North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 37

Legal challenge led over new election maps

Dick Cheney, VP under Bush, dead at 84 Washington, D.C. Dick Cheney, the hard- charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at 84. George W. Bush’s vice president died Monday from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said Tuesday in a statement. A survivor of ve heart attacks, Cheney long thought he was living on borrowed time and declared in 2013 that he awoke each morning “with a smile on my face, thankful for the gift of another day.”

Du y warns of “mass chaos” in skies if shutdown continues Washington, D.C.

Transportation Secretary Sean Du y predicted Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies next week if the government shutdown drags on and air tra c controllers miss a second paycheck. There have already been numerous delays at airports across the country — sometimes hours long — because the Federal Aviation Administration slows down or stops tra c temporarily anytime it is short on controllers. Last weekend saw some of the worst sta shortages, and on Sunday, ights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were delayed for several hours. Du y and the head of the air tra c controllers union have both warned that the situation will only get worse the longer the shutdown continues and the nancial pressure continues to grow on people who are forced to work without pay.

FAA employees already missed one paycheck on Oct. 28. Their next payday is scheduled for next Tuesday.

The report claims a text message o ered $100 for voting for Democrats running for the Wilmington City County

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Republican Party has referred evidence of potential “cash-for-votes” to the State Board of Elections for investigation. The North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP) said in a

press release it was made “aware of this alleged scheme appearing to monetarily solicit votes for three Democratic candidates for Wilmington City Council.”

“A registered voter in New Hanover County has alleged they had received text messages indicating they would be compensated by three Democratic City Council Candidates in exchange for their vote,” the press release stated.

The press release included redacted images of the text messages, alluding to a prior

See NCSBE, page A3

A contract for an accounting rm totaling more than $97,000 was unanimously approved

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Board of Education unanimously approved an internal controls review contract involving Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools during a special called meeting last Monday. The accounting rm of Mauldin & Jenkins was selected to perform the six-month review of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/ FCS). The contract’s total value is listed as $97,770, and a report is due by

Many of the plainti s are the same who brought an existing 2023 federal redistricting lawsuit

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A legal challenge has been led against North Carolina’s new congressional maps contained in Senate Bill 249, which was passed by the legislature Oct. 22.

The new maps create the opportunity for the Republican Party to gain another seat in Congress and hold 11 of the state’s 14 districts. Districts 1 and 3 — currently held by Rep. Don Davis (D-Snow Hill) and Greg Murphy (R-Greenville), respectively — were altered.

The lawsuit, Williams v. Blackwell, was led in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on Oct. 23. It was brought by eight North Carolina residents in the two redrawn districts along with a dozen other individuals residing in counties outside the two a ected districts.

The plainti s are represented by the Elias Law Group, which has o ces in Wash-

Dec. 31 and a public presentation by Feb. 15, 2026. The request for proposal for the review states two goals: to independently evaluate whether WS/FCS’s current controls, including any newly implemented controls and policies, are e ective and sustainable, and to ensure that current controls and corrective measures implemented e ectively address past de ciencies and prevent recurrences.

The internal controls review stems from WS/FCS’s nearly $46 million budget de cit for scal year 2025, as reported by the North Carolina O ce of the State Auditor (OSA).

The OSA’s Rapid Response Report detailed seven major areas of concern that

See WSFCS, page A2

ington, D.C., and Seattle, as well as attorneys with Patterson Harkavy LLP, which has o ces in Chapel Hill and Greensboro.

The Elias Law Group’s founder is Marc Elias, a former lawyer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. Elias has led multiple past election lawsuits in North Carolina, including one loosening absentee ballot rules and a 2020 consent order that lawmakers labeled as a “collusive settlement agreement.” Republicans later led legislation blocking future such settlements, which ended in a veto by former Gov. Roy Cooper.

Defendants named in the lawsuit include House Elections Committee Co - chairs Reps. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) and Sarah Stevens (R-Surry), Senate Elections Committee Co-chairs Sens. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) and Brad Overcash (R-Gaston), as well as House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls), Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) and the members of the State Board of Elections.

The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging

See MAPS, page A8

Bishop William Barber, pictured protesting President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill in Washington, D.C., in June, plans to organize rallies in Raleigh in response to the redrawing of the state’s congressional map.

the word | Nevertheless afterward

Things are not nished — as we see them today. Tomorrow they will appear larger, greater. The bud you see one morning — will be a full-blown rose in a little while. The seed you dropped in your window-box will be a beautiful plant by and by. Wherever there is life — there is growth. Every act has its consequences. We must always take account of the afterward.

The writer of Hebrews speaks of chastening: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves.”

People sometimes chafe when they have troubles. They fret and ask, “What have I done that God is punishing me?” But chastening is not punishing. “Our fathers disciplined us as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Afterward, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”

Jesus uses the gure of pruning. The wise gardener prunes every fruitful branch, not the unfruitful. Pruning is a mark of divine approval. “Whom the Lord loves — he chastens.” It is not any reckless cutting. The gardener knows what he is doing. It may seem destructive, but it is that it may bear more fruit.

One tells of a visit to a hot-house full of grapes.

The owner said, “When my new gardener came, he said he’d cut the vines clear down to the stock; and he did. We had no grapes for two years. But this is the result.” Branches cut and bleeding — afterward, a vine bending under the load of fruit.

It is only when we learn the truth about life — that we are able to live with faith and courage. Many fall into despair amid disappointments and su ering. They see only the pain, the injustice, and the hardship — no light, no comfort. We must stand away from the immediate present and get a view from a remoter distance. A visitor in Amsterdam went into the church tower to hear the famous chimes. All he heard was clanging noise. Yet at that moment, miles away, others were thrilled by the music. The place to hear chimes is not close — but where the clangor has softened into melody.

So it is with life. When we are in its midst — we hear only the jarring notes. “All chastening for the present seems not joyous but grievous.” But when we gain some distance, the music is sweet. It is only afterward we understand God’s

Lawmakers request hearing with Chapel Hill-Carrboro leaders

The letter to the chair centers on violations of the Parents’ Bill of Rights

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Lawmakers on the North Carolina House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Chair George Grifn and Superintendent Rodney Trice requesting they testify about the district’s failure to follow the state’s Parents’ Bill of Rights law.

The Oct. 30 letter sent to Gri n and Trice are nearly identical and were signed by committee co-chair Reps. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus), Jake Johnson (R-Polk) and Harry Warren (R-Rowan).

“This body is deeply troubled to learn that Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) has intentionally breached the North Carolina Constitution and state laws to indoctrinate children as young as six years old with inappropriate materials involving sex and gender,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter references a Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board meeting held on Jan. 18, 2024, when the board voted in “blatant violation of state law” to ignore two provisions of the Parents’ Bill of Rights: “The right of parents to be noti ed before a school changes their child’s name or pronouns in school records or begins using a new name or pronouns for the child.”

A draft policy discussed during the January 2024 meeting shows removal of those two items. Video of the meeting shows Gri n opposing following the law and stating it’s “just morally wrong, and we’re not going to do it this way.”

North State Journal rst reported on CHCCS’ refusal to follow certain portions of the law in January 2024. The district had a webpage dedicated to the Parents’ Bill of Rights, but the page omits the

providences. “Now we see through a glass darkly; afterward we shall see face to face.” The things we think calamitous are blessings still green and bitter — not yet ripened.

Life is a school. All its experiences are lessons. God is educating us. The purpose is not ease — but character. Sometimes we chafe, thinking God harsh. But perhaps we can only attain godly character in the school of severity.

There are plants that would die in warmth — they must be kept in the cold. One paper told of a strange plant in Siberia that grows up out of ice. On the third day the extremities of the anthers show minute glistening specks like diamonds. These are the seeds. Is not this an illustration of Christian lives that grow in hardship into wondrous beauty?

Many of the noblest Christian characters grow in gardens of sorrow. Trial is not meant to stunt our lives. Some lives can never become Christlike without a iction. No hardness is too severe which teaches us to live worthily.

We must not dread the cost of life’s best things. We must have the ploughshare cutting through the ground — if we would have the harvest of golden grain. Every trial comes as the bearer of good. We cannot always see this today. But if not in this life, then in the eternal afterward we shall say, “Now I understand.”

Remember Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, imprisoned — yet afterward came

contributed to WS/FCS’s budget mismanagement.

• More than $75 million in bonuses disbursed as WS/FCS overspent annual revenue during scal years 2022 and 2023

“This body is deeply troubled to learn that Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) has intentionally breached the North Carolina Constitution and state laws to indoctrinate children.”

Letter from N.C. House Oversight Committee

issues of gender identity and pronouns raised in the letter to Gri n.

The letter from the trio of lawmakers goes on to raise questions about CHCCS violating federal law regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

“Furthermore, our investigation into CHCCS has raised another area of concern, namely that CHCCS is championing divisive ideas about race under the pretense of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” the letter stated. “This divisive indoctrination is not only morally wrong, but may violate federal civil rights laws, including, without limitation, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

The letter requests that Gri n and Trice provide the committee with documents, presentations, actions by the district or board sta , and any other materials related to employment practices that may treat individuals di erently or that “treats an individual di erently solely to advantage or disadvantage that individual as compared to other individuals or groups.”

The document and materials production deadline set by the letter is “no later than noon” on Nov. 14.

The letter further directs the two CHCCS o cials to appear before the committee at 9 a.m. on Dec. 3.

• COVID-era temporary federal funding was used to support sta salaries, but when the funds ran out, WS/FCS absorbed the costs instead of removing positions

• Failure to adjust full-time sta ng levels despite declining student enrollment

• Purchase orders exceeded budgets; 311 budget overrides were involved

• Failure to reassess

honor and in uence.

A rabbi once asked a child what she carried in her covered basket. She replied, “If my mother had wished anyone to know, she would not have covered it.” If God meant us to know all his plans, he would not have hidden them beneath sorrow. We miss much by living only in the present. Hard conditions are part of the process to reach neness of character, sweetness of spirit, strength, courage. We are short-sighted in trouble. We see only pain — not the mission or the fruit to come. When trouble comes — it comes to make us better. We should not ask why we su er, but rather what errand this pain has for us, what lesson it should teach us.

Someone told of the loss of a friend — not by death — but by betrayal. Yet there will be an afterward. You do not know what poison was hidden in the cup you thought lled with happiness. God removed it to spare you a deeper sorrow. You cannot see it now — but the future is long. Somewhere in the eternal afterward, you will say: “Now I understand.”

J. R. Miller (1840-1912) was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain. This is an edited version of his original.

COVID -19-era bonus payments

• Misuse of suspense accounts

• Creation of annual budget lacked a full review of contractual obligations

The Rapid Response Report also noted that WS/FCS failed to take corrective actions regarding prior audit ndings, which exacerbated the district’s budget issues.

In September, a three-member panel of the State Board of Education approved an extension to the grace period to Nov. 20 for the $3.4 million WS/FCS owes to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).

At that meeting, the board unanimously approved a motion for NCDPI to investigate

the internal nancial controls used by WS/FCS leading to the October approval of the Mauldin & Jenkins contract.

WS/FCS owed the State Public School Fund more than $11.3 million as of the end of June. In July, the district’s request to NCDPI to waive any penalties was rejected.

A motion by State Treasurer Brad Briner amended the panel’s recommendation by adding a 0.4% interest rate on the outstanding balance with accruals beginning Oct. 1. The State Board of Education will meet again Nov. 4 to conclude business involving the appeal led by WS/FCS on the decision to impose interest.

NCDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING UPGRADES TO I-77 IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY

STIP NO: I-5718

CHARLOTTE – The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold two informal, open house-style meetings regarding the proposal to upgrade eleven miles of I-77 from the South Carolina state line to I-277/N.C. 16 (Brookshire Freeway). The public is invited to view and discuss maps and project information with NCDOT representatives. Both meetings will include the same project information.

The proposed improvements include the addition of express lanes, reconstruction of interchanges and non-interchange bridges, and addition of access points and direct connectors to the express lanes. The purpose of the project is to manage congestion by providing an option for reliable travel time along I-77.

The two open houses are scheduled at the following times and locations:

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Johnson C. Smith University Smith Tech-Innovation Center – Rm 322 100 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Silver Mount Baptist Church 501 W Arrowood Rd, Charlotte

Project details can be found on the NCDOT project webpage https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-77south-express-lanes/Pages/default.aspx or by going to www.ncdot.gov and searching “I-77 South Express Lanes.”

Interested parties may submit comments and complete a short survey on the project webpage. Comments may also be submitted by phone at 1-800-254-0498, email i-77south@ncdot.gov, or mail to Emily Richards, NCDOT Public Involvement, 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598 by Dec. 05, 2025.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for people who wish to participate in this workshop. Anyone requiring special services should contact Emily Richards, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center in Raleigh; 919-707-6014; or edrichards1@ncdot.gov as early as possible so that arrangements can be made.

Persons who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.

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

“The Vine Dresser and the Fig Tree” by James Tissot (c. 1886) is a painting in the collection of The Brooklyn Museum, New York.

PUBLIC DOMAIN)

Legislative committee updated on NCDMV progress

Funding and modernization issues were discussed

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The N.C. House Select Committee on Government E ciency heard updates from various state o cials related to improving operations of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles during a three-hour hearing last Wednesday.

Testimony was provided by Vernon Utley, deputy auditor of performance at the O ce of the State Auditor; NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine; and N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Secretary Daniel Johnson.

DMV wait times, funding issues for the agency, modernization of IT systems and questions of whether the NCDMV should be split o from the NCDOT were at the center of the hearing, which opened with a review of the department’s recent state performance review audit.

“North Carolina’s DMV serves more than 8 million people and helps generate $2.2 billion in revenue that supports our state transportation system,” said Utley. “So when DMV service slips, families and employers and the broader economy feels it.”

Tine gave a presentation highlighting progress and improvements made since he took over the agency following former Commissioner Wayne Goodwin’s departure earlier this year.

He described signi cantly reducing customer wait times and enhancing operational e ciency through items like new scanners, triage tablets and working on a system for customers to upload necessary documents before in-person appointments.

“The average wait time at DMV o ces has already dropped to an hour and a half,” Tine said. “That’s down from waits of nearly three hours earlier this year and a wait time of about two hours in July.”

The audit report showed average wait times of 1 hour and 15 minutes, and 14% of NCDMV visits went beyond two and a half hours in scal year 2025 — a 79% increase from 2019. Also, nearly half of transactions were made at a location other than a customer’s nearest o ce.

Tine also noted that teen driver services are one of the largest uses of customer service time, and changes are planned

for this month that allow obtaining graduated licenses online to reduce wait times.

Tine credited a rapid hiring initiative through $1.2 million in legislative appropriations, which added more than 60 new examiner positions within a month and lowered the vacancy rate from 10.9% in April to 4.1%.

“Our team is focused on quickly hiring and training examiners to improve service and reduce wait times for North Carolinians,” said Tine. He also said his focus is “to get people through the door as quickly as possible.”

Tine’s presentation highlighted process enhancements, including upgrades to the SMS sign-in system that allows customers to establish a place in line and caps capacity limits to avoid turning away customers, as well as full-day acceptance of walk-ins — 87% of daily visitors arrive without appointments, he said. Additionally, Saturday hours at some o ces have been expanded.

“The DMV is also working to develop an AI chatbot to help with online transactions and information ahead of drivers’ ofce visits,” Tine told lawmakers.

Additionally, Tine described e orts to address burnout and boost sta morale through listening tours at o ces and increased internal communication.

“We’re nowhere near where

“The average wait time at DMV o ces has already dropped to an hour and a half.”

Paul Tine, NCDMV commissioner

we need to, but the tone in the o ces is better,” he said.

Tine praised Senate Bill 245, which allowed for more online services to ease wait times at NCDMV o ces.

“In the last three weeks, 26,000 people have done online transactions that would not have been able to do so previously to this legislation being enacted,” Tine told the committee. “So it’s seriously impactful what you all have enabled us to do.”

Tine added, “Just to put that in perspective, 8,000 is how many we do each day in all of our o ces across the state. So basically, you’ve given us an extra day of full capacity around the state by moving those online.”

Near the end of the hearing, Committee Co-chair Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) praised Tine’s e orts.

“I believe that perhaps, once and for all, you’ll be able to transition the Department of Motor Vehicles from a government ser-

NCDOT TO HOLD VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR MULTIMODAL CONNECTED VEHICLE PILOT PROJECT IN WAKE COUNTY

STIP PROJECT NO. HO-0001AA

RALEIGH - The public is invited to a meeting with the N.C. Department of Transportation this month to discuss the pilot project that is exploring State University.

For the project, crews updated road infrastructure, introduced a new mobile app for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers, and used smart transportation systems to evaluate these technologies. The pilot aims to improve safety, mobility and environmental sustainability

A virtual meeting will be held 6 -7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. Interested residents can attend the meeting online or by phone to learn more about the pilot, ask questions and talk with NCDOT representatives. There will be a formal presentation beginning promptly at 6 p.m

Meeting registration and project details, including a map of the pilot area, can be found on the NCDOT project webpage at https://publicinput.com/mmcvp-raleigh.

People may also submit comments by phone, email or mail by Dec. 12, 2025 by contacting NCDOT State Signal Equipment Engineer Keith Mims, PE at 919-8144931; kmmims@ncdot.gov; or 1561 Mail Service Center in Raleigh.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in the virtual meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Jamille Robbins, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center in Raleigh; 919-707-6085; or jarobbins@ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made.

Persons who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.

Aquellas personas que no hablan inglés, o tienen

la reunión llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

vice to a customer service for the people of North Carolina,” Torbett said.

Discussions also highlighted funding mismatches between the NCDMV and the NCDOT.

Utley had underscored the audit found “the current governance structure under DOT creates barriers to e ective DMV operations.” Speci cs included the NCDMV having “lacked a strategic voice in decision-making,” as well as limited authority in controlling its budget and “routinely” being excluded from “key modernization” projects.

The state auditor’s August performance audit said NCDMV generates 30% ($2.2 billion) of NCDOT’s $3.7 billion in revenue, but NCDMV is included in 2.7% ($215 million) of NCDOT expenditures. Additionally, between 2019 and 2025, NCDMV requested 130 new sta positions, but only 40 (31%) were included in NCDOT budget requests.

“We’re putting together a comprehensive ask of the legislature that’s not just money, but it’s around prioritization in regards to what we do; some of it’s exibility,” said Tine. “One of the things that we heard in here was how we get funded, and it’s been a discussion between representatives and the auditor. Having a percentage of revenue is something that should probably be looked at.”

NCBSE from page A1 conversation at a “No Kings” protest. One of the messages states, “You will be paid 100 dollars for your vote,” and that “one of our team members” will meet the voter afterward in a car to give the payment.

“This is troubling,” said NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons. “An allegation of paying a voter and attempting to buy votes in an election is an a ront to our shared values. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the integrity of honest elections and will continue to work diligently to keep North Carolina elections fair, free, honest, and transparent.”

State Board of Elections (NCSBE) Public Information Director Patrick Gannon told North State Journal, “We are aware of the complaints about text messages in New Hanover County, but we cannot comment on speci c investigations. We take all allegations of voter fraud very seriously.”

Gannon’s response cited a statute that states it is a Class I felony for “any person to give or promise or request or accept at any time, before or after any such primary or election, any money, property or other thing of value whatsoever in return for the vote of any elector.”

NCSBE also o ered tips for voters about political text messages.

“Text messages have become a common get-out-the-vote tool for political organizations,” the email said. “They obtain phone numbers from public or private sources, and then reach out to voters to encourage them to vote. Sometimes their data is in-

It was also stated that funding for NCDMV has not kept up with the state’s population growth of 30% since 2010, with sta increasing by only 10% in comparison.

Near the end of the hearing, Torbett refocused on the NCDMV/NCDOT budgeting issue, stating, “We need to address a new nancing model.”

Regarding IT modernization, auditors had reviewed NCDMV activities since 2015 and identied gaps like unde ned requirements, absent business cases, delayed project plans, poor data management and overlooked quick “wins” such as website upgrades.

Legislative Fiscal Research sta er Aaron Cornell said NCDMV has received $160 million since 2013 across various projects for IT modernization, but what was spent up until that point was around $30 million to $40 million.

Some lawmakers asked if splitting the NCDMV o from the NCDOT would be helpful in solving budget issues, but Tine seemed opposed to that action. “Separating would require signi cant resources and would distract from e orts to improve customer experience and operations at DMV,” Tine said. “DMV faces budgetary constraints that could be more e ectively solved with other mechanisms.”

correct or outdated. For example, a text message may claim that you haven’t voted when, in fact, you voted a day before receiving the text.

“Here are some tips for voters:

• Get accurate information about elections from state and county election o cials. The State Board’s website is ncsbe.gov.

• If you receive election-related text messages that you believe may be fraudulent, a scam, or provide inaccurate information about how, when or where to vote, please send an email with a screenshot, along with any other pertinent information, to elections. sboe@ncsbe.gov.

• Do not attempt to vote again if you get a text message saying you have not yet voted when you know you have already voted. Groups sending these texts may not be using up-to-date information about your vote. Voting twice in an election is a crime.

• For guidance regarding political texts and robocalls and information about how to le a complaint, see the Federal Communications Commission’s Rules for Political Campaign Calls and Texts.” State Auditor Dave Boliek responded to the allegations in a post on X.

“I’ve had communications with State Board of Elections leadership on this concerning news out of New Hanover County,” wrote Boliek. “Our ofce will provide any additional resources or assistance needed to thoroughly investigate this matter. We will hold any bad actors accountable and give voters con dence in our elections.”

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Storming the bathrooms of Capitol Hill to keep government running?

