushing it with its tail. 1980: The Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing. MAY 19 1536: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England’s King Henry VIII, was beheaded after being convicted of adultery. 1921: Congress passed, and

President Warren G. Harding signed, the Emergency Quota Act, which established national quotas for immigrants. 1962: Film star Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday to You” to President John F. Kennedy during a Democratic fundraiser at New York’s Madison Square Garden. 1994: Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in New York at age 64. MAY 20 1862: President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlements west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for farming. 1916: The Saturday Evening Post published its first Norman Rockwell cover; the illustration shows a scowling boy dressed in his Sunday best, dutifully pushing a baby carriage past a couple of boys wearing baseball uniforms. 1927: Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, aboard the Spirit of St. Louis on his historic solo flight to France. MAY 21 1471: King Henry VI of England died in the Tower of London at age 49. 1881: Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. 1927: Charles A. Lindbergh landed his Spirit of St. Louis monoplane near Paris, completing the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 331/2 hours. 1932: Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean as she landed in Northern Ireland, about 15 hours after leaving Newfoundland.

AP PHOTO

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean when she finished her 2,026-mile journey on May 21, 1932.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

MUSIC REVIEW

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Mark Pritchard collab for inventive ‘Tall Tales’ Avant-garde electronic music meets melancholic vocals By Jim Pollock The Associated Press “TALL TALES,” the first full-length collaboration between Radiohead singer Thom Yorke and electronic music pioneer Mark Pritchard, captures two prolific artists without much to prove and whole worlds left to explore. The project was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic when Yorke and Pritchard, both working remotely, began exchanging and modifying sound files. A half-decade later, the collaboration journeys back into the isolation of that period and far beyond. (And the partnership shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise: Pritchard previously worked with Yorke on the 2016 track “Beautiful People.”) “Tall Tales” captures their shared, endearing spirit of experimentation in a collection of dystopian, prog electronics that will satisfy fans of both artists. Across the album, Pritchard’s inventive productions often serve as a perfect foil for Yorke’s darker lyrics and mournful vocals. Pritchard is a synthesizer sommelier, too, utilizing classic vintage electronic instruments dating back many decades, such as the Arp Odyssey, Wurlitzer Sideman and the Minimoog. Yorke returns to themes of tech dystopia, consumerism and alienation that he has explored since the 1997 Radiohead album “OK Computer,” evidenced in tracks like “Gangsters” and “The Men Who Dance in Stag’s Heads.” On the later, a droning satire of billionaire self-indulgence, he sings, “We sign their papers/ We line their pockets.” The opening track, “A Fake in a Faker’s World,” serves up a mission statement for the project. There, Pritchard presents

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK WARP RECORDS VIA AP

“Tall Tales” is a new collaborative full-length album by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and electronic musician Mark Pritchard.

“We sign their papers/ We line their pockets.” Tom Yorke, Radiohead a whirlwind of digital sounds, with Yorke’s human voice the sole organic element. The two tracks that follow are ambient works that seem destined for IMAX films or A24 soundtracks. “Ice Shelf” is cold and glacial as Yorke sings “Standing solo on an ice shelf.” “Bugging Out Again” follows, haunting and dense with retro-futuristic effects. A strong middle section begins with “Back in the Game.” The opening lyrics evoke the project’s genesis: “Have you missed me? How’ve you been? Back to 2020 again.” As in so much of Yorke’s work, the track blends emotional despair with an infectious musicality. It is anchored by the album’s two catchiest tracks.

“Gangsters” evokes 1980s video games with its use of a Mattel Bee Gees rhythm machine. The wonderfully titled “This Conversation Is Missing Your Voice” follows, with a propulsive electronic pop energy that falls somewhere between Gorillaz and Squeeze. The final third houses the oddball tracks. The overlapping voices in “Tall Tales” evoke a bardo of unsettled spirits. “Happy Days” features a bouncy carnival beat. The late songs gradually add analog instruments to the mix, and by the finale, “Wandering Genie,” the initial musical premise seems almost inverted: In the beginning, Yorke’s voice was the only organic sound; by the end, it’s all recognizable instruments and his voice has been digitized beyond recognition. Atop analog flute, bassoon and pipe organ, a mechanical Yorke brings the journey to its coda, repeating the single lyric, “I am falling.” And in 2020, who wasn’t?

BOOK REVIEW

Bargatze brings comedy to page with ‘Big Dumb Eyes’ Standup doesn’t always translate well in books By Rob Merrill The Associated Press IT’S A RITE OF passage for all comedians: Work like crazy on the stand-up circuit, hit it big, record live specials for a streaming platform and then write a book that can never quite measure up to your live act. Consider “Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind” by Nate Bargatze. I laughed so hard I cried during parts of his Netflix special “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.” But I can count on two hands the laugh‑out‑loud moments I experienced as I read “Big Dumb Eyes.” That’s not because Bargatze isn’t funny. Books just aren’t the funniest mediums for standup comics. Bargatze’s live act flows from his droll, self-deprecating delivery. And while he tries right there in the book’s subtitle — “Stories from a Simpler Mind” — the humor just doesn’t have the same impact on the page as it does the screen. Bargatze seems to realize this, writing in his introduction that he is “very on the record about not liking to read books.” Alas, the publisher, and good ol’ fashioned capitalism, apparently convinced him that he should write one. All that said, for super fans

GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING VIA AP

“Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind” is comedian Nate Bargatze’s first book. or anyone who would rather read funny stories than watch Bargatze tell them on TV, “Big Dumb Eyes” is a quick read. There are even grainy, black and white photos of Bargatze through the years with his family. If you haven’t already watched his specials, you’ll learn a lot about his upbringing — from the sense of humor and theatrical nature he inherited from his father, the greatest clown and magician to ever work in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to the role his decade-younger sister, Abigail, played in keeping him from be-

ing completely self-centered growing up. My favorite chapter, the one with the most LOL moments, is called “My Sister the Alien” and recounts the time when Nate, his brother Derrick and their dad forgot to bring Abigail home from church one Wednesday night. They all realize when they get home that Abigail isn’t with them, and dad’s first words are “Do not tell your mother.” When they drive back to the church, Abigail is with a couple, who found her in the church cemetery “passing from tombstone to tombstone communing with the dead like the devil’s phantasm.” Bargatze tells quite a few stories about his wife, Laura, as well, and near the end Laura even chimes in via footnotes, as if she’s reading the book along with you. “Obviously I knew about this, too. Now that I think about it, go ahead and tell Nate. I can’t wait to see the look on his face,” reads one after Nate shares how he had to ask his parents to pay for her engagement ring. At the end, in a two-page “Conclusion,” Nate offers his congrats to readers who make it that far, scolding anyone who got through all 222 pages in one sitting. “You should probably move around some more. Or sprinkle in some other healthier activities, like watching TV,” he writes. It’s good advice. I suggest “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.”

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famous birthdays this week Brian Eno is 77, Taj Mahal turns 83, Janet Jackson is 59, Tina Fey hits 55 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. MAY 15 Actor-singer Lainie Kazan is 85. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson is 85. Musician Brian Eno is 77. Actor Chazz Palminteri is 73. MAY 16

DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP PHOTO

Actor and motivational speaker Mr. T turns 73 on Wednesday.

Actor Danny Trejo is 81. Actor Pierce Brosnan is 72. Actor Debra Winger is 70. Rock musician Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) is 60. Singer Janet Jackson is 59. MAY 17 Musician Taj Mahal is 83. Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard is 69. Sports announcer Jim Nantz is 66. Singer-composer Enya is 64. TV host-comedian Craig Ferguson is 63. Musician Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) is 60.

SOLUTION FOR LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

MAY 18

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Singer Janet Jackson is 59 on Friday.

Country singer George Strait is 73. Actor Chow Yun-Fat (“Anna and the King,” ″The Replacement Killers”) is 70. Comedian Tina Fey is 55. Musician Jack Johnson is 50. MAY 19 TV personality David Hartman is 90. Actor James Fox is 86. Musician Pete Townshend is 80. Singer-actor-model Grace Jones is 77. MAY 20

ROB GRABOWSKI / I NVISION / AP PHOTO

Trent Reznor performs on day three of Riot Fest in 2022. The Nine Inch Nails founder and front man celebrates 60 on Saturday.

Singer-actor Cher is 79. Actor Dave Thomas (“Grace Under Fire,” ″SCTV”) is 77. Actor Bronson Pinchot is 66. Actor Tony Goldwyn (“Scandal”) is 65. Rapper Busta Rhymes is 53. MAY 21 Actor Mr. T is 73. Actor Judge Reinhold is 68. Actor-director Nick Cassavetes (“The Notebook”) is 66.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, May 15, 2025

the stream

SONY PICTURES VIA AP

“Paddington in Peru” comes to Netflix on Thursday.

‘Paddington in Peru,’ Prince Royce, ‘Mormon Wives,’ Doom: The Dark Ages ‘Oops!... I Did It Again” turns 25

“(‘The Brutalist’) is about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails.”

The Associated Press NEW YORK — Paddington bear going on an Indiana Jones‑style adventure in “Paddington in Peru” and Alexander Skarsgard playing a robot with free will in Apple TV+’s series “Murderbot” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno,” the surprise Bravo hit “Mormon Wives” returns for Season 2, and there’s a new gaming chapter in the groundbreaking Doom series, Doom: The Dark Ages.

Jocelyn Noveck, AP film writer

MOVIES TO STREAM Brady Corbet’s epic “The Brutalist” is finally making its way to Max on Friday. The 31/2-hour postwar saga won Adrien Brody the best actor Oscar earlier this year for his portrayal of László Tóth, a fictional architect and Holocaust survivor who attempts to build a new life in America. It was also awarded the best score (Daniel Blumberg) and best cinematography prizes. Director of photography Lol Crawley shot in VistaVision, a 70-year-old format famously utilized in films like “Vertigo” and “North by Northwest.” In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote, “It’s about the immigrant experience, and it’s about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails. It also explores a different dream: the artist’s dream, and what happens when it meets opposing forces, be they geographic displacement or cold economic calculus.” Paddington bear and the Brown family go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in “Paddington in Peru,” streaming on Netflix on Thursday. This third installment in the charming series has a few changes from its predecessors — in the filmmaker (Dougal Wilson taking over for Paul King) and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer subbing in for Sally Hawkins). In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that Wilson “can’t quite summon the same comic spirit” as King but added that “bright and buoyant, will do. If some

LAURA RAUCH / AP PHOTO

Pop sensation Britney Spears received the Billboard Music award for Artist of the Year in 2000. The 25th anniversary edition of “Oops!... I Did It Again” drops this week. of King’s Wes Anderson-inspired pop-up book designs and skill with fine character actors is missing, the bedrock earnestness and unflaggingly good manners of its ursine protagonist remain charmingly unaltered.” In March 1988, the students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., staged a historic protest over the appointment of a hearing president instead of one who was deaf. “Deaf President Now!” a documentary streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, chronicles that moment and examines its broader impact, like how it helped pave the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act. MUSIC TO STREAM Somehow, some way it has been 25 years since Britney Spears first put on a red latex catsuit and sang “Oops!... I Did It Again” through her singular breathy tone, the title track of her sophomore album. Across

the album — which includes other hits “Lucky” and “Stronger” — she ushered in new millennium as a zeitgeist-shaping pop superstar. Her influence in the decades that followed is unimpeachable, and on Friday, Sony will release a 25th anniversary edition of the record, complete with bonus tracks. Colombian Canadian singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta returns with an ambitious new album, “La Belleza.” It arrives five years after her breakout, “Miss Colombia,” and features the inventive artist veering into new, classical influences while maintaining her interest in Afro-Indigenous polyrhythms. The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on “Eterno” – offering Spanglish, bachata-infused reimaginations of tracks like “Killing Me Softly” as made famous by Roberta Flack, the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” The Temptations’ “My Girl” and more.

