North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 13

High stakes in NC

North Carolina has been home to several big sporting events in the past week. Left, Andrei Svechnikov — pictured after scoring the winning goal in the clinching Game 5 of a series against the Washington Capitals — and the Hurricanes hosted Game 1 of the Eastern Conference nal against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday in Raleigh. Center, Christopher Bell claimed the NASCAR All-Star Race at iconic North Wilkesboro Speedway. Right, Scottie Sche er earned his fth major victory by winning his rst PGA Championship at Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club.

See more in Sports.

Trump urges Republicans to unify behind tax cuts bill

Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump implored House Republicans at the Capitol to drop their ghts over his big tax cuts bill and get it done, using encouraging words but also the hardened language of politics over the multitrilliondollar package that is at risk of collapsing before planned votes this week. During the more than hour-long session Tuesday, Trump warned Republicans not to touch Medicaid with cuts, and he told New York lawmakers to end their ght for a bigger local tax deduction, reversing his campaign promise. The president, heading into the meeting, called himself a “cheerleader” for the Republican Party and praised Speaker Mike Johnson. But he also criticized at least one of the GOP holdouts as a “grandstander” and warned that anyone who doesn’t support the bill would be a “fool.”

Salmonella outbreak tied to same Fla. cucumber grower

Delray, Fla.

U.S. health o cials are investigating a new outbreak of salmonella illnesses tied to a Florida grower whose tainted cucumbers were linked to more than 550 illnesses last year. Cucumbers grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales have been linked to illnesses in at least 26 people in 15 states, including North Carolina, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported late Monday. At least nine people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.

National group backs NC REACH Act

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni says the bill would put North Carolina in a “vanguard” of states

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A national group focused on academic freedom and excellence is backing a North Carolina House bill that would increase courses in American history and government.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) issued a formal letter to the chairs of the North Carolina House Committee on Higher Education in the NC REACH Act (House Bill 7). The letter was authored by Nick Down, ACTA’s associate director of external a airs.

ACTA describes itself as “an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting academic excellence, academic freedom, and

See NC REACH, page A3

General Assembly budget provisions may upend the group’s funding

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — NCInnovation, a nonpro t university research accelerator, announced $13.7 million in research and development funding for 17 new projects it has approved. The projects funded span 12 of the state’s public universities.

“The research projects on this list are exactly what North Carolina public universities should be championing: real-world research that can bolster North Carolina’s — and America’s — competitiveness,” Deanna Ballard, chair of the NCInnovation Board of Directors Program Committee, said in a press release. In 2023, NCInnovation (NCI) received $500 million in endowment funds for its work,

Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

“I am certain he will ght this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace.”

Barack Obama

The former president’s son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015

By Josh Boak The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his o ce said Sunday.

The nding came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer ap -

pears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his o ce said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

In a post on X on Monday morning, Biden posted a photo of himself and his wife, Jill Biden, and wrote: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”

Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving

See BIDEN, page A2

split into two equal tranches. NCI was authorized to use $140 million of the total funds but instead opted to invest the principal amount, which accumulated more than $20 million in interest; $5.2 million of that interest money was put toward the group’s rst round of eight grants. The list of projects includes the topics of agriculture, livestock, vaccines, cancer treatments, Alzheimer’s therapy and other health care research areas.

• Appalachian State: Using AI to identify livestock parasites (Zachary E. Russell)

• East Carolina: Compact wind tunnel for testing pesticides (Stephanie Richards), and using technology to support speech language pathologists to treat stuttering (Patrick Briley)

• Fayetteville State: Hempbased bio pesticide for use in commercial poultry houses (Shirley Lee Chao)

See FUNDS, page A3

AP PHOTOS

the word | Getting rid of troubles

Most people have troubles of one kind or another, and they want to know how to get rid of them. They try this way and that — yet the troubles still cling to them. They worry and bother, fret and complain, but their troubles grow no less. Sometimes they weep and pray; sometimes they become discouraged and despair; yet all that they do only seems to increase their troubles.

Since trouble is such a common thing, is there no way that we can rise above it and triumph over it? Many people read the scriptural prescription and know what the Bible says to do with trouble — but it seems that they try everything else rst. The Bible says, “Casting all your cares upon God — for He cares for you.” Now there are people who believe the latter part of this who never do the rst part.

Someone says, “Why don’t you cast your cares on the Lord?” They reply, “Oh, I have; but it doesn’t seem to do any good.” Have they cast their cares on the Lord? No; they have simply brought their trouble to the Lord for Him to inspect — they have called His attention to various things concerning it, told Him how heavy it is, how weary they have become of bearing it, and how much they need help. And then they picked up their burden and walked away with it.

Have you thought you have been casting your care upon Jesus — and at the same time have gone away from your place of prayer as heavily burdened as before? Maybe you have just been having your troubles inspected and have kept a tight hold upon them yourself. The rst thing to do in casting them on Jesus is to let go of them, since you cannot cast anything down unless you let go of it.

Instead of disappearing, the troubles of some people grow larger the more they pray over them and consider them. Their experience is like that of the Psalmist, who said, “The troubles of my heart are enlarged” (Psalm 25:17). When a thing is enlarged, then it is magni ed. Often we magnify our troubles by looking at them and thinking of them.

There is a story about an old lady who was walking along the road carrying a heavy basket. A gentleman driving in a carriage invited her to ride with him. She got into the carriage, but the basket was on her lap. The man asked why she did not set it down on the oor of the carriage. She answered, “I am heavy enough myself! I do not want to make the load heavier by setting my basket down.” You laugh at this, but perhaps you are doing the

same thing. Jesus is having to support both you and your burden — yet you carry the burden too. This does not make it any easier for Jesus, but it does make it harder for you. Do you say, “I can cast some troubles on the Lord, but this is a real one”? Do you think Jesus is able to bear only the imaginary troubles, and that you must carry the real ones yourself? You can get rid of the imaginary troubles by forgetting them; you do not need to cast them on Jesus. It is the real burdens — the ones that grip your soul, that cause you to su er, that wound and trouble you — that you should cast on Jesus. You can get rid of them in this way, and only this way. Let go of your troubles. Jesus is adequate to the task of taking care of them — and you too. Think over this text until you really take it deep in your heart: “Casting all your cares upon Him — for He cares for you.”

Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most proli c 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.

ing 1,011 individuals. Of that total, 317 were located “beyond the neighboring states of South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.”

1,011

The state auditor’s Rapid Response Division report covers 13 state agencies

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Auditor’s O ce has found more than a thousand state employees with out-ofstate W-2 forms, according to a special report issued on May 8.

more aggressively. Biden’s o ce said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

Outcomes have improved in recent decades, and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or ve years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.

“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”

Several political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.

President Donald Trump, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family’s “hearts and prayers during this time.”

“Joe is a ghter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always de ned his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.

The Rapid Response Division of the State Auditor’s Ofce (OSA) conducted the special audit after the OSA found an employee who lived out of state and was not commuting

to work. The OSA then initiated an investigation in partnership with the state controller’s o ce to see if other employees had a similar situation. According to the special report’s ndings, the OSA found 13 state agencies with employees who have out-of-state addresses on their W-2 forms, total-

The OSA recommended that agencies regularly update employee address information and annually verify tax forms for their employees.

Since an employer must le and pay tax and insurance on all employees, out-of-state employees with incorrect W-2 forms can impact state and federal taxes.

An employee who resides outside the state where they work can also be hit with paying taxes in both states, as North Caro-

State employees discovered to have out-of-state addresses on their W-2 forms

lina does not have an applicable reciprocity agreement with other states.

The N.C. Department of Revenue’s website has a frequently asked questions section with answers regarding taxes, withholding and ling.

Former President Barack Obama said his thoughts and prayers were with Biden, his former vice president, lauding his toughness. “Nobody has done more to nd breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will ght this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace,” Obama wrote on social media.

Biden’s health was a dominant concern among voters during his

time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides

Joe Biden speaks from the Oval O ce of the White House in September 2024. The former president has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO

had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president. In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign but potentially precancerous lesion. In 2022, Biden made a “cancer moonshot” one of his administration’s priorities with the

goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015. His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Christ on the Way to Calvary” by Titian (c. 1560) is a painting in The Museo del Prado in Madrid.

New House speaker changing GOP’s social media approach

Destin Hall is getting the word out through memes, videos and newsletters

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s new House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) has changed the communications landscape for Republicans in the General Assembly this year through an aggressively deliberate social media presence.

In the past, Democratic members of the General Assembly had dominated social media platforms. But Hall has changed that through a multipronged approach that includes pithy reactions and relevant memes.

Hall’s rst move was to publish a full House calendar denoting days when votes would take place, and he has stuck to that calendar. He also instituted weekly “member minute” videos where a House member recaps some of the bigger news items that occurred.

The “member minute” videos have been disseminated by Hall’s o cial social media accounts and ampli ed through NC House Press, a new account on the social media platform X.

Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus), who has joined Hall in the messaging ght on X, told North State Journal they’ve got a young speaker and younger sta , which has facilitated reaching out to the “younger people who got more involved in the last election.”

“We want to reach that base and be part of what they’re learning in politics and going forward to help them make a smart decision on the candidate and know the issues better,” Jones said.

Hall has also instituted a weekly newsletter called “The House Huddle,” highlighting legislation being worked on.

“We’re always looking for new ways to get our message out,” Hall told North State Journal in an interview.

“It’s just something that I’ve sort of somewhat grew up with and know well, and I think it’s an important platform to get our message out,” Hall said when asked about his approach to state Republicans’ social media presence.

“More and more people get their news from social media. We see that year after year,” said Hall. “And so, it’s a great way to get out the message of the great work that the Republicans in the General Assembly are doing.”

The speaker also said people want to hear directly from lawmakers.

“They want to hear from the folks who are actually voting on these things,” Hall said. “They don’t want it to go through any gatekeepers at a national media level or the traditional media level.”

Hall said he has tripled the communications sta from one position to three to handle the increased social media presence.

“I’ve got a great sta who help with those things, but we always make it to be personally what I’m thinking at the time,” said Hall. “And I nd that folks, for better or worse, have an interest in that most of the time, or they at least get a good kick out of a hefty debate with the left on Twitter.”

The speaker also credited the House Republican Caucus sta for their e orts. Hall referenced an image the caucus posted to X tying certain Democratic House members voting down a bill for state law enforcement to cooperate with ICE to actions by national Democrat o cials seen as supporting MS-13 gang members who have been deported.

A recent example of Hall’s use of social media to counter Democrats’ messaging followed a “bill funeral” press conference held jointly by House and Senate Democrats.

During the press conference, Democrats lamented some 700 bills that did not make the crossover deadline for future action on legislation. Some of the bills listed by Democrats were companion bills, meaning two bills with similar or identical language.

Hall called the “bill funeral” press conference “interesting” and “late.”

“The funeral came very late, I thought, because those bills died months ago,” said Hall. “And I thought it was odd. I don’t know if it was something to do with the weather, but usually one doesn’t wait so long. I don’t know, maybe they didn’t have that close of a relationship with those bills. But in any event, they died long ago.”

The House Republican Caucus feed on X was referred to by Hall for a list of Democrat bills that were “all-time greatest hits,” including a bill prohibiting octopus farming, pickleball diversity and one attempting to allow North Carolina to become a sanctuary state for illegal aliens.

“I don’t hear a whole lot about pickleball diversity or octopus farming when I’m out talking to folks during campaign season,” Hall said. “Maybe it’s an emerging issue, I don’t know.”

The nal hurdle for bills to make it to a oor vote is approval by the House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne), who said, “Maybe they need to le some better legislation,” while noting bills led by both parties that failed to make crossover.

“But it wasn’t just Democrats. Some (bills) were (by) Republicans; even one of my bills didn’t make crossover, so it’s not just geared towards one party,” Bell told North State Journal. “Just because you le a bill doesn’t mean that it will automatically become law.”

Jones’ response to the “bill funeral” echoed Hall and Bell’s sentiments.

“This place is kind of like a zombie land,” said Jones. “There’s a resurrection day some days on bills, but on bad bills, we’re just not going to hear bad bills if it’s not good for all of the citizens of North Carolina.”

2025’s top principal from Orange High School

Jason Johnson will take over for 2024 Principal of the Year Beckie Spears

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Orange High School Principal Jason Johnson was named the Wells Fargo 2025 Principal of the Year at a ceremony at the Umstead Hotel in Cary last Friday. “Jason Johnson’s breadth of leadership not only as a school leader, but also in the classroom, district o ce and even NCDPI, speaks volumes to his talent as an educator,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green said in a statement. “It is evident that Jason is dedicated to developing teacher leaders and fostering student success regardless of their postgraduate pursuits.”

Johnson has spent the last 27 years in education in North Carolina. In addition to working in Orange County Schools, he has served as a teacher in Chatham County and a principal in Guilford County Schools. Additionally, Johnson worked as a school transformation coach for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Last year’s N.C. Principal of the Year (NCPOY) was Beckie Spears, principal of Wilkesboro Elementary School in Wilkes County.

As the NCPOY, Johnson will serve as an ambassador for all principals and travel around the state during the 2025-26 school year, as well as serving in an advisory capacity to the State Board of Education.

The NCPOY recognition also comes with cash awards for personal/professional use

FUNDS from page A1 NC REACH

accountability at America’s colleges and universities.”

“One of ACTA’s initiatives that we are most passionate about is reversing the alarming decline in civic knowledge among the college students who will be our next generation of leaders,” Down wrote. “That is why I am here in support of House Bill 7.”

Down also praised the University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ actions in 2024 to pass the “Foundations of American Democracy” course requirement but noted that the bill’s proposals are “more rigorous and would ensure that students graduate with the requi-

site knowledge to be informed citizens.”

“The proposed legislation is nonpartisan and insists upon quite reasonable, but nonetheless very important, standards for civic education in the State of North Carolina,” wrote Down, adding that South Carolina has already passed similar legislation.

“With House Bill 7, the North Carolina legislature has an opportunity to provide the next generation of leaders with knowledge and tools for fruitful participation in American civic life,” wrote Down. “We believe this legislation, once passed, would put North Carolina in the vanguard of states that have

committed themselves to preparing college students to be well-informed, engaged citizens of this state and the nation.” The NC Reach Act made it through the crossover deadline, in which certain bills must be passed by their originating chamber to be considered for enactment.

The bill would require students pursuing baccalaureate degrees at UNC System institutions or associate degrees at North Carolina community colleges to complete three credit hours in American history or American government.

The course must include reading speci c historical documents in full, including the

and educational materials and supplies. Additionally, Johnson will have use of a state vehicle for professional purposes and is given a custom ring and pendant from Jostens, Inc., along with other prize awards.

The 2025 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year regional nalists were:

• Northeast: John Lassiter, Hertford Grammar School (Perquimans County Schools)

• Southeast: Christy Propst, Morehead City Elementary School at Camp Glenn (Carteret County Schools)

• North Central: Jason Johnson, Orange High School (Orange County Schools)

• Sandhills: Laura Bailey, Scotland High School (Scotland County Schools)

• Piedmont-Triad: Ronnie Hewitt, Liberty Drive Elementary School (Thomasville City Schools)

• Southwest: Kelly Withrow, Battleground Elementary School (Lincoln County Schools)

• Northwest: Jessica Anthony, Davenport A+ Elementary School (Caldwell County Schools)

• Western: Karley Wells, Clyde Elementary School (Haywood County Schools)

• Charter: Jake Wilson, Mountain Island Charter School (Mount Holly)

The event was livestreamed on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The Principal of the Year Award rst began in 1984 to highlight principals across the state who were instrumental in creating a stable and strong environment for student learning.

• North Carolina A&T: Clinical knee arthrometer to measure knee laxity (Randy Schmitz)

• NC State: Healing wounds with electric bandages (Amay Bandodkar), and nontoxicber production (Ericka Ford)

• UNC Asheville: Targeting drug-resistant bacteria (Amanda L. Wolfe)

• UNC Chapel Hill: Inexpensive, portable ultrasounds (Dr. Je rey S. A. Stringer) and treatment for brosis (Ronit Freeman)

• UNC Charlotte: Laser technology to protect and store vaccines for transport (Susan Trammell) and pancreatic cancer therapeutic (Pinku Mukherjee)

• UNC Greensboro: Pheromone-based technology for pest- and disease-resistant honeybees (Kaira Wagoner) and a faster method for identifying molecules (Liam Michael Du y)

• UNC Pembroke: Alzheimer’s and traumatic brain injury therapeutic (Ben A. Bahr)

• UNC Wilmington: Neck Strength Assessment Device with military and sports applications (Lindsey Schroeder)

• Winston-Salem State: Utilizing virtual reality to train nurses (Leslee Battle and Tori Brown)

“North Carolina’s public universities are working on truly amazing technologies, from improving poultry and livestock mortality rates to treating diseases like Alzhei-

“The proposed legislation is nonpartisan and insists upon quite reasonable, but nonetheless very important, standards for civic education in the State of North Carolina.”

Nick Down, ACTA associate director of external a airs

U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, selected Federalist Papers, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birming-

mer’s and pancreatic cancer,” said Michelle Bolas, executive vice president and chief innovation o cer of NCInnovation.

“NCInnovation helps researchers advance their discoveries through the university R&D process toward commercialization, strengthening the university-to-industry pipeline that’s central to American competitiveness.”

Ballard and former Rep. Wayne Sasser, the House appointee to NCI’s board, cosigned a letter to legislators about the new projects and asked for comments and feedback. Ballard is also a former North Carolina state senator.

NCI’s funding could be in jeopardy due to a section of the Senate’s proposed budget and a recent House budget provision.

The Senate’s budget would require NCI to transfer $100 million back to the state to be held in a new “NCInnovation Reserve” and $400 million to the UNC Board of Governors for North Carolina Children’s Health. NCI would get a portion of the funding back, receiving $25 million annually between 2025 and 2029. The money would be used to establish at least four regional innovation hubs for commercializing research from North Carolina’s universities and community colleges.

A House Appropriations Committee on General Government’s budget provision would take back the $500 million and put it into the Hurricane Helene Recovery Fund.

ham Jail,” Gettysburg Address and the North Carolina State Constitution.

Under the bill, students would have to pass a cumulative nal exam worth at least 20% of their grade focusing on the course documents. Exemptions would be available for students who have completed equivalent coursework through AP, IB, A ICE or dual-enrollment programs.

The bill also includes provisions allowing the removal of institution leaders who fail to comply over multiple academic years. If the bill becomes law, it will take e ect for students enrolling in the 2026-27 academic year.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Getting the Big Beautiful Bill over the goal line

WHAT IS IT about naming major pieces of legislation with titles that can be reduced to acronyms such as “BBB”?

Joe Biden called his signature budget and spending legislation “Build Back Better,” which built nothing back or better before it deteriorated into the spuriously named “In ation Reduction Act,” or IRA.

Biden’s “IRA” didn’t build wealth; it destroyed wealth with the highest rates of in ation since 1980.

President Donald Trump has been trumpeting his “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB) in a way only he could: making a massive tax and spending reconciliation bill in Congress a ecting the allocation of tens of trillions of tax dollars over the next decade sound like he is ordering a cheeseburger Happy Meal at McDonald’s.

It is not that easy. Passing most important legislation in Congress is di cult at best ― passing a reconciliation bill of this magnitude and complexity takes the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon and the legislative wizardry of Henry Clay, none of which has been in abundant supply in Washington for decades.

Four Republicans on the House Budget Committee voted against the bill on May 16 but allowed it to go to the oor by voting present on nal passage two days later.

Among their reasons was that it did not cut spending enough.

They were right. But what does that mean anyway? Based on the dismal performance of Republicans to be scal tightwads of the federal budget, cutting “any” spending would be a massive improvement over the past 25 years.

Every bill passed by Congress and signed into law by a U.S. president since 2000, regardless of political party, has added hundreds of billions in spending each year and $30 trillion more in national debt.

50% of Americans who le tax returns pay zero income tax and only have payroll taxes deducted from their salary or self-employment, none of which will be a ected by this bill.)

If the Trump tax cuts of 2017 are extended permanently, this Congress and this president have to nd $5 trillion-plus in spending reductions from the baseline over the next decade just to keep our national debt on course to be $52 trillion in 2035 and not $57 trillion to $60 trillion or more.

This bill has not even done that. The Freedom Caucus guys have a point in their corner on this one. Republicans who vote to increase debt are as bad as those who like to raise taxes.

Perhaps the tax cuts, tari revenue and trillions in investment from the Saudis, Qataris and Arab Emirates will spur economic growth to 10% annually in the U.S., and we can “grow our way out” of this Venus ytrap of debt that can eat us alive ― but probably not.

Gross national debt in 2000 was $3.6 trillion — peanuts by comparison.

The federal budget is the most dishonest shell game ever. Even when someone says something will “cut spending and kill millions of poor seniors and children!” — as Democrats are now doing with the Medicaid provisions of Trump’s BBB — spending will continue to grow by 5% or more annually, not shrink.

The con game suggests any reduction in the rate of growth of spending, say from 7% to 6% in next year’s expected increase, is a “cut,” when in reality, it is not. It is a smaller rate of increase, not an absolute real reduction.

On top of that, this BBB reconciliation bill contains the important extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which are due to expire at the end of 2025. If the tax cuts are not extended, people will see their enormous personal deductions revert to pre-2017 levels, among other changes such as higher tax rates for most taxpayers. (“Taxpayers” are people who pay taxes on the income they earn. More than

CBO estimates our growing national debt has cost us 1% in lost economic growth each year since 2001. Even if we survive a currency crisis, past decisions have dimmed the economic fortunes of all of our citizens.

Sometimes it is better to do nothing rather than something, as Biden’s “Build Back Better” folly shows.

If Trump’s BBB reduces the rate of growth in federal spending by just 1% ― just one penny out of every dollar ― each year over the next decade, that would truly be worth way more than nothing.

Not perfect as the Freedom Caucus guys say they want, but “big,” “beautiful” and “better” nonetheless.

Accountability needed after Biden decline revelations

This is a massive political scandal, one of the biggest in presidential history. Republicans who vote to increase debt are as bad as those who like to raise taxes.

THOUGH THEN-PRESIDENT Joe Biden’s physical and cognitive decline seemed obvious during his four years in o ce, questions asked and points raised about his condition by critics were treated with visceral contempt by Democrats and the media.

A few weeks before the infamous June 2024 presidential debate between Biden and thenGOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, we were being informed by the press, the BidenHarris White House and the Biden-Harris campaign that short video clips showing him looking lost and confused were “cheap fakes” that didn’t give us the full picture.

It was only after that debate, where Biden put on a disastrous performance and essentially con rmed the suspicions of many, that the Usual Suspects knew they couldn’t gaslight voters about the issue anymore. It’s what eventually led to Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic presidential nominee after Biden was essentially forced out of the race by panicking party members.

Now here we are, nearly a year later, and not only is Donald Trump president, but there are also numerous books coming out on the topic, with one in particular — “Original Sin” — getting a lot of attention over what it revealed about the extent of the cover-up and how far back the decline was suspected.

Incredibly, many Democrats are still feigning ignorance over what they undoubtedly had to

have seen, with some of those closest to Biden, like powerful House Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), claiming in a recent interview that he hadn’t been around Biden enough to notice anything of concern.

Further, Clyburn said, “For us to sit here and talk about Joe Biden as if we are physicians and can make these kinds of evaluations — a lot of us are interacting with him could not make an evaluation like that. And I still can’t.”

Even if what Clyburn claimed about not being around Biden a lot is true, there are people in Biden’s inner circle who were around him often enough to know, and yet, they’re maintaining that the Biden they knew was t to lead the country another four years.

For their part, mainstream media reporters are acting shocked by what they’ve read in the book, with its authors — Axios reporter Alex Thompson and CNN anchor Jake Tapper — suggesting the reason the MSM didn’t do any more reporting on this subject than they did is because Democrats and the Biden-Harris White House hid it from them.

The problem with that is that one didn’t need to be close to Biden to see what was going on. It was a “when you know, you know” thing, and if people who didn’t know Biden could see it, you know his top aides, family members and members of the press did.

All of this has led to renewed questions about who knew what and when, how high the level of

deception went and, most importantly, who was really running the country if Biden couldn’t.

On Sunday, a Biden spokesperson announced the former president had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.

While I certainly pray for Biden and his family, this raises even more questions about his health while in o ce because, as some health experts have observed, one would think a yearly physical and/or some bloodwork could have given clues about this way before now. And there is speculation that perhaps even this was also known and covered up by the Biden-Harris White House.

As far as I’m concerned, Biden o cials should be questioned by congressional committees to learn what they knew and when. This is a massive political scandal, one of the biggest in presidential history, and those who were in the know should be held to account in the court of public opinion.

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.

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump speaks during a Kennedy Center board dinner in the State Dining Room at the White House on Monday.

The Emperor’s Clothes

Big-time collegiate sports teams can — and should — stand alone as farm teams to the pro leagues.

EVERY SCHOOLCHILD knows the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

After years of preparation and bureaucratic self-deception, the Emperor was nally prepared to model his invisible robes. His administrative sycophants had long since convinced themselves that the new wardrobe was indeed magni cent.

As the Emperor commenced his royal procession through the city streets, his obedient subjects greeted him with cries, “Oh, how beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes.” It was only toward the end of this parody that a young lad blurted out, “But the Emperor has nothing at all on!”

At last, the truth was unavoidably obvious.

Like many such fables, this story contains an enduring truth and has many realworld applications. One such application is collegiate sports in America today.

For the last 75 years, American colleges have wrestled with how best to promote, manage and control intercollegiate sports. The genesis of intercollegiate athletics was the laudable 19th-century notion of the “student-athlete.”

He was one who could balance rigorous academic demands with vigorous sports competition. Athletics was seen as an integral component of a liberal education and even of our national identity. Nineteenthcentury Americans instinctively embraced the truth of the Duke of Wellington’s declaration, “The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing elds of Eton.” Crew was the rst intercollegiate sport in America, but it was soon surpassed by football. In response to both the sport’s growing popularity and the increasing incidence of injuries, President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid football fan, called together representatives from some 60 colleges in 1906 and charged them with “cleaning up” college athletics. The NCAA was formed, and so began the long history of modern American collegiate athletics.

Interestingly, the development of collegiate athletics in the U.S. has been quite di erent from the rest of the world. In almost every other country, there exists a clear distinction between professional sports and intercollegiate sports. Press coverage, monetary sponsorship, fan support, etc., focus on professional teams, not collegiate teams. Colleges sponsor active intramural athletics, where the student-athlete model remains largely intact.

The history of the NCAA has been a continuous attempt to balance the con icting goals of maximizing big-time athletic pro tability while purporting to uphold the bond between collegiate athletics and academic excellence. A natural bifurcation

among American colleges has gradually occurred, with several divisions within the NCAA. Many schools, unable to compete at Division I levels, have opted to continue to o er athletic scholarships in less competitive Division II, while some schools in Division III have abandoned scholarships entirely.

The history of NCAA regulation can best be described as a long, steady march toward the professionalization of college sports. There have been innumerable cheating scandals involving athletes, endless violations of NCAA rules regulating recruitment, preferred academic treatment of athletes and the increasing blurring of the lines around what constitutes compensation for athletes.

One of several e orts to provide more rigorous supervision of athletics was the Knight Commission, chaired initially by North Carolina’s William Friday. It became increasingly apparent that these e orts were dealing quite ine ectively with the e ects — and not the cause — of the problem.

Tension within collegiate sports came to a head in 2021 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the NCAA violates antitrust regulations. The suit was settled by the NCAA’s agreement to allow compensation of Division I athletes. At last, the Band-Aid was ripped o . College athletics was accurately exposed as a business. However, instead of acknowledging the obvious truth that bigtime sports have nothing to do with the academic mission of the colleges, the NCAA has haplessly tried to continue to function in the old regulatory paradigm.

The NCAA is now plaintively appealing to Congress to take action. It is reported that President Donald Trump wants to jump into the fray to create some new commission on college sports. It seems likely that any such congressional or presidential e orts would attempt to prop up a failed system. The truth is, professional sports and academic institutions are not natural bedfellows.

Big-time collegiate sports teams can — and should — stand alone as farm teams to the pro leagues, and colleges should refocus on their academic missions. And besides, Congress and the president have more important challenges right now. Let the market sort this out.

It’s been a long time coming, but at last it’s apparent: The Emperor has no clothes.

Garland S. Tucker III, retired chairman/ CEO of Triangle Capital Corporation, is the author of “Conservative Heroes: Fourteen Leaders Who Shaped America- Je erson to Reagan” (ISI Books) and “The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge and the 1924 Election” (Emerald Books).

What might a flat benefit Social Security reform look like?

Think about what Social Security would look like if you were inventing it from scratch today.

WRITING AT MARKETWATCH, Brett Arrends discusses a Biggs-approved Social Security reform: convert Social Security to a at bene t, either at 125% or 150% of the federal poverty threshold.

It’s worth taking a look at this type of reform, which is similar to the government retirement programs in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Arrends relies on the Congressional Budget O ce’s analysis of two at bene t reforms. One would set a at dollar bene t for retirees and the disabled at 125% of the federal poverty threshold, while the second would set the bene t at 150% of poverty. No one would get less than that. Note that for a couple, Social Security bene ts relative to the poverty line would be even higher because the poverty threshold for two people is less than twice the single threshold. For a couple, the at Social Security bene t would range between 198% and 238% of the federal poverty line. Either option would (easily) address Social Security’s long-term funding gap while (again, easily) eliminating poverty among seniors and the disabled. That wouldn’t merely save Social Security. It would help save the federal de cit and debt while making old-age poverty a thing of the past. Lower costs, zero poverty, no $100,000 bene ts. Bonus: no federal debt crisis.

I’m not aware of any proposed Social Security reform, from the left or right, that does so much to strengthen the safety net. How can a at Social Security bene t do so much — boosting bene ts for the bottom quarter/third of bene ciaries? Simple: by reducing bene ts for the top three-quarters/

BE IN TOUCH

two-thirds of bene ciaries. Say, for the richest fth of households born in the 1980s, annual bene ts would be cut by 58% — more than in half.

Sounds catastrophic! Except without these reductions, that richest fth of households would receive average annual Social Security bene ts of $100,000 in today’s dollars. There is no other Anglo country — and, in fact, no country at all that I’m aware of — that pays such high bene ts to high-income seniors.

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb in saying that it makes no sense for a “safety net” program to be paying $100,000 per year — roughly ve times the federal poverty threshold — to households that are at zero risk of poverty and are more than capable of saving for retirement on their own.

All of this goes back to a thought experiment I utilize in my book, “The Real Retirement Crisis”: Don’t think about how you would save Social Security, in the sense of keeping it from going insolvent; think about what Social Security would look like if you were inventing it from scratch today. What would you want Social Security to do, and how would you want Social Security to do it?

That doesn’t mean we don’t need to keep Social Security solvent or that we can switch to a new model overnight. But I believe the best and easiest path to keeping Social Security solvent and e ective is to think hard about what we really need the program to do.

Andrew Biggs is senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of “The Real Retirement Crisis.” This column is a reprint of a recent post in his Substack “Little-Known Facts.”

Tolling US 1 — a costly mistake for our future

WE’RE AT A CROSSROADS in Northern Wake, Franklin, Vance, Granville and Warren counties.

We have been given the option to make a hard decision about whether to make U.S. 1 a toll road or not.

This isn’t just a road — it’s the lifeblood of our communities, connecting hardworking families, small businesses and visitors to the beating heart of Raleigh.

Those aren’t convenience fees; they’re highway robbery, with no end in sight.

Tolling U.S. 1 threatens to choke o opportunities, burden our most vulnerable residents and stall the economic engine that makes our region thrive.

Let’s start with the plain truth: Tolls hit the poorest among us the hardest. Every day, North Carolinians pay their fair share through gas taxes and state taxes to keep our roads open. A toll triple-taxes drivers by charging them to use a highway they’ve already paid for.

For low-income families, that toll isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a barrier to jobs, doctor appointments and schools in Raleigh. We cannot let a paywall exclude entire communities from the opportunities they deserve. This isn’t progress; it’s a step backward. Then there’s the economic fallout. Central North Carolina is a hub of innovation, with small businesses and startups driving our growth. But tolls on U.S. 1 will slam the brakes on that momentum. Imagine a local business in the counties of Franklin, Vance, Granville or Warren paying a toll every time they send a delivery truck or an employee commutes to Raleigh.

Those costs add up fast, squeezing tight budgets and making it harder to compete. Worse, new companies eyeing our counties might look elsewhere to avoid the hassle and expense, while existing businesses could relocate to toll-free regions. We can’t a ord to let tolls limit our economic growth when we’re working to keep our region of North Carolina open for opportunity. And let’s not ignore the chaos tolls will unleash on our roads. Drivers dodging U.S. 1’s tolls will ood secondary roads and Highway 401, clogging residential streets, backroads and wearing out infrastructure never meant for heavy tra c. Picture longer commutes and skyrocketing repair costs for local governments. These roads aren’t built for this burden, and our communities shouldn’t bear these additional expenses. We are promised tolls are a quick x for funding, but history tells a di erent story: Once a toll road, always a toll road. Look at Interstate 77 near Charlotte, where drivers pay an average of $40 a day during peak hours and $16 o -peak. Those aren’t convenience fees; they’re highway robbery, with no end in sight.

Here’s the good news — we’ve got a better way. North Carolina is sitting on $1.1 billion for a railroad project that hasn’t even broken ground. Let’s redirect those funds to keep U.S. 1 toll-free, serving the daily needs of commuters, businesses and visitors across our counties.

This isn’t about empty promises; it’s about practical solutions that put people rst.

Finally, let’s talk trust. North Carolinians expect their tax dollars to build roads that serve everyone, not create paywalls that favor the wealthy. Tolling U.S. 1 sends a message that only those with deep pockets deserve access to quality infrastructure. That’s not the North Carolina I know — a state where hard work and opportunity go hand in hand, not where your wallet determines your path.

Our counties deserve better. Tolling U.S. 1 will burden the working class, cripple our economy, clog our roads and lock in costs for generations. Together, we can demand a transportation system that unites us, not divides us by ability to pay. Let’s keep U.S. 1 free and invest in solutions that lift every North Carolinian. Our future depends on it.

Rep. Matthew Winslow represents the 7th District in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

NC conservationists honored at 60th annual NCWF award ceremony

O cials still searching for man in connection with found girl Catawba County The Catawba County Sheri ’s O ce is still looking for a man after a missing teenage girl believed to be with him was found last week. Authorities were still searching for Jim Jernigan, wanted on “outstanding warrants for armed robbery and larceny of a motor vehicle,” o cials said. The girl was found last Friday at a home in northern Catawba County, o cials reported, and she was being reunited with family. WBTV

Investigation continues into cut, stolen wires; 6 charged

Caldwell County Six people are accused of cutting and stealing $130,000 worth of AT&T wires in Caldwell County, police announced last week. O cers were investigating a series of wire thefts targeting the carrier’s lines in the area since November 2024. Reports stated multiple AT&T sites were impacted during the time, as wiring was either stolen or cut, leading to widespread service issues. In some of those instances, o cials said the damage temporarily disabled 911. Evidence indicated the stolen wires were stripped of their metal, likely to be sold for pro t. Detectives are still trying to track down where the materials were sold. Amid a monthslong investigation, Norman Ward, 45, of Lenoir, and ve from Granite Falls — Rocky Fowler III, 26; Jason Libera, 47; Gregory Triplett, 23; Joshua Crump, 41; and Logan Brown, 36 — were apprehended and charged in connection with the case.

NSJ

PIEDMONT

Human remains found at Lexington salvage yard

Davidson County O cials are investigating after remains were found in a salvaged vehicle in the Piedmont Triad. Davidson County Sheri ’s O ce said they were called last week to Leonard Salvage in Lexington after an employee found human remains during their shift. The remains were found in a salvaged vehicle in the lot. The sheri ’s o ce and the SBI are investigating the scene. The investigation is ongoing, and no additional details were available.

WBTV

Sheri urges county o cials to increase public safety budget

EAST

N.C. woman killed in Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident

Scotland County

Residents concerned, angry after child shot twice at Greensboro park

Guilford County Greensboro parents are asking if their children are safe at a park after a 4-year-old was shot twice Thursday night. Another man was shot at Douglas Park, and the alleged shooter is now in custody. The people at the park and the neighborhood immediately spoke up about what they saw, which led to a quick arrest. Greensboro police told local outlets that it sends the message that this type of senseless violence is not welcome.

WGHP

Forsyth County Forsyth County Sheri Bobby Kimbrough has told local o cials he needs more deputies to get the job done, asking the Forsyth County commissioners for $800,000 to increase sta ng during recent budget discussions. He wants to add two more analysts for the Real-Time Crime Center, in addition to what he sees as the biggest challenge: bringing more deputies to the street. “Since 2018, we have increased by over 20,000 more residents in this county. What that means is more calls. … Just for the month of March, we had 235 triple zeros,” Kimbrough said of calls that come in for which there is no one to respond. In April, there were still more than 200 triple zeros. Kimbrough told the board of commissioners that the sheri ’s o ce has lled all their vacant positions and needs funds to add more.

NSJ

A 40-year-old Scotland County woman died early Sunday when the motorcycle she was a passenger on hit the curbing of a raised concrete median in North Myrtle Beach and crashed, the Horry County Coroner’s O ce told local outlets. Jessica Woodall, of Laurinburg, died from blunt force trauma at the scene of the crash, which occurred on the Highway 17 north o -ramp at Sea Mountain Highway, the coroner’s o ce said. It happened shortly before 2 a.m. The crash remains under investigation.

WITN

Swim alerts raised due to bacteria levels, man o’ war

torch and empower others to serve,” Hastings wrote. “I will not le to run for the North Carolina General Assembly for the upcoming election cycle, and I have no intentions to run for a North Carolina General Assembly seat in the future.”

According to North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation’s (NCFREE) partisan district score ratings, Hastings’ district is considered a +30.8 Republican safe seat. Hastings was also named as one of NCFREE’s

Young sea turtle found, rescued from barnacle overgrowth

Dare County A young green sea turtle was recently found stranded along Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The seashore’s Resource Management team transported the turtle to the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the North Carolina Aquarium for treatment, where the rehab team determined the turtle was covered with a heavy load of epibiota — barnacles, algae and other

Brunswick County North Carolina health o cials warned people against swimming in three areas at the coast this week due to high bacteria levels. Meanwhile, two other Tarheel coastal communities warned about more visible beach dangers — painful stings from Portuguese man o’ war. The bacteria warnings came after heavy rains this week, which can typically cause higher counts because of runo from storms. The Portuguese man o’ war washed ashore last Friday, according to the Sunset Beach Fire Department in Brunswick County.

“These aren’t jelly sh, but colonies of organisms with a powerful sting. Even when dead, their tentacles can still sting, so do not touch them,” said re o cials in Sunset Beach, an island about a mile from the South Carolina line. Fire crews said man o’ war are blue or purple with balloon-like oats on the water’s surface or washed up on the sand. The organisms have long, threadlike tentacles that are painful to touch.

WNCN

The Gaston County Republican said he will continue to “vigorously” represent his district’s constituents through the end of his term and thanked his supporters.

A realtor for more than 25 years, Hastings was rst elected to the North Carolina House in 2010 by just under 70% of the vote and began his rst term in 2011. He currently represents District 110, which covers portions of Gaston and Cleveland counties. During the 2025-26 session, Hastings is a chair of the Higher Education Committee and the Appropriations, Capital and Information Technology Committee. He also serves as vice chair on the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Select Committee on Hurricane Helene Recovery, as well as the Insurance and Energy and Utilities committees.

NATION & WORLD

Trump announces ‘Golden Dome’ space missile defense system

The program’s space components could cost more than $500 billion over the next two decades

By Tara Copp The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program — and while it would not be the most expensive option that the Pentagon had o ered, it would still cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars and take years to make a reality.

If realized, the system would mark the rst time that the U.S. would put weapons in space, which could be red to destroy an incoming missile during ight.

Trump also is expected to announce that Gen. Michael Guetlein, who currently serves as the vice chief of space operations, will be responsible for overseeing Golden Dome’s progress.

Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground and spacebased capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of ight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the nal minutes as they descend toward a target.

For the last several months, Pentagon planners have been developing options — which a U.S. o cial described as medium, high and “extra high” choices, based on their cost — that include space-based interceptors.

The administration picked the “high” version, with an initial cost ranging between $30 billion and $100 billion, according to the o cial, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after departing a House Republican conference meeting on Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

been made public. The di erence in the three versions is largely based on how many satellites and sensors in space would be purchased, and for the rst time, space-based interceptors.

The Congressional Budget O ce estimated this month that just the space-based components of the Golden Dome could cost as much as $542 billion over the next 20 years. Trump has requested an initial $25 billion for the program in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress.

The Pentagon has warned for years that the newest missiles developed by China and Russia are so advanced that updated countermeasures are necessary. Golden Dome’s added satellites and interceptors — where the bulk of the program’s cost is — would be focused on stopping those advanced mis-

siles early on or in the middle of their ight.

The space-based weapons envisioned for Golden Dome “represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organizations,” Gen. Chance Saltzman, head of the U.S. Space Force, told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday.

China and Russia have put o ensive weapons in space, such as satellites with the ability to disable critical U.S. satellites, which can make the U.S. vulnerable to attack.

But there’s no money for the project yet, and the program overall is “still in the conceptual stage,” newly con rmed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators Tuesday.

While the president picked the concept he wanted, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome

UK suspends free trade talks with Israel, announces sanctions

British leaders cited a three-month blockade of supplies that has led to famine warnings in Gaza

By Brian Melley and Sylvie Corbet

The Associated Press

LONDON — The U.K. suspended free trade talks with Israel on Tuesday and hit West Bank settlers with sanctions, less than a day after vowing “concrete actions” if Israel didn’t stop its new military offensive in Gaza.

Pressure from close allies is mounting on Israel following a nearly three-month blockade of supplies into Gaza that led to famine warnings. Even the United States, a staunch ally, has voiced concerns over the hunger crisis.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the government couldn’t continue talks on upgrading its existing trade agreement with an Israeli government pursuing what he called egregious policies in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

“History will judge them,” Lammy said. “Blocking aid. Expanding the war. Dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible. And it must stop.”

Israeli ambassador to the U.K. Tzipi Hotovely was summoned to the Foreign O ce, where Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said he would

call the 11-week blockade of aid to Gaza “cruel and indefensible.”

Separately, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was reviewing an EU pact governing trade ties with Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza. She said “a huge majority” of member nations are “very keen on sending this message that the su ering of these people is untenable.”

She did not provide clear details on timing and mechanisms for review.

Lammy said the U.K. was imposing sanctions on a further “three individuals, two illegal settler outposts and two organizations supporting violence against the Palestinian community.”

He said the illegal Israeli settlements were spreading across the West Bank “with the explicit support

of this Israeli government.”

Israel Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein called the sanctions against West Bank settlers “unjusti ed and regrettable” and said the free trade agreement negotiations were not being advanced by the U.K. anyway.

While Lammy’s words were welcomed by some in the House of Commons, others called for stronger action, suggesting economic sanctions against Israel and recognizing the state of Palestine.

A handful of members shouted for him to call Israel’s actions “genocide,” though Lammy labeled it “extremism” and “monstrous.”

Still others criticized the joint statement, saying it favored Hamas.

“Opposing the expansion of a war that has killed thousands

“Anti-pro-life” writings left behind by bombing suspect

Palm Springs, Calif.

A 25-year-old man the FBI believes was responsible for an explosion that ripped through a Southern California fertility clinic left behind “anti-pro-life” writings before carrying out an attack investigators called terrorism, authorities said Sunday. Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California, was identi ed by the FBI as the suspect in the apparent car bomb detonation Saturday that damaged the clinic in the upscale city of Palm Springs in the desert east of Los Angeles. His writings seemed to indicate antinatalist views, which hold that people should not continue to procreate, authorities said.

Musk says he’ll cut back on political spending

Washington, D.C.

will need to meet — which is not the way new systems are normally developed.

The Pentagon and U.S. Northern Command are still drafting what is known as an initial capabilities document, the U.S. o cial said. That is how Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense, identi es what it will need the system to do.

The U.S. already has many missile defense capabilities, such as the Patriot missile batteries that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine to defend against incoming missiles, as well as an array of satellites in orbit to detect missile launches. Some of those existing systems will be incorporated into Golden Dome.

Trump directed the Pentagon to pursue the space-based interceptors in an executive order during the rst week of his presidency.

of children is not rewarding Hamas,” Lammy said.

The U.K. announcement followed comments by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called children’s suffering in Gaza “utterly intolerable” and repeated his call for a cease re.

“I want to put on record today that we’re horri ed by the escalation from Israel,” Starmer said.

On Monday, Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in issuing one of the most signicant criticisms by close allies of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank.

The three leaders threatened to take “concrete actions” if the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not cease its renewed military o ensive and signi cantly lift restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Netanyahu called the statement “a huge prize” for Hamas.

Starmer said a cease re was the only way to free the dozens of hostages Hamas still holds. He also called for increased shipments of humanitarian aid into Gaza, saying the basic quantity allowed by Israel is “utterly inadequate.”

“This war has gone on for far too long,” Starmer said. “We cannot allow the people of Gaza to starve.”

While Israel allowed a rst few trucks with baby food and desperately needed supplies to begin rolling into Gaza on Monday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described it as a “drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.” Israel said dozens more trucks entered Tuesday.

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and a key nancial supporter of President Donald Trump, said Tuesday that he’ll be spending “a lot less” on political campaigns, a reversal that could be a setback for Republicans ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Musk disclosed his decision via videoconference during a Bloomberg forum in Doha, Qatar. It speaks to his possible disenchantment with politics after his tumultuous tenure as Trump’s pick to lead the newly created Department of Government E ciency, which has fallen far short of its goals for reducing federal spending. Musk has scaled back his government role to spend more time at his businesses, including Tesla, which have seen intense blowback.

Mexico City

mayor’s entourage killed in attack

Mexico City

The personal secretary and an adviser to Mexico City’s mayor were killed by gunmen on a motorcycle in a central neighborhood of the capital on Tuesday, authorities said. Mayor Clara Brugada said in a statement that her secretary, Ximena Guzmán and adviser José Muñoz were killed in the Moderna neighborhood. The motive was under investigation. The attack happened at around 7:30 a.m. local time when Muñoz and Guzmán were in a black Audi SUV. There were four bullet holes clustered on the driver’s side of the windshield.

Loser in Romania’s presidential race contests results

Bucharest, Romania

The nationalist who lost Romania’s presidential election rerun said Tuesday he has asked a top court to annul the election results, alleging that foreign interference and coordinated manipulation a ected Sunday’s vote. George Simion, the 38-yearold leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, had conceded defeat after losing in the runo to Nicusor Dan, the Bucharest mayor who obtained 53.6% of the vote, a margin of more than 829,000 votes. Simion said in a statement he has led a request to Romania’s Constitutional Court to annul the vote, claiming he had “irrefutable evidence” that France, Moldova and “other actors” meddled in the ballot.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

MAJDI MUHAMMAD / AP PHOTO

An Israeli border police o cer takes up position next to a watermelon vendor during a military raid in the Askar refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday.

Regeneron to buy 23andMe for $256M

Tarrytown, N.Y.

Biotechnology company

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is buying 23andMe for $256 million, two months after the genetic testing company led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The proposed transaction with Regeneron includes 23andMe’s personal genome service and total health and research services. It does not include the Lemonaid Health subsidiary, which 23andMe plans to wind down.

Okla. inks $4B deal with UAE company

Oklahoma City Oklahoma state o cials have announced a deal with a private company in the United Arab Emirates for a $4 billion aluminum manufacturing facility in northeast Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma Department of Commerce o cials announced the deal with Emirates Global Aluminum last Friday. State o cials say it would be the rst aluminum production facility to be built in the U.S. in 45 years. The project is expected to create 1,000 direct jobs and 1,800 indirect jobs.

FDA approves Novavax COVID-19 shot

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine but with restrictions. Novavax makes the nation’s only traditional protein-based coronavirus vaccine, and while it has long been authorized for use, it had expected full approval last month. Last Friday, the FDA licensed the vaccine but for use only in adults 65 and older — or those 12 to 64 who have at least one health problem that puts them at increased risk from the virus.

Charter, Cox pursue $34.5B merger

Charter Communications is merging with Cox Communications in an approximately $34.5 billion deal that brings together two of the biggest cable companies in the country. Charter said Friday that it will acquire Cox Communications’ commercial ber and managed IT and cloud businesses. Cox Enterprises will contribute Cox Communications’ residential cable business to Charter Holdings, an existing subsidiary partnership of Charter. The transaction includes $12.6 billion of debt and other obligations.

Dick’s to buy Foot Locker for $2.4B

Dick’s Sporting Goods is buying the struggling footwear chain Foot Locker for about $2.4 billion, the second buyout of a major footwear company this year as business leaders struggle with President Donald Trump’s threatened tari s. Dick’s said last Thursday that it expects to run Foot Locker as a standalone unit with its other brands including Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, WSS, Atmos and its namesake.

Despite economic concerns, Americans getting away for Memorial Day

One million more people than last year are expected to travel for the holiday weekend

By Jamie Stengle The Associated Press

DALLAS — Whether it’s a road trip to a nearby lake or jumping on a plane to explore a big city, Americans are expected to get away in record numbers over the long Memorial Day weekend, even as economic and technical worries rattle the U.S. travel industry.

More than 45 million people — 1.4 million more than last year — will venture at least 50 miles from their homes between Thursday and next Monday, with the vast majority going by car, auto club organization AAA predicts. The holiday’s previous domestic travel record was set 20 years ago.

AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said the analysts who prepared the forecast weren’t sure when they started their research if concerns about the economy would cause fewer U.S. residents to plan getaways for the uno cial start of summer, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

“People are still feeling pretty good about travel,” Diaz said, adding that some households and individuals may just opt to spend less money on their trips.

Like last year, about 87% of travelers are driving to their Memorial Day destinations, AAA said. About 39 million people, or 1 million more than last year, are expected to take road trips, which Diaz noted many families nd easier and cheaper than ying.

“You leave whenever you want,” she said. “You can pack as much as you want in the car, make stops along the way.”

AAA’s fuel tracker shows motorists can expect to pay less for gasoline this year; the U.S. average price on Sunday was $3.18 for a gallon of regular gas

compared to $3.60 a year ago.

Renting a vehicle and staying in a hotel also may cost less, according to the most recent Consumer Price Index.

Transportation-data rm INRIX anticipates the worst holiday tra c will be in the afternoons and evenings. It said drivers hitting the road on Thursday should leave before noon, and those planning Friday departures should leave before 11 a.m.

In 2024, the Friday before Memorial Day was among the record-setting days for the number of airline passengers screened at U.S. airports. While airports should be busy again this Friday, the outlook for air travel this year is unclear.

Air safety has been on the minds of travelers after the deadly midair collision in January of a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter above Washington, D.C. In recent weeks, ight delays and cancellations stemming from an air tra c controller shortage and equipment failures at a facility that directs in and out of the Newark, New Jersey, airport have

also made some people wonder whether to get on a plane.

Most major U.S. airlines said they planned to reduce their scheduled domestic ights this summer, citing an ebb in economy passengers booking leisure trips. Bank of America reported this month that its credit card customers were spending less on ights and lodging.

But an analysis by aviation data provider Cirium of Memorial Day weekend tickets bought through online travel sites found an increase of about 3% across two dozen U.S. airports compared to last year. Bookings were down 10% for ights at Washington Dulles International Airport and down 9% for ights at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to Cirium’s data.

AAA said the weekend isn’t expected to set a passenger volume record, but the organization estimates that 3.6 million residents are set to y over the holiday, nearly 2% more than last year. Airfares cost an average of 7.9% less last month than they did a year earlier, according to government price data.

April business travel to US down

Economic anxiety and border detentions cooled demand

By Dee-Ann Durbin

The Associated Press

BUSINESS TRAVEL to the U.S. fell 9% in April as companies and workers grappled with economic uncertainty and anger over the Trump administration’s tari s and border policies.

The National Travel and Tourism O ce released preliminary gures last Thursday showing the number of airline and ship passengers who entered the country last month using business visas.

The Middle East was the only region that saw higher business travel to the U.S., with arrivals up 9.4% compared to April 2024. But that didn’t make up for big losses from other regions; the number of business travelers from Western Europe fell 17.7%, for example.

on vacation in Washington, D.C., hold a Canadian ag in front of the White

support for Canada’s trade tari dispute

the late Easter holiday likely encouraged more leisure travel. Travel to the U.S. by international travelers holding tourist visas was up 13.8% in April.

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 16

Beginning Cash

$2,511,688,868

Receipts (income)

$134,161,829

Disbursements

$202,950,739

Cash Balance

$2,442,946,420

The new government data didn’t include people coming from Canada for business or who traveled by land from Mexico. Mexican arrivals by air for those holding business visas were down 11.8%, the government said. And overall travel from Canada also fell in April. According to Statistics Canada, Canadian residents’ return trips by air from the U.S. fell 20% in April, while return trips by car were down 35%.

Business travel to the U.S. held up better than leisure travel in the rst quarter of the year. According to U.S. government data, more than 1.2 million travelers entered the U.S. using business visas in the January-March period, up 7% from the year before. The number of travelers using tourist visas fell 6%. But that ipped in April, as

It’s unclear if that trend will hold. Cirium, an aviation analytics company, said an analysis of online travel agency data indicated that advance bookings from Europe to 14 U.S. cities in June, July and August were down 12% from those same months last year.

Multiple U.S. airlines have pulled their nancial forecasts for the year, citing uncertainty and weaker demand from lower-fare leisure travelers. Many industry experts think business travel to the U.S. will continue to decline in the coming months.

Leslie Andrews, the global travel leader for real estate company JLL and a board member at the Global Business Travel Association Foundation, said she thinks corporate travel to the U.S. will slow in the second and third quarters of the year as the full impact of economic and geopolitical volatility sets in.

“What I am hearing is, ‘Things were good in the rst quarter,’ but in the second quarter it’s a matter of, ‘Must you take that trip?’” Andrews said. “They’re pulling in the reins a bit to make sure only purposeful travel is happening a s things grow and evolve.”

Kevin Haggarty usually travels to the United States from Canada several times a year to attend trade shows in Atlanta or Las Vegas or to visit suppliers in Los Angeles. But his concerns about crossing the border will keep him from making those trips this year.

Haggarty, who owns a company that sells gifts and souvenirs, said Canadian retailers no longer want U.S.-made merchandise.

“Honestly, my nervousness and reluctance to cross into the U.S. stems from that more than any hostility to the American market,” said Haggarty, who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Global Business Travel Association CEO Suzanne Neufang said a poll of more than 900 of the association’s mem-

The U.S. travel and tourism industry will be watching during the weekend and the weeks ahead to see what might be in store for the summer travel season. Tourism industry experts have warned that anger about the Trump administration’s tari s and rhetoric, and concern about tourist detentions at the U.S. border, have made citizens of some other countries less interested in traveling to the U.S.

The national statistics agency of Canada reported last week that the number of residents making return trips by air from the U.S. fell 20% in April compared to the same month a year earlier, while return trips by car were down 35%.

Weather conditions may factor into travel plans and holiday celebrations in some areas. Nick Novella, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, said parts of the western U.S. were expected to see soaring temperatures over the holiday weekend, while there’s a possibility of heavy rain in parts of the East Coast.

“Things were good in the rst quarter,’ but in the second quarter it’s a matter of, ‘Must you take that trip?”

bers last month showed nearly one-third expected a decline in global travel volumes this year. Canadian members were the most pessimistic, with 71% saying they expect a decrease in travel this year, Neufang said.

A drop-o in business trips would represent a setback for the U.S. travel industry and cities that host international conventions and trade shows. The $1.6 trillion global business travel sector was nally returning to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brett Sterenson, the president of Hotel Lobbyists, a Washington, D.C., rm that helps groups book hotels for meetings and conferences, said he was losing international business as some countries warn travelers not to visit the U.S.

U.S. government cuts are also hurting business, Sterenson said. He works with several groups that o er international exchange programs through the State Department. The programs welcome travelers from Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and elsewhere and share best practices on things like energy policy and environmental stewardship, he said. But with funding cuts, that part of his business is down 75%.

“These exchanges were monumentally useful in spreading goodwill, but also in educating developing nations on good governance,” Sterenson said. Haggarty, in Canada, said he canceled a trip to a trade show in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and said several retailers he works with also pulled out.

MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO

Travelers move through Harts eld-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day last year.

Leslie Andrews, JLL

BEN CURTIS / AP PHOTO Toronto residents

House in March 2025 to show

with the U.S.

features

Wallen’s ‘I’m The Problem’ will be everywhere

The country star made headlines for a racial slur caught on video

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Morgan Wallen says he’s the problem. And soon, he’ll be yours.

The country megastar’s fourth studio album, “I’m the Problem,” will be everywhere imminently if it isn’t already — just like his earlier records, the last of which outsold Taylor Swift. It is a collection of earworm hooks and twangy big belts about whiskey and women, the kind that has made Wallen unignorable.

The 32-year-old’s incredible popularity is at least partially due to the hybridity of his style. Bro country and dirtrock evolved into his nal form, which embraces hallmarks of hip-hop: trap high hats and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony-inspired vocal phrasing. That appears throughout the gargantuan “I’m The Problem,” everywhere from the “Interlude,” “Kiss Her in Front of You” and “Miami” to tracks like “What I Want,” featuring the Gen-Z Britney Spears Tate McRae. The latter marks his rst time featuring a woman vocalist on one

of his songs, no doubt a bucking of country duet tradition but also a doubling down of his vocal style — warm, muscular, masculine.

The album is never revelatory, but there are surprises, like the Bon Iver-channeling “Smile.”

Wallen’s also a traditionalist — in the weeping guitars of “Falling Apart,” the backroads balladry of “Skoal, Chevy, and Browning,” where chewing tobacco and hunting gear has never sounded so ... romantic? Most of his songs deal with heartbreak and self-deprecation with lyrical speci city and a total lack of pretension, appealing to both a uid listenership and country radio loyalists looking for something familiar enough.

In full, “I’m The Problem” is 37 tracks, running nearing two hours long. It’s exhaustive but only exhausting for the active listener — just like his last two, which also topped 30 tracks. His style hasn’t detoured too much from his previous work, giving new credence to not xing what isn’t broke. The album plays out like a soundtrack to a road trip, e ortless and pleasant background music.

Then, of course, is the nancial incentive: Longer albums equate to more streams, and streams often account for far

more of an album’s chart position than downloads and purchases. It’s good business.

All that aside, everything Wallen does, including the release of this new album, is inextricable from his controversies. Despite them — or perhaps, partially because of, for a certain subset of listeners interested in bad boys with real talent — Wallen has become one of the biggest performers in the United States, underestimated by a mainstream music media that often regionalizes country music culture. And there have been a number of controversies. In 2020, he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges after being kicked out

of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville. In 2021, after video surfaced of him using a racial slur, he was disquali ed or limited from several award shows and received no Grammy nominations for his bestselling “Dangerous: The Double Album.”

He’s currently under supervised probation after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment for throwing a chair from the rooftop of a six-story bar in Nashville and nearly hitting two police o cers with it. Regardless, his last album, “One Thing at a Time,” was certi ed seven-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 100 for 16

“One day you’re gonna see my mugshot from a night when I got a little too drunk.”

Morgan Wallen

weeks in 2023. That’s just over 30% of the year. “One Thing at a Time” then reemerged in 2024 to hold the spot for three additional weeks in 2024. Presented another way, the album broke Garth Brooks’ record for longest running No. 1 country album. In that respect, Wallen is not just a superstar in his chosen genre, but any genre.

Redemption is a theme across “I’m The Problem,” which is given additional weight by Wallen’s extramusical behaviors. Earned or otherwise, when Wallen sings he does so with the wisdom of a wizened man. Like in “Superman,” written for Wallen’s son Indigo, which directly references the father’s past indiscretions.

“One day you’re gonna see my mugshot from a night when I got a little too drunk,” he opens the song. “Hear a song about a girl that I lost from the times when I just wouldn’t grow up.”

It’s unclear if that growth has happened. (And considering the rest of the album’s hungover revelations and soured relationships, subjects Wallen knows intimately and has made a career o writing to, it seems unlikely.)

But if Wallen is singing to his son in the future, he’s singing to himself and the millions who will be listening in the present. And clearly, they’re willing to take the journey with him.

Cruise goes for broke in ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’

Christopher McQuarrie’s directs his fourth lm in the franchise

By Lindsey Bahr

The Associated Press

TOM CRUISE’S Ethan Hunt is getting a bit of a god complex. It’s not exactly his fault after defying death and completing impossible missions time and time again. But in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” out Friday, there’s a breathlessness to the naive trust from his growing band of disciples, including the U.S. president (the formerly skeptical Erika Sloane of “Fallout,” played by Angela Bassett) and Paris (Pom Klementie ), the once delightfully fun maniac assassin who has been reduced to brooding French philosopher. In a series that has often been best when it’s not taking itself too seriously, these dour developments start to feel a little unintentionally silly. And, for at least the rst hour, it’s all we have to hang onto. Perhaps this is part of the point in pitting a human man against a parasitic arti cial intelligence set on inciting nuclear extinction, something we’re meant to believe has been brewing in some way since the beginning of the franchise. You can almost see the behind-the-scenes wheels turning: Gravity is kind of a prerequisite when this much is on the line, and when so much pain has been taken to link 30 years and seven movies that were certainly never meant to be connected by anything other than Ethan Hunt. But we don’t come to “Mission: Impossible” movies for the bigger picture, and de nitely not to learn what the rabbit’s foot was in the third movie. We come to be awed by the thrills and Cruise’s execution, whether he’s speeding through Paris on a motorbike, driving one-handed through Rome in a tiny old Fiat, or hanging on the outside of an airbus, bullet train, helicopter or the Burj Khalifa. And unlike, say, the “Fast & Furious” movies, which long ago jumped the shark, the “Mission” stunts have always felt grounded

Tom Cruise stars in “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.”

“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” premieres in theaters Friday.

in some reality and playfulness. It’s not just Cruise’s willingness to tether himself to all forms of high-speed transportation for our enjoyment. His reactions — surprise, panic, doubt — are unparalleled. Ethan Hunt is never too cool to look unsure.

“Final Reckoning,” Christopher McQuarrie’s fourth “Mission” movie in the director’s chair, does deliver two truly unforgettable sequences. One is in a long-defunct submarine at the bottom of the sea that will have you squirming; another involves

two classic biplanes careening at 170 mph over lush South African landscapes. Though they may induce vertigo on IMAX, these are the things that make the trip to the theater worth it. But be warned: It takes a good long while of labored exposition, manic ashbacks and Oscar broadcast-ready greatest-hits montages to get there.

McQuarrie, who co-wrote the script with Erik Jendresen, might have learned the wrong lessons from the past decade of overly interconnected franchise lmmaking. Or perhaps it still seemed like the right call when this two-part nale was put into motion seven years ago. Not only does realizing one previously enjoyable character is related to and motivated by a character from the past do little to raise the stakes, but

it also bogs everything down.

“Final Reckoning” also overstu s the cast with faces that are almost distracting (like Hannah Waddingham as a U.S. Navy ofcer, though her American accent is quite good). There are some fun additions to the lot: “Severance’s” Tramell Tillman as a submarine captain, as well as Lucy Tulugarjuk and Rolf Saxon, for anyone wondering what became of the poor guy in the Langley vault.