Past shutdowns have not saved signi cant amounts of spending or reduced burgeoning de cits.

WE ARE NOW 30-PLUS days into the latest federal government shutdown, and it is time every taxpayer and voter should ask themselves and their elected U.S. representative and senator, “Is it really worth it?”

After all, there is so much dramatic political theater being played out every day before our very eyes on round-the-clock news channels and social media, with everyone asking if the shutdown is good or bad for the Democrats or the Republicans, especially with state elections that recently took place in Virginia and New Jersey.

That is the wrong question. The right question has more important facets to it: Has it been proven that government shutdowns save signi cant amounts of taxpayer spending on federal programcbos without destroying the basic e cacy of the federal programs that work and can be considered essential to our nation’s health, safety and protection?

Sadly, according to the Congressional Budget O ce and various other agencies, past shutdowns have not saved signi cant amounts of spending or reduced burgeoning de cits.

Federal workers are now guaranteed back pay they did not receive during any shutdown.

Any critical area of spending deemed an entitlement, such as Social Security bene ts or Medicare, Medicaid or veterans bene ts, generally operates on autopilot with its own computer systems and databases, so there are no reductions in spending there to begin with.

The best way to avoid such shutdown kabuki dances in the future is, of course, to elect responsible elected o cials who will put a

priority on reducing spending rst in existing programs. What is the best way to end shutdowns? Floating the concept of “the nuclear option” once again to kill the Senate libuster is perhaps the quickest way to end our democratic republican form of government. The libuster is one of the very few ways left for a minority party or political interest to protect their rights to participate in any debate and/or viable compromise. Abolish the libuster and we will have two houses of representatives where the majority rules no matter what, and anyone with di ering minority opinions might as well go home and hope the next intervening elections swing their way so they can have something to do again in Washington, D.C.

The most direct way to end a federal shutdown occurred in 1995 when a stalemate between President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress ended pretty soon after Clinton cleverly allowed federal monuments such as the Washington Monument to stay open but all the public restrooms nearby to be closed.

According to friends who worked in the Senate o ce buildings closest to the Monument, within minutes, they heard what sounded like a herd of elephants storming the Russell and Dirksen Senate o ce buildings with hundreds of very angry and disturbed tourists looking for the nearest open public restroom. They had heard that many Senate o ces had private facilities for the elected o cial and demanded to be able to use that bathroom since they were paying for it with their taxes.

The Outer Banks has earned its nickname over the last 5 years

Twenty-seven coastal homes have met their demise since 2020

NORTH CAROLINA’S jagged coastline has long carried the nickname “the Graveyard of the Atlantic” because of the thousands of shipwrecks that have occurred there over the last ve centuries, with the rst one on record happening in 1526 near the Cape Fear River.

But in recent years, it has earned its nickname for another reason: The sheer number of homes along the barrier islands that have been claimed by the sea.

Over the last nearly seven weeks alone, 16 houses have collapsed due to rough weather that included nor’easters and hurricanes.

Though the hurricanes never made landfall, they churned up the Atlantic Ocean to create a perfect storm of powerful winds, rain and waves that relentlessly pounded the seashore and eroded what was left of the structures that were supporting the homes.

Buxton, home to the famed Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, was hardest hit, losing 15 beachfront houses, with ve of them happening in one day. Rodanthe also lost a home.

The Fox Weather YouTube channel set up a camera in early October, speci cally set to watch one home on Tower Circle Road as the hurricanes skirted the coast. The weather forecaster there noted it would likely only be a short matter of time before the home went down, as it was already leaning.

It ended up being one of the ve that fell last week.

I admit coastal erosion is not my wheelhouse. But in doing research in the aftermath of numerous homes falling at the end of September and early October, I learned that the topic of coastal erosion and building homes along barrier islands is a terribly sensitive one.

Understandably, some question the wisdom of building on what essentially are shifting sands, saying the government shouldn’t put a penny toward beach nourishment or saving or rebuilding the structures and nearby roads.

Clever pundits may have called it “Storming the Bathrooms,” but I don’t recall seeing it in print. The Storming of the Bastille prison in Paris on July 14, 1789, during the French Revolution by hundreds of angry citizens might have been comparable to this herd of angry Americans desperate to nd a bathroom.

The clamor of shoes bounced o the hard marble oors of those classical buildings, and loud voices under stress echoed up and down long hallways. It wasn’t too long after that House and Senate members on both sides of the aisle worked out a suitable compromise with the White House to end the shutdown and move on to a regular order of business again. After all, who wanted to risk a riot by an angry mob to keep public facilities closed when everyone knew it wouldn’t achieve very much in the rst place?

The responsible thing to do is for Congress and President Donald Trump to nd ways to shave o a few percentage points of growth to federal spending each year until tax revenue can grow to cover current spending annually and produce balanced budgets. Then our representatives and senators won’t be tempted to engage in sideshows like these too-frequent “shutdowns,” which wind up accomplishing very little in their aftermath.

“Storming the Bathrooms of Capitol Hill” doesn’t sound like a very good way to conduct our nation’s business. It worked in 1995 but would be an embarrassing way for the world’s oldest living democratic republic to operate on a regular basis.

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. EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

In total, 27 coastal homes along the North Carolina Outer Banks have met their demise since 2020. It’s become so common that locals, tourists and news outlets alike can sometimes be seen monitoring the shoreline when storms hit, with cameras in hand to record what could be the next home to fall.

Others, including homeowners and long-term residents, say it’s worth the risk as it brings not just enjoyment but also millions in tax revenue to beach towns every year.

I’m not here to argue either way. But I did want to add my voice to the North Carolinians who have watched what has unfolded at the coast and whose hearts break for those who’ve lost what was likely their palatial pride and joy they worked years to be able to a ord and/or build.

My family and I called an area just outside of Wilmington home for many years when I was a child, and we spent a lot of time at the beach while there. Even after moving to Charlotte in the early 1980s, we continued our trips, though they didn’t start back up until the 1990s.

Places like Southport and Oak Island were (and are) among our favorites, and it always fascinated me how home development was always going on in areas where it was clear Mother Nature was going to have the nal word sooner rather than later.

I can’t speak to the wisdom of building directly on the coast beyond acknowledging the fact that the sea is a seductive siren, with the lure of the sand, the salty air and the waves lapping softly proving to be too much for some to resist.

It’s just sad to watch someone’s hopes and dreams get taken by the sea. But it’s a fact of life if you live in a hurricane/storm-prone area. Nothing and no one lasts forever. But if we’re blessed, we at least get to hold on to the memories.

The Golden Age’s silver lining

DEMOCRATS have gone full Trump Derangement Syndrome on the 47th president’s plan to build that great, big, beautiful ballroom at the White House. The project will, for sure, add more sheen to Donald Trump’s golden age. And here’s a ash report: There’s going to be a silver lining.

Yet in the meantime, the agship of liberalism, The New York Times, has run dozens of stories, mostly sniping at the project. Sample headline: “Stephen Colbert Tears Into the White House Demolition.”

Also seeking to smear it are Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Ronald Reagan’s ungrateful-but-attentionhungry daughter, Patti Davis.

Indeed it’s possible, maybe even likely, that the ballroom will be a 2028 campaign issue, as the next Democratic presidential candidate is urged — make that ordered — to pledge to tear it down. (One imagines that the same rip-it-to-shreds impulse will apply to the new White House patio.)

In addition, the usual bureaucratic suspects have piled on: the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Capital Planning Commission, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the D.C. State Historic Preservation O ce — oh, and the American Institute of Architects. Keeping with that theme, somebody has already led a lawsuit.

We might step back and ask: Where were all these preservationists when the issue was preserving the bodily dignity of boys and girls? Not mutilating and sterilizing them?

But as promised, there’s a silver lining here: Trump has demonstrated the power of Just Do It. As 47 recalled, when he asked about the legal clearance process for construction, he was told, “Sir, this is the White House. You’re the president of the United States. You can do anything you want.”

Hold that thought! Indeed, spread that thought!

Imagine if the words “you can do anything you

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

want” were to become precedent for other kinds of construction. As we all know, in much of the country, building has been delayed, even paralyzed, by NIMBY proceduralism, with the reductio ad absurdum being California’s “high-speed rail to nowhere,” in which the liberal vision of mass transit choked on the Naderite vision of endless nattering. That’s how the Golden State turned a hundred billion dollars into dross.

So yes, we need permitting reform — and in his own inimitable way, Trump has shown the way. Maybe we don’t need no stinking permits. Of course, we do need familiar commonsense zoning, but not the green DEI regime the Biden administration demanded.

And what if Trump’s just-do-it ethos were to spread beyond permitting for construction? As I have have argued, there’s no reason why this idea of deregulation couldn’t spread to, say, health care. As in, allow sectors or states to make themselves enterprise zones. Tests of “laboratories of democracy,” let’s see what innovators and entrepreneurs can do, unencumbered by rules designed for some earlier era (rules that probably weren’t a good idea then, either).

And now, in this golden age, we have a chance to cut through the obfuscatory clutter. Thanks to you, we could not only be shinier but also healthier.

James P. Pinkerton served in the White House domestic policy o ces of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Democrats want open borders; most

Americans don’t

WHO SAID THIS? “If you don’t have any borders, you don’t have a nation.” The speaker went on, “Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, but we should have a secure border. It ain’t that hard to do. Biden didn’t do it.”

It was Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), in characteristic candor. If, as Milton Friedman argued, you can’t have open borders and a generous welfare state, Sanders, as a self- described socialist, prefers the welfare state.

The facts at this point are not in much doubt. The Pew Research Institute, not an anti-immigration out t, estimated that there were 10.2 million “unauthorized” immigrants (members of groups not approved for legal immigration) in the United States in 2019, the year before former President Joe Biden was elected, and 10.5 million in 2021, the year he took o ce.

That number, as Pew’s Je rey Passel and Jens Manuel Krogstad wrote, grew to 14 million in 2023, “the largest two-year increase in more than 30 years of our estimates.”

The illegal population probably peaked at about 14.5 million in early 2024, when the Biden Democrats, who said they had no alternative to their open-border policies without new legislation, suddenly decided they actually could clamp down using existing legislation.

Let’s put that in a longer perspective. Pew estimated that the illegal immigration population increased from 3.5 million in 1990 to a peak of 12.2 million in 200708, the years housing prices and nancial markets crashed. Suddenly, net migration from Mexico turned negative, and the illegal population fell through attrition until Biden took o ce. Then it rose from 10.5 to 14.5 million.

That number has trended downward since President Donald Trump took o ce last January. Earlier this month, in a report for the Center for Immigration Studies — which opposes illegal immigration and favors lower legal immigration — analysts Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler estimated, based on multiple government statistics, that the foreign-born population declined by 2.2 million since Trump was inaugurated in January. Presumably, almost all of this change can be attributed to illegal immigrants.

This provides some backing for the Trump Department of Homeland Security’s claim that it removed 527,000 illegal immigrants and that 1.6 million “have voluntarily self-deported.”

That’s obviously an estimate, but it’s not improbable. If 4 million additional illegal immigrants were incentivized to arrive in the rst three-plus years of the Biden administration, as compared to a net decline in the 12 years from 2008 to 2020, it’s plausible that 2 million were compelled or decided to leave due to the highly publicized and aggressive actions in 2025.

That’s not an uncontroversial process, of course. Government is a blunt instrument, and no doubt Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have wrongfully detained some genuine citizens and legal immigrants. Some people who have lived quietly and constructively, though illegally, for many years have had their lives overturned. There’s an argument that Trump o cials have acted too aggressively and in disregard of the limited rights that illegal immigrants have.

But if some of the moral opprobrium for the harm done belongs to the Trump administration for arguably enforcing the law too vigorously, some moral opprobrium is owed also to the Biden administration, which deliberately refused to enforce the law in a way that left millions of people vulnerable to severe disruption.

My guess is that the current policy will disincentivize illegal immigration long after Trump, as he has conceded this week, leaves o ce in January 2029. Who will want to make long-term plans that

can be ruined by sudden deportation or hurried selfdeportation?

Much of the drama around the Trump administration’s enforcement of the law comes from opposition, sometimes forcible, of Democratic governors and mayors who promised, in the tradition of John C. Calhoun, to nullify federal law within their jurisdictions, and from self-starting liberals who use “ICE trackers” to violently impede the agency’s operations.

These people perhaps see themselves in the position of Northern opponents of the Fugitive Slave Act, who joined former Sen. William Seward in proclaiming, “There is a higher law.” But what is the higher law here? Barring people from entering the U.S. is not thrusting them into slavery.

The nulli ers’ legal position is similarly weak. In Arizona v. U.S., the Supreme Court in 2012 overturned parts of a state law that purported to strengthen immigration enforcement, saying federal law was controlling, even when o cials were using discretion (as the government often does) to only partially enforce the statute. Much stronger is the argument that, under the Constitution’s supremacy clause, the states lack the power to prevent federal agencies from enforcing federal law.

In his 2020 campaign, Biden did not promise to reverse a dozen years of policy and welcome in 4 million unauthorized immigrants. He did not argue that every person in the world has a right to move to the U.S. Yet he did those things, and most elected Democrats continue to support them. As those “in this house we believe” signs say, “no human being is illegal.”

“Immigration is a blind spot where Democrats focus rst on the needs of migrants rather than the needs of Americans,” Democratic analyst Josh Barro wrote. Democrats need to “ rmly say ‘no’ and deny access to our country, even to people who stand to gain a lot by coming here — and part of saying ‘no’ requires having an e ective government apparatus that deports people who are here without authorization.”

Instead, blue-state Democrats seem stuck in denial. They point to polls showing less insistence on reducing illegal immigration without realizing that, as Republican pollster Patrick Ru ni pointed out, “that may have something to do with the fact that illegal border crossings have plummeted to 0.” As for dismay at Trump administration enforcement tactics, that’s real, but, as Ru ni noted, voters of all education levels prefer “a party that’s better at getting things done, even if its views are sometimes extreme.”

This gets back, doesn’t it, to Sanders’ words: “If you don’t have any borders, you don’t have a nation.”

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner.

BE IN TOUCH

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

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

COLUMN DANIEL MCCARTHY

MAGA makes allies great again

FROM ARGENTINA to Japan, MAGA is going global.

President Donald Trump’s slogan has long been “America First,” and his movement is all about making America great again — language the president’s foes misunderstand as meaning “isolationism.”

In fact, strengthening America requires strengthening our friends as well — and Trump sets an example for those leaders in Latin America, Asia and Europe who want to make their nations great again too.

There’s no paradox here:

A robust international order is impossible if America has to sacri ce its own industrial capacity — and our people’s economic security — to global free trade. That led to a weaker, more dependent America even as our allies, in the era before Trump, expected us to shoulder most of the burden for their defense.

The “liberal international order” was a suicide pact, building up China while wearing down America — and the system perversely incentivized our friends to prioritize welfare spending over national security needs.

The alternative to that old, failed order isn’t anarchy or Chinese hegemony; it’s cooperation among stronger nations that take their responsibilities — to their own people and to Uncle Sam — more seriously.

Japan is a critical case in point.

Its new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, represents a right turn for the dominant Liberal Democratic Party, which is Japan’s leading conservative party, despite what the name might suggest.

More than 80 years after the end of World War II, Japan remains constitutionally forbidden to rearm: It has defense forces but not a true military.

Takaichi belongs to a wing of the Japanese right that would change that — and thereby make Japan no threat to anybody else but a better ally for America.

The superpower danger in the Paci c today comes from Beijing, and the more constrained Japan is, the less constrained China is.

Rearmament is highly controversial within Japan, but just as Trump has taken controversial yet necessary steps to address America’s weaknesses — from imposing tari s to cracking down on illegal immigration — a leader like Takaichi can bring great changes to her country.

She’s already restricting immigration before it becomes the kind of problem it has long been in the West.

Takaichi is a protege of Shinzo Abe, who was prime minister during Trump’s rst term and had a uniquely strong bond with him.

As the rst woman to lead Japan, she’s also drawn comparison to Britain’s Iron Lady of the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher.

Tari s that serve America’s industrial policy put a strain upon trading partners like Japan, of course — although the Land of the Rising Sun has long practiced its own forms of industrial and agricultural protection.

Japanese rice production, for example, is heavily protected — which means Japan has enough domestic capacity to endure shortages in the event of war or other disruptions of international trade.

Although Japan isn’t self-su cient, it’s a boon to American security that the country can provide for itself better than some of our other friends in the region, such as Taiwan — which could be starved into submission by a Chinese blockade.

Trump not only shows leaders like Takaichi that boldness can succeed in throwing out the political establishment’s playbook; his return to power prods allies like Japan to pick leaders simpatico with his right-leaning nationalist worldview — and those are the kind of leaders America needs among its allies in the 21st century.

Right-of-center, anti-establishment politics also plays well for Trump-friendly leaders at home, both with voters and the stock market.

Takaichi’s ascent sent the Nikkei stock index soaring to a record.

Half a world away, the success of President Javier Milei’s right-leaning party in Argentina’s midterm elections Sunday produced a similar result, with stock indexes booming by as much as 23%. It ba es Trump’s critics that America’s self-declared “Tari Man” can have such good relations with Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist.”

But Trump thinks in terms of interests, not ideology, and it’s in America’s interests that Milei succeeds in making Argentina freer, more prosperous and friendlier to us in a region — our own neighborhood — where socialism, anti-Yanqui sentiment and Chinese in uence continually threaten to align against us.

There’s no contradiction in nationalists from di erent nations working in parallel to make their own countries stronger individually and more secure collectively.

Likewise, there’s nothing strange about populist reformers from di erent places with di erent needs having sympathy for one another — Trump is ghting an establishment bent upon globalization; Milei faces an establishment in Argentina that wants an all-powerful state. Bringing di erent philosophies together to advance shared interests is simply the art of the deal.

Trump’s the master of that, and other leaders around the world are quickly learning from him. They’re advancing a global realignment that will contribute to making America great again, even as it makes their own nations greater as well.

Daniel McCarthy is the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

Armadillo update!

PIEDMONT

Local food banks ramp up e orts for SNAP recipients during shut down

factory in Gaston County closes later this year. According to reports, Mannington Mills led plans on Oct. 28 with the state of North Carolina to shut down its carpet manufacturing plant on Saxony Drive in McAdenville. In a letter to state and county leaders, Mannington said the decision came “as a result of continual decline in demand and unfavorable market conditions.” The 296 layo s were expected to begin on Dec. 27, and the company said in its letter that it was not expected that a ected workers would have the opportunity to exercise bumping rights. Mannington’s purchase of the McAdenville facility from Pharr closed in 2020. Reports show that Mannington also led plans to lay o 211 more employees from two more facilities in Georgia. According to the company’s website, Mannington produces a variety of ooring, including hardwood, laminate and vinyl.

WLOS

Davidson County Food banks in the Triad are preparing for a potential increase of people in need of food assistance due to the government shutdown. David Holston, executive director of Sunnyside Ministry, said the organization provides an average of 25,000 pounds of food per month and has ordered an extra $8,000 in food along with scheduling more volunteers.

Holston said the organization has nancial reserves for maintenance and overhead but will move it to cover food costs if necessary.

WXII

Man taken into custody after 4-year-old accidentally shoots himself Durham County A Greensboro man is facing charges after a 4-year-old shot himself with a gun, according to the Durham Police Department. Police said the shooting happened Sunday morning after the young boy found the unsecured gun inside a home on Linwood Avenue in Durham. The 4-year-old was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was listed in critical but stable condition. Investigators have determined the shooting was accidental.

Elections board chair position lled after summer arrest of previous leader

Surry County After a Piedmont Triad election o cial resigned following his arrest earlier this year, his position has been lled.

According to the North Carolina Republican, the North Carolina State Board of Elections appointed Chris White to act as the new chair of the Surry County Board of Elections. The NCGOP described White as a lifelong Dobson resident and farmer “carrying forward the values of hard work, stewardship, and service that have de ned his family for generations.” He has also spent time on the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and worked with other community organizations over the years. White will resign from his position as the chair of the Surry County Republican Party and serve out the remainder of the two-year term as the board chair that was once occupied by James Edwin Yokely, who was arrested in August for allegedly putting ecstasy pills into his step-granddaughter’s ice cream at a convenience store stop.

EAST

Residence hall re displaces students

Pitt County

According to ECU Police, a re broke out on the rst oor of Scott Residence Hall on campus at ECU on Friday, causing signi cant damage to one room and displacing 15 students. Eight rooms also su ered water damage, but no injuries were reported. The cause of the re is still under investigation, but o cials believe it may have been caused by a lithium-ion battery from a long skateboard. The a ected students are being moved to di erent dorms on campus.

NSJ

Schools operate on 2-hour delay amid manhunt

O cials seek info in line worker’s hit-and-run death

Johnston County A line worker died last week after a hitand-run in Johnston County, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said. According to the NCSHP, a southbound atbed truck disregarded a stop signal and

Craven County Some schools in Craven County operated on a two-hour delay Monday due to the ongoing manhunt. Vanceboro Farm Life Elementary, West Craven Middle and West Craven High delayed the start of their school week to allow for increased daylight to ensure the safety of students who ride the bus. The Craven County Sheri ’s O ce said Monday that multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies continued to search day and night for murder suspect Dominic Connelly by ground and air. The sheri ’s o ce believed Connelly was on foot near the county line of Craven and Beaufort counties, based on physical sightings from over the weekend. They said he was possibly moving north and using elds and woods to avoid detection. Connelly was last seen wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt and camo-style pants.