TELEVISION TO STREAM With shows like “The Kardashians,” “Vanderpump Villa” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Hulu is building a roster of reality TV that’s quite Bravo-esq. “Mormon Wives” was a surprise hit when it debuted last year. It’s back for a second season on Thursday. The show follows the drama among a group of Mormon women living in the Salt Lake City area who have built a following on TikTok. After scoring big with “The Pitt,” Max is looking to keep the momentum going with “Duster.” Co-created by JJ Abrams, the show stars Josh Holloway of “Lost” as a getaway driver in the ’70s who gets flipped by a rookie FBI agent, played by Rachel Hilson. Holloway has described the show as a throwback to when TV was less dark and more fun. “Duster” premieres Thursday. “The Chi,” a drama about a young black community living

in Chicago’s South Side returns Friday. Critics and fans have praised its portrayal of life as a black person growing up in a rough neighborhood faced with systematic racism, violence, incarceration, and poverty. Kyla Pratt — known for playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy’s character in the “Dr. Dolittle” films and as the voice of Penny in “The Proud Family” — joins the cast for season seven. The Chi” streams on Paramount+ with Showtime. We’ve seen Skarsgård as a tech bro on “Succession” and an abusive husband on “Big Little Lies.” Next, we get to see his comedic chops as a robot who gains free will in “Murderbot” for Apple TV+. Premiering Friday, the show is based on a book series. Stanley Tucci is once again roaming through Italy. The Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning actor eats and meets in National Geographic’s new food-travel series “Tucci in Italy,” which premieres Sunday, and streams on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. Each episode of the first season of “Tucci in Italy” explores a different region in Italy — from Tuscany to Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy, Abruzzo and Lazio. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY If you like your games big, noisy and unabashedly gory, id Software’s groundbreaking Doom series is hard to beat. Doom: The Dark Ages, the new chapter from publisher Bethesda Softworks, takes the demon-hunting space marine — now known as the Doom Slayer — back in time, sort of. His bosses have hauled the big lug to a quasi-medieval planet that’s riddled with hell portals and under siege by the most bloodthirsty monsters yet. It’s like a heavy metal album cover come to life, and it arrives Thursday on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 12 | THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025 | HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

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HOKE COUNTY THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

A good walk spoiled Takumi Kanaya, of Japan, walks on the on the 13th hole for the PGA Championship, taking place this weekend at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Schools audit finds significant spending, compliance issues There were no problems related to state or federal funding grants By Ryan Henkel North State Journal RAEFORD — Hoke County Schools received some tough news in relation to its financial accounting practices. At the Hoke County Schools Board of Education’s May 13 meeting, the board was presented with the findings from its 2024-24 audit performed by Anderson Smith and Wike PLLC. While the district did receive a clean opinion on the financial section of the audit, meaning that all the amounts and disclosures in the report were reliable and that the financial statements were free

from any material misstatements or errors, there were multiple issues pointed out in the compliance section. Compliance issues that the audit found were failures to reconcile general ledger accounts in a timely manner, multiple expenditures made before or without a purchasing order being completed, over $400,000 in budget violations — a recurring issue also noted in the previous year’s audit too — and a failure to submit the audit by the required due date. “You’ve had a lot of turnover in your finance staff, and a problem we see statewide is that we get new people in school finance and it’s very complicated and you’re not granted any kind of leniency by the state if you forget to do anything and there is a very hard cutoff on

“You’re not granted any kind of leniency by the state.” Dale Smith, Anderson Smith and Wike June 30,” said Dale Smith of Anderson Smith and Wike. On a positive note, Smith did report that there were no findings related to the state or federal funding the district received, meaning that there wasn’t anything in the audit that would require them to have to pay money back to the state or federal government. In terms of action items, the board approved a $56,000 contract renewal with Reading Horizon for its Discovery

Product Suite, a comprehensive reading program for K-3 students designed to support early literacy development. The suite provides digital curriculum — scripted lesson content, resources, data — reference and support materials as well as access to digital learning experiences for students. The board also approved a contract with North Carolina Driving School to provide driver’s education services for the district. North Carolina Driving School was the only company who submitted a bid that met all the insurance requirements, but they also have 36 years of experience and have contracted with 40 public school units. The contracted cost for the district will be $70 per student See SCHOOLS, page A2

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years. Overall, the report suggests tariffs haven’t yet impacted prices for many items.

$2.00

Is the Southern accent fixin’ to disappear? It’s fading with younger generations and new transplants moving in

minishment of the regional accent among black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who grew up in Raleigh. More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation’s three other regions. Linguists don’t believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places.

By Mike Schneider The Associated Press GROWING UP in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s visits to New York City relatives included being the star of an impromptu novelty show: Her cousin invited over friends and charged 25 cents a pop for them to listen to Levine’s Southern accent. Even though they too grew up in Atlanta, Levine’s two sons, born more than a quarter century after her, never spoke with the accent that is perhaps the most famous regional dialect in the United States, with its elongated vowels and soft “r” sounds. “My accent is nonexistent,” said Ira Levine, her oldest son. “People I work with, and even

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro Atlanta residents has changed over several generations. in school, people didn’t believe I was from Atlanta.” The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as

people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the di-

Late 20th-century migration surge affects accents The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 See ACCENT, page A4

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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SCHOOLS from page A1 for classroom instruction, $230 per student for behindthe-wheel training ($300 combined) and $1,900 per student for virtual classrooms if needed. “The service is provided to all eligible students in Hoke County,” said Assistant Superintendent Chad Hunt when the item was briefed last month. “The contractor will provide all the equipment and supplies, including vehicles, fuel and maintenance, all the staff members are certified in both classroom and behind‑the-wheel instruction, and the company also manages student registration, monthly invoices and completes all state required reports.” The district will also work to establish a priority structure for students who want to take driver’s ed. “I want to make sure we have the flexibility for the high school to be able to control who is going to be able to attend first, not just on a first come, first served basis,” said board member Ruben Castellon. “I think it’s critical that seniors should take No. 1 priority and so on and so on.”

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 HOKE.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

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The board also approved a nearly $117,000 contract with Netcom for the modernization of the Hoke County High School computer lab. The plan is to replace 94 outdated desktop computers with newer models. The change is necessary due to Windows 10 no longer being supported as of this October. “Investing in updated computer labs is a direct investment in student success, teacher effectiveness and the long-term economic vitality of our communities,” wrote Executive Director of CTE Dana Chavis. “Modernizing these spaces ensures that all students have equitable access to the tools and technology needed to learn, grow and thrive in a digital world.” Finally, the board approved a $46,000 contract renewal with Instructure for CANVAS Learning Management System. CANVAS allows students to digitally access assignments, course material and teacher feedback and also provides a way for direct parent/guardian communication with teachers as well. The Hoke County Schools Board of Education will next meet June 10.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

EDUCATION CORNER

The crisis of radical district judges THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected President of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against President Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate, and President. President Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of refugees — never mind the humanitarian or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate

arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the Founding Fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As President, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219-213) it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected President and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the President will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

SUPERINTENDENT KENNETH SPELLS

A year of growth and achievement AS WE CLOSE out the 2024-2025 academic year, I am proud to reflect on the many accomplishments across Hoke County Schools. This year has been marked by academic success, student growth and a continued commitment to excellence that defines our district. This month, we celebrate two important milestones for our graduating seniors. On May 16, SandHoke Early College will recognize its graduates; these students are well on their way to accomplishing their goals for the future. On May 30, the Hoke County High School Class of 2025 will walk across the stage, prepared for college, careers and bright futures. We congratulate all of our seniors and their families on reaching this momentous occasion. Throughout May, students at every level are being honored at school-wide awards ceremonies. On May 22, fifth grade students across the district will receive the President’s Award for Academic Achievement, a national recognition of their outstanding performance and effort. These students are a shining example of the excellence we foster in Hoke County Schools. We are also proud to share that our district has been awarded the State Superintendent’s Purple Star Award again this year, recognizing our exceptional support for military-connected students and their families. With a strong military presence in our community, this honor underscores our dedication to creating welcoming, supportive school environments for all students. As this school year comes to a close, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our educators, staff, families and community partners. Your continued support and collaboration have helped make this a successful and meaningful year for our students. To our students: Thank you for your perseverance, your enthusiasm and your pursuit of excellence. You inspire us every day. I look forward to all that you will achieve in the years ahead. Kenneth Spells has led Hoke County Schools since 2024. He’s been educating for nearly three decades, ranging from social studies teacher and boys’ basketball coach to principal and superintendent.

COLUMN | JESSICA WARD AND MATTIAS GUGEL

Why are North Carolina lawmakers copying Illinois’ worst swipe fee policy? SOME NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers are eyeing a shiny new idea — straight from the land of broken budgets and busted promises: Illinois. Yes, Illinois, the state famous for fiscal faceplants and legislative landmines. At issue? A proposal to regulate and cap credit card “swipe fees”. Sounds consumer-friendly, right? Until you dig into what happened in Illinois and how it’s backfiring on the folks lawmakers said they were trying to help. When you cap swipe fees, it doesn’t mean the costs disappear — they just get moved around. And, spoiler alert: they usually land squarely in the laps of small businesses and consumers. That’s what’s happening in Illinois right now. Merchants didn’t magically eat those higher processing costs — they’re passing them right along. The end result? Higher prices at the register and fewer rewards from the credit card in your wallet. Those airline miles and cashback perks sure were nice while they lasted. Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system: fraud protection, technology upgrades and security. Limiting them might sound like a win, until you realize you’re kneecapping the innovation

that makes digital payments safe and seamless. If North Carolina chooses this path, don’t be surprised when card security weakens, customer perks dry up, bank fees increase, and the start-up capital that small businesses rely on dwindles. Want to bring back checkbooks, dial-up internet, and Blockbuster too? Because capping swipe fees is basically asking for a financial time machine — and not the fun kind. Big retailers love these kinds of regulations. They have armies of lawyers and custom point-of-sale systems. But mom-and-pop shops across North Carolina? They’re the ones who really suffer. From the pulled pork pits of Lexington to the indie cafés tucked between Blue Ridge boutiques, North Carolina’s backbone is built on small business hustle — not corporate handouts and Chicago-style schemes. Some rely on swipe rewards to manage purchases. And many will have to overhaul their payment systems just to stay compliant. That’s money out the door, and time they don’t have. Worse, these businesses won’t get the sweetheart deals big box stores can negotiate. They’ll get

squeezed, and some may not survive the pinch. Banks won’t take this lying down. When swipe fees get capped, they’ll make up the difference elsewhere. That “free checking account”? Say goodbye. That nice mobile banking service? Expect fees. This means higher costs and fewer options for everyday North Carolinians — all so a handful of national retailers can boost their bottom lines. Here’s the kicker: Illinois lawmakers are already scrambling to undo the very policy North Carolina legislators are considering to copy. One of the original backers of the swipe fee ban has introduced legislation to repeal it. Apparently, the economic hangover kicked in faster than expected. When a state with a history of budget blunders realizes it’s made another mistake, maybe — just maybe — it’s not a blueprint worth following. North Carolina prides itself on pragmatic policy and sound fiscal management. Following Illinois down a regulatory rabbit hole doesn’t match that tradition. This swipe fee scheme might sound sweet, but it’s likely to end in regret for North Carolina consumers and small businesses. Lawmakers should think twice before importing Illinois’ mistakes and selling them as solutions. Bless their well-intentioned hearts, but North Carolina taxpayers deserve better. Jessica Ward is Senior Director of State Affairs and Mattias Gugel is Director of State External Affairs for the National Taxpayers Union.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned reporters while praising free speech, press He urged avoiding wars of words and images and focusing on peace

By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff. Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general public. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless. He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and report the truth. Drawing applause from the crowd, he asked for their release. “The church recognises in these witnesses — I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives — the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” he said. “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard

ACCENT from page A1 and then dropped off with Gen Xersborn between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century. It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents. In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a gen-

DOMENICO STINELLIS / AP PHOTO

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the international media on Monday in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. the precious gift of free speech and of the press.” Leo opened the meeting with a few words in English, joking that if the crowd was still awake and applauding at the end, it mattered more than the ovation that greeted him. Turning to Italian, he thanked the journalists for their work covering the papal transition and urged them to use words of peace. “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others,” he said. “In this

sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.” After his brief speech, in which he reflected on the power of words to do good, he greeted some of the journalists in the front rows and then shook hands with the crowd as he exited the audience hall down the central aisle. He signed a few autographs and posed for a few selfies. Journalists later shared some of the few words they ex-

changed with him, including hints that Vatican plans are going ahead for Leo to travel to Turkey to commemorate an important event in Catholic-Orthodox relations: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. Other tidbits emerged: Journalists offered to play doubles in tennis, or to organize a charity match. Leo, a regular tennis player, seemed game “but we can’t invite Sinner,” he joked, referring to the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is playing

just up the Tiber at the Italian Open. It was in the 2013 audience with journalists who covered the election of history’s first Latin American pope that Pope Francis explained his choice of name, after St. Francis of Assisi, and his desire for a “church which is poor and for the poor!” During his 12-year pontificate, Francis too spoke about the value of journalism and as recently as January, he appealed for the release of imprisoned journalists during a Holy Year event with the media.

eration after the Research Triangle’s establishment, typically don’t talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a paper published in December. Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype. “Young people today, especially the educated young people, they don’t want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown,” said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who cowrote the Atlanta study. “They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.”