Simon Pegg, as the capably ustered tech wiz Benji, is still great, Ving Rhames gets to ex emotionally, and Bassett really makes you believe she’s chosen a U.S. city to destroy as an o ering to “The Entity.” But many get lost in the unnatural, one-size- ts-all dialogue, which is especially true in the bizarrely sweaty Situation Room where

everyone is always nishing each other’s sentences.

Maybe when you have a larger-than-life movie star, you need larger-than-life character actors. Besides, everyone knows they’re there as side players supporting the Cruise show — no one more so than Hayley Atwell as Grace, the once inscrutable pickpocket turned wide-eyed Madonna supporting and tending to Ethan. The loss of Rebecca Ferguson is acutely felt here. The “Mission: Impossible” movies, even when they’re mediocre, remain some of the most e ortlessly enjoyable cinematic experiences out there, a pure expression of “let’s put on a show.” There’s nothing else quite like it, and maybe they’ve earned this self-important victory lap, though it seems to have gone to the characters’ heads.

BIG LOUD/MERCURY RECORDS VIA AP

“I’m the Problem” by Morgan Wallen features 37 tracks.

digital zen

Lincoln Navigator is the ultimate road trip sanctuary

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

SAN DIEGO — What makes the ultimate sanctuary? Is it space? Technology? Luxury amenities that pamper your every sense? Lincoln believes it’s all of these things, and the allnew 2025 Navigator makes a compelling case that they might be right. For nearly three decades, the Navigator has de ned the premium full-size SUV category. This latest iteration takes that legacy to new heights with a reworked interior, slick exterior design and enough screens to turn your family hauler into a sports bar. But perhaps its most surprising talent is turning your vehicle into a spa on wheels.

Navigator’s new interior combines enough leather and wood to out t a Telluride ski chalet with a massive 48-inch panoramic display spanning the entire width of the horizontal instrument panel.

Let’s not bury the lede here: This screen is remarkable. Stretching 4 feet across the dash, it’s pushed forward into your eld of vision, nearly functioning as a head-up display. Lincoln has divided it into customizable zones, allowing you to con gure what information appears where. Want a compass, weather, fuel economy data or media controls? Just drag and place them exactly where you prefer.

The big screen plus a huge centrally-mounted touchscreen run Google’s Android Automotive platform, provide access to Google Maps, Assistant and the Play Store, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But what’s really clever is how the vehicle handles maps — whether you’re using the built in Google Maps or Apple Maps via CarPlay, the Navigator will always show the maps on the driver’s side of the panoramic display, keeping navigation in your line of sight even if the center touchscreen is showing something di erent.

Lincoln Rejuvenate turns the vehicle, according to the company’s euphemism-loving marketing team at least, into a “spa on wheels” that automatically adjusts your seat position with heat and massage options, climate control, scenting, sound, lighting and expansive visuals to reduce stress and create a relaxing experience inside the vehicle.

If you have a few minutes and just need to relax, press the Rejuvenate button and the Navigator transforms. The steering wheel moves away, your seat reclines and begins massaging, climate control adjusts to the perfect temperature, ambient lighting shifts to soothing hues and the panoramic display lls with gentle waterfalls or aurora borealis scenes. Then, a subtle fragrance begins lling the cabin system while calming audio plays through the 28-speaker Revel audio system. You can choose between 5- or 10-minute relaxation sessions — perfect for waiting at a soccer game pickup or decompressing after work. The Navigator comes preloaded with a Waterfall Meditation experience in partnership with Calm and includes a complimentary oneyear subscription to the meditation app.

It’s not just a gimmick. After testing it (while parked, of course), I found myself genuinely more relaxed. The multisensory experience feels thoughtfully executed rather than merely tacked on. I love features that take existing hardware (the screens, audio, massaging seats and scent di user) and combine them for something totally new. I don’t know if this feature alone can justify the Navigator’s premium price tag, but for the right buyer, it could drive a sale or two.

Under the hood sits a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine with 440 horsepower and 510 torque — more than enough to get this massive SUV moving with authority. The powertrain delivers a satisfying rumble when pushed but remains virtually silent during normal driving, perfectly tting the Navigator’s luxury persona.

The ride quality, however, revealed a more surprising split personality. I drove two versions: one with 22-inch wheels and another with 24 -inch wheels. The di erence was immediately noticeable. The 24 -inch wheel setup, while visually striking, resulted in a ride that felt decidedly un-Lincoln-like. You could feel every imperfection in the road surface transmitted straight to you.

When I asked Lincoln’s engineers about this, they acknowledged the trade-o but wouldn’t get speci c on why air suspension, found in some previous Navigators and competitors from Range Rover or Mercedes, was missing. Reading between

the lines, I suspect reliability concerns factored into that decision — Lincoln buyers tend to keep their vehicles longer than those purchasing competing luxury brands, who might be more likely to lease.

The 22-inch wheel setup delivered a more plush, insulated ride you’d expect from Lincoln’s agship, ltering out road imperfections while still maintaining enough connection to the road to inspire con dence. For buyers considering which option to select, this should be an easy choice: the 22s deliver a signi cantly better experience, even if the 24s look more impressive in your driveway.

The Navigator comes standard with Lincoln BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free driving system. On premapped highways, you can engage BlueCruise, remove your hands from the steering wheel and let the Navigator handle steering, braking and acceleration. The system monitors your eyes with infrared cameras to ensure you’re watching the road, even when wearing sunglasses.

In practice, BlueCruise works impressively well. The system con dently maintained lane position and followed curves

smoothly. It even implemented a clever feature that shifts your position slightly away from large trucks in adjacent lanes — just as a human driver would.

Lane changes are handled with a tap of the turn signal, with the Navigator checking for vehicles in the adjacent lane before smoothly sliding over. It’s not quite as advanced as GM’s Super Cruise, which can suggest and execute lane changes entirely on its own, but an update with this functionality is coming.

The system’s main limitation is its somewhat binary thinking. It won’t begin accelerating during a lane change until completely in the new lane, and it won’t anticipate tra c merging until vehicles are fully in your lane — situations where human drivers would start responding earlier. Still, it signi cantly reduces the mental load of highway driving, particularly during long trips.

The Navigator’s interior is a masterclass in thoughtful design. Storage abounds, with a cavernous center console, wireless phone charging pad and clever cubbies throughout. The seats are a highlight, with slightly-absurd 30-way “Perfect Position” front seats o er-

ing heating, ventilation and excellent massage functions that don’t automatically time out like I’ve experienced in some other cars.

Second-row passengers are treated equally well with available captain’s chairs that can be heated, ventilated and even offer massage functionality. The third row comfortably accommodates adults with spacious head- and legroom. Available heated seats in the third row are another luxury touch the kids will appreciate. Get the extended version and you’ll have sufcient room for everyone’s luggage, even with the third row occupied.

Lincoln also introduces a clever new split tailgate design made famous by Range Rover. At our lunch stop during our drive through the hills near Julian, California (no pie this time), dessert was artfully laid out in the back of a few Navigators that just happened to be parked in the middle of a eld normally used for weddings.

Lincoln describes the Navigator as a sanctuary and a “third space” between home and work. After spending time with it, that description feels accurate. The combination of thoughtful technology, comfort features and genuine luxury creates an environment that feels special.

Well into six-digits, the Navigator isn’t inexpensive, and its sister-vehicle, the Ford Expedition, gets you almost as much luxury for under $100,000 (and is worth a look for those who aren’t badge-obsessives). But if you’re seeking the ultimate American luxury SUV experience, the new Navigator delivers a compelling alternative to the competition (especially one from the other side of Detroit that rhymes with “in the shade”).

Just opt for those 22-inch wheels. Your backside will thank you.

PHOTOS COURTESY LINCOLN

JORDAN GOLSON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Wake men’s tennis wins NCAA title B4

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

HORSE RACING

Journalism comes from behind to win the Preakness two weeks after nishing 2nd in Derby

Baltimore Journalism won the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, two weeks after nishing second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby. Sovereignty did not take part in the Preakness due to the short turnaround. Journalism gives trainer Michael McCarthy a second Preakness. Gosger was second and Sandman third.

MLS

Gutiérrez scores twice, Chicago

blasts Charlotte 4-1

Charlotte Brian Gutiérrez had two goals and an assist and Chicago defeated Charlotte 4-1. Chicago had 10 shots on goal to ve for Charlotte and a 25-12 advantage in total attempts. Charlotte’s goal was scored by Patrick Agyemang in the 70th minute. Slumping Charlotte has lost ve in a row in MLS play.

NFL

Owners consider allowing players to participate in Olympic ag football

NFL owners will discuss a proposal to allow players under contract to participate in ag football when the sport makes its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles. If approved by at least 24 of the 32 team owners at the spring meetings in Minnesota, the league could negotiate with the NFLPA, Olympic o cials and national governing bodies on the speci cs of letting NFL players participate.

Sche er wins PGA Championship in Charlotte

The 28-year-old remains the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Quail

Hollow Club’s second-ever PGA Championship is in the books as one of golf’s top stars exited Charlotte on Sunday with the Wanamaker Trophy in hand.

It had been eight years since the legendary major tournament made a stop in the Queen City.

Scottie Sche er, both the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world and betting favorite within the 156-player eld, won the event by ve shots at 11-under, claiming the third major title of his career in his sixth visit to the PGA Championship.

Bell claims NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

The margin of victory over Joey Logano was 0.829 seconds as Bell earned his rst All-Star win

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

NORTH WILKESBORO

Christopher Bell loves North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Joey Logano hates the “Promoter’s Caution.”

Those were the main takeaways from the top two nishers in an action-packed NASCAR All-Star Race at the 0.625-mile oval in North Wilkesboro.

In a slam-bang a air that set a record for lead changes, Bell beat Logano by 0.829 seconds to earn his rst All-Star Race victory. Bell, who won three consecutive Cup Series races earlier this season but had a previous best All-Star nish of 10th, delivered the third All-

Star Race win for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“That right there is absolutely incredible,” Bell said. “North Wilkesboro, best short track on the schedule.”

He also is a fan of Marcus Smith, the president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports that owns North Wilkesboro Speedway. In a new All-Star Race wrinkle, Smith was al-

While the Ridgewood, New Jersey, native had played Quail Hollow before in match play during the 2022 Presidents Cup, it marked the 28-year-old’s rst time playing the course on his own ball.

After entering Sunday with a ve-shot lead over Jon Rahm — a member of LIV Golf’s Legion XII team — Sche er found himself in a rst-place tie with the Spaniard on the 10th tee after shooting a 2-over par 37 on the front nine.

Sche er responded by posting a 2-under 34 over his nal nine holes, while Rahm and his putter collapsed.

“This back nine will be one that I remember for a long time,” Sche er said on the 18th green after his win. “It was a grind out there. I think at one point on the front, I maybe had a four-shot or veshot lead, and making the turn, I think I was tied for the lead. So to step up when I needed to the most, I’ll remember that for a while.”

Since World War II, Schefer now joins Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as one of See PGA, page B5

“That right there is absolutely incredible. North Wilkesboro, best short track on the schedule.”

Chris

lowed to choose when to throw a “ Promoter’s Caution ” that would bunch the eld for a late restart.

Smith sent two-time Daytona 500 winner and Fox Sports personality Michael Waltrip to the ag stand to display the random yellow ag on Lap 217 with Logano leading by about a half-second over Bell.

Logano, who was trying to win his second consecutive All-Star Race, elected to stay on track rather than pit during the caution, and the decision proved costly. Bell pitted for two fresh tires, restarted in sixth and needed only ve laps to catch Logano. After a battle for rst that lasted a dozen laps, Bell took the lead for good on Lap 241 of 250.

“I’m pissed o right now,”

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO

Christopher Bell celebrates after winning the NASCAR All-Star race at North Wilkeasboro.

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

Scottie Sche er stares at the Wanamaker Trophy after winning his fth major and rst PGA Championship on Sunday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

Scottie Sche er holds the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship on ASunday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

Bell

TRENDING

Michael Jordan:

The NBA legend is joining NBC Sports as a special contributor to its NBA coverage when the 2025-26 season begins. NBC made the announcement last week during its upfront presentation previewing the upcoming television season. NBC returns to carrying the NBA after a 23-year absence. It had NBA rights from 1990 through 2002 and carried all six of Jordan’s championships with the Chicago Bulls.

Rory McIlroy: The Masters champion had to replace his driver at the PGA Championships in Quail Hollow, because it was no longer conforming, which happens from hitting so many shots with the driver. McIlroy was one of 50 players who had drivers tested before the PGA Championship. Testing one-third of the 156-man eld is normal procedure Results are usually kept con dential.

Larry Miller: The two-time ACC player of the year for North Carolina and 2022 inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame died at 79. No cause of death was given. Miller was in hospice care in Pennsylvania and had been dealing with medical issues for some time. Miller was a star forward on coach Dean Smith’s rst two ACC championship and Final Four teams in 1967 and 1968.

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

“When Freddie is in net, he’s a stud.”

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal on Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen (pictured).

“That’s why golf is the worst four-letter word in the world.”

Bryson DeChambeau, who went from leading the PGA Championship to a tie for eighth in the nal three holes of Saturday’s third round at Quail Hollow.

MLB

The Baltimore Orioles red manager Brandon Hyde after a dismal start to the season following consecutive playo appearances. The last-place Orioles were 15-28. Hyde, who managed Greensboro and Carolina from 2005 to 2007, won AL Manager of the Year in 2023. Third base coach Tony Mansolino, a 2005 and 2006 Hickory Crawdad, will serve as interim manager.

Manaka Matsukubo scored both goals for the Courage in a 2-0 win over Chicago. They were the rst goals of the season for the 20-year-old Japanese forward and the rst time she’s had a multigoal NWSL game. The Courage are undefeated in their last four.

NASCAR penalized driver Chris Buescher’s team for illegal bumper modi cations at Kansas Speedway. The team lost 60 driver points, 60 owner points, ve driver playo points and ve owner playo points for the level one violation. The team was also ned $75,000 and its crew chief suspended for two races.

Legal expenses for the ACC in 2023-24, a 70.2% increase from the previous year. The $5.1 million jump was due to lawsuits by members Clemson and Florida State, who were attempting to leave the league, and wiped out a $4.8 million increase in revenue.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon that sideline him for the remainder of the playo s and left his playing status for next season in doubt. The Celtics did not give a timetable for his return but said a full recovery was expected. The Celtics were eliminated by the Knicks two games later.

TERRANCE WILLIAMS / AP PHOTO

FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO

Local players impress at 2025 NBA Combine

There were quite a few local talents invited to join the NBA Draft Combine last week

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

THE 2025 NBA Draft Combine took place last week with quite a few big names having taken part in the week-long event.

In total, 75 players were invited to the combine including six from Duke (Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, Sion James and Isaiah Evans, who withdrew from the event for another year at Duke), one from UNC (Drake Powell) and one from Wake Forest (Hunter Sallis).

The Dallas Mavericks improbably won the draft lottery — with just a 1.8% chance heading into the event — just three months after they traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

And it feels like a bygone conclusion that they’ll be grabbing a new one in former Duke standout Cooper Flagg.

Despite almost assuredly being locked in as that number one pick, Flagg still took part in the combine process.

“I’m just going through the process like everyone else,” Flagg said. “Trying to enjoy it. You only get to do this type of thing one time in your life so I’m just enjoying it like all the other guys. Trying to take it one day at a time.”

The AP Player of the Year also took a very PR approach when asked about the potential of winding up in Dallas as the rst overall pick.

“Grateful to get this opportunity and any opportunity to go to any team and to be able to hear my name called on draft night and shake Adam Silver’s hand,” Flagg said. “I’m just re-

ally excited for this opportunity, the environment, the chance to go through this process because not everybody gets a chance to do this. Just really blessed.”

Although Flagg did mention that it would be cool to play with former Duke star Derek Lively, who’s currently with the Mavericks.

At the combine, Flagg shot 21 for 30 on o dribble shots, 16 for 25 on spot up shots, 15 for 25 on 3-point star and 15 for 26 on 3-point side.

“I thought it was really good,” Flagg said in a video posted to the NBA’s social media pages. “A lot of testing and guys were out there working hard and showing what they could do. I think [I showed] just my versatility, my speed, my athleticism and putting it all together.”

Duke big man Khaman Maluach measured in at 7-foot-0.75

COLUMN | CORY LAVALETTE

— the fourth-tallest player at the combine — and had the top wingspan (7-foot-6.75) amongst participants and the second longest standing reach (9-foot-6) amongst centers.

Blue Devils freshman Kon Knueppel, who is projected to be yet another lottery pick, did not participate in the athletic testing or shooting portions of the combine due to an ankle injury.

Knueppel, who measured in at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-6.25 wingspan, was an integral piece for the Blue Devils in his one season, averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

“When I got to Duke, I just wanted to play,” Knueppel said. “A ect games, get on the court. Once I realized I was going to have a big role, I knew something like [being a high draft pick] was a possibility. It’s crazy.”

Rounding out the Duke group were guards Sion James (6-foot-4.5) and Tyrese Proctor (6-foot-4.25). Both had good showings at the combine, with James even posting the fastest three-quarter sprint time (2.97 seconds) amongst all participants.

And in more Duke-related news, Blue Devils transfer portal commit Cedric Coward had a strong combine showing and because of that, he may not make it to Durham next season as many are starting to pencil him in as a potential rst-round target.

The lone Tar Heel at the combine, Drake Powell, also had an impressive showing which could help his draft stock.

The freshman wing measured in at 6-foot-5.25, with a 7-foot wingspan, and topped the charts in standing vertical

Hurricanes’ common thread easy to identify — it’s Brind’Amour

“There’s no mistake that when he took over, things started to change.”

IF YOU WANT TO understand Rod Brind’Amour’s passion about winning the Stanley Cup, look back to 2006 after the Hurricanes defeated the Oilers 3-1 in Game 7 to claim the franchise’s rst — and thus far, only — championship.

Brind’Amour, with a smile that bordered on Joker-level psychosis, waited impatiently — maybe desperately is the best word — as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman uttered the words, “Rod Brind’Amour, I’m proud to present this to you.”

Instead of waiting for Bettman to hand him the Cup and pose for a ceremonial photo, Brind’Amour snatched the Cup o its table, marched in place while giving it a long-awaited kiss, lifting it above his head with a triumphant scream.

As a coach, you’re not awarded that kind of impatience or desperation. The job is about implementing structure, accountability and patience.

“It’s just understanding where we want to be, but understanding how you’ve got to get there,” Brind’Amour said Sunday before the team knew it would face the defending champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference nal. “And I think that’s what we’ve done a nice job of.”

“A nice job” would be the understatement to describe what Brind’Amour has done for the franchise in his seven seasons as head coach. Without a media-approved superstar player, Brind’Amour has become the focal point of the franchise, much in the same way Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith or Roy Williams were with Duke and UNC.

You need that in the college game because player turnover — especially in the modern era — means the “face” of your organization is best suited to be the coach. But it’s rare in professional sports: For every Phil Jackson, there’s a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant; for each Bill Belichick, there’s a Tom Brady to grab some of the spotlight.

Brind’Amour is inescapable as the face of the Hurricanes because he has built the franchise in his image: resilient, hard-working and consistent.

“If we’re talking big picture, everything,” Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin said of how things changed when Brind’Amour was promoted in 2018. “The culture that he instilled here, it’s top-notch. It changed the course of the organization here. And there’s no mistake that when he took over, things started to change.”

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, who won a Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh in 2009, his third

Cooper Flagg participates at last week’s 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.

leap (37.50) and max vertical leap (43.00), both of which were the highest amongst invitees.

Powell also tied for second amongst forwards in the three-quarter sprint (3.07 seconds).

The Pittsboro-native averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in his rst season with Carolina.

Wake Forest’s Hunter Sallis, who measured in at 6-foot-3.75, did fairly well on the shooting drills, nailing 22 of 30 o the dribble and 20 of 25 on the 3 point side.

“I think defensively I’ve really improved,” Sallis said. “I think just my ability to playmake has been good as well and I just think my ability to be a leader has been good as well.”

The 2025 NBA Draft will take place June 25-26 at Barclays Center.

pro season, said the team was working hard before Brind’Amour’s elevation but began doing so in better ways.

“I think it was kind of the combination of really just demanding everything of all you’ve got and then here’s how to do it well so we can win games and work smart and use detail in that stu ,” Staal said. “It just kind of helps magnify the little things that help you win games.”

First-year GM Eric Tulsky, who was with the franchise before Brind’Amour took over behind the bench, said “everybody felt a sense of purpose” under Brind’Amour.

“He created a culture where people knew if they came in and did it right, they would be rewarded and the team would succeed as a group, and that culture has been built from day one,” he said.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice was the Hurricanes’ coach when Brind’Amour was traded from Philadelphia to Carolina more than a quarter century ago, and he credited Brind’Amour, along with Gary Roberts and Martin Gelinas, with bringing the team’s tness level to a

higher level as a player. And as a coach?

“He’s done a marvelous job here setting a style to play and being able to get that out of his team every day,” Maurice said.

Brind’Amour is quick to de ect attention from himself, crediting the team’s leadership group for setting a high standard and his sta for preparing them to be successful year after year.

The coach who has become more than a coach knows the team has only scaled half the mountain, but the goal he set on his rst day leading the bench is the same today — the same as it was during his 20-season NHL career.

“I think from day one of the year we’ve had this vision of where we want to go,” Brind’Amour said. “And I think guys have done a real good job staying focused and not getting too far ahead. We know it’s still a long way to go — I mean, we’re halfway to that in terms of the playo s.

“So it’s just understanding where we want to be, but understanding how you’ve got to get there. … What have I learned? I’ve learned that we know exactly what it’s going to take.”

Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes defenseman

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has led Carolina to the postseason in all seven of his seasons behind the bench, including a third trip to the Eastern Conference nal this season.

NAM Y. HUH / AP PHOTO

Wake Forest wins NCAA men’s tennis title

The Demon Deacons won their second crown and rst since 2018

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

WAKE FOREST became the seventh school to win multiple NCAA men’s tennis championships. No. 9 Suresh Ekambaram’s three-set win over No. 10 Pedro Vines, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, clinched a 4-2 win over TCU and gave the Demon Deacons their second men’s tennis title in the last seven tournaments. Wake also won in 2018, and the Deacs and UVA are the only two schools with multiple titles since 2015.

Wake’s second title puts the Demon Deacons alongside the ranks of multiple title winners USC (21), Stanford (17), UCLA (16), UVA (6), Georgia (6) and William and Mary (2).

The latest title will be added to a crowded Wake Forest tennis trophy case. The Deacs also beat TCU in February to win the ITA National Indoor Championships. Wake is the seventh team to win the double—ITA and NCAA championships in the same year. Wake was also the last team to do it—in 2018—and is one of just four teams to do it twice. Stanford (7), UVA (2) and USC (2) are the others.

“It’s really hard to compare them,” coach Tony Bresky said of the 2018 and 2025 title teams.

“They’re both incredibly special teams with real characters and quality people. I think the similarity between them is both teams had great chemistry, a lot of really, really good people who are really passionate about tennis, motivated, driven and just fun to be around.”

Both teams were also dominant. In 2018, Wake went 31-2 and nished the season on a 16-match winning streak. This year, Wake went 40-1, with a 4-3 loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament as the only blemish.

The 2025 Deacs set an ACC record for wins in a season, and they did it against a brutal schedule. Of the team’s 40 wins, 25 were against ranked opponents. They had more wins over top 10 teams (11) than there were teams in the top 10, and did the same against

top ve teams (seven wins). Wake, the top seed in the draw, stormed to the title with a 4-1 win over No. 8 Columbia, followed by a 4-2 win over No. 4 Stanford earlier at the NCAA championships. The Deacs also beat Gardner-Webb, 4-1, Kentucky, 4-1, and Texas A&M, 4-0, to earn a trip to Waco for the NCAA championships. Against TCU, the Deacs put the match out of reach early, jumping out to leads in all three doubles matches.

“We came out ready to go,” said Bresky. “Getting out to 3-0 leads on all three courts was amazing. We got to feel the momentum and that carried on through the whole match.”

“We’re thrilled to get this done. What a tournament. What a season.”

Coach Tony Bresky

“Our captain, Franco (Capalbo) gave us a pretty good speech to get us going, get us hyped for doubles,” said Stefan Dostanic, who paired with Charlie Robertson for a doubles win, while also posting a straight-set win in singles.

Dostanic was named tournament MVP.

“From start to nish, I was locked in,” Dostanic said of his

6-3, 6-1 win over TCU’s Jack Pinnington. He also beat Pinnington in February’s ITA title match. “I think it was my best match of the year.”

Luca Pow also posted a singles win, whole Pow and Luciano Tacchi won in doubles.

That set the stage for Ekambaram’s singles win to earn Wake the title.

“I kept telling myself, ‘OK, get the break,’ and then when I got the serve, I told myself not to rush,” Ekambaram said. “Stay calm and composed. It worked out pretty well. I was happy to close it out.”

Ekambaram was also named to the All-Tournament team.

The title gave Wake Forest its

UNC women’s lacrosse looks to complete perfect season against Florida on Friday

The top-seeded Tar Heels are looking for their fourth championship

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

ONLY TWO programs in NCAA Division I history — Maryland and Northwestern — have won four women’s lacrosse national titles.

This weekend, North Carolina is knocking on the door to becoming the third.

UNC, the top-seeded team in the NCAA D-I women’s lacrosse tournament, will make its 14th appearance in the Final Four, which is tied for the third-most all-time. The Tar Heels will take on No. 4 Florida at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts Friday at 3 p.m.

No. 2 Boston College will take on No. 3 Northwestern on the other side of the Final Four.

Boasting a 20-0 record going into the nal weekend, UNC is looking to become the 12th team in D-I history to be an undefeated national champion. The Tar Heels were the last team to do it in 2022.

So far, this year’s tournament run has been business as usual for the Tar Heels. They defeated No. 14 Clemson 18-9 in the second round on the back of ve goals from redshirt sophomore Marissa White and No. 8 Princeton 19-10 in the national quarter nal after outscoring the Tigers 9-2 in the rst half.

Now the question is if they can keep the business a oat for two more games. In this year’s quest for the national title,

The unbeaten Tar Heels collected their ticket to the Final Four.

the pressure of staying perfect presses down more and more the deeper UNC goes. But at least it’s somewhat of a familiar pressure. Looking at the remaining teams in the eld, UNC has beaten all of them this season.

The Tar Heels played at Florida on Feb.15 and won 14-9. UNC had seven di erent players score with redshirt freshman Chloe Humphrey leading the way with ve goals. In that game, the teams were about even in scoring opportunities with UNC getting o 31 shots to Florida’s 28. However, the biggest di erence came in opportunities to gain possession as the Tar Heels held the advantage in draw controls, ground balls and turnovers.

In a 15-12 win at Northwestern on March 27, UNC trailed 8-6 at halftime but outscored the Wildcats 5-0 in the third quarter to ip the game. Humphrey was responsible for three of the goals in the explosive third period (two scores and one assist), and the Tar Heels got 25 shots on goal to Northwestern’s 18.

UNC took down the defending champion Boston College twice this season, once in the regular season 12-11 and once in the ACC Tournamentnal 14-12. In their most recent meeting, the Tar Heels lost the turnover battle and took less shots, but their status as the No. 1 scoring defense and scoring o ense in the country shined in the biggest moments.

11

@UNCWLAX / X

Teams that have been undefeated national champions in DI history

Down 9-8 entering the fourth quarter, UNC outscored Boston College 6-3 in the nal 15 minutes, including a 5-1 run to close out the conference title game. The Tar Heels have been very good in other aspects of the game, too, and of course the remaining teams are up there with them.

When it comes to moving the

11th overall NCAA championship and rst since women’s golf won in 2023. Men’s tennis is now the third Wake sport to win multiple titles, joining men’s golf (3, in 1974, 1975 and 1986) and eld hockey (3 straight, from 2002 to 2004). Men’s soccer (2007) and baseball (1955) were Wake’s other two NCAA champions.

“We’re thrilled to get this done,” Bresky said. “What a tournament. What a season. … That’s the di erence between professional tennis and college. When you go pro, it’s all about you. You’re going to have two, three people maybe, who really, really care. Here, I can’t tell you how many people care.”

ball around for open shots, UNC is second in the country in assists per game (9.30) while Boston College ranks rst (9.62). In the turnovers column, three of the remaining four teams rank in the nation’s top ve of fewest turnovers per game with UNC coming in fth (11.25), Boston College ranking third (11) and Florida ranking rst (10.09). Defensively, UNC and Boston College have top four save percentages with the Tar Heels coming in at fourth (.505) and Boston College leading the country with .560. Northwestern (ninth) and Florida (14th) also rank in the top 15. Boston College (second), Northwestern (third) and Florida (sixth) also all rank in the top 10 in scoring defense.

Beating these teams multiple times won’t be easy, but on top of its recent experience against the rest of the eld, UNC has nine players on its roster who were on the undefeated national championship team three seasons ago.

Graduate mid elder Nicole Humphrey and redshirt junior defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch, veterans on this year’s team, played meaningful minutes in the Tar Heels’ run to the national title, and for them — along with UNC coach Jenny Levy — this year’s Final Four may give a sense of déjà vu. In 2022, UNC also had to beat Boston College three times, including the national title game in which it narrowly won 12-11. Prior to that game, the Tar Heels had to survive Northwestern by one goal in the Final Four. Having been in this position before, Levy and some of her players should know what it’s like to have a target on their backs. This time, the target is even larger. As UNC is on the quest to further cement itself in history, the teams standing in their way are looking for revenge.

The Wake Forest tennis team poses with their latest national title.

just three golfers who have won 15 times on the PGA Tour and captured three Major titles before the age of 29; he previously won the Masters Tournament in 2022 and 2024.

Beyond winning, his level of competitiveness has drawn the attention of the entire professional golf landscape.

Sche er is the only player aside from Woods to win consecutive tournaments by at least ve strokes, as well as the only player other than Seve Ballesteros to win his rst three majors by three strokes.

“I always try to lean as much as I can on my mind,” he said of his focused mentality. “I think that’s probably my greatest strength. Today and this week, I really just feel like I did just such a good job of staying patient when I wasn’t swinging it my best but I hit the shots when I needed to…It was a long week. I felt like this was as hard as I battled for a tournament in my career. This was a pretty challenging week.”

Harris English (-6), Bryson DeChambeau (-6), Davis Riley (-6), J.T. Poston (-5), Taylor Pendrith (-5) and Jhonattan Vegas (-5) rounded out the top sev-

NASCAR from page B1

said Logano, who led a racehigh 139 laps. “Just dang it, we had the fastest car. I’m trying to choose my words correctly on the caution situation. Obviously, I got bit by it, so I am the one frustrated.”

It was a stark turnaround for the defending Cup Series champion, who recently said he supported the “Promoter’s Caution” because “the All-Star Race presents the opportunity to try things outside of the box.” But he was questioning its validity after Sunday’s race.

“Yeah, I’m all about no gimmicks with the caution,” Logano said. “I am all about that. Me and Marcus Smith aren’t seeing eye to eye right now, OK? I’ve got to have a word with him.”

Ross Chastain nished third, followed by Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott.

The “Promoter’s Caution” was introduced to guarantee an exciting nish, but the AllStar Race hardly needed much help this year.

After lackluster showings in the rst two outings, the AllStar Race delivered much more action in its third year at North Wilkesboro Speedway. There were 18 lead changes, breaking the mark of 13 (set in 2016) for the most in the event’s 41-year history.

Pole-sitter Brad Keselowski and Logano traded the lead twice in the rst 10 laps and of-

en nishers in the 2025 PGA Championship — all ahead of Rahm’s (-4) eventual skid to eighth place.

“I think it’s the rst time I’ve been in position to win a major that close and haven’t done it,” Rahm said when referencing his major wins at the U.S. Open

in 2021 and Masters Tournament in 2023. “The only times I think I’ve been in the lead in a major on a Sunday, I’ve been able to close it out, and this is a very di erent situation.”

It was a tough weekend for 2025 Masters champion and four-time Quail Hollow winner

Rory McIlroy, who became the sixth player ever to complete a career Grand Slam last month.

McIlroy tied for 49th place after being forced by the USGA to switch drivers right before teeing o at the event; the 36-yearold Irishman declined to speak with the media on Sunday.

“I always try to lean as much as I can on my mind.”

Scottie Sche

er

There’s no doubt about it — this year’s Charlotte-edition of the 107th PGA Championship was all about Sche er.

In a twist of irony, his tournament victory over the weekend served as his own personal checkmate after being arrested following an incident at last year’s PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was trying to drive into Valhalla Golf Club ahead of the second round.

The charges were dropped and he eventually tied for eighth place, but the entire debacle was less than ideal for one of the sport’s rising superstars. However, it’s all in the past now.

“It’s de nitely very sweet sitting here with the trophy. I denitely have a few jokes that I want to say that I’m probably going to keep to myself,” Schefer said on Sunday. “I hit the important shots well this week, and that’s why I’m walking away with the trophy.”

Christopher

a

ten ran side by side for the lead. There were six leaders and 10 lead changes in the rst half of the race, which topped the total number of leaders (four) and lead changes ( ve) in the past two All-Star Races combined.

After leading 62 laps, Keselowski’s bid for his rst All-Star Race victory ended with a crash on Lap 177.

All-Star Open results

Capitalizing on pit strategy, Carson Hocevar led the nal 46 laps to win the All-Star Open earlier Sunday and advanced

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 quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Clinton James Bonnell, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms 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 rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms 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 quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Robert P. Cope, deceased, late of Cumberland County, herby noti es of all persons, rms, 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 rst 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

into the NASCAR All-Star Race.

Runner-up John Hunter Nemechek also advanced to the main event by nishing second in the 100-lap warmup race. Noah Gragson won an online fan vote to earn thenal transfer spot to the All-Star Race, whose eld will included 20 other drivers competing for $1 million.

Pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen nished 13th after leading the rst 54 laps on the 0.625mile oval. The New Zealand native, who is in his rst full Cup Series season after winning three Supercar champion-

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #23E001384-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

The undersigned having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Robert Earl Cooper, Deceased late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms 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, rms 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 O ce Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 (910) 485-8899 05/08/2025, 05/15/2025, 05/22/2025 and 05/29/2025

Notice To Creditors

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court

Division Estate File Number 25E000533–250 State of North Carolina County of Cumberland having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Arthur Cli ord Cornett late of Cumberland County, North Carolina. The undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations, having claims against the estate of said, decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 1406 Elma Street Spring Lake, NC 28390 on or before August 22nd, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons rms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 22nd, May 2025.

Lydia Cornett Executor of the Estate of Arthur Cli ord Cornett 1406 Elma Street Spring Lake,NC 28390

ships in Australia, fell from rst to sixth on a four-tire pit stop during the halfway caution.

“I don’t know whether to smile or cry,” said van Gisbergen, who is ranked 35th in the points standings with one top 10 this season. “It’s been a dismal year for us, but I feel like we’re getting better every week. This shows it.”

More money

The All-Star Race winner’s share has been $1 million since the 2003 event, and some drivers have grumbled that

an increase for in ation is well overdue.

“I de nitely think it should get raised,” 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney said this week. “That’s the only thing about the All-Star Race I’d probably change. I don’t want to get greedy, but I think you can raise it to $3 million.”

Bubba Wallace said he’d suggest $5 million but would be good for a bump to $3 million.

“They’ve got more TV money, so why not,” Wallace said, referring to NASCAR’s media rights raising to $1.1 billion annually in a deal starting this year.

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File# 25E000652-250

The undersigned, having quali ed as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Jane G. Dew, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, 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 rst 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 To Creditors

The undersigned, having quali ed as Michael Bonner of the Estate of Denise Jackson, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, 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 rst 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 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 quali ed as Executor of the Estate of

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

Scottie Sche er walks to the green on the 18th hole during the nal round of the PGA Championship on Sunday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO

Bell completes

lap on his way to winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

Autry, Administrator of the Estate of Brenda Kay Johnson, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305

5/22/2025, 5/29/2025,

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

The undersigned, having quali ed as administrator of the Estate of Michael Alan Logan, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, 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 rst 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 TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF MARIA ZAMBAFTIS POULOS

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000524-250 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Maria Zambaftis Poulos, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed 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 rst 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

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 quali ed as Administrator/ Executor of the Estate of Marcina L Rosemond , deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, 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 rst 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 In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #: 25E000004-250 Administrator’s / Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of William Jennings Wright, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, 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 rst 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.

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 quali ed 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 rst 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 TO CREDITORS

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE NO. 24E000197-250

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Rosemary Elizabeth Deon Taylor, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, 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, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 1st day of May, 2025. Michael L. Taylor, Administrator of the Estate of Rosemary Elizabeth Deon Taylor NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR ADMINISTRATOR

ADMINISTRATOR 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 quali ed as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Hans Strout, deceased late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does notify all persons, rms 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, rms 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 O ce Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 (910) 485-8899 5/1/2025, 5/8/2025, 5/15/2025 and 5/22/2025

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, JOHN LECLERC MALLETTE, having quali ed as the Executor of the Estate of RENEE LECLERC MALLETTE, Deceased, hereby noti es all persons, rms 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

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Frank Brian Croft, having quali ed on the 11th day of April 2025, as Executor of the Estate of June Vick Croft aka June Carolyn Croft (2025-E-001536-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, rms, 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 25th day of August, 2025, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address. This 22nd day of May 2025. Frank Brian Croft Executor ESTATE

NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Karen L. Linen, having quali ed 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, rms, and corporations having claims against

present

Estate that

to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market

A,

Carolina, 28411,

day of August, 2025, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, rms, 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

NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

Scott, Trustee(s), which was dated November 21, 2019 and recorded on November 26, 2019 in Book 13863 at Page 0220, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 8th day of May 2025.

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

Notice to Creditors

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of ALECIA SHEREE MCCLAMB, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E001543-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms 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

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.

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

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

Said property is commonly known as 4801 Irish Potato Rd, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

A Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal checks) of ve 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

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 o er 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 June 4, 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: Land situated in the City of Kannapolis in the County of Cabarrus in the State of NC ALL OF LOT 1 OF THE RECOMBINATION PLAT RECORDED IN BOOK 71, PAGE 53. PURPOSE OF THIS DEED IS TO REFLECT THE INTEREST BY THE COURT APPOINTED PETITION 17-SP-173.

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 abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose

24SP000379-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY

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 modi ed 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: 1 17 S Ridge Ave, Kannapolis, NC 28083 Tax Parcel ID: 26136972160000 Present Record Owners: Southpoint Realty Services, LLC

Said property to be o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered 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 o ered 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 Wanda Marie James.

An Order for possession of the property

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed 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

be

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 o er 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 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:

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 o er for sale

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

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 Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal checks) of ve 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

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 Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal checks) of ve 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 o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered 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 o ered 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

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 o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered 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 o ered 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

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 e ective 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 e ective 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

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 e ective 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 e ective 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 ling of a bankruptcy petition prior to

Lakhiani, Trustee(s), dated April 8, 2020, and recorded in Book No. 10739, at Page 0023 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 O ce 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 o er 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 June 2, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 4, in a subdivision known as Hunters Crossing East, Section “A”, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 109, Page 128, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 8238 English Saddle Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Parcel ID: 9487-63-0953 Property Address: 8238 English Saddle Drive, 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).

The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is

greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certi ed 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 ling of a bankruptcy petition prior to the con rmation 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

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 O ce 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 o er 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

Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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

S. HOLDER DATED

28, 2005 AND RECORDED IN

AT PAGE 1409 IN THE

REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the 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 modi ed 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: 1186 North Main Street, Kernersville, NC 27284

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 24SP000788 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF FORSYTH IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY DAVID FLORES-TAMAYO DATED APRIL

29, 2020 RECORDED IN BOOK NO. 3522, AT PAGE 2937 IN THE FORSYTH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be

assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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

6 826-77-4250.00

tendered in the form of certi

and

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

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Forsyth County courthouse at 10:00 AM on June 3, 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 by David Flores-Tamayo, dated April 29, 2020 to secure the original principal amount of $48,000.00, and recorded in Book No. 3522, at Page 2937 of the Forsyth County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modi ed 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.

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are David Flores-Tamayo. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed 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

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 o er 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

Address of property: 631 Gunston CT Apt. C, Winston Salem, NC 27106 Tax Parcel ID:

sale 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, nal plat for Henley General Contractors, LLC, according to the plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 71, Page 53, in the O ce 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 Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal checks) of ve 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.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer

Said property to be o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered 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 o ered 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 court of the county in

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: Unit D including Garage D, Building 707 of Academy Park Condominium, in fee simple as is more fully described in the Declaration of Condominium led by Grantor pursuant to the Provisions of Chapter 47A of the North Carolina General Statutes and recorded in the O ce 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 O ce 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. 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 Facilities”.

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 e ective 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 e ective 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 ling of a bankruptcy petition prior to the

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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

DURHAM

The legend lives on

A capacity crowd returned to North Wilkesboro for the third straight year to watch the NASCAR All-Star Race. Christopher Bell collected the million-dollar check for winning the race.

the BRIEF this week

FDA to update COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are e ective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and bene ts of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identi ed a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democraticcontrolled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the oor after refusing to apologize.

Attendees at the grand opening for the new Chatham Arts Center pose behind a sign celebrating the occasion.

New arts center opens in Pittsboro

It’s part of the county’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department

By Dan Reeves Chatham News and Record

PITTSBORO — The new Chatham County Arts Center, a project that re ects the community’s creative identity, opened over the weekend with a special event in Pittsboro, giving attendees a rst look at the programs and workshops the center now o ers. The celebration started with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and continued with a

full day of activities. The rst 100 visitors received free Arts Center T-shirts, while all guests enjoyed complimentary caricature drawings and refreshments. Live music by local musician Owen Phillips added to the festive atmosphere. Located at 964 East St., the county-run Arts Center shares a building with its parent, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department and other county o ces. The space became available after tness classes were moved to the new community center at Chatham Grove Elementary School,

See ARTS, page A3

“This space is just the beginning, we want to make sure the arts are accessible to everyone, no matter where they live in Chatham County.”

Leigh Babcock, Arts and Cultural program supervisor

Pittsboro to vote on FY 2025-26 budget next month

The current tax rate of $0.44 is not expected to change

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — Despite the revaluation of property values, the Town of Pittsboro is not expected to make any changes to its current tax rate. At its May 12 meeting, the Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners held a public hearing for the 2025-26 manager’s recommended budget, the nal step before its eventual adoption.

The budget comes in at just under $14.1 million — an increase from last year’s approximately $12 million budget.

According to sta , factors that are a ecting that increase include in ationary costs, supply chain issues as well as increased personnel costs

See PITTSBORO, page A2

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water.

Lee Zeldin, EPA administrator

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were nalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the rst federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or per uoroalkyl and poly uoroalkyl substances, nding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and ba-

bies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.

The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion, e ectively the lowest level at which they

COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY ARTS CENTER

JASON JACKSON FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

CRIME LOG

May 13

• Chandrica Yvette Caviness, 38, of Pittsboro, was arrested for theft and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

• Elmer Rolando De Paz Y De Paz, 30, of Undomiciled, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Tiree Sintell Rone, 39, of Pittsboro, was arrested for armed robbery.

• Madison Paige Davis, 26, of Sanford, was arrested for selling or delivering illegal drugs.

May 14

• Kenyada Isaiah Nettles, 21, of Pittsboro, was arrested for assaulting a female, violating a domestic violence protective order, and damaging personal property.

• Taylor Vincent Clark, 21, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for assault by strangulation and nonviolent family o enses.

May 15

• Marquez Kente Headen, 27, of Siler City, was arrested for felony death by vehicle, child abuse, and driving while impaired.

• Jonathan Glenn Nolan Bowers, 49, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for assaulting a government o cial, resisting an o cer, and possessing an open container of alcohol.

May 16

• Kathryn Ariana Truitt, 32, of Bear Creek, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, pointing a gun at someone, and making threats.

• Benjamin Allen Wolfe, 48, of Pinehurst, was arrested for driving under the in uence.

May 17

• Quomel Rashad Scott, 29, of Greensboro, was arrested for possession of marijuana, intent to sell or distribute marijuana, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and simple assault.

for things such as insurance, medical, retirement and cost of living The proposed budget also includes the addition of ve new full-time positions: two police o cers, a public works maintenance worker, an IT manager and a downtown events and admin coordinator.

“We have to keep adding people incrementally or we’re going to nd ourselves in ve, six years very much underwater and not able to catch up,” said Town Manager Jonathan Franklin.

As this was a tax revaluation year, the town is required to report its revenue neutral tax rate — the rate estimated to produce equal revenue in the upcoming scal year at the current tax rate had no reappraisal occurred — which would be $0.3449.

However, town sta is rec-

ommending that they maintain its current tax rate of $0.44 per $100 valuation, with the value of one penny at that rate being worth approximately $170,000 to the town.

“It is clear there are a lot of pressures on everyone, and so I think it’s reasonable that people are asking for relief from the local government, where we presumably have greater responsiveness or the ability to respond to our constituents,” said Commissioner John Bonitz. “I don’t think it’s responsible to suggest we go back to a revenue neutral budget, but I am curious if we might be able to nd a sweet spot between revenue neutral and where we stand today.”

“We understand the concern,” Meacham responded. “But in order to do any type of reduced tax rate, we’d have to cut the budget signi cantly more and you’d end up essen-

tially paying people to not be able to do anything. We’ve already cut it back signi cantly and there’s not much else. The budget is already pretty slim.”

According to Meacham, the town has already made significant cuts in the budget process (approximately $3 million), eliminated positions, slid starting dates for other positions, dipped into fund balance (nearly $1.2 million) and are anticipating around $785,000 in loans to be utilized to cover capital outlay costs.

“The value gained in the penny will help us pay future debt services, other needs and all the stu that the community wants to see,” Franklin said. “It’s just a bit tough to chew on at the moment.”

The board will vote to approve the budget on June 9, which is also the date of the Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners’ next meeting.

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

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

May 24

Annie Hartnett: “The Road to Tender Hearts”

11 a.m. to noon

Book signing and meet and greet with author Annie Hartnett. Free to the public as part of the Events Series at Fearrington Village.

McIntyre’s Books Market Street Pittsboro

Briar Chapel Farmers Market

4-6 p.m.

Every Friday, 10 local vendors gather on the Green of Green Meadow Park to o er an assortment of fresh produce, meats, baked goods, oral arrangements and foods to eat. The last Friday of each month also hosts a selection of local and regional artisans selling their crafts.

161 Salt Cedar Lane Chapel Hill

Chatham Mills Farmers Market

8 a.m. to noon

This weekly outdoor farmers’ market is a producers-only market, which means the wide variety of goods o ered 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

May 24

Bynum Bluegrass Jam Circle

This free, open jam session is held every second and fourth Saturday of the month for acoustic musicians of all ages and skill levels. Everyone is invited to bring their instruments and play! 10 a.m.-noon Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

May 25

Strawberry Social 1-4 p.m.

Come out and celebrate the heyday of strawberry season by sharing good food, drinks and live music by “Waking Up Moe.” The event will also include a craft market. Free admission.

The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Cheerwine-ing

Thousands of cherry soda fans ocked to Salisbury for the annual Cheerwine Festival, enjoying plentiful food, music and even a History of Cheerwine trolley tour.

From Cheerwine- avored barbecue to Cheerwine- avored — well, just about everything — there was something for everyone at the annual event that’s been celebrating the North Carolina favorite since 2017.

ARTS from page A1

allowing Arts and Cultural Program Supervisor Leigh Babcock to begin shaping the center’s o erings.

“It was a fabulous day,” Babcock said. “We had about 260 people attend the event, and we had a ribbon cutting with Commissioner Katie Kenlan, several vendors and caricature artists from Penny’s Playful Portraits — which everyone loved.”

Babcock, who joined the department last year after working as a mixed-media artist in Virginia and at the City of Norfolk’s Visual Arts Center, played a key role in the Arts Center’s development. Her background in clay, stained glass, mosaic art and painting guided much of the planning, but she emphasized that community feedback helped shape the initiative.

“There are so many creative people in the area, and I’ve realized Chatham County is such a special place,” Babcock said in an interview. “I’ve met so many local artists, so it’s been really wonderful getting to know the community. It’s been a joy to watch this space come to life and to see people connecting through creativity.”

The Arts Center features two

primary studios: one dedicated to clay hand-building, pottery wheels and kilns, and another focused on visual and performance arts. While the center has been hosting programs quietly in recent months, Saturday’s celebration marked its o cial opening. Both studios were open for demonstrations and activities, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the space and participate.

Instructor Dolly Sickles led printmaking and block printing activities for teens, while Anne Lawtey, who will teach oil and acrylic painting classes, o ered hands-on sessions with other guests. In addition to studio tours and live art demos, attendees learned about upcoming classes and events for all ages and skill levels.

Babcock noted that the Arts Center will serve as a central hub, but its programming reaches far beyond Pittsboro. She has already led classes and art events throughout the county, including in Siler City and Bear Creek, with plans to continue expanding access.

“This space is just the beginning,” Babcock said. “We want to make sure the arts are accessible to everyone, no matter where they live in Chatham County.”

May 26, 2025

Prayers: Pastor Jason Golden Taps Across America: Cliff Tilly

Sponsored by:

COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY ARTS CENTER

Instructor Ann Lawtey presents a still life oil painting art demo at Chatham County Arts Center on Saturday.

COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY ARTS CENTER

Chatham County Commissioner Katie Kenlan, left, watches Arts and Cultural Program Supervisor Leigh Babcock cut the ribbon marking the grand opening.

PHOTOS BY PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

The astonishment that comes

The past is behind us, but the future is unknown. She understood the present moment as an opportunity, a chance to notice and to wonder — in both senses of that word.

I WRITE TO REMEMBER my friend Sue Mannshardt, who died the day before Mother’s Day and whose memorial is this week. She was a spiritual teacher to me. She sang beautifully and taught me many songs, including from the Taizé community.

Sue also practiced what is known as contemplative prayer, which is a quiet, meditative practice of seeking the divine presence in one’s life. It is a “long, loving look at reality,” as Richard Rohr puts it.

Sue taught me that contemplative prayer is not about escaping from the world but rather fortifying one’s spirit to face the inevitable changes. After decades of living in California, she and her husband, Mike, came to North Carolina to follow their daughter, Elizabeth. Sue left most everything and everyone she knew and loved, including her church and the nonpro t, Hands of Hope, that she and Mike founded to o er resources to families experiencing homelessness.

As di cult as it was to leave the familiar and make her home in a di erent town on a di erent coast, Sue wrote how she prayed to “let it all go to leave room for the astonishment that comes.” That is a beautiful statement of faith.

This is not to say letting go is easy. She understood that we grieve our losses in life. There’s truth to the ve stages of grief as articulated by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, but Sue

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Is it fruit or vegetable? Doesn’t matter for ’mater

The tomato has come a long way from its humble origins as a wild plant in the Andes area of South America.

In our world today, there are all kinds of awards and honors — Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, military medals and ribbons, North Carolina’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the award I got from my college buddies for being the best sleeper on the second oor of Mangum Dorm and missing the most classes, just to name a few.

Of all the existing honors and those that should exist, however, there is one, I think, that’s long overdue because of all it does and means, especially starting around this time of year.

There should be an award — maybe for eating the most tomatoes or something, or at least a bronze plaque, in honor of a fellow named Robert Johnson, who, according to tradition, stood before a large crowd of folks on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey, on Sept. 26, 1820, and, before their very eyes, ate a tomato to prove it wasn’t poisonous.

See, prior to that, folks weren’t so certain. Oh, to be sure, somewhere along the line, it’s likely other folks ate one or two, maybe with a loaf of fresh bread and a jar of Duke’s mayonnaise. But the conventional wisdom was that the thing deserved its nickname “poison apple.” Folks in Germany, for instance, believed that if you ate one, you turned into a werewolf. In my time, I have seen some folks act up if they didn’t get one, but never a werewolf. The reason for all that suspicion, experts tell us, is because the tomato plant bears a strong resemblance to something called the “nightshade plant,” which is poisonous.

The tomato has come a long way from its humble origins as a wild plant in the Andes area of South America — today’s Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. Historians tell us the Aztecs and Incas knew about them around 700 AD. I wonder how they ate theirs without mayonnaise or hot buttered biscuits.

Anyway, by 1710, tomatoes had made their way into some writings of a fellow named William Salmon, who noted they were present in “the Carolinas.”

believed (and I agree with her) that grief is not linear. We don’t pass from one stage to the next. Sue expressed to me in an email, “My journey is long, hard, and hopeful — sometimes all at the same time.” I can relate.

Sue often referred to “liminal time,” which refers to a kind of already-and-not-yet period of transition. The past is behind us, but the future is unknown. She understood the present moment as an opportunity, a chance to notice and to wonder — in both senses of that word. In contemplative prayer, Sue sought the Holy One like the psalmist wrote long ago, “Be still and know” (Psalm 46:10).

Sue’s favorite verse, however, was John 1:14, “And from Christ’s fullness, we have all received grace upon grace.” She used “grace upon grace” as a mantra, repeating it in good times and bad, through the celebrations with her family and the loss of her friends. Even during her health struggles, she told me, “I’m choosing grace.” To choose grace is to be open to the astonishment that comes.

Rest in peace, my friend. May your memory always be a blessing.

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, co ee drinker and student of joy.

Pretty appropriate for today, don’t you think?

Apparently, it was about that time or a little later that tomatoes began to get a bad rap. A fellow named John Gerald, a barber/surgeon, decreed they were dangerous because they contained low levels of a toxic chemical. That claim turned out to be true, but the levels were so low that they were and are still not dangerous.

Today, the tomato is talked about, analyzed, turned into juice or sauce, or just eaten, with the previously mentioned mayonnaise and bread or o the vine like an apple.

Scientists tell us they’re really a fruit, at least botanically speaking. But so, too, they say are avocados, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, pepper and okra. I’m pretty sure my mama would have something to say about all that.

Anyway, whatever they are, they are good, at least the homegrown ones, much more than the cardboard variety grown halfway around the world, picked and packed green, sprayed with something or another so they won’t rot and then shipped to their destination.

If anyone is interested, I am willing to provide a site for the award to recognize Mr. Johnson and his achievements. It won’t be in New Jersey, but we will have a tomato sandwich to celebrate.

After all, it’s getting close to summer, y’all.

Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

JOHN A. PAPPAS

About that house you live in …

We seem to have a problem communicating. Being nice makes one a change agent? Really?

THIS IS A PLEA for minimal snickering, at least until you nish reading. After that, you’re on your own. Ready? Have you contained your snickering inclinations to a gentle con nement? All right. Here we go!

It is just soooo boring to say I like being nice to other folks — just about anybody I meet or even pass. You see what I mean? Is that not truly boring? Niceness-city.

Ah, but here’s a reframe. (Yep, I am just so wont to reframe.) What if niceness is actually a pillar of being a change agent? An advocate for change who is a catalyst for transformation in our culture. This could be you! Maybe already is? You tell me …

Oh, you want an example? Sure. On the more rabid end of change agentry was the 1773 dumping of massive English tea barrels into Boston Harbor. (C’mon, you gotta know what I mean here, right? If not, I’d recommend that noble historian, Google, be your omniscient guide for knowing everything all the time.) Wait, wait. I have a weak back, and throwing barrels of tea around just isn’t my thing. What’s ordinary, human-sized change agentry for those of us with back issues or who have an aversion to starting wars? (I’m a Quaker, after all.)

Being nice will do it.

Uh oh, we seem to have a problem

communicating. Being nice makes one a change agent? Really?

Damn right, it does. Being nice is change agentry, par excellence. Or, if you’re magically inclined (like me), consider the act of being nice as a magic wand. A magic wand, spritzing all and sundry, with the light of being acknowledged as another human being. How many of us walk in our world feeling unseen? Too many. “Being nice” change agentry is low-hanging fruit (incredibly low) for warming hearts and making someone’s eyes shine more brightly because they’ve been seen and acknowledged. I mean, does it get better than that?

Well, there is dark chocolate …

Aside from that, the dark chocolate, I mean, a little voice in my head just asked if “being nice” is generic change agentry. In other words, is it cheap? Please, give me a break! I’m going to blow o that self-inquiry with a quote from Ha z, the late Persian poet.

“The words you speak become the house you live in.”

I’m feeling quite fond of my house at the moment. And you?

Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

The political message from Omaha should

Democratic cities elect Republican mayors the people think can keep order and get the roads xed.

Froma Harrop has written for The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Institutional Investor. COLUMN | FROMA HARROP

be obvious

AS I FLEW into Omaha for the rst time, the only thing visible from my descending plane was corn elds. You could even see the tassels. I was wondering, where is the city?

There certainly was a city, with a world-class medical center, famous zoo and great nightlife. Old-school steakhouses mixed with Persian and Asian restaurants. Anyone who had spent time in cosmopolitan Omaha would be totally unsurprised that Joe Biden ipped its congressional district in 2020 and that Kamala Harris won it in 2024. Or that Omaha has just replaced a three-term Republican mayor with a Democrat, John Ewing Jr.

Also understandable, Omaha’s representative, Don Bacon, has been Donald Trump’s most outspoken Republican critic in Congress. Located in Nebraska’s “east coast” along the Missouri River, Omaha’s politics have long been purple, and Trump has made that purple bluer. (Nebraska and Maine are the only states that allocate their electoral votes by congressional districts.)

Western Nebraska is cattle country and more libertarian than the Bible Belt. (Scottsblu near the Wyoming border is almost 500 miles from Omaha.) We get how some of the Democrats’ more radical social stances — or the ones that the right couldn’t stop exaggerating — would turn o these voters.

What’s really hard to understand, though, is how rural Nebraska fell for a man promising policies destined to badly hurt its economy. Trump made no secret of plans for a tari war that directly threatens farm exports.

Trump may have backtracked a little on his trade-killing tari s on China, but that, and other tari s, remain so wildly high that foreign buyers of American agricultural products continue to look for other suppliers. And even his recently announced pullback is for 90 days only, so the game goes on.

In addition, MAGA’s gunsights are set on cutting Medicaid. Without that money, rural hospitals will close. There’s just no explanation for undercutting one’s own interests other than overriding antipathy for the other side.

Political parties don’t matter so much in state and local races. Andy Beshear is the Democratic governor of decidedly red Kentucky. Deep-blue Vermont has a ve-term Republican governor, Phil Scott. Democratic cities elect Republican mayors the people think can keep order and get the roads xed.

But polarization has turned votes for national o ce into a more partisan a air. It’s hard to nd a Republican able to withstand MAGA’s threats, which makes Bacon a unique and welcome presence in Washington. Trump easily won Nebraska’s two other congressional districts.

Bacon took Omaha’s by less than two percentage points, though the district includes suburbs and some farm country. Reason? The turnout in these western areas was lower.

Which brings us back to the recent mayoral race in Omaha. What does it mean nationally, if anything? As just noted, party doesn’t matter so much on the local level. At the same time, the Republican who lost, Jean Stothert, was a moderate.

What would be signi cant in this race is the extent of turnout for Ewing. Was it Democrats burning to retaliate against MAGA? How many independents and disa ected Republicans joined them to voice their discontent?

The same can be asked about the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court race won by a liberal Democrat, despite the $25 million Elon Musk shoveled into the Republican’s campaign. Trump won Wisconsin by less than one percentage point of the popular vote.

Several Republicans in Congress are speaking out against Trump’s acceptance of a luxury jetliner from Qatar that will end up in his presidential library. It is not a gift to America. It is a $400 million gift to Trump.

Republicans should view these heartland developments as a serious political message. Some seem to, but what made them wait so long?

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable. According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are bene ting, and licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too. Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective. North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

Biden’s Green New Scam: A bad deal for North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINIANS understand the value of hard work and personal responsibility. From farming and manufacturing to small businesses and trucking, we’ve built strong communities without needing micromanagement from Washington.

Unfortunately, President Joe Biden’s so-called In ation Reduction Act (IRA) — passed with little conservative input — ignores those values. Instead of empowering families, it hands power to bureaucrats, rewards China and shifts the burden onto working Americans.

We call it what it is: Biden’s Green New Scam.

The centerpiece of Biden’s law — the $7,500 electric vehicle subsidy — might sound appealing in theory. In reality, it’s a luxury for a small percentage of Americans. Only about 4% own an electric vehicle (EV) today, and three-quarters say they aren’t considering one now or never plan to purchase an EV. That’s because these vehicles aren’t designed for the realities of life in North Carolina — whether it’s rural commutes, long hauls or hurricane evacuations.

Meanwhile, much of the money from these EV initiatives ows straight to Chinese companies, some with direct ties to human rights abuses. Instead of rebuilding American industries, Biden’s policies strengthen Beijing. Supporters of the failed

Bidenomics theory point to new investments in clean energy. But not all investments are the same. Bloomberg reported on money owing to joint ventures between U.S. and Chinese companies that allow China to steal American intellectual property and send our tax dollars overseas. That’s a policy failure ― and it’s not helping states like North Carolina.

Washington calls this progress. Around here, it feels like another broken promise.

North Carolina doesn’t need more bloated programs. We need what we know works: strong borders, fair trade deals, American-made energy and tax relief that lets families and businesses thrive. However, as Congress repeals the Green New Scam, some bipartisan provisions that were lumped into the In ation Reduction Act should be kept, to protect the more than 20 energy projects currently underway in North Carolina.

The 45X advanced manufacturing tax credit, which creates the incentive for companies to manufacture here in America, is a core part of an America- rst trade policy. Recent Rainey Center polling found that 59% of voters support clean energy incentives, but only when the products are made in America, by American companies. Only 16% want these credits to

end. However, voters don’t support tax credits going to foreign companies — these policies need to end.

Another key provision of the IRA that makes sense is technology-neutral tax credits. Rather than creating a system where the government picks winners, technology-neutral tax credits let carbon capture, geothermal and clean fossil fuels compete on the same level as solar and wind. A recent Clean Energy Buyers Association shows why: they nd that full repeal of the technology-neutral investment and production tax credits would lead to an annual average yearly increase of more than $110 for annual electricity prices.

These provisions must be narrowed to ensure that only American companies bene t from them, saving billions in taxpayer money each year.

Biden’s Green New Scam may generate headlines in Washington, but for North Carolina, it’s a raw deal — one we cannot a ord to ignore.

It’s time to stand up, push back and demand a future built on American strength, not government schemes and empty promises.

Sarah E. Hunt is CEO of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy and Jarrod Lowery represents the 47th House District in the NCGA.

COLUMN | JARROD LOWERY AND SARAH HUNT

obituaries

Faydeene Richardson Johnson

Nov. 30, 1931 – May 15, 2025

Faydeene Richardson Johnson, 93, of Siler City, went to her heavenly home on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Genesis- Siler City Center. Faydeene was born November 30, 1931 in Chatham County to the late Barthy Loe Richardson and Mary Woody Richardson.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Burton Johnson; her brothers, Willard Richardson, and Homard Richardson; and her sisters, Lucille R. Thomas, Mable R. Cheek, Lucy R. Thomas, and Bertha R. Odom.

Faydeene was a member of Loves Creek Baptist Church where she served in many capacities, including as Women’s Sunday School teacher and as the rst woman to serve as a deacon.

IN MEMORY

She also enjoyed serving others in the community through her membership in Hospice of Chatham County and through helping to establish the Loves Creek Hispanic Baptist Mission.