WITN

PHOTO BY GAILHAMPSHIRE VIA WIKIPEDIA

Amanda Cook

Joseph Alston

Bruce Davis

Angie Williams-McMichael

Shutdown drags into sixth week

President Donald Trump has pushed Republicans to change Senate rules

By Mary Clare Jalonick

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republicans and Democrats remained at a stalemate on the government shutdown over the weekend as it headed into its sixth week, with food aid potentially delayed or suspended for millions of Americans and President Donald Trump pushing GOP leaders to change Senate rules to end it.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday that Trump has spoken to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as he has publicly and repeatedly pushed for an end to the Senate libuster. But Republicans have strongly rejected Trump’s calls since his rst term, arguing that the rule requiring 60 votes to overcome any objections in the Senate is vital to the institution and has allowed them to stop Democratic policies when they are in the minority.

Leavitt said Sunday that the Democrats are “crazed people” who haven’t shown any signs of

Israel receives remains of 3 Gaza hostages NATION & WORLD

Hamas said the widespread devastation has made recovering bodies di cult

By Renata Brito

The Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israel announced Sunday that the remains of three hostages had been handed over from Gaza and would be examined by forensic experts as a fragile month-old cease re held.

A Hamas statement earlier said the remains were found Sunday in a tunnel in southern Gaza. Since the cease re took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants had released the remains of 17 hostages, with 11 remaining in Gaza, before Sunday’s handover.

Militants have released one or two bodies every few days. Israel has urged faster progress, and in certain cases it has said the remains aren’t of any hostage. Hamas has said the work is complicated by widespread devastation.

Israel’s military said o cial identi cation of these remains would be provided to families rst. Emotions around the remains have been high among families, who continue to rally weekly. On

from page A1

the maps “intentionally” discriminate against minority voters and “necessarily” dilute the black vote and thereby violate the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

“Senate Bill 249 (the “2025 Plan”) repeats the constitutional violations of the 2023 Plan — unconstitutionally diluting Black voting strength in the Piedmont Triad and Mecklenburg — and then doubles down on them by further dismantling the First Congressional District (“CD-1”), a historic Black opportunity district in the northeastern portion of the state,” the lawsuit claims.

Lawmakers have maintained the maps were politically drawn and no racial data was used.

During the Senate’s Oct. 20 Elections Committee hearing, Hise — who said he drew the maps — stressed that point and

budging.

“That’s why President Trump has said Republicans need to get tough, they need to get smart, and they need to use this option to get rid of the libuster, to reopen the government and do right by the American public,” Leavitt said on “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News.

Democrats have voted 13 times against reopening the government, denying Republicans the votes in the 53-47 Senate as they insist on negotiations to extend government health care subsidies that will be cut o at the end of the year.

Republicans say they won’t negotiate until the government is reopened.

With the two parties at a standstill, the shutdown appears likely to become the longest in history. The previous record was set in 2019, when Trump demanded that Congress give him money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Trump’s push on the libuster could prove a distraction for Thune and Republican senators who have opted instead to stay the course as the consequences of the shutdown have become more acute, including more missed paychecks for air tra c controllers and other government workers and uncertain-

ty over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Republicans are hoping that at least some Democrats will eventually give them the votes they need as they hold repeated votes on a bill to reopen the government. Democrats have held together so far, but some moderates have been in talks with rank-and- le Republicans about potential compromises that could guarantee votes on health care in exchange for reopening the government. Republicans need ve additional Democrats to pass their bill.

“We need ve with a backbone to say we care more about the lives of the American people than about gaining some political leverage,” Thune said on the Senate oor as the Senate left Washington for the weekend on Thursday.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that there is a group of people talking about “a path to x the health care debacle” and a commitment from Republicans not to re more federal workers. But it’s still unclear if those talks could produce a meaningful compromise.

3rd teenager indicted in killing of DC intern

Washington, D.C.

A third teenager has been arrested and charged with the killing of a congressional intern in the nation’s capital, a crime that President Donald Trump cited when he announced a law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C. Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, has been indicted with rst- degree murder and 15 other charges for the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts. Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, died a day after he was struck by stray bullets the night of June 30. Authorities last month arrested two 17-year- old suspects in the shooting, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jailen Lucas. They were charged as adults for rstdegree murder while armed.

Mexican mayor killed during Day of the Dead celebrations

Saturday night, Moran Harari, a friend of the late Carmel Gat, urged Israel to have restraint.

“This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear people on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again,” Harari said during a rally in Jerusalem. Israel, in turn, has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians for the return of the remains of an Israeli hostage. Health o cials in Gaza have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. Only 75 of the 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the cease re began

stated that none of the three preconditions set out in Thornburg v. Gingles (1986) with regard to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act were present. When questioned by Democrats, Hise also denied any socioeconomic data was used.

Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus) laid out the process in comments given on the House oor before the maps were passed, noting that no racial data was used and that the House had worked with a consultant, Blake Springetti of Ohio.

A second legal challenge wasn’t far behind.

On Oct. 27, the NC NAACP and Common Cause led a motion in North Carolina’s Middle District Court to add Senate Bill 249 to its existing 2023 federal redistricting lawsuit. The claim in the ling is the same as the Williams v. Blackwell complaint of “diluting Black voting pow-

have been identi ed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which has posted photos of remains in the hope that families will recognize them.

It is unclear if the Palestinians returned were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that sparked the war, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war.

The exchange has been the central part of the initial phase of the U.S.-brokered cease re. The 20-point plan includes the formation of an international sta-

er,” particularly in District 1. This new motion by the NC NAACP and Common Cause follows proceedings held this summer in NC NAACP v. Berger before a three-judge panel that had consolidated the challenges to the 2023 maps used in prior elections. That panel has not yet issued a ruling in that case but granted the motion to add the case in an order issued Oct. 30. The 18 individuals listed as plainti s in the 2023 case are also among the plainti s in Williams v. Blackwell.

In late May, the State Board of Elections led a brief urging the court’s resolution of the 2023 case by Dec. 1, 2025, to avoid disrupting the March 2026 primaries. Additionally, a third challenge is expected from Bishop William Barber, his activist group Repairers of the Breach and the nonpro t legal rm Forward Justice.

bilization force of Arab and other partners that would work with Egypt and Jordan on securing Gaza’s borders and ensure the cease re is respected.

Multiple nations have shown interest in taking part in a peacekeeping force but called for a clear U.N. Security Council mandate before committing troops.

Other di cult questions include Hamas’ disarmamen and the governance of a postwar Gaza, as well as when and how humanitarian aid will be increased.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier Sunday that “there are still pockets of Hamas” in parts of Gaza controlled by Israeli forces.

“There are actually two in Rafah and Khan Younis, and they will be eliminated,” Netanyahu said during a Cabinet meeting.

The deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas began with the Hamas-led 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage.

Israel’s military o ensive has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel has disputed the ministry’s gures without providing a contradicting toll.

Barber and the groups held an Oct. 23 press conference outside the General Assembly building in Raleigh announcing their intention to le a lawsuit and a nal was decision announced during a Nov. 2 “mass moral meeting” livestream.

“These maps will erode the voting rights advances achieved over decades in the Black Belt region,” Kathleen Roblez, senior voting rights counsel at Forward Justice, said at the press conference. “The new maps dismantle a district that is over 40% black, and it has consistently elected a black representative.”

“Let me start by being very clear. There’s a scripture in the Bible that says, ‘Woe unto those who legislate evil,’” said Barber at the press conference. “This that we have seen with this General Assembly and its leadership at the instructions of Donald Trump is political thievery. It’s political thievery.

Uruapan, Mexico A mayor in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan was shot dead in a plaza in front of dozens of people who had gathered for Day of the Dead festivities, authorities said. Local politicians in Mexico are frequently victims of political and organized crime violence. The mayor of the Uruapan municipality, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, was gunned down Saturday night in the town’s historic center. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died, according to a state prosecutor. A city council member and a bodyguard were also injured in the attack. The attacker was killed at the scene, Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch told journalists Sunday.

5 Germans killed in northern Italy avalanche

Rome Five German mountaineers died after being hit by an avalanche in northern Italy, rescuers said Sunday. Three victims — two men and a woman — had already been recovered dead on Saturday, while the bodies of two other missing people, a man and his 17-year-old daughter, were found on Sunday morning in South Tyrol. The mountaineers, all Germans, were hit by the avalanche at about 4 p.m. Saturday while climbing near the Cima Vertana, in the Ortles mountains, at an altitude of more than 11,500 feet.

Actually, it’s political robbery.” Barber also laid out plans for joining “C4 organizations that can call names and endorse and tell where these state legislators really stood on the issue.” He later mentioned the “Save America Movement,” and the group’s website lists him as a steering board member.

Barber said the Moral Monday-style protests seen in 2013 would return, including a “massive moral march on Raleigh.” In response to a media question about lawmakers stating no racial data was used, Barber implied the new maps meant lawmakers were using the n-word.

“If you know what racism smells like and looks like, a person can actually call you black, but you know when they calling you the n-word because you don’t judge it by the words of their mouth, you judge it by the action of their policies,” Barber added.

JEHAD ALSHRAFI / AP PHOTO

Palestinians walk among destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

The Capitol is framed by leaves as the government shutdown approaches its second month.

MAPS

Triangle startup lands more than $1B to challenge China’s grip on rare earth magnets

The magnetic machinery powers today’s tech economy

North State Journal sta

A FAST-RISING Research

Triangle startup is gearing up to take a swing at one of the toughest corners of global manufacturing — and it just secured more than $1 billion to do it.

Vulcan Elements, founded in 2023, is positioning itself as a homegrown answer to China’s dominance in rare earth magnet production. The company has lined up a $620 million loan from the federal government and is nalizing anoth-

er $50 million grant via the CHIPS and Science Act. Commerce o cials also con rmed the agency will take a $50 million equity stake in the company, part of a package that includes roughly $550 million in private capital.

“This investment accelerates U.S. production of rare earth magnets for American manufacturers,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.

Rare earth magnets are the quiet backbone of modern technology — powering everything from EV motors and wind turbines to smartphones and defense systems. The U.S. once led this industry, but over decades ceded ground to China, which

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR

“Execution and performance are everything right now. The nation needs this capability — urgently.”

John Maslin, Vulcan Elements CEO

now commands roughly 90% of global supply. With tensions escalating and China imposing new export limits on key materials, Washington is moving to rebuild domestic capability.

Vulcan’s plan starts with a 10,000-metric-ton magnet factory — the rst large-scale U.S. facility of its kind in years — in partnership with Indiana-based ReElement Technologies, a rare earth re ner. The

company opened a modest RTP manufacturing site this spring, capable of producing just 10 metric tons annually, but says the big expansion is coming soon.

CEO John Maslin, a U.S. Navy veteran in his early 30s, said the company chose the Triangle for its manufacturing talent pipeline and proximity to customers, including military and defense contractors.

“Execution and performance are everything right now,” Maslin said. “The nation needs this capability — urgently.”

The company hasn’t yet named the location of its agship plant. A spokesperson said Vulcan is in the “ nal stages of a multi-state search” and declined to say whether North Carolina remains in the running.

If the project lands here, it will mark another major win for the state’s fast-growing advanced manufacturing sector — and put North Carolina at the center of America’s e ort to rebuild a supply chain that faded a generation ago and is suddenly critical again.

NOTICE

CUMBERLAND

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF BROOKS ADCOX

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 15E000642-250 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Brooks Adcox, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Betty Adcox, Administrator, at 6321 US Highway 301 S, Parkton, NC 28371, on or before the 24th day of January, 2026 (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 Administrator named above. This the 17th day of October, 2025. Betty Adcox Administrator of the Estate of Brooks Adcox. Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 23, October 30, November 6 and November 13, 2025 NOTICE

ADMINISTRATOR’S EXECUTOR’S NOTICE In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 25e001673-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Beverly Holmes Berry deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 6th day of February, 2026, (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 persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 31st day of October, 2025. Joseph W Berry 3933 West Bent Grass Dr Fayetteville NC 28312, Executor of the estate of Beverly Holmes Berry deceased 7/29/2025.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Cumberland County Estate of Sharon Kay Cipriano Deceased Notice is hereby given that Peter Cipriano whose address is 8711 coats road Linden nc 28356 has been appointed as the Executor the estate of Sharon Kay Cipriano deceased, who died on May 3rd, 2025. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them to the undersigned within by January 30, 2026 which is 3 months after the date of the rst publication(October 30 2025). This notice of the claim may be barred. Peter Cipriano a Executor for the Estate of Sharon Kay Cipriano 8711 Coats Road Linden NC, 28356.

NOTICE

State File # - 25E001633-250

The undersigned, having quali ed as administrator of the Estate of Barbara Allen Watts Trogdon, 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 30th day of January, 2026 (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 30th day of October, 2025 Administrator - Jimmy Trogdon Address - 4054 Yarborough Road Hope Mills, NC, 28348

Of the Estate of Barbara Allen Watts Trogdon

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of Mary Lee Wactor, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are hereby noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned Toranique Adams or to the Clerk of Superior Court of Cumberland County. Mary Lee Wactor died on September 1, 2025. Claims must be presented to the undersigned within the time required by law January 30, 2026 Claims may be mailed to: Toranique Adams 3686 Gabe Smith Rd Fayetteville, NC 28305

Claims may be led with the Clerk of Superior Court at: Clerk of Superior Court, Cumberland County PO Box 363 Fayetteville, NC 28302

The probate case number is 25E001420-250.

TORANIQUE ADAMS, Executor First displayed on October 30, 2025

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #25e000923-250

Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Karen Cooper, 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 twenty-third day of January, 2026 or this notice will be pleased in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This twenty-third day of October, 2025. Victor Ayala Executor 1 Carissa Ct. Address Greensboro, NC, 27407 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Karen Cooper, Deceased

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Cumberland County Estate File 25E001386-250

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Sheila W. Delahunty, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present such claims to the undersigned at 113 N. Virginia Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28305 on or before the 6th day of February, 2026, (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 persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment.

This the 29th day of October, 2025. Margaret D. Suraci, Administrator

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE 25E001554-250 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: HOYT FAIRCLOTH Administrator’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualifed as Administrator of the estate of Hoyt Ray Faircloth, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the under- signed on or before the 23rd day of January, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publica- tion of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immedi- ate payment to the undersigned. This 17th day of October, 2025.

Brenda Harrison 2102 Wimberly Woods Dr. Sanford, NC 27330 Administrator of the estate of Hoyt Ray Faircloth, deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF MARGARET RUTH TOWNSON

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001625-250

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Margaret Ruth Townson, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to George Townson, Executor, at 707 Regina Dr., Spring Lake, NC 28390, on or before the 7th day of February, 2026 (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 29th day of October, 2025. George Townson Executor of the Estate of Margaret Ruth Townson Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: November 6, November 13, November 20 and November 27, 2025

NOTICE

The undersigned having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Kathryn Walker 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 16th day of January, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 15th day of October, 2025.

Executor 2201 Stride Ln, Fayetteville, NC 28304

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court Of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E001618-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Evelyn Bell Godwin, 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 30th day of January, 2026, (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.

The 30th day of October 2025, David A. Godwin 9612 Dunn Rd. Godwin, NC, 28344 Of the Estate of Evelyn Bell Godwin, Deceased

NOTICE

In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #25E001255-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY

ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The Undersigned Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Mary Agnes Groves, May 28, 2025 deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all person having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on for before the 30th day of January, 2026, (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 persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 30th day of October 2025.

Administrator of the Estate of Mary Agnes Groves Claims can be sent to Danny M Johnson 8848 Clinton Road Stedman, North Carolina 28391

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ELSIE LEE PHIPPS HALL

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001500-250

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Elsie Lee Phipps Hall, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Sharon Brown, Executor, at 905 Country Club Dr., Fayetteville NC 28301, on or before the 24th day of January, 2026 (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 16th day of October, 2025. Sharon Brown Executor of the Estate of Elsie Lee Phipps Hall Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 23, October 30, November 6 and November 13, 2025.

NOTICE

On behalf of the estate of James William Thomas, Request for A davit of Publication: File# E001571-250 In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #25-E001571-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE

The undersigned, havingQuali ed as Executor of theEstate of James WilliamThomas, deceased, ofCumberland County,this is to notify all personshaving claims against saidestate to present them to theundersigned on or before the23rd of January 2026, (whichdate is 3 months afterthe day of the rst publica-tion of this notice) or thisnotice will be pleaded in barof their recovery. All personsindebted to the estate willplease make immediatepayment to the undersigned. This the 15th day of October 2025.

Administrator of the “Estate of James William Thomas” William Michael Thomas Sandra Dianne Thomas 613 Goodyear Drive Spring Lake, NC 28390

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ANNIE LOUISE MCDOUGAL HARRIS

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000719-250

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Annie Louise McDougal Harris, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Barry Carlos Harris, Administrator, at 804 Southview Circle, Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 17th day of January, 2026. (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 Administrator named above. This the 6th day of October, 2025.

Barry Carlos Harris Administrator of the Estate of Annie Louise McDougal Harris Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm

Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311

Run dates: October 16, October 23, October 30, and November 6, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Legal Representative and Administrator of the Estate of Carol Ann Hazzard, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present them to the undersigned on or before January 16, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment.

This the 10th day of October, 2025.

Princess Sellers

Legal Representative and Administrator of the Estate of Carol Ann Hazzard 211 Wheat eld Ct Raeford, NC 28376 NOTICE

ANCILLARY EXECUTOR’S NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 25E001593-250 State of North Carolina Cumberland County NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having quali ed as the Ancillary Executor of the Estate of James Albert Helman, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms or corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at 14360 NE 209th Terrace Road, Salt Springs, Florida, 32134, on or before February 06, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 6th day of November, 2025.

Barbara Lee Helman

Ancillary Executor of the Estate of James Albert Helman, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 11/06/2025, 11/13/2025, 11/20/2025 and 11/27/2025

In the General Court Of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File#25E000518-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Cassie M. Thomas, 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 23rd day of January, 2026, (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 discovery. All Debtor of the decedent are requested to make an immediate payment to the undersigned. This 16th day of October 2025 Sarah Thomas Administrator/Executor 7427 Shillinglaw Circle Fayetteville,

notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 16 day of October, 2025 Administrator of the Estate of Mary Ferguson Hugine Rashonda Todd 5946 Lowgrass Rd Stedman NC 23891

Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Mable Catherine Robinson, 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 23rd day of January, 2026, (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 23rd day of October, 2025 Linda Ann Daniels, Executor, 925 Chippenham Avenue, Lancaster SC 29720 Of the Estate of Mable Catherine Robinson, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF DAVID ROBERT KIMBEL CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 17E000537-250 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against David Kimbel, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 24th day of January, 2026 (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 Administrator named above. This the 16th day of October, 2025. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of David Robert Kimbel Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 23, October 30, November 6 and November 13, 2025.

deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against them to the undersigned on or before the 23nd day of January, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

New Hanover County THE UNDERSIGNED, Kay Ward Lambert, having quali ed on the 16th day of October 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Guy Lupton Ward, (25E002418-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at Kay Ward Lambert, 2006 Leith Court, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28405, on or before the 23 day of January, 2026, 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 23rd day of October 2025. Kay Ward Lambert Executor ESTATE OF GUY LUPTON WARD Kay Ward Lambert 2006 Leith Court Wilmington, North Carolina 28405

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

Having quali ed as Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph Darius Carpenter, Jr., deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby noti es all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them, duly veri ed, to the undersigned, care of their attorney, on or before January 30, 2026 (which date is at least three (3) months from 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 settlement with the undersigned, care of their attorney. This the 30th day of October, 2025. Joseph Kevin Carpenter, III, Executor of the Estate of Joseph Darius Carpenter, Jr., Deceased c/o Randall S. Hoose, Jr. Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146 Please publish 10/30, 11/06, 11/13, 11/20

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, William Timothy Raines, having quali ed on the 9th day of October, 2025, as Ancillary Personal Representative of the Estate of William Crawford Raines (25E002343-640), 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 19th day of January, 2026, 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 16th day of October 2025.

William Timothy Raines Ancillary Personal Representative ESTATE OF WILLIAM CRAWFORD RAINES David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411

Publish: October 16, 2025 October 23. 2025 October 30, 2025 November 6, 2025

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25SP001413-640 Yolanda Yvette Rivers, et al.

Melanie Lynn Shamel,

of 3310 Old Mill Farm Road, Lexington, North Carolina 27295, DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, through the undersigned Attorney, does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 112 S TRYON STREET, SUITE 700, CHARLOTTE, NC 28284, on or before Friday, January 24, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said estate shall make immediate payment to the undersigned. 25E000693-280 This the 15th day of October 2025. Gregory S. McIntyre, Esq. Gregory S. McIntyre, Administrator McIntyre Elder Law 112 S Tryon Street Suite 700 Charlotte, NC 28284 (For Publication Dates: 10/23/25, 10/30/25, 11/6/25, & 11/13/25)

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, KIMBERLY LEANNE WOMACK, having quali ed as the Executorof the Estate of SHERRY ANN BROOKSHIRE , Deceased, hereby noti es all persons, rms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said KIMBERLY LEANNE WOMACK, at the address set out below, on or before January 29, 2026, 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 21 day of October, 2025.