African Americans from the South moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated. Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta. Michelle and Richard Beck, Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it’s missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001. “I think they speak clearer than I do,” Richard Beck, a law enforcement officer, said of his sons. “They don’t sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.”

have changed because of an influx of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class “yat” accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern. The hurricane was a “catastrophic” language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade. The diminishment of the “yat” accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie Carmichael said in a paper published in December. Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent,

worries that part of the region’s uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears. “It’s kind of like we’re losing our distinct personality,” she said.

Accents change for younger people The Southern dialect among black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the “Reverse Great Migration.” During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970,

New Orleans “yat” accent diminished Unlike other accents that

Southern identity changing While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because “accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves,” said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies. It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said. “So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South,” Renwick said. “And it’s not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.”

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HOKE SPORTS Softball season comes to an end for Lady Bucks Hoke County posted its most successful season in memory

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

McKenzie Freeman

North State Journal staff THE LADY BUCKS finished one of their best softball seasons ever, dropping a first-round NCHSAA playoff game to Willow Spring last week. Hoke County went 17-7 overall and 9-3 in the Sandhills Conference. The 17 wins was a six-game improvement over last season and the most by the Lady Bucks since also winning 17 in 2016. The conference record represented a five-game improvement over last year as Hoke went from sixth place in the Sandhills to second. Hoke head coach Heather Glass said that the girls’ bats just didn’t show up in the playoff opener, however. “We came out a little flat,” she said. Meanwhile, Willow Spring scored six runs in the first inning, added three in the fifth and five more in the sixth to go up 14-0. Hoke rallied in the bottom of the sixth. McKenzie Freeman got on with a walk and Brianna Harrell got a single to left. With two runners on base, Kalea Parker hit a deep shot to right center and scored the Bucks only two runs of the game. Willow Spring took a 14-2 win, however, advancing to the second round. Hoke bids farewell to seven seniors: First baseman

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Hoke senior first baseman Kalea Parker gets ready to take her cuts during the Lady Bucks’ playoff game.

5 games Improvement in Hoke County’s Sandhills Conference record. The Lady Bucks finished second at 9-3 Kalea Parker, outfielders Kailey Bowman, Chica Amador, Bailey Mass and Brianna Harrell, catcher Alyssa Cascavilla and third baseman Natalie Knowlton. Amador and Cascavilla were named All-Sandhills Conference, while Parker and Mass were honorable mentions. Cascavilla led Hoke in batting and hits. Harrell led in on‑base percentage, slugging and home runs. The Lady Bucks had no juniors on this year’s roster, meaning that next year’s young team will try to continue to build on

a successful 2025 campaign. Hoke has five sophomores and four freshmen going into the next season. Freeman, a sophomore catcher who was named All-Conference, led the team in RBIs, doubles and fielding while leading the Sandhills Conference in opposing runners caught stealing. Niya Jones, another All-Conference sophomore, led the team in most pitching categories and was among the state’s 4A East leaders in wins and strikeouts. Freshman second baseman Shaniya McLean led the Bucks in stolen bases, runs and triples.

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Hoke County, softball McKenzie Freeman is a sophomore catcher for the Hoke County softball team. The Bucks’ most successful season in recent memory ended with a playoff loss to Willow Spring. Freeman was one of two Hoke players to reach base twice in the game, with a hit and a walk. She also scored one of the team’s two runs and stole a base. For the year, Freeman led the Bucks in RBIs and fielding, and she was second in hits and runs.

ACC cuts 20-game men’s basketball schedule to 18 The league hopes fewer games will allow more teams to make tourney By Aaron Beard The Associated Press THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference is hoping its men’s basketball programs trade two fewer league games for marquee nonconference matchups in an effort to reverse a dwindling haul of NCAA Tournament bids. The league is reducing its 20‑game men’s basketball schedule to 18. The change comes after Commissioner Jim Phillips has been vocal about spending the past two seasons examining the conundrum of the ACC getting fewer bids — down to four this year, its fewest since 2013 — despite having teams regularly playing deep into March. Going to 18 games could make room for schools to add quality nonconference matchups to help their schedule strength — and therefore the ACC’s stature, provided the league wins its share of measuring-stick games, unlike last year. It will shake up the scheduling model, which will

mean ACC teams won’t face one league member each year. In a statement, Phillips said the move is “a direct result of our ongoing strategic review and analysis” and gives them more control of scheduling by freeing up two slots. It also comes as the league implements a new revenue-distribution model that will factor in TV viewership in its payouts to league schools, which could offer even more incentive to schedule marquee opponents that fans want to watch to boost the bottom line. “This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Basketball,” Phillips said, “and we appreciate the thoughtfulness of our membership and the support from our television partners.” The new model will have the league schedule running from late December into the first Saturday of March. Each team will play one primary partner at home and away every year, with those pairings — such as famed rivals Duke and UNC or instate opponents Virginia and Virginia Tech — designed to create some protection for long-running series.

Duke center Khaman Maluach and head coach Jon Scheyer celebrate with the trophy after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

The others primary pairings are Boston College-Notre Dame, Clemson-Georgia Tech, California-Stanford, Florida State-Miami, Louisville-SMU, NC State-Wake Forest and Pittsburgh-Syracuse. Each team also will play a home-and-away series against a partner that will change each year, then play one game against 14 of the remaining 15 teams. It won’t be perfect. Aside from

the fact that some teams won’t play each other, there are hiccups such as no guarantees that neighboring rivals UNC and NC State will have their typical home-and-away meetings; the Tar Heels and Wolfpack have played those every year reaching back to their Southern Conference days long before the ACC’s birth in May 1953. Still, Phillips had been clear the league had to make chang-

es to address the newfound shakiness in a sport widely and long regarded as its crown jewel. The ACC had played an 18‑game schedule from the 2012-13 season through 2018‑19, then moved to a 20-game slate for the 2019-20 season with its ESPN-partnered launch of the ACC Network. At the time, the ACC was coming off a fourth straight season with at least seven NCAA bids — including a record nine in 2017 and 2018 — while having three No. 1 seeds in 2019 and winning three of five national titles (Duke in 2015, North Carolina in 2017 and Virginia in 2019). Things have been tougher since the pandemic. The league had seven bids in 2021, then fell to five for three straight seasons before sliding to four this year, its first as an expanded 18-team basketball conference. By comparison, the ACC had 12 teams the last time it got just four bids in 2013. And yet the league also had both UNC and Duke in the Final Four in 2022, Miami there in 2023, NC State in 2024 and Duke again in April.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

COLIN E. BRALEY / AP PHOTO

Larson wins again at Kansas, dominating for 3rd NASCAR Cup Series win this season His attention now turns toward preparing for the Indy-Charlotte double By Dave Skretta The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Kan.— Kyle Larson took most of the drama out of his second straight spring victory at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. After putting his No. 5 car on the pole for Hendrick Motorsports, Larson led 221 of 267 laps, winning both stages and cruising to his third NASCAR Cup Series win of the season. He was never challenged down the stretch by second-finishing Christopher Bell — and he most certainly didn’t need another last-lap pass to win at

the wire like he did a year ago. The margin over Chris Buescher then was 0.001 seconds, the closest in Cup Series history. It was 0.712 seconds on Sunday. “Glad to not win by an inch this time,” Larson said with a smile. “A little safer gap.” Larson, who also has wins at Homestead and Bristol, has finished in the top four in each of his past four Cup Series races, and now he will take that momentum to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Larson will be on track Tuesday as he begins another shot at “the Double” — running every lap of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day Memorial Day weekend. Last year, he contended in the rain-delayed Indy 500 before a

SIDELINE REPORT NFL

MLB

Saints QB Carr retiring due to “degenerative changes” in shoulder

Astros’ McCullers receives threats directed at children after tough start

New Orleans The New Orleans Saints say veteran quarterback Derek Carr has decided to retire because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff. The 34-year-old Carr has played for 11 pro seasons. Carr was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while also struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FCS teams could be allowed to play 12 regular-season games every year Indianapolis FCS teams would be allowed to play 12 regular‑season games every year under a Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee recommendation. The NCAA announced the one-game extension would go into effect in 2026 if the Division I Council gives its approval during its June 24-25 meeting. Current legislation permits 12 regular-season games in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November. In all other years, only 11 regular-season contests are permitted.

Houston Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online death threats directed at his children after his tough start against the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers, who was making just his second start since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, allowed seven runs while getting just one out in Houston’s 13-9 loss on Saturday night. Afterward, McCullers said he had received the threats on social media and that people had threatened to “stab my kids.” The Astros said that the Houston Police Department and MLB security had been alerted to the threats.

NHL

Smith scores with 0.4 seconds left, Golden Knights stun Oilers Edmonton, Alberta Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left to give the Vegas Golden Knights a stunning 4-3 victory in Saturday’s Game 3. It was officially the third latest third-period winning goal in playoff history, at least since the NHL added decimals to the final minute. Nazem Kadri had one with 0.1 seconds left for Colorado in 2020, and Jussi Jokinen scored with 0.2 remaining for Carolina in 2009.

speeding penalty on pit road resulted in an 18th-place finish. He then hopped a flight to Charlotte for the NASCAR race, but rain there kept him from ever completing a lap. “It’s a cool win here at Kansas,” Larson said in Victory Lane, “and now we’ll try to execute two good weeks at Indy.” Even though Larson spent most of a hot, sunny day at Kansas in the lead, he found himself trailing Chase Elliott early in the final stage. But when Elliott’s team dropped the jack too soon before his right rear tire was on during a pit stop, Larson was able to get back to the front on the restart, and he spent the last 50 laps cruising to the checkered flag. Bell, a three-time winner already, finished in the top three

“Glad to not win by an inch this time. A little safer gap.” Kyle Larson for the sixth time this season. Ryan Blaney came in third, giving Team Penske another good run after Austin Cindric won two weeks ago at Talladega and Joey Logano won last week at Texas. “I was just trying to get to the end. I know Ryan was coming on really strong there,” Bell said. “I feel like our day was kind of a product of qualifying well and having good pit stops and restarts.” Blaney knew he was coming on strong, too, but he was left

to lament what might have been. “We were kind of running those guys down quick,” Blaney said. “A few more laps, I would have scared the 5 a bit at least.” Chase Briscoe finished fourth, and Larson’s teammate Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Brad Keselowski looked as if he might finally have his first top-10 finish this season. He started from the rear but steadily made his way forward, and the 2012 series champion had moved into second behind Elliott when his right rear went down with 72 laps to go. Keselowski wound up in the wall, ending his hopes of contending. “I mean, it was going to be a great day,” Keselowski said. “I heard a big boom and around it went. It’s unfortunate.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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obituaries Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dead at 85 Kelvin Ray Crumpler Sr.

Inez Bunce Barbour

Daniel “Danny” Lee Cox

Feb. 14, 1960 – May 10, 2025

April 14, 1940 – May 7, 2025

Oct. 11, 1955 – May 5, 2025

Kelvin Ray Crumpler Sr., age 65, went to be with his Lord and Savior on May 10, 2025, at home with his family by his side. Kel was born in Clinton, North Carolina, on February 14, 1960, to Dayne Capps Crumpler and the late Gordon Franklin Crumpler. Kel Graduated from Hoke County High School. He then attended and graduated from Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, Georgia, receiving a degree in Funeral Services. He then returned to Raeford and worked at Crumpler Funeral Home as manager, and he later became the owner and general manager. Kel served Hoke County for over 25 years as the appointed medical examiner. He was a member of Northview Harvest Ministries in Laurinburg. Surviving Kel is his wife of over 25 years, Kimberly Woodside Crumpler, of Raeford, his son, Kelvin Ray Crumpler Jr. (Rebecca) of Raeford, two bonus sons Ben Taylor (Katie) of Fletcher, NC; and Chris Young of Greenville., NC; two bonus daughters, Meredith Taylor and Joy Taylor (Steve) of Raeford; eight grandchildren, Kaylin, Currin, Chayton, Israel, Maddie, Jet, Sydney, and Maverick; Mother, Dayne Crumpler of Raeford; his brother Kemp Crumpler (Margaret) of Raeford, a sister Kalen Crumpler Wilhide (Rick) of Raeford; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Along with his father, Kel is preceded in death by two grandsons, Gavin Clyde Quick and Bobby Joe Parker Jr. A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 1-2 p.m. at Northview Harvest Ministries, 17760 Log Cabin Lane, Laurinburg, NC. Funeral Services will follow at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Raeford Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Kel’s memory to Northview Harvest Ministries, 17760 Log Cabin Lane, Laurinburg, NC 28352, or Hospice Foundation of Hoke County, P.O. Box 1584, Raeford, NC 28376. Arrangements for the family are entrusted to Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford.