Faydeene was a graduate of Troutman’s Beauty College and worked at Park Beauty Salon of Siler City until the birth of her daughter, Melynna. In addition to her role as wife and homemaker, Faydeene loved gardening, landscaping and reading. She applied much of what she learned as a long time member of the Dig ‘n’ Dream Garden Club to beautifying the yard with lovely owers and shrubs.

Faydeene is survived by her daughter, Melynna J. Dowd and husband, Je Dowd of Lexington NC; nieces, Marcle Naylor of Mocksville, NC and Margaret Danels of Easton, MD; nephew, Harold Cheek of Burlington, NC.

A visitation will be held Thursday, May 22, 2024, from 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. at Smith & Buckner Funeral Home Chapel, with the funeral service following at 12:00 noon, Rev. Kenny Black will be o ciating. Burial will be at Loves Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family request in lieu of owers memorials may be made to the American Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a charity that Faydeene liked to contribute to.

Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Johnson family.

Online Condolences may be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

EDNA “LOUISE” THOMAS POE

FEB. 15, 1928 – MAY 17, 2025

Edna “Louise” Thomas Poe, 97 of Siler City, died Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Ms. Louise was born February 15, 1928 in Siler City to Theodore and Callie Wilson Thomas. She was a charter member of Fellowship Baptist Church where she was Sunday school teacher, a member of the church choir, and teacher with the youth groups including Acteens. Once she was unable to attend church services she began watching the Gospel channel on Sunday mornings.

Ms. Louise enjoyed reading, doing search and nd puzzles, cooking cornbread, watching game shows especially Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She spent many years working at Hadley Peoples and Kellwood and 27 years as owner and operator for 27 years of Poe Daycare. She loved each child that attended her daycare and would have her Christmas tree covered in ornaments made by the children.

Ms. Louise is survived by her sons, Larry Poe and wife, Carolyn and James Poe and wife, Loretta; and her daughter-in-law, Ola Poe. She is also survived by 9 grandchildren, Candy Casey and husband, David, Larry Poe Jr. and wife, Amy, Jenny Poe Lineberry and husband Richie, Barry Dark and wife, Cindy, Kevin Poe and wife, Stefanie, Jamie Poe, Allison Poe Gordon and husband, Robert, Clifton Hilliard and wife, Michelle, Crystal Pike and husband, Mike; 16 great grandchildren, Jessica Williams, Trey Lineberry, Makayla Thomas, Morgan Lineberry, Parker Poe, Jake Poe, Lillie Poe, Chris Casey, Cheyenne Blevins, Tristan Barbour, Kaitlyn Dark, Bailey Poe, Michael Kelly, Mason Gordon, Conner Gordon and Fischer Pike; and 4 greatgreatgrandchildren, Hadley, Kinsley, Carson, and Lincoln.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Dock Poe, Sr.; her son, Billy Junior Poe; her sisters, Margie Maness, Ruby Stone, Nancy Hayes, Jackie Ellington, Joyce Hayes,

Catherine Yates Short

We offer an on-site crematory with many options of Celebration of Life services, Traditional, and Green Burials. Call us to set an appointment to come by and learn more.

April 22, 1934 – May 11, 2025

Catherine Yates Short of Williamsburg, Virginia passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day at the age of 91. She was born in Apex to Carl and Dorothy Yates on April 22nd, 1934. She was predeceased by her Mom and Dad and her brother Carl Yates Jr. and also her husband James R. Short and their rst-born son Jonathan Yates Short. She is survived by her son David and his wife Betsy of Lake Oconee, Georgia and her three granddaughters, Abigail Catherine Short, Shannon Rose Short, and Jennifer Cameron Short, her daughter in law Anne Short of Garner North Carolina, and her nephew David Sumpter of Tampa and his two sons Matthew and Eric. A memorial service will be held at Williamsburg Baptist Church on May 23rd at 11 am.

Larry Miller, star for UNC basketball, dies at 79

He scored 32 to beat Duke in the 1967 ACC championship game

The Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL — Larry Miller, a two-time ACC player of the year for UNC and 2022 inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79. The UNC athletic department said Miller died Sunday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was given. An athletic department spokesman said Miller was in hospice care and dealing with medical issues for some time.

Miller, a native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was a star forward on coach Dean Smith’s rst two Atlantic Coast Conference champi-

onship and Final Four teams in 1967 and 1968. He earned rst-team All-America honors both seasons and was a consensus pick in 1968 along with UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, Houston’s Elvin Hayes, LSU’s Pete Maravich and Louisville’s Wes Unseld. Miller scored in double gures in 64 consecutive games, still a UNC record. Miller scored 1,982 points in three seasons and averaged 21.8 points, the fth-highest by a Tar Heel. In one of his most memorable performances, he scored 32 points on 13-of-14 shooting from the eld in an 82-73 victory over Duke in the 1967 ACC championship game. Led by Miller, Carolina went 70-21, including 32 -10 in ACC regular-season play, from 1965-68. The Tar Heels were No. 4 in the nal Asso -

ciated Press polls his last two seasons, the rst time UNC was ranked in the top 10 in the nal poll in consecutive seasons. Miller played seven years in the ABA and set the league’s all-time single-game record with 67 points.

HAROLD FILAN / AP PHOTO

Larry Miller of UNC attempts a shot while defended by UCLA’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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.

e nal deadline for all grant applications is Sept. 15, but don’t wait to apply. Applications submitted prior to the early-bird deadline on Aug. 15 will be entered to win one of ve $100 Visa gi cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!

Stein urges NCGA to include more Helene aid in budget

The governor wants hundreds of millions in additional spending

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein urged state lawmakers Monday to allocate hundreds of millions more dollars toward western North Carolina’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene instead of waiting on “uncertain federal assistance.”

The money requested — $891 million — would go toward critical needs in Helene’s aftermath, such as revitalizing local economies, repairing town infrastructure and providing housing assistance, Stein said during a news conference in still-recovering western North Carolina. Stein released the Helene proposal as the GOP-led North Carolina General Assembly prepares to nalize its state budget this summer.

More than 100 people died as Helene tore through western North Carolina in September, destroying homes, businesses and roadways. The storm’s record-breaking devastation totaled $59.6 billion in damages and recovery needs. Recovery has been slow in parts of the region as some hard-hit mountain towns still appear ravaged by the storm nearly eight months later.

Navigating Helene recovery is one of the chief issues Stein has been tasked with handling upon his rst few months in o ce. Some of the rst actions his administration took focused on rehabilitating the western part of the state, as well as establishing the Governor’s Recovery O ce for Western North Carolina.

“This recovery is going to take a long time,” Stein said Monday. “My administration, though, is in this for the long haul. I know that the legislature is as well.”

In March, state lawmakers passed another Helene relief bill for $524 million — signicantly less than the $1.07 billion Stein had requested the month before. That package added to more than $1.1 billion in Helene recovery ac-

tivities appropriated or made available by the General Assembly the year prior, according to Stein’s o ce. Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved a $1.4 billion grant that would facilitate western North Carolina’s long-term recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency — the federal organization responsible for addressing some of the immediate needs in Helene’s aftermath — has also provided more than $700 million to state and local governments, as well as directly to North Carolinians.

Talks over FEMA’s e ectiveness have ushered western North Carolina’s recovery process into the national spotlight as President Donald Trump has suggested the agency’s dissolution. As a candidate, Trump continually disparaged the agency’s work in the region, which garnered support from those frustrated with a sometimes slow and complicated recovery process. Just last week, the agency’s acting chief David Richardson announced plans to shift disaster recovery responsibilities to states for the upcoming hurricane season.

Stein has called on the federal government to reform the agency but not to get rid of it, which he reiterated during his budget proposal announcement Monday.

More than a quarter of Stein’s proposal would go toward restoring local economies and their tourism industries. Another quarter would fund infrastructure repairs, debris cleanup and resiliency projects to better protect the region from future storms. Other allocations include addressing recovery needs such as housing assistance, xing waterways and farmlands, and food insecurity.

The state Senate has already approved its budget proposal and now awaits the House to release its plan this week. Then, state lawmakers can decide whether to incorporate some of Stein’s requests on Helene aid as the two chambers work out differences, with the goal of having a nal budget enacted by July 1.

Stein delivers the State of the State address at the Legislative Building earlier this year in Raleigh.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

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NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION

FILE NO. 24CV2219-180 NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

CHATHAM COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

JACOBO PABLO PEREZ, Plainti , vs.

ASHLEY BREWER WILEY, Defendant.

To: ASHELEY BREWER WILEY, defendant

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is the recovery of money damages for personal injuries received in an automobile accident on September 30, 2024, in Johnston County, North Carolina.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than July 1, 2025, said date being forty days from the rst publication of this notice. 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

GASKINS & GASKINS, P.A. Herman E. Gaskins Attorney for plainti P. O. Box 933 Washington, N. C. 27889 Telephone: 252/975-2602

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

25E000204-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Atlas Cleveland Dunn III, having quali ed 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 O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

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

TO: RAMIRO ARZATE BONITEZ

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led 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 W. BEN ATWATER, JR. ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

Post O ce Box 629 Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Telephone: (919 663-2850 Facsimile: (919 663-3790 State Bar Number 6986

NOTICE

NOTICE OF PROCEEDING AND SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF RANDOLPH IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 22CVD001043-750 FELISHA LYNN ALSTON v. TIMOTEO ULLOA TORRES

To: Timoteo Ulloa Torres, Defendant. TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led 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 Plainti 175 E. Salisbury Street Asheboro, NC 27203

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JACK A. MOODY NOTICE TO CREDITORS DECEASED.

The undersigned, having heretofore quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Jack A. Moody, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, hereby noti es all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before August 21st, 2025 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of any recovery thereon. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 21st day of May, 2025 William Barden Moody, Executor Estate of Jack A. Moody, Deceased c/o Ronald P. Johnson, Esq. Carruthers & Roth, P.A. Attorneys & Counselors at Law 235 North Edgeworth Street (27401 Post O ce Box 540 Greensboro, North Carolina 27402 Publication dates: May 21st, 28th and June 4th and 11th, 2025. 4908-2207-9811, v. 1

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC HEARING The proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget for the Town of Siler City has been presented to the Town Board of Commissioners and is available for public inspection. To view the proposed budget, please visit www.silercity.org or contact Assistant Town Manager-Town Clerk Kimberly Pickard at 919-7424731 or kpickard@silercity.gov

A Public Hearing will be held on the budget ordinance for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 at the Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Monday June 2, 2025 at 6:30pm in the Town of Siler City-City Hall Courtroom located a 311 North Second Ave. Citizens are invited to submit written comments to Deputy Town Clerk Briana Avalos @bavalos@silercity. gov or to Kimberly Pickard at kpickard@silercity.gov or by mail at PO Box 769, Siler City NC 27344

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS

CHATHAM COUNTY

HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Billy Edward York, Jr., late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms 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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE # 24SP001157-180 W. WOODS DOSTER, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF JOHN HENRY JACKSON, Petitioner, vs. MONEEK W. JACKSON, SAMUEL LEE JACKSON, AND DELENA J. SPINELLI, Respondents NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION To: Samuel Lee Jackson and Delena J. Spinelli

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Petitioner is the duly appointed and quali ed 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 O ces of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish: 05/08/25, 05/15/25, 05/22/25

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 noti ed to present their claims to the Personal Representative at the contact information below within 3 months from the date of the rst 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 le 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 quali ed 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 O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

All persons having claims against the estate of John Edward Hunt of Chatham County, NC, who died on the 19th of April, 2011, are noti ed to present them on or before August 22nd , 2025 to Geo rey E. Hunt, Executor for the Estate, c/o Schupp & Hamilton, P.L.L.C., P. O. Box 3200, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3200, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Schupp & Hamilton, P.L.L.C. P. O. Box 3200 Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3200 For May 22nd , May 29th, June 5th , and June 12th of 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, rms 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

Moncure Fire Dept Annual Meeting The Moncure Fire Department will be holding its annual meeting on Monday, June 9, 2025 at Moncure Fire Dept Station #8, 2389 Old US 1, Moncure NC 27559. The meeting will begin at 6:30 pm and cover the state of the re department, nancial report, and Board of Directors elections. If you reside in the Moncure Fire District and are a taxpayer, you are a member and invited to attend.

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS

CHATHAM COUNTY

HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Nancy Cary Peter late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 14th day of May, 2025. Linda P. Crabtree, Administrator CTA of the Estate of Nancy Cary Peter 25 Joe Brown Road Bear Creek, North Carolina 27207

MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE

ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629

SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as the Administrator of the Estate of Russell Lee Hackney, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned through the attorney, Raymond L. Grier & Associates, LLC, 100 South Juniper Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 on or before the 1st day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 1st day of May, 2025. Raymond L. Grier & Associates, LLC 100 South Juniper Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Telephone: 215 987 3990 Facsimile: 215 987 3984 raymondgrier@msn.com Attorney for Rumarcus D. Hackney, Administrator of the Estate of Russell Lee Hackney.

Notice to Creditors

ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations having claims against Joan Estelle Marsh, deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are noti ed 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

ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations having claims against James P. Ward, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are noti ed 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, rms 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#25E000198-180 The undersigned, AMANDA JOHNSTON GROCE and EMILY JOHNSTON GORDON, having quali ed 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, rms 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

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000247-180

The undersigned, MARK BRAUND CARPENTER, having quali ed on the 2ND Day of MAY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JEAN MITCHELL CARPENTER deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 22ND 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 22ND DAY OF MAY 2025. MARK BRAUND CARPENTER, EXECUTOR 7409 RUSSELL RD. INDIAN TRAIL, NC 28079 Run dates: M22,29,J5,12p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM

The undersigned, James C. Bowers, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of James A. Bowers, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned in care of the undersigned’s Attorney at their address on or before August 22, 2025 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the above named Administrator. This the 22nd day of May, 2025. James C. Bowers, Administrator Estate of James A. Bowers John Stephens, Esq. Carolina Estate Planning 380 Knollwood St. Suite 500 Winston Salem, NC 27103 May 22, 29, June 5 and 12, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000240-180

The undersigned, BRIAN PATRICK WHEELER, having quali ed 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, rms

BRIAN PATRICK WHEELER, EXECUTOR 1955 FARRINGTON POINT RD. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: M8,15,22,29p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

25E000254-180 ALL persons having claims against STEPHEN CHARLES ALLARIO, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Aug 22 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 22nd day of May, 2025. KIMBERLY D. ZIERMAN, Executor C/O Privette Legacy Planning 1400 Crescent Green, Suite G-100 Cary, NC 27518 M22, 29, 5 and 12

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 25E000141-180 ALL persons having claims against Elliott Milton Baron, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Aug 22 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 22nd day of May, 2025. MOLLY BAARS, Executor C/O Law O ces of Amy Whinery Osborne, PC P.O. Box 7 Cary, NC 27512 M22, 29, 5 and 12

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000234-180 The undersigned, DANIEL JOSEPH NAGLE, having quali ed 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, rms 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#19E000112-180

The undersigned, RONALD BROOKS, having quali ed on the 28TH Day of FEBRUARY, 2019 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MILDRED WATSON BROOKS deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 22ND 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 22ND DAY OF MAY 2025.

RONALD BROOKS, EXECUTOR 1201 ALPHA ST. SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: M22,29,J5,12p

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHATHAM COUNTY ABC

The Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026 has been submitted to the Chatham County ABC Board. A copy of the proposed Budget is available for

can be reliably detected. The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The development was rst reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said

TAKE NOTICE

the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

Erik Olson, a senior strategist at the nonpro t Natural Resources Defense Council, said the move is illegal. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.

“With a stroke of the pen, EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans,” Olson said.

President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental

Logan Feeney pours a water sample with forever chemicals, known as PFAS, into a container for research,at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati last April.

rules and more oil and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks. The EPA plans to loosen regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, cleanup standards for coal plant waste and car emission limits, among many other clean air and water rules.

Zeldin’s history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals.

Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain

and ensuring that re ghting foam snu ed out ames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.

The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.

Utilities see partial relief, activists see a backslide

Some utilities have been surprised to nd out they are over limits. And small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we know are bad, and we are going to need more time. Some utilities are just nding out now where they stand,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications rm.

Some utilities wanted a high-

er limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering rm CDM Smith. He suspects the utility industry will continue to sue over those limits. Environmental groups will likely le challenges, too.

Melanie Benesh, vice president of government a airs at the nonpro t Environmental Working Group, said utilities may not have to install treatment that’s as broadly e ective if they just have to focus on two types of older PFAS.

“You really reduce what utilities have to do to make sure that the other, newer generation PFAS are captured” she said.

When the Biden administration announced its rule, the head of the EPA traveled to North Carolina and was introduced by activist Emily Donovan, who said she was grateful for the rst federal standards. She had long campaigned for tougher rules for GenX substances that had contaminated a local river.

Now the EPA says it will roll back those GenX limits.

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing,” she said.

to an

located in S. G. Brooks, Jr.’s northwestern corner in W.C. Webb’s northeastern corner, thence with Webb’s line

78 degrees 30 minutes 49 seconds

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-ofway 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

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 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

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.

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the

JOSHUA A. BICKEL / AP PHOTO

CHATHAM SPORTS

Local girls’ soccer teams advance to fourth round

Woods Charter and Seaforth continue their playo runs Thursday

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

IN THE PLAYOFFS, the goal is to simply survive.

For the Woods Charter and Seaforth girls’ soccer teams, the wins weren’t the prettiest, but that doesn’t matter. They’re moving on to the fourth round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playo s on Thursday.

Starting in the 2A East bracket, No. 4 Seaforth defeated No. 5 Manteo 2-1 in the third round Monday thanks to a score by senior Caitlin Erman in a third sudden death overtime period.

With under three minutes left in the overtime period, Seaforth junior So a Viana sent a pass to the left for Erman, and after gathering herself, she sent a shot from the top of the penalty area to the top center of the net.

Before the overtime period, the Hawks found themselves trailing for the rst time since March 19 (2-1 loss to Cardinal Gibbons) and had to ght their way back into the game. With just two minutes remaining in the rst half, Manteo senior Kenzie Flynn chased down a oating pass and tapped the ball in the net as Seaforth’s goalkeeper Katie Leonard moved toward her.

Crucial saves from Leonard and some tough breaks for Manteo kept the game within reach, though, including a foul against the Redskins that set up a free kick for Erman. Erman’s kick bounced o the Manteo goalkeeper, and freshman Amara Darden tapped in the rebound to tie the game with less than 10 minutes left in regulation.

Seaforth will travel to No. 1 Franklin Academy in the fourth round Thursday. It’ll be a rematch of last year’s fourth round meeting in which the Hawks won 1-0 on the way to winning the 2A state title. In the 1A East bracket, a

“The kids believe now.”

Graeme Stewart

goal from sophomore Annabel Unah was all No. 2 Woods Charter needed to advance past No. 10 Voyager Academy 1-0 in a third-round rematch of last year’s regional nal.

After the Wolves mis red on plenty of scoring opportunities in the rst half, Unah dribbled through the Vikings’ physical defense and sent the ball past the goalkeeper just a few minutes into the second half.

“I just kept pushing,” Unah said. “I looked at my corners like my coach tells me, always put it to the corners. And I knew I had someone on me, but I just kept pushing.”

For the rest of the second half, the challenge came with maintaining the lead.

Junior goalkeeper Grace Wilson made some huge saves,

See SOCCER, page B3

Seaforth boys win rst outdoor track and eld title

Local athletes took individual titles and scored in the 1A and 2A meets

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

GREENSBORO — Just months after claiming its rst indoor track and eld state championship, the Seaforth boys’ track team won its rst North Carolina High School Athletic Association outdoor track and eld state title at N.C. A&T on Saturday, nishing rst in the 2A standings with a score of 68. “They made a commitment to each other and a commitment to themselves, and they’ve put the work in and shown up every day and worked really hard,” Seaforth track coach Meredith Bazemore said. “I think coming o the indoor season and being able to do it again in the outdoor season is just a huge testament to them not letting up.”

In a tight race with state runner-up Brevard, the team

“They made a commitment to each other and a commitment to themselves.”

Meredith Bazemore

state title came down to thenal event of the day — the 4x400-meter relay. Seaforth’s team of senior Sebastian Calderon, freshman Paul Cuicchi, senior Walter Entrekin and senior Will Cuicchi set a new meet record (3 minutes, 21.34 seconds) and won the event to secure the championship victory.

It took a superb e ort, as the Hawks were seeded seventh for the event.

“This has been the ultimate goal since freshman year, trying to become state champions in the 4x400,” Calderon, the rst leg, said. “We started o running a four minute as our goal in our freshman year. Now, we have a meet record at

Local high school baseball, softball seasons end in third round

Seaforth’s baseball and softball teams fell in extra innings

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

THE BASEBALL and softball season ended last week in Chatham County as all four of the local teams fell in the third round. Here’s a recap of how the remaining teams ended their seasons.

Baseball

In the 2A East bracket, No. 9 Seaforth’s season ended in a 4-3 extra-inning loss to No. 16 SouthWest Edgecombe on May 13. Tied at 3-3 going into the top of the ninth inning, SouthWest Edgecombe senior Parker Gay tripled to right eld and scored

“Our mindset was just to go in and play. Leave it all out on the eld.”

John Warf

the go-ahead run on a single by senior Derrick Davis in the next at bat.

With another chance to tie or take the lead, Seaforth junior Colin Dorney started the Hawks’ nal batting turn with a double to right eld. But as he tried to take third base, he was thrown out. Sophomore Duncan Parker reached rst on an error in the next at bat, but Seaforth couldn’t bring him around for the tie. Two straight outs following Parker’s at bat ended the game.

See PLAYOFFS, page B4

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood’s Benjamin Altenburg clears 15 feet on his way to a state 2A title in the pole vault.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth goalkeeper Katie Leonard launches the ball after a save against NCSSM-Durham. Leonard came up big in both of the Hawks’ playo wins last week.

Benjamin Altenburg

@CHARGERATHLETES / INSTAGRAM

Northwood, track and eld

Northwood’s Benjamin Altenburg earns athlete of the week honors for the week of May 12.

Altenburg, a sophomore, won the boys’ 2A state title in pole vault at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association outdoor track and eld championships Saturday. He was the only jumper in the competition to clear 15 feet, and he set a new personal-best mark of 15 feet, 1 inch. Altenburg set a new Northwood pole vault record as a freshman. After winning his rst state title as a sophomore, Altenburg said the goal is to keep breaking his own personal best and possibly break a state record.

Former Northwood golfer moves closer to US Open bid

Jake Conklin made it to the nal qualifying round

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

FORMER NORTHWOOD

golfer Jake Conklin moved one step closer to qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open. Conklin tied for second with a score of 68 (4 under par) at the River Landing (River Course) local quali er in Wallace on May 7. Only the top ve out of 84 golfers moved on to the nal qualify-

ing round from the tournament.

The nal quali ers will play one 36-hole round at any one of the three international and 10 American sites from May 19 to June 2 (nine American sites played on June 2). The top golfers from those events will qualify for the U.S. Open.

The 2025 U.S. Open Championship will take place at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, from June 12-15. Before his most recent pursuit at the PGA event, Conklin was a member of the Northwood boys’ golf team from 2018-22. As a ju-

nior, Conklin tied for second in the 2021 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3A state championship at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines. He shot 70, which was 2 under par and one away from rst place.

To cap o his high school career, Conklin nished tied for seventh in the 2022 NCHSAA 3A championships with a total score of 152.

Conklin moved on to Barton College, where he was a member of the men’s golf team from 2022-24.

BARTON ATHLETICS

Former Northwood golfer Jake Conklin continues his quest to make the U.S. Open eld.

chi to take over. Cuicchi pushed past Brevard’s Leo Murray in the nal 200 meters and held the lead all the way to the nish line.

“Honestly, it was just kind of ‘hang on,’” Cuicchi said. “Coming o three events, that was rough, but I mean, I did it. Funny enough, me and Leo, who was the last leg on Brevard, we had the same kind of battle during cross country. So, it was a good full circle to end the senior year.”

Earlier in the day Cuicchi defended his 800-meter title with a time of 1:55.32, and he nished second in the 1,600. In the 4x800 nals, Cuicchi, the anchor leg, provided another boost for his team as he willed the Hawks from the fourth position ( ve points) to second place (eight points) in the nal two laps.

“I think what people might not know is Will came down with a migraine in the middle of that 4x800 and spent a good portion of the races between the 4x800 and the 800 managing a migraine,” Bazemore said. “He’s just an example of what it means to be all in on the day you need to be all in and put himself back out there to run really hard.”

Of course, the Hawks couldn’t

from page B1

including a risky one in which she ran up to meet sophomore Abby Anderson and snagged her shot after Anderson broke free with no other Woods Charter defender ahead.

“The only thing going through my mind is that I want to go and get the ball,” Wilson said. “I’ll do anything to go and get it.”

And with that mindset, the young Woods Charter team

have got the job done without two more state championship victories from senior Jack Anstrom, the future NC State runner.

Anstrom defended his titles in both the 1,600 (4:19.27) and the 3,200 (9:36.80), capping o his high school career with nine individual titles across cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.

“This is my last meet in a Seaforth jersey, so I felt like I had to really go out and give it all I had,” Anstrom said. “It was a re-

is continuing to go and take what’s been theirs for years — a fourth straight appearance in the fourth round. After the loss of many key seniors from last year’s state runners-up, Woods Charter hasn’t gone anywhere.

“The kids believe now,” Woods Charter coach Graeme Stewart said. “I’m really proud of such a young team mixing it against a really strong, capable Voyager team today.”

ally good time. It kind of has me reminiscing on all the days from when I actually started running freshman year. I won’t have a Hawk on my chest anymore, so it’s a di erent feeling.”

Chatham County athletes won on the eld, too. Northwood sophomore Benjamin Altenburg, who holds the school’s pole vault record, won the 2A boys’ pole vault title after a erce battle with defending indoor champion, Seaforth’s Ryan Yoder.

Altenburg and Yoder began

The Wolves will host No. 3 Lejeune Thursday. Prior to the third round, Woods Charter beat No. 15 Roxboro Community 6-3 on May 16 on the back of three goals from sophomore Lucy Poitras. Another four goals from Unah and three more from Poitras led the Wolves over No. 31 Cape Hatteras in the rst round. Unah now has six goals in this playo run. No. 26 Chatham Charter fell

their duel after being the only two to clear 13 feet. At his personal-best of 14 feet, Altenburg stopped short of his jump on the rst attempt.

“I got really nervous,” Altenburg said. “I didn’t take o , and I thought it was because I was just too tired. But, on my second attempt, my run felt great, and when I got over, I realized that it was feeling pretty easy today.”

Both jumpers cleared 14-6 on their rst attempts, setting up an interesting nish between two jumpers who had yet to hit the 15-foot mark. After both missed their rst two attempts at 15 feet, Altenburg cleared the bar on his nal jump. With one last chance to extend the competition, Yoder missed his nal attempt.

With the title already clinched, Altenburg hit 15-1 to set a new personal-best.

Seaforth senior Claire Morgan nished her high school career with a state title in the 2A girls’ pole vault event. Morgan won by being the only jumper to clear 9-6 on her rst attempt.

“I cleared everything rst attempt just like I planned,” Morgan said. “I cleared 9-6, and I was like ‘Ok, we’re where we need to be.’ And then, everyone missed at 10, and I was like ‘Oh! That’s mine.’”

Other Chatham County athletes earned points for their teams.

Northwood senior Julia Hall nished second in the 2A girls’ 3,200 with a personal-best of 11:56.37 and sixth in the 1,600, earning the Chargers 11 points. Her teammate, sophomore Jada

to No. 7 North Moore in the rst round 8-0. The Knights nished their season with a 5-15 overall record.

Back in the 2A playo s, Seaforth’s playo run was met with di culty before facing Manteo.

In the second round, No. 13 NCSSM-Durham held the Hawks scoreless for nearly an hour until Viana aced a free kick and lifted Seaforth to a 1-0 victory. Erman went o for six goals and led the Hawks to a 9-0

Everson, earned two points after nishing seventh in the girls’ discus throw. For the Northwood boys’ team, senior Luke Waldstein earned a point for an eighth-place nish in the high jump. Northwood’s boys and girls both nished tied for 19th. Jordan-Matthews senior Rachael Woods nished third in the 2A girls’ long jump competition with a mark of 17-3 and sixth in the triple jump to earn nine points for the Jets. Kamarie Hadley, a junior at Jordan-Matthews, earned ve points for nishing fourth in the boys’ long jump. The Jets’ girls nished 27th, and the boys nished 29th.

In the 1A state meet, Woods Charter senior Anna Peeler earned four points for a seventh-place nish in the girls’ 1,600 and eighth-place nishes in the 800 and 3,200. The Wolves’ girls’ 4x800 team of senior Michaela Valentine, sophomore Dana Sudhir, sophomore So a Rodriguez and sophomore Dara Sudhir earned two points for nishing seventh. Woods Charter’s team of junior Ezra Roebuck, junior Wyatt Webster, sophomore Jackson Selleck and senior Dylan Villanueva earned three points for a sixth-place nish in the boys’ 4x400. The Wolves girls came in 23rd place, while the boys nished 44th. Chatham Charter sophomore Torris Price scored the Knights’ only two points after nishing seventh in the 1A boys’ 1,600 with a personal-best of 4:28.55. That performance put the Knights at 47th in the boys’ standings.

rst-round win over No. 29 Red Springs. Also in the 2A East playo s, No. 16 Northwood played top-seeded Franklin Academy tough, but the Patriots pulled away late to beat the Chargers 3-1 in the second round. Northwood beat a familiar conference foe in No. 17 Southeast Alamance 4-3 in the rst round. The Chargers ended their season with a 13-9-1 overall record.

SOCCER

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

The Seaforth boys’ track and eld team poses with the NCHSAA state championship banner.

Powell’s athleticism shines at NBA draft combine

The former Northwood star is “all in” on playing in the pros

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

FORMER NORTHWOOD

basketball standout Drake Powell caught plenty of buzz at the 2025 NBA draft combine last week.

Powell, who measured in at 6-foot-51⁄4 and 200.4 pounds, stood out as one of the combine’s top athletes, nishing rst among all participants in the max vertical leap (43 inches) and standing vertical leap (37.50). He also nished seventh overall in the shuttle run (2.79 seconds), eighth in the three-quarter sprint (3.07) and ninth in the pro lane agility drill.

Other measurements included a 7-foot wingspan and an 8-foot-7-inch standing reach.

In the shooting drills, Powell went 21 for 30 o -dribble and 10 for 25 in spot up. He knocked down 11 of 25 shots in the three-point star drill, and in the three-point side drill, he went 11 for 24. Powell went 10 for 10 in the free throw drill. He

Drake Powell talks to media at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago.

did not compete in the combine scrimmages. In an interview at the combine on May 14, Powell told ESPN that he’s “all in on the

draft” and the “door’s closed” on returning to UNC. He also said he’s met with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Houston

Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies during his draft process. Known for his defensive prowess, Powell said his o ensive game is underrated, es-

pecially since he didn’t get to showcase it much at UNC. He said he just wanted to do what the coaches asked of him to the best of his ability.

“I feel like I’m the same two -way player that I was coming into college,” Powell said.

Prior to declaring for the NBA draft, Powell averaged 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game with the Tar Heels. He started 27 games as a freshman.

“Hubert Davis has been very supportive during this process,” Powell said. “I’ve known him for a long time, and we’ve built our relationship up. And he’s just happy for me.”

The latest mock drafts since the conclusion of the combine predict Powell as a late rst-round or early second-round pick. ESPN’s mock draft released Monday has Powell going 31st to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Bleacher Report’s mock draft, also released Monday, has him going 28th to the Boston Celtics. The NBA Draft will be held on June 25-26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Should Powell be selected, he’ll become the rst Chatham County high school alum to be drafted into the NBA.

Sophomore Jack Simpson had a productive night at the plate for Seaforth, going 2 for 4 with a team-high two RBIs. Dorney and junior Jaedyn Rader also notched two hits.

The Hawks, who took their last loss before the postseason on March 28, ended their season with a 19-8 overall record.

In the 1A East playo s, No. 7 Chatham Charter lost the hits battle to No. 15 Falls Lake, falling 9-1 on May 14. Falls Lake recorded 11 hits to Chatham Charter’s four. After a four-run fth inning in which Falls Lake notched ve hits, including a three-run homer by junior Jacob Watson, the Firebirds led 6-0.

Eight of the nine batters in Falls Lake’s battling lineup recorded a hit, but only two Knights, juniors Tyner Williams and Jace Young, were able to bat themselves on base.

Falls Lake pitcher Jacob Watson struck out seven batters in the rst ve innings.

of the season for the Bears.

Chatham Charter ended its season with a 15-9 overall record.

Softball

Making its rst third round appearance in the 2A East bracket, No. 9 Seaforth had its breakout season come to an end in another nailbiter.

Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of

the ninth inning, No. 1 Midway’s Kiley Ives singled to center eld and knocked senior Sarah Autry home for a 3-2 walk-o win. That marked the fourth straight Seaforth game to end by a margin of one run and the third walk-o nish in the Hawks’ last four games.

After giving up two runs in the bottom of the second, soph-

omores Annika Johansson and Emma Grace Hill hit back-toback singles in the top of the third and tied the game on an error by the Midway defense.

Led by Hill’s pitching in the circle (seven strikeouts), the Hawks held Midway scoreless from the end of the second inning until its nal run.

After reaching the most wins in program history, winning its rst ever playo game and claiming its rst conference tournament title, Seaforth nished its historic season with a 16-7 overall record.

In the 1A East bracket, No. 7 Chatham Central’s dominant season was cut short in a 10-3 loss to No. 2 Roxboro Community on May 13.

After losing to the Bulldogs in last year’s second round, the Bears got the rematch started with three hits and three runs in the top of the rst. Up 1-0 with loaded bases and zero outs, Addison Goldston grounded into the shortstop who then made an error on the throw to third and allowed sophomore Chloe

Brewer and junior Sallie Oldham score.

However, the Bears didn’t notch another hit until the top of the sixth inning.

“We didn’t stay on the top of the ball,” Chatham Central coach John Warf said. “If we get on the bottom side, anybody can catch pop ups.”

As nothing seemed to go the Bears’ way o ensively, they also committed six errors on the defensive side which led to extra runners and scores. Roxboro Community put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore Karlie Barringer tripled to left eld and knocked in two runs.

Chatham Central, the undefeated Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference regular season champions, nished its season with a 20-4 record. That’s the most wins for the Bears since winning 23 games in 2013.

“We’ve grown as a team this year, and the girls, they’re still young,” Warf said. “Our mindset was just to go in and play. Leave it all out on the eld.”

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Chatham Central’s softball team lines up for pregame introductions before what would turn out to be the nal game

NAM Y. HUH / AP PHOTO

Seaforth boys’ golf nishes third at state championships

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

Golf

The defending champion Seaforth boys’ golf team nished third in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2A state championship at Pinehurst No. 6 on May 12. Finding itself in a three-team battle for the top spot in round two, the Hawks nished behind second-place Pine Lake Prep (score of 628) and state-champion Salisbury (627) with a score of 629. This marked Seaforth’s third time earning a top-three nish in its four-year existence.

Seaforth entered the second and nal round tied for fth in the team standings. Led by junior Ty Willoughby’s one-underpar performance on Day 2, the Hawks nished with the best Round 2 score by one stroke and even crept into the top two during competition.

In the individual results, defending champion Ty Willoughby nished fourth with a total score of 146, which was four strokes ahead of par. Willoughby didn’t have the best start in

Seaforth junior Ty Willoughby competes on day two of the state golf championships.

Round 1, recording four bogeys and two double bogeys to go along with his three birdies on holes two, four and 12. Entering the second round in tied for sixth, Willoughby stormed back with ve birdies in Round 2, including three on the back nine holes.

Seaforth senior Gri n Ching nished right behind Willoughby in fth place with a score of 148, earning his

fourth straight top-15 nish in the state competition. Ching, tied for ninth after Round 1, climbed the leaderboard with four birdies on holes four, six, eight and 12 in Round 2.

The Hawks were the only Chatham County team to qualify in 2A and got help from others, including junior Campbell Meador (T-35th place, 161), sophomore Alex Ferm (T-61st place, 172) and senior

‘Celebrity gure’ coach Belichick touted as ‘great thing’ for ACC despite distractions

UNC’s head coach attracted plenty of media attention at the ACC spring meetings

By Mark Long The Associated Press

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — Bill Belichick arrived fashionably late to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spring meetings, his rst one as UNC’s head coach. Still wheeling luggage around the beachside resort in Amelia Island, Belichick banged his carry-on into the door frame as he joined league athletic directors, faculty representatives and football and basketball coaches.

It was a mildly awkward entrance for the ACC’s newest and brightest star. But if the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion caused a distraction, no one seemed to care.

The ACC, at least publicly, welcomed Belichick, baggage and all.

“I thought I was done being tortured by him,” joked Stanford interim coach Frank Reich, who went 6-7 against Belichick, including a win in Super Bowl 52, during 18 seasons on NFL sidelines.

Belichick, with a new public relations communications person by his side, declined most interview requests at the Ritz-Carlton. He did two football-only interviews with

UNC reporters, sat alongside Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for an ESPN feature and did a brief segment on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” whose appearance at the meetings surely had more to do with the former NFL coach than anything the conference had going on during its three-day event.

ESPN already had made UNC’s home opener against TCU a prime-time event, with Labor Day night becoming a showcase for Belichick’s college coaching debut. It could be a launching point for the league, which trails the Big Ten and the Southeastern conferences in brand recognition, television ratings and — most importantly — revenue.

“I think they ran to us before we could even run to them, our partners at Disney,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “Listen, it’s a great thing for the league. It’s a great thing for North Carolina. And we’re all following just the massive coverage that Coach Belichick draws.

“I don’t know that he’s got a private moment to himself at all from what I can see and read and what I follow. But I think it’s good. I think it’s good for our league. It’s good for certainly North Carolina. It’s good for college football people; it draws more interest. And it was enjoyable to have him here this week with our joint group in those meetings.”

Belichick, Reich and Boston College coach Bill O’Brien

Gray Stewart (79th place, 182).

Jordan-Matthews junior Ben Buckner earned a 46th-place nish with a score of 167, and Northwood sophomore Jackson Freeman nished tied for 58th with a score of 171. Due to rain, the 1A competition at the Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines only completed one round. Chatham Central earned a ninth-place nish in 1A with a score of 347. Junior Tyler Measmer had the best day for the Bears, shooting 78 and nishing tied for 12th. Other Bears included junior Jesse Eskelund (T-43rd, 85), senior Stephen Moody (T-73rd, 92) and junior Gavin Vanderford (T-73, 92).

Chatham Charter junior Caden Poremba represented the Knights by himself and nished tied for 76th place with a score of 93.

Boys’ lacrosse

After receiving a bye in the rst round, No. 3 Seaforth dominated No. 14 Havelock in the second round of the 1A/2A/3A East playo s 21-5 Friday. The Hawks advanced

to the third round for the rst time in program history. Senior Cameron Exley scored a team-high seven goals. Freshman Liam McCann scored four goals, and junior Ivan Grimes recorded four goals and four assists. No. 13 Northwood fell to No. 4 Union Pines 10-6 in the second round Friday. Union Pines sophomore Asher Rombalski poured in a team-best three goals. Northwood junior Grayson Cox led the way for the Chargers with three goals and ve assists. In the rst round, Northwood trampled No. 20 Fike 18-3 thanks to six goals from sophomore Anthony Karpf and three scores each from Cox and junior Robert Tripp. The Chargers ended their season with an 8-13 overall record.

Girls’ lacrosse

No. 4 Seaforth cruised to a 19-1 victory over No. 13 Cape Fear in the rst round of the 1A/2A/3A East playo s Friday. No. 12 Northwood fell in the rst round to No. 5 Swansboro 21-4. The Chargers ended their season with a 3-10 overall record.

give the league three former NFL coaches, though none come with the titles and headaches — Spygate, De ategate and more — of Belichick. Their experience and insight were widely regarded, not surprising considering many top programs are adapting NFL models as they navigate a changing landscape on the doorstep of paying players for use of their name, image and likeness.

With no TV cameras chasing his every move, the 73-year-old Belichick was somewhat removed from the spotlight during the ACC event.

It may have been a welcome respite after the past few weeks, when he defended 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson for shutting down questions about their relationship, which has drawn outsized attention given their age gap.

“I don’t know that I concern myself with some of those things,” Phillips said. “I think about the elements that a ect the ACC. Some of those other things, I really don’t even pay that much attention to.”

“Bill’s been great to work with,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “He’s a celebrity gure, and he’s doing a great job for us.”

Added Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: “He’s an amazing football coach. You don’t get lucky and do what he did, especially in the NFL where the margin is so, so small. He’s going to be great for our league.”

The league is expanding to new markets and looking even farther abroad for the future

By Ken Maguire

The Associated Press

LONDON — The NFL’s international road trip will add Berlin, Dublin and Madrid as new destinations in the 2025 season, in which a record-high seven games will be staged outside the United States.

It’s a far cry from when league o cials had to persuade teams to play abroad when it was just one international game per year a couple of decades ago. The Minnesota Vikings this season will play back-to-back games abroad in di erent cities — rst in Dublin and the next week in London. Sao Paulo, Brazil, is hosting for a second straight season. The league’s appetite for international expansion is only growing, with Melbourne, Australia, already locked in for next year. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, could be a future host at some point, too. There have been 55 regular-season games played abroad so far.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has even oated the idea of some day staging an international Super Bowl.

Here are a few facts and gures to help put it into context.

1

The number of times the Dallas Cowboys have played internationally. Tony Romo led Dallas to a 31-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9, 2014, at Wembley Stadium. Two other teams — the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns — have also played just once abroad, but both are on the international schedule this season. The Steelers play the Vikings on Sept. 28 in Dublin; the Browns face the Vikings on Oct. 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jacksonville Jaguars have played the most international games — 13, all in London.

4

The number of times a team won a Super Bowl in the same season they played an international game. It’s happened the past two seasons: the Philadelphia Eagles won their Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last season; and the Kansas City Chiefs were victorious in Frankfurt, Germany, in Week 9 of 2023. The Chiefs won

in Mexico City (Week 11) in 2019 before winning the Super Bowl. The 2007 New York Giants are the other team, after playing in the rst regular-season game in London.

17

The number of hours of time di erence between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. The Rams have been announced as one of the teams that will play a regular-season game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2026. It’s likely to be a Week 1 game that kicks o before noon in Melbourne. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks opened the 2014 MLB season in Sydney a week ahead of the rest of the league.

26

Number of regular-season games that have been played at Wembley Stadium. The next highest is Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (10). The Rogers Centre in Toronto is next with six games. Azteca Stadium in Mexico City has staged ve games. The rest: London’s Twickenham Stadium (3); Munich’s Allianz Arena (2); Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park (2); and Corinthians Arena (1) in Sao Paulo.

.125

Bu alo’s winning percentage in international games. The Bills are 1-7 outside U.S. They played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto for six straight years (2008-13), winning just once. They pulled the plug on the experiment in December 2014 by terminating the four remaining years of the contract to play an annual game there. The 2013 game had an announced crowd of just 38,969. The Bills are 0-2 in London after losing both times (2015, 2023) to the Jaguars.

103,467

Highest attendance for a regular-season international game — the very rst one played outside the U.S. It was at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Oct. 2, 2005. The Arizona Cardinals beat the San Francisco 49ers 3114. It might one day be eclipsed by Barcelona’s Camp Nou, which is expected to have a capacity just over 104,000 after renovations are completed. The NFL has already expressed interest in playing a game there.

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

UNC coach Bill Belichick takes part in a March press conference.

Jennifer Lawrence stirs Oscar talk in Cannes for ‘Die, My Love’

The actor plays Grace, a mother with postpartum depression

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

CANNES, France — Last year, the Cannes Film Festival produced three best actress nominees at the Oscars. This year’s edition may have just supplied another.

In Lynne Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson play a married couple with a newborn who move into an old country house. In Ramsay’s messy and moving marital psychodrama, Lawrence plays an increasingly unhinged young mother named Grace whose postpartum depression reaches darkly hallucinatory extremes.

For Lawrence, the 34-year-old mother of two, making “Die, My Love” was an intensely personal experience.

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do,” Lawrence told reporters Sunday. “I had just had my rstborn, and there’s not really anything like postpartum. It’s extremely isolating. She doesn’t have a community. She doesn’t have her people. But the truth is, extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating, no matter where you are. You feel like an alien.”

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do.”

Jennifer Lawerence

“Die, My Love,” which is in competition for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, was one of the most anticipated premieres of the festival. That was owed partly to the widely respect for Ramsey, the Scottish director of “Ratcatcher” (1999), “Movern Callar” (2002) and “ You Were Never Really Here” (2017). Lawrence sought her out for the lm.

“I’ve wanted to work with Lynne Ramsay since I saw ‘Ratcatcher’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way,’” said Lawrence. “But we took a chance, and we sent it to her. And I really, I cannot believe that I’m here with you.”

Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, is a disorienting experience, pulsating with animalistic urges and manic spurts of violence. As a portrait of a marriage in trouble, it makes “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” look tame.

“Die, My Love” was quickly snapped up by Mubi on Sunday. In easily the biggest sale of the festival, the indie distributor plunked down $24 million for distribution rights to the lm in the U.S. and multiple other territories.

Lawrence’s performance, in particular, drew the kind of raves in Cannes that tend to lead to Oscar consideration. Lawrence has been nominated four times by the Academy Awards, winning once for 2013’s “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Since then, much has changed for Lawrence, including becoming a mother. On Saturday, Lawrence said parenthood has been such an enriching experience for her that, she joked, “I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.”

“Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t know that I could feel so much.”

“My job has a lot to do with emotion, and they’ve opened up the world to me,” she added. “It’s almost like feeling like a blister or something. So sensitive. So they’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they’ve changed me creatively.” Pattinson, who recently had his rst child with Suki Waterhouse, chimed in that he found having a baby “gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration.”

SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION /AP PHOTO

Jennifer Lawrence poses for photographers at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in southern France on Sunday.

this week in history

Johnny Carson signs o , Bonnie and Clyde shot “Star Wars” hits theaters

The Associated Press

MAY 22

1939: The foreign ministers of Germany and Italy, Joachim von Ribbentrop and Galeazzo Ciano, signed a “Pact of Steel” committing their two countries to a military and political alliance.

1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking at the University of Michigan, outlined the goals of his “Great Society,” saying that it “rests on abundance and liberty for all” and “demands an end to poverty and racial injustice.”

1992: After a reign lasting nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson hosted his nal episode of NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

MAY 23

1915: Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, aligning with the Triple Entente of Russia, France and the United Kingdom.

1934: Bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death during a police ambush in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

1984: Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report saying there was “very solid” evidence linking cigarette smoke to lung disease in nonsmokers.

MAY 24

1844: Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message “What hath God wrought” from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America’s rst telegraph line.

1883: New York’s Brooklyn Bridge opened to tra c.

1941: During World War II, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British battle cruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, killing all but three of the 1,418 men on board.

1974: American jazz composer and bandleader Duke Ellington, 75, died in New York.

MAY 25

1787: The Constitutional Convention began at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia after enough delegates had shown up for a quorum.

1961: President John F. Kennedy told Congress: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

watching clips from earlier shows during the nal taping of “The Tonight Show” on May 22, 1992.

1968: The Gateway Arch in St. Louis was dedicated by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.

1977: The rst “Star Wars” lm (later retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”) was released by 20th Century Fox.

MAY 26

1864: President Abraham Lincoln signed a measure creating the Montana Territory.

1865: Confederate forces west of the Mississippi surrendered in New Orleans.

1938: The House Un-American Activities Committee was established by Congress.

1940: Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II.

MAY 27

1896: Two hundred fty- ve people were killed when a tornado struck St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois.

1937: The newly completed Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County, California, was opened to pedestrian tra c.

1941: The British Royal Navy sank the German battleship Bismarck o France.

MAY 28

1863: The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, made up of freed black men, left Boston to ght for the Union in the Civil War.

1892: The Sierra Club was organized in San Francisco.

1940: During World War II, the Belgian army surrendered to invading German forces.

1998: Comic actor Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live” and “NewsRadio” fame was shot to death by his wife, Brynn.

Alligator from ‘Happy Gilmore,’ other lms, dies of old age

“Morris” was at least 80

By Thomas Peipert

The Associated Press

DENVER — An alligator that appeared in numerous TV shows and lms over three decades, most notably the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy “Happy Gilmore,” has died at a gator farm in southern Colorado.

Based on his growth rate and tooth loss, Morris the alligator was at least 80 years old when he died, the Colorado Gator Farm said in a Facebook post. He was nearly 11 feet long and weighed 640 pounds.

“He started acting strange about a week ago. He wasn’t lunging at us and wasn’t taking food,” Jay Young, the farm’s owner and operator, said in a video as he tearfully stroked Morris’ head in an animal enclosure.

“I know it’s strange to people that we get so attached to an alligator, to all of our animals. ... He had a happy time here, and he died of old age,” he said.

Morris, who was found in the backyard of a Los Angeles home as an illegal pet, started his Hollywood career in 1975 and retired in 2006, when he was sent to the Colorado Gator Farm in the tiny town of Mosca. He appeared in several lms, including “Interview with the Vampire,” “Dr. Dolittle 2” and “Blues Brothers 2000.” He also

“You could be hard on directors, make-up artists, costumers — really anyone with arms or legs — but I know you did it for the ultimate good of the lm.”

Adam Sandler

appeared on “Coach,” “Night Court” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” featuring the late wildlife expert Steve Irwin.

But his most famous role was in “Happy Gilmore,” a lm about a failed and ill-tempered hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The title character played by Sandler confronts Morris after hitting a golf ball that ends up in the gator’s mouth.

Sandler posted a tribute to Morris on Instagram last Wednesday.

“We are all gonna miss you. You could be hard on directors, make-up artists, costumers — really anyone with arms or legs — but I know you did it for the ultimate good of the lm,” Sandler wrote. “The day you wouldn’t come out of your trailer unless we sent in 40 heads of lettuce taught me a powerful lesson: never compromise your art.”

Morris the alligator, who appeared in numerous TV shows and lms over three decades, most notably the 1996 comedy “Happy Gilmore” has died.

The Colorado Gator Farm, which opened to the public in 1990, said it plans to preserve Morris’ body.

solutions

“We have decided to get Morris taxidermized so that he can continue to scare children for years to come. It’s what he would have wanted,” the farm posted on Facebook.

JAY YOUNG / COLORADO GATORS VIA AP

DOUGLAS C. PIZAC / AP PHOTO Talk show host Johnny Carson wipes his eye while

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famous birthdays this week

The Associated Press THESE celebrities have birthdays this week.

MAY 22

Songwriter Bernie Taupin is 75. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is 68. Singer Morrissey is 66. Model Naomi Campbell is 55. Tennis player Novak Djokovic is 38.

MAY 23

Actor Joan Collins is 92. Chess grand master Anatoly Karpov is 74. Comedian-TV host Drew Carey is 67. “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings is 51. Singer-songwriter Jewel is 51.

MAY 24

Comedian Tommy Chong is 87. Musician Bob Dylan is 84. Singer Patti LaBelle is 81.

Actor Priscilla Presley is 80. Actor Alfred Molina is 72. Actor John C. Reilly is 60.

MAY 25

Actor Ann Robinson (“War of the Worlds”) is 96. Actor Ian McKellen (“Lord of the Rings”) is 86. Actor-singer Leslie Uggams is 82. Director-Muppetteer Frank Oz is 81. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 62.

MAY 26

Sportscaster Brent Musburger is 86. Singer Stevie Nicks is 77. Actor Pam Grier is 76. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 76. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 61. Actor Helena Bonham Carter is 59. “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone is 53. Singer Lauryn Hill is 49.

MAY 27

Singer Bruce Cockburn is 80. Jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is 75. Singer Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees is 68. Musician Andre 3000 of Outkast is 49.

MAY 28

Singer Gladys Knight is 81. Singer John Fogerty is 80. Musician Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss and Union Station is 69. Singer Kylie Minogue is 57.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Patti LaBelle, pictured onstage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2025, celebrates 81 on Saturday.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan turns 84 on Saturday.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Gladys Knight performs during the rst weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2025. The singer turns 81 on Wednesday.

Krasinski, Portman search for ‘Fountain of Youth,’ Pee-wee as himself

Stereolab drops its rst new record in 15 years

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Joe Jonas’ sophomore solo album “Work It Out” and John Krasinski and Natalie Portman searching for immortality in Guy Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time: Paul Reubens shines in the documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” Nicole Kidman returns as a shady wellness guru in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping o ers gamers a chance to test their de-duck-tive skills.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” (out Friday on Max and HBO) is one of the most intimate portraits of Reubens, the man many know as Pee-wee Herman. Wolf crafted his lm from some 40 hours of interviews conducted with Reubens before he died of cancer in 2023. In “Pee-wee as Himself,” Reubens discusses the ups and downs of his career, how he crafted the Pee-wee persona and how it came to dwarf his own self.

Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” (Friday on Apple TV+) stars Krasinski and Portman as a pair of siblings hunting for the fabled Fountain of Youth. The lm, which also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson and Stanley Tucci, is the latest from the fast-working Ritchie, whose recent lms include 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and 2023’s “The Covenant.”

Last fall, “The Last Showgirl” (out Friday on Hulu) proved a poignant showcase for Pamela Anderson, long after her “Baywatch” heyday. In Gia Coppola’s indie drama, she plays a Las Vegas performer in the twilight of her career. Dave Bautista co-stars.

MUSIC TO STREAM

In the rst single released from Jonas’ forthcoming sophomore solo album, “Work It Out,” the boy band brother breaks the fourth wall in the third person. “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for,” he sings in a rare moment of pop candor. His characteristic cheekiness soon follows. “Even baddies get saddies and that’s the hardest truth,” he sings atop

cheery pop-synth. The album, titled “Music For People Who Believe In Love” promises more alt-pop — with country and rock air thrown in for good measure. Good news for cool people with interesting taste: The Anglo-French Avant-pop band Stereolab returns with their rst new album in 15 years, since 2010’s “Not Music” arrived after the group announced an inde nite hiatus. That came to an end in 2019, when Stereolab announced remastered reissues, tour dates and a set at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. The latest news arrives in the form of this new album, titled “Instant Holograms on Metal Film,” and it sounds as if no time has passed. Pachyman, the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia, has charmed audiences with his vintage gear and deep appreci-

ation for dub reggae. That continues on his fth album, “Another Place,” out Friday, with its dreamy, psychedelic indie. It’s the kind of stu that would be at least partially labeled “vaporwave” or “chillwave” a few years ago. Now, it’s a kaleidoscope of in uences only Pachyman could put together in such a uid package.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

With hits like “Maxton Hall” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video is investing in its YA content. In the new series “Motorheads,” a mother (Nathalie Kelley) returns to her blue-collar hometown with her teenage twins (played by Michael Cimino of “Love, Victor” and Melissa Collazo.) They move in with their uncle (Ryan Phillippe) who is haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother. Fun fact: Phil-

lippe’s son, Deacon, with Reese Witherspoon, plays that younger brother in ashback scenes. Besides the expected coming-of-age storyline about rst love and tting in at school, there’s also a greater mystery at play, plus street racing! Now streaming Prime. At the end of season one of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” we saw Nicole Kidman’s Russian wellness guru, Masha, high tailing it out of town after her unorthodox practices included sneaking psychedelics into her patients’ smoothies. In season 2, Masha has relocated to the Austrian Alps with two new business partners, and they’re welcoming a new group of people to a retreat.

“I invited you all here because sometimes you shouldn’t deal with pain gently,” Masha says in the trailer.

The cast includes Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Mur-

“Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for.”

Joe Jonas

ray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Dolly de Leon and musician King Princess in her rst acting role.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Winston Green, a high-strung courier in small-town America in the late 1950s, has one motto: Deliver At All Costs. If that means wrecking other cars or plowing through buildings, so be it. And as the cargo gets weirder — judging from the screenshots, UFOs may be involved — Winston “spirals downward into the depths of insanity.” The result, from Swedish studio Far Out Games by way of Konami, looks somewhat like the original Grand Theft Auto with a retro “Happy Days” glow. Hit the gas Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was once of last year’s cleverest surprises, introducing us to down-on-his-luck gumshoe Eugene McQuacklin in an animal-world parody of lm noir. My only complaint was that it was just a few hours long — but the good news is that Germany’s Happy Broccoli Games is already back on the case with Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. This time, McQuacklin investigates a mystery at a luxury campsite. If you enjoy brainteasers, another chance to test your de-ducktive skills arrives Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

“Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Fountain of Youth” and “The Last Showgirl” land this week on a device near you.

“Music for People Who Believe in Love” by Joe Jonas, “Another Place” by Pachyman and “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” by Stereolab drop this week.

PRIME / HULU / TNT VIA AP

The second season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” is streaming this week.

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF

this week

Duplin County Memorial Day Observance Set for May 26

Kenansville

The Duplin County Historical Society will hold its third annual Memorial Day Observance on Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. in Kenansville. The event will take place at the monuments honoring Duplin County’s War Dead, which are located at the southeast corner of the courthouse grounds. This year, the ceremony will pay tribute to longtime Warsaw patriot Jerry Carter, who died recently. The observance will include reading the names of all 165 war dead and laying wreaths. The ceremony is expected to last no longer than one hour. Participants are encouraged to bring their chairs. No seating will be provided.

New K-9 teams hit the streets

Duplin County

The Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce recently welcomed two new K-9 handlers: Corp. Darrin Sherrick and Corp. Cody Brown. According to the announcement, both corporals, along with K-9 Cortez and K-9 Gery, graduated from Ventosa K9 Kennel Academy on May 16. Sherrick and Cortez will serve in the Special Operations Division, while Brown and Gery will join the Uniform Patrol Division.

Community Resource Day rescheduled to June 21

Magnolia Magnolia’s Community Resource Day has been rescheduled to June 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Magnolia Park on Highway 117. This free event aims to connect local residents with a variety of services and support available throughout Duplin County. Food trucks will be onsite, and food distribution will also be provided. Organizers are still welcoming additional vendors. Everyone is encouraged to attend and take advantage of the many helpful resources being showcased. For more information, call 910-289-3205.

JSCC celebrates record-breaking milestone

The air was lled with joy, pride and anticipation as more than 280 proud James Sprunt Community College graduates stepped boldly into the next chapter of their lives. The graduation marked a record-breaking moment, showcasing the largest graduating class in the institution’s history. Turn to page A6 for the story.

Rose Hill appoints new town commissioner Warsaw, Tetra Tech team up on wastewater

“Keep the citizens of this town in mind at all cost.”

Davy “Fuzzy” Buckner, mayor of Rose Hill

Tasha Mathis will ll Ross Powell’s unexpired term

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

ROSE HILL — Tasha

Mathis was appointed to the Rose Hill Board of Commissioners at the town’s regular meeting last Tuesday, lling Ross Powell’s unexpired term following his resignation in April. The meeting also included public hearings on the proposed 2025-26 budget and the closure of Avalon Drive in addition to various other business.

“I wanted to be a part of seeing our community move forward, serving with this town and being a part of that comradery,” said Mathis, a 12-year resident of Rose Hill. Two individuals had expressed interest in lling the seat left by Powell, who resigned following a move out of the city. Though Mathis was the only interested party present for Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Adam Quinn

expressed his appreciation to both residents for their willingness to serve.

“When that seat comes back open and there’s a time to run again in November, I hope to see that same willingness to serve then,” said Quinn. “It’s good to be in a town where there’s people that want to serve the town.”

A motion was brought to appoint Mathis to ll Powell’s unexpired term and was unanimously approved by the board. Keren Parker, town clerk, administered the oath of o ce, after which Mathis took her seat at the council’s table. Though the term expires in November, she will continue to serve until a new commissioner is sworn-in next January.

The town held a public hearing regarding the proposed budget for the 2025-26 scal year as well as a public hearing on the permanent street closure of Avalon Drive, neither of which saw comment.

“Avalon Drive has never

“It will capture the existing conditions and be able to provide somewhat of a dashboard to trigger di erent scenarios of impact.”

Lea Turner, town manager

The company’s environmental modeling will guide WWTP expansion to meet increasing demand and environmental standards

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

WARSAW — The Town of Warsaw is beginning a project to expand its wastewater treatment plant, which will require an updated NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit. To secure this permit, the town is collaborating with Tetra Tech, an environmental consulting rm, to monitor and model the stream where treated wastewater is discharged.

$2.00

Magnolia shares proposed budget for scal year 2025-26

“We are trying to invest in our Recreation Department and doing things for our parks and our community.”

Charles Banks, town manager

Garbage collection fee set to increase by $2 in Magnolia’s new budget

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

MAGNOLIA — Last week, Town Manager Charles Banks presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget for the town of Magnolia. He shared that the Water and Sewer Fund is balanced at $665,000, with no changes to water or sewer rates. The only increase is a $2 monthly rise in the in-town garbage collection fee, rising from $23 to $25 per month. This increase helps cover the rising costs of trash collection services, which jumped from $72,000 to an estimated $90,000.

Water and sewer hook-up fees will remain at $1,250,

See ROSE HILL, page A5 See MAGNOLIA, page A3

with no increases in actual usage rates. Nevertheless, penalties such as the $50 late fee and $40 reconnection fee will still apply.

“We’ve heard a lot of comments from citizens, from the county, and from other counties about reevaluations going on in the town. So we have tried to be fair, trying to still do what we need to do for the town itself, but also keeping ultimately our citizens and our customers in our thoughts,” said Banks. “I know that the valuation has stunned a lot of people; it’s hit a lot of people hard. And hopefully it will not come to that in the town again.”

Banks shared that county leadership is considering moving to 4-year valuation cycles instead of eight, as this would provide a more gradual

THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

THURSDAY 5.22.25 #75

“Join the conversation”

Duplin Journal www.duplinjournal.com

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Last week, at the town board monthly meeting, Town Manager Lea Turner addressed questions about Tetra Tech’s modeling plan and requested board approval for Phase 2 of the project.

“The modeling plan that they have presented does give multiple sites of testing,” explained Turner. “It is a huge scope of work. However, it is exible. … They will be working very closely with the state to make sure that we don’t do any extra work than what we absolutely have to have.”

Turner explained the plan’s scope, noting it involves 12 water monitoring sites, although the number may be reduced based on initial ndings. According to Turner, the model being developed will o er a detailed picture of current stream conditions and simulate how projected increases in water ow from the expanded plant could impact the environment.

“It will capture the existing conditions and be able to provide somewhat of a dashboard to trigger di erent scenarios of impact, to show the impact of proposed ow and what that expansion could look like,” said Turner, noting that they want to make sure

FRIDAY

SPONSORED BY DUPLIN CALENDAR

May 23-24

• 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. Friday, May 23 will feature a $15 meet and greet with Veterans of Foreign Wars at 364 Bruce Costin Road in Warsaw from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, May 24, doors will open at the Lois G. Britt Agriculture Building in Kenansville for an “All Denim A air” featuring old-school legend “Chubb Rock” and the one and only Gilbert Baez, master of the Supermix. Registration is $75 and includes food and drinks. Tickets are available at jameskenanalum.eventbright.com.

May 24

• Teachey’s Movie Night in the Park will be on Saturday, May 24 at the Boney Street Park at 7:30 p.m. Movie night will include free doughnuts and unlimited popcorn. Participants are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and/or a blanket.

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 rst-aid instruction, touch-a-truck exhibits, vendors, hands-on activities, education and entertainment for the whole family.