KIMBERLY LEANNE WOMACK Executor OF THE ESTATE OF SHERRY ANN BROOKSHIRE c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

v. Clarence B. Rivers, Jr. TO: Respondent Clarence B. Rivers, Jr., or any other person or entity claiming thereunder: 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: the petitioner, Yolanda Yvette Rivers, John F. Rivers, Sr., Connie Zenobia Scarborough, Norena Elizabeth May, Tila Jurretta Rivers, Daniel Rivers, Carlton Ray Rivers, Clarence Rivers, and Roderick Rivers Sr. has led a special proceeding to partition the parties’ respective interests in the real property situated in New Hanover County, North Carolina, which is more completely described in the Petition for Partition. Clarence B. Rivers, Jr., is a known but unlocated respondent to the special proceeding. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after October 30, 2025 (exclusive of said date) and upon your failure to so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought. This the 30th day of October, 2025. Scott Donaldson NC Bar No. 60263 Cline Donaldson PLLC 5725 Oleander Drive, Ste. G-3 Wilmington, NC 28403 910 701 0005 - O ce Scott@clinedonaldson.com Counsel for Petitioner Yolanda Yvette Rivers Please publish 10/30, 11/06 and 11/13

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF SAMUEL MARION STONE, IV FILE NO. 25E002207-640

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Samuel Marion Stone, IV, deceased, of New Hanover County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before January 23rd, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 16th day of October, 2025. Everett M. Bolton, Executor P O Box 10305 Raleigh, NC 27605

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, AMANDA CAROL RUMSEY, having quali ed as the Executor of the Estate of CARLYN SHARP DREISBACH, Deceased, hereby noti es all persons, rms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said AMANDA CAROL RUMSEY, at the address set out below, on or before January 27, 2026, 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 22nd day of November, 2025. AMANDA CAROL RUMSEY

Executor OF THE ESTATE OF CARLYN SHARP

DREISBACH

c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, JOHN F SNOW, having quali ed as the Executor of the Estate of LINDA J SNOW, Deceased, hereby noti es all persons, rms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said JOHN F SNOW, at the address set out below, on or before February 2, 2026, 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 24th day of October, 2025.

JOHN F SNOW

EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF LINDA J SNOW

c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

RANDOLPH

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Lynne Marie Gabby, late of Randolph 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 16th day of January 2026, 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 16th day of October 2025. Kyle Gabby

Administrator of the Estate of Lynne Marie Gabby

Jonathan M. Parisi

Attorney at Law

Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994

Greensboro, NC 27435

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Vicky Covington Autry aka Vicky L. Autry, late of Randolph 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 16th day of January 2026, 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 16th day of October 2025.

Cli ord Todd Covington Executor of the Estate of Vicky Covington Autry aka Vicky L Autry

Jonathan M. Parisi

Attorney at Law

Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994

Greensboro, NC 27435

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of MARVIN M. GALLOWAY aka MARVIN M. GALLOWAY, SR. aka MARVIN MOORE GALLOWAY, aka MARVIN MORRE GALLOWAY, SR., late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ce of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before January 23, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 23rd day of October 2025.

NOLAN ANTHONY GALLOWAY Executor of the Estate of MARVIN M. GALLOWAY aka MARVIN M. GALLOWAY, SR. aka MARVIN MOORE GALLOWAY aka MARVIN MOORE GALLOWAY, SR. S. SCOTT EGGLESTON, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 10/23/25 10/30/25 11/06/25 11/13/24

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of William Gerald Travers, of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Administrator at the Law O ce of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before January 22nd 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 23rd day of October 2025. Bruce Edward Travers, Administrator William Gerald Travers, Estate Andrew J. Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600 WAKE

Notice to Creditors

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of ROBERT HOWARD ABRAMS, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E002589-910),

of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned. This the 6th day of November, 2025. Samuel L. Tie Executor of the Estate of Kimmie Lee Tie Holly B. Norvell JOHNSTON, ALLISON & HORD, P.A. 1065 East Morehead Street Post O ce Box 36469 Charlotte, North Carolina 28236-6469

Notice to Creditors

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of JOYCE JOSEPHINE YOUNG, aka, JOYCE J. YOUNG, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E004016-910), 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 3rd day of February 2026 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 30th day of October 2025. Daniel Young Executor of the Estate of Joyce Josephine Young, Aka, Joyce J. Young c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20/2025)

High school football playo preview, B4

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

NBA 76ers use team option on McCain to extend contract through 2026 -27 season

Philadelphia

The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised their third-year contract option for second-year guard Jared McCain, keeping him under contract through the 2026-27 season. The Duke product has not played yet this season after su ering a UCL tear in his right thumb in late September. McCain appeared in 23 games last season, leading all rookies with 15.3 points. He su ered a season-ending torn meniscus in December.

NASCAR

Cup driver Busch sues insurance company for $8.5 million, alleging deceptive practices

Avondale, Ariz.

NASCAR Cup Series driver

Kyle Busch and his wife sued Paci c Life Insurance Company for $8.5 million for failing to reveal the true risks of the policies and making false representations of what was supposed to be tax-free income for retirement. An independent rm told Busch the policy would expire in 16 months and the $10.4 million he invested was gone. The lawsuit also claims their agent steered them into an unsustainable, high-risk product, charging an undisclosed up-front 35% commission.

RACING

Obiri sets women’s NYC Marathon course record, Kipruto wins men’s race in photo nish

New York

Hellen Obiri of Kenya set a women’s course record to win the New York City Marathon.

Benson Kipruto won the men’s race, edging Alexander Mutiso in a photo nish. Obiri, the 2023 winner, nished in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 51 seconds, besting the previous course women’s record set in 2003 by 2½ minutes.

Larson wins second NASCAR championship

Denny Hamlin was again denied his rst title

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Larson knew he wasn’t going to catch Denny Hamlin in the nal laps on Sunday, not without the sort of help that only a caution ag can bring.

Larson got his lucky break.

Hamlin only got heartbreak.

Larson is now a two-time NASCAR champion after denying Hamlin what would have been his rst career title when a late caution at Phoenix Raceway sent the championship-decidingnale into overtime. Without that caution, which came with three laps to run, Hamlin had it locked up and was ready to nally shed the label of greatest Cup Series driv-

er to never win a championship.

But fellow title contender William Byron got a at tire and hit the wall to bring out the caution, and a few minutes later, it was over.

Charlotte FC prepares for decisive Game 3 matchup

Charlotte had a 7-6 penalty kick shootout win in Game 2

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte

FC’s push to advance in the MLS Cup playo s will come down to a win-or-go-home Game 3 matchup on Friday night.

Following a 7-6 penalty kick shootout win over New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Charlotte kept its postseason alive and evened the rst-round playo s series at 1-1. The best-of-three series in the Eastern Conference will now return to Bank of America Stadium for a pivotal Game 3 at 7 p.m.

Charlotte dropped the rst match 1-0 to New York on Oct. 28 at home, but the team re-

sponded with a counterpunch in the rematch four days later.

Second-year coach Dean Smith said he’s now excited to get back to the stadium where his team had a 13-1-3 record this season and one of the strongest home- eld advantages in the league.

“I’m looking forward to going back to the Bank and having all our supporters back for us,” Smith said. “We’ve got to go and put on a performance that we didn’t put on last week because we weren’t good enough in the rst half. I said that after the game and I’ve said it subsequently since. We know what we’ve got to do and what side of us has to turn up to go and get into the next round of this cup.”

In Saturday’s Game 2 contest, both sides failed to nd the net through 90 minutes of regulation. For the second straight year, Charlotte was forced into

“Just unbelievable,” Larson said. “I cannot believe it.”

Neither could Hamlin.

“I really don’t have much for emotion right now. Just numb about it ’cause just in shock,”

Hamlin said. “We were 40 seconds away from a championship. This sport can drive you absolutely crazy because sometimes speed, talent, none of that matters.”

When the caution for Byron came out, Hamlin led the eld down pit road and got four new tires on his Toyota; Larson only took two tires on his Chevrolet. It meant Larson was fth for the two-lap sprint to the nish, with Hamlin back in 10th.

With so little time to run down Larson, Hamlin came up short with a sixth-place nish as Larson nished third. Ryan Blaney, who was eliminated from title contention last week, won the race.

“You do have to feel for that group and Denny. Doing a good job all day, it not playing out for him. But that is racing. It sucks sometimes,” Blaney said. “They can hang their head about it, but they should be very proud about the e ort. They had the fastest race car here. Just one of those things where it doesn’t work out. Looked like it was going into his favor, unfortunately for him, it didn’t.”

It is the second championship

See NASCAR, page B2

a Game 2 elimination scenario, this time against a NYCFC club that has already proven it can play tough against The Crown. The shootout proved to be the longest in Charlotte FC’s young club history. Charlotte sent striker Archie Goodwin to the spot rst, and he converted. New York’s Alonso Martinez — the club’s scoring hero in Game 1 — responded with a make of his own. Charlotte mid elder Ashley

Westwood’s attempt went wide, giving the hosts an early edge after Aiden O’Neill converted for New York. Down a goal, Charlotte forward Idan Toklomati evened the score with a clean strike. But New York’s Thiago Martins quickly put his team back ahead. Charlotte’s Harry Toffolo then found the net, leveling the tally once again before

PAMELA SMITH / AP PHOTO Charlotte FC forward Idan Toklomati defends the ball from New York City defender Thiago Martins during the second half of Game 2 in the rst round of MLS soccer’s Eastern Conference playo s on Nov. 1 in New York.

RICK SCUTERI / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson pits during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway that gave him his second Cup Series title.

RICK SCUTERI / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.

Beyond the box score

TRENDING

Derek Shelton:

The Minnesota Twins hired the 1993 Greensboro Hornets catcher and 1998 Greensboro Bats hitting coach as their new manager. Shelton managed the Pittsburgh Pirates for ve-plus years and had an overall record of 306-440 before he was red 40 games into this season. The 55-year-old was the bench coach for the Twins in 2018 and 2019.

LaMelo Ball: The Charlotte Hornets guard was ned $35,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture. Ball was assessed a technical foul for making the gesture in the fourth quarter of a 144-117 loss to Miami. Ball leads the Hornets in scoring, rebounding and assists through their rst four games with averages of 26.3 points, 9.5 assists and 8.3 rebounds.

Andy Dalton:

The Carolina Panthers’ backup quarterback revealed he broke his thumb while starting for injured Bryce Young against the Bu alo Bills last week. The 38-yearold Dalton struggled in the 40-9 loss, with three turnovers and seven sacks. Dalton said he broke his thumb on his throwing hand on Carolina’s second possession. Young returned to the starting lineup Sunday. The Panthers promoted quarterback Mike White from the practice squad.

NASCAR from page B1

for Larson, who won his rst title in 2021 when he joined Hendrick Motorsports. It is the 15th Cup title for the organization and came on the 30th anniversary of Je Gordon giving Hendrick its rst championship in 1995.

As Larson celebrated, Hamlin sat in his car motionless for several seconds, then wiped his face with a white towel, never showing any emotion.

Larson, who has been in a slump since his disastrous Memorial Day attempt to race both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on

SOCCER from page B1

New York’s Julian Fernandez missed his shot.

That gave Charlotte an opening where veteran forward Wilfried Zaha capitalized, burying his kick. However, New York mid elder Justin Haak answered to make it 4-4.

“It ended up being scrappy,” Zaha said. “So our main thing was we’re not leaving without winning today. That was the mentality.”

Defender Adilson Malanda converted next for Charlotte,

MLB

POTENT QUOTABLES

JACOB KUPFERMAN /

“One

of the worst calls

I’ve ever seen in a game, ever, in my entire coaching career, ever.”

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on a pass interference call that let Duke continue a game-winning touchdown drive.

“Going extra innings at Death Valley isn’t really a good plan.”

Duke coach Manny Diaz on going for two — and the win — instead of a tying extra point at Clemson.

PRIME NUMBER

2005

The last year the Indianapolis 500 did not feature an Andretti. Racer Marco Andretti announced his retirement, marking the end of an era for the family. The 38-year-old grandson of Mario Andretti shared on social media that he will not compete in next year’s race.

the same day, was also in shock.

“We didn’t lead a lap and won the championship,” Larson said.

“We had an average car at best and had the right front (tire) go down, lost a lap and got the wave around, saved by the caution with the wave around. It’s just unbelievable. What a year by this motorsports team.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick, Gordon and Larson crew chief Cli Daniels all said they did not believe Larson still had a chance at the championship after so many problems during the race.

“I have to acknowledge that it was a pretty ugly day for us,” Daniels said. “I think we were

matched by Hannes Wolf for New York. Then mid elder Djibril Diani found the back of the net, with Raul Gustavo doing the same for the hosts. With the shootout still tied, Charlotte wingback Nathan Byrne stepped up and delivered. New York’s nal kicker, Agustin Ojeda, saw his attempt turned away by Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina — sealing a 7-6 win and sending the series back to Charlotte. It was a tting end for Kahlina, the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, who had been

Will Smith homered in the 11th inning after Miguel Rojas connected for a tying drive in the ninth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 to become the rst team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win consecutive World Series titles. LA overcame 3-0 and 4-2 de cits and became the rst National League team to repeat since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds.

Former Duke and Oklahoma City Thunder player Kyle Singler was charged with allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. The 37-year-old Singler was arrested in White eld, Oklahoma, after a 911 call reported Singler was chasing a woman. Singler faces one misdemeanor count of assault and battery in the presence of a child.

beat on raw pace, and after we had the at tire, there wasn’t a lot of good things coming our way. The way the team stuck together and continued to believe in each other, Kyle continued to believe if we just had a shot we could close it out.”

It is the sixth shot at a title to slip away from Hamlin in his 20 years driving for Gibbs. He led 208 of the 319 laps and started from the pole.

“Nothing I could do di erent. I mean, prepared as good as I could coming into the weekend and my team gave me a fantastic car,” Hamlin said. “Just didn’t work out. I was just praying ‘no

strong all evening. He recorded ve saves in regulation and added another decisive stop in the shootout.

“On Friday, we play at home, and I know that our crowd will be behind us,” Kahlina said. “We have a big advantage and we have some experience from last year.”

Smith praised his team’s composure in the tense moments but acknowledged the need for sharper execution when the series shifts back to Charlotte.

“We still haven’t scored a

Michael Brennan was dominant at the Bank of Utah Championship, getting a four-shot victory. Brennan earned a Korn Ferry Tour spot as the leader of PGA Tour Americas. The Wake Forest product earned a two-year PGA Tour exemption and invitations to the PGA Championship and $20 million RBC Heritage.

YouTube TV viewers lost access to Disney channels, including ABC and ESPN, after contract talks broke down. Disney followed through on a threat to suspend its content during negotiations. YouTube claims Disney used the blackout threat to push for higher prices, bene ting its own streaming services. Subscribers will receive a $20 credit if Disney content remains unavailable.

caution’ and we had one there. What can you do? It’s just not meant to be.”

He said crew chief Chris Gayle made the correct call with four tires, but too many others only took two, which created too big of a gap for Hamlin to close on Larson in so little time.

Hamlin was remarkably loose and calm all week, rented three houses in Scottsdale for 30 friends and family, won the pole and then dominated Sunday’s race.

He was the sympathetic favorite, the betting favorite, and who most of the industry was pulling for — largely

goal in the playo s, but we’ve had the chances,” Smith said. “It was a much better performance. We did what we needed to do to come here. I’ve said all along that I think we’re two very evenly matched teams, but our performance was better. I thought our quality on the ball was better. We’ve had some good chances.” The victory extended Charlotte’s postseason hopes for at least another week and gave the club a chance to play in front of its home supporters again. In a gradual improvement,

based on how much heartbreak he has faced. Hamlin burst onto the Cup Series scene in 2006, winning rookie of the year and nishing third in the championship.

On many levels, that promise has been ful lled with 60 victories, three of them Daytona 500 wins. On the championship level, it still has not.

“Man, if you can’t win that one, I don’t know which one you can win,” Hamlin said of his latest defeat.

Larson was OK during the race, but hasn’t won since early May, a slump that has now extended to 24 consecutive races.

Charlotte FC has had its winningest campaign since joining the MLS in 2022. The club set new highs in both victories (19) and points (59) during the regular season, nishing with its best record (19-2-13) through four seasons. Friday’s Game 3 marks the third and nal contest of this rst-round playo bracket; the winner will advance to the Eastern Conference semi nals to face the Philadelphia Union on Nov. 22 or 23, with the rest of the playo s now becoming single-elimination matches.

BRYNN ANDERSON / AP PHOTO

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

The puck stops here

Durham factory stress tests for NHL with puck cannon

Every puck used in the NHL comes to Durham to receive an electronic tracking “brain”

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

FOR THE THIRD time, visitors are warned to cover their ears.

“It’s really loud,” the employee with his hand on the trigger button warns.

It’s probably good advice, but if you’re going to use a cannon to re a hockey puck into a wall, you kind of want to get the full sensory experience. So everyone’s hands remain at their sides.

“Firing!” the trigger man shouts, to warn the other factory employees so the noise won’t startle them.

The bang is loud, as compressed air res the puck at speeds that can go as high as 100 mph, although our demonstration is closer to low-level speeding ticket velocities. There’s a second bang as the puck hits the piece of plexiglass, meant to simulate a shot o the boards. That plexiglass sheet can also be removed to simulate a shot o the post — a metal length of goal post is behind it.

We are at a nondescript warehouse in an industrial park in Durham, but it might as well be the wizard’s castle in Oz. This is where every hockey puck used in the NHL gets its brain.

Since 2019, SportsMEDIA Technologies (SMT) has been providing the system the NHL uses for player and puck tracking. That means that while every puck the NHL uses is stamped “Made in Canada,” it makes a quick detour to Durham for preprocessing. The SMT team inserts the high-tech guts — a circuit board, battery and infrared light tubes that send out several dozen pulses a second. These

SMT workers secure the tracking tech in

99.98%

Reliability rate for the tracking systems in NHL pucks

pulses are picked up by the two dozen or so cameras mounted in every NHL arena, telling the puck’s exact location and speed.

The electronics are baked into the puck shell, and they’re sent north of the border to get turned into the solid black disks that fans line up at the glass to beg for before each game.

The Durham location can nish processing about 240 pucks a day — although each puck takes two days, thanks to the baking and cooling process. SMT is involved in other sports as well, from the rst-down line in football broadcasts to the ghost car in NASCAR races to strike tracking in mixed martial arts. The company also hires operators to sort through all the data provided by their tracking technology and come up with graphics, re-

plays and other methods to present it to viewers.

First, however, the company needs to make sure the technology will keep providing data, even after all the bumps of a pro hockey game. That’s why they receive a sampling of “test pucks” — nished pucks, complete with team logos. SMT’s job is to try to break them through simulated game conditions. That’s where the cannon comes in.

The test pucks are kept in a freezer, so they’re at NHL game temperature when they’re loaded into the gun. They’re then red repeatedly into the boards and posts. An infrared sensor next to the machine is then used to see if the puck is still transmitting. The vast majority of the time, it is. According to SMT, of the 90,000-plus pucks the company provided, the NHL reported a number of dead pucks “in the teens” for all 30 teams’ 82-game schedules combined, as well as pre- and postseason games.

That’s a reliability rate of about 99.98%, de nitely worth shouting about — which is probably a good idea. After all, the cannon is pretty loud.

PHOTOS BY SHAWN KREST / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

The puck cannon res a shot into the boards.

A bin of test pucks waits to be taken to the cannon.

A cooler next to the cannon ensures that test pucks are the correct temperature before being red.

A compressed air puck cannon is used to test the puck technology under game conditions.

Much of the prep work to install tracking technology into NHL pucks is done at a Durham warehouse.

puck shells.

High school football playo preview

First rounds for the NCHSAA and NCISAA will begin Friday

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

THE RACE for high school football glory is here.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Associationnalized its football playo brackets over the weekend as the rst round will begin Friday. For the rst time since the 2020-21 season, there will be eight state champions crowned from Dec. 11-13.

NCHSAA football state championship games will be held at three locations. Kenan Stadium will host four games while rst-time hosts Durham County Memorial Stadium and Helen and Leonard Moretz Stadium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University will host two games each.

At the same time, the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association will begin the rst round of its playo s Friday as two champions will be crowned across two divisions. Championship games will be held at the home of the higher seed on Nov. 21.

Ahead of what’s shaping up to be an exciting month of prep football across North Carolina, here’s a preview of every bracket across the two associations.