Inez Bunce Barbour, age 85 of Raeford, NC, passed away peacefully on the evening of May 07, 2025. She was born April 14, 1940, in Fayetteville, NC, to the late Purdie Franklin Bunce and Ethel Mae Jackson Bunce. Inez was a hard worker and nurturer her whole life. As a child, she had a favorite pet pig named Burley, who she said was as smart as any dog. She enjoyed arranging flowers at a young age, which later translated into a passion for interior decorating and outdoor gardening. She and Lowell married in March of 1956. She was a dedicated mother to her three young daughters, teaching them lifelong skills and values. Inez was a driving force in creating and running several family businesses with Lowell. The family enjoyed fishing and boating together. Her greatest desire for her grandchildren was to make their childhood magical. This ranged from tea parties to birthday parties, and Christmases they will never forget. Easter was always a very special holiday to her, and her granddaughters fondly remember receiving matching fluffy, white dresses from her for Easter Sunday. She loved traveling and taking photographs. She spent her last years in Raeford with her brother and sister-in-law, Jimmy and Carol Bunce. We are grateful for their love and support. Inez was preceded in death by her husband, James Lowell Barbour (1937-2017); her brother, William Bunce (2009); and infant great-granddaughter, Farrah Francis Yates (2006). She is survived by her three daughters, Pamela Inez Yates Baptiste, of Raleigh, NC, Mary Suzanne Barbour, of Raleigh, NC, and Jamie Lowella Meszaros (Michael Jr.), of Sanford, NC; five grandchildren, Jerry Lynn Yates (Cameron Stout), Jessica Yates Valin (Daniel), Joseph Yates Jr. (Heather), Ashton Ward Clawson (Brandon), Jesse Ward; and 10 great grandchildren, Makiya, Patrick, Keeley, Chase, Landon, Josie, Caroline, William, Lily and Magnolia; and three siblings, Jimmy Bunce, Jackie Bunce and Mary Lou Burgess. Her indomitable spirit and passion for life will be missed by all who knew her. A graveside service will be held at Mt. Gilead Baptist Cemetery at 6248 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC, on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 1 p.m. Arrangements for the family are entrusted to Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford.

Daniel Lee Cox, age 69 from Cato, NY, passed away on May 6, 2025 at his home in Raeford, NC, with his wife, Chris, of 50 years by his side. Danny was the beloved son of Charlotte. Father to Steph (Randy)(Russ), Denise (Swayne), Daniele and Joey (Shasta). He was Papa to Chip, Lilly (Christian), Haylee, Corey, Elijah, Sawyer, Gauge and Awstyn. Great Papa to Jensen, Celeste and Ireland. He was preceded in death by his father, Marshall, and daughter-in-law, Beth. Danny worked as a welder for many years; he was well known for his custom welding jobs. He also worked at Crucible Steel Mill and drove a truck. He was passionate about NASCAR and loved a good game of horseshoes. He will be remembered for teaching anyone who was willing or unwilling to learn manly things. He was always trying to teach the kids valuable life skills. He was the friendly neighborhood tool man. A celebration of life will be held in July. Danny will be deeply missed but forever cherished in the hearts of those who knew him. Arrangements for the family are entrusted to Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford.

German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dead at 103 She returned to live in Berlin, speaking publicly about her experiences By Geir Moulson The Associated Press BERLIN — Margot Fried­ länder, a German Jew who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp and became a high-profile witness to Nazi persecution in her final years, died Friday. She was 103. Her death was announced by the Margot Friedländer Foundation in Berlin on its website. Details about where she died, as well as the cause of death, were not immediately made public. She died the week of the 80th

anniversary of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II. After spending much of her life in the United States, Friedländer returned to live in the German capital in her 80s. She was honored with Germany’s highest decoration and with a statue at Berlin’s City Hall. “What I do gives me my strength and probably also my energy, because I speak for those who can no longer speak,” Friedländer said at an event at Berlin’s Jewish Museum in 2018. “I would like to say that I don’t just speak for the 6 million Jews who were killed, but for all the people who were killed — innocent people,” she said.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences in a statement, saying she gave Germany reconciliation despite the horrors she went through here in her life. Steinmeier said the country cannot be grateful enough for her gift. A report released last month said more than 200,000 Jewish survivors are still alive but 70% of them will be gone within the next 10 years. Friedländer stayed away from Germany for 57 years. She and her husband became U.S. citizens; she worked as a tailor and later ran a travel agency. Adolf Friedländer died in 1997, aged 87. Margot returned to Germany for the first time in 2003, when she was received at Berlin’s City Hall along with others who had been pushed out by the Nazis. In 2010, she moved back to the German capital, where she told her story to students and was decorated with, among other things, the country’s highest honor, the Order of Merit. She was made a citizen of honor of Berlin in 2018.

The GOP nominee became a favorite of Democrats By Mark Sherman The Associated Press RETIRED SUPREME Court Justice David H. Souter, the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench, has died. He was 85. Souter died Thursday at his home in New Hampshire, the court said in a statement Friday. He retired from the court in June 2009, giving President Barack Obama his first Supreme Court vacancy to fill. Obama, a Democrat, chose Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina justice. Souter was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush in 1990. He was a reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts. Souter also dissented from the decision in Bush v. Gore in 2000, which effectively handed the presidency to George W. Bush, the son of the man who put him on the high court. While liberals were delighted with a justice they initially feared, conservatives turned Souter’s appointment into a rallying cry, “No more Souters,” that fueled their successful drive to move the court more firmly to the right. In retirement, Souter warned that ignorance of how government works could undermine American democracy. “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough ... some one person will come forward and say, ‘Give me total power and I will solve this problem.’ That is how the Roman republic fell,” Souter said in a 2012 interview. His lifestyle was spare — yogurt and an apple, consumed at his desk, was a typical lunch — and he shunned Washington’s social scene. He couldn’t wait to leave town in early summer. As soon as the court finished its work in late June, he climbed into his Volkswagen Jetta for the drive back to the worn farmhouse where his family moved when he was 11. Yet for all his reserve, Souter was beloved by colleagues, court employees and friends. He was a noted storyteller and generous with his time. “Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. Souter continued hearing cases on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for more than a decade after he left the high court, Roberts said. Sotomayor recalled the kindness of the man she succeeded on the Supreme Court. “When I arrived at the court, no one was more welcoming to me than David,” she said in a statement. “After his retirement, he periodically sent me notes, which I will forever treasure for their insightfulness and beautiful turns of phrase.” When Bush plucked Souter from obscurity in 1990, liberal interest groups feared he would be the vote that would undo the court’s Roe v. Wade ruling in favor of abortion rights. He was called a stealth nominee by some. Bush White House aide John Sununu, the former conservative governor of New Hampshire, hailed his choice as a “home run.” And ear-

ly in his time in Washington, Souter was called a moderate conservative. But he soon joined in a ruling reaffirming women’s right to an abortion, a decision from 1992 that is his most noted work on the court. Thirty years later, a more conservative court overturned that decision and the constitutional right to abortion. Souter asked precise questions during argument sessions, sometimes with a fierceness that belied his low-key manner. “He had an unerring knack of finding the weakest link in your argument,” veteran Supreme Court advocate Carter Phillips said. Souter was history’s 105th Supreme Court justice and only its sixth bachelor. Although hailed by The Washington Post as the capital city’s most prominently eligible single man when he moved from New Hampshire, Souter resolutely resisted the social whirl. “I wasn’t that kind of person before I moved to Washington, and, at this age, I don’t see any reason to change,” the intensely private Souter told an acquaintance. He worked seven days a week through most of the court’s term from October to early summer, staying at his Supreme Court office for more than 12 hours a day. He said he underwent an annual “intellectual lobotomy” at the start of each term because he had so little time to read for pleasure. Souter rented an apartment a few miles from the court and jogged alone at Fort McNair, an Army installation near his apartment building. He was once mugged while on a run, an apparently random act. Souter returned to his wellworn house in Weare, New Hampshire, for a few months each summer and was given the use of an office in a Concord courthouse. An avid hiker, Souter spent much of his time away from work trekking through the New Hampshire mountains. When Souter in 2005 joined an unpopular 5-4 decision on eminent domain allowing a Connecticut city to take several waterfront homes for a private development, a group angered by the decision tried to use it to evict him from his Weare farmhouse to make way for the “Lost Liberty Hotel.” But Weare residents rejected the proposal. Shortly after his retirement, Souter bought a 3,500-squarefoot Cape Cod-style home in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. It was reported, though perhaps it was just part of Souter’s lore, that he worried that the foundation of the house in Weare would give way under the weight of all the books he owned. Souter had been a federal appellate judge for just over four months when picked for the high court. He had heard but one case as a federal judge, and as a state judge previously had little chance to rule on constitutional issues. Though liberals were initially wary of his appointment, it was political conservatives who felt betrayed when, in two 1992 rulings, Souter helped forge a moderate-liberal coalition that reaffirmed the constitutional right of abortion and the court’s longtime ban on officially sponsored prayers in public schools. Yet as Souter biographer Tinsley Yarbrough noted, the justice did not take “extreme positions.” Indeed, in June 2008, Souter sided with Exxon Mobil Corp. and broke with his liberal colleagues in slashing the punitive damages the company owed Alaskan victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

STATE & NATION Georgia Insurance Commissioner enters Republican race for US Senate John King is campaigning ahead of what will be a busy 2026 election cycle By Jeff Amy The Associated Press ATLANTA — Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King on Monday became the second major Republican to enter the 2026 race to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, saying “President Trump needs reinforcements and Georgia needs a new senator.” King jumped in after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Friday that she would not seek the Republican nomination for Senate, and a week after King’s political patron, Gov. Brian Kemp, made the same decision. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican who represents a coastal Georgia district, announced his campaign for the Senate after Kemp announced he wasn’t running. Five other GOP officeholders have acknowledged interest to The Associated Press, signaling what could be a wide-open Republican contest. They include two other Republicans

ALYSSA POINTER / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King speaks during a May 2020 press conference. in Congress, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Also considering the race are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal. King, 61, emphasized his biography in his announcement, including being born in Mexico, his rise to major general in the Georgia National Guard and his work in law enforcement as an Atlanta police offi-

cer and Doraville police chief. “I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems,” King said in an announcement video. “He needs help and I’m asking for your support to go help President Trump and solve these incredibly big problems.” King said Monday that he had been stabbed and shot

while serving as an Atlanta police officer. He also was a member of the Atlanta Police Department’s Red Dog unit, an anti-crime task force that drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics. It was King’s experience in the National Guard that brought him to Kemp’s attention. King had never held elective office and had lost out on his application to be Kemp’s National Guard chief when Kemp was faced with filling a vacancy in the insurance commissioner’s office after Jim Beck was indicted on federal criminal charges and suspended in 2019. Kemp chose King, saying he would “restore trust” in the office after not only Beck but also his predecessor John Oxendine faced criminal charges. King held the post on an interim basis for years, and Kemp appointed him permanently after Beck was convicted in 2022. Later that year, King became the first Hispanic person to be elected to a statewide post in Georgia. Kemp has made a number of appointments to diversify what has traditionally been an overwhelmingly white and male group of Republican officehold-

US welcomes 59 ‘Afrikaner’ refugees from South Africa The State Department says the group faced persecution at home By Martha Lee, Rebecca Santana and Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press DULLES, Virginia — The Trump administration on Monday welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refugees, saying they face discrimination and violence at home, which the country’s government strongly denies. The decision to admit the Afrikaners also has raised questions from refugee advocates about why they were admitted when the Trump administration has suspended efforts to resettle people fleeing war and persecution who have gone through years of vetting. Many in the group from South Africa — including toddlers and other small children, even one walking barefoot in pajamas — held small American flags as two officials welcomed them to the United States in an airport hangar outside Washington. The

South Africans were then leaving on other flights to various U.S. destinations. A group of 49 Afrikaners had been expected, but the State Department said Monday that 59 had arrived. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said. President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Monday that he’s admitting them as refugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “being killed” and he plans to address the issue with South African leadership next week. That characterization has been strongly disputed by South Africa’s government, experts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum, which says farm attacks are not being taken seriously by the government. South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “completely false,” the result of misinformation and an inaccurate

Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

view of the country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country. Speaking at a business conference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump recently and told him his administration had been fed false information by groups who were casting white people as victims because of efforts to right the historical wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apartheid system of forced racial segregation, which oppressed the black majority. “I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s going on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are opposed to transformation back in South Africa

is not true,” Ramaphosa said. Afrikaners make up South Africa’s largest white group and were the leaders of the apartheid government, which brutally enforced racial segregation for nearly 50 years before ending it in 1994. While South Africa has been largely successful in reconciling its many races, tensions between some black political parties and some Afrikaner groups have remained. The Trump administration has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes “racially discriminatory property confiscation.” No land has been expropriated. Trump has promoted the allegation that white farmers in South Africa are being killed on a large scale as far back as 2018 during his first term.