June 5

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

June 7

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

• 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 13

• 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 a ordable 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 nest 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

• A Community Day celebration will take place on June 21 at the Thell B. Overman Football Field in Wallace. The event will feature emcee Syara Kornegay and Javonte Williams of the Dallas Cowboys. The event is free and open to the public. Activities will include face painting, bouncy houses, balloon animals and more in addition to local vendors and community resources. For more information, call 910-271-2193.

The town of Magnolia will host a

Members

they are not doing anything that could harm the creek or “give it more than it can handle.”

According to Turner, some initial sampling has already been conducted, but more data is needed to create a comprehensive model. Tetra Tech will also assist the town in seeking funding resources.

“They had to come in and do test sites initially to nd out where we would be best to get this data from, so there has been some sampling that has taken place, but not to the detail of where we can give an accurate model of what the needs are and what the stream will hold for the expansion,” Turner explained.

Commissioner Albert Searles raised concerns about the project’s timing and funding. However, Turner clari ed that delaying this step would set back the permitting process by at least a year, which is already expected to take around ve years to complete. Once issued, the permit will be valid for ve years. She noted the model can accommodate current and future conditions, making this an optimal time to proceed.

Funding for the project is anticipated to come from grants, surcharges and payments made by C2 Energy, which had previously reserved sewer capacity with the town

Community Day on June 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Magnolia Park on Highway 117. The event will feature community resources, food distribution, food trucks and more. For more information, call 910-289-3205.

• 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.

Happening monthly

The Board of County Commissioners meets the rst 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 rst 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 rst 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 rst 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 rst 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 rst Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at First Missionary Baptist Church at 336 West Hill St. in Warsaw.

The Greenevers town board meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at 314 E. Charity Road. For information, call 910-289-3078.

• The Teachey town board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 116 East 2nd St. For information, call 910-285-7564.

• 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 o ering 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.

and agreed to reimburse it.

“When C2 came on and did a conditional use permit with the town, they promised to pay back capacity because we held capacity for them for such a time,” explained Turner. “And so that would be what would be used to fund this. Their payback and other grant opportunities.”

The board approved the Phase 2 scope of work, allowing Tetra Tech to move forward. The expansion of the town’s wastewater capacity will support future growth and development.

In other business:

The town o cially recognized June 1 as Stand for our Children Day. The resolution highlighted child welfare issues, violence statistics and education disparities.

• DreamWorks reported steady growth in its tness facility. Community engagement increased through programs like the “Power Challenge,” won by Malik Sharp when he pulled a total of 1,370 pounds.

Security and safety were also brie y discussed. A question was raised about the limited camera coverage at the back

of the DreamWorks building, particularly facing Yancey Street. The town manager and tness center leadership acknowledged the concern and agreed to evaluate whether more cameras should be added.

The Parks and Recreation Department also shared updates, noting a successful April highlighted by the annual Easter Egg Hunt, which attracted about 250 participants. Preparations for summer events are underway, and interest is already growing, as seen through early calls and sign-ups. The department also attended a chronic disease prevention meeting focused on making recreational spaces tobaccofree. However, concerns were voiced about applying this rule to adult sports leagues, as Warsaw’s programs di er from school-based youth leagues, where such policies may be easier to enforce.

• Lastly, recent camera installations around the ball elds and North Street have improved visibility and safety at recreational areas.

Beulaville family turns loss into legacy

The Byrds honor Miley’s life with a new hospital playroom and research initiative

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — May marked the rst year since Miley Byrd, a 19-month-old from Beulaville, lost her battle with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome — a condition where the left side of the heart doesn’t form properly. Miley spent much of her life in Duke Children’s Hospital, undergoing two open-heart surgeries and awaiting a heart transplant.

Today the Beulaville community continues to remember the brave little girl whose ght touched so many hearts. Since Miley’s diagnosis, her family — parents Chelsea and Ryan Byrd, along with her siblings, Hudson and Emerson — leaned on their faith and the outpouring of community support. Chelsea, a teacher at Beulaville Elementary, and Ryan, a home health nurse, have transformed their deep personal loss into a mission of hope, support and legacy for others.

“Learning that Miley was growing in my womb with half a heart was devastating,” said Chelsea. “The journey has been one that has depleted our emotions at times and tested our faith certainly. During the time that Miley was alive, we really chose to place our trust in God that He would sustain her and keep her.”

In the face of adversity, the community became a beacon of hope, where friends, family and even strangers rallied together, organizing fundraisers, donating leave, cooking meals and sharing words of encouragement. This generosity became a lifeline during long hospital stays.

“Our community really pulled together to support us during the time that we were waiting for Miley’s arrival, and especially during the last hospitalization where we both were out of work, caring for Miley at Duke,” said Chelsea. “It was overwhelming and humbling to see how much our community cared.”

Miley’s story resonated deeply, not only inspiring others but also bringing the community closer.

The Byrds expressed tremendous gratitude for all the support

adjustment to ease future burden.

“We tried to keep everything atlined and as close to what we did this year to not have any increases, other than the valuation and the tax revenue and the $2 garbage can for in-town. That is the only changes that will be made between the 2024-25 and the 2025-26 scal year budget,” Banks explained.

The town’s nances are in solid shape, with over $88,000 in reserves and more than $500,000 in a Capital Management Trust. The town is allocating $391,835 for general government operations, $272,343 for Public Works and the Police Department, $94,275 for streets and $34,800 for the contract with the re department. Banks shared that small amounts will be set aside for community events like the Christmas celebration, upkeep

A portrait of Miley Byrd is displayed in the playroom of the Pediatric Cardiology ICU at Duke Children’s Hospital. The room was dedicated in memory of Miley and it reads: “This playroom was made possible by a generous gift from family and friends of Miley Byrd. In Miley’s honor, let this room remind us to live like Miley — with joy, strength and courage.”

and for genuinely believing in a miracle for Miley. Ryan shared that many people told him that their faith had been reinforced because Miley.

As both parents grief the loss of their youngest child, they hold tightly to the cherished memories she left behind. For Chelsea, it was the awe-inspiring resilience she demonstrated and the little miracles.

“The moments that she de ed odds,” said Chelsea. “Watching her learn to eat by mouth after relying on a feeding tube and being weak from open heart surgeries, learning to crawl and walk and talk and do all these things sooner than doctor’s thought she would.”

For Ryan, the sweetest memories are wrapped in the sound of laughter as Miley played with her older brothers.

“Miley adored her older brothers so much. Watching her climb all over them and go for ‘blanket rides’ will be memories that I will cherish forever,” Ryan explained, adding that even when her little body was weary, “she kept a smile on her face and loved to be silly.”

Dave Witter, an associate pastor at Beulaville’s Grace Cove-

of the Heritage Garden and improvements to the community center and the park.

“We are trying to invest in our Recreation Department and doing things for our parks and our community,” Banks explained.

Mayor Dawn Ward thanked Banks and the board for their hard work.

“We’ve tried to put something together that we feel is, as I shared with my mayor’s advisory council last night, physically responsible for the town,” she said. “While we weren’t able to add as much as we would have liked to, the pie is only so big, we did try to add some new dollar amounts for recreation, the gym, and the park.”

In other business:

The board accepted a resolution recognizing May 11-17 as Police Week, honoring the Magnolia Police Department’s role in maintaining public safety and

nant Church, witnessed rsthand how the Byrd family spent countless hours navigating Miley’s care and grappled with the depths of their grief following her death. Their journey, though marked by profound sorrow, has also been lled with an unwavering commitment to honoring Miley’s memory in powerful and meaningful ways.

In honoring Miley, the Byrd family took a signi cant step by focusing on a project that would leave a lasting impact on other children facing similar struggles. This initiative involved funding and establishing a playroom in the pediatric cardiology ICU at Duke Children’s Hospital, where Miley spent much time. Ryan told Duplin Journal that the idea came about during Miley’s last hospital stay.

“She was feeling well enough to get out of her hospital room for a little while. The nurses got her out of bed and ready to go visit a playroom that was on another oor,” said Ryan, explaining that as Miley was being wheeled down the hallway, one of her doctors came running down to stop them, expressing con-

fostering community welfare. It was also resolved that May 15, Peace O cers Memorial Day, would be a special day of remembrance in Magnolia.

Police Chief J.T. Wood presented the family of late ocer Mark Mobley with a special plaque to commemorate Mobley’s service with the Magnolia PD.

“Mark was not only a valued member of the Magnolia Police Department, but to me, he was a valued friend. I’ve known him all my life,” said Wood. “He would go out of his way to help. That’s the type of person he was, and he was a great man.”

Mayor Dawn Ward recognized Elier Marquez, a Wallace-Rose Hill High School senior from Magnolia, for his remarkable accomplishments and presented him with a certi cate of recognition for his outstanding success.

“Every day that Miley lived was a miracle. God’s hand was on her life until her very last breath.”

Ryan Byrd

cern about her leaving the unit.

“From that moment on, we knew it was our mission to see a playroom built on the third oor in the PCICU. With the support of our community, family, and friends, the playroom was able to be completely funded. To see that dream come to fruition has been amazing.”

The room, now a tribute to Miley, was completed and opened in February, with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony led by her brothers.

“This was a very special moment for Hudson and Emerson. One of their favorite things to do when they visited Miley in the hospital was to play with her. Whether it was in her hospital bed or on the oor of her hospital room, they would make the best of what they could. To see a playroom now in that same unit that she was in and for them to be a part of making it happen is such a perfect way to honor their little sister. The ribbon-cutting, dedication service and just getting to the playroom rsthand was just the icing on the cake,” said Ryan.

In addition to creating a playroom, the Byrds established the Miracle Miley Research Fund to support research into single ventricle defects. Their goal is to raise $100,000 to help fund advancements that may one day provide more options for families facing similar challenges.

“We saw a problem and knew that we could help (create) a solution,” said Chelsea, expressing that frustration with the lack of research funding for single ventricle defects led to the fund’s creation.

“We had a very generous and big-hearted donor approach us about the Miracle Miley Research Fund and their desire to see it reach its full potential,” said Ryan. “With their contribution, up to $25,000 of donated funds will be matched and will go directly to single ventricle heart research.”

The board scheduled a public hearing for chapter 160D zoning ordinance updates for the next regular board meeting on June 10. The updates are intended to bring Magnolia into baseline compliance with North Carolina state law.

A motion to accept $92,500 in funding for a Lead Service Line Inventory was approved unanimously. Inventory will focus on properties built before 1987.

The project is part of a larger effort tied to previously won infrastructure grants to comply with federal and state mandates to identify possible health hazards by locating any lead pipes in the town’s water system.

Wood provided departmental updates and shared that there has been a spike in break-ins, including business burglaries and larceny from vehicles.

“These activities that have been happening are not some-

So far, the initiative has garnered signi cant support, largely thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor who is o ering to match donations. This effort has already raised more than $15,000 in just a few days.

Witter spoke about the family’s commitment to the research fund, emphasizing their understanding of the limitations they experienced due to Miley’s medical condition after their doctors reached the end of their treatment options.

“And for a parent, you can imagine what that’s like to hear those words,” Witter told Duplin Journal, adding that despite the grief they are experiencing, they are doing everything they can to make a di erence.

The Byrds told Duplin Journal that their goal with the research fund is to help those born with single ventricle hearts live longer, fuller lives. The family explained that Miley’s anatomy made it challenging for doctors to manage her life support systems, which included ECMO, VAD, a ventilator and dialysis.

“Many complications arose due to her ‘Glenn Anatomy.’ We know that currently, research is being done in speci c areas of single ventricle heart defects,” the family shared. “We hope that ground-breaking discoveries are made that directly improve lives and increase the lifespan of those living with SV hearts.”

Honoring Miley’s life has brought a newfound purpose for the Byrd family as her story continues to make a di erence, transforming grief into hope and a legacy that supports medical advancements that may change the future for other families.

“Miley meant so much to so many people. To see her life and memory continuing to make such an impact on people’s lives is incredible,” said Ryan, adding that God is using her life to make a di erence in ways that they could have only imagined.

“Never stop believing for a miracle, even when it doesn’t come in the way you had hoped for or expected,” said Ryan. “Every day that Miley lived was a miracle. God’s hand was on her life until her very last breath. Now Miley is healed and whole and in Heaven, and in the words of my son Emerson, ‘she’s in the best place ever.’”

thing that Magnolia is used to,” said Wood.

He explained that some homeless people outside of town have wandered into Magnolia in recent months, but authorities are working on relocating them. Also, some break-ins are linked to cases in Warsaw and Wallace. Wood said a suspect has been identi ed across multiple jurisdictions and charges are pending.

“I would like to encourage citizens to remove items from your vehicle, anything that might be of value. … A lot of times, they look for open vehicles or buildings because those are easy targets. ... If you’ve got cash registers, we ask that you remove cash from them, and leave them open,” said Wood, explaining that this would deter thieves if they see that the cash register is empty.

Wood urged residents to stay vigilant.

COURTESY CHELSEY BYRD

MAGNOLIA from page A1

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Thank you, teachers!

When our teachers give our youth and our communities the great gift of their dedication, it is only right that we appreciate them.

ONE DAY, WHEN our son was in the fourth grade at Wallace Elementary School, he nished an assignment early. Instead of requiring her students to sit quietly at their desks with nothing to do, the teacher provided activities to engage their interests. Recognizing his curiosity about design, she handed our son a book about the architecture of the Biltmore mansion. He came home talking about being an architect. Eventually, we visited the Biltmore and paid extra for a behind-the-scenes tour about the architecture. Upon graduating from Wallace-Rose High School, our son attended design school and is a furniture designer in New York City. To this day, when I see that teacher, I express my appreciation and thank her for recognizing and encouraging his interests at such a young age.

Both of our children had many excellent and dedicated teachers at Wallace Elementary, Charity Middle, and Wallace -Rose Hill High. They were knowledgeable in their elds, challenged their students to do their best and, perhaps most importantly, showed concern for them as individuals. Even now, they ask about our son and daughter, although it has been as long as 25 years since some had our children in their classrooms. I appreciate their continued care and support.

Teacher Appreciation Week was May 5-9 this year. In 1953, former rst lady Eleanor Roosevelt lobbied the U.S. Congress to designate a particular day to honor teachers. However, it wasn’t until 1980 that such a day was o cially declared. Originally celebrated in March, Teacher Appreciation Day was moved to May and expanded to the entire rst week. According to an article about its history, “Teacher Appreciation Day is described by the National Education Association as ‘a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contribution they make to our lives.’”

In a Harvard Gazette article about what makes a good teacher, these key characteristics are listed: “They establish strong, caring teacher-student relationships; challenge students to think, reason, and communicate their ideas; convey subject matter accurately and clearly; and have strong knowledge of their students as individuals — how they think and think about themselves as learners — as well as of their students’ culture and community.” We are blessed in Duplin County to have

so many excellent teachers who exhibit these characteristics. Cicero, the great Roman statesman and scholar (106-43 B.C.) said, “What greater or better gift can we o er the republic than to teach and instruct our youth?” When someone gives you a gift, it’s only right to say “Thank you!” When our teachers give our youth and our communities the great gift of their dedication, it is only right that we appreciate them.

American writer Max Leon Forman said, “Teachers are people who start things they never see nished, and for which they never get thanks until it is too late.”

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 has come and gone, but it is never too late to thank our Duplin County teachers for their hard work, dedication to their craft, and the lasting contribution they make to all of our lives.

Philip Gladden lives in Wallace and writes on behalf of Duplin County Schools.

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable.

According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are bene ting, and

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE VIA VECTEEZY

Role-playing exercise illustrates challenges of reintegration

The event provided a hands-on look at the barriers faced by those recently released from incarceration

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Trillium’s Support Transition and Reentry (T-STAR) team held a reentry simulation at the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville last Monday that illustrated the many barriers and challenges individuals must overcome following their release from incarceration through a role-playing exercise.

Participants ranging from public defenders, parole ocers and peer support specialists were assigned new identities, circumstances and histories before being tasked with overcoming challenges and obstacles that mirrored those faced by individuals recently released from correctional facilities, such as obtaining government identication, securing transportation, paying rent or child support and meeting parole or probation mandated check-ins.

Ernie Lee, district attorney for Duplin, Jones, Onslow and Sampson counties, spoke to participants following a welcome from Sarah Willhite, Trillium Health Resources’ training development director.

“No matter what someone has done, they’re still people,” said Lee, expressing that many who nd themselves incarcerated often su er substance abuse and behavioral issues and struggle to access housing and employment as well as medical and mental health treatment. “I want them to become citizens who make a positive di erence to society.”

The simulation consisted of four 15-minute sections each, representing a one-week period (the latter three reduced to 10 minutes for Monday’s session), during which participants were required to complete as many tasks as possible before the timer ran out. Those not in their seats at the end of each section were sent to an isolated seating area on the Ed Amory Auditorium’s stage — a real-life parallel

Participants of the T-STAR’s Reentry Simulation step into the shoes of the recently released struggling to complete assigned tasks within the provided time frame in eye-opening activity at the Ed Emory Auditorium on May 12.

“No matter what someone has done, they’re still people.”

Ernie Lee, district attorney

for what those recently released from incarceration face should they fail to adhere to curfew. Participants were assigned an identity and provided a history for the individual they’d be portraying in the exercise along with transportation tickets that allowed movement to one of the various stations set up around the room representing essential services and resources, such as food banks, plasma donation centers, probation and parole o ces, pawn shops and more.

Though some pro les included forms of state and federal identi cation, many did not — making social services a popular des-

House of Raeford awards $82K in scholarships

The House of Raeford celebrated 12 years of educational support with record awards

Duplin Journal Sta

ROSE HILL — Last week, House of Raeford Farms announced the recipients of its annual scholarship program, totalling $82,500 in college scholarships supporting the education of students connected to its workforce.

“Youth development is one of the pillars that upholds the mission of House of Raeford Farms FLOCK, the nonpro t organization that helps oversee this scholarship program,” said Bob Johnson, House of Raeford Farms CEO.

This year marks a milestone, with 33 students receiving scholarships — the highest number in the program’s history. Each student received a $2,500 scholarship. According to the announcement, the recipients were selected based on academic excellence, leadership qualities, honors, involvement in school and community, and personal goals and aspirations.

According to Johnson, encouraging education among the next generation helps shape the future and honors the hard work of their team members. Through its growing scholarship program, the company aims to encourage personal success in the communities it serves. Over the last 12 years, the program has awarded $537,500 to 215 students in six states. Applications for the

next round of scholarships will open in January 2026. In Duplin County, the following students received scholarships:

Alden Chasten is the son of Kasharka Carr-Hardison of the Rose Hill Division

Alivia Chasten is the daughter of Kasharka Carr-Hardison of the Rose Hill Division

• Avery Jennette is the daughter of Brian Jennette of the Rose Hill Division

Izabel Bradshaw is the daughter of Kathy Bradshaw of the Rose Hill Division

• Kianna Simmons is the daughter of Bruce Wynn of the Rose Hill Division

• Ivan Santibanez Lopez is the son of Carlota Lopez Santibanez of the Johnson Breeders Division

Jennifer Borja Hernandez is the daughter of Teresa Borja Hernandez of the Johnson Breeders Division

• Linsey Peterson is the daughter of Greg Peterson of the Johnson Breeders Division

Drake Segars is the son of Debra Segars of the Corporate division.

• Zoe Powell is the daughter of Jason Powell of the Corporate Division.

Visit houseofraeford.com for the complete list of scholar-

tination for participants looking to complete their tasks as assigned before the timer ran out. Volunteers at each booth further complicated the process, with system issues and lunch breaks impacting the ability of participants to complete their required activities in the time provided. The end of the rst 15-minute week found a majority of participants in jail, unable to complete their tasks or return to their seats before the time expired. As a penalty, they spent two minutes of the next 10-minute week incarcerated, unable to complete vital assignments like sub-

HILL from page A1

been opened,” said Mayor Davy “Fuzzy” Buckner. “It was a proposed street many, many years ago — back in the ’50s, I believe — and it was never opened.” Following the public hearing, the town moved forward with the permanent closure of the undedicated Avalon Drive. Approval of the 2025-26 budget will take place at the board’s June meeting.

In other business, the town approved an amendment to its contract with Tons of Trash and extended its contract with the company through June 2028. Town Administrator Angela Smith o ered an explanation of the proposed amendment to the board.

“Basically, the town currently purchases about 50 carts per year, and it usually runs anywhere from $3,500 to $4,000 per year. Tons of Trash has agreed to accept responsibili-

stance abuse counseling or probation and parole requirements. Later in the exercise, a counterfeit transportation ticket scandal saw another swathe of participants incarcerated.

Following the exercise, participants discussed their experience and o ered insight into the challenges those recently released from incarceration face. Those in attendance agreed that access to transportation was essential for anyone attempting reentry. Jones County Probation and Parole Ofcer Steven Thompson indicated that in his county, some walk miles to ensure they don’t miss their appointments. “If they’re willing to do that, I’ll give them a ride home.”

According to Willhite, part of the goal for the simulation was to connect resources in an e ort to address the challenges those undergoing reintegration into society may face.

Keren

ty, purchase the cans and place them when needed at a cost of $0.29 per cart, per month. That’s going to save the town about $2,000 a year,” explained Smith. “I highly recommend it.”

A discussion was also held regarding town-owned re

Duplin County requests proposals for disaster debris services

Duplin County Duplin County is seeking proposals for Disaster Debris Removal Services and Disaster Debris Monitoring and Management Services to support the county’s response and recovery e orts following natural disasters such as hurricanes or tropical storms. Both the physical removal of debris as well as the oversight, documentation and management of all debris operations fall within the services’ scope of work. Deadline for proposal submission is June 4 at 5 p.m.

Local re departments awarded over 50K in grants

Duplin County Two Duplin County re and rescue squads were awarded grants through the 2025 Volunteer Fire Grant Fund. State Fire Marshall Brian Taylor announced that both the Chinquapin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad (CVFRS) and Faison Fire and Rescue Inc. (FFR) will receive funding to purchase needed equipment, adding that each department “will use this money to serve their community even better.” CVFRS will receive $27,588.69, while FFR will receive $22,575.50. The Volunteer Fire Grant Fund was established in 1988 to help volunteer units raise money for equipment and supplies and has distributed more than $190 million to volunteer re departments across the state since its inception.

trucks. “Currently, they’re insured through VFIS under the town, but because they’re incorporated, come July 1 they can’t do that,” said Smith, who advised the board that the town had the option to either lease or transfer ownership of the trucks to the Rose Hill Fire Department (RHFD), which currently maintains the vehicles in addition to those owned by the re department. After some deliberation, the town voted to lease the ve town-owned trucks to RHFD for $1 a year, for a total of $5 annually.

The meeting came to a close following a comment from Buckner thanking those in attendance for their participation as well as the various town departments for all they do for Rose Hill.

“I’d like to welcome Mrs. Tasha. From the mayor to you, we appreciate you,” said Buckner. “One thing we ask: just keep the citizens of this town in mind at all cost.”

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ROSE

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Town Clerk

Parker administered the oath of o ce to Tasha Mathis at Rose Hill’s May 18 board meeting.

JSCC celebrates graduates at 63rd annual Commencement Ceremony

This year’s ceremony marked the school’s largest graduating class to date

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — More than 280 curriculum graduates turned their tassels on Thursday, May 8 at James Sprunt Community College’s 63rd annual Commencement Ceremony, representing the college’s largest graduating class to date. The college also celebrated over 150 graduates across 26 programs for their academic achievements at the school’s annual Workforce Development and Continuing Education Graduation Ceremony.

Vanessa Watkins, president of the JSCC Student Government Association, thanked families, friends and instructors on behalf of the Class of 2025 before addressing her fellow graduates in a welcome speech preceding the commencement ceremony.

“As we step into this next chapter of our lives, let’s carry with us lessons we’ve learned not just from textbooks, but from our experiences, our failures and our triumphs,” Watkins said. “Go forward with con dence, with courage and pride because we are James Sprunt, and we are the graduating class of 2025. Congratulations, everyone — we did it.”

JSCC President Jay Carraway acknowledged the size of the crowd for the college’s largest-ever graduating class.

“I’ve never seen it like this before — graduates, you’ve got a lot of folks that are supporting you,” commented Carraway prior to introducing Lawrence Rouse, JSCC president emeritus, as the 63rd annual Commencement Ceremony’s guest speaker. Rouse has more than 40 years of experience in the community college and is the longest-serving JSCC president at 13 years, recognized as the North Carolina Community College System President of the Year in 2016. “He’s highly thought of, but beyond all of his accolades and all his accomplishments, I consider his character, his integrity and his faith to be his biggest gifts. He is a good person.”

In his speech, Rouse re ected on the community college’s legacy of service to Duplin County and the surrounding areas, empowering generations of students to improve their lives and build stronger communities since its founding in 1964.

“James Sprunt serves as a powerful bridge to success for students and for the region they serve — and today, that bridge has brought us here to this ceremony, to this celebration, to this very moment,” said Rouse, advising graduates to go forward with con dence. “There are challenges ahead, but don’t let them dene you — let them re ne you. Congratulations, graduates. The world is waiting on you. Thank you.”

Ed Emory, vice chair of the JSCC Board of Trustees, welcomed graduates and their families to the annual Workforce Development and Continuing Education Graduation.

Anita Marie Savage, Duplin County Register of Deeds issued 30 marriage licenses for the month ending on April 30, 2025: Ricardo Romero Cristobal, Warsaw, and Nancy Becerra Antiono, Warsaw;

• Linnus Konah Allette, Beulaville, and Cameron Nicole Dawkins, Beulaville; Austin Levi Landers, Rose Hill; and Alaina Danielle Sholar, Rose Hill;

• Jason Carl Dixon, Rose Hill, and Christina Marie Clatterbuck, Rose Hill;

• Allyson Kassandra EspinoHernandez, Beulaville, and Lexy Leonel Herrera Jr,

“Congratulations, graduates — the world is waiting on you.” Lawrence Rouse

“Today is a day of celebration — we’re celebrating you who are achieving what you set out to do through your educational journey, and we are celebrating your family and friends who are here to support you,” began Emory, imploring graduates to remain lifelong learners. “Continue to be curious, continue to learn, and always remember — you’re a part of our family.”

Carraway further emphasized the importance of family in ensuring the graduates’ academic success.

“Very few things happen in life when you do it by yourself.

You’ve got to have supporters; you’ve got to have folks behind you helping you,” he said, adding that instructors were also a critical part of the process and praising them for their capability. “We are very blessed to have the caliber of instructors that we have teaching in our programs.”

Beulaville; Benjamin George, Faison, and Dorothy Rose Faison, Faison;

• Owen Lem Brown Ii, Chinquapin, and Darian Corina Pate, Richlands;

• Cassandra Danielle Boney, Rose Hill, and Sharod Jerel Leak, Teachey; Madissen Dianna Cannady, Clinton, and Nathan Brooks Piercy, Clinton;

• Yelsin Javier Boniya Contreras, Clinton, and Casta Nurithe Espinoza Cruz, Clinton; Kevin Gabriel Rodriguez Izaguirre, Wallace, and Josshira Jomaly Galindo Escoto, Wallace;

• Maddison Joey Jones, Teachey, and Tyreck Je rey Mcfadden, Teachey; Stephanie Parker Shannon, Clinton, and William Steven Fulton, Clinton;

• Crystal Nicole Norris, Magnolia, and George Michael Cavenaugh, Wallace; Marlita Anyeli Bernardo Mendez, Dudley, and Angel Jacinto Manuel, Dudley; Cameron Scott Bates, Garner, and Paige Louise Sauer, Morrisville;

• Santos Alexi Guillen Escobar, Garland, and Jocabed Perez Velaquez. Garland; Brittany Nicole Stokes, Pink Hill, and Gregory Dy’rell

Herring, Pink Hill; Juilo Wilfredo Orozco, Warsaw, and Mariela Victoria Mejia Osorio, Warsaw;

• Diana Marie Garza, Texas, and Damian Librado Diaz, Seven Springs;

• Erick Santiago Ortiz Mayorquin, Teachey and Belkin Carolina Ayala Calix

Jerry Edward Mcintosh, Wallace, and Peggy Price Miles, Virginia;

• John-Von Larvar Antwan Hicks, Teachey, and Coretta Shantoria Beatty, Teachey; Khalil Xzavier Horton-Glaspie, Warsaw, and Asha Leilani Mims, Warsaw;

• Jennifer Nichole Quinn, Beulaville, and Kevin Hall, Beulaville;

Katerin Mabel Mejia Argueta, Wilmington, and Miguel Angel Baltazar Gutierrez, Wilmington;

• Christy Linee Smith, Wallace, and Michael Stewart Sanders Jr, Wallace; Saira Belsai Cabrera Vindel, Willard, and Daniel Arreola Ortiz, Willard;

• Sherri Creel King, Albertson, and James Thomas Hart, Albertson;

• Kelly Marie Whaley, Chinquapin, and Eugene Robert Peck Jr, Chinquapin.

PHOTOS COURTESY JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DUPLIN SPORTS

Pickett powers to double bronze in throwing events

Anastan Holley, Zy’ashi Newton and Aubry Hall, who were third at the region meet, hit the tape in 4 minutes, 19 seconds for seventh place.

Bear attack: Rebels shocked by Martin County charter school

North Duplin had no answers for Bear Grass Charter as Addy Higginbotham ends four-year career

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

WILLIAMSTON — North Duplin softball coach Jaime Kylis Higginbotham was aware that there were eight teams in the East capable of advancing to the East Region nals.

The Rebels ran head rst into the hottest pepper in the patch, a third-seeded Bear Grass Charter team that rode momentum to beat No. 6 North Duplin 12-1 and then got popped 5-1 at No. 2 Roxboro Charter (20-5)

The Bulldogs await the outcome of No. 1 Perquimans (25-2) and No. 13 Rosewood, the last Cinderella left in the eld.

Many second and third round games were rescheduled or resumed as a rain created havoc across most of the state.

Higginbotham must have thought the Rebels left something at home because following an 85-mile bus ride, her team lacked its usual punch. Bear Grass went in front

6-1 after one inning and were in front 8-1 in the third when the o ciating crew stopped the action with lighting on the horizon.

The Rebels returned to Williamston on Thursday, and the damage that was done remained. So did North Duplin’s drive in a game that the Bears won 12-1.

Bear Grass whacked a pair of rst-inning homers and two run-scoring hits but also took advantage of two walks and bloops that found a spot the grassy out eld as if they had a sonar device on their bats. Each blow was a painful punch in the stomach of North Duplin (14-4).

Chloe Clifton tied it up with a blast leading o the rst. Hannah Lilley made it 3-1 with a single to left after Lane Gregory singled in the in eld and Calle Perry walked. No. 8 hitter Faith Wisniewski

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

GREENSBORO — Ja’Myah

Pickett is excited about going into the Air Force.

She will make the walk for a diploma next week, leaving as one of the best female athletes at East Duplin.

She left her last piece of evidence at the Marcus Johnson Track and Field Complex during last Saturday’s NCHSAA 2A championships.

Pickett placed third in both the shot put and discus and just to show o her talents landed ninth in the long jump.

“I was pretty happy with that since I was going against girls who do it as their main event,” said the Panthers senior who owns school records in

the long jump and high jump.

It’s all track and eld play for Pickett, the only Panther athlete — male or female — to capture three gold medals at the regional meet.

East Duplin, which won the school’s rst East Region title in Kinston, could not come close to repeating that kind of success when the four regions with 16 quali ers in each event gathered at North Carolina A&T University.

Cummings won its third-consecutive girls title, and the Panthers tallied 14 points for 19th place. from Pickett, who was also Duplin County’s biggest star at the nals. Seaforth landed rst-place showings to capture the boys’ crown.

The Panthers’ 1,600-meter relay team of Tabor Holley,

Wallace-Rose Hill’s best performer was junior Adrian Glover, who was 10th in the long jump (19-8.75) North Duplin’s Tatewatyna Faison, Marcus Hill and Trashawn Ru n had top -six or better nishes at the 1A meet on Friday.

Pickett is a decorated Panther

Pickett, who has quali ed for the state’s spring and winter track and eld championships six times, came in third in the shot put (36-11) and fourth in the discus (113-7) and pushed those limits to go 36 -7.5 with the iron ball and heave her dish to 116-11.

Trojans end career of ’Cats’ Goin

Region nalist South Johnston scored ve times in the eighth inning for a 5-0 win over Richlands

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Makenzie Goin and Ava Strickland knew they had to limit baserunners to win a third-round 3A softball game. Over the course of seven innings — and two days — they threw darts and retired hitters as if they were the late Fast Eddie Feigner and His Court. No. 4 Richlands and No. 5

Johnston County were scoreless last Wednesday when thunder roared and rains poured from the skies and stopped the scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning.

The following night the pitching duel continued to the Trojan eighth.

Then it rained guratively on the season of Goin and the ’Cats, who gave up all ve runs in the frame.

Strickland won the matchup and two days later tagged No. 1 Southern Nash (23-1) with its rst defeat, winning another 5-0 contest.

The Trojans will play a

best-of-three series with No. 2 Scotland County (27-1) for the East Region title.

Who would inch rst?

Goin had 13 strikeouts and one walk entering the eighth and had two outs when the trouble started with a walk to No. 9 hitter Emma Wiliford.

Next came what both teams had searched for in vain: a hit with a runner on second base.

Hannah Price’s left stroke pushed a ball to left eld to drive in Wiliford.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Ja’Myah Pickett placed in two events at the 2A state track and eld championships, has two school records and is the lone Panthers athlete to win three gold medals at a regional meet.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Jailah Wilson, sliding, had one of three hits Richlands got o South Johnston pitcher Ava Strickland.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL ND head coach Jaimie Higginbotham talks strategy during a second-round 5-0 win over Vance Charter.

ED’s Ja’Myah Pickett grabbed bronze medals in the shot put and discus at the 2A championships while also showing o her jumping ability

Road-dog Panthers plow through two higher seeds

No. 19 East Duplin kicked their way past No. 16 Bruins and No. 3 Bulldogs for its second straight trip to the third round

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

PRINCETON — Anyone betting that the East Duplin soccer team would make it to the third round of the 2A playo s hit the jackpot.

Yet the No. 19 Panthers broke more than one bracket last week as Miranda Roblero and Candance Drinkwater had senior highlights during impressive road wins over No. 14 Camden County last Monday and No. 3 Princeton on Thursday.

East Duplin won for the seventh time in eight matches by getting strong contributions from goalie Isla Miller, Katelyn Jones, Bella Gaby, Kayleigh Chase and Tabor and Anastan Holley.

The Panthers, who looked like they were going nowhere fast on March 3 (0-4-2) and on March 19 (5-7-2) made make a repeat trip to the third round to play No. 6 Washington (15-2-1).

The best thing about the turnaround may have been that it came when Anamarie Rodriguez, the team’s leading scorer the past two seasons, had a knee injury that requires ACL surgery.

Yet at that point most soccer fans had written o the Panthers.

Gone were memories of 2024’s ECC title and eventual 17-6-2 mark.

Last week turned a mediocre to sub-par season into a playo memory book.

Drinkwater provides victory liquid

Drinkwater had a pair of goals in the 3-2 win on the Bulldogs’ astroturf pitch.

Head coach Joey Jones put the senior on the forward line with classmate Katlin Jones.

She responded with a goal 30 seconds into the match and made it 2-0 with her fourth score of the season.

Drinkwater’s other two scores this season came in an 8-1 win over James Kenan, and her seven goals as a junior all

EDWARDO

ED’s Anastan Holley held Princeton’s Makenna Ho man scoreless as a key to the Panthers’ defense during at 2-1 win in the second round of the 2A playo s.

came during four-goal-or-more victories.

“She’s been hot and cold, and we’ve had her everywhere,” Jones said. “She earned the right to be up there with Katelin and gave us what we needed.”

Roblero, a mid elder, added a score with a long-range rocket as East Duplin led 3-1 midway through the second half.

And while Princeton’s Marcie Allison scored twice, the Panthers defense held the rest of the Bulldogs in check. Allison notched 36 goals this season for the Neuse River 2A champs, who su ered their third loss of the spring.

Jones said Chase ran around pursing Allison all night and got support on the other side of the eld from Tabor Holley.

“Kayleigh played very well against a good scoring threat,” he said. “We had to have that kind of defense to give us scor-

ing chances. Tabor also held it down, and Isla was solid in the net. She’s not had a great statistical season but has been a steady force for us.”

Chase is the third stopper this season. The Panthers lost Savannah Hill early in the season to an injury and Zoe Cavangaugh became sidelined after the rst-round win over Camden County.

Gaby, a defender who can make noise in other spots of the eld, had her cartwheel-kick “throw-in” cartwheel kick turned into the second score. The goal came o a rebound in the box.

“She should have gotten an assist,” said Jones. “She’s had a number of puts where we should have scored. It’s a strategic play that helps on restarts. She’s done it a lot, and many teams don’t know what to expect.”

Jones said his team adjusted to the eld surface.

“We did and whether or not practicing in the gym the previous two days helped, I couldn’t say,” he said.

“We played a very competitive schedule, and I felt we got a good draw in which we could compete with teams in front of us, regardless of their record or seed.”

Rah-rah for Roblero

Roblero, meanwhile, pulled the trigger on the Panthers’ 1-0 triumph over Camden County (16-6-1), in the third overtime session, though it took nearly 104 minutes.

The senior stepped up big time in the last half of the season for the biggest goal of her career.

She had 10 goals and 10 assists this spring. It was her

13th game scoring or having an assist.

“She’s been outstanding,” Jones said. “It was a tough game, and we found a way to win.”

The Bruins’ defense has allowed just 31 goals this season and had shutout 11 foes.

East Duplin held striker Kaelyn Windham (21 goals) in check to blank a team that is averaging nearly three scores a game.

It was the only time this season Windham did not score or provide an assist.

Pam Pack-ing a scoring punch

Washington, the Eastern Plains 2A champ, entered Monday’s match 10-0-1 in its last 11 encounters.

The Pam Pack (15-2-1) have outscoring the opposition 87-20 and have four players with double-digit goal resumes — Elizabeth Meza (18), Jamie Perez (15), Santi Small (13) and Naomi Huss (12).

The lone common foe between the schools is Richlands, who beat Washington 5-0 and East Duplin 4-1.

So, the Panthers could have a chance of playing in the fourth round as the winner takes on the survivor or No. 2 Roanoke Rapids (19-1) and ECC champ and No. 7 Southwest Onslow (15-3-3).

Longtime rival and No. 9 Clinton (12-8-3), who will be in East Duplin’s conference next fall, faces No. 1 Franklin Academy (21-0) in another thirdround match of interest. That winner hooks up against the winner of No. 4 Seaforth (19 -2-1) and No. 5 Manteo (16 -6).

Bulldogs, Tigers bow out in rst round

Wallace-Rose Hill and James Kenan su ered rst-round losses.

The Bulldogs (9-0) lost 2-1 to Trask, while the Tigers (9 -6) were dunked 8-0 by No. 13 North Carolina School of Science and Math (11-6-1).

Angela Rosales set up Bayleen Flores for her 17th goal for WRH.

The Titans (15-4-2) beat the Bulldogs by the same score on opening night.

The Tigers’ loss ended a four-match winning streak.

ND’s Faison to continue basketball career at Fayetteville Tech

Few players have scored 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds like Tateyawna Faison, who leaves a winning legacy

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Tateyawna Faison put her imprint on a scorebox for the past four seasons. And the 6-foot center was a starter and player during North Duplin’s 88-17 run during that span.

The senior will take her game an hour west next fall to play basketball for Fayetteville Technical Community College. She signed a letter of intent two weeks ago in the ND Media Center.

Faison, who was an all-Duplin volleyball player and who

nished sixth in the 100 hurdles at the NSHSAA’s 1A track championships last Friday, averaged 16 points, 13 rebounds

and t3.3 blocks last winter when the Rebels went 24-5 and advanced to the fourth round of the playo s.

The Trojans were 12-13 last winter, playing community colleges in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.

FCC’s head coach Peace Shepard played for Kay Yow when NCSU made a visit to the Final Four and won more than 100 games in seven years coaching at Holly Springs. She played professionally for three seasons.

Faison, who was a second-team player on the NC Coaches Association’s District 2 team, scored 1,131 points during her career.

She was the inside force to augment the play of point guard and classmate Addy Higginbotham, and shooting guard Reece Outlaw, who graduated in 2024 and plays softball for UNC.

The threesome was dynamic and this season, Abby Rose. Lilly Fulghum and Maggie

Brown added contributions around the work of Faison and Higginbotham, both of which were all-Carolina Conference picks.

North Duplin won the CC’s Tournament for the fourth straight time and were regular season champs three of the past four seasons.

The Rebels went 22-2, 24-2 and 18-8 the previous three seasons under longtime coach John Oliver. Former Rebels hoopster and Kenansville physician Jon Kornegay took over in 2024.

Last fall, in volleyball, Faison had a team-high 127 kills, as she returned to the court after missing her junior season. Rebels volleyball coach Heather Best lured her back and her presence helped North Duplin nish 12-9 in a season that could have gone much worse without Faison.

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PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Tatewayna Faison recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

That should have been enough, but it was more painful for the Coastal Conference champs.

Olivia Crumpler followed with a RBI single, Penny Reese with a two-run double to right center and Strickland a two-run blast to dead center.

Richlands’ defense got Goin out of a jam in the eight after Reese reached third with one out.

Goin induced a weak ground to herself and caught Reese in a rundown between third and home, where La’Naya Jackson and catcher Piper Turner forced a tag that completed the double play.

Richlands also used a twin-killing to end the Trojans sixth when Addi Andrews, Jackson and Turner erased any thought of a rally.

Turner helped out in the fourth by gunning down Crumpler attempting to steal second base.

Otherwise, the Trojans were taken hostage by Goin, who struck out the side in the rst and third and who whi ed eight of her rst nine hitters.

Yet one loss didn’t dimmish Goin’s career or reputation.

She went 15-4 with 282 walks and 17 walks and had an ERA of 1.25 and had four saves as Richlands (20-6) had one of its greatest seasons ever.

She wound up third in the state in strikeouts.

Goin nished with a 43-17 four-year record, whi ng 853, walking 47 and posting a 1.05 ERA in 460 innings.

She also whi ed 30 during a 15-inning game against East Carteret in 2022 to become the eighth pitcher in state history to strike out at least 30 in one game.

Jackson, Cameron Cubas and Jailah Wilson rapped the only hits Richlands got o Strickland, who logged her ninth shutout of the season against Scotland County. She fanned eight and yielded a walk to Jackson as the only other base runner for Richlands.

Richlands’ biggest weakness — hitting — nally cost the Wildcats in a big game.

followed with a no-doubt about it three-run rocket.

Three Bear walks to start the second were an omen for more pain for the Rebels.

Perry hit a sacri ce y to score a run and passed ball made it 8-1.

North Duplin’s visit to the third round could be characterized by one play in the second inning when the Rebels were their worst enemy.

It started with a single by Candance Locklear to open the inning. She was picked o but Melany Sanchez and M’chelle Jaco followed though the top of the order could not produce., as the No. 2 though No. 4 hitters went down in order facing Lilley in the next frame.

The Rebels, who blanked River Mill (15-0) and Vance Charter (5-0) in the rst two rounds, had no answers on the diamond in Williamston.

The loss ends the career of shortstop/second baseman Addy Higginbotham, a four-year starter going to play softball at Wingate University, and Jaco.

North Duplin returns a team built around rising seniors Lil-

The Wildcats hit a mere .229 as a team. South Johnston’s team average is .384 and league rival West Carteret was at .283.

Mercy rule win over Fighting Red Wolves

Yet Richlands had plenty of o ense during a 10-0 win over Cedar Ridge that ended in the fth after the Wildcats pushed across ve runs to force a mercy-rule nish. Goin had three hits and drove in a run. Jackson had two hits and three RBIs. Jordan Meece knocked two and Dakota Davis and Wilson also has run-scoring hits.

ly Fulghum, Ady Spence and Marissa Bernal and rising juniors Abby Norris and Gabby Zamudio.

Fulghum and Spence are both right-handed pitchers.

Gracie Higginbotham will come as a southpaw freshman hurler.

Norris showed great improvement behind the plate and Fulghum, Spence and Bernal become the Rebels’ Big 3 in the batter’s box, though Spence and Bernal will have to big producers with runners on base.

There’s simply no replacement for what Addy Higginbotham did for the Rebels — hitting, base running, defensively.

North Duplin su ered the same problem when Reese Outlaw graduated in 2024 and went on to play for UNC. It’s going to be a while before the opposition see big cracks in the Rebels’ victory bell.

The program is on stable ground, and in this case, the chant “four more years” is apropos.

Head coach Higginbotham, who coached more than a decade at the University of Mount Olive, is just digging in to work on scheduling improvement.

Goin had 14 strikeouts and limited Cedar Grove to two hits during a 76-pitch outing. She threw a season-high 126 against South Johnston.

Jackson nished the season with a .414 mark, while also leading the ’Cats RBIs (18), extra-base hits (13) and tied Cubas (.271) in runs (16). Goin (.312), Andrews (.277) and Wilson (.264) were second, third and fourth in hits.

Goin, Jackson, Meece, Andrews, Turner, Wilson and Davis graduate in June, leaving head coach Matt Lovely with a rebuilding project. Leado hitter Cubas will be the lone returning starter.

The Rebels didn’t get the competition needed for a topight program facing mediocre or worse teams in the Carolina Conference.

Next season the league drops Rosewood, its best softball team aside for North Duplin, and replaces the Eagles with East Columbus, East Bladen and West Columbus, while keeping Lakewood, Union and Hobbton. East Columbus is the lone 1A. The other six are 2A schools.

The NCHSAA goes from four to eight classi cations in the fall. The conference update is done every four years and based a number of students in grades 9 to 12.

Look for Higginbotham to battle Fulghum for Ms. Baseball when Duplin Journal announces its postseason awards.

Both played basketball and will be in the running for Female Athlete of the Year, along with East Duplin’s Ja’Myah Pickett (basketball, track) and Kinsey Cave (basketball, softball, volleyball).

Rest assured, the little school that plays big-time softball and has avid fan-support, isn’t going away anytime soon.

Lilly Fulghum

North Duplin, softball

Lilly Fulghum is an all-county player softball and volleyball while making the second team in basketball.

Fulghum hit .620 this spring with eight doubles, three triples, seven homers, 11 walks and 18 RBIs, and she carved out an on-base-percentage of .732.

The junior went 5-2 in the circle with 63 strikeouts, 29 walks and an ERA of 1.20.

She played third base when sharing the pitching duties with junior Ady Spence.

Fulghum averaged 6.9 points in basketball as a starter on a 25-5 team, and in less than three seasons made more than 1,000 digs for the volleyball team.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Head coach Matt Lovely had his best season, leading Richlands to 20 wins.

ND from page B1

SIDELINE REPORT

AUTO RACING

Indianapolis 500 on pace for 1st sellout since 2016; local TV blackout to be lifted

Indianapolis The Indianapolis 500 is expected to be sold out and the local blackout will be lifted so fans in the area unable to attend can watch it live. It will be the rst grandstand sell-out since 2016. If the grandstands don’t reach capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway implements a local television blackout in which the race can only be watched inside the city later that day on replay. The race is expected to draw 350,000. The Indiana Pacers will also host an NBA playo game that evening.

MLB Ohtani throws 50-pitch bullpen session; Kershaw makes return Los Angeles Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery. Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in his previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. To make room on the roster for Kershaw, right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

NFL Brown detained after gunshots outside Ross’ boxing event

Miami Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown says he was brie y detained by police following an altercation in which gunshots were red outside Adin Ross’ celebrity boxing event in Miami. Miami police con rmed o cers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system. Police questioned several people but made no arrests. Brown posted on social media that he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me” at the popular streamer Ross’ event.

‘Celebrity gure’ coach Belichick touted as ‘great thing’ for ACC

UNC’s head coach attracted plenty of media attention at the ACC spring meetings

By Mark Long The Associated Press

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. —

Bill Belichick arrived fashionably late to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spring meetings, his rst one as UNC’s head coach.

Still wheeling luggage around the beachside resort in Amelia Island, Belichick banged his carry-on into the door frame as he joined league athletic directors, faculty representatives and football and basketball coaches.

It was a mildly awkward entrance for the ACC’s newest and brightest star. But if the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion caused a distraction, no one seemed to care.

The ACC, at least publicly, welcomed Belichick, baggage and all.

“I thought I was done being tortured by him,” joked Stanford interim coach Frank Reich, who went 6-7 against Belichick, including a win in Super Bowl 52, during 18 seasons on NFL sidelines.

Belichick, with a new public relations communications person by his side, declined most interview requests at the Ritz-Carlton. He did two football-only interviews with UNC reporters, sat alongside Clem-

TRACK from page B1

“I’ve been in the weight room a lot in the last year and while I’ve added muscle, I’ve also lost weight,” Pickett said. “In the shot you have to have a big push. The discus involves more leg action.”

She might have the most powerful legs in the East Region. Her leaping ability was on display in basketball as the top power forward on a Panthers team that went 24-5 and advanced to the fourth round of the 2A playo s.

East Duplin was 24-5 the previous campaign and lost in the third round in the postseason. Pickett was an all-Duplin rst-team player both seasons.

“I’m hoping to leave (for the Air Force) by the end of the year,” she said. “I’m going to miss track a lot, a lot, a lot. It’s di erent because I can go out and train by myself and not get caught up in distractions. It’s all about my personal performance.

Pickett said she, “had a great time in basketball,” and was helped by the additional instruction she got from Jay Southerland, possibly the best player to come from James Kenan.

“I like to compete and getting to the fourth round in basketball and winning the conference were a thrill and a big thing,” she said. “We almost took it to the end. But near the track is where I’m most comfortable.”

Hill, Faison wind up banner track careers

Hill, who won the 110 hur-

son coach Dabo Swinney for an ESPN feature and did a brief segment on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” whose appearance at the meetings surely had more to do with the former NFL coach than anything the conference had going on during its threeday event.

ESPN already had made UNC’s home opener against TCU a prime-time event, with Labor Day night becoming a showcase for Belichick’s college coaching debut. It could be a launching point for the league, which trails the Big Ten and the Southeastern conferences in brand recognition, television ratings and — most importantly — revenue.

“I think they ran to us be-

fore we could even run to them, our partners at Disney,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “Listen, it’s a great thing for the league. It’s a great thing for North Carolina. And we’re all following just the massive coverage that Coach Belichick draws.

“I don’t know that he’s got a private moment to himself at all from what I can see and read and what I follow. But I think it’s good. I think it’s good for our league. It’s good for certainly North Carolina. It’s good for college football people; it draws more interest. And it was enjoyable to have him here this week with our joint group in those meetings.”

Belichick, Reich and Bos-

ton College coach Bill O’Brien give the league three former NFL coaches, though none come with the titles and headaches — Spygate, De ategate and more — of Belichick. Their experience and insight were widely regarded, not surprising considering many top programs are adapting NFL models as they navigate a changing landscape on the doorstep of paying players for use of their name, image and likeness.

With no TV cameras chasing his every move, the 73-year-old Belichick was somewhat removed from the spotlight during the ACC event.

It may have been a welcome respite after the past few weeks, when he defended 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson for shutting down questions about their relationship, which has drawn outsized attention given their age gap.

“I don’t know that I concern myself with some of those things,” Phillips said. “I think about the elements that a ect the ACC. Some of those other things, I really don’t even pay that much attention to.”

“Bill’s been great to work with,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “He’s a celebrity gure, and he’s doing a great job for us.”

Added Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: “He’s an amazing football coach. You don’t get lucky and do what he did, especially in the NFL where the margin is so, so small. He’s going to be great for our league.”

dles at the Mideast Region, placed second in the 300 hurdles and triple jump and was fourth in the long jump, nished up his career by showing out for was fth in the shorter hurdle race with a 15.28 clocking.

He nished two places lower in that event last season.

Hill moved up a spot after

landing sixth in his preliminary race in 15.32.

The senior won both hurdle races and was second in the long jump at the Carolina 1A Conference championships nearly a month ago.

Faison, also a senior, was sixth in the 100 hurdles in 16.90, while also moving up a place from

her 17.34 nish in the prelims.

She nished sixth last spring in the same event. She was 11th in her “new” event, the 200 (27.31).

Ru n’s 48-foot push in the shot put left the junior him in seventh. The UNC football recruit’s 48-10 throw in the 2024 nals was good enough for third.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO UNC coach Bill Belichick takes part in a March press conference.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

put at the 1A state meet.

obituaries

Barbara Woodru Miller

June 11, 1934 – May 12, 2025

Barbara Woodru Miller, age 90, passed away on Monday, May 12.

Born in Greensville County, Virginia on June 11, 1934, she was the daughter of the late John Russell Woodru Sr. and Mary Tudor Woodru . She was also preceded in death by her husband, Milton Smith Miller; daughter Jennifer Miller Green; sisters, Betty Israel, Mary Purcell; and brothers, John R. Woodru Jr. and Wesley N. Woodru .

Barbara was most proud of her time as wife, homemaker and mother. She followed her Army husband to various locations including Columbia, Atlanta, Germany and nally settling in Hampton, Virginia. She enjoyed serving the PTA at her girls’ school holding several o ces on the board including President. She was awarded the lifetime PTA award. After the girls left middle school, she held various retail and o ce positions. Unfortunately, she became a single mother with the death of her husband in 1977. She moved to Beulaville to be with the Miller family. During that time, she worked at Theresa’s and Duplin General Hospital and attended Hallsville Presbyterian Church. In 1981, she moved to Roanoke Rapids to be with her sisters and brothers. In Roanoke Rapids, she was a member of Rosemary United Methodist Church where she enjoyed participating in their Women’s ministry of making chicken salad for their annual salad luncheon. She took great joy in her three grandchildren, often spending time in Raleigh or Rocky Mount to babysit. Barbara moved to Raleigh to be closer to her daughters in 2014 and then moved to Fort Mill, South Carolina in 2020 to be with Cheryl and the great-grandchildren.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Piner and her husband J.E.(Jim) of South Carolina; son-in-law, Mark LaMantia of Raleigh; granddaughter, Shannon Cox and her husband Jeremy of South Carolina;her grandsons, Brandon Piner and his wife Lauren of Texas and Cameron Green and his wife Zainab Alidina of Raleigh; great-grandchildren, Owen, Oliver, Amelia and Annelise Cox and Cecilia, Ellis, Webb and Holt Piner; sisters-in-law, Theresa Hussey and Geraldean Murray of Beulaville; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Cindy Purcell, John Crutchlow and Beth Blackwell who treated her as a surrogate mother.

A Funeral Service to celebrate Barbara’s life will be held on Thursday, May 15 at Community Funeral Home, Beulaville with Lay Minister Mark Houston o ciating. Burial followed the service at East Duplin Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends and relatives in the hour preceding service at Community Funeral Home.

Larry A. Hill

Sept 17, 1950 – May 14, 2025

Larry A. Hill, 74, of Florence, South Carolina passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 14 at his residence. A private graveside service will be held in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Cain Calcutt Funeral Home is honored to serve the Hill family.

Brenda DeLois Williams Bannnerman

March 11, 1948 – May 9, 2025

Brenda DeLois Williams Bannerman, age 77, of Fayetteville formerly of Duplin County, passed away on Friday, May 9 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville.

A viewing was held Saturday, May 17 in the hour prior to funeral service at Rock sh A.M.E. Church in Teachey. Burial will follow at Rock sh Church Cemetery in Teachey.

She leaves to cherish her precious memories: husband, McA ee Bannerman Jr.; four sons: Antonio T. Bannerman (Maria) of Hope Mills, Michael D. Bannerman and Alvin M. Bannerman of Raleigh. and Larry J. Bannerman of Fayetteville; two sisters: Arlatha Batts (Ogden) of Wallace and Janice Johnson (Melvin) of Hampstead; sister/ cousin, Shirley L. Pickett of Wallace; ve grandchildren; one aunt, Florence Love of Wallace; niece raised in the home, Miranda Bannerman; grandchild raised in the home, Ayden M. Bannerman of Fayetteville; four sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law; a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.

Delilah Taylor Gomes

Jan. 30, 1934 – May 7, 2025

Delilah Taylor Gomes, 91, of Warsaw departed this life Wednesday, May 7 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

Visitation was Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Hawes Funeral Home chapel in Warsaw.

Funeral service was held May 16 at New Christian Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Rose Hill. The Duplin County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. conducted a ritualistic ceremony open to the public following service. The Celebration of Life Service will begin at 11:00 am. Funeral service was livestreamed on the Hawes Funeral Home, Warsaw, NC Facebook site. Interment followed the service at Devotional Gardens in Warsaw.

Born on Jan. 30, 1934 in Warsaw to the late Ernest and Argie (Bryant) Taylor, Delilah dedicated her life to education and community service. She retired in 1994 as Principal of West Haven Washington Science Tech Magnet School, after serving in multiple roles within the West Haven and New Haven public school systems for 30 years. After retirement, Delilah returned to Duplin County and reestablished her commitment to education and community service in Warsaw. Delilah was a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for more than 70 years, with recent membership in the Duplin County Alumnae Chapter. She provided vision and leadership to many civic and community organizations. Delilah received the NC Governor’s Long Leaf Pine award for volunteer service and was inducted in the Duplin County Hall of Fame in 2019.

Delilah leaves behind her daughter, Paula (Nathan) Gomes McCall; son, Michael (Annette Freeman) Gomes; many nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren, and an extensive network of family, friends and neighbors. She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 50 years, Paul R. Gomes.

Carl Delmas Sloan

Aug. 31, 1931 – May 12, 2025

Carl Delmas Sloan, 93, passed away on Monday, May 12 in Kempton of Jacksonville, Jacksonville. He is preced in death by his wife, Anita Sloan; and a son, David Carl Sloan. Funeral service was held Friday, May 16 at Community Funeral Home, Beulaville with visitation in the hour prior to service. Interment followed at Hosea Fountain Cemetery in Chinquapin. Surviving are his daugher, Anna Sloan Albertson (Timmy); grandchildren, Matthew Albertson and Kayla Albertson Gallagher (Braden).

Erlene Buckholts Gavin

July 12, 1950 – May 7, 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Erlene, a cherished wife, devoted mother, treasured mammy, and faithful servant of the Lord, who went home to be with Jesus on May 7, at the age of 74.

Erlene was the heart and soul of her family, always full of love, laughter, and grace. A woman of deep faith, she loved Jesus with all her heart and lived her life as a shining example of His love and kindness. Her commitment to serving others was evident in all she did, especially through her work at Rose Hill Baptist Church, where she joyfully gave her time, talents, and heart to ministries that blessed so many.

She was a passionate golfer who found great joy in the game, not just for the sport itself, but for the fellowship and fun it brought into her life. Her greatest joys, however, were found at homecooking up delicious meals in the kitchen, sharing stories and laughter around the table, and creating lifelong memories with her beloved children and grandchildren. She had a special gift for spoiling her grandkids, who lovingly called her “Mammy” and knew that a visit with her meant love, sweets, and plenty of hugs.

Alongside her devotion to family and faith, Erlene was also a sharp and determined businesswoman. She proudly ran and operated Coastal Exterminating, where she was known for her strong work ethic, integrity, and dedication to excellence. Her leadership left a lasting legacy in the community she served with pride.

Erlene united with her loving late husband, Lewis Gavin; her beloved children, Amanda Gavin, and Lee Gavin (Shannon Gavin); her adored grandchildren, Kaylee Gavin (Matt), Michael Peay (Makayla), Caden Gavin, and Mattie Gavin; and a host of extended family and friends who were all touched by her warmth, generosity, and unwavering faith.

Though we mourn her loss deeply, we rejoice in knowing that she is now at peace in the presence of her Savior. Her life was a beautiful testimony of love, service, and strength, and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Visitation was held Saturday, May 17 followed by the funeral service at Rose Hill Baptist Church.

Carolyn Benton Davis

Jan. 8, 1961 – May 11, 2025

Carolyn Benton Davis, age 64, of Benson and formally of Wallace, passed from this life to her eternal rest on Sunday, May 11. She was born on January 8, 1961 in Wilmington, daughter of the late Donald Ray Benton and Louise Hope Benton. Left to cherish her memory is her sister, Kaye Maynor and husband Earl of Benson; her nieces, Jessica Johnson and Katelin Benton; her nephew, Brian Benton and wife Christin; great nieces and nephews, extended family and friends who loved Carolyn dearly. Carolyn was a special lady who enjoyed the simplest things of life, but her greatest joy was her family. She was a caring and sweet lady who would do anything she could for anyone in need. She was a people’s person who loved to always be around others. Carolyn enjoyed singing in her church choir, shopping, spending time with family and especially eating out. With a great big heart, she always enjoyed volunteering in the community and recreation department. Carolyn always had a contagious smile whenever you saw her. Although she was disabled, Carolyn never let that stop her. She was very active and was an ‘on the go’ person. Carolyn will surely be missed, but treasured memories of her will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. Graveside service was held on Thursday, May 15 at Riverview Memorial Park with Reverend Raeford Carter o ciating.

Lena Joyce Swinson

Nov. 6, 1937 – May 15, 2025

Lena Joyce Jordan Swinson, age 87, of Wallace passed from this life to her eternal rest on Thursday, May 15. She was born on Nov. 6, 1937, in Sampson County, daughter of the late Bernice and Viola Jordan. She was also preceded in death by her husband Livie Tommie Swinson; her son Livie Austin Swinson and brothers, Graham Jordan, Marion Jordan and K.D. Jordan. Swinson was a dedicated member of Wallace Church of God where she served wherever she was needed.

Left to cherish her memory is her daughter Elaine Swinson Colonna of Wallace; grandchildren Damon Willets and wife Xena, Jacob Swinson and Joshua Swinson; along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that loved Joyce dearly.

Joyce was a caring mother and grandmother who loved her family with all her heart. Being a diligent homemaker and great cook, she lled her home with love and welcomed all who entered. Joyce was also a hard worker whether she was taking care of others or using her talents as an expert seamstress. She was a woman of uncommon character, beauty and grace; and to those who knew her, “an instrument of God’s love on this earth.” Joyce will surely be missed but treasured memories of her will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Funeral service was held on Monday, May 19 at QuinnMcGowen Funeral Home Wallace Chapel with the Reverend Todd Narron o ciating, followed by a private burial.

Dennis Lee Ezzell

June 26, 1948 – May 14, 2025

Dennis Lee Ezzell, 76, passed away Wednesday, May 14 at Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Dennis was born June 26, 1948 in Duplin County to the late Norman Ezzell and Mattie Hare Ezzell.

Visitation preceded the service on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at Community Funeral Home of Warsaw. A funeral service was held in the funeral home chapel, with burial concluding the service in Devotional Gardens.

Dennis is survived by his loving wife, Maybelle Darden Ezzell of the home; daughters, Pam E. Futrell and husband Herman of Warsaw, and Lisa E. Humphrey and husband Dwayne of Warsaw; grandchildren, Ashley Atchley and husband Seth of Alabama, Madison Humphrey and Jackson Humphrey, both of Warsaw; and great-granddaughter, Caroline Atchley. Dennis is also survived by brothers, Norbert “Pa” Ezzell of Albertson and Dwight Ezzell of Warsaw; and sisters, Doris Southerland of Bayboro and Angie Blake and Tommy Kornegay of Jacksonville; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Dennis was preceded in death by brothers, Tommy Ezzell, Burgus Ezzell, and Steven Ezzell and sister, Becky Ward.

Maggie Smith Thompson

Sept. 18, 1931 – May 11, 2025

Maggie Smith Thompson, 93, of Warsaw passed away peacefully on May 11 at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville. Funeral service was held May 19, 2025 at Greater Six Runs Missionary Baptist Church in Turkey. Public viewing was held one hour prior to the service.