NCHSAA 8A (24 teams)

Top seeds: Hoggard (East, 10-0, 6-0 in Carolina Coast

6A/7A/8A conference); Hough (West, 10-0, 5-0 in Greater Charlotte 7A/8A conference)

Players to watch: The 8A playo s are loaded with defensive talent. Myers Park edge Rodney Dunham, a Notre Dame commit, will be one of the top defenders to keep an eye on in as he’s notched eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss in his senior season. His teammate and Miami commit Camdin Portis, a cornerback and son of former NFL pro bowler Clinton Portis, has snagged three interceptions this year. Other key defenders include Jordan defensive lineman Noah Clark, a South Carolina commit, Hough cornerback Samari Matthews, a Texas commit, West Forsyth defensive lineman and Georgia commit Pierre Dean, and Millbrook edge Rashad Streets.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Hoggard, No. 2 Millbrook, No. 3

Jordan, No. 5 Rolesville; West: No. 1 Hough, No. 2 West Charlotte, No. 3 Myers Park, No. 4 Mallard Creek

NCHSAA 7A (48 teams)

Top seeds: Cardinal Gibbons (East, 9-1, 4-0 in Triangle Six 6A/7A conference); Grimsley (West, 10-0, 6-0 in Metro 6A/7A conference, defending 4A champions)

Players to watch: All eyes will be on Grimsley quarterback Faizon Brandon, 247’s No. 1 player in the 2026 class and a Tennessee commit, as he tries to lead his team to back-to-back state titles. Weddington’s Aiden and Andrew Harris, twin defensive standouts and South Carolina commits, and Thomas Davis Jr., the future Notre Dame linebacker, will look to lift their team to its third state title in the past 10 years. South Garner offensive lineman Ekene Ogboko, a Georgia commit, will also be a top recruit to watch in 7A. Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Cardinal Gibbons, No. 2 Cleveland, No. 3 Clayton, No. 5 Cape Fear; West: No.1 Grimsley, No. 2 Weddington, No. 3 Independence, No. 4 Mooresville, No. 6 Richmond

NCHSAA 6A (48 teams)

Top seeds: Jacksonville (East, 9-0, 5-0 in Big Carolina 6A/7A conference); Watauga (West, 10-0, 5-0 in Northwestern 6A/7A conference)

Players to watch: Kings Mountain tight end William Vaughn, a Boston College commit, will be a top recruit to follow. Jacksonville running back Amari Pearson will look to light up opposing defenses after rushing for more than 1,400 yards and 24 touchdowns during the regular season. J.H. Rose’s

Jaleek Parson and Watauga’s Evan Burroughs are two of the top receivers entering the 6A playo s.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Jacksonville, No. 3 Middle Creek, No. 4 Union Pines, No. 7 Seventy-First; West: No. 1 Watauga, No. 2 Northern Guilford, No. 3 Ashbrook, No. 5 Sun Valley

NCHSAA 5A (48 teams)

Top seeds: Hunt (East, 8-2, 5-1 in Big East 5A/6A conference); South Point (West, 8-2, 4-2 in Big South 5A/6A conference)

Players to watch: East Lincoln tight end Jaxon Dollar will be a top recruit to watch during the 5A playo s. Dollar’s quarterback, Wake Forest commit Grant Lawless, and West Carteret quarterback Tanner Payne, an Elon commit, will be the top eld generals to follow with both throwing for at least 2,500 yards each in the regular season. Havelock’s Christopher Bispham, a James Madison commit, and St. Pauls’ De’Zhian Roberts will be key defensive players as they’ve recorded over 13 sacks each this fall.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Hunt, No. 2 Northeast Guilford, No. 3 Northside-Jacksonville, No. 4 Croatan, No. 12 Havelock; West: No. 1 South Point, No. 2 Jay M. Robinson, No. 4 Crest, No. 5 East Lincoln

NCHSAA 4A (48 teams)

Top seeds: Reidsville (East, 8-2, 6-0 in Mid-State 3A/4A/5A conference); Brevard (West, 100, 7-0 in Mountain Eight 4A/5A conference)

Players to watch: Reidsville tight end Kendre Harrison, an Oregon commit, headlines the 4A playo s. Bandys quarterback Brady Swett has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and 25

Multiple North Carolina programs on verge of bowl eligibility

Four of the state’s seven FBS teams need just one more win for a chance at a postseason berth

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

THE FINAL month of the college football regular season is upon us, with multiple teams in the state on the verge of bowl eligibility.

However, while some teams are looking like locks for postseason play, a couple others are staring at some real thin odds.

Here’s how each of the NC teams are looking in terms of bowl eligibility.

Duke (5-3, 4-1 ACC)

The Blue Devils are one of four North Carolina teams that sit just a win away from bowl eligibility.

After a slow start to the year, Duke has tightened up to become far and away the state’s best team, and its 46-45 win over the Clemson Tigers on Saturday only further cements that claim.

With a game against UConn on deck, the Blue Devils have to feel pretty con dent with their chances of getting that next win, but the team is also still in the hunt for a conferencechampionship berth as well.

Duke will face UConn, Vir-

ginia, UNC and Wake Forest to close out the season.

The Blue Devils have an 8-9 all-time record in bowl games, having last quali ed for one last season (Gator Bowl).

Wake Forest (5-3, 2-3 ACC)

New coach Jake Dickert looks to have the Demon Deacons back on track.

Wake Forest has already outperformed their prior two seasons’ records and now sit just one game away from bowl eligibility.

The Demon Deacons have an 11-6 record all-time in bowl games, having last competed in the Gasparilla Bowl in 2022.

Wake Forest will face Virginia, UNC, Delaware and Duke to end the year.

NC State (5-4, 2-3 ACC)

What seemed like an outside shot for the program just a few weeks ago now seems like a real possibility after the team’s big win over Georgia Tech this past weekend.

NC State was staring down a gauntlet of ranked opponents to end their year, but with one already knocked o , there’s potential to continue to do some damage.

The Wolfpack will face Miami, FSU and UNC to end the season.

NC State has an all-time record of 17-18-1 in bowl games

NCHSAA state champions will be crowned for the rst time since the 2020-21 season

touchdowns entering the postseason. Bandys receiver Ryder McClure and Brevard receiver Tristan Thompsson-Wynn have been two of the most productive pass catchers in 4A.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Reidsville, No. 2 West Craven, No. 3 East Duplin, No. 4 Central Davidson; West: No. 1 Brevard, No. 2 Hibriten, No. 6 Maiden, No. 10 Bandys

NCHSAA 3A (48 teams)

Top seeds: James Kenan (East, 9-1, 6-0 in Swine Valley 2A/3A conference); Mountain Heritage (West, 9-1, 6-0 in Western Highlands 2A/3A conference)

Players to watch: Kinston’s Tyler Jones and Shelby’s Lan Farmer enter the postseason as the top two quarterbacks in 3A with both throwing for more than 2,400 yards and over 30 touchdowns. Jones’ top target, NC State commit Tyreek Copper, will look to continue his explosive 21-touchdown season. Wallace-Rose Hill’s Jamarae Lamb, Princeton’s Teo McPhatter and James Kenan’s Jeremiah Hall, who averages 13 yards per carry, are three of the most dangerous running backs in the class.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 James Kenan, No. 2 Pender, No. 3 Midway, No. 5 Martin County; West: No. 1 Mountain Heritage, No. 2 Mount Airy, No. 3 Eastern Randolph, No. 4 North Stanly

NCHSAA 2A (42 teams)

Top seeds: Tarboro (East, 10-0, 5-0 in Eastern Plains 2A/3A conference, defending 1A champions, eight straight state title appearances); Murphy (West, 8-2, 6-0 in Smoky Mountain 1A/2A conference)

Players to watch: North Duplin’s Trashawn Ru n, a future UNC defensive lineman, and running back Carell Phillips are included in 2A’s biggest postseason names. Tarboro running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore, an Elon commit, has rushed for 20 touchdowns while

averaging 11.1 yards per carry.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 Tarboro, No. 2 Warren County, No. 3. North Duplin, No. 4 East Bladen; West: No. 1 Murphy, No. 2 Starmount, No. 3 Alleghany, No. 4 East Wilkes

NCHSAA 1A (22 teams)

Top seeds: KIPP Pride (East, 10-0, 5-0 in Roanoke River 1A/2A conference); Robbinsville (West, 7-3, 5-1 in Smoky Mountain 1A/2A conference)

Players to watch: Wilson Prep’s Zalik Cannady enters the postseason as 1A’s most disruptive defensive end after recording 11 sacks in the regular season. Teammate Travon Usher will look to continue his outstanding season of more than 1,250 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

Deep run watch: East: No. 1 KIPP Pride, No. 2 Northside Pinetown, No. 3 Bear Grass Charter, No. 4 Wilson Prep; West: No. 1 Robbinsville, No. 2. South Davidson, No. 3 Thomas Je erson Classical Academy

NCISAA Division I (Eight teams)

Top seeds: 1. Providence Day School (10-0); 2. Rabun Gap School (6-4, defending Division I champions)

Players to watch: Providence Day has several big-time athletes, including o ensive lineman Leo Delaney (Clemson commit), receiver Gordon Sellars (Clemson commit) and quarterback Zaid Lott (Syracuse commit). Cannon quarterback Lucas Lopez has been the classication’s most productive passer with more than 2,000 passing yards and 27 touchdowns.

Deep run watch: No. 1 Providence Day, No. 2 Rabun Gap School, No. 3. Charlotte Christian

NCISAA Division II (Seven teams)

Top seeds: 1. High Point Christian (10-0); 2. Asheville School (5-2-1, defending Division II champions)

Players to watch: High Point Christian running back Jaylen Moore, a Cornell commit, rushed for more than 1,850 yards and 30 touchdowns in the regular season. Harrells Christian running back Jeremiah Davis averaged 12 yards per carry with 971 yards and 12 touchdowns before the postseason. High Point Christian linebacker Micah Russell recorded 16 sacks during the regular season.

Deep run watch: No. 1 High Point Christian, No. 2 Asheville School, No. 3 Trinity Christian School

and the program has lost in each of their last ve postseason appearances.

ECU (5-3, 3-1 AAC)

The Pirates round out the group of N.C. teams a win away from bowl eligibility, and they have to feel pretty con dent about their chances with the 1-7 Charlotte 49ers up next on the schedule.

ECU has picked up multiple key wins in Blake Harrell’s rst full season, and it still has a few more opportunities coming up as well.

The Pirates will face Charlotte, Memphis, UTSA and Florida Atlantic to end the year.

ECU has an 11-11 record all time in bowl games and has won its last two bowl appearances (2022 Birmingham Bowl; 2024 Military Bowl).

App State (4-4, 1-3 SBC)

It’s been tough sledding for the Mountaineers in coach Dowell Loggains rst season in Boone.

App State has performed well in its nonconference slate but struggled against other Sun Belt squads so far.

The Mountaineers need two more wins for bowl eligibility and therefore will need a pair of victories over any combination of Georgia Southern, James Madison, Marshall or Arkansas State.

App State has an overall bowl record of 7-1 and last quali ed for the postseason in 2023 (Cure Bowl).

UNC (3-5, 1-3 ACC)

There’s no question that Chapel Bill has not lived up to the preseason hype this year, but UNC looks to be turning a corner. The team has started to play better as of late, especially on defense, and the Tar Heels snapped a four-game losing streak with a 27-10 win over Syracuse last weekend. UNC needs three more wins on the season to have a shot at a bowl game this year, and the Tar Heels have a good chance for one coming up with Stanford next on the schedule.

However, Carolina ends the year with Wake Forest, Duke and NC State in succession, so the team will have to really

lock in if it wants to play in this year’s postseason.

UNC has an all-time bowl record of 15-22 but has lost each of their last ve postseason appearances.

Charlotte (0-5 AAC, 1-7)

Things have been pretty abysmal in the Queen City for the 49ers this season as the program has posted just one win on the year and have been outscored 298-140.

The program is in its rst year under new coach Tim Albin, and last month, the university red athletic director Mike Hill.

While the 49ers haven’t mathematically been eliminated yet, there’s a better chance of pigs ying than Charlotte competing in a meaningful game this year.

Charlotte has quali ed for the postseason just once in program history (2019).

EDWARDO PUAC FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

James Kenan’s Jeremiah Hall runs the ball during a game against Wallace Rose Hill.

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO Duke quarterback Darian Mensah celebrates after getting the Blue Devils’ rst win at Clemson since 1980.

25SP000052-250

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 James C Jenkins and Ava Charlene Jenkins to David Neil, Trustee(s), which was dated September 30, 2010 and recorded on October 19, 2010 in Book 08502 at Page 0521 and rerecorded/ modi ed/corrected on December 28, 2023 in Book 11882, Page 0884, 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 at the courthouse door of the county

the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

BEING all of Lot 4, in a subdivision known as Ascot, Section three, Part one, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 58, Page 45, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

Said property is commonly known as 5586 Whithorn Ct, Fayetteville, NC 28311. 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

courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 12, 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 90 as shown on a plat entitled “ASBURY, SECTION THREE, A Zero Lot Line Development” duly recorded in Plat Book 117, Page 15, Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1912 Abbeydale Lane, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

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

Finance Company LLC; Servhl Underlying Trust 2019-1 Defendant(s). NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the Order for Judicial Sale dated October 13, 2025, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 1:30 PM on November 19, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Linda A Kirk; Herman Kirk, dated September 23, 2016 to secure the

25-120499 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 25sp000191-250 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY PAULA J. WICKER DATED JANUARY 15, 2014 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 9413 AT PAGE 773 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY

REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

and by virtue of the power and

contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP001948-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Real Estate Properties NC, LLC and Cynthia Sterling, Guarantor for Real Estate Properties NC, LLC (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Real Estate Properties NC, LLC and Cynthia Sterling, Guarantor for Real Estate Properties NC, LLC) to J Chris Hu , Trustee(s), dated August 25, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 11808, at Page 0346 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modi ed by the following: A Loan Modi cation recorded on June 4, 2024, in Book No. 11987, at Page 759, 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

25SP000856-250 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 Darline Uzzle to Joel S. Jenkins Jr., Trustee(s), which was dated August 11, 2022 and recorded on August 12, 2022 in Book 11546 at Page 0522, 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 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

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 Ronald Felipe Aguado.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor

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 James C Jenkins and Ava Charlene Jenkins. An Order for possession of the property may

original principal amount of $181,725.00, and recorded in Book No. 09954, at Page 0115 of the Cumberland 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: 7925 Lester Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Tax Parcel ID: 0532-89-7996

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 the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 12, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Paula J. Wicker, dated January 15, 2014 to secure the original principal amount of $42,600.00, and recorded in Book 9413 at Page 773 of the Cumberland 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: 4130 Knollwood Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304 Tax Parcel ID: 0416-61-9793 Present Record Owners:

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 November 10, 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 2 as shown on a Plat entitled “Minor Subdivision Map for A & S Property Development” recorded in Book of Plats 131, Page 166. Together with improvements located thereon, said property being located at 3416 Green Valley Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina. For history of title, see Tract three in Deed Recorded in Book 3542, Page 552 and rerecorded in Book 3547, Page 344 and Tract one Deed recorded in Book 8747, Page 258.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must

on November 12, 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 77, in a subdivision known as Ti any Pines, Section One, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 41, Page 43, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

Said property is commonly known as 814 Opal Court, Fayetteville, NC 28311.

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

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

The Heirs of Paula J. Wicker The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Paula J. Wicker. 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

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

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 Darline Uzzle.

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

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

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 result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be

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

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 resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1,

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

purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC

Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988

File No.: 25-17839-FC01

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 § 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 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 their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

records of the Register of Deeds, is/are David Hanes. 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

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY 25 SP 317-280 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Lisa H. Freeman, Warren C. Freeman, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $191,011.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (“MERS”) as bene ciary as nominee for Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., Mortgagee, dated October 15th, 2003 and recorded on October 22nd, 2003 in Book 1472, Page 0790, Davidson County Registry. Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Davidson County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be

25 SP 134 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Kevin Garcia and Daniella Kim Garcia to Real Advantage Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated August 31, 2022 and recorded on September 6, 2022 in Book DE 2565 at Page 1263, Davidson County Registry, North Carolina.

foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Davidson County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on November 13th, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 29, High Rock Mountain Shores Subdivision, Section One, Map 2 as shown on Plat recorded in Map Book 18, Page 9, Davidson County Registry. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 717 Mountain Shore Drive, Denton, NC 27239 Tax ID: 09021D0000029 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty- ve Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. 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. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property are Warren Curtis Freeman and Lisa Hill Freeman. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes

§45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and

Being all of Lot 27, Sunnyvale Subdivision, Phase 2, per plat and survey thereof recorded in Plat Book 74, Page 80, Davidson County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same.

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

Said property is commonly known as 233 McKenzie Ct, Lexington, NC 27295.

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

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 November 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit:

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 Kevin Garcia and wife, Daniella Kim Garcia.

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 § 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”.

Davidson County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 20, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Weldon C. Idol and Lori C. Idol, dated April 30, 2003 to secure the original principal amount of $192,091.00, and recorded in Book 1413 at Page 1348 of the Davidson 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: 600 Barney Rd, High Point, NC 27265 Tax Parcel ID: 0100600000069 Present Record Owners: Weldon C. Idol The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Weldon C. Idol. 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-

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25 SP 416 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Sylvia D. Darnell and Danny D. Darnell (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Danny D. Darnell and Sylvia D. Darnell) to Alex Trullinger, Trustee(s), dated May 15, 2006, and recorded in Book No. 1699, at Page 0678 in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds Davidson County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door in Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on November 19, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Lexington in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All the premises in Township Davidson County, North Carolina, describe as follows: BEGINNING at an iron the northwest corner to Mackie Barnes thence along Mackie Barnes line North 90 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds East 165 feet to an iron; thence South 08 degrees 00 minutes 00 second East 79.86 feet to an iron; thence South 88 degrees 03 minutes 45 sec East 60.01 feet to a nail in or near the center of Sink Farm Road; thence along or near the center of Sink Farm Road South 14 degrees 10 minutes 45 seconds East 70.14 feet to a nail, corner to A. Olin Rummage; thence with Rummages, South 90 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds West 284.96 feet to an iron, in Mackie Barnes Line; thence with Barnes Line North 12 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds East 152.45 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING containing 0.756 acres more or less and being located in the northwest corner of that tract as referred to in Deed Book 554, Page 305, Davidson County Registry. Being the same property conveyed by fee simple Deed from Lisa R Owens, unmarried to Danny D. Darnell and Sylvia D Darnell, dated 8/31/1988 recorded on 08/31/1988 in Book 692, Page 415 in Davidson County Records, State of NC. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1655 Sink Farm Road, Lexington, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours 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

North

to wit: Lying and being in Durham County, North Carolina and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of

10(a), 10(b) and 9(a), Block D, Property of E. M. Henley Subdivision, as shown on the

recorded at Plat Book 6B, Page 156, Durham County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description.

Address:630 West Club Blvd., Durham NC 27701 PIN:105993

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 630 West Club Blvd, Durham, NC 27701. 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 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 Laurie McIntosh.

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

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

recorded on August 12, 2021 in Book 3632 at Page 3439, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will 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 November 20, 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 KNOWN AND DESIGNATED as Lot 15 as shown on the map of SALEM CROSSING, SECTION 1, as recorded in Plat Book 37, Page 161 in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a particular description.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1532 Ballard Ct, Kernersville, NC 27284.

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

the Deed of Trust executed by Roberto D Torres III and Sarah N Torres, husband and wife, dated June 22, 2007 and recorded on June 22, 2007 in Book RE 2763 at Page 937 of the Forsyth County, North Carolina Registry. The Property shall be sold together with improvements located thereon, towards satisfaction of the debt due by Roberto D Torres III and Sarah N Torres, and secured by the lien against such property in favor of PNC Bank, National Association.

The Commissioner will o er for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction 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 November 20, 2025 at 10:00 AM the following described real property (including all improvements thereon) located in Forsyth County, North Carolina and described as follows: BEING KNOWN AND DESIGANTED as Lot Number 31 of TINLEY PARK, MAP 2, as recorded in Plat Book 46, page 142, in the O ce of the Register of Deeds for Forsyth County, NC

known as 3432 Tinley Park Dr, Winston Salem, NC 27107 (“Property”). Said Property is secured by

The above described property will be sold, transferred and conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS” subject to liens or encumbrances of

executed by Dorothea Olena Collins and Tommy R Collins, wife and husband, dated June 2, 2006 and recorded on June 9, 2006 in Book RE 2668 at Page 3731 of the Forsyth County, North Carolina Registry. The Property shall be sold together with improvements located thereon, towards satisfaction of the debt due by Dorothea Olena Collins and Tommy R Collins, and secured by the lien against such property in favor of Mortgage Assets Management, LLC.

The Commissioner will o er for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction 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 November 20, 2025 at 10:00 AM the following described real property (including all improvements thereon) located in Forsyth County, North Carolina and described as follows:

Being known and designated as Lot No. 30 as shown on the map of Pleasant View, Section 3, as recorded in Plat Book 8, Page 131, in the o ce of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina.

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 Vichittra Prasongphime.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29

record which are superior to such Deed of Trust, together with all unpaid taxes and assessments and any recorded releases. Neither the Commissioner nor the holder of the debt secured by such Deed of Trust, nor the o cers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Commissioner or the holder of the debt make any representation 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 and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such conditions expressly are disclaimed. The Commissioner shall convey title to the property by non-warranty deed, without any covenants or warranties, express or implied.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 (c) in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the judge or 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

The above described property will be sold, transferred and conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS” subject to liens or encumbrances of record which are superior to such Deed of Trust, together with all unpaid taxes and assessments and any recorded releases. Neither the Commissioner nor the holder of the debt secured by such Deed of Trust, nor the o cers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Commissioner or the holder of the debt make any representation 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 and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such conditions expressly are disclaimed. The Commissioner shall convey title to the property by non-warranty deed, without any covenants or warranties, express or implied.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 (c) in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the judge or 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

PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

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

Upon

Pursuant

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. 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”.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current record owners of the property as re ected on the records of the FORSYTH COUNTY Register of Deeds’ o ce not more than ten (10) days prior to the date hereof are Robert D. Torres, III and wife, Sarah N. Torres. A cash deposit of ve percent (5%) of the purchasing price will be required at the time of the sale. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price of bid in cash or certi ed check at the time the Commissioner tenders a deed

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. 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

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current record owners of the property as re ected on the records of the FORSYTH

Book 18 page 155, in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 3927 Gracemont Dr, Winston Salem, NC 27106. 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

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 Kimberly Dawn Brady. 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

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000182-330

estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Thomas E. Johnson and Jeannette M. Johnson, dated September 30, 2005 to secure the original principal amount of $151,488.00, and recorded in Book 2605 at Page 838 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: 405 Bangor Dr, Winston Salem, NC 27107 Tax Parcel ID: 6855-63-9279.00 Present Record Owners: Thomas E. Johnson and Jeannette M. Johnson The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Thomas E. Johnson and Jeannette M. Johnson. 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

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kamah Woelfel (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kamah Woelfel) to Cynthia Porter eld, Trustee(s), dated August 6, 2019, and recorded in Book No. RE 3475, at Page 1093 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 12, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Pfa town in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING known and designated as Lot Number 17 as shown on the map of Oak Park, as recorded in Plat Book 30, Page 67, in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4605 Oak Park Drive, Pfa town, North Carolina.