“I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems.” John King, GOP Senate candidate ers. Fluent in Spanish, King often delivered messages on behalf of Kemp in that language during the pandemic, and released announcement videos Monday in both English and Spanish. King was also a key messenger during Kemp’s successful push to limit civil lawsuit verdicts and has become a frequent speaker at political events the last two years. But King, like a number of other Senate hopefuls, remains little-known by the broader electorate. He also needs to prove that he can raise the large amounts of money needed for a Senate campaign. He raised $1 million during his 2022 reelection campaign, enough for a low-profile statewide office but not for a competitive Republican primary. Overall, the 2026 Senate race is likely to cost hundreds of millions. Ossoff raised more than $11 million just in the first three months of 2025.

Conservative commentators have promoted the allegation about a genocide against white farmers, and South African-born Trump ally Elon Musk has posted on social media that some politicians in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.” South Africa has extremely high levels of violent crime, and white farmers have been killed in rural Afrikaner communities. It has been a problem for decades. The government condemns those killings but says they are part of the country’s problems with crime. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans or white Afrikaners in particular who are farmers,” South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday. “White farmers get affected by crime just like any other South Africans who do get affected by crime. So this is not factual, it is without basis. Landau said many of those who arrived Monday experienced “threatening invasions of their homes, their farms and a real lack of interest or success of the government in doing anything about this situation.” They all had met stringent vetting standards, including the ability to assimilate into American culture, Landau said. Critics of the refugee program suggest that refugees aren’t properly vetted, though supporters say they go through some of the strictest vetting of anyone seeking to come to America.

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A good walk spoiled Takumi Kanaya, of Japan, walks on the on the 13th hole for the PGA Championship, taking place this weekend at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Air Force Reserve colonel announces bid for lieutenant governor Raleigh U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Dr. Josh McConkey announced his candidacy for North Carolina lieutenant governor Tuesday. McConkey is an emergency physician, author of “Be The Weight Behind The Spear” and founder of The Weight Behind the Spear Foundation, a nonprofit providing disaster relief. The Republican says his campaign will focus on faith, family, freedom and service while championing conservative principles, including parental rights, fiscal responsibility and public safety. McConkey came fifth in the 2024 GOP primary for U.S. House District 13.

Inflation fell again in April as some tariffs went into effect Washington, D.C. Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said. Egg prices fell sharply, declining 12.7%, the most in 41 years. Overall, the report suggests tariffs haven’t yet impacted prices for many items.

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Commissioners petition to make all elections in county partisan races While Moore County has mostly partisan elections, there are a few nonpartisan races

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal CARTHAGE — Moore County currently has both partisan and nonpartisan elections at the local level, but the Board of Commissioners is looking to change that. At their May 6 meeting, the board approved a resolution petitioning the General Assembly to make all elections in Moore County partisan elections. “The reason is very simple. Look in this room,” said Vice Chairman Nick Picerno, who requested to have the resolution be brought forth. “You can

count the number of people. People don’t come here to listen to what we do. When they go to vote, they basically vote on the platforms of the two parties, and they’re so far apart. One believes in God, one could care less.” “This is probably long overdue in Moore County,” said Commissioner Tom Adams. “In many ways, for those of us who have gone through the election process, it’s almost an election simplification issue. Both parties have made attempts over time to try and get the information out there, but it’s confusing. When you consider that this is also down ballot, we also want to encourage people to vote for our local elections. The current system just makes that harder to occur.” Currently, the only races that are nonpartisan in

“This is probably long overdue in Moore County.” Commissioner Tom Adams Moore County are Board of Education seats and the Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor. “Look at the bright side,” Picerno continued. “In Moore County, you rarely have a Democrat running against a Republican because it’s considered a foregone conclusion. Now you’ll have a Democrat and a Republican, and you can have a choice. I don’t see how this would make things any worse. I think it’d make it more transparent and more available for people to run and serve their

fellow man, like we do up here on this board.” The board also approved a nearly $400,000 contract with Fred Smith Company for repaving services at the Agricultural and Health Department parking lots. The amount of area to be worked on totals just under three acres. The board then authorized the filing of an application with the North Carolina Local Government Commission for a lease contract in order to acquire 18 EMS stretchers. “Our EMS department needed to purchase new stretchers,” said Finance Director Caroline Xiong. “The older stretchers were purchased back in 2019 and 2020. Since those stretchers have reached the end of See ELECTIONS, page A2

Is the Southern accent fixin’ to disappear? It’s fading with younger generations and new transplants moving in

minishment of the regional accent among black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who grew up in Raleigh. More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation’s three other regions. Linguists don’t believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places.

By Mike Schneider The Associated Press GROWING UP in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s visits to New York City relatives included being the star of an impromptu novelty show: Her cousin invited over friends and charged 25 cents a pop for them to listen to Levine’s Southern accent. Even though they too grew up in Atlanta, Levine’s two sons, born more than a quarter century after her, never spoke with the accent that is perhaps the most famous regional dialect in the United States, with its elongated vowels and soft “r” sounds. “My accent is nonexistent,” said Ira Levine, her oldest son. “People I work with, and even

SHARON JOHNSON / AP PHOTO

Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro Atlanta residents has changed over several generations. in school, people didn’t believe I was from Atlanta.” The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as

people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the di-

Late 20th-century migration surge affects accents The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and See ACCENT, page A4

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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Tennessee earthquake rattles moore happening North Carolina, Georgia Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

Earthquakes in the east travel further than those out west By Ben Finley and Bill Cormier The Associated Press ATLANTA — A 4.1-magnitude earthquake in Tennessee woke up families and rattled homes as far away as Atlanta as it spread tremors across portions of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning. No injuries or major damage were immediately reported. The website for USGS said the earthquake originated shortly after 9 a.m. EDT about 12 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville. More than 23,000 reports from the public were received by USGS in the first hour after the earthquake, USGS spokeswoman Ayesha Davis told The Associated Press in an email. Meteorologists at television news stations serving Georgia and North Carolina reported feeling the tremors as well. Gabriela Reilly was making waffles with her husband when they felt their entire home shake in Braselton, Georgia, which is northeast of Atlanta. “Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she said. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!’” Jason Pack was still in bed at his home outside Knoxville when he felt the walls shaking and heard a rumbling that was loud enough to wake up his family and for the dog to start barking. “In east Tennessee, you’re used to tornadoes and floods, that kind of thing,” Pack said. “It’s unusual to have an earthquake.” Pack has experienced tremors before, although this one is probably the strongest he’s felt in Tennessee. “Even though this one was small, it’s a good reminder — if it had been a big quake, would you know what to do? Drop, cover, and hold on if you’re inside,” said Pack, a retired FBI agent who now works in crisis

ELECTIONS from page A1 their life, finance did reach out and do an RFP.” The lease is for a seven years and totals nearly $800,000 at a 4.15% interest rate. Finally, the board approved a contract with Premier Water for an approximately $170,000 purchase of an At-

May 15-17 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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Tours are free and open to all ages. Enjoy learning about the impressive history of Moore County. Shaw House 110 Morganton Road Southern Pines

May 16-17 Cosmic Bowling ​6-11:55 p.m. CHRIS STEWART / AP PHOTO

A seismograph records activity at the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in 2009. communications. “Stay clear of buildings if you’re outside.” Damage does not usually occur from earthquakes until they reach a magnitude of somewhere above 4 or 5, according to USGS, although it depends on variables such as building construction, soil and distance from the epicenter. The southeastern U.S. carries a significant earthquake risk, particularly around the New Madrid Seismic Zone to the west and in the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is where Saturday’s earthquake occurred, said Davis. Since 1950, 15 other earthquakes of magnitude 4 or larger have occurred within 155 miles of Saturday’s earthquake, Davis said. The largest of those was a magnitude 4.7

earthquake near Knoxville in November 1973. More recently, two tremors struck the seismic zone in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Tennessee, which is south of Knoxville. It shook homes as far away as Atlanta. Another earthquake struck a few days later with a magnitude of 3.0. Its epicenter was about two miles southeast of Mascot, near Knoxville. It also was felt in parts of Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. Seismic waves from earthquakes spread more efficiently in the eastern U.S. compared to the west because of the region’s geology, Davis said. “Earthquakes in the east are felt over a much larger distance and by more people,” she said.

las-Copco aeration blower for the water pollution control plant. “We do have an aerated water water treatment plant, so blowers are very important to the operation of our treatment plant,” said Public Works Director Brian Patnode. “We have five of them and they only run one at a time, but

they cycle through and alternate. We had one go out last year and this has been on our capital improvement plan to start replacing those blowers, but unfortunately, we’ve had a second one go out and a third one has been giving us issues.” The Moore County Board of Commissioners will next meet May 20.

Sandhills Bowling Center presents an evening of Cosmic Bowling every Friday and Saturday night. Enjoy two hours of bowling for rates that range from $5.50 to $17.00 per person based on age. Shoe rental is free. Sandhills Bowling Center 1680 N.C. Highway 5 Aberdeen

May 17 Moore County Farmers Market 8 a.m. to noon A vast and varied selection of fresh produce, canned goods, including honey and fruit preserves and baked goods has earned this producers-only farmers market a reputation as one of the best in the region. Visitors are treated to musical performances and complimentary appetizers prepared by local chefs from fresh regional ingredients every Saturday in the summer. 156 SE Broad Street Southern Pines

U Pick Lavender at Lazy Fox Lavender Farm ​11 a.m. to 6 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!

​ pend the day in the country S exploring the farm and enjoy seeing chickens and sheep. Visitors enjoy the beauty and scent of fresh lavender, which can be cut and purchased by the bundle. A gift shop and an ice cream truck are also on the grounds. Admission is $5 each for adults and kids older than 2 years old (children under the age of 2 are admitted for free). 272 Edgewood Road Cameron

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

The crisis of radical district judges

Resign and run for office.