Maggie was the cherished daughter of the late Dave Smith and the late Bertha Armwood Smith. Maggie was preceded in death by her husband, Luther Thomas Thompson; son, David Thompson; daughters, Patricia Oates and Delora Thompson Ford; grandson, Shawn Kenan; brothers, Fulton Smith, John Armwood, Samuel Armwood and Wiley Jackson; sisters, Bessie Smith, Roselle Smith and Evelyn Chestnut.

Maggie is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Peggy Teachey (Raymond); sisters, Doris Smith and Mamie Langston; grandchildren, David Thompson (Gina), Tabitha Ragland (Christopher), Juno Kenan, Luther Thompson (Letitia), Shareeka Hooks (Michael), Morrell Carroll (Jo), and Mia Carroll. Her legacy continues through twelve greatgrandchildren and four greatgreat-grandchildren. She held a special place in her heart for her niece, Mary Herring and nephew, James Smith. In addition to her immediate family, Maggie is fondly remembered by numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends whose lives she touched.

A life marked by love and devotion, Maggie’s memory will be treasured by all who knew her. May her legacy bring comfort and strength to those she leaves behind.

Michael “Mike” David Pate

June 7, 1959 – May 16, 2025

Michael “Mike” David Pate, 65, of Kenansville passed away quietly Friday, May 16 at the ECU Health, Home Health and Hospice - The Service League of Greenville. Michael a ectionately known as “Mike” was born June 7, 1959 at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, South Dakota to the late Paul G. Pate and Eva Rosenlind Pate.

Left to cherish his memory are wife: Esther Rogers Pate of the home; daughter, Kaye Gri n and husband Shane Gri n of Faison; grandchildren, Caden, Cheyenne, and Joanna Gri n; siblings, Paul D. Pate and wife Kimberly Pate of Nevada and their children; nephew, Aaron Pate and wife Lindsay and their kids Emma and Luke Pate; nephew, Benjamin Pate and wife Lacey and their kids Marius and Alethea; Lisa Pate Woodward and husband Steven of Florida and their kids Kelsey and Alexis. Mike cherished all of his family. Aunts, Uncles, and many cousins. He held each of them near and dear to his heart and wanted you to know it when he saw you!

For many years Mike dedicated

his skills as an auto mechanic, becoming a familiar face at Frank Steed’s Tire Service. His favorite part of the job was being able to run the wrecker service. Frank was someone he looked up to and cherished and called him friend. Through that friendship, he proudly volunteered with the Warsaw Fire Department and EMS for a few years, demonstrating a desire to serve his community. He enjoyed being around people and never met a stranger. He loved going shing and always found time to go when he could with his friends. He enjoyed working with his Son in Law, Shane, with lawn care and landscaping. He found pride in it because as he often said “Shane is the son I never had and I love him”. Mike often reminisced about his childhood, particularly his time in New Mexico and at his late grandparents, Clarence and Sudie Pate’s home where he had fond memories of cousins, aunt, uncles and friends. Becoming deaf as an infant led to a strong sense of belonging within the Deaf Community where he encompassed meaningful bonds to friends at Eastern NC School for the Deaf of Wilson NC and NC School for the Deaf in Morganton. He met his wife, Esther of 41 years there. He continued after school as a known supportive friend and always o ered assistance to many before his health declined. He possessed a notable sense of humor and often aimed to bring laughter to those around him. Most importantly, Mike was a sinner saved by grace. We nd comfort knowing that in Heaven, in the presence of Jesus, his spirit now joins the choir of praise-singing with sound. Isaiah 35: 5-6

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

Annette (Hood) Robinson

Sept. 9, 1929 – May 10, 2025

Marjorie Annette Hood Robinson of Rose Hill passed from her earthly life on May 10 while at The Gardens of Rose Hill in Rose Hill. Born on September 9, 1929, she is the daughter of the late Harvey Leon and Eunice Edgerton Hood. Also preceding her in death are her husband, Joseph Edward Robinson Sr.; son, Joseph Edward

Frankie Hairr Andrews

Nov. 3, 1936 – May 16, 2025

Frankie Mae Hairr Andrews, 88, of Calypso, passed away peacefully at her home on Friday evening, surrounded by her loving family. Frankie was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose life was de ned by faith, family, and a deep sense of care for those around her. A longtime member of Faison Baptist Church, she made it her mission to ensure her family was always present

Robinson Jr.; and siblings, Thomas Allen Hood, Harvey Leon Hood Jr., Edna Earle Simmons, Joe Carlton Hood, Floyd Edgerton Hood, James Robert Hood and Thelma Hood Gavin Williams.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Stephen Earl Robinson and wife Mary Jo of Wallace; daughter-in-law, Emma Jean Robinson of Rose Hill; grandchildren, Danielle Strickland and husband Phillip of Salemburg, Mary Katherine Robinson of Wallace, and Joseph Edward Robinson III of Rose Hill; great-grandchildren: Harper Ann Strickland, Claire Reid Strickland, Pearce Kennedy Strickland, all of Salemburg; Connor Stephen Southerland, Benjamin Joseph Robinson, James Winston Robinson, all of Wallace; and siblings, Eunice Carter Baldwin and husband Kelly of Bladenboro, Julian B. Hood of South Carolina, and Roy Lee Hood of Toronto, Canada.

Annette was a very special lady to everyone who made her

and involved. Her home was a gathering place, lled with warmth, delicious home-cooked meals, and enough love (and food) to go around. She is survived by her children and their spouses; Vickie Sutton and husband Gary of Mount Olive, Martha Sutton and husband Billy of Mount Olive, Janet Hollingsworth and husband David of Faison, Lori Jones and husband Jimmy of Calypso, Brian Andrews and ancée Natalie Webb of Nashville, NC. She was also blessed with many grandchildren; Kellie Witherington and husband Gary, Lee Sutton and wife Julie, Ashley Pate and husband Jim, Amanda Buckner and husband Stephen, Lindsay Gregory and husband Jake, Andrew Hollingsworth and ancée Renee Price, Ryan Tillman and wife Heather, April Goodson and husband Josh, Nicholas Andrews, Trevor Andrews, and Shanna Lawrence and husband Eric. Her legacy continues in her 18 beloved great-grandchildren. Frankie is also survived by her siblings; Paulette Carter and husband Oliver of Lake

acquaintance. With a son who was a high school coach, she developed a love in attending ballgames and enjoyed sports of all kinds. For more than thirty years, she worked with Leder Brothers department store in Clinton. As an awesome cook, her biggest enjoyment was in making sweet goods for the Christmas season to give to others. As an active member of her Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Rose Hill, she served in many capacities and was an elder of the church. The family is very thankful to all of her caregivers these past few years— the Gardens of Rose Hill, Gentiva Hospice, and in-home caregivers Pam Cole and Kathy Strickland. She cherished her family more than anything else on earth and always looked forward to

family also wishes to express their gratitude to Frankie’s special friends and caretakers; Nikki Wolfe, Dot Gray, and Bean and Carolyn Cottle. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell Conway Andrews; her parents, Allen Gilbert and Rose Bass Hairr; and her siblings, Charles Hairr, Shirley Banks, Homer Hairr, Arnold Hairr, and Stanley Hairr. Frankie took great pride in her yard and cherished time spent cooking for her family. Her legacy is one of generosity, devotion, and quiet strength.

A Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 20, at 11:00 a.m. at Faison Baptist Church, with Rev. Paul Rose and Andy Beard o ciating. Burial will follow in the Calypso Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home, and at other times at the home.

Waccamaw, Julie Medlin and husband Scott of Benson, Ellen Parker and husband Kenneth of Salemburg, and Joseph Hairr and wife Susan of Kinston.The

Stanly NewS Journal

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are e ective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and bene ts of the shot. “We simply don’t know whether a healthy 52-year-old woman with a normal BMI who has had Covid-19 three times and has received six previous doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will bene t from the seventh dose,” the article said, noting that countries including Australia and France only recommend the shot for those 65 and older or high-risk.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of GOP lawmaker who ID’d trans teen athlete online

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identi ed a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democraticcontrolled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the oor after refusing to apologize. Libby said the punishment violates her right to free speech and leaves her district without representation.

Church group volunteers to start community garden in Albemarle

A

local

faith-based group planted the garden on Graham Street

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Volunteers from various Stanly churches have started a project they hope grows into something big and fruitful for residents.

Stanly County HELPS, a volunteer group from various churches, started a new community garden at 427 Graham St. in Albemarle.

Bishop Gwen Lanning of Albemarle’s Sanctuary Christian Outreach said the idea for the new garden came in part from the Bible.

“Everything starts with a seed,” Lanning said. “You put the seed in the ground, in the soil, and it will bring forth. It will produce, and the fruit that it produces has a seed in it.”

She added, “That’s what God told Adam and Eve; be fruitful and multiply. I believe in the principles in the Bible.”

When Lanning asked members of her church’s youth group

about ideas for a community project, the garden was a popular suggestion.

Using information from YouTube and consultations with local farmers, Lanning secured donations from several local companies. Pate Masonry donated a truckload of topsoil, while Mauney’s Feed Mill gave a pile of compost. Lanning said Lowe’s gave the group “tremendous discounts” on the materials necessary for the planting beds. Other business donated old pallets for the beds to sit on.

The Cabarrus o ce of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, working with the Stanly o ce, provided water barrels to collect rainwater.

Last Friday, volunteers constructed the beds and planted seeds and plants, including tomatoes, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, beans and more.

Lanning said she sees the garden “bringing the community together to be able to inspire them to do things that we can do. We can use our own energy, our time and our e orts to produce something great that will bless the whole communi-

“Everything starts with a seed. You put the seed in the ground, in the soil, and it will bring forth. It will produce, and the fruit that it produces has a seed in it.”

Bishop Gwen Lanning, Sanctuary Christian Outreach

ty, and even turn it into a business as it grows.”

In the future, the group’s goals are to build the garden into something bigger, possibly a full-sized farm that could provide jobs and educate young people about agriculture.

“This garden site is too small for what we envision,” Lanning said. “This is to get it started. We can iron out the kinks. We are looking for a much bigger place.”

Pastor Michael Scott of New Directions Ministries in Norwood, co-chair of Stanly County HELPS, blessed the plants

Parks and Recreation plan presented to city council

“This is a real glimpse for you to understand what’s going on and what the interests are of your public.”

Nate Halubka, McGill Associates

It covers the next 10 years of local park usage

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — At the Albemarle City Council meeting on Monday night, councilmembers were presented with an overview of the Albemarle Parks and Recreation Department’s Comprehensive Plan.

The 10-year recommended action plan covers each of the city’s parks and programs, setting the stage for the next decade of planning for the department that maintains 300 acres of land shared between the Albemarle Soccer Complex, City Lake Park, Hearne Park, Don Montgomery Park, Chuck Morehead Park and Rock Creek Park. Over the last eight months, engineering and consulting

rm McGill Associates has worked with the parks and rec department, Albemarle City Council, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and community members on the details of the 200-page plan.

Nate Halubka, project consultant at McGill Associates, provided councilmembers with a synopsis of the plan and focused on strategies that could enhance Albemarle’s parks and rec facilities.

“This is a real glimpse for you to understand what’s going on and what the interests are of your public,” Halubka said.

“You have some larger capital needs, but I think your low-hanging fruit right now if you want to move towards attracting more residents is if you can go through and start to do beauti cation in your park system. Update the

and seeds before they were planted.

Scott said Stanly County HELPS has “brought together several faith-based organizations to put our minds together to address some of the needs in the communities.”

Food insecurity was one pressing community need the group hopes the garden will address, Scott added, noting the higher food prices in stores along with the elderly not having health food choices or even access to food.

“We can do this together. We pooled our resources and efforts together, our people together,” Scott said.

Stanly HELPS, he added, has other concerns for the community, including domestic violence, a ordable child care, job skills development, mental health awareness and elderly care.

Volunteers are needed for shifts to help maintain the garden Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8-10 a.m., Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 2 p.m. Call 336-456-1364 or email fgrant. stanlycohelps@gmail.com.

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PHOTOS BY CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

Top left: Bishop Gwen Lanning (left) and Pastor Michael Scott plant cucumbers. Bottom left: Volunteers get seedlings into the soil. Right: Felicia Grant (left) works on planting tomatoes with volunteer Shymari Huntley.

WEDNESDAY

By Jesse Deal Stanly

Journal

ALBEMARLE — For the 14th year, North Carolina’s local wine industry will be celebrated with the help of the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation.

However, this upcoming event — the inaugural Summertime Sip Festival on Saturday, May 31 from noon to 5 p.m. — serves as both a reintroduction and rebranding of Albemarle’s annual one-stop shop where wine lovers can sample some of the area’s nest wines in one spot.

“Formerly known as the Stanly County Winter Wine Fest, this reimagined event has a fresh name, a sunny new format, and a vibrant outdoor setting in Courthouse Plaza and the surrounding downtown area,” the ADDC announced.

“It’s a full afternoon of sipping, shopping and celebrating all things local — and we can’t wait to welcome you.”

The event will also include artisan craft vendors and a performing DJ.

Past versions of the festival have featured a dozen vineyards from across Stanly and neighboring counties, such as Dennis Vineyards, Stony Mountain Vineyards and Cabo Winery in Concord, as well as food trucks like What-A-Burger, Higgins and Sons BBQ, Hilltop Seafood and On-Time Snacks.

Tickets for the Summertime Sip Festival can be purchased at the wine fest’s Eventeny ticket link located at both albemarledowntown.com and stanlycountywinterwinefest.com.

General admission tickets are $30 while “designated

Attendees at a previous Stanly County Winter Wine Fest explore the event’s

“When

you attend the Summertime Sip Festival, you’re doing more than enjoying a great day out — you’re investing in your community.” Albemarle Downtown Development Corp.

driver” tickets are $10 each.

The former option includes a souvenir tasting glass, wine samples from a wide variety of North Carolina wineries, access to all food trucks, craft vendors and festival activities, as well as the ability to purchase wine by the glass, bottle or case; the latter option provides entry to the festival and access to all food and craft vendors.

Proceeds from the festival will assist the ADDC in its efforts to bene t the city.

“When you attend the Summertime Sip Festival, you’re doing more than enjoying a great day out — you’re investing in your community,” the ADDC’s event advertisement continued.

“Proceeds from the event help fund downtown beauti cation projects, small business grants, and community development initiatives. Your support helps us grow a vibrant, welcoming and thriving Albemarle Downtown for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”

The festival has typically attracted around 1,500 people annually, with previous locations under the Stanly County Winter Wine Fest banner having taken place at Market Station and in downtown Albemarle on First and Second Street.

Revamped from a February event to a warmer springtime gathering, Summertime Sip Festival will be one of Courthouse Plaza’s premier events, highlighting the renovated alleyway in downtown Albemarle stretching from West Main Street to King Avenue that was unveiled as the city’s newest public gathering space last June.

With funding from ElectriCities of North Carolina and the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act, the plaza has been designed to become a local hub for live music, festivals and special events.

STANLY happening

May

May 14

• Jose Roberto Barrientos Torres, 41, was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence.

• Heather Pressley Wiggins, 37, was arrested for violating school attendance law.

• Tress Antonio Lilly, 34, was arrested for assault by strangulation, assault on a female, misdemeanor domestic violence, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and communicating threats.

May 15

• Sherria Jackson, 45, was arrested for felony larceny.

May 16

• Charles Andrew Phillips, 38, was arrested for damaging real property and disorderly conduct.

• John Marvin Wood, 42, was arrested for incest with a child aged 13-15, taking indecent liberties with a child, second-degree forcible rape, second-degree forcible sex o ense and rst-degree statutory sex o ense.

May 17

• James Curtis Vanhoy, 49, was arrested for seconddegree trespass.

May 20

• Dakota Wayne Rowland, 29, was arrested for felony

possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, driving with a license revoked due to impairment and maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances.

• Kynyatta D’Myr Tshiona, 25, was arrested for eeing arrest with a motor vehicle, driving with a license revoked, speeding, failing to heed light or siren, expired registration, failing to display registration plate, resisting a public o cer, violating local ordinance, damaging real property, misdemeanor domestic violence, robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony larceny of a motor vehicle and assault on a female.

located across the street from Locust Elementary School. Open May through September. Corner of 24/27 and Vella Drive Locust

May 28

Storytime 10-10:30 a.m.

Social group for children 3-plus for story, singing and dancing time. Children must be accompanied by parents at all times.

133 E. Main Street Albemarle

May 29

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 30

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 Ave. Norwood

COURTESY ALBEMARLE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable. According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are bene ting, and

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Scapegoating Joe Biden isn’t going to solve the Democratic Party’s problems

The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

“WE GOT SO SCREWED by Biden, as a party,” former Obama adviser David Plou e is quoted saying in a New Yorker excerpt from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its CoverUp, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

The supposition of the piece, headlined “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” is that Democrats only failed to hold the White House because of Biden’s prideful obstinacy.

Scapegoating Biden for all the left’s considerable political problems is an ugly hypocrisy. It is also self-delusional. There is a reason the Democratic Party’s polling is at historic lows right now, and it’s not just Biden’s memory problems.

Let’s recall that every congressional Democrat decided to shoehorn the In ation Reduction Act into law even after most economists warned it would plunge the nation into price spikes. Biden wasn’t the only one leaning into the hysterics of “semi-fascism.” If anything, Biden had merely adopted the social science quackery on gender that so many Democrats champion.

Did any elected Democrat speak out about the anarchy of illegal immigration? If so, I must have missed it. Yet, according to a preelection Pew poll, 78% of people believed the border was a crisis or major problem.

One of the big criticisms of Biden is that he failed to make room for another candidate earlier. Almost surely, Kamala Harris would have been the nominee regardless of when Biden dropped out. Does anyone really believe a hyper-ambitious politician ensconced in the White House was going to step aside or let some middling governor

wrest the nomination from her? The only Democrat who consistently outperformed Harris in most polls after Biden’s debate debacle was Michelle Obama. It was going to be Harris.

What makes anyone think that Harris would have experienced more success had she enjoyed more time? After an initial jolt up, the vice president’s popularity steadily declined. Harris needed less time, not more. The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

Harris, like any other possible Democratic candidate, was compelled to run on the president’s record. And that record, championed by virtually every Democrat, was unpopular long before the media were compelled to acknowledge the president’s declining mental state.

The Democratic Party had blown it. Polls found that only 36% approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, 28% approved of his handling of immigration, 33% approved of his handling of foreign policy and 30% approved of his handling of the Middle East. Now, even with those numbers, elections are a contest between two visions. A CBS News poll found that 65% of Americans remember the economy under Trump fondly, while only 38% said the same about Biden.

Does anyone really believe that Govs. Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear or JB Pritzker possess the kind of charismatic personality or compelling message to overcome that record? It’s exceptionally unlikely.

Plou e might have been one of the few Democrats who publicly questioned the wisdom of running a man whose mental acuity had slipped for years. Until the

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

day of the rst 2024 presidential debates, however, virtually the entirety of the party and media had been shielding Biden. If the president had refused to debate Trump, the left would have almost surely kept on concealing Biden’s condition. It had no choice but to turn on the president once he had been exposed.

We learn in The New Yorker that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney at the infamous Hollywood fundraiser where Barack Obama had to lead the president o stage by hand. Recall that even at this point, the big media were still gaslighting the public about the president’s deteriorating acuity. Three days later, Tapper’s colleague wrote in CNN’s media newsletter that the claim had been a “fabrication.”

Two days before the debate, thenMajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had told reporters the president was sharper than he’d been in years. “He’s ne. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” he said.

In he New Yorker piece, we learn that Schumer would speak to Biden on the phone regularly, “and, after some chit chat,” the president would “admit that he’d forgotten why he’d called. Sometimes he rambled. Sometimes he forgot names. Schumer wasn’t concerned about Biden’s acuity, but he was worried about the optics.”

The president is the most powerful man in the world, and the Senate leader was worried about optics. So, indeed, was the rest of his party. Which is merely to say that Democrats screwed themselves.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

Ex-White House chef for 5 presidents says rst families ‘just regular people’

Cristeta Comerford handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for ve presidents and their guests, says rst families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the rst families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then nished o in the residence kitchen on the second oor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen sta , is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Each of the ve families she served approached food di erently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenrst lady Hillary Clinton hired the rst American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine

from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stu ed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said.

Trump and rst lady Melania Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The rst lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the rst Italian American rst lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s di erent for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent a airs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s rst term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader.

The rst lady’s sta and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized.

She’d develop at least three di erent menus. Then came

“It’s di erent for each family, but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive chef

tastings for the rst lady to make a nal decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the rst woman and rst person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacri cing his career

to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the rst Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do ne dining meals,” she said. “You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, accord-

ing to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.” Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military.

Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the rst Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War.

But his stint ended after less than four years when the new rst lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961. Miller said the book o ers a “ unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and nd out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House on April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Trump EPA dials back some planned limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Limits on two common types, PFOA and PFOS, will still go into e ect

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were nalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the rst federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or per uoroalkyl and poly uoroalkyl substances, nding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.

The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion, e ectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The development was rst reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying

COUNCIL from page A1

landscaping and the signage — and do some brand standards and brand management — so that whenever people are coming in and using your park system and they’re not familiar with it, they get a little bit of an awe factor whenever they come in and step into one of your parks.”

Using a graph of cell phone

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance.”

Lee

Zeldin, EPA Administrator

more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

Erik Olson, a senior strategist at the nonpro t Natural Resources Defense Council, said the move is illegal. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.

“With a stroke of the pen, EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans,” Olson said.

President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental rules and more oil and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks. The EPA plans to loosen regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, cleanup standards for coal plant waste and car emission limits, among many other clean air and water rules.

Zeldin’s history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals.

Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that re ghting foam snu ed out ames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at

data to chart activity, the project consultant highlighted the city’s high level of park usage compared to a state average and also brought up the bene cial economic impact of parks on local businesses. His assessment included a caveat that the city’s park system is robust but strained, with areas needing upgrades in accessibility, lighting and sta ng to support increased

Former VP Pence in NC, speaks against Trump’s tari s

He praised House Republicans on the “one big beautiful” tax bill

By Gary D. Robertson

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke Monday in North Carolina against the Trump administration’s zealous e orts to impose tari s on trading partners worldwide — another e ort that shows his willingness to split at times with his former boss.

The education arm of Pence’s political advocacy group kicked o in Raleigh a series of events nationwide that was also billed as building support to extend individual income tax reductions enacted by Trump and fellow Republicans in 2017 but set to expire at year’s end.

far lower levels became clearer.

The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.

The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.

Utilities see partial relief, activists see a backslide

Some utilities have been surprised to nd out they are over limits. And small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we know are bad, and we are going to need more time. Some utilities are just nding out now where they stand,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications rm.

Some utilities wanted a higher limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering rm CDM Smith. He suspects the utility industry will continue to sue over those limits. Environmental groups will likely le challenges, too.

Melanie Benesh, vice president of government a airs at the nonpro t Environmental Working Group, said utilities may not have to install treatment that’s as broadly e ective if they just have to focus on two types of older PFAS.

“You really reduce what utilities have to do to make sure that the other, newer generation PFAS are captured” she said.

When the Biden administration announced its rule, the head of the EPA traveled to North Carolina and was introduced by activist Emily Donovan, who said she was grateful for the rst federal standards. She had long campaigned for tougher rules for GenX substances that had contaminated a local river.

Now the EPA says it will roll back those GenX limits.

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing,” she said.

demand and tourism potential.

“Right now, if they step in, depending on what park they go to, they either get a wow factor or they think ‘these parks get used a lot,’” Halubka noted. “Update the look of some of your parks and update that signage so that they know how to get around. That just sets you up to be able to market better as you move towards the more pricier, capital side of things that help draw people in.”

for more common sense reforms in Medicaid.”

Three days ago, Moody’s Ratings mentioned the 2017 tax cuts as it stripped the U.S. government of its top credit rating, citing the inability of policymakers to rein in debt.

Conservatives see the tax cuts as providing fuel for the economy while putting more money in taxpayers’ pockets. Democrats say the wealthiest Americans bene t the most from them.

Pence told the AP the larger issue is the unwillingness of politicians to consider “commonsense, compassionate” entitlement reforms for Medicare and Social Security that would address the nation’s nearly $37 trillion of debt and “set us back on a path of scal integrity.”

In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Pence praised congressional Republicans for pushing ahead President Donald Trump’s bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, saying “there should be no higher domestic priority” than making permanent the tax cuts passed in Trump’s rst term. But much of the meeting focused on Pence and key conservative business leaders in North Carolina opposing Trump’s recent tari e orts.

Monday’s event marked another step by Pence to try to distinguish himself among the small group of Republicans in Washington willing to publicly criticize policies sought by the second Trump administration. Pence and others said protectionism would ultimately harm the U.S. economy in the form of higher prices and employment losses.

“It is ultimately for the most part American consumers that will pay the price of higher tari s,” Pence said at the event assembled by Pence’s Advancing American Freedom Foundation and the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation.

The massive 1,116-page budget bill, which also contains additional tax breaks that Trump campaigned for in the 2024 election — as well as spending reductions and beefed-up border security — initially failed to pass the House Budget Committee late last week.

A handful of conservatives who voted against the bill want further cuts to Medicaid and green energy tax breaks. House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to send the bill to the Senate by Memorial Day. The bill cleared the committee in a rare Sunday night meeting, but Johnson told reporters afterward that negotiations were ongoing.

“I’m encouraged,” Pence told the AP after Monday’s event.

”I’m grateful that conservatives in the House have been pressing

Pence said at the roundtable that he’s proud of Trump’s rstterm e orts to use the tari threat to reach new free-trade agreements with trading partners. And Pence agreed that China is an exception for retaliatory tari s, citing intellectual property theft and dumping products like steel onto world markets. But Trump’s second-term e ort, seeming to make tari s large and permanent, are very di erent and misguided, he said.

Trump has said broad tari s on foreign goods are needed to narrow the gap with taxes other countries place on U.S. goods.

Trump said that countries “have to pay for the right to sell here,” Pence said in recalling rst-term conversations. “Any time I’d remind him that actually it’s American importers that pay the tari , he would look a little annoyed at me from time to time and say, ‘I know how it works.’ And then he’d say, ‘but they have to pay.’”

While the former Indiana governor and U.S. House member refused to break with Trump during their time serving together, the two had a falling out over his refusal to go along with Trump’s e orts to remain in o ce after losing the 2020 election. Trump had tried to pressure Pence to reject election results from swing states where the Republican president falsely claimed the vote was marred by fraud.

A 2024 presidential campaign by Pence — and potentially against Trump — ended early. He committed to invigorating Advancing American Freedom by promoting conservative principles as Trump’s brand of populism has taken hold in the GOP.

Pence’s group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And Pence also has spoken in favor of Trump standing with long-standing foreign allies.

In a parks and rec department analysis that featured two public meetings with more than 700 people, the comprehensive plan concluded that more trails, a splash pad, indoor playground, aquatics, picnic shelters, water sports, a community garden, outdoor athletic elds and an indoor multipurpose gym rank as some of the public’s highest interests for future updates. Mayor Ronnie Michael con-

rmed that the council will stick to its procedure of reviewing the full comprehensive plan before making an o cial approval action in a vote at a future meeting.

“You will get the 200-page report and then have time to digest it and everything before we ever consider it,” he said.

The Albemarle City Council is set to meet again on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL / AP PHOTO

Logan Feeney pours a water sample with forever chemicals, known as PFAS, into a container for research,at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati last April.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

Former Vice President Mike Pence makes a point during a Monday panel discussion on tari s held in Raleigh.

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed o cers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s o ce said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an o cer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an e ort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on Monday when she said in a so-

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

cial media post she instead was charging the congresswoman.

Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond. Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ o cial duties to serve their constituents and an e ort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in

American political discourse. Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip released by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed o cials go through the

gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and o cers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an o cer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it. It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, rst came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that.

House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

Melania Trump lobbied hard for the bill

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the rst lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her rst public appearance since resuming the role of rst lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the rst lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish intimate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps to delete duplicate content.

Many states have already banned the dissemination of

sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan sup -

port in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of le-

gitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The rst lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with lawmakers and young women

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s rst term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

First lady

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with rst lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

STANLY SPORTS

West Stanly baseball outduels

Randleman for 2-1 fourth-round win

By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal

THE WEST STANLY baseball program had not played in the fourth round of the state playo s for more than a decade before last Friday’s road game at Randleman. A close game the whole way, the Colts trailed by a run for ve innings but scratched two runs across in the sixth and played solid defense to advance to the regional series, 2-1.

The win for West puts the Colts into the regional nals for the rst time since the 1991 season. The best nish for a West Stanly baseball program was two seasons before, when the Colts nished as state runners-up. Cooper Crisco was outstanding on the mound for West Stanly (22-6), going 62⁄3 innings and allowing one run on three hits with six walks and nine strikeouts.

Randleman (20-6) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the rst inning, but a critical defensive play paid dividends later in the game. After the Tigers took the lead on a throwing error, the

next batter, Jake Riddle, singled to left. Caleb Foley threw a strike to the catcher, Ben Mecimore, cutting down the runner. Mecimore then red to second where Bailey tagged Tate Andrews out to end the inning. Drew Hatley, as he did in last Tuesday’s win versus North Stanly, delivered again for the Colts. With no outs in the top of the six, Carpenter walked and got the third on two balks from two di erent pitchers. Hatley then doubled

Pfei er softball comes up short in NCAA Regional

The Falcons were defeated by Salisbury on Saturday

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — With a nal record of 37-9, the Pfei er University softball team’s 2025 season and postseason have both come to an end.

The Falcons entered the double-elimination Regional stage of the 62-team 2025 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament on May 15, starting o as the No. 2 seed within the four-team Salisbury Regional in Salisbury, Maryland. Coming o its third-straight USA South Tournament Title victory, Pfei er was blanked 8-0 by the No. 3 Mount Union Purple Raiders in the rst meeting between the two teams as the Falcons’ 23-game winning streak was snapped at an inopportune time.

Facing elimination with another loss, the Falcons — led by four-time USA South Coach of the Year Monte Sherrill — were then forced to win its next two games in order to play in the NCAA Regional Championship round on Saturday.

Pfei er proved to be up to that challenge.

The Falcons defeated No. 4 Westminster (PA) 3-1 on Friday and followed that victory up later that day with a 2-1 win in a rematch with Mount Union, landing Pfei er in the NCAA Regional Championship round on Saturday against Regional host Salisbury. It was a strong e ort for the Falcons following their opening-round loss just a few days prior, which was also their rst defeat since a 6-4 road loss to Christopher Newport back on March 15.

However, the Sea Gulls got a walk-o hit in the bottom

to right center eld to tie game.

Later in the sixth, Mecimore reached on a throwing error, then Logan Faile drove a y ball to right for an RBI sacri ce y to put the Colts up, 2-1.

“POut the ball in play and make something happen,” Faile said he was thinking during his at bat. “I hadn’t had a hit all game, but I felt good. I saw that curve ball and took it to the opposite eld.”

Crisco said his approach in taking the mound in the seventh with a one-run lead was

“to pound the strike zone as fast I could and let the defense work, trust the defense behind me.”

With two outs in the seventh, Crisco hit the 105-pitch limit, which brought Faile in the game in a save opportunity. He struck out Andrews in ve pitches to end the game.

Winning the game, Faile said, “was one of the best moments of our lives.”

West head coach Chad Yow, himself a former baseball standout for the Colts as a player, said he shared a quote from one of

“Everyone can do it when it’s easy, but champions show up in really, really tough times. That’s what happened tonight.”

his favorite coaches, former Cal State Fullerton and Texas head coach Augie Garrido.

“Everyone can do it when it’s easy, but champions show up in really, really tough times,” Yow said. “That’s what happened tonight.”

Regarding Hatley’s game-tying double, Yow said, “Drew came up in another Michael Jordan moment, and he pulled through just like Michael would, as opposed to LeBron James. The kid is clutch, big time.”

West Stanly, the No. 7 seed in the 2A West, will travel to No. 1 East Rutherford on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Game 2 of the series will be Thursday at The Ball Park at West Stanly, with a third game, if necessary, scheduled for Saturday back at East Rutherford.

The Cavaliers (26-0) are ranked rst in the 2A West rankings and seventh in the state regardless of classi cation. East Rutherford has previously won 2A title in 20022004, 2010 and 2016.

“I think we’re going to do really well,” Faile said. “I think we have a chance to win the state championship.”

Fans watch the NASCAR All-Star Open race in North Wilkesboro prior to the All-Star race.

Drivers say North Wilkesboro deserves Cup points race after All-Star Race success

The track received rave reviews following its third straight All-Star Race

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

FOR HIS FIRST act as a NASCAR All-Star Race champion, Christopher Bell chose to praise the revitalized

78-year-old racetrack that delivered a memorable night of racing.

“Let’s go!” Bell shouted to roaring approval from a capacity crowd of 25,000 as he made the case Sunday night during his frontstretch celebration that North Wilkesboro Speedway was due a Cup Series points race.

“The best short track in NASCAR,” Bell said. “It is abso-

lutely incredible. It’s just going to get better and better. Man, that was an amazing race.” In its third edition as host of the $1 million exhibition event, the speedway produced All-Star Race records for lead changes (18) and green- ag passes for the lead (59) as its remarkable rebirth continued

See NASCAR, page B2

West Stanly head coach Chad Yow

The Colts have reached the regional nals for the rst time since 1991

CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

West Stanly’s baseball team poses for a team photo after the Colts’ 2-1 win over Randleman put them into the nal four of the NCHSAA Class 2A baseball state

CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

Landon Bailey tags out Tate Andrews out at second base to end the bottom of the rst inning.

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO

SOFTBALL from page B1

of the championship’s seventh inning to take down the Falcons 5-4 and advance to the NCAA Super Regionals; Pfei er’s senior pitcher and USA South Pitcher of the Year Emma Bullin (30-6) took the loss in the contest.

Bullin’s ve earned runs allowed were tied for her second-most allowed in any of her 44 appearances this season.

Pfei er managed to score rst in the game but soon lost its edge, leading up to a three-run home run from sophomore in elder Emily Dickerson that gave the Falcons a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. The Sea Gulls responded to the blast by scoring three times over the remaining three innings to take the one-run win.

Following the conclu-

NASCAR from page B1

from a dilapidated and rotting hulk just three years ago.

Speedway Motorsports announced that grandstand seating and premium hospitality were sold out for the 41st All-Star Race, which drew fans from 43 states and nine countries to North Wilkesboro in Wilkes County. SMI president and CEO Marcus Smith proclaimed that “like Lambeau Field to football and Fenway Park to baseball, North Wilkesboro Speedway has become America’s throwback racetrack.”

Bell was among several drivers who say the short track deserves its rst Cup Series points race in 30 years when NASCAR releases its 2026 Cup Series schedule, which is expected in a few months.

“I don’t see why not,” seven-time most popular driver winner Chase Elliott said about

Earned runs surrendered by Emma Bullin, tied for the most she’s allowed this year

sion of the Salisbury Regional, sophomore out elder and USA South Player of the Year Landry Stewart, junior utility player Charly Cooper, and senior catcher Emma Chopko were each named to the NCAA All-Region Team. The 2025 Pfei er Falcons team went undefeated (18-0) against conference opponents this season, achieving an improvement in that category even over last season’s successful Falcons squad (25-4, 16-2).

the possibility after nishing fth. “I think it’s plenty capable of hosting, and obviously, the crowd seems extremely receptive to the idea, too. Whatever NASCAR decides on that, I’m good with. It put on a good race for sure, so it’s hard to argue against that.”

Aside from a smattering of minor-league races in 201011, North Wilkesboro Speedway had sat dormant since Je Gordon won its most recent Cup race on Sept. 29, 1996. A $20 million renovation (spurred by federal funding from the American Rescue Plan) began in 2022 and led to being awarded the 2023 All-Star Race. Its rst two All-Star Races were lackluster, but North Wilkesboro’s racing came to life Sunday. The 0.625-mile oval’s surface has widened into multiple lanes since a repaving last year, and Sunday’s race featured 1,426 green- ag passes that

Pfei er celebrates a walk-o win over Mount Union, but the Falcons were eliminated later in the day.

“Man, that was an amazing race.”

Christopher Bell

electri ed the jammed grandstands.

“Man, they show up,” Bell said. “We go out for driver intros, and the place was packed. It’s just bumping. We need more events like this.”

Joe Gibbs, whose team scored its third All-Star Race victory, with Bell joining previous winners Kyle Busch in 2015 and Denny Hamlin in 2017, credited Smith and support from the community for putting the track in line for points race consideration.

“I won’t be making that decision,” Gibbs said. “But I think the way this race turned out and the crowd and everything, that’ll have a lot to do with it.”

Already sour about a “Promoter’s Caution” that erased his late lead and left him vulnerable on older tires, runner-up Joey Logano took issue with Bell’s winning pass in the No. 20 Toyota. After the drivers made contact that squeezed his No. 22 Ford into the outside wall with nine laps remaining, Logano vowed retaliation if he’d been able to catch Bell.

“I did all I could do to hold him o , and he got under me and released the brake and gave me no option,” said Logano, who led a race-high 139 of 250 laps. “If I could’ve got to him, he was going around after a move like that. I just couldn’t get back to him. Just frustrated after you lead so many laps, and the car is so fast, and you don’t win. It hurts quite a bit.”

Bell was bemused by Logano’s frustration.

“I had got to him a couple times before, and he made it very di cult on me, as he

should,” Bell said. “I got my run, and I took the moment, as I should. I don’t think that I did anything that Joey has not done, and I’ve seen Joey do much worse. We will continue on.”

Notable

With top- ve nishes by Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott, Chevrolet beat Ford and Toyota to win the All-Star Race’s rst “Manufacturer’s Showdown” that was based on the combined results for each automaker. … Jon Edwards, the former PR rep for Kyle Larson who died last month, was honored with “The Byrnsie Award” that is voted on by Fox’s NASCAR broadcast team in tribute to late broadcaster Steve Byrnes. Fox has presented the award since 2016 to celebrate those who embody Byrnes’ principles of preparation, teamwork and family.

PFEIFFER ATHLETICS

SIDELINE

REPORT

AUTO RACING

Indianapolis 500 on pace for 1st sellout since 2016; local TV blackout to be lifted

Indianapolis The Indianapolis 500 is expected to be sold out and the local blackout will be lifted so fans in the area unable to attend can watch it live. It will be the rst grandstand sell-out since 2016. If the grandstands don’t reach capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway implements a local television blackout in which the race can only be watched inside the city later that day on replay. The race is expected to draw 350,000. The Indiana Pacers will also host an NBA playo game that evening.

MLB Ohtani throws 50-pitch bullpen session; Kershaw makes return Los Angeles Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery. Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in his previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. To make room on the roster for Kershaw, right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

NFL Brown detained after gunshots outside Ross’ boxing event

Miami Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown says he was brie y detained by police following an altercation in which gunshots were red outside Adin Ross’ celebrity boxing event in Miami.

Miami police con rmed o cers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system. Police questioned several people but made no arrests. Brown posted on social media that he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me” at the popular streamer Ross’ event.

MLS Messi speaks after latest Inter Miami loss, says team must stick together

Miami Lionel Messi isn’t happy right now. After Inter Miami was routed 3-0 by Orlando on Sunday night and fell to 1-5-1 in its last seven matches across all competitions, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion told Apple TV that it’s imperative for the team to stick together. Messi rarely gives interviews after matches. Inter Miami is sixth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference after setting an MLS mark for the best regular-season record last year.

ACC revenues, payouts climbed in 2023-24; so too did legal bills

FSU and Clemson lawsuits were a major expense

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press

THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference set league records for revenue and member payouts yet also had a growing legal bill amid since-settled lawsuits from members Clemson and Florida State, according to the league’s most recent tax ling. The 990 tax form covering the 2023-24 season reported the league’s revenue increased to about $711.4 million, up slightly from $706.6 million a year earlier. That allowed the ACC to pay an average of nearly $45 million to its 14 football-playing members — Louisville ($46.4 million) and FSU ($46.3 million) had the highest hauls — while Notre Dame made $20.7 million for its partial share as a football independent. Those gures don’t re ect the arrivals of California, Stanford and SMU as new members to

push the league to 18 schools for the 2024-25 season. Nor does it include the “success initiative” championed by commissioner Jim Phillips that went into effect this season for schools to keep more money generated by their own postseason success.

The ACC has also revamped its revenue-distribution plan to factor in TV viewership and reward top-draw schools. That takes e ect next year as part of the settlement that ended the threats from the Clemson and FSU cases challenging the league’s ability to charge massive exit fees if they tried to join another league.

Phillips has talked about the league’s “aggressive” e orts to generate more revenue amid a growing gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences in what many consider to be a Power Two of the conferences, though the ACC has been ahead of the smaller Big 12 in revenue and payouts in its lings to solidify itself in third.

For example, the Big 12 reported revenue of $493.8 million in its ling for 2023-24, down from $510.7 million the previous year. That came in

its nal season with Oklahoma and Texas in the fold before both schools moved to the SEC for 2024-25, along with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 that year.

Amid that expansion and revenue decline, the Big 12 went from distributing about $44.2 million to 10 schools in 2022-23 to $39.5 million to those same programs for 2023-24. The four new schools received reduced shares averaging around $20 million, by comparison.

The ACC’s gains have notably come since the launch of the ESPN-partnered ACC Network in August 2019. The league reported $288.6 million in TV revenue for the 2018-19 season before the network’s launch, but that gure reached $487.1 million for 2023-24 — a 68.8% increase.

Yet amid those gains, the league reported more than $12.3 million in legal expenses for 2023-24, a 70.2% jump from the previous year ($7.2 million) coming as FSU led a December 2023 lawsuit and Clemson followed in March 2024.

The increased legal costs also

come amid legal cases reshaping the landscape of college athletics, including the landmark settlement to a $2.8 billion federal class-action antitrust lawsuit led by athletes against the NCAA and its largest conferences. That settlement is awaiting nal approval by a federal judge before terms can go into e ect as early as July 1, such as schools sharing more than $20 million annually with athletes.

The ACC reported nearly $19.6 million in legal expenses through its two most recent tax lings, similar to the combined total reported for the previous six years ($20.8 million).

Still, the resolution in the FSU and Clemson cases, along with ESPN in January picking up its option to extend its base-rights ACC media deal through 2035-36, o ered a measure of league stability when it came to its annual spring meetings in Florida this week.

“Chaos and the constant wondering of what’s happening here or there, I just think that distracts from the business at hand,” Phillips said then. “But I feel good about where we’re at.”

Rockies chart new course under new manager after one of worst starts in major league history

Former Asheville manager Warren Schae er inherits the last-place team

By Pat Graham The Associated Press

DENVER — All the losing nearly reduced lefty Kyle Freeland to tears as he recently chatted about the woeful state of his hometown Colorado Rockies.

It’s a gloomy situation with the Rockies o to a 7-33 start — one of the worst in major league history — leading to the dismissal of manager Bud Black.

Freeland wears his feelings for his city — to the team he grew up rooting for — on his sleeve. More speci cally, his right arm, where there are tattoos of the elevation (5,280), area code (303) and an outline of the mountains. The losses weigh heavily on him. Change arrived in the Mile High air when Black, the franchise’s winningest manager and the only voice that many of the Rockies players have ever known, was let go. Now, it’s Warren Schae er’s turn to navigate the Rockies away from a season that’s careening toward infamy. The Rockies have the worst start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles began 6-34. Colorado is on pace for 134 losses a season after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121 — the worst since

Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schae er, center, talks in the dugout before one of his rst games at the helm of an MLB team.

baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. Promoted from third base coach to interim manager, Schae er inherits a team that’s second-to-last in runs — despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field — and rst in strikeouts. The pitching sta has surrendered the most runs in the big leagues and fanned the fewest batters.

Schae er managed seven minor league seasons in the Colorado organization, from 2015 to 2022, including 2015 to 2017 with the Asheville Tourists.

Schae er brings energy and exuberance to the Rockies

clubhouse. He has been Colorado’s third base and in eld coach since the 2023 season.

Prior to joining the big league team, he spent 10 seasons as a manager and coach in the Rockies’ minor league system.

“A positive atmosphere in the clubhouse, and we’re ready to move forward,” Schae er said Monday before the series opener at Texas that marked his debut at interim manager. “I just want them to play loose. From my vantage point, it’s a fresh start.”

Relief pitcher Jake Bird, one of several Rockies who played for Schae er when he was a minor league manager, described him as a good commu-

nicator who is intelligent and passionate.

“Something just feels di erent. So I’m really feeling optimistic about the direction moving forward,” Bird said. “I think our team’s a lot more capable than what we’ve been playing.”

General manager Bill Schmidt said after the move was made Sunday that the 40-year-old Schae er’s connection to players was a big part of what he brings to his new role.

“I think just a di erent voice here — we’re at that point where we needed to do that,” Schmidt said.

It’s an uphill climb for the Rockies to avoid a third straight 100-loss season. They have to go 56-66 the rest of the way. They’ve won back-to -back games just once and have three separate eight-game losing streaks.

Freeland was emotional last week after a start on the mound in which he allowed nine runs ( ve earned).

“Keep believing in us,” Freeland said of his message to Rockies faithful as he choked up. The Rockies haven’t been to the postseason since 2018. Their only World Series appearance was 2007, when they were swept by the Boston Red Sox. Their manager then was Clint Hurdle, who is now the interim bench coach under Schae er.

Publish: 5/21/25, 5/28/25, 6/4/25, 6/11/25

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 quali ed 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 August 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 10th day of April, 2025. Executor: John Brady Sr. aka John Grover Brady, Sr. PO Box 57 Rich eld, NC 28137 Publish: 5/21/25, 5/28/25, 6/4/25, 6/11/25

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000196-830

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

aka Dana Allen Hepler 117 Logan Riley Road Thomasville, NC 27360

Co-Executor: Joel Shane Allen PO Box 267 Mt. Gilead, NC 27306

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 quali ed 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

Having quali ed as Ancillary Administrator of the Estate of Donna L. Brandon, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, 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, rms, 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 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000234-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed 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

Having quali ed 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

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk File #- 25E000271-830

North Carolina Stanly County Notice to Creditors

Having quali ed as Executrix of the Estate of Mickey Ronal Thompson, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina. This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Mickey Ronal Thompson to present them to the undersigned on or before August 22, 2025, of the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 21st day of May, 2025. Bonnie S. Dennis 43184 Vicker Store Road Albermarle, NC 28001

NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Co-Administrator of the Estate of Nila Lyn Elliott late of Stanly County, North Carolina, hereby noti es to all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before August 19, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This, the 21st day of May, 2025.

Ashley Grace Elliott Co-Administrator 102 Windmill Road Salisbury, North Carolina 28147

Alyvia Maurine Elliott Co-Administrator 825 19th Street South Arlington, VA 22202

Emily G. Thompson, Esq. Attorney for Co-Administrators

Reed & Thompson, PLLC 204 Branchview Dr SE Concord, NC 28025

Estate File No.: 25E000290-830

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 veri ed Juvenile Petition has been led by the Rowan County Department of Social Services (petitioner) alleging that the above-named juvenile is neglected and dependent as de ned by North Carolina General Statues Chapter 7B. You are noti ed 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 rst publication of this notice. You also must serve a copy of the answer on the petitioner’s attorney (address below). You will be noti ed of the time, date, and place to appear for a hearing upon the ling 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 a ord an attorney, you are entitled to an appointed attorney to assist you provided you request one before the time set for the hearing. If you fail to request counsel, you may waive your right to appointed counsel. You may request an attorney by contacting the Clerk of Superior Court, Juvenile Court Division, 210 N. Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144 (704) 797-3054. This is a new case and any attorney appointed previously to represent you will not represent you in this proceeding unless otherwise ordered by the court. If you fail to le an answer within the time speci ed, or appear for said court hearing, the court will determine if the allegations of the petition are true, conduct a dispositional hearing for the needs of the juvenile, and enter an order designed to meet the needs and the objective of the State. The dispositional order may remove the juvenile from the custody of a parent, and the Petitioner will apply to the court for permanent custody of the juvenile to be placed with the Rowan County Department of Social Services.

This the 29th day of April 2025.

Morgan Swink, Attorney for Petitioner Rowan County Dept. Of Social Services 1813 East Innes St. Salisbury NC 28146 704-216-8929

Publish: May 7, 14, 21, 2025

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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 Cli 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 O ce 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 o er 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, led in the O ce 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-of-ways, 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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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

the stream

Krasinski, Portman search for ‘Fountain of Youth,’ Pee-wee as himself

Stereolab drops its rst new record in 15 years

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Joe Jonas’ sophomore solo album “Work It Out” and John Krasinski and Natalie Portman searching for immortality in Guy Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time: Paul Reubens shines in the documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” Nicole Kidman returns as a shady wellness guru in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping o ers gamers a chance to test their de-duck-tive skills.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” (out Friday on Max and HBO) is one of the most intimate portraits of Reubens, the man many know as Pee-wee Herman. Wolf crafted his lm from some 40 hours of interviews conducted with Reubens before he died of cancer in 2023. In “Pee-wee as Himself,” Reubens discusses the ups and downs of his career, how he crafted the Pee-wee persona and how it came to dwarf his own self.

Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” (Friday on Apple TV+) stars Krasinski and Portman as a pair of siblings hunting for the fabled Fountain of Youth. The lm, which also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson and Stanley Tucci, is the latest from the fast-working Ritchie, whose recent lms include 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and 2023’s “The Covenant.”

Last fall, “The Last Showgirl” (out Friday on Hulu) proved a poignant showcase for Pamela Anderson, long after her “Baywatch” heyday. In Gia Coppola’s indie drama, she plays a Las Vegas performer in the twilight of her career. Dave Bautista co-stars.

MUSIC TO STREAM

In the rst single released from Jonas’ forthcoming sophomore solo album, “Work It Out,” the boy band brother breaks the fourth wall in the third person. “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for,” he sings in a rare moment of pop candor. His characteristic cheekiness soon follows. “Even baddies get saddies and that’s the hardest truth,” he sings atop

cheery pop-synth. The album, titled “Music For People Who Believe In Love” promises more alt-pop — with country and rock air thrown in for good measure. Good news for cool people with interesting taste: The Anglo-French Avant-pop band Stereolab returns with their rst new album in 15 years, since 2010’s “Not Music” arrived after the group announced an inde nite hiatus. That came to an end in 2019, when Stereolab announced remastered reissues, tour dates and a set at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. The latest news arrives in the form of this new album, titled “Instant Holograms on Metal Film,” and it sounds as if no time has passed. Pachyman, the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia, has charmed audiences with his vintage gear and deep appreci-

ation for dub reggae. That continues on his fth album, “Another Place,” out Friday, with its dreamy, psychedelic indie. It’s the kind of stu that would be at least partially labeled “vaporwave” or “chillwave” a few years ago. Now, it’s a kaleidoscope of in uences only Pachyman could put together in such a uid package.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

With hits like “Maxton Hall” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video is investing in its YA content. In the new series “Motorheads,” a mother (Nathalie Kelley) returns to her blue-collar hometown with her teenage twins (played by Michael Cimino of “Love, Victor” and Melissa Collazo.) They move in with their uncle (Ryan Phillippe) who is haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother. Fun fact: Phil-

lippe’s son, Deacon, with Reese Witherspoon, plays that younger brother in ashback scenes. Besides the expected coming-of-age storyline about rst love and tting in at school, there’s also a greater mystery at play, plus street racing! Now streaming Prime. At the end of season one of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” we saw Nicole Kidman’s Russian wellness guru, Masha, high tailing it out of town after her unorthodox practices included sneaking psychedelics into her patients’ smoothies. In season 2, Masha has relocated to the Austrian Alps with two new business partners, and they’re welcoming a new group of people to a retreat.

“I invited you all here because sometimes you shouldn’t deal with pain gently,” Masha says in the trailer.

The cast includes Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Mur-

“Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for.”

Joe Jonas

ray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Dolly de Leon and musician King Princess in her rst acting role.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Winston Green, a high-strung courier in small-town America in the late 1950s, has one motto: Deliver At All Costs. If that means wrecking other cars or plowing through buildings, so be it. And as the cargo gets weirder — judging from the screenshots, UFOs may be involved — Winston “spirals downward into the depths of insanity.” The result, from Swedish studio Far Out Games by way of Konami, looks somewhat like the original Grand Theft Auto with a retro “Happy Days” glow. Hit the gas Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was once of last year’s cleverest surprises, introducing us to down-on-his-luck gumshoe Eugene McQuacklin in an animal-world parody of lm noir. My only complaint was that it was just a few hours long — but the good news is that Germany’s Happy Broccoli Games is already back on the case with Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. This time, McQuacklin investigates a mystery at a luxury campsite. If you enjoy brainteasers, another chance to test your de-ducktive skills arrives Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

“Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Fountain of Youth” and “The Last Showgirl” land this week on a device near you.

“Music for People Who Believe in Love” by Joe Jonas, “Another Place” by Pachyman and “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” by Stereolab drop this week.

PRIME / HULU / TNT VIA AP

The second season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” is streaming this week.

Wake Forest’s

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are e ective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and bene ts of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identi ed a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democratic-controlled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the oor after refusing to apologize.

$2.00

Wake Forest wins NCAA men’s tennis title

The top-seeded Demon Deacons beat No. 2 TCU

The Associated Press WACO, Texas — Wake Forest men and Georgia women, both the top seeds, defeated defending national champions and second seeds TCU and Texas A&M respectively, to capture the NCAA tennis championships at the Hurd Tennis Center on Sunday.

Wake Forest (40-1) defeated the Horned Frogs (27-4) 4-2 and also defeated them 4-3 for the ITA National Indoor Tennis Championship 4-3 in mid-February. The Demon Deacons won the 2018 title and lost in the 2019 nal.

Top-seeded Georgia (29-3) avenged a loss to second-seeded

Texas A&M (30-4) in the 2024 championship with a dominant 4-0 win for its third NCAA championship in seven nals appearances. The Aggies, who won their rst title with a 4-1 over the Bulldogs last spring, also pulled out the regular-season matchup 4-3 on April 13.

Wake Forest took the doubles point with Stefan Dostanic and Charlie Robertson beating Jack Pinnington and Cooper Woestendick 6-3 in the No. 2 matchup and Luca Pow and Luciano Tacchi won the No. 3 doubles over Duncan Chan and Albert Pedrico Kravtsov 6-2.

Dostanic took the No. 1 singles 6-3, 6-1 over Pinnington, and Pow won the No. 6 over Chan 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to put the Demon Deacons on top 3-0 but quickly Pedrico Kravtsov topped Tacchi 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 for

the rst point for the Horned Frogs.

When Lui Maxted defeated Ioannis Xilas 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) in a long No. 3 singles match to pull TCU within 3-2, both the other matches were sitting at 3-3 in the third set. Both Dhakshineswar Suresh and Charlie Robertson of the Demon Deacons broke their TCU opponents for a 5-3 lead but it was Suresh who got to the nish rst, Suresh won the No. 2 singles 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 over Pedro Vives, securing the NCAA title with a big serve. Robert-

son didn’t have to nish his match at No. 4 singles against Cooper Woestendick.

So a Rojas clinched Georgia’s title with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win over Lexington Reed in the No. 6 singles but it was the marquee match in No. 1 singles that got the Bulldogs o to a good start.

Dasha Vidmanova, the second-ranked singles player, defeated No. 1 Mary Stoiana of Texas A&M 6-4, 6-4 before Anastasia Lopata recovered from a 6-0 loss in the rst set to beat Nichole Khirin 0-6, 6-4, 6-2 in No. 2 singles. Georgia started with the doubles point as Lopata and Guillermina Grant beat Reed and Daria Smetannikov 6-2 and Aysegui Mert and Jayden Mulberry topped Khirin and Lucciana Perez 7-5.

Board of Education to request $180M from county

The 2026 local budget request accounts for nearly 30% of the total operating budget

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education approved its local budget request for FY 2025-26 at its May 13 meeting. The budget breaks down to a total operating cost of approximately $615 million, with a request of $180 million in local investment from the county.

“The overall objective of the 2026 budget request is to ensure that funds continue to be directed to sta and students, that we are funding our investment priorities and that we present a balanced budget,” said Superintendent Tricia McManus.

WSFCS investment priorities include: core instruction, well-rounded education, behavioral and mental

health, employee recruitment a nd retention and ecient operations.

McManus also emphasized the districts’ focus and need to ensure the budget was properly balanced.

“In the case of last year, when we asked for more and we didn’t get it, there comes a reconciliation time that has to happen if you don’t get your full request,” McManus said. “If people are included in that, that is a problem because we don’t get that funding until June.”

The budget accounts for nearly 6,700 positions within the district, with just under 1,600 needing to be covered by either other state funding sources or local expenses.

According to McManus, the district cut nearly $18 million worth of positions (more than 200 between central o ce and school allotments) as well as nding around $5.4 million in non-personnel savings to help balance the budget.

“When I go into the schools every day, I don’t see a bunch of extra people standing around,”

“To educate a child, I don’t know what someone thinks that costs, but it costs more than people think.”

WSFCS Superintendent Tricia McManus

McManus said. “I see people working with kids, running ragged and doing whatever it takes. But at the end of the day, unless we get $13 million more in the local funding, we have to make the decisions about what we need to eliminate.

“To educate a child, I don’t know what someone thinks that costs, but it costs more than people think to provide the adequate resources.”

The board also approved the distribution of remaining state allocated Low Wealth Supplement Funds for eligible employees.

“We’ll take every eligible employee, divide (the remaining funding0 by who we cur-

rently have on payroll and then that will be the payout to maximize it,” said Chief Human Resources O cer Chris Weikart.

“We are not going to give one cent back to the state where we could give it to an employee. The payout is also with the bene ts in retirement and FICA. I want all the employees to hear that so they know it’s less.”

In addition, the board approved a one-time payment supplement for teacher assistants, utilizing $500,000 in funding that the county commissioners had provided based on a market study that the district had done.

Finally, the board approved contracts with Professional Air Systems for installation of HVAC at the Glenn High School gym at around $500,000, with Learning Environment for bleacher updates and oor renovations at the Parkland High School gym also around $500,000 and HIL Consultants for nancial consulting.

The WSFCS Board of Education will next meet May 27.

@NCAATENNIS / X

men’s tennis team celebrates a national championship.

The Demon Deacons won the 2018 title and lost in the 2019 nal.

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EPA announces rollback for some Biden-era limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMEN-

TAL Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were nalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

EPA Administrator THURSDAY

The Biden administration set the rst federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or per uoroalkyl and poly uoroalkyl substances, nding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.

The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion, e ectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The development was rst reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s lim-

JOSHUA A. BICKEL / AP PHOTO Logan Feeney pours a water sample with forever chemicals, known as PFAS, into a container for research,at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati last April.

its. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

Erik Olson, a senior strategist at the nonpro t Natural Resources Defense Council, said the move is illegal. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.

“With a stroke of the pen, EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans,” Olson said.

President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental rules and more oil and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks. The EPA plans to loosen regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, cleanup standards for coal plant waste and car

emission limits, among many other clean air and water rules.

Zeldin’s history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals.

Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that re ghting foam snu ed out ames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.

The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.

Utilities see partial relief, activists see a backslide

Some utilities have been surprised to nd out they are over limits. And small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance.”

Lee Zeldin,

know are bad, and we are going to need more time. Some utilities are just nding out now where they stand,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications rm.

Some utilities wanted a higher limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering rm CDM Smith. He suspects the utility industry will continue to sue over those limits. Environmental groups will likely le challenges, too.

Melanie Benesh, vice president of government a airs at the nonpro t Environmental Working Group, said utilities may not have to install treatment that’s as broadly e ective if they just have to focus on two types of older PFAS.

“You really reduce what utilities have to do to make sure that the other, newer generation PFAS are captured” she said.

When the Biden administration announced its rule, the head of the EPA traveled to North Carolina and was introduced by activist Emily Donovan, who said she was grateful for the rst federal standards. She had long campaigned for tougher rules for GenX substances that had contaminated a local river.

Now the EPA says it will roll back those GenX limits.

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing,” she said.

Stein urges NCGA to include more Helene aid in budget

The governor wants hundreds of millions in additional spending

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein urged state lawmakers Monday to allocate hundreds of millions more dollars toward western North Carolina’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene instead of waiting on “uncertain federal assistance.”

The money requested — $891 million — would go toward critical needs in Helene’s aftermath, such as revitalizing local economies, repairing town infrastructure and providing housing assistance, Stein said during a news conference in still-recovering western North Carolina. Stein released the Helene proposal as the GOP-led North Carolina General Assembly prepares to nalize its state budget this summer.

More than 100 people died as Helene tore through western North Carolina in Sep-

tember, destroying homes, businesses and roadways. The storm’s record-breaking devastation totaled $59.6 billion in damages and recovery needs. Recovery has been slow in parts of the region as some hard-hit mountain towns still appear ravaged by the storm nearly eight months later.

Navigating Helene recovery is one of the chief issues Stein has been tasked with handling upon his rst few months in o ce. Some of the rst actions his administration took focused on rehabilitating the western part of the state, as well as establishing the Governor’s Recovery O ce for Western North Carolina.

“This recovery is going to take a long time,” Stein said Monday. “My administration, though, is in this for the long haul. I know that the legislature is as well.”

In March, state lawmakers passed another Helene relief bill for $524 million — signicantly less than the $1.07 billion Stein had requested the month before. That package added to more than $1.1 billion in Helene recovery activities

appropriated or made available by the General Assembly the year prior, according to Stein’s o ce.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved a $1.4 billion grant that would facilitate western North Carolina’s long-term recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency — the federal organization responsible for addressing some of the immediate needs in Helene’s aftermath — has also provided more than $700 million to state and local governments, as well as directly to North Carolinians.

Talks over FEMA’s e ectiveness have ushered western North Carolina’s recovery process into the national spotlight as President Donald Trump has suggested the agency’s dissolution. As a candidate, Trump continually disparaged the agency’s work in the region, which garnered support from those frustrated with a sometimes slow and complicated recovery process. Just last week, the agency’s acting chief David Richardson an-

nounced plans to shift disaster recovery responsibilities to states for the upcoming hurricane season. Stein has called on the federal government to reform the agency but not to get rid of it, which he reiterated during his budget proposal announcement Monday.

More than a quarter of Stein’s proposal would go toward restoring local economies and their tourism industries. Another quarter would fund infrastructure repairs, debris cleanup and resiliency projects to better protect the region from future storms. Other allocations include addressing recovery needs such as housing assistance, xing waterways and farmlands, and food insecurity. The state Senate has already approved its budget proposal and now awaits the House to release its plan this week. Then, state lawmakers can decide whether to incorporate some of Stein’s requests on Helene aid as the two chambers work out di erences, with the goal of having a nal budget enacted by July 1.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

If the phone rings, don’t answer

“You’ve just won a trip to Hawaii” is not something you should get excited over. It’s a scam.

WE RARELY ANSWER our home phone. In fact, the message center isn’t monitored closely, and we pay little attention to it anymore. We seldom receive a call from anyone other than the drug store reminding us that a prescription is ready for pick up.

If it weren’t for the security system, we would abandon this antiquated mode of communication altogether. I’m also one of those people who doesn’t like change. We have had the same home number for more than 40 years. I can’t bear to part with it. Occasionally, we get a call from someone from the past, an old friend from other places we lived or friends of the children who have grown up and moved away. I couldn’t bear it if we missed one of those calls.