IREDELL

SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to

COURT OF

OF NORTH CAROLINA

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours 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).

perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Iredell County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 18, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Iredell County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Ricky Stovall and Janice S. Stovall, dated June 18, 2003 to secure the original principal amount of $80,500.00, and recorded in Book 1453 at Page 2603 of the Iredell 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: 754 West Pine Circle, Statesville, NC 28677 Tax Parcel ID:

COURT DIVISION IREDELL COUNTY 25SP366 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MILTON W. TURNER, JR. AND JUDITH G. TURNER DATED NOVEMBER 15, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2459 AT PAGE 821 IN THE IREDELL COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Iredell County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 20, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Iredell County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Milton W. Turner, Jr. and Judith G. Turner, dated November 15, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $202,500.00, and recorded in Book 2459 at Page 821 of the Iredell 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: 138 Timberland Loop, Mooresville, NC 28115 Tax Parcel ID: 4665696954.000

JOHNSTON

18SP000054-500

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE

SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, JOHNSTON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Saundra A. Judd to Realty Select Settlement Service, Inc., Trustee(s), which was dated June 29, 2005 and recorded on July 29, 2005 in Book 2946 at Page 124, Johnston County Registry, North Carolina.

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

4734380837000 Present Record Owners: Ricky Stovall The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Ricky Stovall. 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

Present Record Owners: Milton W. Turner, Jr. and Judith G. Turner The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Milton W. Turner, Jr. and Judith G. Turner. 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 resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor,

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 resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a

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

Said property is commonly known as 469 Hunters Way, Clayton, NC 27520.

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

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 November 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Johnston County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL OF LOT 83, SECTION II, GLENHAVEN SUBDIVISION, AS DEPICTED IN MAP BOOK 57, PAGE 93, JOHNSTON COUNTY REGISTRY.

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 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 Saundra A. Judd.

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 § 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

fty

to

is

and encumbrances and

and assessments including

described in that certain Deed of Trust executed John Michael Guzi, Jr. and Gary Lee Hollar Jr., dated July 8, 2009 to secure the original principal amount of $88,013.00, and recorded in Book 3730 at Page 585 of the Johnston 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: 310 North Massey St, Selma, NC 27576 Tax Parcel ID: 14021029 Present Record Owners: John M. Guzi, Jr. The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are John M. Guzi, Jr. 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

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

25SP001374-640 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

recorded on November 23, 2021 in Book 6515 at Page 206, New Hanover 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 November 18, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the

25SP001178-640

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, NEW HANOVER COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Larry Linkous to David Silverman, Trustee(s), which was dated February 29, 2024 and recorded on February 29, 2024 in Book RB 6691 at Page 2745, New Hanover 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 November 18, 2025 at 01:00 PM, and

and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 18, 2025 at 01:30 PM, and

166 Rosin Court, Wilmington, NC 28405 Tax Parcel ID: R05014-003-024-000 Present Record Owners: The Estate of Carl Ray Stevens The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Carl Ray Stevens. 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,

following described property situated in New Hanover County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL OF Lot 33 in Phase, 1, Section 1 of Porters Neck Plantation, as the same is shown and described on map thereof recorded in Map Book 31, Page 379, revised in Map Book 33, Page 183, in the o ce of the Register of Deeds of New Hanover County, North Carolina, and in those Restrictive Covenants recorded in Book 1555 at Page 957 and following pages in the Registry, and all amendments and supplements thereto; and having Tax Parcel ID number R03712003-009-000 and being the same lands described, or intended to be described, in the deed recorded in Book 6222, page 1963 in said Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 8404 Fazio Drive, Wilmington, NC 28411.

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

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in New Hanover County, North Carolina, to wit:

Being all of Lot 6 in Section 2 of Winchester, as the same is shown and described on map thereof recorded in Map Book 31, Page 190 in the o ce of the Register of Deeds of New Hanover County, North Carolina, and in those Restrictive Covenants recorded in Book 1315 at Page 1130 and Book 1521 at Page 199 and following pages in said Registry, and all amendments and suppplements thereto; and having Tax Parcel ID number R02619-008-020000 and being the same lands described, or intended to be described, in the deed recorded in Book 4831, Page 46 in said Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 3060 Weatherby Ct, Wilmington, NC 28405.

A certi ed check only (no personal checks) of ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00),

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in New Hanover County, North Carolina, to wit: Tax ID Number(s): R04910-006-034-000

Land situated in the City of Wilmington in the County of New Hanover in the State of NC

Being all of Lot 68 in Section 3 of Fairlawn Subdivision as the same is shown on a map of said subdivision duly recorded in Map Book 7 at Page 47 of the New Hanover County Registry.

Commonly known as: 503 Estate Rd, Wilmington, NC 28405-3353

The property address and tax parcel identi cation number listed are provided solely for informational purposes.

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

Said property is commonly known as 503 Estate Rd, Wilmington, NC 28405.

A Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal

sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the New Hanover County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 20, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in New Hanover County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed James A. Hansen and Kelly Hansen, dated July 10, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $133,200.00, and recorded in Book 5049 at Page 1537 of the New Hanover 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: 309 Brook eld Dr, Wilmington, NC 28405 Tax Parcel ID: R04207-007-006-000 Present Record Owners:

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 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 Sharon L La Fave and Bradley Smith and spouse, Danielle Smith, as Joint Tenants with the

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 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 Larry Linkous.

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 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

Right of Survivorship.

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 § 45-21.16A(b)(2)].

follows: Property Known as: 110 Hampton Drive, Holly Ridge, NC 28445 Being all of Lot 311, Neighborhoods of Holly Ridge, Phase Three, Section Nine as shown on map recorded in Map Book 64, Page 227 of the Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 110 Hampton Drive, Holly Ridge, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

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 § 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.

owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Johnnie M. Keith. 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 § 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

to

may be

by bidders not physically

at the

by the person conducting the

or

agent”. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any

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

Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 25-04310-FC01

be

of

Kelly Gurganious Hansen The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Kelly Gurganious Hansen. 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

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

evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the

Center in Monroe, Union County,

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

19SP000263-890

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Clementine Hall, Eddie Hall and Willie S. Hall (PRESENT RECORD

OWNER(S): ) to First American Title Insurance Company Trustee for Magna Cap MTG Corp., Trustee(s), dated April 30, 1998, and recorded in Book No. 1091, at Page 0115 in Union 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 Union 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 Judicial Center in Monroe, Union County,

on

13,

or

1:00

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Indian Trail in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 42 of TAYLOR GLENN, PHASE 1, MAP 5, as shown on map thereof recorded in Plat Cabinet G, File 830 and 831 of the Union County Public Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2007 Magna Lane, Indian Trail, North Carolina. Being in all respects the same property conveyed to Mario Ramirez Sanchez, borrowers herein, by Julio Fernandez and Johanna Teresa Pena Montero, by deed led in said registry contemporaneously herewith. Property Address: 2007 Magna Lane, Indian Trail, NC 28079 Parcel No.: 07096389 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 13, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Monroe in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 5 of ROLLING HILLS (REVISED) as shown on map thereof recorded in Map Book 4 at page 218 in the Union Public Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1200 Memory Lane, Monroe, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours 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

County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on November 17, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Holly Springs in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being in the Town of Holly Springs, Holly Springs Township, Wake County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows:

All of Lot 1679 in Twelve Oaks PUD, Phase 9, Section 2B, as shown on the maps thereof recorded in Book of Maps 2020, Pages 519-521, Wake County Registry, to which maps reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 628 Sage Oak Lane, Holly Springs, North Carolina.

by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake

FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY 25-SP 001310-910 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Emmerson T. Mupfumira and Patricia J. Mupfumira, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $186,530.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (“MERS”) as bene ciary, as nominee for First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, NC Banking Corporation, Mortgagee, dated November 24th, 2008 and recorded on November 24th, 2008 in Book 013309, Page 00149, Wake County Registry. Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Wake County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 24SP001815-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JULIAN LUSTIG AND JANICE LUSTIG DATED AUGUST 30, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 16512 AT PAGE 1979 AND REAFFIRMED IN AFFIDAVIT RECORDED OCTOBER 31, 2016 IN BOOK 16589, PAGE 169 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

Property Address: 628 Sage Oak Lane, Holly Springs, NC 27540

PIN/PARCEL NO.: 0475013

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as

having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Wake County, North Carolina, at 10:00 AM on November 20, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 25 of Woodlands of Timberlake, Phase 1, as is shown on map recorded in Book of Maps 2005, Page 264, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 98 Wood Green Drive, Wendell, NC 27591 Tax ID: 0326409 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty- ve Cents (0.45) per each One

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 20, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Julian Lustig and Janice Lustig, dated August 30, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $563,200.00, and recorded in Book 16512 at Page 1979 of the Wake 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: 201 Honeyridge Lane, Holly Springs, NC 27540 Tax Parcel ID: 0423061 Present Record Owners:

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

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

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

Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. 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. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Emmerson T. Mupfumira. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for

Julian Lustig and Janice Lustig

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

possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be e ective on a date stated in the notice

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Julian Lustig and Janice Lustig. 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 resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor,

Said property is commonly known as 1132 Amber Acres Lane, Knightdale, NC 27545.

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.

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 November 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Lot 87 of Amber Acres North Subdivision, as is shown on map recorded in Book of Maps 1997, Page 247, Wake County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for greater certainty of description. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

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 Lavette H. Young.

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 § 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 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 their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988

File No.: 25-11103-FC01

SP 000739-910

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Martha Danielle Thompson, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $143,073.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (“MERS”)

the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds of Wake County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Wake County, North Carolina, at 10:00 AM on November 13th, 2025, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 42, Turner Farms, Section V, Phase V, as depicted in Book of Maps 1993, Page 140, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 209 Hunters Farm Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603 Tax ID: 0199129 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty- ve Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part

25SP001808-910

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by JAMES W FONVILLE AND VERONICA L FONVILLE to ROPER & COLEMAN, PA, Trustee(s), which was dated November 7, 2007 and recorded on November 13, 2007 in Book 12832 at Page 2422, Wake 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

24SP001019-910

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Christopher Miller-Williams to Allan B. Polunsky, Trustee(s), which was dated March 23, 2022 and recorded on March 28, 2022 in Book 018969 at Page 00883, Wake 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 November 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING LOT NO. 23 ON THE MAP/PLAN OF LAUREL WOODS TOWNHOMES, AS SHOWN ON THE PLAT OF RECORD IN BOOK OF MAPS 2001, PAGE 2407, IN REGISTER’S OFFICE FOR WAKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, TO WHICH PLAT REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE FOR A MORE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION THEREOF.

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

Said property is commonly known as 3926 Sunset Maple Ct, Raleigh, NC 27612.

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

on November 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit:

BEING ALL OF LOT 33, BATTLE RIDGE NORTH, PHASE 4 AS SHOWN ON THE PLAT RECORDED IN BOOK OF MAPS 2004, PAGE 988, WAKE COUNTY REGISTRY.

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

Said property is commonly known as 6120 Paducah Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610.

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.

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 24SP000370-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by CASSANDRA D COVINGTON AND GERALDINE COVINGTON payable to JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., lender, to ANGELA GREENBERG, Trustee, dated February 15, 2008, and recorded in Book 012955, Page 01255 and further modi ed by Agreement recorded on October 24, 2022 in Book 19180, Page 565 of the Wake County Public Registry by Anthony Maselli or Genevieve Johnson, either of whom may act, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anthony Maselli or Genevieve Johnson, either of whom may act, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O cial Records of Wake County, North Carolina, in Book 019538, Page 00147, 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 Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on Friday, November 21, 2025 at 12:00pm, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 1735493998 ADDRESS: 5413 GLENMORGAN LN., RALEIGH, NC 27616 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): CASSANDRA D COVINGTON AND GERALDINE COVINGTON THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF WAKE, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 12955, PAGE 1255 AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 202, STOWECROFT SUBDIVISION, PHASE 11, AS SHOWN ON PLAT RECORDED IN BOOK OF MAPS 2007, PAGES 2144-2146, WAKE 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

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. 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. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Martha Danielle Thompson. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes

Grove Dr, Raleigh, NC 27616 Tax Parcel ID: 1736350305

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

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 James W. Fonville.

An Order for possession of the property may

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 Christopher Miller-Williams.

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

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

§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

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 § 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”.

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

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 sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered

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

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 their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-12780-FC01

INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

Terrass Scott Misher, Esq. or Sarah A. Waldron ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Road, Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

Property Address: 724 Glenville Lake Drive, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Tax ID # 0367072

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be

RECORD OWNER(S): Joshua N. Ellis and Kelby Berry Ellis) to Nathan D. Benson, Trustee(s), dated January 23, 2014, and recorded in Book No. 015563, at Page 02340 in Wake 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 Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on November 10, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fuquay Varina in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being in the Town of FuquayVarina, Middle Creek Township, WAKE County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: All of Lot 147 in South Lakes Subdivision, Parcel SF-3C, as shown on the map(s) recorded in Book of Maps 2007, Pages 453-455, Wake County Registry, to which map(s) reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 724 Glenville Lake Drive, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina.

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

the BRIEF this week

USDA says SNAP will be partially funded in November

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program in November after two federal judges required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount bene ciaries receive will be reduced.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running, with leeway to pay for it entirely or partially.

Two men accused of plotting terror attacks at LGBTQ+ bars near Detroit

Two men have been charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere. According to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court, the men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and co-conspirators were inspired by the Islamic State group’s extremism, according to a court ling.

$2.00

Chapel Hill approves rezoning for multifamily developments

The two developments are proposing up to 245 residential units

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record

CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Town Council met Oct. 22 for its regular business meeting, with two rezoning cases the primary items on the agenda.

Mike Jackson was named Outstanding Veteran of the Year by the state DAV

By Bob Wachs For Chatham News & Record

IT’S A LONG WAY from Chatham County to the Middle Eastern country of Kuwait — almost 7,000 miles to be exact — but for a local resident,

The council rst approved a rezoning request for a 19 -acre parcel on 115 Chapel Point Road, a part of the Carraway Residential Phase III plan and north of the existing Carraway Village between I-40 and Eubanks Road, for the purpose of constructing a 169-unit multi-

family development consisting of townhomes and apartments.

According to the applicant, the buildings will be three stories with 10% of the multifamily units being a ordable, half at 60% area median income (AMI) and the other half at 80% AMI.

“I’m very excited about getting density here,” said councilmember Melissa McCullough.

“Our hearts are here, and we’re excited to see how the store can evolve to meet the needs of the community while maintaining its legacy.” Carolyn Routh

that was his home for more than eight months in the early 1990s.

Mike Jackson, now 70, grew up a couple of miles east of the courthouse in Pittsboro. After a four-year stint in the Navy, most spent as a cook and supply o cer based in San Diego, he joined the Naval Reserves unit in Raleigh in 1975. When the United States joined a coalition of nations in 1990 to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation

Daniel and Carolyn Routh purchased Sawyer’s Hardware with plans to preserve its legacy

By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY — For many independent artists, side jobs help fund creative pursuits.

For Daniel and Carolyn Routh — the husband-and-wife team behind the nationally acclaimed bluegrass band Nu-Blu — it’s their music that’s made it possible to invest back into the town they love.

over regional oil production, he was recalled to active duty in September of that year and soon found himself, along with two comrades from the reserve unit, at the Jacksonville Marine base on his way overseas.

Looking back from today at that time, he remembered, “I didn’t know what to think when they called me up, but I went and would do it all over again.”

The developers did o er an alternate plan that included two townhouse units, but it would require all a ordable units being at 80% AMI.

“In the original proposal, we could not include townhomes as they are the larger and most expensive units we’d be

“They knew I’d done supply before, so I was assigned to EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) to some divers who were responsible for keeping our ships safe.”

As part of his service then, Jackson procured everything from food and water to fuses and

He noted it was his active duty service area that led to his call-up.

The Rouths recently purchased Sawyer’s Hardware and Supply, formerly known as Siler City Hardware, a cornerstone business downtown. Their earnest goal was to preserve the store’s heritage while giving it a fresh identity that re ects the town’s evolving energy.

Both Daniel and Carolyn come from families whose entrepreneurial spirit has shaped Siler City for generations. Daniel’s family opened Blue Mist BBQ in 1948, while Carolyn’s grandparents founded Johnson’s Drive-In

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

America runs on dunkin’

UNC forward Caleb Wilson dunks against Central Arkansas on Monday in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels handily won their season opener over the Bears 94-54.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

Oct. 27

• Jessica Rose Flanagan, 42, of Durham, was arrested for larceny and felony conspiracy.

• Brandon Douglas Massey, 35, of Pittsboro, was arrested for breaking and entering, assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Oct. 29

• Rebecca Diane Kilgore, 51, of Siler City, was arrested for maintaining a dwelling/ vehicle/place for controlled substance, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

• Melinda Rose Kilgore, 73, of Siler City, was arrested for maintaining a dwelling/ vehicle/place for controlled substance, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Oct. 30

• Matthew Ryan Brasington, 38, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for rst degree sexual exploitation of a minor, crime against nature, indecent liberties with a child and employing or permitting a minor to assist in o ense under article.

• Lechae Olivia Rejanne Newkirk, 34, of Siler City, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny, communicating threats and assault with a deadly weapon.

Oct. 31

• Bryan Alejandro Fernandez, 21, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for sexual extortion of adult/ forced sex o ense, assault on a female and domestic violence protective order violation.

• Diner Evaristo Godinez Ardiano, 35, of Durham, was arrested for driving while impaired and failure to maintain lane control.

Young T. rex or new dinosaur? New bones add to the debate

The 80-year-old mystery has remained an open question for decades

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?

At rst, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate but didn’t settle the controversy. Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — rst uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identi es the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said

study co-author Lindsay Zanno with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State.

Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully edged T. rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major di erences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.

Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery

skeletons like Jane are something new.

Other independent scientists also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.

There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.

“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.

Resolving the case is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier but still mighty predator also roamed.

The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops and is currently on display at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

SAWYER’S from page A1

in 1946 — a still-thriving, nationally recognized burger spot now operated by Carolyn and her sons. Their latest venture, Daniel says, was guided as much by heart as by business sense.

“Dennis Sawyer has been a family friend, and he had interest from other buyers, but they did not intend to preserve the location as a hardware store,” he said. “We want to preserve the hardware store and maintain a vibrant community.”

The couple sees the purchase as part of a broader effort to revitalize downtown Siler City, which they believe is key to sustaining the town’s character and sense of connection.

“Revitalizing Sawyer’s Hardware is part of a larger vision for our town,” said Carolyn Routh. “We want to o er something that appeals to everyone — whether you’re a longtime resident or someone visiting for the rst time. Our hearts are here, and we’re excited to see how the store can evolve to meet the needs of the community while maintaining its legacy.”

New owners Daniel and Carolyn Routh pose for a picture at Sawyer’s Hardware and Supply in Siler City.

The Rouths have toured the U.S. and abroad as musicians for more than two decades, combining bluegrass tradition with contemporary storytelling. Their band’s success — including ve Top 10 albums on the Bluegrass Albums chart and collaborations with Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White and Jim Peterik — has deepened their roots at home.

As new owners of Sawyer’s Hardware, the couple plans to expand the store’s inventory and services while main-

taining its hometown feel. Future plans include hosting community events, spotlighting local artists, and incorporating music and creativity into the downtown experience. Sawyer’s Hardware, long known for its friendly sta and customer- rst approach, has served Siler City for decades. Under the Rouths’ stewardship, it’s poised to remain a trusted gathering place — where tradition and hometown pride meet the promise of renewal.

CHATHAM happening

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

Nov. 8

Mocha Market 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

An assortment of vendors will o er a variety or holiday décor and gift items. For more information, call 919-799-7127.

Mystic Mocha 111 Siler City Crossing Siler City

Nov. 9

Sunday Funday Market at The Plant Noon to 4 p.m.

The market o ers a wide range of vendors from crafts to eatables and beverages. Live musical performances will be showcased throughout the day. Free admission.

220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Nov. 11

Chatham Women’s Exchange

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This conference centers around women’s issues, including empowerment and nding ways to resolve challenges and make a di erence in the community. For more information and to register, contact Cheryl Littleton at 984-265-9172.

Splendour Estates 621 Siler City Snow Camp Road Siler City

Nov. 14

Where the Stars, Stripes and Eagles Fly 9:30-10:15 a.m.

This program, designed for children ages 3-5, is part of the Chatham American 250 celebration. Participants will be introduced to patriotic symbols through craft and story time, which will explain how these things came to be associated with U.S. history and identity. Registration, which is required and costs $7, is now open and closes on Nov. 3. Contact 919-642-7086.

Chatham Grove Community Center 1301 Andrews Store Road Pittsboro

SAWYER’S

SAWYER’S HARDWARE & SUPPLY VIA PLA MEDIA

The refreshed interior of Sawyer’s Hardware and Supply preserves the hometown charm of the former Siler City Hardware.

NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES VIA AP

The skull of a T. rex may actually be a new species.

Alabama man charged with threatening religious leaders

He was charged with making an interstate communications threat

By Kim Chandler

The Associated Press MONTGOMERY, Ala.

— Federal prosecutors have charged an Alabama man with making threatening calls and texts to multiple rabbis, an imam and others in the South, including telling one rabbi that “I want you to die.”

Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker of Needham, Alabama, was charged with making an Interstate Communications Threat. He was arrested earlier on related state charges of resisting arrest and possession of a pistol by a person forbidden to legally have a handgun.

An FBI agent wrote in court documents that Shoemaker made a series of menacing calls and texts to rabbis in Alabama and Louisiana, an imam in Georgia, a church in North Carolina and others. Multiple rearms were later found in the man’s home, along with a suitcase full of ammunition and papers listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of religious leaders and other prominent gures, authorities said.