THE FIGHT OVER whether unelected federal district court judges should be able to unilaterally halt an elected president of the United States’ agenda has reached a critical point. For the last three months, the American people’s effort to profoundly change the Washington establishment has been blocked by radical district judges, who have wildly exceeded their authority. In the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, lower court judges have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against various administration actions. That is more than one every three days. This is not an issue of judges against Trump. It is an issue of judges against the American people. In the 2024 election, the American people elected a Republican House, Senate and president. Trump carried all seven swing states. He received 77.3 million votes — 2.3 million more than Vice President Kamala Harris. There are 677 district judges on the federal bench. If any of them can issue nationwide injunctions to override the decisions of the elected president, we are in a real crisis. Remember, these judges have never been elected by the American people. They face no consequence if their rulings result in ruined lives or wasted taxpayer dollars. Not all of them are overreaching, but some certainly are. And some of the nationwide injunctions which have been passed verge on insanity. One injunction asserted that the executive cannot pause or terminate fugitive admissions into to the United States and had accept hundreds of thousands of refugees — never

mind the humanitarian or financial cost of the decision. Another injunction blocked the removal of men from women’s prisons despite the risk of physical harm to female prisoners. A third injunction blocked the executive branch from doing anything about so-called sanctuary cities. It went wildly overboard and asserted the White House cannot even have conversations about sanctuary cities. These are just a few examples of the absurd judicial micro-management we are witnessing. When President Thomas Jefferson was working to build and protect our new nation, he warned that government ultimately controlled by judges would be a road to despotism. In a letter to William Jarvis on Sept. 28, 1820, Jefferson wrote: “You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions: a very dangerous doctrine indee[d] and one which would place us under the despotism of an Oligarchy.” As I testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, the founding fathers all believed that the three branches of government should be co-equal. If anything, the judiciary would be the weakest of the three branches. They were clear that the two elected branches could correct the judicial branch if it tried to impose its will on the American people. Alexander Hamilton warned in the Federalist Papers that the legislative and executive branches could powerfully respond to judges — and judges would have no means of defending themselves. As president, Jefferson and the Democrats eliminated 14 of 34 federal judges in the Judiciary Act of 1802. They did not impeach anyone (a lengthy and difficult task). Jefferson

simply abolished the judgeships, and the judges no longer had jobs. We do not have to eliminate district courts in the Jeffersonian tradition — unless we are forced to. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize that judicial tyranny by lower courts is intolerable and unsustainable. The High Court could take decisive steps to eliminate nationwide injunctions by local judges — or make a rule that they are immediately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the House and Senate have begun work to correct absurd overreach by the most radical district court judges. This week’s introduction of the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and 20 senators is a powerful signal that the Senate can defend itself against tyrannical judges. When this is combined with Congressman Darrell Issa’s No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 (which passed in the House by 219‑213), it’s clear the district judges are forcing a constitutional crisis. We must protect the American people’s right to elect those who manage the federal government. Lower court judges who think they can micromanage and override the elected president and Congress have a simple path: Resign and run for office. Hopefully the Supreme Court will end this absurdity. If not, the Congress and the president will have to exercise their constitutional authority and eliminate nationwide injunctions by district judges. There is no alternative if we are to retain government of, by, and for the people. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | JESSICA WARD AND MATTIAS GUGEL

Why are North Carolina lawmakers copying Illinois’ worst swipe fee policy? Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system.

SOME NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers are eyeing a shiny new idea — straight from the land of broken budgets and busted promises: Illinois. Yes, Illinois, the state famous for fiscal faceplants and legislative landmines. At issue? A proposal to regulate and cap credit card “swipe fees”. Sounds consumerfriendly, right? Until you dig into what happened in Illinois and how it’s backfiring on the folks lawmakers said they were trying to help. When you cap swipe fees, it doesn’t mean the costs disappear — they just get moved around. And, spoiler alert: they usually land squarely in the laps of small businesses and consumers. That’s what’s happening in Illinois right now. Merchants didn’t magically eat those higher processing costs — they’re passing them right along. The end result? Higher prices at the register and fewer rewards from the credit card in your wallet. Those airline miles and cashback perks sure were nice while they lasted. Swipe fees help fund essential parts of the payment system: fraud protection, technology upgrades and security. Limiting them might sound like a win, until you realize you’re kneecapping the innovation that makes digital payments safe and seamless. If North Carolina chooses this path, don’t

be surprised when card security weakens, customer perks dry up, bank fees increase, and the start-up capital that small businesses rely on dwindles. Want to bring back checkbooks, dial-up internet, and Blockbuster too? Because capping swipe fees is basically asking for a financial time machine — and not the fun kind. Big retailers love these kinds of regulations. They have armies of lawyers and custom pointof-sale systems. But mom-and-pop shops across North Carolina? They’re the ones who really suffer. From the pulled pork pits of Lexington to the indie cafés tucked between Blue Ridge boutiques, North Carolina’s backbone is built on small business hustle — not corporate handouts and Chicago-style schemes. Some rely on swipe rewards to manage purchases. And many will have to overhaul their payment systems just to stay compliant. That’s money out the door, and time they don’t have. Worse, these businesses won’t get the sweetheart deals big box stores can negotiate. They’ll get squeezed, and some may not survive the pinch. Banks won’t take this lying down. When swipe fees get capped, they’ll make up the difference elsewhere. That “free checking account”? Say goodbye. That nice mobile banking service? Expect fees.

This means higher costs and fewer options for everyday North Carolinians — all so a handful of national retailers can boost their bottom lines. Here’s the kicker: Illinois lawmakers are already scrambling to undo the very policy North Carolina legislators are considering to copy. One of the original backers of the swipe fee ban has introduced legislation to repeal it. Apparently, the economic hangover kicked in faster than expected. When a state with a history of budget blunders realizes it’s made another mistake, maybe — just maybe — it’s not a blueprint worth following. North Carolina prides itself on pragmatic policy and sound fiscal management. Following Illinois down a regulatory rabbit hole doesn’t match that tradition. This swipe fee scheme might sound sweet, but it’s likely to end in regret for North Carolina consumers and small businesses. Lawmakers should think twice before importing Illinois’ mistakes and selling them as solutions. Bless their well-intentioned hearts, but North Carolina taxpayers deserve better. Jessica Ward is Senior Director of State Affairs and Mattias Gugel is Director of State External Affairs for the National Taxpayers Union.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned reporters while praising free speech, press He urged avoiding wars of words and images and focusing on peace By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff. Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general public. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless. He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and report the truth. Drawing applause from the crowd, he asked for their release. “The church recognises in these witnesses — I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives — the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” he said.

ACCENT from page A1 1964 and then dropped off with Gen Xersborn between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century. It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents. In Raleigh, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a genera-

DOMENICO STINELLIS / AP PHOTO

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the international media on Monday in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.” Leo opened the meeting with a few words in English, joking

that if the crowd was still awake and applauding at the end, it mattered more than the ovation that greeted him. Turning to Italian, he thanked the journalists for their work covering the papal transition and urged them to use words of peace.

“Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others,” he said. “In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.”

tion after the Research Triangle’s establishment, typically don’t talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a paper published in December. Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype. “Young people today, especially the educated young people, they don’t want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown,” said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who cowrote the Atlanta study. “They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.”

moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated. Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta. Michelle and Richard Beck, Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it’s missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001. “I think they speak clearer than I do,” Richard Beck, a law enforcement officer, said of his sons. “They don’t sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.”

flux of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class “yat” accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern. The hurricane was a “catastrophic” language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade. The diminishment of the “yat” accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie Carmichael said in a paper published in December. Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent, worries that part of the region’s

Accents change for younger people The Southern dialect among black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the “Reverse Great Migration.” During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South

New Orleans “yat” accent diminished Unlike other accents that have changed because of an in-

After his brief speech, in which he reflected on the power of words to do good, he greeted some of the journalists in the front rows and then shook hands with the crowd as he exited the audience hall down the central aisle. He signed a few autographs and posed for a few selfies. Journalists later shared some of the few words they exchanged with him, including hints that Vatican plans are going ahead for Leo to travel to Turkey to commemorate an important event in Catholic-Orthodox relations: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. Other tidbits emerged: Journalists offered to play doubles in tennis, or to organize a charity match. Leo, a regular tennis player, seemed game “but we can’t invite Sinner,” he joked, referring to the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is playing just up the Tiber at the Italian Open. It was in the 2013 audience with journalists who covered the election of history’s first Latin American pope that Pope Francis explained his choice of name, after St. Francis of Assisi, and his desire for a “church which is poor and for the poor!” During his 12-year pontificate, Francis too spoke about the value of journalism and as recently as January, he appealed for the release of imprisoned journalists during a Holy Year event with the media.

uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears. “It’s kind of like we’re losing our distinct personality,” she said. Southern identity changing While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because “accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves,” said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies. It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said. “So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South,” Renwick said. “And it’s not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.”

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MOORE SPORTS Pinecrest baseball carries baton for county’s diamond sports teams The Patriots are the only baseball or softball team still playing in the state tournament North State Journal staff THE NCHSAA BASEBALL and softball tournaments have reached the sweet 16, and Pinecrest baseball is the only team from the county still playing. Baseball Pinecrest is the only baseball team in the county still playing. The Patriots entered as the No. 8 seed and advanced to the final 16 in Class 4A after beating No. 25 Athens Drive 4-0 and No. 9 Gray’s Creek in a wild 22‑13 game. In the opener, Mitch Baek homered and Bohdi Robertson struck out 12 in a seven-inning, four-hit shutout. Athlete of the Week Liam Dutton drove in eight runs against Gray’s Creek, while Will Chopping added six RBIs. The Patriots played top seed D.H. Conley after press time. North Moore fell to Gates

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RBIs by Pinecrest’s Liam Dutton (8) and Will Chopping (6) in the Patriots’ second-round win County in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs. The Mustangs were the 10-seed but got upset by the No. 23 seed. Aidan Corfios went 3 for 3 in the loss with a run and an RBI. Dalton Massey also drove in a run and scored for North Moore. The Mustangs finished 10-11 on the year. Union Pines finished its season with a 9-15 record. The Vikings part ways with seniors Caleb Wagner, Preston Whitaker, Dominic Inocencio, Jacob Williams and June Thomas. Softball North Moore’s season ended in the second round of the NCHSAA class 1A state tournament. The Mustangs entered as the No. 14 seed and blew out No. 19 Chatham Charter in the

first round, 13-3. North Moore then fell to No. 3 Bear Grass in the following round, 7-3 to finish with a 15-8 record. Calissa Clendenin scored three runs and drove in one in the opening game, then doubled twice in the following round in her final high school game. The Mustangs also say goodbye to seniors Hailey Robinson, Sydney Russell and Macey Jackson. Pinecrest’s season is over at 6-17. The Patriots ‘ departing senior class includes Emily Hatcher, Arianna Reddinger, Oriah Saylor and Addisyn Stayskal. Union Pines’s season ended in the second round of the NCHSAA class 3A state tournament. The Vikings entered as the No. 14 seed and beat No. 19 Franklinton 14-10. The run came to an end against No. 3 South Brunswick, 7-1. Kileigh Cameron homered and drove in four runs in the opening game of the tournament, then drove in the team’s only run in the second round. The loss closed the book on an 18-10 season and the high school careers of seniors Kelsey Knight, Haven Patterson, Trinity Whitt and Elizabeth Andrews.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Liam Dutton

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest, baseball

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest’s Bohdi Robertson celebrates on his way to a dominating shutout win in the opening round of the state playoffs.

Liam Dutton is a junior catcher on the Pinecrest baseball team. The Patriots advanced into the Sweet 16 of the NCHSAA Class 4A state playoffs with a 22-13 win over Gray’s Creek. Dutton had a huge day for the Patriots, going 4 for 5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored and eight RBIs. He also threw out two Gray’s Creek runners trying to steal. For the season, Dutton leads Pinecrest in home runs, slugging, RBIs and runs. He was also in the top three in the Sandhills Conference in all four categories, leading the league in RBIs.