One night, the phone rang, and my husband answered for a change. He started chatting with the caller. I heard him discussing a project in Wilson that we had done a few years back and how the area had changed.

I assumed it was an old friend and went about other things, not listening to much of the conversation. He chatted for quite some time. When he hung up, I asked, “Honey, who was that?” He answered, “A telemarketer.” What?! I’ve been leaving that man alone way too much. He was vigilant, though, and didn’t purchase anything. Thank goodness. Recently, two separate friends shared

with me that they had been scammed. They fell for the bait and gave money to these fraudsters. One lost thousands of dollars. Both friends are intelligent women, and I’m still trying to gure out how it happened to them.

Apparently, it’s a common occurrence. According to the Federal Trade Commission, it received 2.6 million complaints in 2023. Consumers reported losing $10 billion to fraud.

I have often wondered how this could possibly be an e ective way to market in this modern day. I assumed most people reacted as we do, without answering the phone or certainly hanging up shortly thereafter at the worst. Apparently not.

The states that receive the most calls per capita are Delaware, Ohio, Arizona, Illinois and North Carolina.

Many of these calls are from people who claim to work for a government agency. The IRS is at the top of the list. I’ve received these myself, threatening to take immediate action. The IRS will not call you on the phone, and they will not ask you for direct payment. There are many also posing as big tech rms, Amazon or a beloved charity.

Also, beware of free stu . “You’ve just won a trip to Hawaii” is not something you should get excited over. It’s a scam.

My husband advertised a classic car for sale. A caller contacted him and made an o er that my husband accepted. He claimed to work at the

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable. According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are

bene ting, and licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players,

FBI. He then began to arrange to have the car picked up and transported. The deal he proposed required my husband to put up money for the shipping fee, and he would include that amount in with the purchase price. Obviously, it was a scam. He was very good at his craft. When my husband said no, he became hostile and threatening. Not a good way to win customers.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission have jurisdiction over these regulations. They have help lines available for consumers to make reports, and they do o er advice.

My advice is do not answer the phone unless it’s someone you know. These fraudsters are very savvy, and they have a way of displaying the number as if it is from a local caller. I have had calls come in from my own number. If you do answer a call unknowingly, hang up quickly if the caller starts asking for information.

No legitimate business will insist that you decide right now. They will give you time if you are interested in their product or service.

Measure twice and cut once, as the old saying goes. Being careful is always the best policy.

Joyce Krawiec represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate from 2014 to 2024. She lives in Kernersville.

too. Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective. North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress. Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | JOYCE KRAWIEC

Ex-White House chef for 5 presidents says rst families ‘just regular people’

Cristeta Comerford handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for ve presidents and their guests, says rst families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the rst families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then nished o in the residence kitchen on the second oor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen sta , is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Each of the ve families she served approached food di erently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenrst lady Hillary Clinton hired the rst American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine

from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stu ed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said.

Trump and rst lady Melania Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The rst lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the rst Italian American rst lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s di erent for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent a airs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s rst term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader.

The rst lady’s sta and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized.

She’d develop at least three di erent menus. Then came

“It’s di erent for each family, but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive chef

tastings for the rst lady to make a nal decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the rst woman and rst person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacri cing his career

to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the rst Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do ne dining meals,” she said. “You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, accord-

ing to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.” Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military.

Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the rst Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War.

But his stint ended after less than four years when the new rst lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961. Miller said the book o ers a “ unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and nd out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House on April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Forsyth SPORTS

Facts, gures about NFL’s international games, growth

The league is expanding to new markets and looking even farther abroad for the future

By Ken Maguire

The Associated Press

LONDON — The NFL’s international road trip will add Berlin, Dublin and Madrid as new destinations in the 2025 season, in which a record-high seven games will be staged outside the United States.

It’s a far cry from when league o cials had to persuade teams to play abroad when it was just one international game per year a couple of decades ago. The Minnesota Vikings this season will play back-to-back games abroad in di erent cities — rst in Dublin and the next week in London. Sao Paulo, Brazil, is hosting for a second straight season.

The league’s appetite for international expansion is only growing, with Melbourne, Australia, already locked in for next year. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, could be a future host at some point, too. There have been 55 regular-season games played abroad so far.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has even oated the idea of some day staging an international Super Bowl.

Here are a few facts and gures to help put it into context.

1

The number of times the Dallas Cowboys have played internationally. Tony Romo led Dallas to a 31-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9, 2014, at Wembley Stadium. Two other teams — the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns

— have also played just once abroad, but both are on the international schedule this season. The Steelers play the Vikings on Sept. 28 in Dublin; the Browns face the Vikings on Oct. 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jacksonville Jaguars have played the most international games — 13, all in London.

4

The number of times a team won a Super Bowl in the same season they played an international game. It’s happened the past two seasons: the Philadelphia Eagles won their Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last season; and the Kansas City Chiefs were victorious in Frankfurt, Germany, in Week 9 of 2023. The Chiefs won in Mexico City (Week 11) in 2019 before winning the Super Bowl. The 2007 New York Giants are the other team, after playing in the rst regular-season game in London.

‘Celebrity

17

The number of hours of time di erence between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. The Rams have been announced as one of the teams that will play a regular-season game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2026. It’s likely to be a Week 1 game that kicks o before noon in Melbourne. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks opened the 2014 MLB season in Sydney a week ahead of the rest of the league.

26

Number of regular-season games that have been played at Wembley Stadium. The next highest is Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (10). The Rogers Centre in Toronto is next with six games. Azteca Stadium in Mexico City has staged ve games. The rest: London’s Twickenham Stadium (3); Munich’s Allianz Arena (2); Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park (2); and Corinthians Arena (1) in Sao Paulo.

.125

Bu alo’s winning percentage in international games. The Bills are 1-7 outside U.S. They played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto for six straight years (2008-13), winning just once. They pulled the plug on the experiment in December 2014 by terminating the four remaining years of the contract to play an annual game there. The 2013 game had an announced crowd of just 38,969. The Bills are 0-2 in London after losing both times (2015, 2023) to the Jaguars.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Laila Jones

West Forsyth, track and eld

Laila Jones is a freshman on the West Forsyth track and eld team. She’s also an all-conference basketball player for the Titans.

The West Forsyth girls nished in a tie for 15th at the NCHSAA class 4A state championships, and Jones turned in two of the Titans’ three highest nishes. She took second place in the discus with a throw of 148 feet, 1 inch. She also took fourth in the shot put, throwing a distance of 40 feet, 0.25 inches. Senior Noelle Childs also had a fourth-place nish for West, in the pole vault.

gure’ coach Belichick touted as

‘great thing’

UNC’s head coach attracted plenty of media attention at the ACC spring meetings

By Mark Long The Associated Press

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. —

Bill Belichick arrived fashionably late to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spring meetings, his rst one as UNC’s head coach.

Still wheeling luggage around the beachside resort in Amelia Island, Belichick banged his carry-on into the door frame as he joined league athletic directors, faculty representatives and football and basketball coaches.

It was a mildly awkward entrance for the ACC’s newest and brightest star. But if the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion caused a distraction, no one seemed to care.

The ACC, at least publicly, welcomed Belichick, baggage and all.

“I thought I was done being tortured by him,” joked Stanford interim coach Frank Reich, who went 6-7 against Belichick, including a win in Super Bowl 52, during 18 seasons on NFL sidelines.

Belichick, with a new public relations communications person by his side, declined most interview requests at the Ritz-Carlton. He did two football-only interviews with UNC reporters, sat alongside Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for an ESPN feature and did a brief segment on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” whose appearance at the meetings surely had more to do with the former NFL coach than anything the conference had going on during its three-day event.

ESPN already had made

for ACC despite distractions

UNC’s home opener against TCU a prime-time event, with Labor Day night becoming a showcase for Belichick’s college coaching debut. It could be a launching point for the league, which trails the Big Ten and the Southeastern conferences in brand recognition, television ratings and — most importantly — revenue.

“I think they ran to us be-

fore we could even run to them, our partners at Disney,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “Listen, it’s a great thing for the league. It’s a great thing for North Carolina. And we’re all following just the massive coverage that Coach Belichick draws.

“I don’t know that he’s got a private moment to himself

at all from what I can see and read and what I follow. But I think it’s good. I think it’s good for our league. It’s good for certainly North Carolina. It’s good for college football people; it draws more interest. And it was enjoyable to have him here this week with our joint group in those meetings.” Belichick, Reich and Boston

“I thought I was done being tortured by

College coach Bill O’Brien give the league three former NFL coaches, though none come with the titles and headaches — Spygate, De ategate and more — of Belichick. Their experience and insight were widely regarded, not surprising considering many top programs are adapting NFL models as they navigate a changing landscape on the doorstep of paying players for use of their name, image and likeness.

With no TV cameras chasing his every move, the 73-year-old Belichick was somewhat removed from the spotlight during the ACC event.

It may have been a welcome respite after the past few weeks, when he defended 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson for shutting down questions about their relationship, which has drawn outsized attention given their age gap.

“I don’t know that I concern myself with some of those things,” Phillips said. “I think about the elements that a ect the ACC. Some of those other things, I really don’t even pay that much attention to.”

“Bill’s been great to work with,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “He’s a celebrity gure, and he’s doing a great job for us.”

Added Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: “He’s an amazing football coach. You don’t get lucky and do what he did, especially in the NFL where the margin is so, so small. He’s going to be great for our league.”

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

UNC coach Bill Belichick takes part in a March press conference.

him.”

Stanford coach Frank Reich

AP PHOTO / MATT DUNHAM

Sun lters through the stadium as cheerleaders line up before a 2018 game between Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium in London.

SIDELINE REPORT

AUTO RACING

Indianapolis 500 on pace for 1st sellout

since 2016; local TV blackout to be lifted

Indianapolis The Indianapolis 500 is expected to be sold out and the local blackout will be lifted so fans in the area unable to attend can watch it live. It will be the rst grandstand sell-out since 2016. If the grandstands don’t reach capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway implements a local television blackout in which the race can only be watched inside the city later that day on replay. The race is expected to draw 350,000. The Indiana Pacers will also host an NBA playo game that evening.

MLB

Ohtani throws

50-pitch bullpen session; Kershaw makes return

Los Angeles Los Angeles Dodgers slugger

Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery. Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in his previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. To make room on the roster for Kershaw, right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

NFL Brown detained after gunshots outside Ross’ boxing event

Miami Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown says he was brie y detained by police following an altercation in which gunshots were red outside Adin Ross’ celebrity boxing event in Miami. Miami police con rmed o cers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system. Police questioned several people but made no arrests. Brown posted on social media that he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me” at the popular streamer Ross’ event.

MLS

Messi speaks after latest Inter Miami loss, says team must stick together

Miami Lionel Messi isn’t happy right now. After Inter Miami was routed 3-0 by Orlando on Sunday night and fell to 1-5-1 in its last seven matches across all competitions, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion told Apple TV that it’s imperative for the team to stick together. Messi rarely gives interviews after matches. Inter Miami is sixth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference after setting an MLS mark for the best regular-season record last year.

ACC revenues, payouts climbed in 2023-24; so too did legal bills

FSU and Clemson lawsuits were a major expense

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press

THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference set league records for revenue and member payouts yet also had a growing legal bill amid since-settled lawsuits from members Clemson and Florida State, according to the league’s most recent tax ling. The 990 tax form covering the 2023-24 season reported the league’s revenue increased to about $711.4 million, up slightly from $706.6 million a year earlier. That allowed the ACC to pay an average of nearly $45 million to its 14 football-playing members — Louisville ($46.4 million) and FSU ($46.3 million) had the highest hauls — while Notre Dame made $20.7 million for its partial share as a football independent. Those gures don’t re ect the arrivals of California, Stanford and SMU as new members to

push the league to 18 schools for the 2024-25 season. Nor does it include the “success initiative” championed by commissioner Jim Phillips that went into effect this season for schools to keep more money generated by their own postseason success.

The ACC has also revamped its revenue-distribution plan to factor in TV viewership and reward top-draw schools. That takes e ect next year as part of the settlement that ended the threats from the Clemson and FSU cases challenging the league’s ability to charge massive exit fees if they tried to join another league.

Phillips has talked about the league’s “aggressive” e orts to generate more revenue amid a growing gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences in what many consider to be a Power Two of the conferences, though the ACC has been ahead of the smaller Big 12 in revenue and payouts in its lings to solidify itself in third.

For example, the Big 12 reported revenue of $493.8 million in its ling for 2023-24, down from $510.7 million the previous year. That came in

its nal season with Oklahoma and Texas in the fold before both schools moved to the SEC for 2024-25, along with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 that year.

Amid that expansion and revenue decline, the Big 12 went from distributing about $44.2 million to 10 schools in 2022-23 to $39.5 million to those same programs for 2023-24. The four new schools received reduced shares averaging around $20 million, by comparison.

The ACC’s gains have notably come since the launch of the ESPN-partnered ACC Network in August 2019. The league reported $288.6 million in TV revenue for the 2018-19 season before the network’s launch, but that gure reached $487.1 million for 2023-24 — a 68.8% increase.

Yet amid those gains, the league reported more than $12.3 million in legal expenses for 2023-24, a 70.2% jump from the previous year ($7.2 million) coming as FSU led a December 2023 lawsuit and Clemson followed in March 2024.

The increased legal costs also

come amid legal cases reshaping the landscape of college athletics, including the landmark settlement to a $2.8 billion federal class-action antitrust lawsuit led by athletes against the NCAA and its largest conferences. That settlement is awaiting nal approval by a federal judge before terms can go into e ect as early as July 1, such as schools sharing more than $20 million annually with athletes.

The ACC reported nearly $19.6 million in legal expenses through its two most recent tax lings, similar to the combined total reported for the previous six years ($20.8 million).

Still, the resolution in the FSU and Clemson cases, along with ESPN in January picking up its option to extend its base-rights ACC media deal through 2035-36, o ered a measure of league stability when it came to its annual spring meetings in Florida this week.

“Chaos and the constant wondering of what’s happening here or there, I just think that distracts from the business at hand,” Phillips said then. “But I feel good about where we’re at.”

Rockies chart new course under new manager after one of worst starts in major league history

Former Asheville manager Warren Schae er inherits the last-place team

By Pat Graham The Associated Press

DENVER — All the losing nearly reduced lefty Kyle Freeland to tears as he recently chatted about the woeful state of his hometown Colorado Rockies.

It’s a gloomy situation with the Rockies o to a 7-33 start — one of the worst in major league history — leading to the dismissal of manager Bud Black.

Freeland wears his feelings for his city — to the team he grew up rooting for — on his sleeve. More speci cally, his right arm, where there are tattoos of the elevation (5,280), area code (303) and an outline of the mountains. The losses weigh heavily on him. Change arrived in the Mile High air when Black, the franchise’s winningest manager and the only voice that many of the Rockies players have ever known, was let go. Now, it’s Warren Schae er’s turn to navigate the Rockies away from a season that’s careening toward infamy. The Rockies have the worst start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles began 6-34. Colorado is on pace for 134 losses a season after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121 — the worst since

MLB team.

baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. Promoted from third base coach to interim manager, Schae er inherits a team that’s second-to-last in runs — despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field — and rst in strikeouts. The pitching sta has surrendered the most runs in the big leagues and fanned the fewest batters.

Schae er managed seven minor league seasons in the Colorado organization, from 2015 to 2022, including 2015 to 2017 with the Asheville Tourists.

Schae er brings energy and exuberance to the Rockies

clubhouse. He has been Colorado’s third base and in eld coach since the 2023 season.

Prior to joining the big league team, he spent 10 seasons as a manager and coach in the Rockies’ minor league system.

“A positive atmosphere in the clubhouse, and we’re ready to move forward,” Schae er said Monday before the series opener at Texas that marked his debut at interim manager. “I just want them to play loose. From my vantage point, it’s a fresh start.”

Relief pitcher Jake Bird, one of several Rockies who played for Schae er when he was a minor league manager, described him as a good commu-

nicator who is intelligent and passionate.

“Something just feels di erent. So I’m really feeling optimistic about the direction moving forward,” Bird said. “I think our team’s a lot more capable than what we’ve been playing.”

General manager Bill Schmidt said after the move was made Sunday that the 40-year-old Schae er’s connection to players was a big part of what he brings to his new role.

“I think just a di erent voice here — we’re at that point where we needed to do that,” Schmidt said.

It’s an uphill climb for the Rockies to avoid a third straight 100-loss season. They have to go 56-66 the rest of the way. They’ve won back-to -back games just once and have three separate eight-game losing streaks.

Freeland was emotional last week after a start on the mound in which he allowed nine runs ( ve earned).

“Keep believing in us,” Freeland said of his message to Rockies faithful as he choked up. The Rockies haven’t been to the postseason since 2018. Their only World Series appearance was 2007, when they were swept by the Boston Red Sox. Their manager then was Clint Hurdle, who is now the interim bench coach under Schae er.

LM OTERO / AP PHOTO

Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schae er, center, talks in the dugout before one of his rst games at the helm of an

the stream

Krasinski, Portman search for ‘Fountain of Youth,’ Pee-wee as himself

Stereolab drops its rst new record in 15 years

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Joe Jonas’ sophomore solo album “Work It Out” and John Krasinski and Natalie Portman searching for immortality in Guy Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time: Paul Reubens shines in the documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” Nicole Kidman returns as a shady wellness guru in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping o ers gamers a chance to test their de-duck-tive skills.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” (out Friday on Max and HBO) is one of the most intimate portraits of Reubens, the man many know as Pee-wee Herman. Wolf crafted his lm from some 40 hours of interviews conducted with Reubens before he died of cancer in 2023. In “Pee-wee as Himself,” Reubens discusses the ups and downs of his career, how he crafted the Pee-wee persona and how it came to dwarf his own self.

Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” (Friday on Apple TV+) stars Krasinski and Portman as a pair of siblings hunting for the fabled Fountain of Youth. The lm, which also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson and Stanley Tucci, is the latest from the fast-working Ritchie, whose recent lms include 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and 2023’s “The Covenant.”

Last fall, “The Last Showgirl” (out Friday on Hulu) proved a poignant showcase for Pamela Anderson, long after her “Baywatch” heyday. In Gia Coppola’s indie drama, she plays a Las Vegas performer in the twilight of her career. Dave Bautista co-stars.

MUSIC TO STREAM

In the rst single released from Jonas’ forthcoming sophomore solo album, “Work It Out,” the boy band brother breaks the fourth wall in the third person. “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for,” he sings in a rare moment of pop candor. His characteristic cheekiness soon follows. “Even baddies get saddies and that’s the hardest truth,” he sings atop

cheery pop-synth. The album, titled “Music For People Who Believe In Love” promises more alt-pop — with country and rock air thrown in for good measure. Good news for cool people with interesting taste: The Anglo-French Avant-pop band Stereolab returns with their rst new album in 15 years, since 2010’s “Not Music” arrived after the group announced an inde nite hiatus. That came to an end in 2019, when Stereolab announced remastered reissues, tour dates and a set at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. The latest news arrives in the form of this new album, titled “Instant Holograms on Metal Film,” and it sounds as if no time has passed. Pachyman, the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia, has charmed audiences with his vintage gear and deep appreci-

ation for dub reggae. That continues on his fth album, “Another Place,” out Friday, with its dreamy, psychedelic indie. It’s the kind of stu that would be at least partially labeled “vaporwave” or “chillwave” a few years ago. Now, it’s a kaleidoscope of in uences only Pachyman could put together in such a uid package.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

With hits like “Maxton Hall” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video is investing in its YA content. In the new series “Motorheads,” a mother (Nathalie Kelley) returns to her blue-collar hometown with her teenage twins (played by Michael Cimino of “Love, Victor” and Melissa Collazo.) They move in with their uncle (Ryan Phillippe) who is haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother. Fun fact: Phil-

lippe’s son, Deacon, with Reese Witherspoon, plays that younger brother in ashback scenes. Besides the expected coming-of-age storyline about rst love and tting in at school, there’s also a greater mystery at play, plus street racing! Now streaming Prime. At the end of season one of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” we saw Nicole Kidman’s Russian wellness guru, Masha, high tailing it out of town after her unorthodox practices included sneaking psychedelics into her patients’ smoothies. In season 2, Masha has relocated to the Austrian Alps with two new business partners, and they’re welcoming a new group of people to a retreat.

“I invited you all here because sometimes you shouldn’t deal with pain gently,” Masha says in the trailer.

The cast includes Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Mur-

“Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for.”

Joe Jonas

ray Bartlett, Henry Golding,

Dolly de Leon and musician King Princess in her rst acting role.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Winston Green, a high-strung courier in small-town America in the late 1950s, has one motto: Deliver At All Costs. If that means wrecking other cars or plowing through buildings, so be it. And as the cargo gets weirder — judging from the screenshots, UFOs may be involved — Winston “spirals downward into the depths of insanity.” The result, from Swedish studio Far Out Games by way of Konami, looks somewhat like the original Grand Theft Auto with a retro “Happy Days” glow. Hit the gas Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was once of last year’s cleverest surprises, introducing us to down-on-his-luck gumshoe Eugene McQuacklin in an animal-world parody of lm noir. My only complaint was that it was just a few hours long — but the good news is that Germany’s Happy Broccoli Games is already back on the case with Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. This time, McQuacklin investigates a mystery at a luxury campsite. If you enjoy brainteasers, another chance to test your de-ducktive skills arrives Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

“Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Fountain of Youth” and “The Last Showgirl” land this week on a device near you.

“Music for People Who Believe in Love” by Joe Jonas, “Another Place” by Pachyman and “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” by Stereolab drop this week.

PRIME / HULU / TNT VIA AP

The second season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” is streaming this week.

STATE & NATION

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed o cers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s o ce said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an o cer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an e ort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on

Monday when she said in a social media post she instead was charging the congresswoman. Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond.

Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ o cial duties to serve their constituents and an e ort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in American political discourse.

Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip re-

leased by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed o cials go through the gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and o cers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an o cer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it.

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, rst came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that. House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

First

the bill

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the rst lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her rst public appearance since resuming the role of rst lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary

Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the rst lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish inti-

mate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps

to delete duplicate content.

Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The rst lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with

lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.” Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s rst term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

lady Melania Trump lobbied hard for

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with rst lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

Randolph record

The legend lives on

A capacity crowd returned to North Wilkesboro for the third straight year to watch the

million-dollar check for winning the race.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update

COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are effective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and benefits of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identified a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democratic-controlled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the floor after refusing to apologize.

Virtual Academy remains open after close vote

The motion to close the school failed on a 3-3 split

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Despite the recommendation of the superintendent, The Virtual Academy at Randolph will not be closing.

At the Randolph County Schools Board of Education’s May 19 meeting, the board held a vote to close The Virtual Academy at Randolph, but due to a 3-3 split — with chair Gary Cook and members Phillip La-

“Just can’t do it.” Board Chair Gary Cook

nier and Shannon Whitaker voting against the motion — it failed to pass.

“Just can’t do it,” Cook said.

“I know it’s a business and I made this a point to a lot of people, but, for me, I couldn’t sleep tonight. I have a soft spot. I may not always be right, but I always said if I can’t follow my heart a little bit, I don’t need this job.”

The closing of The Virtu-

al Academy had been recommended by Superintendent Stephen Gainey due to the increased cost of running the school (nearly $1.3 million) without ESSER dollars and decreasing enrollment.

“I know people aren’t happy with me for the recommendation I made,’ Gainey said. “It’s not been made at anyone individually. I can promise you Stephen Gainey would never do anything to intentionally hurt a student, a teacher or a parent. But I am charged with being financially responsible with the school system.”

While the board all agreed

Three charged in Veterans Day killing

Two of men face murder charges stemming from the November shooting

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Charges have been filed against three men in connection with a with a November homicide in the city. Nearly six months to the day following the shooting death of David Matthew Davis, arrests

were made as part of a murder investigation. Police had said that Davis’ death stemmed from an armed robbery of 64 Skillz.

Police say they’ve charged Victor Austin Jr., 34, and Emilio Alston, 34, with first-degree murder. Tiree Rone, 39, faces a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Other charges also have been filed against Austin and Alston, police said. Those include robbery with a danger-

ous weapon, conspiracy and two counts of felony breaking and entering. Both men are being held in Randolph County Jail with no bond.

In making last week’s announcement, Asheboro police said that Austin was arrested in Greensboro with assistance from Greensboro’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team. Alston’s arrest came in Ramseur with aid from the Randolph County Sherrif’s Office. Rone is being held in Cha-

that it wasn’t their desire to close the school, the ones who voted to emphasized the need to make tough decisions.

“You can’t put a price on a student and their education, and we all agree with that, but we also know that the numbers are trending down,” said board member Fred Burgess. “So at what point do we make this decision?”

“Over the next two years, there’s going to be some difficult decisions to be made about our school system,” said board member Todd Cutler. “It doesn’t matter if they’re remote or in a school building, there’s going to be difficult decisions that we will have to make. This is where we’re at. We’re having to fight to get dollars from the state.”

Gainey also stated the district will have to find cuts in

tham County Jail with other pending charges.

The Nov. 11 killing of Davis, a 39-year-old Navy veteran, occurred on Veterans Day.

The police report said he died inside 64 Skillz, which had been described as a game center and located on East Dixie Drive. It’s no longer in business.

The Asheboro Police Department was assisted during the investigation by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsboro Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Greensboro Police Department.

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL

Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to

weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were finalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the first federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, finding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS. The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS,

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NASCAR All-Star Race. Christopher Bell collected the

JASON JACKSON FOR RANDOLPH RECORD

THURSDAY 5.22.25

Area radio station owner dies

Fred Keith was described as a man determined to offer local programing

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Fred Keith, owner of a Randolph County radio station, died May 13 at age 90. Keith, who lived in Asheboro, was longtime owner of WKXR 1260-AM and WZOO-FM 94.6. “A great gentleman,” station sports director Scott Faglier. “Mr. Keith loved radio.” Keith had been presi-

at 4 parts per trillion, effectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected.

The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The development was first reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utili-

CRIME LOG

May 13

• Ashley Nichole Helms, 29, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault causing serious bodily injury, breaking and entering, trespassing and damaging personal property.

• Shauntel Naquan Brodie, 35, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possessing a firearm by a felon, discharging a firearm into occupied property and discharging a firearm in city limits.

May 14

• David Stephen Richard Pastva, 29, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assaulting a law enforcement officer causing serious injury, assault on a female, resisting a public officer, disorderly conduct and communicating threats.

• Teresa Chriscoe Toomes, 63, of Star, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intent to sell methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle or substances and possessing

dent of the Asheboro station, which has dual signals, since 2011. His daughter, Dorothy Keith, has been overseeing station operations.

Faglier described Keith as “a man with few words, but the words he said meant so much.” Faglier announced Keith’s death on the air.

Faglier said Keith’s passion for local radio was clear.

“He knew it touches so many people,” Faglier said. “Sometimes people get lost without it.”

Earlier in his career, Keith lived in the Atlanta area and was CEO of Colonial Cartage Corp.

ties’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental rules and more oil and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks. The EPA plans to loosen regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, cleanup standards for coal plant waste and car emission limits, among many other clean air and water rules.

Zeldin’s history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals.

Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications — among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that firefighting foam snuffed out flames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each

May 16

• Erin Lee Kadner, 42, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, larceny of a firearm and possessing stolen goods.

• Martavius Lemar Drake, 27, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female, attempted larceny, damaging personal property, disorderly conduct and going armed to terrorize people.

May 17

• Andres Gomez Sesmas, 23, of Ramseur, was arrested by Asheboro PD for carrying a concealed gun.

• Edith Yessenia Molina, 48, of Siler City, was arrested by RCSO for first-degree arson and burning personal property.

• Vasco Glen Fernandez, 63, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for attempted breaking and entering, trespassing, breaking and entering to terrorize or injure and cruelty to animals.

COURTESY PHOTO

year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.

The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.

Some utilities have been surprised to find out they are over limits. And small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

Others wanted a higher limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith. He suspects the utility industry will continue to sue over those limits. Environmental groups will likely file challenges, too.

Melanie Benesh, vice president of government affairs at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, said utilities may not have to install treatment that’s as broadly effective if they just have to focus on two types of older PFAS.

“You really reduce what utilities have to do to make sure that the other, newer generation PFAS are captured” she said.

May 18

• Amanda Chavis, 54, of Franklinville, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing methamphetamine and possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Larry Robert Huyser, 62, of Asheboro, was arrested by Archdale PD for driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse, possessing methamphetamine and possessing marijuana.

• Maria Bernal Matom, 26, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intentional child abuse causing serious physical injury and communicating threats.

• Shaleka Monee Siler, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intentional child abuse causing serious physical injury and communicating threats.

• Stephen Jeffrey Faunce, 40, of Mocksville, was arrested by Archdale PD for driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse, possessing methamphetamine and possessing marijuana.

Randolph Guide

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

May 22

Business After Hours: Explore the Historic Sunset Theatre

5:30-7 p.m.

The event, presented by the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber, gives visitors a rare chance to explore the historic theater backstage and learn about ongoing efforts to preserve the building. The audience will be shown two short films created by local filmmakers and be able to view art on display by N.C. sculptor Casey Mull.

234 Sunset Ave.

Asheboro

May 22, 24 & 27

City of Asheboro Farmers Market

7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fresh seasonal produce, farm-fresh products, baked goods, and a variety of flowers and plants are available for purchase directly from local farmers. Open weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the end of October.

134 S. Church St. Asheboro

May

24

Asheboro Summer Cruise Series: Grounded Elegance Cruise-In

6-10 p.m.

A local tradition for all who love summer, cruisin’ and all that comes with it. The free event will be hosted at C4 Church at 1128 N. Fayetteville St. Throughout the evening, cars will cruise down Asheboro’s main drag.

170 Worth St. Asheboro

May 26 & 28

Liberty Farmers Market

4-7 p.m.

Purchase a wide array of high-quality, fresh produce from local farmers and growers at this convenient downtown location. Open every Monday and Wednesday through the end of October.

423 W. Swannanoa Ave. Liberty

other places now in place of closing The Virtual Academy. “We’re just going to have to go back to the drawing board because this will be a chunk of the cut that won’t happen now,” Gainey said. Currently, there are just more than 60 students enrolled in The Virtual Academy for the 2025-26 school year. The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet June 26.

Fred Keith

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable. According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state coffers are benefiting, and

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made significant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a five-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive offerings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Scapegoating Joe Biden isn’t going to solve the Democratic Party’s problems

The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

“WE GOT SO SCREWED by Biden, as a party,” former Obama adviser David Plouffe is quoted saying in a New Yorker excerpt from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its CoverUp, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

The supposition of the piece, headlined “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” is that Democrats only failed to hold the White House because of Biden’s prideful obstinacy.

Scapegoating Biden for all the left’s considerable political problems is an ugly hypocrisy. It is also self-delusional. There is a reason the Democratic Party’s polling is at historic lows right now, and it’s not just Biden’s memory problems.

Let’s recall that every congressional Democrat decided to shoehorn the Inflation Reduction Act into law even after most economists warned it would plunge the nation into price spikes. Biden wasn’t the only one leaning into the hysterics of “semi-fascism.” If anything, Biden had merely adopted the social science quackery on gender that so many Democrats champion.

Did any elected Democrat speak out about the anarchy of illegal immigration? If so, I must have missed it. Yet, according to a preelection Pew poll, 78% of people believed the border was a crisis or major problem.

One of the big criticisms of Biden is that he failed to make room for another candidate earlier. Almost surely, Kamala Harris would have been the nominee regardless of when Biden dropped out. Does anyone really believe a hyper-a mbitious politician ensconced in the White House was going to step aside or let some middling governor

wrest the nomination from her? The only Democrat who consistently outperformed Harris in most polls after Biden’s debate debacle was Michelle Obama. It was going to be Harris.

What makes anyone think that Harris would have experienced more success had she enjoyed more time? After an initial jolt up, the vice president’s popularity steadily declined. Harris needed less time, not more. The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

Harris, like any other possible Democratic candidate, was compelled to run on the president’s record. And that record, championed by virtually every Democrat, was unpopular long before the media were compelled to acknowledge the president’s declining mental state.

The Democratic Party had blown it. Polls found that only 36% approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, 28% approved of his handling of immigration, 33% approved of his handling of foreign policy and 30% approved of his handling of the Middle East. Now, even with those numbers, elections are a contest between two visions. A CBS News poll found that 65% of Americans remember the economy under Trump fondly, while only 38% said the same about Biden.

Does anyone really believe that Govs. Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear or JB Pritzker possess the kind of charismatic personality or compelling message to overcome that record? It’s exceptionally unlikely.

Plouffe might have been one of the few Democrats who publicly questioned the wisdom of running a man whose mental acuity had slipped for years. Until the

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal offshore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate significant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving effective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

day of the first 2024 presidential debates, however, virtually the entirety of the party and media had been shielding Biden. If the president had refused to debate Trump, the left would have almost surely kept on concealing Biden’s condition. It had no choice but to turn on the president once he had been exposed. We learn in The New Yorker that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney at the infamous Hollywood fundraiser where Barack Obama had to lead the president off stage by hand. Recall that even at this point, the big media were still gaslighting the public about the president’s deteriorating acuity. Three days later, Tapper’s colleague wrote in CNN’s media newsletter that the claim had been a “fabrication.”

Two days before the debate, thenMajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had told reporters the president was sharper than he’d been in years. “He’s fine. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” he said.

In he New Yorker piece, we learn that Schumer would speak to Biden on the phone regularly, “and, after some chit chat,” the president would “admit that he’d forgotten why he’d called. Sometimes he rambled. Sometimes he forgot names. Schumer wasn’t concerned about Biden’s acuity, but he was worried about the optics.”

The president is the most powerful man in the world, and the Senate leader was worried about optics. So, indeed, was the rest of his party. Which is merely to say that Democrats screwed themselves.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

Cristeta Comerford handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for five presidents and their guests, says first families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the first families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then finished off in the residence kitchen on the second floor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen staff, is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Each of the five families she served approached food differently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenfirst lady Hillary Clinton hired the first American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stuffed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was

promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The first lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the first Italian American first lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s different for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent affairs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s first term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader.

The first lady’s staff and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team

“It’s different for each family, but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive

started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized.

She’d develop at least three different menus. Then came tastings for the first lady to make a final decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the first woman and first person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacrificing his career

to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the first Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do fine dining meals,” she said. “You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, according to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.” Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military.

Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the first Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War. But his stint ended after less than four years when the new first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961. Miller said the book offers a unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and find out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House on April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

chef

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

James “Chip” Harris Jr.

Feb. 27, 1951 – May 16, 2025

James “Chip” Harris Jr., born on February 27, 1951, in Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2025, at Asheboro Health and Rehab. Chip led a life full of inspiration and devotion, cherished by all who knew him. A beloved father, brother, and grandfather.

Chip graduated from Ben L. Smith High School in 1970, where he met his high school sweetheart, Kathy. Later, he attended school in Denver, Colorado, where he studied to be a gunsmith. He worked for various construction companies as a draftsman but dedicated over ten years to working at Guaranteed Supply before he retired in January 2024.

Outside of his professional life, he found joy in gunsmithing, and his love for the outdoors was boundless, where he spent countless weekends hunting and fishing. Chip had a passion for working on cars and motorcycles and had a knack for taking apart and putting back together anything with an engine.

His warm spirit shone brightly in his community, where he taught Sunday School and sang in the choir for many years at South Plainfield Friends and Cedar Square Friends Meeting, creating lasting bonds with those he served alongside. Chip had a generous heart, supporting countless charities, missions, and missionaries overseas.

Chip is preceded in death by his father, James Harris Sr., his mother, Nellie Pearl Redding, and his beloved wife, Katherine Harris, and her sister, Donna Greeson.

He is survived by his children, James Harris, and wife, Kaela, Jonathan Harris, and Janna Allen, and husband, Cameron, and his six grandchildren, Adelein Nichols, and husband, Walt, Sophie Harris, Samuel Allen, Augustus Harris and Indie Harris. He is also mourned by his siblings, Chuck Harris, and wife, Debbie and Vickie Norman, and husband, Jerry, brothers-in-law, Bill Hedrick, and wife, Susan, Jeff Hedrick, and Stephen Greeson along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on May 20, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home at 600 S. Main St., Randleman, NC. The funeral service will be conducted on May 21, 2025, at 11 a.m. at South Plainfield Friends Meeting 4033 Plainfield Rd., Sophia, NC, followed by burial in the church cemetery.

Barbara Ann Woodlief Ingold

June 11, 1947 – May 14, 2025

Barbara Ann Woodlief Ingold, 77, of Randleman, passed away at her home on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born June 11, 1947, in Oxford, NC, to Rufus Eugene Woodlief and Mary Belle Beaver.

Ann was a devoted, loving and caring wife and mother, married to Jim for over 58 years. She loved the beach, yard sales, reading, being outdoors, and especially watching the hummingbirds. Everyone was welcomed with food and open arms. Ann loved spending time with her brothers and sisters. She will be loved and missed by all who knew her.

Ann is survived by her husband, Jim Ingold of the home; daughter, Kelly Pearce of Randleman; son, Preston (Tina) Ingold of Randleman; grandchildren, Shay Coble, Aaron Cain, Stormy Jones (Ricky), Taylor Ingold, Ryan (Casey) Pearce, Chase Pearce, Laken (Michael) Soheili, Vince (Kendall) Ingold; greatgrandchildren, Keegan, Hollis, Titus, Asher, Grayson, Brantley, Edison, Kinsley, Baxleigh; brother, William Woodlief of Catawba; sister, Brenda Mitchell of Greensboro.

She is preceded in death by her son, Robb (Tonya) Ingold, siblings James Woodlief, Scrappy Woodlief, Virginia Clapp, Marie Shotwell, Myrtle Dean, Louise Stevens and Lucille Gillis.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 11–12:45 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main Street in Randleman. Funeral service to follow at 1 p.m. at the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel with Pastor Donald Nease officiating. Burial to follow at Randolph Memorial Park.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Ingold family.

Iris Lee Austin Bingmam

April 18, 1932 – May 10, 2025

Iris Lee Austin Bingham, age 93, of Greensboro, passed away on May 10, 2025. Ms. Bingham was born in Albemarle, NC on April 18, 1932, to Alfred and Onnie Mae Cooper

April 4, 1940 – May 16, 2025

Joyce LaRue Bradfield Firce, age 85, of Randleman, NC, passed away on May 16, 2025, in Guilford County.

Joyce was born on April 4, 1940, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Harold Bradfield and June Hoffheins. She later moved to Edgely, PA, where she and her husband, Ronald, lovingly raised their family before retiring to North Carolina. Joyce found joy in the simple things—she loved to garden, tending to her plants with care, and she was known for her delicious baking that filled the home with warmth and love.

Joyce and her husband, Ronald Firce, were married for 67 wonderful years, sharing a life full of love, devotion, and family.

She is preceded in death by her grandson, Liam Rosen.

Joyce is survived by her devoted husband, Ronald Firce; her daughters, Beth Firce, Barbara Barton (Brian), Patricia Lerew (Glenn) and Kristin Rosen (Bil); and her grandchildren, Elissa Darnell, Carly Darnell, Michael Darnell, Kelsey Barton, Daniel Barton (Rachel), Jordan Lerew (Christina) and Sebastian Rosen. Great-grandchildren Korey Darnell, Rylen Lerew and Killian Lerew. She is also survived by her sister, Doris Smith; her nephew, Erik Freeman (Anne); her sister-in-law, Karen Rollison (David); and her brother-in-law, Gary Firce.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pleasant Garden Baptist Church in Joyce’s memory.

Family will receive friends Friday, May 23, 2025, at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, 1415 Neelley Rd, at 1 p.m., with Memorial Service to follow at 2 p.m. with Rev Marty Tobin officiating.

Austin. She was employed with the South Carolina Employment Security Commission for 10 years. In addition to her parents, Iris was preceded in death by her former husband, Raymond C. “Bill” Bingham, brother, James D. “Buddy” Austin, and sister, Betty Ellen “Sister” Luther. She is survived by her son, William C. “Billy” Bingham (Julie) of Spruce Pine, NC; daughters, April Renee Bingham of Greensboro, Pamela Spencer Thompson of Columbia, SC, and Terri Spencer Jones of Columbia, SC; eight grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; two great-greatgrandchildren; and her beloved dog and faithful companion, Stormy. No services are planned at this time. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Bingham family.

March 13, 1952 – May 13, 2025

JoAnn Jarrett Smith, 73, of Randleman passed away Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro. She was born on March 13, 1952, in Randolph County to James Kenneth Jarrett and Helen Gertrude Routh Jarrett.

JoAnn was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was married for 47 years to her husband, Tim, and together they raised three wonderful children. She loved her flower garden, watching the birds, and being home with her family watching NASCAR. JoAnn was a skilled sewer and loved making quilts. A hard worker, she lived by the belief that family was always first and wanted her kids to have more than she did. She will be missed by those she leaves behind.

JoAnn is survived by her husband, Tim Smith of the home; daughters, Shelly Harris (Josh) of Archdale, Misty Hurley of Asheboro; son, Phillip Hurley of Randleman; grandchildren, Gatlin Hurley, Kaymen Hurley, Emerson Harris, Charleigh Harris, Cash Harris; sisters, Karen Hollis (Brice) of New London, Susan Blanton of Franklinville; brother, Eddy Jarrett (Willa Mae) of Level Cross. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Wayne Jarrett.

The family will receive friends Friday, May 16, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St, Randleman, in the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Smith family.

Katie Kern Deaton

Feb. 12, 1929 – May 12, 2025

Katie Kern Deaton, age 96, of Troy, passed away on Monday, May 12, 2025, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC.

Katie was born in Troy on Feb. 26, 1929, to the late Sankey Kern and Marybelle Cagle Kern. She was the last surviving member of the Troy High School graduating class of 1947. She was the Town Clerk and Tax Collector for the Town of Troy for many years. Katie started to learn crocheting but ended up becoming an avid knitter, which she loved. She enjoyed traveling to the beach at Garden City. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Troy where she sang in the church choir.

Katie is survived by her daughters: Jane Lee Deaton of Troy, Reba D. Hatfield of Charlotte, and her faithful companion, her poodle Holly. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Lee Deaton Jr., her sister, Audrey Wright, and her twin brother, James Kern. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Pugh Troy Funeral Home Chapel, 211 N. Main St., Troy at 3 p.m. with Tony Sedberry officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service from 1 to 2:45 p.m. Burial will follow the service at Southside Cemetery in Troy. Pugh Troy Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Katie Deaton.

Joyce LaRue Bradfield Firce

JoAnn Jarrett Smith

STATE & NATION

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed officers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s office said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an officer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an effort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on Monday when she said in a so -

cial media post she instead was charging the congresswoman. Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond. Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ official duties to serve their constituents and an effort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in American political discourse.

Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip released by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed officials go through the gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and officers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform embla-

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

zoned with the word “Police” on it. It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene. The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, first came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that.

House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the first lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her first public appearance since resuming the role of first lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the first lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish inti-

mate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps

to delete duplicate content.

Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The first lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with

lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.” Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s first term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

First lady Melania Trump lobbied hard for the bill

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

RandolpH SPORTS

UCA takes road back to regional finals

The Eagles are facing an in-county rival with the chance to return to the state championship series

Randolph Record staff

CHERRYVILLE — Uwharrie Charter Academy is back in another Class 1A West Region baseball finals and there’s a familiar tone.

The opponent for this week’s best-of-three finals is Eastern Randolph, a rival in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Both teams won fourth-round road games Friday night to keep their seasons going. One of them

Farlow

will play in the state championship series next week.

“Our guys are resilient,” UCA coach Rob Shore said. “As the (season) was getting toward the end, the seniors realized, ‘Hey guys, this is it.’ They’ve turned it up a different notch.”

The regional finals matchup marks a rematch from 2023, when UCA won on its way to the first of back-to-back state titles.

UCA (16-11 at the beginning of the week) was to be home for Game 1 and, if necessary, Game 3, which would be held Friday night. Until this week, Eastern Randolph (15-12-1) has played on its home field

clears the field, wins title again

The Randleman senior repeated as the outdoor state champion in the high jump

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

GREENSBORO — Chase Farlow left his final high school track and field meet with two medals, including another coveted gold in his specialty.

The Randleman senior captured the high jump in the Class 2A state meet Saturday at North Carolina A&T. He was second in the long jump.

“Pretty good day in the office,” Farlow said.

He cleared 6 feet, 10 inches, in the high jump, matching his personal best. He was most pleased that he made it to that point of the competition without a scratch.

He didn’t clear the 7-foot mark, but by then he already had secured his second consecutive championship in the event. The runner-up was Deitrich Williams of Greene Central at 6-6.

For Farlow, any stress came from trying to go to a new height.

“I kind of put a lot of pressure on myself because I want that (7-foot mark),” he said. While he qualified for three events at the state meet, Farlow said the high jump is his priority. He was in that competition while also participating in the long jump.

“I was running back and forth between that and high jump,” he said. Farlow’s long jump of 22-3¾

“If we can just stay consistent with our hitting, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

only once in the postseason.

During the regular season, UCA won 16-0 at Eastern Randolph and then 3-2 in 11 innings at home in a pair of April games.

“A familiar foe, right down the road,” Shore said. Logun Wilkins pitched six

put him second behind Farmville Central’s Elijah Able (22-9½).

Later, Farlow didn’t make the finals flight in the triple jump. He ended up 11th at 41-¾.

So it was a long day, arriving at the stadium prior to 8 a.m. and completing his last jump after 5 p.m.

Yet it was a rewarding prep career before Farlow goes off to compete for North Carolina State.

“I was getting better,” Farlow said. “I figured out what I was good at.”

Across the four classifications in two days of state meets, only one other high jumper cleared 6-10.

Senior Jay Richards of Randleman recorded the fourth-best pole vault at 12 feet, while teammate Jay Bowman was seventh at 10-6.

Ty Moton’s shot put toss of 47-11 gave the Randleman senior seventh place.

Randleman’s Triston Chriscoe was 10th in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.85 seconds.

Wheatmore’s Finley Bryant cleared 5-8 in the high jump.

Beane excels again

Gracie Beane of Randleman placed in two events in girls’ competition. She participated in her fourth state meet.

innings and Jake Hunter had three hits in fifth-seeded UCA’s 6-4 victory at top-seeded Cherryville on Friday night.

“When you’re playing a No. 1 seed like this and you’re on their territory, you know it’s going to be a fight,” Shore said.

Grat Dalton drove in two runs and Jose Ramirez scored two runs for the Eagles. Brett Smith pitched the ninth.

“Around the fourth inning, I started to pound it and they couldn’t really touch it after that,” Wilkins said.

The Eagles have been better with the bats lately.

“Since the playoffs have started, we’ve been getting huge

two-out hits,” Shore said. “We had people in scoring position every single inning. … Right now, if we can just stay consistent with our hitting, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Rob Shore, UCA coach See WILDCATS, page

Also last week, UCA knocked off fourth-seeded North Stokes 9-2 in the first of road games on back-to-back nights. Dalton racked up four hits and scored four runs, Alex Carver and Brody Engle both knocked in two runs and Jake Hunter pitched six innings.

“The last two games, we’ve been hitting the ball really well,” Wilkins said. “It’s just nice to have those extra runs.”

Cade McCallum delivers a pitch during last week’s game in the Class 1A state playoffs at McCrary Park.

Eastern Randolph hits hot spot at right time

The Wildcats have excelled in several areas during their postseason success

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The timing is right for Eastern Randolph to be playing its best baseball of the season.

The Wildcats have won four consecutive games in

the Class 1A state playoffs.

“We’re getting hot at the right time and it’s a great time to do it,” said Cade McCallum, who pitched a five-hitter in last week’s third-round game vs. Mountain Heritage at McCrary Park.

The Wildcats (15-12-1), who are seeded No. 15 in the West Region, then won at second-seeded Christ the King 6-4 on Friday night. Eastern

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball coach Rob Shore talks to his team before Friday night’s Class 1A game in the state playoffs at Cherryville.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD Chase Farlow

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Alex Kivett

Eastern

Randolph, baseball

Kivett has been one of the keys for an Eastern Randolph program that’s making his second appearance in the Class 1A West Regional finals in a three-year span.

The senior shortstop is among a core of veteran players who’ve helped elevate the Wildcats at the right time. He’s in the middle of the field defensively for a team that, entering this week’s regional finals against Uwharrie Charter Academy, held its previous three opponents to a total of seven runs.

Kivett has been a regular producer on offense, ranking high on the team in runs batted in and runs scored.

Burlington team wins state title in Asheboro

It took just two games to determine a NCISAA state champion at McCrary Park

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Burlington Christian Academy captured its first baseball state championship by sweeping the best-of-three championship series in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association’s

Class 2A finals at McCrary Park. The Royals defeated Freedom Christian Academy of Fayetteville 12-1 in Saturday’s Game 2. BCA (24-1) won 2-1 in eight innings on Cohen Payne’s winning single in Friday night’s series opener.

Payne pitched five innings for the victory in Game 2, when FCA (22-7) gave up four first-inning runs and didn’t recover. The Royals also won two matchups between the teams during the regular season.

Randleman keeps the faith before elimination

The Tigers used a baseball thriller against PAC rival Trinity to keep the season going until the fourth round

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Members of the Randleman baseball team were certain they’d figure out a way to win the third-round round game of the Class 2A state playoffs against Trinity. They just weren’t quite sure how.

“We always had faith that we were going to win the game,” infielder Tate Andrews said. “That helps us not let the pressure get to us.”

The Tigers erased a two-run deficit and then went to the bottom of the seventh inning, pulling out a 3-2 victory to extend their season May 13 at McCrary Park.

Jackson Hill doubled to begin the seventh. Kyle Dillow’s bunt was thrown away in foul territory down the right-field line, allowing Hill to score from second base.

“I blacked out,” Hill said of the moment after diving into the third base on the final play and then getting up. “Got up pretty fast. I knew we had it.”

Sixth-seeded Randleman then fell to seventh-seeded West Stanly, which avenged two losses to knock off second-seeded North Stanly 8-6 in the third round, on Friday night at home.

Earlier last week, the Tigers weren’t rattled despite Trinity pitcher Lincoln Coble keeping them in check.

“You have to always believe you’re going to win,” Randleman right fielder John Kirkpatrick said. “It’s something we

always pride ourselves in – expecting to win.”

The neutral-site matchup between Piedmont Athletic Conference teams drew a full grandstand plus spectators lining standing areas.

The Bulldogs (18-8) struck first.

Trinity’s Camden Nelson led off the third with a single and when Gage Griffiths’ sacrifice bunt resulted in a throwing error, the Bulldogs were threatening. They scored when Ethan Willard’s bunt was turned into a single.

With one out, the situation was pretty much repeated when Walker Parrish put down a bunt and Trinity tacked on its second run. Randleman dodged more problems when Walker’s pitch reached the backstop, but it turned into a double play — a strikeout on the pitch and catcher Lincoln Lawson’s tag of Willard, who was trying to score from third.

“Can’t blink,” Randleman starting pitcher Braxton Walker said. “Got to play through it. You got to stay up. It’s not going to change anything (that has already happened).”

Earlier, Trinity’s Gage Griffiths led off the game with a walk and reached third base with one out but didn’t score.

Randleman didn’t have a hit off Coble until Andrews, the second batter in the fourth, drilled a single following a walk to Walker. Lawson roped a run-scoring single and Hill lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly.

“Our kids play with a lot of confidence,” Randleman coach Jake Smith said. “Just trust the training and roll with it. We executed when we had to.”

It was the third straight onerun game for Trinity, which doubled its win total from 2024.

“Our kids play with a lot of confidence.”

“We definitely played very, very good baseball all game,” Bulldogs catcher Brody Little said. “It’s hard. It’s just tough.” Coble threw a three-hitter with four walks and five strikeouts. Trinity didn’t commit an error until the last play.

“I thought we played phenomenal,” coach Ryan Spencer said. “The guys just battled.” Walker pitched six innings, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out nine. Jake Riddle threw a scoreless seventh for the victory.

“As long as Braxton is on the mound, I don’t lose faith,” Kirkpatrick said. “It took us a while to get going.”

Since 2008, Randleman is 40-3 against Trinity, including what’s now a seven-game series winning streak that included 10-0 and 8-1 victories late last month.

The game was moved from Randleman because of field conditions to McCrary Park.

Season ends for Tigers

Randleman’s season ended when seventh-seeded West Stanly scored two six-inning runs to clip the host Tigers 2-1 on Friday night.

Randleman (20-6) scored in the first inning. Kirkpatrick, the starting pitcher, took a shutout to the sixth, allowing one hit and four walks before he was charged with one run. Riddle took the loss in relief.

West Stanly moved to the best-of-3 regional finals against top-seeded East Rutherford.

victory against Trinity.

WILDCATS from page B1

Randolph is in the regional finals for the second time in three years.

Outfielder Rayden West was a starter on that 2023 team, so he knows what it takes.

“We put the work in,” West said. “Throughout the season we worked up to this and we’ve stopped making so many errors. I knew we could make a good run.”

After No. 26 seed Mountain Heritage (11-12) scored in the top of the second, Eastern Randolph scored two runs in the bottom of the frame. Maddox Dunn’s bunt delivered the go-ahead run.

In the sixth, West drilled a two-run single. Dunn and Will Stalker both finished with two hits. West, along with senior classmates Stalker, Lucas Smith and Alex Kivett, was part of the team that won four games in the 2023 state playoffs.

“I knew we could make a good run.”

Rayden West, Eastern Randolph senior

“You already know what the process is,” West said. Cookman, in his second season in charge, said the pieces have come together.

“It’s cool to see these seniors lead by example,” Cockman said.

McCallum pitched in each of the first three of Eastern Randolph’s playoff games, though the complete game vs. Mountain Heritage was a bonus. He said he had dealt with slight discomfort in the shoulder blade area, but he was fine for this third-round assignment.

“I had confidence in every pitch I threw,” he said. McCallum, who struck out

seven, also came up clutch in the seventh inning after runners reached base. He picked off Liam McMahan at first base for the first out. Then with another Cougar reaching base, he snagged Malachi Huskins’ liner and turned that into a game-ending double play.

“I was hoping for a strikeout,” the right-hander said. “A double play is always better.”

The matchup vs. Mountain Heritage was moved to McCrary Park because of unplayable field conditions at Eastern Randolph. Against Christ the King (17-8), Eastern Randolph prevailed with Smith driving in two runs and Chance Holdaway scoring two runs.

Bryson Marley pitched 62/3 innings for the victory before Smith recorded the final out on the mound. The outcome set up the Wildcats for this week’s best-of-3 regional finals vs. Uwharrie Charter Academy.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Eastern Randolph’s Alex Kivett at the plate during the state playoffs last week.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Randleman’s Jackson Hill heads for the plate to score the winning run in the Tigers’ Class 2A state-playoff

Jake Smith, Randleman coach

Academy’s

Randleman reaches softball regional finals

Defending state champion Southwestern Randolph exited with a third-round defeat

Randolph Record staff

RANDLEMAN’S softball team took care of business on road last week and the Tigers are still playing in the Class 2A state playoffs.

Friday night’s 3-1 victory at sixth-seeded West Stokes puts No. 15 seed Randleman in the West Region finals.

The Tigers are playing this week in the best-of-three series against top-seeded West Wilkes. Game 2 is set for Thursday at Randleman, with the third game, if necessary, back at West Wilkes on Saturday.

Kinzie Ivey threw a three-hitter against West Stokes (18-6). Olivia Ashby had two hits and knocked in a run.

Randleman won a make-up game in the third round at seventh-seeded Black Mountain Owen by 4-3, holding on after building a four-run lead.

Kaylee Phillips had two hits and Kaylie St. John drove in a run and scored a run. Ivey was the winning pitcher with seven strikeouts.

• Southwestern Randolph, the defending Class 2A state champion, suffered a 4-2 home loss to No. 12 seed Michael in the third round.

Macie Crutchfield struck out

10 batters for the fourth-seeded Cougars (17-4), who won the Piedmont Athletic Conference by one game on Randleman. Sara-Kate Marion had two hits.

• In Class 1A, fourth-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy’s season ended with a 9-6, 10-inning setback to 12th-seeded Murphy in the third round.

UCA (14-9) overcame a sixrun deficit, pulling even on Carly Rush’s fourth-inning grand slam. The Eagles had won five straight.

Girls’ soccer

Area teams had mostly rough results in the state playoffs, which began last week.

• In Class 1A, Uwharrie Charter Academy opened by drilling South Davidson 10-0 as Jazmin Palma scored five goals and supplied two assists, Kendall Jarrell posted three goals and Reese Craven had two goals.

Then the Eagles (16-4), who were seeded No. 3 in the West Region, had their season end with a 1-0 home loss to Thomas Jefferson.

• In Class 2A, No. 17 seed Wheatmore notched a 4-2 victory at 16th-seeded Bandys with Natalie Bowman and Brianna Hill each scoring two goals. Ashley Swaney made 10 saves.

Then the Warriors fell 9-0 to top-seeded Pine Lake Prep, ending their season with a 12 -8-1 record.

Corea tosses shot put for state title

The Eastern Randolph thrower has won state championships in consecutive years in different events

Randolph Record staff

GREENSBORO — Eastern

Randolph’s Mirianna Corea has added another event to her portfolio of state championships in track and field.

The junior thrower captured the shot put in the Class 1A state meet Friday at North Carolina A&T.

Corea’s throw of 38 feet, 6 inches was the top mark, putting her ahead of Albemarle’s Jasmine Brown (37-9).

TRACK from page B1

“Just getting to compete,” Beane said. “States is a pretty big deal.”

Beane took second place in the high jump at 5-2 behind defending champion D’Anna Cotton of Burlington Cummings. Randleman’s Jaquline McDaniel was eighth at 4-10.

Beane third in triple jump with a bound of 37-10.

“I got better marks this meet,” Bean said. “I’m happy

Corea, the 2024 state champion in the discus, was the runner-up in that event this time. Her toss of 122-1 was second to Cherokee’s Joss Tamper, who posted a heave of 129-11. No other entrant reached 111 feet.

Eastern Randolph freshman Roxanne Davis placed fourth in the high jump at 5 feet.

Class 3A

Aaron Tyson of Asheboro claimed fifth place in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 13 feet during Friday’s state championships. Tyson was 12th in the long jump at 20-1¾. Teammate Juan Pablo Munoz also had a 12th-place finish with

with where I finished, especially being my senior year and going out up at the top.” Beane will play basketball and compete in track and field for Division II Ferrum. McDaniel, a freshman, captured fourth place in the long jump at 17-2¼. Also, Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt was 10th in the 800 at 2:32.89. Wheatmore’s Scarlett Hildreth finished 11th in the 1,600 in 5:43.54.

Also, seventh-seeded Providence Grove suffered a 3-2 first-round defeat to Black Mountain Owen. The Patriots ended up 16-6-1.

No. 21 seed Trinity (9-11-1) lost 4-0 at 12th-seeded Hendersonville.

Pine Lake Prep posted a 10-0 victory against No. 32 seed Randleman (7-12).

• In Class 3A, No. 17 seed Asheboro dropped a 3-1 decision vs. No. 16 seed St. Stephens in a game moved to Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Blue Comets finished 13-8.

Boys’ golf

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Maddox Johnson shared 12th place with 78 and Eastern Randolph’s Tyler Gee tied for 57th with 88 in the rain-shortened Class 1A state tournament last week at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines. The previous week in the Midwest Regional at Cedarbrook Country Club in Elkin, Gee placed 14th and Johnson tied for 15th.

Boys’ tennis

Southwestern Randolph’s Brayden Tyl was a state qualifier in Class 2A singles.

He lost in the first round of the state tournament by 6-1, 6-2 to eventual runner-up Jackson Grathwohl of Pine Lake Prep earlier this month at Ting Park in Holly Springs.

a discus throw of 137-8. On the girls’ side, Rebecca Wilson of Asheboro tied for ninth in the high jump at 5 feet.

COURTESY PHOTO

Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea enjoys a moment with her gold medal.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter

Abbie Gudino prepares to kick the ball against South Davidson in the Class 1A girls’ soccer state playoffs.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD Gracie Beane

Jennifer Lawrence stirs Oscar talk in Cannes for ‘Die, My Love’

The actor plays Grace, a mother with postpartum depression

By Jake Coyle

The Associated Press

CANNES, France — Last year, the Cannes Film Festival produced three best actress nominees at the Oscars. This year’s edition may have just supplied another.

In Lynne Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson play a married couple with a newborn who move into an old country house. In Ramsay’s messy and moving marital psychodrama, Lawrence plays an increasingly unhinged young mother named Grace whose postpartum depression reaches darkly hallucinatory extremes.

For Lawrence, the 34-year- old mother of two, making “Die, My Love” was an intensely personal experience.

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do,” Lawrence told reporters Sunday. “I had just had my firstborn, and there’s not really anything like postpartum. It’s extremely isolating. She doesn’t have a community. She doesn’t have her people. But the truth is, extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating, no matter where you are. You feel like an alien.”

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do.”

Jennifer Lawerence

“Die, My Love,” which is in competition for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, was one of the most anticipated premieres of the festival. That was owed partly to the widely respect for Ramsey, the Scottish director of “Ratcatcher” (1999), “Movern Callar” (2002) and “ You Were Never Really Here” (2017). Lawrence sought her out for the film.

“I’ve wanted to work with Lynne Ramsay since I saw ‘Ratcatcher’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way,’” said Lawrence. “But we took a chance, and we sent it to her. And I really, I cannot believe that I’m here with you.”

Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, is a disorienting experience, pulsating with animalistic urges and manic spurts of violence. As a portrait of a marriage in trouble, it makes “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” look tame.

“Die, My Love” was quickly snapped up by Mubi on Sunday. In easily the biggest sale of the festival, the indie distributor plunked down $24 million for distribution rights to the film in the U.S. and multiple other territories.

Lawrence’s performance, in particular, drew the kind of raves in Cannes that tend to lead to Oscar consideration. Lawrence has been nominated four times by the Academy Awards, winning once for 2013’s “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Since then, much has changed for Lawrence, including becoming a mother. On Saturday, Lawrence said parenthood has been such an enriching experience for her that, she joked, “I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.”

“Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t know that I could feel so much.”

“My job has a lot to do with emotion, and they’ve opened up the world to me,” she added. “It’s almost like feeling like a blister or something. So sensitive. So they’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they’ve changed me creatively.”

Pattinson, who recently had his first child with Suki Waterhouse, chimed in that he found having a baby “gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration.”

Jennifer Lawrence poses for photographers at the 78th

France on Sunday.

Chernow’s ‘Mark Twain’ gives readers honest assessment of author’s life

Samuel Langhorne Clemens had many imperfections and personal conflicts

By Andrew DeMillo

The Associated Press

PULITZER PRIZE-winning author Ron Chernow is known for writing massive biographies of the country’s most enduring figures, including Ulysses S. Grant and Alexander Hamilton. So it comes as no surprise that his biography of author and humorist Mark Twain clocks in at more than 1,000 pages.

It’s also forgivable, considering that Twain was such a colossal figure in American literature and history that his authorized biography was more than 1,500 pages long.

Chernow’s “Mark Twain” is well worth that length to learn more about the author best known for introducing readers to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Chernow’s book aptly portrays Twain as someone who “fairly invented our celebrity culture,” the precursor to the influencers that dominate our lives today. Twain had no qualms about cashing in on his fame, with his name being used to promote cigars, pipes and other products.