The agent wrote that Shoemaker told authorities that the communications were not a

threat of actual violence but “an e ort to intimidate or engage in psychological warfare.” Court documents also suggest the man has a diagnosed mental illness. His grandmother told the FBI agent that he had refused to take his medication for the illness, the agent wrote. The name of the diagnosis was redacted in public court documents.

An FBI agent’s a davit led with federal court documents said that Shoemaker came to the attention of federal authorities after leaving threatening voice messages, including one earlier this month for a rabbi in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

“I want you to die because you want the death of us,” Shoemaker said in one of the calls. “You want the West to die o .”

The agent wrote that Shoemaker sent text messages to an Islamic center in Louisiana in 2024, including one stating that the “jews and you musIimeens have declared war on us again, and we are going to defend ourselves.” Another to a Georgia imam this year said he knew where the imam lived and warned for him to watch his back.

Shoemaker told the FBI agent that he did not intend any violence and the calls and texts were an attempt at intimidation.

“Shoemaker claimed his statements were satire, not a le-

gitimate threat, rebuttal, and mocking them,” the agent wrote.

A search of Shoemaker’s home found multiple rearms, a body armor carrier and numerous boxes of ammunition.

Needham is a small town in southwest Alabama located about 10 miles from the Mississippi-Alabama border. Shoemaker is being held in the Choctaw County Jail.

Sara Jones, FBI special agent in charge, said multiple law enforcement agencies acted “within hours of learning of a threat to a member of the Jewish community.”

“This is a prime example of law enforcement working together to crush violent crime and protect the American people,” Jones said in a statement Friday.

Ernest C. McCorquodale, III, a defense lawyer representing Shoemaker in the state charges, declined to comment when reached.

The Clarke County Sheri ’s O ce announced Tuesday that a man was taken into custody by a multiagency force after the FBI and other law enforcement o ces were “noti ed of credible threats of violence made against multiple synagogues throughout Alabama and surrounding states.” A photo posted by the sheri ’s department shows a semi-automatic rie, shotgun, handgun and piles of ammunition taken from the home.

Church News

HANKS CHAPEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST CELEBRATES 190 YEARS!

Join us as we celebrate the 190th church anniversary of Hanks Chapel United Church of Christ, located at 190 Hanks Loop Road in Pittsboro on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 10:30 a.m. A special worship service will be followed by dinner on the church grounds. All are welcome!

HOUSE OF PRAYER FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

The House of Prayer Fellowship Church, 549 Horton Road in Goldston, will be having our annual Rainbow Tea on Saturday, Nov. 8 at noon. There will be food, fellowship and fun. The pastor is the Rev. Annie C. Glover. Come on out and help us celebrate!

REZONING from page A1

constructing here, so we went back and looked at every angle, every way, tried to get creative,” said Northwood Ravin Vice President Adam Golden. “There’s a push-pull here.”

The proposal would have kept the same number of affordable units (16), including two townhouse units which would be exactly the same as the market-rate units.

However, the council voted 7-1 for the original proposal without the townhome units included, with councilmember Camille Berry the lone dissent.

“There is a need for this,” said councilmember Camille Berry. “As someone who has faced housing insecurity with three children, the larger townhomes are helpful to families and households that are larger.”

The council also approved a rezoning application for approximately four acres of property located at 5640 Old Chapel Hill Road to allow for the development of up to 76 townhome units.

Per the applicant, the proposed plan would include eight residential buildings, with garage/surface parking,

outdoor amenities and public greenspace as well as the allotment of 15% of the market-rate units as a ordable.

Half of the a ordable units will be at 65% AMI and the other half will be at 80% AMI.

The council also made note of its current vacancy, created by the resignation of former councilmember Karen Stegman in June.

The Oct. 22 meeting was also the council’s rst o cial meeting where a temporary replacement could be nominated, although they would only be serving for a few weeks.

“This vacant position is one of the council’s seats that is on the Nov. 4 ballot and, as a result, an appointed member would serve until the council’s organizational meeting on Dec. 3, when the newly elected council is o cially seated,” said Mayor Jessica Anderson.

While the council may make nominations for an appointment, none were brought forth at the meeting.

The council will meet two more times (Nov. 12 and Nov. 19) before the new council is o cially seated.

The Chapel Hill Town Council will next meet Nov. 12.

HONOR from page A1

other hardware for his divers.

“Even found a truck for an ofcer once,” he said.

While he wasn’t a diver himself, Jackson said the constant routine of stress, death and destruction on a daily basis combined with being away from home began to take its toll.

“It was a rough time,” he said. “I had a 7-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter and missing them, birthdays, holidays, other family was hard.”

Eventually, his tour ended, and he returned to the U.S.

“The other two guys who went with me got out when we got home but I stayed in,” he said, “and retired in 2001.”

While his service record was a good one, the experience resulted in some disability issues, including PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition caused by extremely stressful or terrifying events), skin rashes likely from Middle Eastern insects and control sprays, as well as some sleep disorder.

Although he quali ed for total military disability upon his return home, Jackson hasn’t been sitting down. In addition to being active in his community and church — Mt. Olive Baptist, just north of the Chatham-Alamance line — he’s taken a leading role in the local DAV (Disabled American Veterans) post — Chapter 91, Pittsboro, serving as commander for the past 25 years, replacing his late uncle Jim Weeks in that role.

Earlier this year at the annual North Carolina DAV convention in Raleigh, Jackson was surprised to be named “Out-

Olive Church donated a van not long ago to the DAV for its use.

“I didn’t know what to think when they called me up, but I went and would do it all over again.”

Mike Jackson

standing Veteran of the Year” by the N.C. DAV Department. He was nominated for the honor by his pastor, the Rev. Travis Cade, an Army veteran and himself a member of the local DAV post.

“Mike does everything for everybody,” Cade says. “He takes them to appointments, to the doctors, helps the guys get the bene ts they deserve. He works hard, going above and beyond.”

As a testimony to that, Mt.

“When I got it,” Jackson said, “it had 80,000 miles on it. I looked the other day and it’s got 104,000 miles.”

The local DAV is always looking for two things — more members and more activities to help the public know and remember sacri ces made on behalf of the nation. One of the more recent undertakings is the memorial crosses lining city streets near the courthouse. The crosses, while a fundraiser for both the DAV and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), are meant to honor those who have served our nation. A one-time cost of $100 per cross ensures the crosses, with name and branch of service, will be displayed every Veterans Day.

Share with your community! Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@ chathamnewsrecord.com

The weekly deadline is Monday at Noon.

COURTESY PAM JACKSON

Left to right, Marquis Bare eld, DAV assistant national director, Washington, D.C.; Mike Jackson; James M. (Jim) Hunter, commander N.C. DAV Department.

CLARKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT VIA AP

Authorities say these weapons and ammunition were removed from the home of an Alabama man following a search warrant.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Mama Dip, Mister Rogers and Us

Their inability to work together is inexcusable; the hungry are ultimately the losers of their blame game.

MILDRED COTTON COUNCIL , better known as Mama Dip of the Chapel Hill restaurant, used to say that the best conversations happen over a plate of good food. I nd that deeply true. I am also concerned that people do not have enough food to share.

The government shutdown has threatened food funding for 42 million Americans, including children. Melissa Driver Beard, executive director of CORA, estimates that nearly $800,000 in SNAP bene ts help Chatham County families purchase food every month. Without that money, thousands of our neighbors will face hunger for the rst time.

There are plenty of pundits and politicians pointing ngers, but all parties, from our congressional representatives to the president, should be held responsible for this collective

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

moral failure. Their inability to work together is inexcusable; the hungry are ultimately the losers of their blame game. I also contend that the general public should be accountable to a higher standard than merely pointing out the fault in others. In her email to CORA supporters, Beard cited the wisdom of Mister Rogers: “It’s easy to say, ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider them my heroes.” How might you, gentle reader, be such a hero? A donation of either food or funds to CORA is a good start.

Perhaps now more than ever, the change of heart we wish to see in our elected o cials must begin with us. When you sit down at a table with your loved ones, are you thankful for the food you have to share? Could this gratitude

for such grace motivate you not only to give back but also to reconcile with those around di erent tables? I rmly believe that Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, can come together over the issue of providing food security. Remember the advice of the late Mama Dip. The best conversations happen over a plate of good food. I imagine that you have experienced a meal when hard frowns softened into soft smiles, when judgment was seasoned with compassion, and when laughter over owed into the whole room. Perhaps these kinds of conversations will move us to be better at nourishing our neighbors.

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.

Trick or Treat benefits come in many forms

I miss the anticipation I once had both as child and adult — at least a biological adult — that came with the event.

HALLOWEEN WAS A FEW days ago; I know that. But let me touch on it one more time.

Once again this year, no one came by our place to do the Trick or Treat thing. It could be for several reasons, I guess.

One, at least it seems to me, is that, by and large, not as many folks do that as they once did.

Another likely reason could be that it’s not quite as big a deal in rural parts of the land, such as the place where I hang my hat. Not having street lights makes it hard to get around in the dark.

And another is that a growing number of churches and communities and schools are having Halloween parties, “No Fright Night(s)” and “Trunk or Treat” where little folks go by open car trunks and van rear ends to show o their costumes and pick up a piece or two or three of candy.

Once we did the latter at the locale where I attended church and one little Smurfette had trouble guring out that the pencil she received at one stop was in fact a pencil and not a sucker in disguise.

And it could be a growing number of parents and guardians are a bit wary of taking in “treats” from the general public. In recent years, stories have abounded about the number of folks who do criminally insane things like put ant poison in brownies and razor blades in candy bars.

The evil ones who do that should be boiled in their own oil … or at the very least be made to listen to Barry Manilow albums day and night.

Whatever the reason for all this, I miss the anticipation I once had both as child and adult — at least a biological adult — that came with the event.

As a youngster, it wasn’t hard for me to come up with a costume. By virtue of the fact I had stayed often and long at my mama’s table, I was not what you might

call “tiny.” So if I wanted to go out on Halloween every year as the circus big boy, my costume was already halfway there.

Coupled with that was the fact I went to the same homes I went to during the day — Allen and Hazel Money, Mal and Ruby White, Glenn and Elsie White, Wallace and Alma Farrell and on down the Hanks Chapel Road. What they didn’t give me on Spook Night was readily available from them anytime I might “drop in” some other time in the daylight hours.

And the fact they obviously knew who I was, since I wasn’t all that big on makeup, didn’t hurt the haul.

In time as a child, I morphed out of all the Halloween stu . By the time I got to my late teen years, I was already aware of some scary stu in real life, things like the local draft board and college exams.

However, when the two who used to be teenagers who lived at my house were coming along in their younger days, their mother and I picked up the mantle for them. For awhile we lived in Apex when it was still its own little town — before it became Raleigh South — and we knew the neighborhoods and where to take our little ones. And early on I led them in discovering the sheer delight of sharing their candy with their father.

Later when we moved to DC — Deep Chatham — the street lights issue (see above) came into play. But on Halloween one year, when our two were at a function elsewhere, I did it up right.

The big black kettle that doubled as a washing machine for my grandmother lived with us. We had a fairly long driveway from the road up to our house. A wide front porch provided the perfect place for rocking chairs and the dining room window that opened onto the porch was a perfect place for me to hide a stereo speaker.

As darkness settled, I started a re

under the pot where it sat on the yard and the dry ice in it gave o just the right amount of white smoke. On the stereo was my album of spooky sound e ects and unusual, shall we say, mood music, and in a rocker on the edge of the porch sat a large silent and stu ed dark gure.

Me.

As the day faded and the night came, a few little folks came by. Shirley was appropriately scared of their out ts and gave them some goodies — and a hug since we knew them and they — and their folks — knew us.

As the night wore on, the supply of goblins began to diminish and we were ready to pack it in … until pay dirt showed up. Out on the road at the edge of the driveway, a vehicle stopped. We knew who it was, so there wasn’t going to be any liability with what was about to happen. The young lady in question, almost a teenager, came easing up the driveway, eyeing the smoking pot and listening intently to the sounds coming from the window.

About the time she approached the black pot, I stood up from my rocking chair seat and called her name.

I’m pretty sure she stopped a couple of hundred yards down the road, and later we did return her treat bag, saying we think she accidentally must have dropped it in our yard. And in time she did get her voice back after it healed from all the hollering and screaming she put it through.

That was the last time I expended such e ort; it wore me out just getting ready.

But the candy … well, it was worth it.

Pass the Snickers, please.

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

Still predator-challenged, after all these years

I’m innately primed to judge others so I can move safely through the world.

THIS BEING HUMAN THING …

It’s hard, hard, hard.

I (proudly) have a bumper sticker a xed to my car, “Love Thy Neighbor — No Exceptions.” Uh-huh. Contrast that bumper sticker with my brain’s inherited neuroscience-based reality of “judge others quickly to survive.” Of course, since we’re all human, it’s your inherited reality too.

Inherited? What’s the nature of a reality that undermines “loving thy neighbor?”

My personal reality is of one who judges others ± a lot. (Cringe. I hate outing myself. Perfection, please. OK, next life …)

Back to this innate judging “reality” which stampedes right over my hoped-for value of loving my neighbors (and also the capacity to demonstrate my sterling character to others, including you.)

First, there’s this teeny-tiny problem with my brain. I’m innately primed to judge others so I can move safely through the world.

Safely?

Our collective human story goes back millions of years when survival was based on split-second judgments about predators — which ones I could eat and which ones could eat me. “Oh, no, get me out of here! Jeez, look at those sharp teeth!” Our brains continue to be primed regarding protecting us from predators. And making snap judgments about others (predator/

nonpredator) is still a hard-wired part of our modern brains.

We’re primed to look for the negative (saber-toothed tigers or their modern equivalents) because quick judgments of bad are what kept us alive millions of years ago and remain part of our brain’s mainframe today. Paying attention to “loving my neighbor” but not the charging T. Rex probably didn’t bolster my chances of survival eons ago. You know?

So what’s a “Love Thy Neighbor — No Exceptions” bumper sticker kind-ofgal to do with, yes, an eons-old, reactive, brain mechanism, continuing to be on the lookout for threatening modern day T. Rex’s? Still predator-challenged, after all these years … I’m consciously working with my reactivity, and I’m betting, you are too. Let’s keep trying, shall we? Ergo, the S-LO-W ballet of evolution. Twisting, turning, falling, rising back up …

In the meanwhile, my bumper sticker “Love Thy Neighbor — No Exceptions” may be above my current reactivity pay grade. I’d like something more in line with my present day process of slowly evolving. Hmmm … what about “Humankind — Be Both?” That’s a bar I could almost meet…

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

Tying loan forgiveness to ideology

LEAVE IT TO THE TRUMP administration to come up with yet another way to enforce — and I mean enforce — its political ideology on students. It’s bad enough — well, worse than bad enough — that they are trying to police our classrooms; their next move is to rede ne what “public service” means for purposes of loan forgiveness.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, passed under former President George W. Bush in 2007, was intended to encourage students laden with debt to still choose a lower-paying job in the public sector over a higher-paying one in the private sector because of the promise of loan forgiveness down the road. The way it works is you pay o your loan monthly for 10 years, and then the balance of the loan gets canceled. More than a million students who work in government and the public sector have gotten relief under the program.

Last Thursday, the Trump administration released a new “rule” — actually 185 pages of regulations — about just what employers would qualify for the program. Under the new rule, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who proposed the rule, would have the right to disqualify employers who engage in activities the department deems to have a “substantial illegal purpose.”

Do you work with illegal immigrants?

Do you work with transgender youth, on civil rights, civil liberties or health care issues?

Do you engage in public protests that close highways without permission?

These are the examples that come from news reports of the new rule.

Rep. Bobby Scott, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, told The Washington Post the new rule could impact organizations that serve marginalized communities, such as those advocating for civil rights or immigrant and refugee families amid ICE raids, and health providers that serve LGBTQ+ youth.

“This rule follows the Trump administration’s disturbing pattern of making repayment less a ordable and taking money out of the pockets of hardworking families, all while attempting to police political speech,” Scott said.

Speaking for the administration,

BE IN TOUCH

Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in a statement: “The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was meant to support Americans who dedicate their careers to public service — not to subsidize organizations that violate the law, whether by harboring illegal immigrants or performing prohibited medical procedures that attempt to transition children away from their biological sex.”

Scoring political points on the backs of the most vulnerable. Defending immigrants without papers is not and cannot be illegal, try as McMahon might, and surely will, argue to the contrary. Ask anyone who’s applied for loan forgiveness whether it’s a simple thing, and they’ll point to the complicated process. The new “rule” makes it even more complicated. It will surely be challenged in court before it takes e ect — which is why it is seemingly tailored to illegal activity — once it is implemented, which is no solace to students who have to bet a chunk of their futures on which way the wind is blowing. Which, after all, is the whole point. The new rule, and the way it is being explained and defended, highlights yet again the extraordinary embrace of the anti-trans label by this administration. Some 3% of teens self-identify as trans or nonbinary according to a recent CDC survey, but very few even have the option of gender a rming care. On the same day the Education Department was out selling its new rule, NPR learned that HHS is working up two new rules of its own: one that would bar Medicaid and CHIP reimbursement for medical care provided to transgender patients younger than age 18 or 19, respectively; and an additional rule that would block all Medicaid and Medicare funding for any services at hospitals that provide pediatric gender-a rming care. According to NPR, both proponents and opponents of the new rules agree that, especially at the broadest, they would make access to pediatric gender-a rming care across the country “extremely di cult, if not impossible.” It was an e ective 30-second ad in the campaign. But is this the stu of a legacy?

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country. The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging. Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture. The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problemsolving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or short-term xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

obituaries

Nina Sharon Ridge Paschal

Jan. 23, 2025 –Oct. 26, 2025

Nina Sharon Ridge Paschal passed away peacefully at her home on October 26, 2025. She was preceded in death by her precious daughter, Robin Day Paschal, her brother, Colonel Martin Ray Ridge, and her parents, Cone and Harriett Ridge.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 62 years, Wade H. Paschal, Jr. and her children: Wendy Paschal (Bob Bodner), Ann Paschal (David Beaver), Sarah Cartrette (Brian Cartrette), and Liz Nimick (Bill Nimick); grandchildren: Jack Beaver, Ben Beaver, Zach Cartrette, and Sophie Cartrette. Also surviving are her sister, Bain Winkler (Richard Tickle), sister-in-law, Jane Ridge, numerous cherished nieces and nephews. Sharon was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina in 1942. She met Wade in WinstonSalem, NC, and they married in 1962. They made their home in Siler City, NC. For much of their married life they resided in the Paschal home place. Sharon was happiest when her home was lled with family. As her girls grew, her home and her heart became full with sonsin-law and grandkids who each

Rachel Ogburn Brooks

Apr. 15, 1941 – Oct. 29, 2025

Rachel Ogburn Brooks, age 84, of Moncure, died Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at home. Rachel was born in Johnston County, North Carolina on April 15, 1941, to the late Joseph Ogburn and Ada Farmer Ogburn. She was also preceded in death by her husband Charlie Franklin Brooks, Jr., one daughter, Linda BrooksKidd, two brothers,

had a special place in her heart. She was known as Dickie to her grandchildren, and they could always look forward to her warm pound cake and sweet tea, lovingly called “Dickie Tea.” Good times with the Paschal clan always included food and laughter.

Sharon’s family fondly remembers her love for crossword puzzles, classic westerns and movies, listening to beach and Motown music, watching Sunday afternoon football, telling corny jokes, basket weaving, and needlepointing. Her girls joke that if there was a bakery in sni ng-distance, she would nd it. She was also “Ms. Fix-It” who would tackle a project or repair like a pro - she even had her own toolbox. And her daughters cherish the sweet goodbyes when their mom would say, “See ya’ later sweet pea.”

Sharon’s greatest joy was being a stay-at-home mom and homemaker. Eventually, her love for children led to a career as an educator at Siler City Elementary School. Her gift for making others feel valued and accepted will forever impact the lives she touched.

Sharon will be remembered as a devoted wife, sweet sister, caring and faithful mom, grandmother, aunt, and true friend.

A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, November 1st, 2025, from 1-3 pm, at Smith & Buckner Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Chatham Animal Rescue and Education (CARE), PO Box 610, Pittsboro, NC 27312 or a charity of choice. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Paschal family. Online condolences can be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

joseph Ogburn and Staley Ogburn, and two sisters, Margaret Raper and Janice Dupree. Surviving relatives include two daughters, Rhonda Brooks of Pittsboro, Amy Brooks of Moncure, and one sister Sally Dorman and husband Lonnie of Coats, North Carolina. Immediately following the committal service, the family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall. The funeral service will be held Monday, November 3, 2025, at 2:00PM at Pittsboro Baptist Church with Rev. Ray Gooch and Pastor Peter McDonald presiding. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of owers the family asks for donations to be made in Rachel’s memory to Pittsboro Baptist Church Bereavement Committee P.O. Box 696 Pittsboro, NC 27312. Condolences may be made at www.donaldsonfunerals.com Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Brooks family.

MATTHEW THOMAS FLYER

SEPT. 5, 1971 – OCT. 24, 2025

Matthew Thomas Flyer, 54, of Goldston, went to his Heavenly home on Friday, October 24th, 2025, at UNC Chapel Hill hospital.

Matthew was born on September 5th, 1971, in Chardon, OH to Thomas Flyer and Robin Rickard Flyer.

Matthew is a graduate of Akron University in Ohio and was employed at UNC University as an electrical engineer. He was a member of the Ham Radio Club. He enjoyed cooking di erent recipes, the Gun Club, and RVing. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Lynn Garten Flyer of Goldston; and his parents, Thomas and Robin Rickard Flyer of Bear Creek.