ACC cuts 20-game men’s basketball schedule to 18 The league hopes fewer games will allow more teams to make tourney By Aaron Beard The Associated Press THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference is hoping its men’s basketball programs trade two fewer league games for marquee nonconference matchups in an effort to reverse a dwindling haul of NCAA Tournament bids. The league is reducing its 20‑game men’s basketball schedule to 18. The change comes after Commissioner Jim Phillips has been vocal about spending the past two seasons examining the conundrum of the ACC getting fewer bids — down to four this year, its fewest since 2013 — despite having teams regularly playing deep into March. Going to 18 games could make room for schools to add quality nonconference matchups to help their schedule strength — and therefore the ACC’s stature, provided the league wins its share of measuring-stick games, unlike last year. It will shake up the scheduling model, which will mean ACC teams won’t face one league member each year. In a statement, Phillips said the move is “a direct result of our ongoing strategic review and analysis” and gives them more control of scheduling by freeing up two slots. It also comes as the league implements a new rev-

“This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Basketball.” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips

enue-distribution model that will factor in TV viewership in its payouts to league schools, which could offer even more incentive to schedule marquee opponents that fans want to watch to boost the bottom line. “This decision reflects our on-going prioritization to do what’s best for ACC Men’s Basketball,” Phillips said, “and we appreciate the thoughtfulness of our membership and the support from our television partners.” The new model will have the league schedule running from late December into the first Saturday of March. Each team will play one primary partner at home and away every year, with those pairings — such as famed rivals Duke and UNC or instate opponents Virginia and Virginia Tech — designed to create some protection for long-running series. The others primary pairings are Boston College-Notre Dame, Clemson-Georgia Tech, California-Stanford, Florida State-Miami, Louisville-SMU, NC State-Wake For-

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Duke center Khaman Maluach and head coach Jon Scheyer celebrate with the trophy after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. est and Pittsburgh-Syracuse. Each team also will play a home-and-away series against a partner that will change each

year, then play one game against 14 of the remaining 15 teams. It won’t be perfect. Aside from the fact that some teams won’t

play each other, there are hiccups such as no guarantees that neighboring rivals UNC and NC State will have their typical home-and-away meetings; the Tar Heels and Wolfpack have played those every year reaching back to their Southern Conference days long before the ACC’s birth in May 1953. Still, Phillips had been clear the league had to make changes to address the newfound shakiness in a sport widely and long regarded as its crown jewel. The ACC had played an 18‑game schedule from the 2012-13 season through 2018‑19, then moved to a 20game slate for the 2019-20 season with its ESPN-partnered launch of the ACC Network. At the time, the ACC was coming off a fourth straight season with at least seven NCAA bids — including a record nine in 2017 and 2018 — while having three No. 1 seeds in 2019 and winning three of five national titles (Duke in 2015, North Carolina in 2017 and Virginia in 2019). Things have been tougher since the pandemic. The league had seven bids in 2021, then fell to five for three straight seasons before sliding to four this year, its first as an expanded 18-team basketball conference. By comparison, the ACC had 12 teams the last time it got just four bids in 2013. And yet the league also had both UNC and Duke in the Final Four in 2022, Miami there in 2023, NC State in 2024 and Duke again in April.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

obituaries

Denis R. O’Brien

Aaron Jay Holderfield

Robert Steven “Steve” Sinclair

Barbara McIntire

David K.Colescott

May 3, 1930 – May 3, 2025

Dec. 18, 1985 – May 9, 2025

Jan. 30, 1963 – May 5, 2025

Jan. 12, 1935 – May 5, 2025

Nov. 1, 1934 – May 5, 2025

Denis R. O’Brien, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, passed away May 3, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Born May 3, 1930, Denis grew up in Brooklyn, NY, joined the Navy, and then attended Georgetown University. He enrolled in the United States Air Force Aviation Cadet program and received his commission as an officer in 1953. A proud patriot and devoted family man, Denis served his country with distinction for over 30 years. A decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, he was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Air Medals and many other commendations for his valor, heroism and leadership. After his military career, Denis continued to inspire future generations as the Commandant of the JROTC program at Pinecrest High School and as an adjunct professor at numerous universities, including Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Saint Andrews University. His commitment to education and service extended deeply into his community, where he was a longtime and dedicated member of the Pinehurst Rotary Club, where he helped establish the Pinehurst Rotary Foundation. He lived by the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self.” Denis is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Shirley A. O’Brien; his children, Sean O’Brien (Coleen), Kathleen O’Brien (Rick Branch), Mary O’Brien (Brian Leheny), and Christopher O’Brien (Anna); nine grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren. His legacy of honor, service and love will live on in all who knew him. A private service for the family will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to PBS North Carolina or to the Pinehurst Rotary Foundation in Denis’s memory.

Aaron Jay Holderfield was born on December 18, 1985, in Raleigh. He passed away on May 9, 2025, at Hospice House in Pinehurst, following ongoing neurological issues. He was surrounded by family and friends. Aaron graduated from Pinecrest High School. He had a successful, award-winning career in the automotive industry in sales and management. He learned his deep business values from working with his father, uncles and cousins. He loved the connection of finding the right car for the buyer and understood the value of longterm relationship building with customers, many of whom became friends and colleagues. Aaron’s warm, humorous and generous nature was reflected in his large, diverse and loyal group of friends. He had wit and sarcasm beyond his years and shared a deep stable of ongoing inside jokes with his brother (Riggadoo, Howdy partner). Getting past this initial wit and sarcasm, a real friend saw the openness and warmth of his heart. Aaron was deeply connected to his family; he enjoyed cookouts, get-togethers and other family rites of passage. He valued time with his parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, uncles, aunts and cousins, especially during holidays. He took special joy in watching younger cousins and his niece grow over the years. He was also a very devoted dog-parent to Meadow for over 13 years. During the past few years, Aaron devoted his life to following the spirit and teachings of Jesus. His example of spiritual growth and experience was an inspiration to his friends and family. Aaron is survived by his mother, Mary, of Pinehurst, his brother and sister-in-law, Jeremy and Alanna, and his niece, Ruby, of Winston-Salem. He was preceded in death by his father, Dwight, and his grandparents, Lester and Della Gunderson and Marie and Mack Holderfield. A visitation will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home in Southern Pines. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home in Southern Pines. Burial to follow at Bethesda Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to Bridge to Recovery or The ALS Association. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Robert Steven Sinclair, 62, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on Monday afternoon, May 5, 2025, at his home. Born on January 30, 1963, in Wichita Falls, Texas, Steve was the son of BG and Sue (Mallet) Sinclair. He was raised in Amarillo, Texas, and graduated from Palo Duro High School in the Class of 1981. He later received a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Texas A&M University. On June 12, 1981, Steve married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Misty (Nichols), and together they made a home and raised a family. Steve lived a life defined by his unwavering devotion to God, Jesus Christ and his family. Steve dedicated much of his career to law enforcement in Amarillo, Texas, finding deep fulfillment in serving and protecting his community. His commitment to justice and care for those he served earned him respect and admiration from colleagues and neighbors alike. An avid musician, Steve played multiple instruments and shared his love of music and his love of Christ through playing in worship bands throughout his life, both in Texas and North Carolina. As a lifelong artist, Steve also enjoyed painting, sculpting and woodworking. Steve’s most cherished moments, however, were spent with his family and the love of his life, Misty. They were an inseparable couple with a relationship that truly exemplified unwavering and unconditional love. Steve is survived by his beloved wife, Misty; and his sons Michael (Katie) of Cary, North Carolina, and Cameron of Pinehurst, North Carolina; his daughter-in-law, Jessica (John) of Pinebluff, North Carolina; his four grandchildren: Emery, Oliver, Isla and Elijah; and by his siblings, Sherri Sinclair and Curt Sinclair. Steve was preceded in death by his sons, Nicholas and Brandon Sinclair; his parents, Sue Mallet and BG Sinclair; and his sister, Chickie Sinclair. A celebration of Steve’s life will be held at Pinehurst Community Church on May 9, 2025, at 1 p.m. Steve’s faith, infectious humor and boundless love for his family will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. He leaves behind a legacy of service, kindness and devotion to his Savior, as vibrant as a Texas sunset. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

The golf world lost a great one with the passing of Barbara McIntire on May 5, 2025, at age 90. She was a resident of Southern Pines, NC, where she owned a house with her long-time friends, Tish Preuss and Judy Bell. Tish died in July 2024. Barbara and Judy Bell were friends and business partners since they opened the first of seven stores at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO, in 1962. Barbara was a longtime member of the Broadmoor Golf Club, where she’d played on the winning Curtis Cup team in 1962 and twice won the Broadmoor Ladies Invitation. She twice won the U.S. Women’s Amateur (1959 and ’64) and in 1960 won the British Ladies Amateur, becoming one of eight women to simultaneously hold the American and British titles and earning her the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. She competed on the U.S. Curtis Cup team in 1958, ’60, ’62, ’64, ’66 and ’72, and was the non-playing captain in 1976 and ’98. Barbara was born on January 12, 1935, in Toledo, Ohio. She began playing golf as a young girl and played in her first U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1950 at the age of 15, and, in her first match, defeated six-time Women’s Amateur champion Glenna Collett Vare. Although she then lost her second-round match, she went on to finish second in the 1951 and ’52 USGA Girls’ Junior. In 1956, Barbara nearly became the first amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open. After 72 holes, she was deadlocked with professional Kathy Cornelius for the lead, but lost the 18hole playoff the next day, at the Northland Country Club in Duluth, MN. She also won six women’s North and South titles, two Western Amateurs, the Doherty Cup, the South Atlantic and Western Junior Girls’ championships. Barbara served on the United States Golf Association Women’s Committee from 1985 to 1996 and was its chairperson for 1995 and 1996. Barbara was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1964, the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2000, she was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the USGA in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. As Barbara had no living relatives, she is survived by a long list of friends with whom she shared a wonderful life, on and off the golf course. Per Barbara’s wishes, there will be no service. Her cremains will be interred at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Southern Pines, NC. Memorial donations may be made to the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame online.

David K. Colescott, 90 of Pinehurst, passed away on May 5, 2025, at Fox Hollow Assisted Living. He was born on November 1, 1934, to William and Mildred Colescott in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Virginia and then served as a Captain in the Marine Corps for ten years. Having lived in several places, he retired to Pinehurst. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, John, and his wife, Joan. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Steven, Douglas and Greg; two step-daughters, Deborah Fitzko and JoAnne Sepe; seven grandchildren, Chelsea (Hayes), Savanna, Briana, Ryan, Cameron, Connor and Dylan; also survived by two great-grandchildren, Mason and Liam. He volunteered as a driver for the DAV for several years and then joined the Marine Corps League for several years. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Christ Church Anglican, 750 Fairway Drive, Southern Pines, NC. Burial will take place at Arlington National Cemetery. Many thanks to the staff at Fox Hollow and the FirstHealth Hospice Team who made his last days comfortable. Memorial Donations may be made to Christ Church Anglican in Southern Pines, Tunnel to Towers, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

Dorothy Waldo Mendum Evans

Peter Whitlock Genthner

Dec. 1, 1918 – April 30, 2025

Aug. 25, 1955 – May 10, 2025

Dorothy Waldo Mendum Evans, age 106, of Belle Meade in Southern Pines, passed away Wednesday, April 30, at her home. Dorothy was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 1, 1918, to Harry John Mendum and Etha Turner. Most of her life, Dot was a career Federal Civil Service employee due to her desire to do her part during World War II. During her 32-year career with the government, she served as a Public Information Officer. In the early 1950s, Dot was the public relations specialist at Patrick Air Force Base, the military air support facility for Cape Canaveral in Florida. On July 24, 1950, she was there to report on the first successful launch of a guided missile in the US. At Patrick, she met her future husband, Bradford Evans. Following his three-year tour of duty in Korea, they married in 1955. After her marriage, she had many positions as Brad was transferred to Air Force assignments. During her career, Dot was awarded the Air Force Special Achievement Award. Following her husband’s retirement, they returned to California, where they were employed by NASA’s Ames Research Center. She served as editor of the Astrogram, a newsletter for Ames. Brad and Dot retired in the late 1970s and began more than a decade of travel throughout the world. In 1983, they built a home in Pinehurst and retired to Belle Meade in 1999. She enjoyed being a member of the Dogwood Branch of the Pinehurst Garden Club. Volunteering was always important to Dot. After moving to Pinehurst, she became interested in the Village Chapel Bargain Box thrift shop and chaired the organization for 18 years. Later, she was the Vice Chairman for the Board of Directors of Bargain Box II. Profits from the Bargain Box provided nursing scholarships at Sandhills Community College and other local charities. In 2002, Dot was named Citizen of the Year by the Pinehurst Rotary Club and named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International that same year. In 2008, she was awarded a certificate by the Moore County Board of Commissioners for service to the citizens of Moore County through her work with the Bargain Box II. Mrs. Evans is survived by Brad Evans (Jeanne) and Scott Hermes ( Jane) of CA. Dot was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Brad, her sister, Eleanor Scola, and a brother, Harry Mendum. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 30, at 11 a.m. at the Village Chapel in Pinehurst, NC. A reception will be held at Belle Meade following the service at The Ascot. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to The Foundation of First Health-First Futures Nursing, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