But Twain was known just as much for the attitude linked

demning the practice of lynching. That silence, Chernow writes, was a major missed opportunity to help foster a national debate.

Chernow also delves into the uncomfortable subject of Twain’s obsession in his later years with teenage girls, developing close friendships with teens that he dubbed his “angelfish.”

Chernow’s willingness to give readers the unvarnished truth about Twain makes the biography stand out, as does his ability to simultaneously explore the historical and literary context of Twain’s writing. Even Twain’s lesser-known works are addressed.

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

to the humorist and his works. Twain, as Chernow describes him, was “someone willing to tangle with anyone, make enemies and say aloud what other people only dared to think.”

Chernow’s biography avoids the trap of idolizing Twain and gives an honest assessment of the author’s life, including his flaws and contradictions.

Revered for addressing the evils of slavery in “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Twain was also someone who avoided lending his voice to con-

Twain comes alive in the pages of Chernow’s biography, which shows how much he was influenced by his wife and her “delicate restraining hand.” It also portrays the complex and fraught relationship Twain had with his daughters.

The book drags at some points, which is inevitable in a tome of this size, and is strongest when it tells the relationship Twain had with the written word. Chernow writes that “words were his catharsis, his therapy, his preferred form of revenge.”

The recurring theme of Chernow’s biography is Twain’s love affair with the written word, and it ably demonstrates the impact that relationship had on a nation.

SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Cannes Film Festival in southern

PENGUIN PRESS VIA AP Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow latest book, “Mark Twain,” explores the iconic author.

The Associated Press THESE celebrities have birthdays this week.

MAY 22

Songwriter Bernie Taupin is 75. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is 68. Singer Morrissey is 66. Model Naomi Campbell is 55. Tennis player Novak Djokovic is 38.

MAY 23

Actor Joan Collins is 92. Chess grand master Anatoly Karpov is 74. Comedian-TV host Drew Carey is 67. “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings is 51. Singer-songwriter Jewel is 51.

MAY 24

Comedian Tommy Chong is 87. Musician Bob Dylan is 84. Singer Patti LaBelle is 81. Actor Priscilla Presley is 80. Actor Alfred Molina is 72. Actor John C. Reilly is 60.

MAY 25

Actor Ann Robinson (“War of the Worlds”) is 96. Actor Ian McKellen (“Lord of the Rings”) is 86. Actor-singer Leslie Uggams is 82. Director-Muppetteer Frank Oz is 81. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 62.

MAY 26

Sportscaster Brent Musburger is 86. Singer Stevie Nicks is 77. Actor Pam Grier is 76. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 76. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 61. Actor Helena Bonham Carter is 59. “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone is 53. Singer Lauryn Hill is 49.

MAY 27

Singer Bruce Cockburn is 80. Jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is 75. Singer Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees is 68. Musician Andre 3000 of Outkast is 49.

MAY 28

Singer Gladys Knight is

Singer John Fogerty is 80. Musician Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss and Union Station is

the stream

Krasinski, Portman search for ‘Fountain of Youth,’ Pee-wee as himself

Stereolab drops its first new record in 15 years

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Joe Jonas’ sophomore solo album “Work It Out” and John Krasinski and Natalie Portman searching for immortality in Guy Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Paul Reubens shines in the documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” Nicole Kidman returns as a shady wellness guru in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping offers gamers a chance to test their de-duck-tive skills.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” (out Friday on Max and HBO) is one of the most intimate portraits of Reubens, the man many know as Pee-wee Herman. Wolf crafted his film from some 40 hours of interviews conducted with Reubens before he died of cancer in 2023. In “Pee-wee as Himself,” Reubens discusses the ups and downs of his career, how he crafted the Pee-wee persona and how it came to dwarf his own self.

Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” (Friday on Apple TV+) stars Krasinski and Portman as a pair of siblings hunting for the fabled Fountain of Youth. The film, which also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson and Stanley Tucci, is the latest from the fast-working Ritchie, whose recent films include 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and 2023’s “The Covenant.”

Last fall, “The Last Showgirl” (out Friday on Hulu) proved a poignant showcase for Pamela Anderson, long after her “Baywatch” heyday. In Gia Coppola’s indie drama, she plays a Las Vegas performer in the twilight of her career. Dave Bautista co-stars.

MUSIC TO STREAM

In the first single released from Jonas’ forthcoming sophomore solo album, “Work It Out,” the boy band brother breaks the fourth wall in the third person. “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for,” he sings in a rare moment of pop candor. His characteristic cheekiness soon follows. “Even baddies get saddies and that’s the hardest truth,” he sings atop

cheery pop-synth. The album, titled “Music For People Who Believe In Love” promises more alt-pop — with country and rock flair thrown in for good measure. Good news for cool people with interesting taste: The Anglo-French Avant-pop band Stereolab returns with their first new album in 15 years, since 2010’s “Not Music” arrived after the group announced an indefinite hiatus. That came to an end in 2019, when Stereolab announced remastered reissues, tour dates and a set at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. The latest news arrives in the form of this new album, titled “Instant Holograms on Metal Film,” and it sounds as if no time has passed.

Pachyman, the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia, has charmed audiences with his vintage gear and deep appreci-

ation for dub reggae. That continues on his fifth album, “Another Place,” out Friday, with its dreamy, psychedelic indie. It’s the kind of stuff that would be at least partially labeled “vaporwave” or “chillwave” a few years ago. Now, it’s a kaleidoscope of influences only Pachyman could put together in such a fluid package.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

With hits like “Maxton Hall” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video is investing in its YA content. In the new series “Motorheads,” a mother (Nathalie Kelley) returns to her blue-collar hometown with her teenage twins (played by Michael Cimino of “Love, Victor” and Melissa Collazo.) They move in with their uncle (Ryan Phillippe) who is haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother. Fun fact: Phil-

lippe’s son, Deacon, with Reese Witherspoon, plays that younger brother in flashback scenes. Besides the expected coming- of-age storyline about first love and fitting in at school, there’s also a greater mystery at play, plus street racing! Now streaming Prime. At the end of season one of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” we saw Nicole Kidman’s Russian wellness guru, Masha, high tailing it out of town after her unorthodox practices included sneaking psychedelics into her patients’ smoothies. In season 2, Masha has relocated to the Austrian Alps with two new business partners, and they’re welcoming a new group of people to a retreat.

“I invited you all here because sometimes you shouldn’t deal with pain gently,” Masha says in the trailer.

The cast includes Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Mur-

“Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for.” Joe Jonas

ray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Dolly de Leon and musician King Princess in her first acting role.

PLAY

VIDEO GAMES TO

Winston Green, a high-strung courier in small-town America in the late 1950s, has one motto: Deliver At All Costs. If that means wrecking other cars or plowing through buildings, so be it. And as the cargo gets weirder — judging from the screenshots, UFOs may be involved — Winston “spirals downward into the depths of insanity.” The result, from Swedish studio Far Out Games by way of Konami, looks somewhat like the original Grand Theft Auto with a retro “Happy Days” glow. Hit the gas Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was once of last year’s cleverest surprises, introducing us to down-on-his-luck gumshoe Eugene McQuacklin in an animal-world parody of film noir. My only complaint was that it was just a few hours long — but the good news is that Germany’s Happy Broccoli Games is already back on the case with Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. This time, McQuacklin investigates a mystery at a luxury campsite. If you enjoy brainteasers, another chance to test your de-ducktive skills arrives Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

“Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Fountain of Youth” and “The Last Showgirl” land this week on a device near you.

“Music for People Who Believe in Love” by Joe Jonas, “Another Place” by Pachyman and “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” by Stereolab drop this week. PRIME / HULU / TNT VIA AP

second season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” is streaming this week.

Randolph record

The legend lives on

A capacity crowd returned to North Wilkesboro for the third straight year to watch the

million-dollar check for winning the race.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update

COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are effective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and benefits of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identified a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democratic-controlled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the floor after refusing to apologize.

Virtual Academy remains open after close vote

The motion to close the school failed on a 3-3 split

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Despite the recommendation of the superintendent, The Virtual Academy at Randolph will not be closing.

At the Randolph County Schools Board of Education’s May 19 meeting, the board held a vote to close The Virtual Academy at Randolph, but due to a 3-3 split — with chair Gary Cook and members Phillip La-

“Just can’t do it.” Board Chair Gary Cook

nier and Shannon Whitaker voting against the motion — it failed to pass.

“Just can’t do it,” Cook said.

“I know it’s a business and I made this a point to a lot of people, but, for me, I couldn’t sleep tonight. I have a soft spot. I may not always be right, but I always said if I can’t follow my heart a little bit, I don’t need this job.”

The closing of The Virtu-

al Academy had been recommended by Superintendent Stephen Gainey due to the increased cost of running the school (nearly $1.3 million) without ESSER dollars and decreasing enrollment.

“I know people aren’t happy with me for the recommendation I made,’ Gainey said. “It’s not been made at anyone individually. I can promise you Stephen Gainey would never do anything to intentionally hurt a student, a teacher or a parent. But I am charged with being financially responsible with the school system.”

While the board all agreed

Three charged in Veterans Day killing

Two of men face murder charges stemming from the November shooting

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Charges have been filed against three men in connection with a with a November homicide in the city. Nearly six months to the day following the shooting death of David Matthew Davis, arrests

were made as part of a murder investigation. Police had said that Davis’ death stemmed from an armed robbery of 64 Skillz.

Police say they’ve charged Victor Austin Jr., 34, and Emilio Alston, 34, with first-degree murder. Tiree Rone, 39, faces a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Other charges also have been filed against Austin and Alston, police said. Those include robbery with a danger-

ous weapon, conspiracy and two counts of felony breaking and entering. Both men are being held in Randolph County Jail with no bond.

In making last week’s announcement, Asheboro police said that Austin was arrested in Greensboro with assistance from Greensboro’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team. Alston’s arrest came in Ramseur with aid from the Randolph County Sherrif’s Office. Rone is being held in Cha-

that it wasn’t their desire to close the school, the ones who voted to emphasized the need to make tough decisions.

“You can’t put a price on a student and their education, and we all agree with that, but we also know that the numbers are trending down,” said board member Fred Burgess. “So at what point do we make this decision?”

“Over the next two years, there’s going to be some difficult decisions to be made about our school system,” said board member Todd Cutler. “It doesn’t matter if they’re remote or in a school building, there’s going to be difficult decisions that we will have to make. This is where we’re at. We’re having to fight to get dollars from the state.”

Gainey also stated the district will have to find cuts in

tham County Jail with other pending charges.

The Nov. 11 killing of Davis, a 39-year-old Navy veteran, occurred on Veterans Day.

The police report said he died inside 64 Skillz, which had been described as a game center and located on East Dixie Drive. It’s no longer in business.

The Asheboro Police Department was assisted during the investigation by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsboro Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Greensboro Police Department.

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL

Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to

weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were finalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the first federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, finding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS. The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS,

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NASCAR All-Star Race. Christopher Bell collected the

JASON JACKSON FOR RANDOLPH RECORD

THURSDAY 5.22.25

Area radio station owner dies

Fred Keith was described as a man determined to offer local programing

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Fred Keith, owner of a Randolph County radio station, died May 13 at age 90. Keith, who lived in Asheboro, was longtime owner of WKXR 1260-AM and WZOO-FM 94.6. “A great gentleman,” station sports director Scott Faglier. “Mr. Keith loved radio.” Keith had been presi-

at 4 parts per trillion, effectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected.

The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The development was first reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utili-

CRIME LOG

May 13

• Ashley Nichole Helms, 29, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault causing serious bodily injury, breaking and entering, trespassing and damaging personal property.

• Shauntel Naquan Brodie, 35, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possessing a firearm by a felon, discharging a firearm into occupied property and discharging a firearm in city limits.

May 14

• David Stephen Richard Pastva, 29, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assaulting a law enforcement officer causing serious injury, assault on a female, resisting a public officer, disorderly conduct and communicating threats.

• Teresa Chriscoe Toomes, 63, of Star, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intent to sell methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle or substances and possessing

dent of the Asheboro station, which has dual signals, since 2011. His daughter, Dorothy Keith, has been overseeing station operations.

Faglier described Keith as “a man with few words, but the words he said meant so much.” Faglier announced Keith’s death on the air.

Faglier said Keith’s passion for local radio was clear.

“He knew it touches so many people,” Faglier said. “Sometimes people get lost without it.”

Earlier in his career, Keith lived in the Atlanta area and was CEO of Colonial Cartage Corp.

ties’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental rules and more oil and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks. The EPA plans to loosen regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, cleanup standards for coal plant waste and car emission limits, among many other clean air and water rules.

Zeldin’s history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals.

Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications — among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that firefighting foam snuffed out flames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each

May 16

• Erin Lee Kadner, 42, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, larceny of a firearm and possessing stolen goods.

• Martavius Lemar Drake, 27, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female, attempted larceny, damaging personal property, disorderly conduct and going armed to terrorize people.

May 17

• Andres Gomez Sesmas, 23, of Ramseur, was arrested by Asheboro PD for carrying a concealed gun.

• Edith Yessenia Molina, 48, of Siler City, was arrested by RCSO for first-degree arson and burning personal property.

• Vasco Glen Fernandez, 63, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for attempted breaking and entering, trespassing, breaking and entering to terrorize or injure and cruelty to animals.

COURTESY PHOTO

year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.

The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.

Some utilities have been surprised to find out they are over limits. And small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

Others wanted a higher limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith. He suspects the utility industry will continue to sue over those limits. Environmental groups will likely file challenges, too.

Melanie Benesh, vice president of government affairs at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, said utilities may not have to install treatment that’s as broadly effective if they just have to focus on two types of older PFAS.

“You really reduce what utilities have to do to make sure that the other, newer generation PFAS are captured” she said.

May 18

• Amanda Chavis, 54, of Franklinville, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing methamphetamine and possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Larry Robert Huyser, 62, of Asheboro, was arrested by Archdale PD for driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse, possessing methamphetamine and possessing marijuana.

• Maria Bernal Matom, 26, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intentional child abuse causing serious physical injury and communicating threats.

• Shaleka Monee Siler, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for intentional child abuse causing serious physical injury and communicating threats.

• Stephen Jeffrey Faunce, 40, of Mocksville, was arrested by Archdale PD for driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse, possessing methamphetamine and possessing marijuana.

Randolph Guide

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

May 22

Business After Hours: Explore the Historic Sunset Theatre

5:30-7 p.m.

The event, presented by the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber, gives visitors a rare chance to explore the historic theater backstage and learn about ongoing efforts to preserve the building. The audience will be shown two short films created by local filmmakers and be able to view art on display by N.C. sculptor Casey Mull.

234 Sunset Ave.

Asheboro

May 22, 24 & 27

City of Asheboro Farmers Market

7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fresh seasonal produce, farm-fresh products, baked goods, and a variety of flowers and plants are available for purchase directly from local farmers. Open weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the end of October.

134 S. Church St. Asheboro

May

24

Asheboro Summer Cruise Series: Grounded Elegance Cruise-In

6-10 p.m.

A local tradition for all who love summer, cruisin’ and all that comes with it. The free event will be hosted at C4 Church at 1128 N. Fayetteville St. Throughout the evening, cars will cruise down Asheboro’s main drag.

170 Worth St. Asheboro

May 26 & 28

Liberty Farmers Market

4-7 p.m.

Purchase a wide array of high-quality, fresh produce from local farmers and growers at this convenient downtown location. Open every Monday and Wednesday through the end of October.

423 W. Swannanoa Ave. Liberty

other places now in place of closing The Virtual Academy. “We’re just going to have to go back to the drawing board because this will be a chunk of the cut that won’t happen now,” Gainey said. Currently, there are just more than 60 students enrolled in The Virtual Academy for the 2025-26 school year. The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet June 26.

Fred Keith

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable. According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state coffers are benefiting, and

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made significant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a five-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive offerings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Scapegoating Joe Biden isn’t going to solve the Democratic Party’s problems

The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

“WE GOT SO SCREWED by Biden, as a party,” former Obama adviser David Plouffe is quoted saying in a New Yorker excerpt from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its CoverUp, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

The supposition of the piece, headlined “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” is that Democrats only failed to hold the White House because of Biden’s prideful obstinacy.

Scapegoating Biden for all the left’s considerable political problems is an ugly hypocrisy. It is also self-delusional. There is a reason the Democratic Party’s polling is at historic lows right now, and it’s not just Biden’s memory problems.

Let’s recall that every congressional Democrat decided to shoehorn the Inflation Reduction Act into law even after most economists warned it would plunge the nation into price spikes. Biden wasn’t the only one leaning into the hysterics of “semi-fascism.” If anything, Biden had merely adopted the social science quackery on gender that so many Democrats champion.

Did any elected Democrat speak out about the anarchy of illegal immigration? If so, I must have missed it. Yet, according to a preelection Pew poll, 78% of people believed the border was a crisis or major problem.

One of the big criticisms of Biden is that he failed to make room for another candidate earlier. Almost surely, Kamala Harris would have been the nominee regardless of when Biden dropped out. Does anyone really believe a hyper-a mbitious politician ensconced in the White House was going to step aside or let some middling governor

wrest the nomination from her? The only Democrat who consistently outperformed Harris in most polls after Biden’s debate debacle was Michelle Obama. It was going to be Harris.

What makes anyone think that Harris would have experienced more success had she enjoyed more time? After an initial jolt up, the vice president’s popularity steadily declined. Harris needed less time, not more. The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

Harris, like any other possible Democratic candidate, was compelled to run on the president’s record. And that record, championed by virtually every Democrat, was unpopular long before the media were compelled to acknowledge the president’s declining mental state.

The Democratic Party had blown it. Polls found that only 36% approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, 28% approved of his handling of immigration, 33% approved of his handling of foreign policy and 30% approved of his handling of the Middle East. Now, even with those numbers, elections are a contest between two visions. A CBS News poll found that 65% of Americans remember the economy under Trump fondly, while only 38% said the same about Biden.

Does anyone really believe that Govs. Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear or JB Pritzker possess the kind of charismatic personality or compelling message to overcome that record? It’s exceptionally unlikely.

Plouffe might have been one of the few Democrats who publicly questioned the wisdom of running a man whose mental acuity had slipped for years. Until the

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal offshore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate significant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving effective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

day of the first 2024 presidential debates, however, virtually the entirety of the party and media had been shielding Biden. If the president had refused to debate Trump, the left would have almost surely kept on concealing Biden’s condition. It had no choice but to turn on the president once he had been exposed. We learn in The New Yorker that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney at the infamous Hollywood fundraiser where Barack Obama had to lead the president off stage by hand. Recall that even at this point, the big media were still gaslighting the public about the president’s deteriorating acuity. Three days later, Tapper’s colleague wrote in CNN’s media newsletter that the claim had been a “fabrication.”

Two days before the debate, thenMajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had told reporters the president was sharper than he’d been in years. “He’s fine. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” he said.

In he New Yorker piece, we learn that Schumer would speak to Biden on the phone regularly, “and, after some chit chat,” the president would “admit that he’d forgotten why he’d called. Sometimes he rambled. Sometimes he forgot names. Schumer wasn’t concerned about Biden’s acuity, but he was worried about the optics.”

The president is the most powerful man in the world, and the Senate leader was worried about optics. So, indeed, was the rest of his party. Which is merely to say that Democrats screwed themselves.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

Cristeta Comerford handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for five presidents and their guests, says first families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the first families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then finished off in the residence kitchen on the second floor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen staff, is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Each of the five families she served approached food differently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenfirst lady Hillary Clinton hired the first American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stuffed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was

promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The first lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the first Italian American first lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s different for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent affairs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s first term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader.

The first lady’s staff and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team

“It’s different for each family, but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive

started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized.

She’d develop at least three different menus. Then came tastings for the first lady to make a final decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the first woman and first person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacrificing his career

to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the first Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do fine dining meals,” she said. “You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, according to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.” Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military.

Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the first Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War. But his stint ended after less than four years when the new first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961. Miller said the book offers a unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and find out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House on April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

chef

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

James “Chip” Harris Jr.

Feb. 27, 1951 – May 16, 2025

James “Chip” Harris Jr., born on February 27, 1951, in Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2025, at Asheboro Health and Rehab. Chip led a life full of inspiration and devotion, cherished by all who knew him. A beloved father, brother, and grandfather.

Chip graduated from Ben L. Smith High School in 1970, where he met his high school sweetheart, Kathy. Later, he attended school in Denver, Colorado, where he studied to be a gunsmith. He worked for various construction companies as a draftsman but dedicated over ten years to working at Guaranteed Supply before he retired in January 2024.

Outside of his professional life, he found joy in gunsmithing, and his love for the outdoors was boundless, where he spent countless weekends hunting and fishing. Chip had a passion for working on cars and motorcycles and had a knack for taking apart and putting back together anything with an engine.

His warm spirit shone brightly in his community, where he taught Sunday School and sang in the choir for many years at South Plainfield Friends and Cedar Square Friends Meeting, creating lasting bonds with those he served alongside. Chip had a generous heart, supporting countless charities, missions, and missionaries overseas.

Chip is preceded in death by his father, James Harris Sr., his mother, Nellie Pearl Redding, and his beloved wife, Katherine Harris, and her sister, Donna Greeson.

He is survived by his children, James Harris, and wife, Kaela, Jonathan Harris, and Janna Allen, and husband, Cameron, and his six grandchildren, Adelein Nichols, and husband, Walt, Sophie Harris, Samuel Allen, Augustus Harris and Indie Harris. He is also mourned by his siblings, Chuck Harris, and wife, Debbie and Vickie Norman, and husband, Jerry, brothers-in-law, Bill Hedrick, and wife, Susan, Jeff Hedrick, and Stephen Greeson along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on May 20, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home at 600 S. Main St., Randleman, NC. The funeral service will be conducted on May 21, 2025, at 11 a.m. at South Plainfield Friends Meeting 4033 Plainfield Rd., Sophia, NC, followed by burial in the church cemetery.

Barbara Ann Woodlief Ingold

June 11, 1947 – May 14, 2025

Barbara Ann Woodlief Ingold, 77, of Randleman, passed away at her home on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born June 11, 1947, in Oxford, NC, to Rufus Eugene Woodlief and Mary Belle Beaver.

Ann was a devoted, loving and caring wife and mother, married to Jim for over 58 years. She loved the beach, yard sales, reading, being outdoors, and especially watching the hummingbirds. Everyone was welcomed with food and open arms. Ann loved spending time with her brothers and sisters. She will be loved and missed by all who knew her.

Ann is survived by her husband, Jim Ingold of the home; daughter, Kelly Pearce of Randleman; son, Preston (Tina) Ingold of Randleman; grandchildren, Shay Coble, Aaron Cain, Stormy Jones (Ricky), Taylor Ingold, Ryan (Casey) Pearce, Chase Pearce, Laken (Michael) Soheili, Vince (Kendall) Ingold; greatgrandchildren, Keegan, Hollis, Titus, Asher, Grayson, Brantley, Edison, Kinsley, Baxleigh; brother, William Woodlief of Catawba; sister, Brenda Mitchell of Greensboro.

She is preceded in death by her son, Robb (Tonya) Ingold, siblings James Woodlief, Scrappy Woodlief, Virginia Clapp, Marie Shotwell, Myrtle Dean, Louise Stevens and Lucille Gillis.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 11–12:45 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main Street in Randleman. Funeral service to follow at 1 p.m. at the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel with Pastor Donald Nease officiating. Burial to follow at Randolph Memorial Park.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Ingold family.

Iris Lee Austin Bingmam

April 18, 1932 – May 10, 2025

Iris Lee Austin Bingham, age 93, of Greensboro, passed away on May 10, 2025. Ms. Bingham was born in Albemarle, NC on April 18, 1932, to Alfred and Onnie Mae Cooper

April 4, 1940 – May 16, 2025

Joyce LaRue Bradfield Firce, age 85, of Randleman, NC, passed away on May 16, 2025, in Guilford County.

Joyce was born on April 4, 1940, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Harold Bradfield and June Hoffheins. She later moved to Edgely, PA, where she and her husband, Ronald, lovingly raised their family before retiring to North Carolina. Joyce found joy in the simple things—she loved to garden, tending to her plants with care, and she was known for her delicious baking that filled the home with warmth and love.

Joyce and her husband, Ronald Firce, were married for 67 wonderful years, sharing a life full of love, devotion, and family.

She is preceded in death by her grandson, Liam Rosen.

Joyce is survived by her devoted husband, Ronald Firce; her daughters, Beth Firce, Barbara Barton (Brian), Patricia Lerew (Glenn) and Kristin Rosen (Bil); and her grandchildren, Elissa Darnell, Carly Darnell, Michael Darnell, Kelsey Barton, Daniel Barton (Rachel), Jordan Lerew (Christina) and Sebastian Rosen. Great-grandchildren Korey Darnell, Rylen Lerew and Killian Lerew. She is also survived by her sister, Doris Smith; her nephew, Erik Freeman (Anne); her sister-in-law, Karen Rollison (David); and her brother-in-law, Gary Firce.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pleasant Garden Baptist Church in Joyce’s memory.

Family will receive friends Friday, May 23, 2025, at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, 1415 Neelley Rd, at 1 p.m., with Memorial Service to follow at 2 p.m. with Rev Marty Tobin officiating.

Austin. She was employed with the South Carolina Employment Security Commission for 10 years. In addition to her parents, Iris was preceded in death by her former husband, Raymond C. “Bill” Bingham, brother, James D. “Buddy” Austin, and sister, Betty Ellen “Sister” Luther. She is survived by her son, William C. “Billy” Bingham (Julie) of Spruce Pine, NC; daughters, April Renee Bingham of Greensboro, Pamela Spencer Thompson of Columbia, SC, and Terri Spencer Jones of Columbia, SC; eight grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; two great-greatgrandchildren; and her beloved dog and faithful companion, Stormy. No services are planned at this time. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Bingham family.

March 13, 1952 – May 13, 2025

JoAnn Jarrett Smith, 73, of Randleman passed away Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro. She was born on March 13, 1952, in Randolph County to James Kenneth Jarrett and Helen Gertrude Routh Jarrett.

JoAnn was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was married for 47 years to her husband, Tim, and together they raised three wonderful children. She loved her flower garden, watching the birds, and being home with her family watching NASCAR. JoAnn was a skilled sewer and loved making quilts. A hard worker, she lived by the belief that family was always first and wanted her kids to have more than she did. She will be missed by those she leaves behind.

JoAnn is survived by her husband, Tim Smith of the home; daughters, Shelly Harris (Josh) of Archdale, Misty Hurley of Asheboro; son, Phillip Hurley of Randleman; grandchildren, Gatlin Hurley, Kaymen Hurley, Emerson Harris, Charleigh Harris, Cash Harris; sisters, Karen Hollis (Brice) of New London, Susan Blanton of Franklinville; brother, Eddy Jarrett (Willa Mae) of Level Cross. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Wayne Jarrett.

The family will receive friends Friday, May 16, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St, Randleman, in the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel.

Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is honored to serve the Smith family.

Katie Kern Deaton

Feb. 12, 1929 – May 12, 2025

Katie Kern Deaton, age 96, of Troy, passed away on Monday, May 12, 2025, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC.

Katie was born in Troy on Feb. 26, 1929, to the late Sankey Kern and Marybelle Cagle Kern. She was the last surviving member of the Troy High School graduating class of 1947. She was the Town Clerk and Tax Collector for the Town of Troy for many years. Katie started to learn crocheting but ended up becoming an avid knitter, which she loved. She enjoyed traveling to the beach at Garden City. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Troy where she sang in the church choir.

Katie is survived by her daughters: Jane Lee Deaton of Troy, Reba D. Hatfield of Charlotte, and her faithful companion, her poodle Holly. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Lee Deaton Jr., her sister, Audrey Wright, and her twin brother, James Kern. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Pugh Troy Funeral Home Chapel, 211 N. Main St., Troy at 3 p.m. with Tony Sedberry officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service from 1 to 2:45 p.m. Burial will follow the service at Southside Cemetery in Troy. Pugh Troy Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Katie Deaton.

Joyce LaRue Bradfield Firce

JoAnn Jarrett Smith

STATE & NATION

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed officers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s office said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an officer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an effort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on Monday when she said in a so -

cial media post she instead was charging the congresswoman. Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond. Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ official duties to serve their constituents and an effort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in American political discourse.

Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip released by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed officials go through the gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and officers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform embla-

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

zoned with the word “Police” on it. It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene. The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, first came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that.

House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the first lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her first public appearance since resuming the role of first lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the first lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish inti-

mate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps

to delete duplicate content.

Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The first lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with

lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.” Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s first term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

First lady Melania Trump lobbied hard for the bill

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

RandolpH SPORTS

UCA takes road back to regional finals

The Eagles are facing an in-county rival with the chance to return to the state championship series

Randolph Record staff

CHERRYVILLE — Uwharrie Charter Academy is back in another Class 1A West Region baseball finals and there’s a familiar tone.

The opponent for this week’s best-of-three finals is Eastern Randolph, a rival in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Both teams won fourth-round road games Friday night to keep their seasons going. One of them

Farlow

will play in the state championship series next week.

“Our guys are resilient,” UCA coach Rob Shore said. “As the (season) was getting toward the end, the seniors realized, ‘Hey guys, this is it.’ They’ve turned it up a different notch.”

The regional finals matchup marks a rematch from 2023, when UCA won on its way to the first of back-to-back state titles.

UCA (16-11 at the beginning of the week) was to be home for Game 1 and, if necessary, Game 3, which would be held Friday night. Until this week, Eastern Randolph (15-12-1) has played on its home field

clears the field, wins title again

The Randleman senior repeated as the outdoor state champion in the high jump

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

GREENSBORO — Chase Farlow left his final high school track and field meet with two medals, including another coveted gold in his specialty.

The Randleman senior captured the high jump in the Class 2A state meet Saturday at North Carolina A&T. He was second in the long jump.

“Pretty good day in the office,” Farlow said.

He cleared 6 feet, 10 inches, in the high jump, matching his personal best. He was most pleased that he made it to that point of the competition without a scratch.

He didn’t clear the 7-foot mark, but by then he already had secured his second consecutive championship in the event. The runner-up was Deitrich Williams of Greene Central at 6-6.

For Farlow, any stress came from trying to go to a new height.

“I kind of put a lot of pressure on myself because I want that (7-foot mark),” he said. While he qualified for three events at the state meet, Farlow said the high jump is his priority. He was in that competition while also participating in the long jump.

“I was running back and forth between that and high jump,” he said. Farlow’s long jump of 22-3¾

“If we can just stay consistent with our hitting, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

only once in the postseason.

During the regular season, UCA won 16-0 at Eastern Randolph and then 3-2 in 11 innings at home in a pair of April games.

“A familiar foe, right down the road,” Shore said. Logun Wilkins pitched six

put him second behind Farmville Central’s Elijah Able (22-9½).

Later, Farlow didn’t make the finals flight in the triple jump. He ended up 11th at 41-¾.

So it was a long day, arriving at the stadium prior to 8 a.m. and completing his last jump after 5 p.m.

Yet it was a rewarding prep career before Farlow goes off to compete for North Carolina State.

“I was getting better,” Farlow said. “I figured out what I was good at.”

Across the four classifications in two days of state meets, only one other high jumper cleared 6-10.

Senior Jay Richards of Randleman recorded the fourth-best pole vault at 12 feet, while teammate Jay Bowman was seventh at 10-6.

Ty Moton’s shot put toss of 47-11 gave the Randleman senior seventh place.

Randleman’s Triston Chriscoe was 10th in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.85 seconds.

Wheatmore’s Finley Bryant cleared 5-8 in the high jump.

Beane excels again

Gracie Beane of Randleman placed in two events in girls’ competition. She participated in her fourth state meet.

innings and Jake Hunter had three hits in fifth-seeded UCA’s 6-4 victory at top-seeded Cherryville on Friday night.

“When you’re playing a No. 1 seed like this and you’re on their territory, you know it’s going to be a fight,” Shore said.

Grat Dalton drove in two runs and Jose Ramirez scored two runs for the Eagles. Brett Smith pitched the ninth.

“Around the fourth inning, I started to pound it and they couldn’t really touch it after that,” Wilkins said.

The Eagles have been better with the bats lately.

“Since the playoffs have started, we’ve been getting huge

two-out hits,” Shore said. “We had people in scoring position every single inning. … Right now, if we can just stay consistent with our hitting, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Rob Shore, UCA coach See WILDCATS, page

Also last week, UCA knocked off fourth-seeded North Stokes 9-2 in the first of road games on back-to-back nights. Dalton racked up four hits and scored four runs, Alex Carver and Brody Engle both knocked in two runs and Jake Hunter pitched six innings.

“The last two games, we’ve been hitting the ball really well,” Wilkins said. “It’s just nice to have those extra runs.”

Cade McCallum delivers a pitch during last week’s game in the Class 1A state playoffs at McCrary Park.

Eastern Randolph hits hot spot at right time

The Wildcats have excelled in several areas during their postseason success

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The timing is right for Eastern Randolph to be playing its best baseball of the season.

The Wildcats have won four consecutive games in

the Class 1A state playoffs.

“We’re getting hot at the right time and it’s a great time to do it,” said Cade McCallum, who pitched a five-hitter in last week’s third-round game vs. Mountain Heritage at McCrary Park.

The Wildcats (15-12-1), who are seeded No. 15 in the West Region, then won at second-seeded Christ the King 6-4 on Friday night. Eastern

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball coach Rob Shore talks to his team before Friday night’s Class 1A game in the state playoffs at Cherryville.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD Chase Farlow

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Alex Kivett

Eastern

Randolph, baseball

Kivett has been one of the keys for an Eastern Randolph program that’s making his second appearance in the Class 1A West Regional finals in a three-year span.

The senior shortstop is among a core of veteran players who’ve helped elevate the Wildcats at the right time. He’s in the middle of the field defensively for a team that, entering this week’s regional finals against Uwharrie Charter Academy, held its previous three opponents to a total of seven runs.

Kivett has been a regular producer on offense, ranking high on the team in runs batted in and runs scored.

Burlington team wins state title in Asheboro

It took just two games to determine a NCISAA state champion at McCrary Park

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Burlington Christian Academy captured its first baseball state championship by sweeping the best-of-three championship series in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association’s

Class 2A finals at McCrary Park. The Royals defeated Freedom Christian Academy of Fayetteville 12-1 in Saturday’s Game 2. BCA (24-1) won 2-1 in eight innings on Cohen Payne’s winning single in Friday night’s series opener.

Payne pitched five innings for the victory in Game 2, when FCA (22-7) gave up four first-inning runs and didn’t recover. The Royals also won two matchups between the teams during the regular season.

Randleman keeps the faith before elimination

The Tigers used a baseball thriller against PAC rival Trinity to keep the season going until the fourth round

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Members of the Randleman baseball team were certain they’d figure out a way to win the third-round round game of the Class 2A state playoffs against Trinity. They just weren’t quite sure how.

“We always had faith that we were going to win the game,” infielder Tate Andrews said. “That helps us not let the pressure get to us.”

The Tigers erased a two-run deficit and then went to the bottom of the seventh inning, pulling out a 3-2 victory to extend their season May 13 at McCrary Park.

Jackson Hill doubled to begin the seventh. Kyle Dillow’s bunt was thrown away in foul territory down the right-field line, allowing Hill to score from second base.

“I blacked out,” Hill said of the moment after diving into the third base on the final play and then getting up. “Got up pretty fast. I knew we had it.”

Sixth-seeded Randleman then fell to seventh-seeded West Stanly, which avenged two losses to knock off second-seeded North Stanly 8-6 in the third round, on Friday night at home.

Earlier last week, the Tigers weren’t rattled despite Trinity pitcher Lincoln Coble keeping them in check.

“You have to always believe you’re going to win,” Randleman right fielder John Kirkpatrick said. “It’s something we

always pride ourselves in – expecting to win.”

The neutral-site matchup between Piedmont Athletic Conference teams drew a full grandstand plus spectators lining standing areas.

The Bulldogs (18-8) struck first.

Trinity’s Camden Nelson led off the third with a single and when Gage Griffiths’ sacrifice bunt resulted in a throwing error, the Bulldogs were threatening. They scored when Ethan Willard’s bunt was turned into a single.

With one out, the situation was pretty much repeated when Walker Parrish put down a bunt and Trinity tacked on its second run. Randleman dodged more problems when Walker’s pitch reached the backstop, but it turned into a double play — a strikeout on the pitch and catcher Lincoln Lawson’s tag of Willard, who was trying to score from third.

“Can’t blink,” Randleman starting pitcher Braxton Walker said. “Got to play through it. You got to stay up. It’s not going to change anything (that has already happened).”

Earlier, Trinity’s Gage Griffiths led off the game with a walk and reached third base with one out but didn’t score.

Randleman didn’t have a hit off Coble until Andrews, the second batter in the fourth, drilled a single following a walk to Walker. Lawson roped a run-scoring single and Hill lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly.

“Our kids play with a lot of confidence,” Randleman coach Jake Smith said. “Just trust the training and roll with it. We executed when we had to.”

It was the third straight onerun game for Trinity, which doubled its win total from 2024.

“Our kids play with a lot of confidence.”

“We definitely played very, very good baseball all game,” Bulldogs catcher Brody Little said. “It’s hard. It’s just tough.” Coble threw a three-hitter with four walks and five strikeouts. Trinity didn’t commit an error until the last play.

“I thought we played phenomenal,” coach Ryan Spencer said. “The guys just battled.” Walker pitched six innings, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out nine. Jake Riddle threw a scoreless seventh for the victory.

“As long as Braxton is on the mound, I don’t lose faith,” Kirkpatrick said. “It took us a while to get going.”

Since 2008, Randleman is 40-3 against Trinity, including what’s now a seven-game series winning streak that included 10-0 and 8-1 victories late last month.

The game was moved from Randleman because of field conditions to McCrary Park.

Season ends for Tigers

Randleman’s season ended when seventh-seeded West Stanly scored two six-inning runs to clip the host Tigers 2-1 on Friday night.

Randleman (20-6) scored in the first inning. Kirkpatrick, the starting pitcher, took a shutout to the sixth, allowing one hit and four walks before he was charged with one run. Riddle took the loss in relief.

West Stanly moved to the best-of-3 regional finals against top-seeded East Rutherford.

victory against Trinity.

WILDCATS from page B1

Randolph is in the regional finals for the second time in three years.

Outfielder Rayden West was a starter on that 2023 team, so he knows what it takes.

“We put the work in,” West said. “Throughout the season we worked up to this and we’ve stopped making so many errors. I knew we could make a good run.”

After No. 26 seed Mountain Heritage (11-12) scored in the top of the second, Eastern Randolph scored two runs in the bottom of the frame. Maddox Dunn’s bunt delivered the go-ahead run.

In the sixth, West drilled a two-run single. Dunn and Will Stalker both finished with two hits. West, along with senior classmates Stalker, Lucas Smith and Alex Kivett, was part of the team that won four games in the 2023 state playoffs.

“I knew we could make a good run.”

Rayden West, Eastern Randolph senior

“You already know what the process is,” West said. Cookman, in his second season in charge, said the pieces have come together.

“It’s cool to see these seniors lead by example,” Cockman said.

McCallum pitched in each of the first three of Eastern Randolph’s playoff games, though the complete game vs. Mountain Heritage was a bonus. He said he had dealt with slight discomfort in the shoulder blade area, but he was fine for this third-round assignment.

“I had confidence in every pitch I threw,” he said. McCallum, who struck out

seven, also came up clutch in the seventh inning after runners reached base. He picked off Liam McMahan at first base for the first out. Then with another Cougar reaching base, he snagged Malachi Huskins’ liner and turned that into a game-ending double play.

“I was hoping for a strikeout,” the right-hander said. “A double play is always better.”

The matchup vs. Mountain Heritage was moved to McCrary Park because of unplayable field conditions at Eastern Randolph. Against Christ the King (17-8), Eastern Randolph prevailed with Smith driving in two runs and Chance Holdaway scoring two runs.

Bryson Marley pitched 62/3 innings for the victory before Smith recorded the final out on the mound. The outcome set up the Wildcats for this week’s best-of-3 regional finals vs. Uwharrie Charter Academy.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Eastern Randolph’s Alex Kivett at the plate during the state playoffs last week.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Randleman’s Jackson Hill heads for the plate to score the winning run in the Tigers’ Class 2A state-playoff

Jake Smith, Randleman coach

Academy’s

Randleman reaches softball regional finals

Defending state champion Southwestern Randolph exited with a third-round defeat

Randolph Record staff

RANDLEMAN’S softball team took care of business on road last week and the Tigers are still playing in the Class 2A state playoffs.

Friday night’s 3-1 victory at sixth-seeded West Stokes puts No. 15 seed Randleman in the West Region finals.

The Tigers are playing this week in the best-of-three series against top-seeded West Wilkes. Game 2 is set for Thursday at Randleman, with the third game, if necessary, back at West Wilkes on Saturday.

Kinzie Ivey threw a three-hitter against West Stokes (18-6). Olivia Ashby had two hits and knocked in a run.

Randleman won a make-up game in the third round at seventh-seeded Black Mountain Owen by 4-3, holding on after building a four-run lead.

Kaylee Phillips had two hits and Kaylie St. John drove in a run and scored a run. Ivey was the winning pitcher with seven strikeouts.

• Southwestern Randolph, the defending Class 2A state champion, suffered a 4-2 home loss to No. 12 seed Michael in the third round.

Macie Crutchfield struck out

10 batters for the fourth-seeded Cougars (17-4), who won the Piedmont Athletic Conference by one game on Randleman. Sara-Kate Marion had two hits.

• In Class 1A, fourth-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy’s season ended with a 9-6, 10-inning setback to 12th-seeded Murphy in the third round.

UCA (14-9) overcame a sixrun deficit, pulling even on Carly Rush’s fourth-inning grand slam. The Eagles had won five straight.

Girls’ soccer

Area teams had mostly rough results in the state playoffs, which began last week.

• In Class 1A, Uwharrie Charter Academy opened by drilling South Davidson 10-0 as Jazmin Palma scored five goals and supplied two assists, Kendall Jarrell posted three goals and Reese Craven had two goals.

Then the Eagles (16-4), who were seeded No. 3 in the West Region, had their season end with a 1-0 home loss to Thomas Jefferson.

• In Class 2A, No. 17 seed Wheatmore notched a 4-2 victory at 16th-seeded Bandys with Natalie Bowman and Brianna Hill each scoring two goals. Ashley Swaney made 10 saves.

Then the Warriors fell 9-0 to top-seeded Pine Lake Prep, ending their season with a 12 -8-1 record.

Corea tosses shot put for state title

The Eastern Randolph thrower has won state championships in consecutive years in different events

Randolph Record staff

GREENSBORO — Eastern

Randolph’s Mirianna Corea has added another event to her portfolio of state championships in track and field.

The junior thrower captured the shot put in the Class 1A state meet Friday at North Carolina A&T.

Corea’s throw of 38 feet, 6 inches was the top mark, putting her ahead of Albemarle’s Jasmine Brown (37-9).

TRACK from page B1

“Just getting to compete,” Beane said. “States is a pretty big deal.”

Beane took second place in the high jump at 5-2 behind defending champion D’Anna Cotton of Burlington Cummings. Randleman’s Jaquline McDaniel was eighth at 4-10.

Beane third in triple jump with a bound of 37-10.

“I got better marks this meet,” Bean said. “I’m happy

Corea, the 2024 state champion in the discus, was the runner-up in that event this time. Her toss of 122-1 was second to Cherokee’s Joss Tamper, who posted a heave of 129-11. No other entrant reached 111 feet.

Eastern Randolph freshman Roxanne Davis placed fourth in the high jump at 5 feet.

Class 3A

Aaron Tyson of Asheboro claimed fifth place in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 13 feet during Friday’s state championships. Tyson was 12th in the long jump at 20-1¾. Teammate Juan Pablo Munoz also had a 12th-place finish with

with where I finished, especially being my senior year and going out up at the top.” Beane will play basketball and compete in track and field for Division II Ferrum. McDaniel, a freshman, captured fourth place in the long jump at 17-2¼. Also, Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt was 10th in the 800 at 2:32.89. Wheatmore’s Scarlett Hildreth finished 11th in the 1,600 in 5:43.54.

Also, seventh-seeded Providence Grove suffered a 3-2 first-round defeat to Black Mountain Owen. The Patriots ended up 16-6-1.

No. 21 seed Trinity (9-11-1) lost 4-0 at 12th-seeded Hendersonville.

Pine Lake Prep posted a 10-0 victory against No. 32 seed Randleman (7-12).

• In Class 3A, No. 17 seed Asheboro dropped a 3-1 decision vs. No. 16 seed St. Stephens in a game moved to Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Blue Comets finished 13-8.

Boys’ golf

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Maddox Johnson shared 12th place with 78 and Eastern Randolph’s Tyler Gee tied for 57th with 88 in the rain-shortened Class 1A state tournament last week at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines. The previous week in the Midwest Regional at Cedarbrook Country Club in Elkin, Gee placed 14th and Johnson tied for 15th.

Boys’ tennis

Southwestern Randolph’s Brayden Tyl was a state qualifier in Class 2A singles.

He lost in the first round of the state tournament by 6-1, 6-2 to eventual runner-up Jackson Grathwohl of Pine Lake Prep earlier this month at Ting Park in Holly Springs.

a discus throw of 137-8. On the girls’ side, Rebecca Wilson of Asheboro tied for ninth in the high jump at 5 feet.

COURTESY PHOTO

Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea enjoys a moment with her gold medal.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter

Abbie Gudino prepares to kick the ball against South Davidson in the Class 1A girls’ soccer state playoffs.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD Gracie Beane

Jennifer Lawrence stirs Oscar talk in Cannes for ‘Die, My Love’

The actor plays Grace, a mother with postpartum depression

By Jake Coyle

The Associated Press

CANNES, France — Last year, the Cannes Film Festival produced three best actress nominees at the Oscars. This year’s edition may have just supplied another.

In Lynne Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson play a married couple with a newborn who move into an old country house. In Ramsay’s messy and moving marital psychodrama, Lawrence plays an increasingly unhinged young mother named Grace whose postpartum depression reaches darkly hallucinatory extremes.

For Lawrence, the 34-year- old mother of two, making “Die, My Love” was an intensely personal experience.

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do,” Lawrence told reporters Sunday. “I had just had my firstborn, and there’s not really anything like postpartum. It’s extremely isolating. She doesn’t have a community. She doesn’t have her people. But the truth is, extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating, no matter where you are. You feel like an alien.”

“It was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what (Grace) would do.”

Jennifer Lawerence

“Die, My Love,” which is in competition for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, was one of the most anticipated premieres of the festival. That was owed partly to the widely respect for Ramsey, the Scottish director of “Ratcatcher” (1999), “Movern Callar” (2002) and “ You Were Never Really Here” (2017). Lawrence sought her out for the film.

“I’ve wanted to work with Lynne Ramsay since I saw ‘Ratcatcher’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way,’” said Lawrence. “But we took a chance, and we sent it to her. And I really, I cannot believe that I’m here with you.”

Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, is a disorienting experience, pulsating with animalistic urges and manic spurts of violence. As a portrait of a marriage in trouble, it makes “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” look tame.

“Die, My Love” was quickly snapped up by Mubi on Sunday. In easily the biggest sale of the festival, the indie distributor plunked down $24 million for distribution rights to the film in the U.S. and multiple other territories.

Lawrence’s performance, in particular, drew the kind of raves in Cannes that tend to lead to Oscar consideration. Lawrence has been nominated four times by the Academy Awards, winning once for 2013’s “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Since then, much has changed for Lawrence, including becoming a mother. On Saturday, Lawrence said parenthood has been such an enriching experience for her that, she joked, “I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.”

“Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t know that I could feel so much.”

“My job has a lot to do with emotion, and they’ve opened up the world to me,” she added. “It’s almost like feeling like a blister or something. So sensitive. So they’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they’ve changed me creatively.”

Pattinson, who recently had his first child with Suki Waterhouse, chimed in that he found having a baby “gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration.”

Jennifer Lawrence poses for photographers at the 78th

France on Sunday.

Chernow’s ‘Mark Twain’ gives readers honest assessment of author’s life

Samuel Langhorne Clemens had many imperfections and personal conflicts

By Andrew DeMillo

The Associated Press

PULITZER PRIZE-winning author Ron Chernow is known for writing massive biographies of the country’s most enduring figures, including Ulysses S. Grant and Alexander Hamilton. So it comes as no surprise that his biography of author and humorist Mark Twain clocks in at more than 1,000 pages.

It’s also forgivable, considering that Twain was such a colossal figure in American literature and history that his authorized biography was more than 1,500 pages long.

Chernow’s “Mark Twain” is well worth that length to learn more about the author best known for introducing readers to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Chernow’s book aptly portrays Twain as someone who “fairly invented our celebrity culture,” the precursor to the influencers that dominate our lives today. Twain had no qualms about cashing in on his fame, with his name being used to promote cigars, pipes and other products.

But Twain was known just as much for the attitude linked

demning the practice of lynching. That silence, Chernow writes, was a major missed opportunity to help foster a national debate.

Chernow also delves into the uncomfortable subject of Twain’s obsession in his later years with teenage girls, developing close friendships with teens that he dubbed his “angelfish.”

Chernow’s willingness to give readers the unvarnished truth about Twain makes the biography stand out, as does his ability to simultaneously explore the historical and literary context of Twain’s writing. Even Twain’s lesser-known works are addressed.

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

to the humorist and his works. Twain, as Chernow describes him, was “someone willing to tangle with anyone, make enemies and say aloud what other people only dared to think.”

Chernow’s biography avoids the trap of idolizing Twain and gives an honest assessment of the author’s life, including his flaws and contradictions.

Revered for addressing the evils of slavery in “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Twain was also someone who avoided lending his voice to con-

Twain comes alive in the pages of Chernow’s biography, which shows how much he was influenced by his wife and her “delicate restraining hand.” It also portrays the complex and fraught relationship Twain had with his daughters.

The book drags at some points, which is inevitable in a tome of this size, and is strongest when it tells the relationship Twain had with the written word. Chernow writes that “words were his catharsis, his therapy, his preferred form of revenge.”

The recurring theme of Chernow’s biography is Twain’s love affair with the written word, and it ably demonstrates the impact that relationship had on a nation.

SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Cannes Film Festival in southern

PENGUIN PRESS VIA AP Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow latest book, “Mark Twain,” explores the iconic author.

The Associated Press THESE celebrities have birthdays this week.

MAY 22

Songwriter Bernie Taupin is 75. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is 68. Singer Morrissey is 66. Model Naomi Campbell is 55. Tennis player Novak Djokovic is 38.

MAY 23

Actor Joan Collins is 92. Chess grand master Anatoly Karpov is 74. Comedian-TV host Drew Carey is 67. “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings is 51. Singer-songwriter Jewel is 51.

MAY 24

Comedian Tommy Chong is 87. Musician Bob Dylan is 84. Singer Patti LaBelle is 81. Actor Priscilla Presley is 80. Actor Alfred Molina is 72. Actor John C. Reilly is 60.

MAY 25

Actor Ann Robinson (“War of the Worlds”) is 96. Actor Ian McKellen (“Lord of the Rings”) is 86. Actor-singer Leslie Uggams is 82. Director-Muppetteer Frank Oz is 81. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 62.

MAY 26

Sportscaster Brent Musburger is 86. Singer Stevie Nicks is 77. Actor Pam Grier is 76. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 76. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 61. Actor Helena Bonham Carter is 59. “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone is 53. Singer Lauryn Hill is 49.

MAY 27

Singer Bruce Cockburn is 80. Jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is 75. Singer Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees is 68. Musician Andre 3000 of Outkast is 49.

MAY 28

Singer Gladys Knight is

Singer John Fogerty is 80. Musician Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss and Union Station is

the stream

Krasinski, Portman search for ‘Fountain of Youth,’ Pee-wee as himself

Stereolab drops its first new record in 15 years

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Joe Jonas’ sophomore solo album “Work It Out” and John Krasinski and Natalie Portman searching for immortality in Guy Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Paul Reubens shines in the documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” Nicole Kidman returns as a shady wellness guru in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping offers gamers a chance to test their de-duck-tive skills.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” (out Friday on Max and HBO) is one of the most intimate portraits of Reubens, the man many know as Pee-wee Herman. Wolf crafted his film from some 40 hours of interviews conducted with Reubens before he died of cancer in 2023. In “Pee-wee as Himself,” Reubens discusses the ups and downs of his career, how he crafted the Pee-wee persona and how it came to dwarf his own self.

Ritchie’s adventure movie “Fountain of Youth” (Friday on Apple TV+) stars Krasinski and Portman as a pair of siblings hunting for the fabled Fountain of Youth. The film, which also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson and Stanley Tucci, is the latest from the fast-working Ritchie, whose recent films include 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and 2023’s “The Covenant.”

Last fall, “The Last Showgirl” (out Friday on Hulu) proved a poignant showcase for Pamela Anderson, long after her “Baywatch” heyday. In Gia Coppola’s indie drama, she plays a Las Vegas performer in the twilight of her career. Dave Bautista co-stars.

MUSIC TO STREAM

In the first single released from Jonas’ forthcoming sophomore solo album, “Work It Out,” the boy band brother breaks the fourth wall in the third person. “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for,” he sings in a rare moment of pop candor. His characteristic cheekiness soon follows. “Even baddies get saddies and that’s the hardest truth,” he sings atop

cheery pop-synth. The album, titled “Music For People Who Believe In Love” promises more alt-pop — with country and rock flair thrown in for good measure. Good news for cool people with interesting taste: The Anglo-French Avant-pop band Stereolab returns with their first new album in 15 years, since 2010’s “Not Music” arrived after the group announced an indefinite hiatus. That came to an end in 2019, when Stereolab announced remastered reissues, tour dates and a set at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. The latest news arrives in the form of this new album, titled “Instant Holograms on Metal Film,” and it sounds as if no time has passed.

Pachyman, the Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia, has charmed audiences with his vintage gear and deep appreci-

ation for dub reggae. That continues on his fifth album, “Another Place,” out Friday, with its dreamy, psychedelic indie. It’s the kind of stuff that would be at least partially labeled “vaporwave” or “chillwave” a few years ago. Now, it’s a kaleidoscope of influences only Pachyman could put together in such a fluid package.

TELEVISION TO STREAM

With hits like “Maxton Hall” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video is investing in its YA content. In the new series “Motorheads,” a mother (Nathalie Kelley) returns to her blue-collar hometown with her teenage twins (played by Michael Cimino of “Love, Victor” and Melissa Collazo.) They move in with their uncle (Ryan Phillippe) who is haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother. Fun fact: Phil-

lippe’s son, Deacon, with Reese Witherspoon, plays that younger brother in flashback scenes. Besides the expected coming- of-age storyline about first love and fitting in at school, there’s also a greater mystery at play, plus street racing! Now streaming Prime. At the end of season one of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” we saw Nicole Kidman’s Russian wellness guru, Masha, high tailing it out of town after her unorthodox practices included sneaking psychedelics into her patients’ smoothies. In season 2, Masha has relocated to the Austrian Alps with two new business partners, and they’re welcoming a new group of people to a retreat.

“I invited you all here because sometimes you shouldn’t deal with pain gently,” Masha says in the trailer.

The cast includes Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Mur-

“Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for.” Joe Jonas

ray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Dolly de Leon and musician King Princess in her first acting role.

PLAY

VIDEO GAMES TO

Winston Green, a high-strung courier in small-town America in the late 1950s, has one motto: Deliver At All Costs. If that means wrecking other cars or plowing through buildings, so be it. And as the cargo gets weirder — judging from the screenshots, UFOs may be involved — Winston “spirals downward into the depths of insanity.” The result, from Swedish studio Far Out Games by way of Konami, looks somewhat like the original Grand Theft Auto with a retro “Happy Days” glow. Hit the gas Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was once of last year’s cleverest surprises, introducing us to down-on-his-luck gumshoe Eugene McQuacklin in an animal-world parody of film noir. My only complaint was that it was just a few hours long — but the good news is that Germany’s Happy Broccoli Games is already back on the case with Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. This time, McQuacklin investigates a mystery at a luxury campsite. If you enjoy brainteasers, another chance to test your de-ducktive skills arrives Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

“Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Fountain of Youth” and “The Last Showgirl” land this week on a device near you.

“Music for People Who Believe in Love” by Joe Jonas, “Another Place” by Pachyman and “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” by Stereolab drop this week. PRIME / HULU / TNT VIA AP

second season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” is streaming this week.

HOKE COUNTY

An artful advert

There’s a new sandwich shop coming to downtown Raeford. The Corner Cut Deli Sandwiches will be moving into the building where Kayla Renee Cakes used to be beside the Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce. The owners of Stewart’s Tavern hired a local artist to create a new mural on the side of the building that has become a hot spot for local art work.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are e ective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and bene ts of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identi ed a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democraticcontrolled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the oor after refusing to apologize.

Commissioners recognize volunteers, employee for statewide honors

Betty Perkins, Kaiden Jekel and Daphne Graham-Dudley were all recognized

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke County Board of Commissioners recognized three people at their May 19 meeting for statewide honors they had received.

The board rst recognized Hoke County’s two recipients for the Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards. The annual awards “honor the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals and groups that make a signi cant contribution to their community through volunteer service.”

Hoke County’s recipients were Betty Perkins — who serves on Hoke County’s Library Board, Friends of the Library, as well as volunteers

with Open-Door Soup Kitchen and was a recipient of the Governor’s Medallion Award in 2022– and Kaiden Jekel – a young volunteer, a member of 4-H and a Boy Scout.

“They are hereby awarded the highest designation of appreciation for distinguished volunteer service to the people and the state of North Carolina,” said N.C. Cooperative Extension program assistant Gina Daniels.

“It’s good to have citizens who do good and do well by volunteering to help others,” said Board Chair James Leach. “That’s what it’s all about; who have you helped lately? Thank you to both of y’all for working so hard to help our citizens.”

The board also recognized county employee Daphne Graham-Dudley who was honored as the Tax Collector of the Year for North Carolina.

“I do appreciate it,” Dudley said. “I don’t take this award lightly. There are not just 100 counties, but you also have to

“It’s

good to have citizens who do good and do well by volunteering to help others.”

Board Chair James Leach

count the cities and the towns. So this award, to a lot of people in my profession, it does mean a lot. I thank this board for allowing me the opportunity to grow.”

The annual award is given to o ces that exhibit high achievement, leadership and dedication in the tax collection eld.

“I’ve worked with Daphne for a long time and we’ve been through a lot together,” said county manager Letitia Edens. “I was so honored that she was named the Tax Collector of the Year amongst all the

other tax collectors in North Carolina.”

“When she took over, we were number 99 in the state of North Carolina,” Leach said. “99 out of 100. That’s not good. Now she’s the Tax Collector of the Year.”

The commissioners also approved a $115,000 allocation to the Board of Education, from their prior year savings, for the East Hoke and West Hoke locker room projects.

“We’ve already completed the oors, the shower walls and the lockers,” said Superintendent Kenneth Spells. “We also want to complete the doors and the benches. This will nally complete our big, beautiful locker room project.”

The request would be to fund 24 doors and 16 benches and according to Assistant Superintendent Chad Hunt, the project is anticipated to be completed by June 30.

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet June 2.

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were nalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the rst federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or per uoroalkyl and poly uoroalkyl substances, nding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth

weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.

The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion, e ectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. The EPA will keep

those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS. Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits.

But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that

the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

Erik Olson, a senior strategist at the nonpro t Natural Resources Defense Council, said the move is illegal. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.

“With a stroke of the pen, EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans,” Olson said. Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that re ghting foam snu ed out ames.

But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

Some utilities have been surprised to nd out they are over limits.

“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we know are bad, and we are going to need more time,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications rm.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

| JOHN A. PAPPAS

Don’t

let a

tax

hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable.

According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are bene ting, and

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

Scapegoating Joe Biden isn’t going to solve the Democratic Party’s problems

The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

“WE GOT SO SCREWED by Biden, as a party,” former Obama adviser David Plou e is quoted saying in a New Yorker excerpt from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its CoverUp, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

The supposition of the piece, headlined “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” is that Democrats only failed to hold the White House because of Biden’s prideful obstinacy.

Scapegoating Biden for all the left’s considerable political problems is an ugly hypocrisy. It is also self-delusional. There is a reason the Democratic Party’s polling is at historic lows right now, and it’s not just Biden’s memory problems.

Let’s recall that every congressional Democrat decided to shoehorn the In ation Reduction Act into law even after most economists warned it would plunge the nation into price spikes. Biden wasn’t the only one leaning into the hysterics of “semi-fascism.” If anything, Biden had merely adopted the social science quackery on gender that so many Democrats champion. Did any elected Democrat speak out about the anarchy of illegal immigration? If so, I must have missed it. Yet, according to a preelection Pew poll, 78% of people believed the border was a crisis or major problem.

One of the big criticisms of Biden is that he failed to make room for another candidate earlier. Almost surely, Kamala Harris would have been the nominee regardless of when Biden dropped out. Does anyone really believe a hyper-ambitious politician ensconced in the White House was going to step aside or let some middling governor

wrest the nomination from her? The only Democrat who consistently outperformed Harris in most polls after Biden’s debate debacle was Michelle Obama. It was going to be Harris.

What makes anyone think that Harris would have experienced more success had she enjoyed more time? After an initial jolt up, the vice president’s popularity steadily declined. Harris needed less time, not more. The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

Harris, like any other possible Democratic candidate, was compelled to run on the president’s record. And that record, championed by virtually every Democrat, was unpopular long before the media were compelled to acknowledge the president’s declining mental state.

The Democratic Party had blown it. Polls found that only 36% approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, 28% approved of his handling of immigration, 33% approved of his handling of foreign policy and 30% approved of his handling of the Middle East. Now, even with those numbers, elections are a contest between two visions. A CBS News poll found that 65% of Americans remember the economy under Trump fondly, while only 38% said the same about Biden.

Does anyone really believe that Govs. Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear or JB Pritzker possess the kind of charismatic personality or compelling message to overcome that record? It’s exceptionally unlikely.

Plou e might have been one of the few Democrats who publicly questioned the wisdom of running a man whose mental acuity had slipped for years. Until the

day of the rst 2024 presidential debates, however, virtually the entirety of the party and media had been shielding Biden. If the president had refused to debate Trump, the left would have almost surely kept on concealing Biden’s condition. It had no choice but to turn on the president once he had been exposed.

We learn in The New Yorker that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney at the infamous Hollywood fundraiser where Barack Obama had to lead the president o stage by hand. Recall that even at this point, the big media were still gaslighting the public about the president’s deteriorating acuity. Three days later, Tapper’s colleague wrote in CNN’s media newsletter that the claim had been a “fabrication.”

Two days before the debate, thenMajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had told reporters the president was sharper than he’d been in years. “He’s ne. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” he said.

In he New Yorker piece, we learn that Schumer would speak to Biden on the phone regularly, “and, after some chit chat,” the president would “admit that he’d forgotten why he’d called. Sometimes he rambled. Sometimes he forgot names. Schumer wasn’t concerned about Biden’s acuity, but he was worried about the optics.”

The president is the most powerful man in the world, and the Senate leader was worried about optics. So, indeed, was the rest of his party. Which is merely to say that Democrats screwed themselves.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.