When Peter Whitlock Genthner’s parents dropped him off at boarding school, he cried at the thought of being away from his family. Then he saw a baseball game in progress, ran over, and within moments earned a lasting reputation as one of the most popular boys at the prestigious Hill School, building friendships that would endure a lifetime. In that moment, he discovered a knack that would serve him well in the seven states he would eventually call “home”. From bartending at the Pridwin Hotel and Chequit Inn; to industrial construction for Penn-Mark Industries; to selling real estate for Weichert, Sotheby’s and the Janet Jones Company; designing and planting landscapes for The Good Earth; building homes for Habitat for Humanity; golfing at the world’s foremost courses; fishing in rivers, lakes and oceans; and finding community at every coffee shop he ever visited; Pete made fast friends and many of them. Following a battle with cancer, and in the loving care of his wife, son, daughter and son-in-law, he passed away comfortably at home on May 10, 2025. Many times, over the years, Pete would say that if he were to die that day, he would be pleased with the full and happy life he led. In his youth, he defined “cool” with his deep tan, long hair, Robert Redford-like good looks, a ‘71 Mustang and a natural way of making others feel included. He was a pool sharp; a daredevil equestrian with his horse, Major Menace; a responsible boat captain, had a gift for making any experience a memorably funny story; and was only ever bested at arm-wrestling by his nephew, Luke Diers, who wrestled in college at the time. Moving as often as he did, he taught his children adaptability and taking pleasure in journeys as much as destinations. A bit of a rascal, he also taught them how to sneak a dog into a motel, deter tailgaters with nickels flipped through the sunroof, startle a cat so it pops up vertically in the air and get out of a speeding ticket with the suggestion of irritable bowels. Pete retained meaningful gifts from those he admired: his father’s upstanding care of the world and people around him, his mother’s understanding of animals and the natural world, his father-inlaw’s construction techniques, his brothers’ talents with rod and reel, high school teacher Bon Gardner’s bibliophilia and fondness for a baritone voice accompanied by guitar and the art of horticulture from Alan Roach. He enjoyed driving since his middle school purchase of a 40s DeSoto for $8 with his brother, Chris, and the neighbor kids, and led the family on many cross-country road trips. The best money he ever spent was the $4 he paid his brother for the distinction of calling the family dog, Katie, his own. He loved a good joke, a clever magic trick, a strong margarita, a picturesque view and family parties at his brother Tim’s house. Pete is survived by Margit Elo, the love of his life from their first kiss in front of the College Hill Tavern and wife of forty-four years; his son, Penn; his daughter, Ingrid; and his son-in-law, Turner Totten. A private memorial service will be held at a future date. For those unable to attend, he has requested his remains to be distributed among meaningful places in Durham, PA; Pasadena, CA; Pinehurst, NC; and Shelter Island, NY, and family will reach out as arrangements are made. Those wishing to memorialize his life may make contributions in his name to the Moore County Humane Society in Carthage, NC. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

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CHARLES TASNADI / AP PHOTO

President George H.W. Bush, right, talks with Supreme Court nominee Judge David Souter in the Oval Office of the White House in September 1990.

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dead at 85 The GOP nominee became a favorite of Democrats By Mark Sherman The Associated Press RETIRED SUPREME Court Justice David H. Souter, the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench, has died. He was 85. Souter died Thursday at his home in New Hampshire, the court said in a statement Friday. He retired from the court in June 2009, giving President Barack Obama his first Supreme Court vacancy to fill. Obama, a Democrat, chose Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina justice. Souter was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush in 1990. He was a reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts. Souter also dissented from the decision in Bush v. Gore in 2000, which effectively handed the presidency to George W. Bush, the son of the man who put him on the high court. While liberals were delighted with a justice they initially feared, conservatives turned Souter’s appointment into a rallying cry, “No more Souters,” that fueled their successful drive to move the court more firmly to the right. In retirement, Souter warned that ignorance of how government works could undermine American democracy. “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough ... some one person will come forward and say, ‘Give me total power and I will solve this problem.’ That is how the Roman republic fell,” Souter said in a 2012 interview. His lifestyle was spare — yogurt and an apple, consumed at his desk, was a typical lunch — and he shunned Washington’s social scene. He couldn’t wait to leave town in early summer. As soon as the court finished its work in late June, he climbed into his Volkswagen Jetta for the drive back to the worn farmhouse where his family moved when he was 11. Yet for all his reserve, Souter was beloved by colleagues, court employees and friends. He was a noted storyteller and generous with his time. “Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. Souter continued hearing cases on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for more than a decade after he left the high court, Roberts said. Sotomayor recalled the kindness of the man she succeeded on the Supreme Court. “When I arrived at the court, no one was more welcoming to me than David,” she said in a statement. “After his retire-

JIM COLE / AP PHOTO

U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter smiles after speaking during a dedication ceremony at the State Supreme Courthouse in Concord, New Hampshire, in July 2008. ment, he periodically sent me notes, which I will forever treasure for their insightfulness and beautiful turns of phrase.” When Bush plucked Souter from obscurity in 1990, liberal interest groups feared he would be the vote that would undo the court’s Roe v. Wade ruling in favor of abortion rights. He was called a stealth nominee by some. Bush White House aide John Sununu, the former conservative governor of New Hampshire, hailed his choice as a “home run.” And early in his time in Washington, Souter was called a moderate conservative. But he soon joined in a ruling reaffirming women’s right to an abortion, a decision from 1992 that is his most noted work on the court. Thirty years later, a more conservative court overturned that decision and the constitutional right to abortion. Souter asked precise questions during argument sessions, sometimes with a fierceness that belied his low-key manner. “He had an unerring knack of finding the weakest link in your argument,” veteran Supreme Court advocate Carter Phillips said. Souter was history’s 105th Supreme Court justice and only its sixth bachelor. Although hailed by The Washington Post as the capital city’s most prominently eligible single man when he moved from New Hampshire, Souter resolutely resisted the social whirl. “I wasn’t that kind of person before I moved to Washington, and, at this age, I don’t see any reason to change,” the intensely private Souter told an acquaintance. He worked seven days a week through most of the court’s term from October to early summer, staying at his Supreme Court office for more than 12 hours a day. He said he underwent an annual “intellectual lobotomy” at the start of each term because he had so little time to read for pleasure. Souter rented an apartment a few miles from the court and jogged alone at Fort McNair, an Army installation near his apartment building. He was once mugged while on a run, an apparently random act. Souter returned to his wellworn house in Weare, New

Hampshire, for a few months each summer and was given the use of an office in a Concord courthouse. An avid hiker, Souter spent much of his time away from work trekking through the New Hampshire mountains. When Souter in 2005 joined an unpopular 5-4 decision on eminent domain allowing a Connecticut city to take several waterfront homes for a private development, a group angered by the decision tried to use it to evict him from his Weare farmhouse to make way for the “Lost Liberty Hotel.” But Weare residents rejected the proposal. Shortly after his retirement, Souter bought a 3,500-squarefoot Cape Cod-style home in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. It was reported, though perhaps it was just part of Souter’s lore, that he worried that the foundation of the house in Weare would give way under the weight of all the books he owned. Souter had been a federal appellate judge for just over four months when picked for the high court. He had heard but one case as a federal judge, and as a state judge previously had little chance to rule on constitutional issues. Though liberals were initially wary of his appointment, it was political conservatives who felt betrayed when, in two 1992 rulings, Souter helped forge a moderate-liberal coalition that reaffirmed the constitutional right of abortion and the court’s longtime ban on officially sponsored prayers in public schools. Yet as Souter biographer Tinsley Yarbrough noted, the justice did not take “extreme positions.” Indeed, in June 2008, Souter sided with Exxon Mobil Corp. and broke with his liberal colleagues in slashing the punitive damages the company owed Alaskan victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Before serving as a New Hampshire judge, Souter was his state’s attorney general for two years. He worked on the attorney general’s staff for the previous eight years, after a brief stint in private practice. Souter earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University, and a master’s degree from Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.

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North State Journal for Thursday, May 15, 2025

STATE & NATION Georgia Insurance Commissioner enters Republican race for US Senate John King is campaigning ahead of what will be a busy 2026 election cycle By Jeff Amy The Associated Press ATLANTA — Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King on Monday became the second major Republican to enter the 2026 race to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, saying “President Trump needs reinforcements and Georgia needs a new senator.” King jumped in after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Friday that she would not seek the Republican nomination for Senate, and a week after King’s political patron, Gov. Brian Kemp, made the same decision. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican who represents a coastal Georgia district, announced his campaign for the Senate after Kemp announced he wasn’t running. Five other GOP officeholders have acknowledged interest to The Associated Press, signaling what could be a wide-open Republican contest. They include two other Republicans

ALYSSA POINTER / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King speaks during a May 2020 press conference. in Congress, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Also considering the race are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal. King, 61, emphasized his biography in his announcement, including being born in Mexico, his rise to major general in the Georgia National Guard and his work in law enforcement as an Atlanta police officer

and Doraville police chief. “I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems,” King said in an announcement video. “He needs help and I’m asking for your support to go help President Trump and solve these incredibly big problems.” King said Monday that he had been stabbed and shot

while serving as an Atlanta police officer. He also was a member of the Atlanta Police Department’s Red Dog unit, an anti-crime task force that drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics. It was King’s experience in the National Guard that brought him to Kemp’s attention. King had never held elective office and had lost out on his application to be Kemp’s National Guard chief when Kemp was faced with filling a vacancy in the insurance commissioner’s office after Jim Beck was indicted on federal criminal charges and suspended in 2019. Kemp chose King, saying he would “restore trust” in the office after not only Beck but also his predecessor John Oxendine faced criminal charges. King held the post on an interim basis for years, and Kemp appointed him permanently after Beck was convicted in 2022. Later that year, King became the first Hispanic person to be elected to a statewide post in Georgia. Kemp has made a number of appointments to diversify what has traditionally been an overwhelmingly white and male group of Republican officehold-

US welcomes 59 ‘Afrikaner’ refugees from South Africa The State Department says the group faced persecution at home By Martha Lee, Rebecca Santana and Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press DULLES, Virginia — The Trump administration on Monday welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refugees, saying they face discrimination and violence at home, which the country’s government strongly denies. The decision to admit the Afrikaners also has raised questions from refugee advocates about why they were admitted when the Trump administration has suspended efforts to resettle people fleeing war and persecution who have gone through years of vetting. Many in the group from South Africa — including toddlers and other small children, even one walking barefoot in pajamas — held small American flags as two officials welcomed them to the United States in an airport hangar outside Washington. The

South Africans were then leaving on other flights to various U.S. destinations. A group of 49 Afrikaners had been expected, but the State Department said Monday that 59 had arrived. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said. President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Monday that he’s admitting them as refugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “being killed” and he plans to address the issue with South African leadership next week. That characterization has been strongly disputed by South Africa’s government, experts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum, which says farm attacks are not being taken seriously by the government. South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “completely false,” the result of misinformation and an inaccurate

Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

view of the country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country. Speaking at a business conference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump recently and told him his administration had been fed false information by groups who were casting white people as victims because of efforts to right the historical wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apartheid system of forced racial segregation, which oppressed the black majority. “I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s going on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are opposed to transformation back in South Africa is

not true,” Ramaphosa said. Afrikaners make up South Africa’s largest white group and were the leaders of the apartheid government, which brutally enforced racial segregation for nearly 50 years before ending it in 1994. While South Africa has been largely successful in reconciling its many races, tensions between some black political parties and some Afrikaner groups have remained. The Trump administration has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes “racially discriminatory property confiscation.” No land has been expropriated. Trump has promoted the allegation that white farmers in South Africa are being killed on a large scale as far back as 2018 during his first term.

“I’ve never shied away from a fight, but what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington, D.C., to solve some very big problems.” John King, GOP Senate candidate ers. Fluent in Spanish, King often delivered messages on behalf of Kemp in that language during the pandemic, and released announcement videos Monday in both English and Spanish. King was also a key messenger during Kemp’s successful push to limit civil lawsuit verdicts and has become a frequent speaker at political events the last two years. But King, like a number of other Senate hopefuls, remains little-known by the broader electorate. He also needs to prove that he can raise the large amounts of money needed for a Senate campaign. He raised $1 million during his 2022 reelection campaign, enough for a low-profile statewide office but not for a competitive Republican primary. Overall, the 2026 Senate race is likely to cost hundreds of millions. Ossoff raised more than $11 million just in the first three months of 2025.

Conservative commentators have promoted the allegation about a genocide against white farmers, and South African-born Trump ally Elon Musk has posted on social media that some politicians in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.” South Africa has extremely high levels of violent crime, and white farmers have been killed in rural Afrikaner communities. It has been a problem for decades. The government condemns those killings but says they are part of the country’s problems with crime. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans or white Afrikaners in particular who are farmers,” South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday. “White farmers get affected by crime just like any other South Africans who do get affected by crime. So this is not factual, it is without basis. Landau said many of those who arrived Monday experienced “threatening invasions of their homes, their farms and a real lack of interest or success of the government in doing anything about this situation.” They all had met stringent vetting standards, including the ability to assimilate into American culture, Landau said. Critics of the refugee program suggest that refugees aren’t properly vetted, though supporters say they go through some of the strictest vetting of anyone seeking to come to America.

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