COLUMN

Ex-White House chef for 5 presidents says rst families ‘just regular people’

Cristeta Comerford handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for ve presidents and their guests, says rst families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the rst families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then nished o in the residence kitchen on the second oor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen sta , is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Each of the ve families she served approached food di erently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenrst lady Hillary Clinton hired the rst American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stu ed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said. Trump and rst lady Mela-

“It’s di erent for each family, but my

job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

nia Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The rst lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the rst Italian American rst lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s di erent for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent a airs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s rst term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader. The rst lady’s sta and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized.

She’d develop at least three di erent menus. Then came tastings for the rst lady to make a nal decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the rst woman and rst person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s

position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacri cing his career to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the rst Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do ne dining meals,” she said. “You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from Chi-

na, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, according to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.”

Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military. Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the rst Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War. But his stint ended after less than four years when the new rst lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961.

Miller said the book o ers a “unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and nd out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

Integrity Open Arms Residents of the Month

OF THE MONTH

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive chef We are happy to discuss your needs or questions. W here to help! Committed to serving and enriching the lives of every resident

McRae

Robert General has been a resident at Open Arms since August 2021. He was born in South Carolina, relocated to Richmond Virginia and later moved to North Carolina. Robert enjoys BINGO, church and knitting. He is a joy to have here at Open Arms Retirement Center.

Mrs. Florence Herbert has been a resident here since May 2021. She moved to North Carolina from Pennsylvania to escape the bad weather. Florence enjoys word searches, BINGO, watching TV and spending time with her friends on the Special Care Unit at Integrity Open Arms.

Mrs. Betty Purcell is from Raeford, North Carolina. She moved into our assisted living this past June. Besides being the mother of two, she worked for many years at Burlington Mills. Betty enjoys church, watching youtube and doing word searches.

Alice is an experienced Med tech that has been with our company for almost 20 years. She has a background in PCA, Supervisor and Special Care Coordinator. Mrs McRae remains one of our Head Med Techs at Integrity Open Arms and the residents appreciate and love her. She is from the Raeford area and during her time off she enjoys being with her family and especially spending time with her boys whom she truly loves. She enjoys watching movies and sports and is a huge Pittsburgh Steelers Fan! Congratulations Mrs. McRae.

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

HOKE SPORTS

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

Boys’ golf, track and eld send athletes to states

North State Journal sta

HOKE COUNTY had three individual athletes place at the state meets for their various sports.

Track and eld

Hoke County’s boys’ team placed in a tie for 28th place at the NCHSAA class 4A state track and eld championships. A pair of Bucks athletes competed in the nal round of events at the championships. After earning gold in the triple jump at the regionals, junior William Leak took second place in the event with a silver-medal-winning jump of 48 feet, 0.5 inches.

After taking bronze in the long jump at regionals, junior Jaydon Smith nished in 16th at the state meet with a leap of 17 feet, 10 inches.

Boys’ golf

Jordan Palmer represented Hoke County at the state tournament for the second straight year. The junior shot a 77 to place 20th at the Mideast Regional and advance to the NCHSAA Class 4A state championships at Pinehurst. Rain shortened the championship to 27 holes. Palmer shot a nine-hole 44 and an 18-hole 76 to nish with a 14-over 120, good for a tie for 66th place.

Girls’ soccer

The Bucks nished the season with back-to-back losses and a three-match winless streak, tying East Bladen, 2-2 then fall-

Juniors William Leak (left) and Jaydon Smith represented Hoke County at the NCHSAA state track and eld championships.

ing to Pinecrest, 2-0, and Union Pines, 9-0. At 7-14-1 overall, 2-10 in the Sandhills Conference, Hoke was not chosen for the NCHSAA state playo s. The Bucks were a young team and lose no seniors heading into next season. The backbone of what should be an improved Lady Bucks squad will be from rising senior Jaelyn Gimenez, junior Evalynn Groemm and sophomore Aileen Ramos.

2

Number of medals won by William Leak, who took gold in the triple jump at the regionals and silver at the states

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

William Leak

Hoke County, track and eld

William Leak is a junior for the Hoke County boys’ track and eld team.

Hoke nished tied for 28th at the NCHSAA class 4A state track and eld championships, and Leak was the leading scorer for the Bucks. He nished second in the triple jump with a leap of 48 feet, 0.5 inches, missing a state title by inches.

FSU and Clemson lawsuits were a major expense

By Aaron Beard

The Associated Press

THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference set league records for revenue and member payouts yet also had a growing legal bill amid since-settled lawsuits from members Clemson and Florida State, according to the league’s most recent tax ling.

The 990 tax form covering the 2023-24 season reported the league’s revenue increased to about $711.4 million, up slightly from $706.6 million a year earlier. That allowed the ACC to pay an average of nearly $45 million to its 14 football-playing members — Louisville ($46.4 million) and FSU ($46.3 million) had the highest hauls — while Notre Dame made $20.7 million for its partial share as a football independent.

Those gures don’t re ect the arrivals of California, Stanford and SMU as new members to push the league to 18 schools for the 2024-25 season. Nor does it include the “success initiative”

championed by commissioner Jim Phillips that went into e ect this season for schools to keep more money generated by their own postseason success.

The ACC has also revamped its revenue-distribution plan to factor in TV viewership and reward top-draw schools. That takes effect next year as part of the settlement that ended the threats from the Clemson and FSU cases challenging the league’s ability to charge massive exit fees if they

tried to join another league.

Phillips has talked about the league’s “aggressive” e orts to generate more revenue amid a growing gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences in what many consider to be a Power Two of the conferences, though the ACC has been ahead of the smaller Big 12 in revenue and payouts in its lings to solidify itself in third.

For example, the Big 12 reported revenue of $493.8 million

in its ling for 2023-24, down from $510.7 million the previous year. That came in its nal season with Oklahoma and Texas in the fold before both schools moved to the SEC for 2024-25, along with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 that year.

Amid that expansion and revenue decline, the Big 12 went from distributing about $44.2 million to 10 schools in 2022-23 to $39.5 million to those same programs for 2023-24. The four new schools received reduced shares averaging around $20 million, by comparison.

The ACC’s gains have notably come since the launch of the ESPN-partnered ACC Network in August 2019. The league reported $288.6 million in TV revenue for the 2018-19 season before the network’s launch, but that gure reached $487.1 million for 202324 — a 68.8% increase.

Yet amid those gains, the league reported more than $12.3 million in legal expenses for 2023-24, a 70.2% jump from the previous year ($7.2 million) coming as FSU led a December 2023 lawsuit and Clemson followed in March 2024.

The increased legal costs also come amid legal cases reshaping the landscape of college athletics, including the landmark settlement to a $2.8 billion federal class-action antitrust lawsuit led by athletes against the NCAA and its largest conferences. That settlement is awaiting nal approval by a federal judge before terms can go into e ect as early as July 1, such as schools sharing more than $20 million annually with athletes.

The ACC reported nearly $19.6 million in legal expenses through its two most recent tax lings, similar to the combined total reported for the previous six years ($20.8 million).

Still, the resolution in the FSU and Clemson cases, along with ESPN in January picking up its option to extend its base-rights ACC media deal through 2035-36, o ered a measure of league stability when it came to its annual spring meetings in Florida this week.

“Chaos and the constant wondering of what’s happening here or there, I just think that distracts from the business at hand,” Phillips said then. “But I feel good about where we’re at.”

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

‘Celebrity gure’ coach Belichick touted as ‘great thing’ for ACC despite distractions

UNC’s head coach attracted plenty of media attention at the ACC spring meetings

By Mark Long The Associated Press

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. —

Bill Belichick arrived fashionably late to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spring meetings, his rst one as UNC’s head coach.

Still wheeling luggage around the beachside resort in Amelia Island, Belichick banged his carry-on into the door frame as he joined league athletic directors, faculty representatives and football and basketball coaches.

It was a mildly awkward entrance for the ACC’s newest and brightest star. But if the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion caused a distraction, no one seemed to care.

The ACC, at least publicly, welcomed Belichick, baggage and all.

“I thought I was done being tortured by him,” joked Stanford interim coach Frank Reich, who went 6-7 against Belichick, including a win in Super Bowl 52, during 18 seasons on NFL sidelines.

Belichick, with a new public relations communications person by his side, declined most interview requests at the Ritz-Carlton. He did two football-only interviews with UNC reporters, sat alongside Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for an ESPN feature and did a brief segment on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” whose appearance at the meetings surely had more to do with the former NFL coach than anything the conference had going on during its three-day event.

ESPN already had made UNC’s home opener against TCU a prime-time event, with Labor Day night becoming a

SIDELINE REPORT

AUTO RACING

Indianapolis 500 on pace for 1st sellout since 2016; local TV blackout to be lifted

Indianapolis

The Indianapolis 500 is expected to be sold out and the local blackout will be lifted so fans in the area unable to attend can watch it live. It will be the rst grandstand sell-out since 2016. If the grandstands don’t reach capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway implements a local television blackout in which the race can only be watched inside the city later that day on replay. The race is expected to draw 350,000. The Indiana Pacers will also host an NBA playo game that evening.

MLB Ohtani throws 50-pitch bullpen session; Kershaw makes return

Los Angeles Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery. Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in his previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. To make room on the roster for Kershaw, right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO UNC coach Bill Belichick takes part in a March press conference.

showcase for Belichick’s college coaching debut. It could be a launching point for the league, which trails the Big Ten and the Southeastern conferences in brand recognition, television ratings and — most importantly — revenue.

NFL Brown detained after gunshots outside Ross’ boxing event

Miami Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown says he was brie y detained by police following an altercation in which gunshots were red outside Adin Ross’ celebrity boxing event in Miami. Miami police con rmed o cers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system. Police questioned several people but made no arrests. Brown posted on social media that he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me” at the popular streamer Ross’ event.

MLS Messi speaks after latest Inter Miami loss, says team must stick together

Miami Lionel Messi isn’t happy right now. After Inter Miami was routed 3-0 by Orlando on Sunday night and fell to 1-5-1 in its last seven matches across all competitions, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion told Apple TV that it’s imperative for the team to stick together. Messi rarely gives interviews after matches. Inter Miami is sixth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference after setting an MLS mark for the best regular-season record last year.

“I think they ran to us before we could even run to them, our partners at Disney,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “Listen, it’s a great thing for the league. It’s a great thing for North Carolina. And we’re all following just the massive cover-

age that Coach Belichick draws.

“I don’t know that he’s got a private moment to himself at all from what I can see and read and what I follow. But I think it’s good. I think it’s good for our league. It’s good for certainly North Carolina. It’s good for college foot-

“I thought I was done being tortured by him.”

Stanford coach Frank Reich

ball people; it draws more interest. And it was enjoyable to have him here this week with our joint group in those meetings.”

Belichick, Reich and Boston College coach Bill O’Brien give the league three former NFL coaches, though none come with the titles and headaches — Spygate, De ategate and more — of Belichick. Their experience and insight were widely regarded, not surprising considering many top programs are adapting NFL models as they navigate a changing landscape on the doorstep of paying players for use of their name, image and likeness. With no TV cameras chasing his every move, the 73-year-old Belichick was somewhat removed from the spotlight during the ACC event.

It may have been a welcome respite after the past few weeks, when he defended 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson for shutting down questions about their relationship, which has drawn outsized attention given their age gap.

“I don’t know that I concern myself with some of those things,” Phillips said. “I think about the elements that a ect the ACC. Some of those other things, I really don’t even pay that much attention to.”

“Bill’s been great to work with,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “He’s a celebrity gure, and he’s doing a great job for us.”

Added Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: “He’s an amazing football coach. You don’t get lucky and do what he did, especially in the NFL where the margin is so, so small. He’s going to be great for our league.”

Edward Leon Miles

April 6, 1964 – May 13, 2025

Mr. Edward Leon Miles, age 61, went home to rest with his Heavenly Father on May 13, 2025.

He leaves to cherish his loving memories his daughters: Aleisha Mathews, Jackkari Miles; mother, Mary Miles; siblings: Samuel Miles, Diana Bell, Josh Miles; grandchildren: Aniya Mathews, Alaiya Mathews, Anijah Miles, Ah’nesty Miles, Jha’mhari Miles, along with a host of other family and friends.

Leon will be greatly missed.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, May 19, 1 p.m., at The New Shady Grove Baptist Church. A Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 18, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the Pauline T. Buie Chapel.

Charles Forney

Aug. 9. 1950 – May 16, 2025

Mr. Charles Forney, aged 74, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on May 16, 2025.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 23, at noon at Leach Springs Missionary Baptist Church. A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 22, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Charles will be greatly missed.

Steven Harold Heminger

Nov. 5, 1966 – May 11, 2025

Steven Harold Heminger, of Raeford, NC, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at the age of 58. He was born in Hancock County, OH, on November 05, 1966, to Robert and Theresa Heminger.

Steve served eight years in the U.S Army before returning after a 15-year hiatus. He just recently retired after 21 years. In between both military careers, he worked as a supervisor in a manufacturing plant. Steve completed his business degree while working full time.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Laura Jeanne Heminger; his two sons, Ryan Heminger and Tyler Heminger; his parents, Robert and Theresa Heminger; his brother, Rob Heminger Jr. (Liz); and his sister, Amy Saldivar (Jim Consiglia).

A visitation will be held at Crumpler Funeral Home on Monday, May 19, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m.

A service will be held at Crumpler Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. with full military honors and Pastor Gary Laviner o ciating.

Arrangements for the family are entrusted to Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford.

Larry Miller, star for UNC basketball, dies at 79

He scored 32 to beat Duke in the 1967 ACC championship game

The Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL — Larry Miller, a two-time ACC player of the year for UNC and 2022 inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79.

The UNC athletic department said Miller died Sunday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was given. An athletic department spokesman said Miller was in hospice care and dealing with medical issues for some time.

Miller, a native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was a star forward on coach Dean Smith’s rst two Atlantic Coast Conference championship and Final Four teams in 1967 and 1968. He earned

rst-team All-America honors both seasons and was a consensus pick in 1968 along with UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, Houston’s Elvin Hayes, LSU’s Pete Maravich and Louisville’s Wes Unseld. Miller scored in double gures in 64 consecutive games, still a UNC record. Miller scored 1,982 points in three seasons and averaged 21.8 points, the fth-highest by a Tar Heel. In one of his most memorable performances, he scored 32 points on 13-of-14 shooting from the eld in an 82-73 victory over Duke in the 1967 ACC championship game. Led by Miller, Carolina went 70-21, including 32 -10 in ACC regular-season play, from 1965-68. The Tar Heels were No. 4 in the nal Associated Press polls his last two seasons, the rst time UNC was ranked in the top 10 in the nal poll in consecutive seasons. Miller played seven years in the ABA and set the league’s all-time single-game record with 67 points.

Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of

‘Annie,’

‘Bye

Bye Birdie,’ dies at 96

His songs were known around the world

By Mark Kennedy The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Three-time Tony Award-winner Charles Strouse, Broadway’s industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as “Annie,” “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Applause,” died Thursday. He was 96.

Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said.

In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as lm scores and “Those Were the Days,” the theme song for the sitcom “All in the Family.”

Strouse turned out such popular — and catchy — show tunes as “Tomorrow,” the optimistic anthem from “Annie,” and the equally cheerful “Put on a Happy Face” from “Bye Bye Birdie,” his rst Broadway success.

“I work every day. Activity — it’s a life force,” the New Yorkborn composer told The Associated Press during an interview on the eve of his 80th birthday in 2008. “When you enjoy doing what you’re doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.”

Deep into his 90s, he visited tours of his shows and met casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the rst “Annie” as Pepper and directed a touring version of “Annie” in 2024, recalls Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang “Tomorrow.” She said: “He’s so gorgeously generous and kind. He has always been that way.”

His Broadway career began in 1960 with “Bye Bye Birdie,” which Strouse wrote with lyricist Lee Adams and librettist Michael Stewart. “Birdie,” which starred Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera, told the tale of an Elvis Presley-like crooner named Conrad Birdie being drafted into the Army and its e ect on one small Ohio town.

Strouse not only wrote the music, but he played piano at auditions while Edward Padula, the show’s neophyte producer, tried to attract nancial backers for a production that would eventually cost $185,000.

“We never stopped giving auditions — and people never gave money at all. The idea of using rock ‘n’ roll — everybody was so turned o ,” Strouse said.

Finally, Padula found Texas

oilman L. Slade Brown. When he heard the score, he said, in a Texas twang, “I like those songs,” pushed Strouse aside and picked out the tune of “Put on a Happy Face” on the piano. Brown then said, “How much do you fellas need?” and wrote out a check for $75,000 to cover the start of rehearsals. “Suddenly, the world turned Technicolor,” Strouse remembered. The popularity of “Birdie” spawned a lm (with Van Dyke, Janet Leigh and Ann-Margret) in 1963 and a television adaptation with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams in 1995. Strouse and Adams gave several non-musical theater stars, including Sammy Davis Jr. and Lauren Bacall, stage successes for “Golden Boy” and “All About Eve,” respectively. But it was “Annie” (1977) that proved to be Strouse’s most durable — and long-running — Broadway hit (over 2,300 performances). Chronicling the Depression-era adventures of the celebrated comic strip character Little Orphan Annie, the musical featured lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. It starred Andrea McArdle as the red-haired moppet and Dorothy Loudon, who won a Tony for her riotous portrayal of mean Miss Hannigan, who ran the orphanage. The musical contained gems such as “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”

The 1982 lm version, which featured Carol Burnett in Loudon’s role, was not nearly as popular or well-received. A stage sequel called “Annie Warbucks” ran o -Broadway in 1993. The show was revived on Broadway in 2012 and made into a lm starring Quvenzhané Wallis in 2014. NBC put a version on net-

work TV in 2021 called “Annie Live!”

Strouse and Charnin, who both won Grammy Awards for the “Annie” cast album, found shards of their work included in Jay-Z’s 1998 Grammy-winning album “Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life.”

“Tomorrow” has been heard on soundtracks from “Shrek 2″ to “Dave” to “You’ve Got Mail.” In 2016, Lukas Graham used parts of the chorus from “Annie” for his “Mama Said” hit. Strouse had his share of ops, too, including two shows — “A Broadway Musical” (1978) and “Dance a Little Closer,” a 1983 musical written with Alan Jay Lerner, that closed after one performance. Among his other less-than-successful musicals were “All-American” (1962), starring Ray Bolger, “It’s a Bird... It’s a Plane... It’s Superman” (1966), directed by Harold Prince, and “Bring Back Birdie” (1981), a sequel to “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Among Strouse’s lm scores were the music for “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) and “The Night They Raided Minsky’s” (1968). Theater beckoned when he and Adams got a chance in the early 1950s to write songs for weekly revues at an Adirondacks summer camp called Green Mansions. Such camps were the training ground for dozens of performers and writers.

“I would write a song and I would orchestrate it and copy the parts,” he said in the AP interview. “And rehearsal was the next day at nine, so at four in the morning, I am crossing the lake with the parts still wet. I just loved it. I never was happier.” His wife, Barbara, died in 2023. He is survived by four children, Ben, Nick, Victoria and William.

HAROLD FILAN / AP PHOTO

Larry Miller of UNC attempts a shot while defended by UCLA’s 7-foot-2 Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) during the rst half of the NCAA championship game on March 23, 1968, in Los Angeles.

RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO

Composer Charles Strouse is interviewed in his New York apartment in June 2008.

STATE & NATION

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed o cers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s o ce said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an o cer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an e ort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on

Monday when she said in a social media post she instead was charging the congresswoman. Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond.

Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ o cial duties to serve their constituents and an e ort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in American political discourse.

Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip re-

leased by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed o cials go through the gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and o cers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an o cer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it.

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, rst came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that. House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

First

lady Melania Trump

lobbied hard for the bill

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the rst lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her rst public appearance since resuming the role of rst lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the rst lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish inti-

mate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps

to delete duplicate content. Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The rst lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with

lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.” Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s rst term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with rst lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

MOORE COUNTY

The legend lives on

A capacity crowd returned to North Wilkesboro for the third straight year to

million-dollar check for winning the race.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FDA to update COVID-19 shot recommendations

Washington, D.C.

The Food and Drug Administration will issue new guidelines this year on who should get updated COVID-19 boosters, bringing the U.S. more in line with European countries when it comes to who should get the booster. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, advisers suggested that higher-risk groups — adults 65 and older and those with risk factors — should receive boosters, and that more research should be done on whether boosters are e ective and to build stronger evidence on the risks and bene ts of the shot.

SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore vote of censured lawmaker

Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identi ed a transgender student athlete in a critical social media post. A 7-2 court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democraticcontrolled House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the oor after refusing to apologize.

Board of Education approves modi ed puberty, sex education materials

The modi cations come in response to new state regulations

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County Schools Board of Education approved a variety of contracts at its May 12 meeting, including an endorsement of modi ed sex education materials.

In response to new state requirements, the board rst endorsed modi cations to its puberty and reproductive health and safety education curriculum.

“These are essentially just revisions to the curriculum we already had,” said Superintendent Tim Locklair. “To remind the board and the public, our curriculum is forward facing. It all can be viewed online and I also just want to quickly remind everyone that we require parent opt-in or opt-out. We require some commitment from parents before their chil-

dren attend this class, whether that be opting into it or out of it for an alternative assignment.”

“This curriculum, I loved it,” said board member Pauline Bruno, who was a part of the committee who reviewed the material. “You know how I am. If I did not like this curriculum about sex and health and everything, I would have been yelling, but this is absolutely really good.”

Bruno stated that the curriculum was script based and teachers were required to stick to it and that boys would be taught by two adult men while the girls would be taught by two adult women.

She also stated that there were sections about internet safety and human tra cking awareness as per new general statute requirements.

“I’m 100% behind this curriculum,” Bruno said. “I thought everything was very appropriate. It’s good, it’s solid, and I want parents to know that they shouldn’t be afraid of this.”

The board also approved an

approximately $900,000 contract with Eureka Math for K-8 math curriculum.

“The previous math curriculum that was approved by the board a few years ago, Big Ideas Math, was a K-5 math curriculum,” Locklair said. “There’s been e orts over a year or two to look at a curriculum that would serve our schools from K-8.”

The funding for the curriculum, which will be undergoing a three-year pilot at 16 schools, will come from the state textbook fund, which accrues yearly and is intended to be used for this particular purpose.

“In our middle schools, which started it for a half semester, all of our middle school math composite scores were up from the previous year,” said Director for Curriculum

and Instruction Donna Gephart. “So in 2023-24, the math scores for all of the middle school composite scores were better in sixth, seventh and eighth grade.”

The board also approved a nearly $350,000 contract renewal with i-Ready.

“i-Ready is our diagnostic tool that we use in grades K-8,” Locklair said. “We’ve used it since 2021 district wide and the state of North Carolina requires that we have a diagnostic tool.”

The board then approved a $458,000 contract with Gallaher Management Group for roof replacement and repair for both the North Moore High School gym and auditorium and a nearly $200,000 contract with Creative Playscapes — who recently did updates to various other elementary school playgrounds in the district — for the construction of additional playground equipment at McDeeds Creek.

The Moore County Schools Board of Education will next meet June 9.

‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Limits on the two most common types, PFOA and PFOS, will remain

By Michael Phillis The Associated Press

THE ENVIRONMENTAL

Protection Agency said last Wednesday that it plans to weaken limits on some “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were nalized last year while maintaining standards for two common ones.

The Biden administration set the rst federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or per uoroalkyl and poly uoroalkyl substances, nding they increased the risk of cardiovascular dis-

ease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. Those limits on PFAS, which are human-made and don’t easily break down in nature, were expected to reduce their levels for millions of people.

Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.

The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS,

“I’m 100% behind this curriculum.” Board member Pauline Bruno

JOSHUA A. BICKEL / AP PHOTO

Feeney pours

the NASCAR All-Star Race. Christopher Bell collected the

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

5.22.25

“Join the conversation”

North State Journal

(USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)

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Ryan Henkel, Reporter

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BUSINESS

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CRIME LOG

May 13

• Ronda Michele Jesse, 53, was arrested by Carthage PD for trespassing.

• Alisha Rae Morgan, 31, was arrested by Moore County Sheri ’s O ce (MCSO) for possessing methamphetamine.

• April Nall Talbert, 39, was arrested by MCSO for possessing methamphetamine.

May 14

• Eric Matthew Stewart, 44, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for theft by an employee.

May 16

• Timothy Robert Ellis, 29, was arrested by MCSO for possessing, manufacturing, selling, or delivering methamphetamine.

• Timothy Ray Hair, 25, was arrested by MCSO for thirddegree sexual exploitation of a minor.

May 19

• Elijah Malik Anderson, 24, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor domestic violence.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements:

moorecommunity@ northstatejournal.com

Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

Stein urges NCGA to include more Helene aid in budget

The governor wants hundreds of millions in additional spending

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein urged state lawmakers Monday to allocate hundreds of millions more dollars toward western North Carolina’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene instead of waiting on “uncertain federal assistance.”

The money requested — $891 million — would go toward critical needs in Helene’s aftermath, such as revitalizing local economies, repairing town infrastructure and providing housing assistance, Stein said during a news conference in still-recovering western North Carolina. Stein released the Helene proposal as the GOP-led North Carolina General Assembly prepares to nalize its state budget this summer.

More than 100 people died as Helene tore through western North Carolina in September, destroying homes, businesses and roadways. The storm’s record-breaking devastation totaled $59.6 billion in damages and recovery needs. Recovery has been slow in parts of the region as some hard-hit mountain towns still appear ravaged by the storm nearly eight months later.

Navigating Helene recovery is one of the chief issues Stein has been tasked with handling upon his rst few months in

EPA from page A1

at 4 parts per trillion, e ectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected.

The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense exibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

It was rst reported by The Washington Post.

It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.

“This recovery is going to take a long time.”

Gov. Josh Stein

o ce. Some of the rst actions his administration took focused on rehabilitating the western part of the state, as well as establishing the Governor’s Recovery O ce for Western North Carolina.

“This recovery is going to take a long time,” Stein said Monday. “My administration, though, is in this for the long haul. I know that the legislature is as well.”

In March, state lawmakers passed another Helene relief bill for $524 million — signicantly less than the $1.07 billion Stein had requested the month before. That package added to more than $1.1 billion in Helene recovery activities appropriated or made available by the General Assembly the year prior, according to Stein’s o ce.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved a $1.4 billion grant that would facilitate western North Carolina’s long-term recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency — the federal organization responsible for addressing some of the immediate needs in Helene’s aftermath — has also provided more than $700 million to state and local governments, as well as directly to North Carolinians.

Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits.

But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.

The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.

Erik Olson, a senior strategist at the nonpro t Natural Resources Defense Council, said the move is illegal. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.

“With a stroke of the pen,

Talks over FEMA’s e ectiveness have ushered western North Carolina’s recovery process into the national spotlight as President Donald Trump has suggested the agency’s dissolution. As a candidate, Trump continually disparaged the agency’s work in the region, which garnered support from those frustrated with a sometimes slow and complicated recovery process. Just last week, the agency’s acting chief David Richardson announced plans to shift disaster recovery responsibilities to states for the upcoming hurricane season.

Stein has called on the federal government to reform the agency but not to get rid of it, which he reiterated during his budget proposal announcement Monday.

More than a quarter of Stein’s proposal would go toward restoring local economies and their tourism industries. Another quarter would fund infrastructure repairs, debris cleanup and resiliency projects to better protect the region from future storms.

Other allocations include addressing recovery needs such as housing assistance, xing waterways and farmlands, and food insecurity. The state Senate has already approved its budget proposal and now awaits the House to release its plan this week. Then, state lawmakers can decide whether to incorporate some of Stein’s requests on Helene aid as the two chambers work out di erences, with the goal of having a nal budget enacted by July 1.

EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans,” Olson said. Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that re ghting foam snu ed out ames.

But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.

Some utilities have been surprised to nd they are over limits, while small water providers might struggle with compliance costs and expertise.

“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we know are bad, and we are going to need more time,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications rm.

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

May 22, 23, & 24

May Music at The Je erson Inn’s 1901 Lounge 7-10:30 p.m.

Local bands will be playing on the outside patio area every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. Free admission.

150 W New Hampshire Ave. Southern Pines

May 22-24

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 23-24

Cosmic Bowling 6-11:55 p.m.

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-$17 per person based on age. Shoe rental is free.

Sandhills Bowling Center 1680 N.C. Highway 5 Aberdeen

May 24

Moore County Farmers Market 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

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 St. Southern Pines

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Don’t let a tax hike undermine North Carolina’s early sports betting success

The state has collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting.

JUST ONE YEAR after North Carolina launched its legal sports betting market, a proposal in the state Senate budget threatens to upend one of the most successful rollouts in the country.

Buried in the budget is a provision that would double the sports betting tax rate — from 18% to 36%. This sudden and severe increase sends the wrong message at the wrong time, putting the stability of a promising new industry at risk before it has had a real chance to mature.

North Carolina only went live with mobile sports betting in March 2024. Since then, the results have been remarkable.

According to the North Carolina Lottery, in just Fiscal Year 2025, the state has already collected more than $94 million in tax revenue from sports betting — far outpacing early projections. In April alone, the industry delivered nearly $8.5 million to the state’s bottom line.

This kind of performance should be seen as a clear indicator: The current system is working. Players are migrating to the legal market, state co ers are bene ting, and

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

licensed operators are forging partnerships with local teams and venues creating new investments in communities statewide. Why jeopardize that progress now?

As the leading trade association for the legal online gaming industry, iDEA represents a broad cross-section of companies — including operators, compliance specialists, payment processors and other suppliers — many of whom are licensed and active right here in North Carolina. These companies made signi cant investments in the state based on the bipartisan legislation passed just two years ago, which clearly outlined an 18% tax rate and a ve-year licensing structure.

Doubling the tax rate so soon after launch undermines the credibility of that agreement. It introduces unnecessary instability into a nascent market, discourages further investment and risks reducing the competitive o erings that make the legal market attractive to consumers. Higher taxes don’t just impact operators — they impact players, too.

Bettors may see fewer promotions, worse odds and diminished engagement, all of which make illegal o shore sites more appealing.

If lawmakers want to responsibly grow gaming revenue, there are better options than a punitive tax hike. Eventually considering the legalization of online casino gaming — also known as iGaming — could generate signi cant new tax revenue without compromising the structure that’s already proving e ective.

North Carolina has built a reputation as a forward-looking state — welcoming to innovation, supportive of business and committed to long-term economic growth. Let’s not allow a shortsighted tax proposal to derail that progress.

Doubling the tax rate now would be a step backward. Lawmakers should protect what’s working and reject the Senate’s proposed tax increase on sports wagering.

John A. Pappas is state advocacy director for the iDevelopment and Economic Association.

Scapegoating Joe Biden isn’t going to solve the Democratic Party’s problems

The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

“WE GOT SO SCREWED by Biden, as a party,” former Obama adviser David Plou e is quoted saying in a New Yorker excerpt from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its CoverUp, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

The supposition of the piece, headlined “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” is that Democrats only failed to hold the White House because of Biden’s prideful obstinacy.

Scapegoating Biden for all the left’s considerable political problems is an ugly hypocrisy. It is also self-delusional. There is a reason the Democratic Party’s polling is at historic lows right now, and it’s not just Biden’s memory problems.

Let’s recall that every congressional Democrat decided to shoehorn the In ation Reduction Act into law even after most economists warned it would plunge the nation into price spikes. Biden wasn’t the only one leaning into the hysterics of “semi-fascism.” If anything, Biden had merely adopted the social science quackery on gender that so many Democrats champion.

Did any elected Democrat speak out about the anarchy of illegal immigration? If so, I must have missed it. Yet, according to a preelection Pew poll, 78% of people believed the border was a crisis or major problem.

One of the big criticisms of Biden is that he failed to make room for another candidate earlier. Almost surely, Kamala Harris would have been the nominee regardless of when Biden dropped out. Does anyone really believe a hyper-ambitious politician ensconced in the White House was going to step aside or let some middling governor

wrest the nomination from her? The only Democrat who consistently outperformed Harris in most polls after Biden’s debate debacle was Michelle Obama. It was going to be Harris.

What makes anyone think that Harris would have experienced more success had she enjoyed more time? After an initial jolt up, the vice president’s popularity steadily declined. Harris needed less time, not more. The more the public heard from her, the more they disliked her.

Harris, like any other possible Democratic candidate, was compelled to run on the president’s record. And that record, championed by virtually every Democrat, was unpopular long before the media were compelled to acknowledge the president’s declining mental state.

The Democratic Party had blown it. Polls found that only 36% approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, 28% approved of his handling of immigration, 33% approved of his handling of foreign policy and 30% approved of his handling of the Middle East. Now, even with those numbers, elections are a contest between two visions. A CBS News poll found that 65% of Americans remember the economy under Trump fondly, while only 38% said the same about Biden.

Does anyone really believe that Govs. Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear or JB Pritzker possess the kind of charismatic personality or compelling message to overcome that record? It’s exceptionally unlikely.

Plou e might have been one of the few Democrats who publicly questioned the wisdom of running a man whose mental acuity had slipped for years. Until the

day of the rst 2024 presidential debates, however, virtually the entirety of the party and media had been shielding Biden. If the president had refused to debate Trump, the left would have almost surely kept on concealing Biden’s condition. It had no choice but to turn on the president once he had been exposed.

We learn in The New Yorker that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney at the infamous Hollywood fundraiser where Barack Obama had to lead the president o stage by hand. Recall that even at this point, the big media were still gaslighting the public about the president’s deteriorating acuity. Three days later, Tapper’s colleague wrote in CNN’s media newsletter that the claim had been a “fabrication.”

Two days before the debate, thenMajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had told reporters the president was sharper than he’d been in years. “He’s ne. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” he said.

In he New Yorker piece, we learn that Schumer would speak to Biden on the phone regularly, “and, after some chit chat,” the president would “admit that he’d forgotten why he’d called. Sometimes he rambled. Sometimes he forgot names. Schumer wasn’t concerned about Biden’s acuity, but he was worried about the optics.”

The president is the most powerful man in the world, and the Senate leader was worried about optics. So, indeed, was the rest of his party. Which is merely to say that Democrats screwed themselves.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.

COLUMN | JOHN A. PAPPAS

Ex-White House chef

Cristeta

Comerford

handled 54 state dinners and countless family meals

By Darlene Superville The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cristeta Comerford, a longtime White House executive chef who recently retired after nearly three decades of preparing meals for ve presidents and their guests, says rst families are “just regular people” when they’re at home in the private living areas of the Executive Mansion.

“It’s not what you see on the news,” she told The Associated Press in an interview.

Preparing the rst families’ meals was among Comerford’s many culinary responsibilities. Meals mostly would be prepared in the main kitchen, then nished o in the residence kitchen on the second oor.

“At the end of the day, when you do the family meals upstairs, they’re just regular people at home. They just want a good meal. They want to sit down with their family,” she said. “If they have children, they eat together. And just to see that on a daily basis, it’s not what you see on the news.

“It’s the other side of them that we get to see,” she said. Presidents as foodies

Comerford, who hung up her apron and chef’s toque in July 2024 after nearly 20 years as top chef and nearly three decades on the kitchen sta , is the longest-serving chef in White House history. Her tenure spanned the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Each of the ve families she served approached food di erently, Comerford said at a recent White House Historical Association symposium on food and wine. She was asked whether she’d describe any of the presidents as “real foodies.”

The Clintons liked healthier meals, Comerford said. Thenrst lady Hillary Clinton hired the rst American executive chef, Walter Scheib, and had the kitchen avoid serving heavy sauces and creams.

She said, “I learned so much” about Southwestern cuisine from Bush, the former Texas governor who liked Tex-Mex food. “We made thousands of tamales for Christmas,” she said of the popular Mexican meal of stu ed corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until cooked.

Comerford got ideas from the vegetable garden Michelle Obama started when she was

promoting healthy eating, primarily for children. “We used the garden as kind of like our backbone for our menu development,” she said. Trump and rst lady Melania Trump are “very, very classic eaters,” she said. The rst lady “loved Italian food, so we tend to do the pastas, but light ones.” Comerford didn’t comment on the current president’s food choices, but he is known to like a well-done steak served with ketchup and fast food.

Jill Biden was the rst Italian American rst lady, and the kitchen did “a lot of Italian food, as well, because she loved Italian food.”

Overall, “it’s di erent for each family,” said Comerford, “but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

54 state dinners

A black-tie state dinner is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its close allies.

Comerford presided over 54 of these opulent a airs, including for France and Australia during Trump’s rst term. Sometimes, guest chefs were brought in to help.

State dinners give presidents the opportunity to bring together hundreds of guests from the worlds of government, politics and other industries for an evening in which the three - course meal, decor and entertainment are designed to help foster relations by dazzling the visiting foreign leader.

The rst lady’s sta and the social secretary typically have about two months to pull one together.

Comerford said her team

“It’s di erent for each family, but my job as the chef is to execute their style, their likes and their preferences.”

Cristeta Comerford, former White House executive chef

started by researching the visiting leader’s likes and dislikes, then she used the information to create a menu using the best of American food while incorporating nuances from the country being recognized. She’d develop at least three di erent menus. Then came tastings for the rst lady to make a nal decision.

Comerford’s career

Comerford, 62, started her career tending a salad bar at a Chicago airport hotel before working as a chef at restaurants in Austria and Washington. Scheib, then the White House executive chef, hired her in 1994 for a temporary gig preparing a state dinner for Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s newly elected president.

Scheib then hired her as an assistant chef in 1995, and she succeeded him a decade later, becoming the rst woman and rst person of color to permanently hold the executive chef’s position. Comerford is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the Philippines.

Her husband, John Comerford, is a chef, too, and she credits him with sacri cing his career

to be present for their daughter so she could thrive in hers. Their daughter is a pastry chef.

When Comerford retired, assistant chef Tommy Kurpradit, whose parents are from Thailand, was named interim executive chef. Melania Trump, who worked with Comerford in the rst Trump administration, has not named a successor.

How she succeeded as the White House top chef

Comerford said she managed everything with “a lot of prayers,” often said during her hourlong, early-morning drive into the White House, but also by being versatile, humble, able to handle chaos and having faith in herself and her team.

“One thing with cooking at the White House, you don’t just do ne dining meals,” she said.

“You have to know how to cook eggs and breakfast. You have to know to cook a smashburger.”

It also helps to remember that the job is about the family.

“There’s no ego in it,” Comerford said.

Asians in White House culinary history

White House culinary history includes chefs from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, as far back as the 19th century, according to Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang, co-authors of a new book, “Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History.”

Most sharpened their skills through service in the U.S. military.

Before Comerford, Pedro Udo, a Filipino trained in the U.S. military, was the rst Asian heritage chef to run the White House kitchen after he was promoted from meat chef to head chef in June 1957, according to the book. He prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later that year, and for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in September 1959 during the Cold War.

But his stint ended after less than four years when the new rst lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, hired acclaimed French chef René Verdon in early 1961. Miller said the book o ers a “ unique window” on the presidency.

“We get a look at the presidents, but also the presidents got a look at Asian American life in maybe ways that they hadn’t before,” he told the AP in an interview. “And I think, you know, for the presidents that decided to open that window and nd out more about the people who were providing, comforting them through amazing food, I think our nation is better for them.”

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House on April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

White House executive chef Cris Comerford holds dishes during a media preview for a State Dinner with President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022.

MOORE SPORTS

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

Pinecrest boys’ golf takes state title

North State Journal sta

THE COUNTY’S high school teams brought back a state title, along with several outstanding performances as the spring individual sports wrapped up.

Boys’ golf

Pinecrest won its third straight state title in boys’ golf, taking the NCHSAA class 4A title. The Patriots nished 14 strokes ahead of runner-up Broughton.

Senior Colby Hutchens took second place overall, while junior Pete Myers and sophomore John Santospago tied for sixth. William Huntley also took the NCHSAA sportsmanship award for the championships.

Track and eld

All three county schools had athletes compete at the NCHSAA state track and eld championships.

North Moore freshman Laci Wall was the top nisher for the Mustangs, taking 13th in the girls’ high jump.

Union Pines nished 13th in the girls’ championships and tied for 24th in the boys’.

For the boys, the Vikings’ top performers were junior Corbin Weeks nishing fth in the 800, senior Grayson Bryant, 11th in pole vault and senior Maddox Mari, 15th in high jump.

For the girls, senior Briana St. Louis took second in the 100 and 200, senior Ellie Chapin took fth in the high jump and 14th in the triple jump, and sophomore Riley Bauer

was 14th in the pole vault.

Union Pines also took fourth in the boys’ 4x800 relay and 13th in the girls’ 4x800.

Pinecrest nished 13th in the boys’ meet and 41st in the girls’.

Senior Jacob Dorsch was third in the 1600 and ninth in the 3200, senior Donaven Brown sixth in the long jump, senior Brent Mangum seventh in the 800, senior Keaton Pegues 10th in the 100,junior Tvyrian Praylo 10th in triple jump, senior Will Squires 11th in the 300 hurdles, sophomore Wendell Wells 15th in the 200 and high jump.

For the girls, freshman Madeline Dorsch took 12th in the 1600 and junior Ruby Rhyne 13th in pole vault.

Pinecrest’s boys was fourth in the 4x100 relay, 12th in the 4x400 and 14th in the 4x200. The girls were seventh in the 4x800.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest’s boys’ golf team poses with its state title. L to R: Carson Bertagnole, Pete Myers, Jack Halloran, Colby Hutchen, John Santospago and William Huntley.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Briana St. Louis

Union Pines, track and eld

Briana St. Louis is a senior on the Union Pines track and eld team. The Union Pines girls nished 13th at the NCHSAA class 3A state championships, and St. Louis had the school’s top two nishes.

She nished second in the girls’ 100 with a time of 11.65, just 0.12 seconds o the lead. She also nished second in the 200 with a time of 23.98 seconds, just 0.66 away from a state title. St. Louis is headed to Kentucky, where she will continue her running career with the Wildcats.

‘Celebrity gure’ coach Belichick touted as ‘great thing’ for ACC despite distractions

UNC’s head coach attracted plenty of media attention at the ACC spring meetings

By Mark Long The Associated Press

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — Bill Belichick arrived fashionably late to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spring meetings, his rst one as UNC’s head coach.

Still wheeling luggage around the beachside resort in Amelia Island, Belichick banged his carry-on into the door frame as he joined league athletic directors, faculty representatives and football and basketball coaches.

It was a mildly awkward entrance for the ACC’s newest and brightest star. But if the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion caused a distraction, no one seemed to care.

The ACC, at least publicly, welcomed Belichick, baggage and all.

“I thought I was done being tortured by him,” joked Stanford interim coach Frank Reich, who went 6-7 against Belichick, including a win in Super Bowl 52, during 18 seasons on NFL sidelines.

Belichick, with a new public relations communications person by his side, declined most interview requests at the Ritz-Carlton. He did two football-only interviews with UNC reporters, sat alongside Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for an ESPN feature and did a brief segment on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” whose appearance at the meetings surely had more to do with the former NFL coach than anything the conference had going on during its three-day event.

ESPN already had made

UNC’s home opener against TCU a prime-time event, with Labor Day night becoming a showcase for Belichick’s college coaching debut. It could be a launching point for the league, which trails the Big Ten and the Southeastern conferences in brand recognition, television ratings and — most importantly — revenue.

“I think they ran to us be-

fore we could even run to them, our partners at Disney,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “Listen, it’s a great thing for the league. It’s a great thing for North Carolina. And we’re all following just the massive coverage that Coach Belichick draws.

“I don’t know that he’s got a private moment to himself

SEWARD / AP PHOTO

at all from what I can see and read and what I follow. But I think it’s good. I think it’s good for our league. It’s good for certainly North Carolina. It’s good for college football people; it draws more interest. And it was enjoyable to have him here this week with our joint group in those meetings.” Belichick, Reich and Boston

“I thought I was done being tortured by him.” Stanford coach Frank Reich

College coach Bill O’Brien give the league three former NFL coaches, though none come with the titles and headaches — Spygate, De ategate and more — of Belichick. Their experience and insight were widely regarded, not surprising considering many top programs are adapting NFL models as they navigate a changing landscape on the doorstep of paying players for use of their name, image and likeness.

With no TV cameras chasing his every move, the 73-year-old Belichick was somewhat removed from the spotlight during the ACC event.

It may have been a welcome respite after the past few weeks, when he defended 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson for shutting down questions about their relationship, which has drawn outsized attention given their age gap.

“I don’t know that I concern myself with some of those things,” Phillips said. “I think about the elements that a ect the ACC. Some of those other things, I really don’t even pay that much attention to.”

“Bill’s been great to work with,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “He’s a celebrity gure, and he’s doing a great job for us.”

Added Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: “He’s an amazing football coach. You don’t get lucky and do what he did, especially in the NFL where the margin is so, so small. He’s going to be great for our league.”

CHRIS

UNC coach Bill Belichick takes part in a March press conference.

SIDELINE REPORT

RACING

AUTO

Indianapolis 500 on pace for 1st sellout

since 2016; local TV blackout to be lifted

Indianapolis The Indianapolis 500 is expected to be sold out and the local blackout will be lifted so fans in the area unable to attend can watch it live. It will be the rst grandstand sell-out since 2016. If the grandstands don’t reach capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway implements a local television blackout in which the race can only be watched inside the city later that day on replay. The race is expected to draw 350,000. The Indiana Pacers will also host an NBA playo game that evening.

MLB

Ohtani throws

50-pitch bullpen session; Kershaw makes return

Los Angeles Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery. Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in his previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. To make room on the roster for Kershaw, right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

NFL Brown detained after gunshots outside Ross’ boxing event

Miami Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown says he was brie y detained by police following an altercation in which gunshots were red outside Adin Ross’ celebrity boxing event in Miami.

Miami police con rmed o cers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system. Police questioned several people but made no arrests. Brown posted on social media that he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me” at the popular streamer Ross’ event.

MLS

Messi speaks after latest Inter Miami loss, says team must stick together

Miami Lionel Messi isn’t happy right now. After Inter Miami was routed 3-0 by Orlando on Sunday night and fell to 1-5-1 in its last seven matches across all competitions, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion told Apple TV that it’s imperative for the team to stick together. Messi rarely gives interviews after matches. Inter Miami is sixth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference after setting an MLS mark for the best regular-season record last year.

ACC revenues, payouts climbed in 2023-24; so too did legal bills

FSU and Clemson lawsuits were a major expense

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press

THE ATLANTIC Coast Conference set league records for revenue and member payouts yet also had a growing legal bill amid since-settled lawsuits from members Clemson and Florida State, according to the league’s most recent tax ling. The 990 tax form covering the 2023-24 season reported the league’s revenue increased to about $711.4 million, up slightly from $706.6 million a year earlier. That allowed the ACC to pay an average of nearly $45 million to its 14 football-playing members — Louisville ($46.4 million) and FSU ($46.3 million) had the highest hauls — while Notre Dame made $20.7 million for its partial share as a football independent. Those gures don’t re ect the arrivals of California, Stanford and SMU as new members to

push the league to 18 schools for the 2024-25 season. Nor does it include the “success initiative” championed by commissioner Jim Phillips that went into effect this season for schools to keep more money generated by their own postseason success.

The ACC has also revamped its revenue-distribution plan to factor in TV viewership and reward top-draw schools. That takes e ect next year as part of the settlement that ended the threats from the Clemson and FSU cases challenging the league’s ability to charge massive exit fees if they tried to join another league.

Phillips has talked about the league’s “aggressive” e orts to generate more revenue amid a growing gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences in what many consider to be a Power Two of the conferences, though the ACC has been ahead of the smaller Big 12 in revenue and payouts in its lings to solidify itself in third.

For example, the Big 12 reported revenue of $493.8 million in its ling for 2023-24, down from $510.7 million the previous year. That came in

its nal season with Oklahoma and Texas in the fold before both schools moved to the SEC for 2024-25, along with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 that year.

Amid that expansion and revenue decline, the Big 12 went from distributing about $44.2 million to 10 schools in 2022-23 to $39.5 million to those same programs for 2023-24. The four new schools received reduced shares averaging around $20 million, by comparison.

The ACC’s gains have notably come since the launch of the ESPN-partnered ACC Network in August 2019. The league reported $288.6 million in TV revenue for the 201819 season before the network’s launch, but that gure reached $487.1 million for 2023-24 — a 68.8% increase.

Yet amid those gains, the league reported more than $12.3 million in legal expenses for 2023-24, a 70.2% jump from the previous year ($7.2 million) coming as FSU led a December 2023 lawsuit and Clemson followed in March 2024.

The increased legal costs also

come amid legal cases reshaping the landscape of college athletics, including the landmark settlement to a $2.8 billion federal class-action antitrust lawsuit led by athletes against the NCAA and its largest conferences. That settlement is awaiting nal approval by a federal judge before terms can go into e ect as early as July 1, such as schools sharing more than $20 million annually with athletes.

The ACC reported nearly $19.6 million in legal expenses through its two most recent tax lings, similar to the combined total reported for the previous six years ($20.8 million).

Still, the resolution in the FSU and Clemson cases, along with ESPN in January picking up its option to extend its base-rights ACC media deal through 2035-36, o ered a measure of league stability when it came to its annual spring meetings in Florida this week.

“Chaos and the constant wondering of what’s happening here or there, I just think that distracts from the business at hand,” Phillips said then. “But I feel good about where we’re at.”

Rockies chart new course under new manager after one of worst starts in major league history

Former Asheville manager Warren Schae er inherits the last-place team

By Pat Graham The Associated Press

DENVER — All the losing nearly reduced lefty Kyle Freeland to tears as he recently chatted about the woeful state of his hometown Colorado Rockies.

It’s a gloomy situation with the Rockies o to a 7-33 start — one of the worst in major league history — leading to the dismissal of manager Bud Black.

Freeland wears his feelings for his city — to the team he grew up rooting for — on his sleeve. More speci cally, his right arm, where there are tattoos of the elevation (5,280), area code (303) and an outline of the mountains. The losses weigh heavily on him. Change arrived in the Mile High air when Black, the franchise’s winningest manager and the only voice that many of the Rockies players have ever known, was let go. Now, it’s Warren Schae er’s turn to navigate the Rockies away from a season that’s careening toward infamy. The Rockies have the worst start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles began 6-34. Colorado is on pace for 134 losses a season after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121 — the worst since

MLB team.

baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. Promoted from third base coach to interim manager, Schae er inherits a team that’s second-to-last in runs — despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field — and rst in strikeouts. The pitching sta has surrendered the most runs in the big leagues and fanned the fewest batters.

Schae er managed seven minor league seasons in the Colorado organization, from 2015 to 2022, including 2015 to 2017 with the Asheville Tourists.

Schae er brings energy and exuberance to the Rockies

clubhouse. He has been Colorado’s third base and in eld coach since the 2023 season.

Prior to joining the big league team, he spent 10 seasons as a manager and coach in the Rockies’ minor league system.

“A positive atmosphere in the clubhouse, and we’re ready to move forward,” Schae er said Monday before the series opener at Texas that marked his debut at interim manager. “I just want them to play loose. From my vantage point, it’s a fresh start.”

Relief pitcher Jake Bird, one of several Rockies who played for Schae er when he was a minor league manager, described him as a good commu-

nicator who is intelligent and passionate.

“Something just feels di erent. So I’m really feeling optimistic about the direction moving forward,” Bird said. “I think our team’s a lot more capable than what we’ve been playing.”

General manager Bill Schmidt said after the move was made Sunday that the 40-year-old Schae er’s connection to players was a big part of what he brings to his new role.

“I think just a di erent voice here — we’re at that point where we needed to do that,” Schmidt said.

It’s an uphill climb for the Rockies to avoid a third straight 100-loss season. They have to go 56-66 the rest of the way. They’ve won back-to -back games just once and have three separate eight-game losing streaks.

Freeland was emotional last week after a start on the mound in which he allowed nine runs ( ve earned).

“Keep believing in us,” Freeland said of his message to Rockies faithful as he choked up. The Rockies haven’t been to the postseason since 2018. Their only World Series appearance was 2007, when they were swept by the Boston Red Sox. Their manager then was Clint Hurdle, who is now the interim bench coach under Schae er.

Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schae er, center, talks in the dugout before one of his rst games at the helm of an

Cathy Fletcher

June 26, 1958 – May 14, 2025

Cathy Fletcher, age 66, of Southern Pines, passed away peacefully on May 14 at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

The second of three children to Robert and Eloise Curlee, Cathy was born on June 26, 1958, in Bennettsville, SC. She grew up in Greensboro, NC, and attended Grimsley High School. She received her undergraduate degree in education from UNCGreensboro and her master’s degree from Wingate University. Cathy impacted the lives of countless students throughout her long career as an educator. She taught elementary and middle school in Richmond, Gaston and Moore Counties in NC, as well as Marlboro and York Counties in SC. Her students recall her creative teaching methods, her sarcastic wit, and especially the mini shrine at her desk to her favorite NFL player, Tom Brady.

Cathy married Graham Jenkins in 1980. They resided together in Rockingham, NC, and raised two beautiful daughters, Abbey and Catherine. Cathy married Scott Fletcher in 1999, and they resided for the past 24 years in Southern Pines.

Her world revolved around family and friends, and Cathy’s “happy place” was wherever she could spend time with those closest to her. Cathy developed an early passion for cooking, which she lovingly passed along to Abbey and Catherine, and to her grandchildren, who called her “Cookie.” Some of the fondest family memories are of young grandchildren sitting on a kitchen counter and holding a mixer to help Cookie make chocolate chip cookies.

Years of teaching her favorite subject of ancient world history led to her love for travel that took Cathy and Scott, as well as numerous friends and family members, to such locations as Italy, Paris, Boston and many other exciting locations. Her love for the outdoors led to countless enjoyable trips to various US national parks and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Cathy enjoyed planning these adventures and was known to immediately, upon return from one trip, begin

planning the next. The family will continue the tradition of a Thanksgiving trip to the NC Mountains to cut the family Christmas tree. Cathy’s physical presence and her cookies will be forever missed, though she will always remain present in spirit.

Cathy was also an avid reader and instilled this love for reading in her daughters and grandkids. Most visits to Cookie and Pa’s house included a walk to the local bookstore. She was a longtime member of a book club made up of a close-knit group of amazing friends. Their monthly gatherings would include spirited conversation, a delicious meal and even some discussion of good books they had been reading.

An animal lover at heart, Cathy contributed generously to various animal rescue organizations and promoted pet adoption. Over the years, she and Scott shared their home with numerous dogs and cats. Until shortly before her passing, it was common to see Cathy and Scott walking their dog, Sophie, along the streets and sidewalks of Southern Pines.

Cathy’s positive outlook on life and her unwavering faith sustained her through her illness. Sunday mornings were special to her, and she loved the morning service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Special thanks to Rev. Morris Thompson for his meaningful sermons, frequent visits, prayers and words of encouragement.

The family would also like to express sincere gratitude to both the UNC Cancer Center and FirstHealth Hospice for their care throughout this chapter of Cathy’s life. The many thoughtful providers that she encountered were all very special to Cathy, as well as to the family.

Cathy is survived by her husband, Scott, and dog Sophie, of their home in Southern Pines, daughters Abbey Sykes (Heath) of Burlington, Catherine Shelley (Ricky) of Hamlet, grandchildren Jackson, Henry and Ruth Sykes, and Ella and Rhett Shelley, brothers Bob Curlee (Audrey) of Apex and Bill Curlee (Ginger) of Smith Mountain Lake, VA, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless dear friends.

In lieu of owers, please consider a donation in Cathy’s name to one of the following organizations: Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, PO Box 1649, Wake Forest, NC 27588. FirstHealth Hospice Foundation, PO Box 3000, Pinehurst, NC 28374; Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 350 E. Massachusetts, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

A funeral service will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Southern Pines on Thursday, May 22, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception in celebration of Cathy’s life (with cookies!) in the Parish Hall of the church.

Vicky Lynn Terrasi

March 21, 1962 – May 12, 2025

Vicky Lynn Terrasi, 63, passed away Monday, May 12, 2025, surrounded by her family.

“Nick” Vetell

June 28, 1992 – May 16, 2025

In the early morning hours of May 16, 2025, Domminick

“Nick” Vetell, a beloved husband, father, and friend, was involved in a vehicle accident where he tragically lost his life.

Dad. Husband. Brother. Son. Friend. Coach. Nick Vetell was all of these things and so much more. A pillar of strength in every sense of the word, Nick began his career in strength and conditioning as an intern at Fort Bragg. Shortly after, he spent eight years shaping athletes at the University of North Carolina before returning to Fort Bragg to work with Special Ops. While his professional achievements were impressive, they were only a part of who he was. Nick’s true pride and joy was his family. His world revolved around his incredible wife, Meredith, and their beautiful two-year-old daughter, Emersyn. He poured every ounce of his heart into being the best father-protective, loving, and endlessly supportive. He is also survived by his parents, Joseph and Connie; brother, Joey; sister, Connie Jo; niece, Analeigh, and nephews, Cade and Jax.

To his friends and coworkers, Nick was more than just a coach. He was the kind of person who could lift a room with his presence and also drop a few corny jokes along the way. As strong as he was physically, his emotional strength and kindness ran ever deeper-like the coach every athlete remembers or the dad who always showed up, no matter what.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Born March 21, 1962, in Gaylord, MI, Vicky was the daughter of Eugene F. Wilson and Jenine M. Bennedict Wilson. On September 27, 1980, she married the love of her life, Salvatore Terrasi.

Vicky moved to Jackson Springs, NC, in 2022 after living in Monroe, MI, her whole life.

She loved traveling, camping, riding on the motorcycle with her husband and decorating. Most of all, she loved spending time with her grandkids, family and friends.

She also loved spending time with her two fur babies, Jade and Max.

Vicky retired from the Monroe County Commission on Aging after 22 years of service.

Surviving are her loving husband, Salvatore Terrasi;

Billy Ray Voss

Aug. 25, 1930 – May 14, 2025

Billy Ray Voss, 94 of Glendon, passed on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Pinelake Health Care and Rehab in Carthage.

A visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the Miller Boles Funeral Home in Sanford, followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Glendon Independent Christian Church Cemetery following the service.

Mr. Voss was born August 25, 1930, in Hector, Arkansas, to the late Hobert Marion Voss and Sibyl Alma (Co man) Voss. Billy served in the US Army during the Korean War. He was a member for many years of the Aberdeen Rescue Squad and served as the minister for the Aberdeen Church of Christ. He was a member of the Board of Directors at the Carolina Bible Camp in Mocksville, NC, and was instrumental in the acquisition of the land on which it sits today. He was a loving father, husband and a true family man who never met a stranger.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years in 2016, Betty Lou Voss; six brothers and sisters: Hobart Voss, Mary George, Bobby Fay Voss, Marlene Owens, Carl Voss and Gevauna Maddox.

He is survived by his sons, Mark Voss and wife Cheryl of Carthage, NC and Bryant Voss and wife Stacy of Robbins, NC; daughters, Deborah Cole and husband Frankie of Huntsville, AL and Dr. Joni Leigh Beach and husband Allen of Radford, VA; a brother, William Voss of Dexter, Missouri; twelve grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. In lieu of owers, memorial donations can be made in memory of Billy Ray Voss to the Carolina Bible Camp & Retreat Center at PO Box 1234, Mocksville, NC 27028. Services entrusted to MillerBoles Funeral Home of Sanford.

two beautiful daughters, Jenine (Terry) Hall and Jacqueline (Trevor) Powers, and six wonderful grandkids, Brandon, Salvatore, Jamie-Lynn, Brycen, Tristan and Jasper. She is also survived by her siblings, Nancy Wilson, Steven (Vicky) Leng, Eugene Wilson, Deborah Wilson and Richard Wilson.

She was preceded in death by both her parents, Eugene and Jenine Wilson, and her brother, Guy Leng.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home, 35 Parker Lane, Pinehurst, NC 28374. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 11 a.m. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

Dec. 19, 1961 – May 14, 2025

Ernest Kevin “Shakey” Yarborough (63) of Pinehurst, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

Kevin was one of a kind, not one to be tamed, always the life of the party with a contagious laugh that could never be forgotten.

A lifelong painter by trade, Kevin took great pride in his work, especially during his many years at the Pinehurst Hotel, where he worked alongside his father, Ernie, and other family and friends. An avid sher at heart, his favorite place to be was anywhere with a shing pole in his hand.

Kevin’s strength and stubbornness carried him through multiple medical challenges, and it was especially through these times that his bond with his sister deepened. She remained his steadfast support and greatest comfort until the end.

He is survived by his three brothers, Jonathan, Je , Craig (Janice), and one sister, Hannah (Taylor). Six nieces, Krista (Shane), Katie (Jeremy), Allison (Cutler), Erin (Anthony), Haley (Austin), Shelby (Hunter) and one nephew, Seth (Megan), and a host of other family members who loved him.

Though the world feels a little quieter without him, the memories he leaves behind are loud, wild and full of love. To know Kevin was to love him.

A visitation will be held Saturday, May 17, from noon to 2 p.m. at Deep Creek Baptist Church, 1995 Linden Rd, Aberdeen, NC 28315. A graveside service will follow in the church cemetery at 2:30 p.m. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

Ernest Kevin “Shakey” Yarborough

Domminick

STATE & NATION

Democratic congresswoman charged with assaulting ICE agents after ICE skirmish

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is on video pushing ICE agents

By Mike Catalini The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors alleged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pushed and grabbed o cers while attempting to block the arrest of the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention facility, according to charges in court papers unsealed on Tuesday.

In an eight-page complaint, interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s o ce said McIver was protesting the removal of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from a congressional tour of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on May 9.

The complaint says she attempted to stop the arrest of the mayor and pushed into agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an o cer.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an e ort to deter legislative oversight.

Habba had charged Baraka with trespassing after his arrest but dismissed the allegation on

Monday when she said in a social media post she instead was charging the congresswoman. Prosecuting McIver is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption.

The case instantly taps into a broader and more consequential struggle between a Trump administration engaged in overhauling immigration policy and a Democratic party scrambling to respond.

Within minutes of Habba’s announcement, McIver’s Democratic colleagues cast the pros-

ecution as an infringement on lawmakers’ o cial duties to serve their constituents and an e ort to silence their opposition to an immigration policy that helped propel the president back into power but now has emerged as divisive fault line in American political discourse.

Members of Congress are authorized by law to go into federal immigration facilities as part of their oversight powers, even without advance notice. Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill that spelled out the authority.

A nearly two-minute clip re-

leased by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chainlink fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed o cials go through the gate and she joins others shouting they should circle the mayor. The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and o cers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an o cer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it.

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Border Czar Tom Homan

It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

The complaint says she “slammed” her forearm into an agent and then tried to restrain the agent by grabbing him.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s top border adviser, said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday “she broke the law and we’re going to hold her accountable”

“You can’t put hands on an ICE employee, we’re not going to tolerate it,” he said.

McIver, 38, rst came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that. House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

Trump signs bill to make posting ‘revenge porn’ a federal crime

First

lady Melania Trump

lobbied hard for the bill

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump, alongside his wife, Melania, on Monday signed the Take It Down Act, a measure the rst lady helped usher through Congress to set stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery online, or “revenge porn.”

In March, Melania Trump used her rst public appearance since resuming the role of rst lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the rst lady was “instrumental in getting this important legislation passed.”

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish inti-

mate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps

to delete duplicate content. Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

It’s a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

First lady Melania Trump

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn’t without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The rst lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with

lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president’s address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump called the bipartisan vote a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.” Her advocacy for the bill is a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president’s rst term, focusing on children’s well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said the publication of such imagery online is “just terrible” and that he looked forward to signing the bill into law.

“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said. There’s nobody who “gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump, with rst lady Melania Trump and others, poses after signing the “Take It Down Act” during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on Monday.

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.