A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.

Elizabeth Ann Moore

April 29, 1952 – Oct. 26, 2025

Elizabeth Ann Moore, 73, of Greensboro, NC, went to her Heavenly home on Sunday, October 26th, 2025, at Randolph Hospice House surrounded by family.

Elizabeth was born in Chatham County, on April 29th, 1952, to

the late Thomas E. and Wanna Mae Rachel Moore. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Michael Moore, and her sister-in-law, Cindy. She was a 1970 graduate of Chatham Central High School. Then she went on to work for Marsh McLennon insurance company where she loved her job and coworkers. She was a member at Sandy Branch Baptist Church. Elizabeth loved shing at the beach and watching all kinds of sports. She loved her dogs. She played for the Red Bird softball team in Bonlee. Left to cherish her memory are her brothers, Donald L. Moore and his wife, Marguerite of Bear Creek, Ronald D. Moore and his wife, Lorrie of Bear Creek, Thomas Neil Moore of Bear Creek, James “Chub” Moore and his wife, Dianne of Bear Creek, and S. Keith Moore and his wife, Miranda of Siler City;

eleven nieces and nephews; and numerous great grand nieces and grand nephews. A funeral service will be held Friday, October 31st, 2025, at Sandy Branch Baptist Church, at 2 pm. There will be a visitation at the church prior to the service from 1 – 1:45 pm, and the burial will follow the service in the church cemetery. The services will be o ciated by Revered Marc Sanders, Reverend Jimmy Brown, and Reverend Caleb Staley. Memorials can be made to the Sandy Branch Church Cemetery Fund, 715 Sandy Branch Church Rd, Bear Creek, NC 27207, and/ or the Randolph Hospice House, 446 Vision Dr, Asheboro, NC 27203. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Moore family.

Online condolences can be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

Prunella Scales, who played Sybil in British sitcom ‘Fawlty Towers,’ dead at 93

Just 12 episodes were made, but it’s cited as one of the funniest sitcoms ever

By Jill Lawless The Associated Press

LONDON — Actor Prunella Scales, best known as acid-tongued Sybil Fawlty in the classic British sitcom “Fawlty Towers,” has died, her children said Tuesday. She was 93 and had lived with dementia for many years.

Scales’ sons, Samuel and Joseph West, said she died “peacefully at home in London” on Monday.

“Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home,” her sons said. “She was watching ‘Fawlty Towers’ the day before she died.”

Scales’ career included early roles in a 1952 television version of “Pride and Prejudice” and the 1954 lm comedy “Hobson’s Choice,” followed by her TV breakthrough starring opposite Richard Briers in “Marriage Lines,” a popular 1960s sitcom about a newlywed couple.

In “Fawlty Towers,” she played the exasperated wife of hapless Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, whose e orts to run a seaside hotel inevitably escalated into chaos. Only 12 episodes were made, in 1975 and 1979, but it is regularly cited as one of the funniest sitcoms of all time.

Cleese remembered Scales as “a really wonderful comic actress” and “a very sweet lady.”

“I’ve recently been watching a number of clips of ‘Fawlty Towers’ whilst researching a book,” Cleese said in a statement. “Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.”

Scales also starred as the

“I’ve recently been watching a number of clips of ‘Fawlty Towers’ whilst researching a book. Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.” John Cleese

small-town social powerhouse Elizabeth Mapp in “Mapp & Lucia,” a 1985 TV adaptation of E.F. Benson’s 1930s series of comic novels. Later roles included Queen Elizabeth II in “A Question of Attribution,” Alan Bennett’s stage and TV drama about the queen’s art adviser, Anthony Blunt, who was also a Soviet spy. Scales played another British monarch in the one-woman stage show “An Evening with Queen Victoria.”

Scales was a versatile stage performer whose theater roles

ranged from Shakespeare’s comedies to the morphine-addicted matriarch Mary Tyrone in a 1991 production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.”

But she remained best known for “Fawlty Towers.” In 2006, Scales was guest of honor at the reopening of the Gleneagles Hotel in the English seaside resort of Torquay, the establishment whose memorably rude owner had inspired Cleese to create Basil Fawlty after a stay there in the 1970s.

Scales was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013. Between 2014 and 2019, she and her husband, actor Timothy West, explored waterways in Britain and abroad in the gentle travel show “Great Canal Journeys.” The program was praised for the way it honestly depicted Scales’ dementia.

West, her husband of 61 years, died in November 2024. Scales is survived by her sons, stepdaughter Juliet West, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@chathamnewsrecord.com

ROBERT DEAR / AP PHOTO

Actress Prunella Scales delivers a petition carrying the signatures of 100 prominent women to 10 Downing Street in London on Feb. 11, 1975.

Nation’s largest eet of police Cybertrucks to patrol Las Vegas

It was paid for with private donations from a venture capitalist

By Jessica Hill

The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — The na-

tion’s largest police eet of Tesla Cybertrucks is set to begin patrolling the streets of Las Vegas in November thanks to a donation from a U.S. tech billionaire, raising concerns about the blurring of lines between public and private interests.

“Welcome to the future of policing,” Clark County Sheri Kevin McMahill said during a recent press conference, surrounded by the Cybertrucks while drones hovered overhead and a police helicopter circled above him.

The eet of 10 black-and-white Cybertrucks of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with ashing lights and sirens are wrapped with the police department’s logo. About 400 ofcers have been trained to operate the trucks that will use public charging stations.

The all-electric vehicles are equipped with shotguns, shields and ladders and additional battery capacity to better handle the demands of a police department, McMahill said.

The donation has raised concerns from government oversight

experts about private donors’ inuence on public departments and the boost to the Tesla brand.

The department is the latest U.S. city to turn to Tesla models even as Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company has faced blowback because of his work earlier in the year to advance the president’s political agenda and downsize the federal government.

McMahill noted the trucks will help keep o cers safer because they are bulletproof, while Metro’s other squad cars are not. Each Cybertruck is valued

at somewhere between $80,000 and $115,000 and will be used to respond to calls like barricades and shootings in addition to regular patrols.

The Cybertrucks also o er unique bene ts such as a shorter turn radius, he said.

“They look a little bit di erent than the patrol cars that we have out there, but they represent something far bigger than just a police car,” the sheri said. “They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commit-

ment to serve this community with the best tools that we have available, safely, e ciently and responsibly.”

The donation comes after President Donald Trump earlier this year shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway and said he hoped his purchase would help the company as it struggled with sagging sales and declining stock prices.

Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said now the Las Vegas eet of another Tesla model “to patrol our communities really draws the next parallel there.”

Haseebullah also is worried about the Cybertrucks’ surveillance abilities that the public may not be unaware of, and that the eet might give Tesla access to police data.

Following the explosion of a Cybertruck outside of Trump’s Las Vegas tower earlier this year, Tesla was able to provide detailed data of the driver inside, including the driver’s movements leading up to the explosion.

Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an expert on national and state police practices, said private donations to law enforcement is not uncommon nor illegal unless a local or state law prohibits it. In this case, the donation is a physical piece of equipment, and

the money can’t be diverted to something else, Obayashi said. That said, he doesn’t think the trucks provide the department with a speci c advantage.

“There’s not going to be really any distinct or noticeable advantage or bene ts, so to speak, other than the fact that it’s a free vehicle and it saves the taxpayers money to replace equipment,” Obayashi said.

The Las Vegas eet was a donation totaling about $2.7 million from Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the Silicon Valley venture capital rm known as Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, and his wife, Felicia Horowitz.

The couple, who live in Las Vegas, have made multiple donations to the department, including between $8 million to $9 million for Project Blue Sky, the department’s implementation of drones throughout the valley. They’ve also donated funds to buy emergency call technology and license plate readers — products from companies in which Andreessen Horowitz invests.

Ben Horowitz, who has donated to political campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans, was among the investors who backed Elon Musk’s bid to take over Twitter, now known as X.

Ben and Felicia Horowitz could not be reached for comment, however, in a 2024 blog post, Ben Horowitz described their interest in donating to the department, stressing the importance of public safety and the di culties public sectors have in budgeting for technology.

McMahill said the couple wanted to make sure that Las Vegas didn’t “become California when it comes to crime.”

Longtime Bengals player, NBC broadcaster Bob Trumpy dead at 80

He called two Super Bowls and was part of coverage of three summer Olympics

By Joe Reedy The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Bob

Trumpy, who was an original member of the Cincinnati Bengals for 10 years before enjoying a career as a network radio and television analyst, has died. He was 80.

The Bengals announced on Sunday that Trumpy died peacefully and was surrounded by family at home. The team had a moment of silence before its game against the Chicago Bears.

“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” said Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get down eld and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.

“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the eld.”

Trumpy played collegiately at the University of Utah before being drafted by the AFL expansion Bengals in the 12th round of the 1968 common draft. He scored the franchise’s rst receiving touchdown on a 58-yard reception against Denver on Sept. 15, 1968.

Trumpy’s 4,600 receiving yards, 35 receiving touchdowns and 15.4 yards per catch remain the most by a tight end in team history.

After retiring, Trumpy went on to have a distinguished career in radio and television. He joined NBC Sports as an NFL analyst in 1978 and called games through 1997, when it lost the AFC package to CBS.

Trumpy was NBC’s lead analyst with Dick Enberg from 1992-94 and he called

two Super Bowls. He also called “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowls with Don Criqui on radio. He would also be a part of three Summer Olympics and three Ryder Cups for NBC.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave Trumpy the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement in NFL broadcasting.

Trumpy also was a sports talk show host in Cincinnati from 1980-89. In 1983, while hosting “Sportstalk” on WLW, he received a call from a despondent woman who said she was going to commit suicide.

Trumpy spent the next 21⁄2 hours on the phone with the woman — who identi ed herself as “Sugar” — until police located her.

“I don’t know why she called a sports talk show,” Trumpy told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. “It probably was just the rst phone number she heard on the radio and decided to call it.

“I sure didn’t feel like a hero after that. I hated that woman. She wasn’t the only one who had to go to a crisis center for therapy. So did I, since I couldn’t gure out why I hated her. They convinced me I hated her because of what she put me through.”

ED KOLENOVSKY / AP PHOTO Bengals tight end Bob Trumpy (84) and Houston’s Ken Houston (29) ght for a high pass from Bengals quarterback Sam Wyche during a Dec. 13, 1970, game in the Houston Astrodome.

TY ONEIL / AP PHOTO

Tesla Cybertrucks owned by the Las Vegas Metro Police department were on display in Las Vegas last week.

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NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK

25SP000148-180 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF THE DEED OF TRUST OF AVERY SPEY WOOTEN AND TRENTON JAMES WOOTEN, Mortgagors, to TIM TURNER, Trustee; WESLEY L. DEATON, Substitute Trustee, BOOK 2485, PAGE 879 Peoples Bank, Mortgagee.

Dated October 20, 2023, recorded in Book 02386, at Page 0338 Securing the original amount of $131,250.00 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Avery Spey Wooten and Trenton James Wooten, described above, in the Chatham County Public Registry; default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness thereby secured and the said Deed of Trust being by the terms thereof subject to foreclosure; and the holder of the indebtedness thereby secured having demanded a foreclosure thereof for the purpose of satisfying said indebtedness; and under and by virtue of an order entered in the within entitled and numbered action by the Clerk of Superior Court of Chatham County, North Carolina on the 14th day of October, 2025, the undersigned Trustee will o er for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the Courthouse door in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 PM on Tuesday the 18th day of November, 2025, the land conveyed in said Deed of Trust, the same lying and being in Chatham County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake, Wilbert Johnson’s corner in Campbell’s line and being the Northeast corner of the land hereby conveyed; running thence South 7 degrees 30 minutes East 1113 feet and 9 inches to a stone, Johnson’s corner; thence with Johnson’s line South 85 degrees East 392 feet to a stone; thence South 4 degrees 30 minutes West 338 feet to a stone, Johnson’s corner; thence with Johnson’s line South 78 degrees 434 feet and 9 inches to a stone; thence South 4 1/2 degrees West 230 feet to the Southern margin of S.R. 2189; thence with the right of way of said road South 74 degrees West 342 feet to the corner of that 4.85 acre tract of land conveyed to Dewey Dale Hefner, David Scott Hefner and Tony Dwight Hefner; thence with their line North 27 degrees West courses of said Branch in a Northwestern direction 685 feet to a stone; thence North 5 degrees East with David Bunker’s line 1138 1/2 feet to an iron stake in Campbell’s line; thence with Campbell’s line South 85 degrees East 470 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, containing 16.80 acres, more or less/ LESS AND EXCEPTING, that portion of the subject property conveyed as Lot #1 in Plat Slide 2021-143, Chatham County Registry, in Book 2324, Page 40, Chatham County Registry. SEE ALSO, Lot #2 as shown on Plat Slide 2021-143 and Plat Slide 2023-272, Chatham County Registry. CONVEYED HEREWITH is that 30 foot access and utility easement for ingress, egress and regress to S.R. 2189, as show on Plat Slide 2021-143 and Plat Slide 2023-272, Chatham County Registry. THIS PROPERTY HAS THE ADDRESS OF: Parcel #0072766-Lot 2 Campbell Road, Bear Creek, North Carolina 27207.

This sale is made subject to any excise or transfer taxes, all outstanding and unpaid Chatham County and any city or town ad valorem property taxes as well as any and all other prior liens, defects and encumbrances involving said property, as well as a Clerk’s fee of $.45 per $100 on the purchase price. Notice is further hereby given that the successful bidder will be required to make a cash deposit not to exceed the greater of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00). Notice is further hereby given that the sale will be conducted pursuant to and subject to all of the provisions of Chapter 45, as amended, of the General Statutes of North Carolina. Notice is given that an order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. §4521.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the County in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of 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. Upon the 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. This the 14th day of October, 2025. Wesley L. Deaton, Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 2459 Denver, North Carolina 28037 (704) 489-2491

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA, CHATHAM COUNTY All persons, individuals and companies, having claims against Gerald M. Bernstein, deceased, Chatham County le no. 25E000373-180, are noti ed to present them to the executor named below, on or before January 23, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. Marc Bernstein, 220 Amber Wood Run, Chapel Hill NC 27516, 910-446-8028.

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINAa COUNTY OF CHATHAM NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of THOMAS HENRY FERGUSON, late of CHATHAM 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 January 16, 2026 or this Notice will be pled in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make payment to the undersigned. This the 13th day of October, 2025 Henry S. Morphis, Administrator ESTATE OF THOMAS HENRY FERGUSON PO Box 3149 Hickory, NC 28603 Henry S. Morphis, Attorney MORPHIS LAW & MEDIATION Post O ce Box 3149 Hickory, North Carolina 28603 (828) 328-5297 PUBLISH: October 16 , 23, 30th and November 6th, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Sandra Portnoy Hirschman, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before January 16, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 16th day of October, 2025. Daniel Hirschman, Executor of the Estate of Sandra Portnoy Hirschman 13001 Droughton Court Chapel Hill, NC 27517

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Towers, LLC is proposing to build a 199-foot

Monopole Telecommunications Tower located at 460 Murchison Rd, Goldston, Chatham County, North Carolina 27252 (35° 34’ 17.234” N, 79° 18’ 28.613” W). Public comments regarding potential e ects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30-days from the date of this publication to C. Malec, Terracon, 2105 Newpoint Place, Suite 600, Lawrenceville, GA 30043; 770-6230755; publicnoticeatlanta@terracon.com. Reference Terracon Project No. 49257957.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

24E001488-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

The undersigned, Daphne Hill, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Albert Roland Cooke, 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 January 21, 2026, 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 23rd day of October 2025. Daphne Hill

Executor Marie H. Hopper

Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

CREDITOR’S NOTICE

Having quali ed on the 28th day of October 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Mary Catherine Green, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of February 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.

This is the 29th day of October 2025. Keith Robert Green, Executor of the Estate of Mary Catherine Green PO Box 485 Pittsboro, NC 27312

Attorneys: Law O ces of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330

Publish On: November 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th 2025.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold a quasijudicial hearing for the following request at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West: Haw River Christian Academy is proposing a K-12 Christian Charter School on parcels 0061873 and 0068572 currently owned by Pittsboro Baptist Church. Site is located on US Highway 501. The school is permitted by Special Use Permit in the RA zoning district. The hearing will be held in person. The public can also watch the hearing live on the Town’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@townofpittsboronc/ streams. A ected parties with standing must attend in person if they wish to speak at the hearing.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC

On Monday, November 10, 2025 at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold a legislative public hearing for the following requests at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West: A legislative request by Town Sta to amend the Open Space and Recreation Area Fee-in-Lieu provisions found in the UDO Section 5.2.3.B.2. and the Planning Board provisions found in the UDO Sections 9.5.

PB-25-456 – 627 West Street. A legislative request by Charlotte Keppler has been submitted petitioning a map amendment rezoning parcel 0008021 from its current classi cation, R-10 (High Density Residential) to C-2 (Highway Business). The parcel is approximately 0.3558 acres. The hearing will be held in person. The public can also watch the hearing live on the Town’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@townofpittsboronc/ streams. Members of the public must attend in person if they wish to speak at the hearing. Contact the Town Clerk, Carrie Bailey, by 4 pm on November 10, 2025 with written comments or to sign up to speak at the hearing. You can contact Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 542-4621 ext. 1104, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS

CHATHAM COUNTY

HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Charlene Margaret Gaddy 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 January, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 7th day of October, 2025. Charles David Elder, Administrator of The Estate of Charlene Margaret Gaddy 4428 Huntsman Court Castle Hayne, North Carolina 28429 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE

ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM File Number 25E000558-180

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of D.

GABRIELLE BROUILLETTE, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of January, 2026, 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. This the 16th day of October, 2025.

Executor for the Estate Joseph J. DeGeorge 140 Bell Flower Court Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Attorney for the Executor Jennifer C. Noble N.C. Bar No. 33481 230 N. Elm Street, Suite 1200 Greensboro, NC 27401

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION

CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO. 08CvD000422-180 COUNTY OF CHATHAM

Plainti , NOTICE OF SERVICE OF vs. PROCESS BY PUBLICATION The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of JESSE SADDLER, JR., et al

Defendants.

TO: The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of JESSE SADDLER, JR. and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder; The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of SAM SADDLER and spouse, if any, which may include the HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of JIMMY T. SADDLER and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder; The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of BILL SADDLER and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder; The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of SUDIA CROSBY and spouse, if any, which may include VICKIE V. UNDERWOOD a/k/a VICKIE VANETTA SMITH’S SPOUSE, IF ANY, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder; The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of SOCIAL ARNOLD and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder; and The HEIRS, ASSIGNS and DEVISEES of RUSHIA CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, which may include GERTRUDE F. CHAMBERS and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder

A pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication began on November 6, 2025. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on tax parcel(s) more completely described in the Complaint, to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes (assessments). Plainti seeks to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you may have in said property.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after the date of the rst publication of notice stated above, exclusive of such date, being forty (40) days after November 6, 2025, or by December 16, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service of process by publication will apply to the Court for relief sought.

This the 29th day of October, 2025.

ZACCHAEUS LEGAL SERVICES

Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill

Attorney for Plainti

NC Bar #12852/56782

310 W. Jones St. P. O. Box 25

Trenton, North Carolina 28585

Telephone: (252) 448-4541

Publication dates: November 6, 2025

November 13, 2025 November 20, 2025

NOTICE

TOWN OF SILER CITY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO PERMANETLY CLOSE

SPEEDWAY STREET

WHEREAS, Section 160A-299 of the North Carolina General Statutes prescribes the procedure to be followed by a city in order to permanently close a street or alley; and WHEREAS, Speedway Street is located within the municipal corporate limits of the Town of Siler City and shown on a plat recorded in the Chatham County Register of Deeds in Plat Cabinet EN Slide 25; and WHEREAS, Speedway Street has not been constructed nor is the right-of-way maintained by the Town of Siler City; and WHEREAS, Jerry and Deborah Siler Alston. are fee simple owners of certain real property located adjacent to Speedway Street. The owners acquired said property via Warranty Deed, in Deed Book 488, Page 176 of the Chatham County Registry. The property is located at 1008 12th Street and is further described as Parcel Number 61480; and WHEREAS, 1 Filbert LLC. are fee simple owners of certain real property located adjacent to Speedway Street. The owners acquired said property via NonWarranty Deed, in Deed Book 2430, Page 139 of the Chatham County Registry. The property is located at 1104 12th Street and is further described as Parcel Number 16637; and WHEREAS, the property owners of all adjacent property to Speedway Street have petitioned and requested the Board of Commissioners to permanently close Speedway Street in its entirety. NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Siler City do RESOLVE, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §160A-299, the following: A public hearing shall be held on the 17th day of November 2025, at 6:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as may be convenient, before the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Siler City, North Carolina, at which time the Board shall consider the permanent closing of said street. and so as to determine whether or not said street shall be permanently closed or otherwise restricted in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. §160A-299. The public hearing will be held in the Town of Siler City – City Hall Courtroom located at 311 N Second Street, Siler City, NC 27344.

That a copy of this Resolution shall be mailed by registered or certi ed mail to all owners of property adjoining the said street as shown on the county tax records.

That a copy of this Resolution shall be published once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to said hearing, as required by applicable law.

That a notice of closing and public hearing shall be prominently posted along Speedway Street. That after said public hearing, if the Board of Commissioners are of the opinion that the closing of said street would not be contrary to the public interest or to the rights of individuals owning property abutting or in the vicinity of said street and does not interfere with ingress and egress of said property, the Board of Commissioners may adopt an Order permanently closing said street above described.

That in the event the Board of Commissioners shall close said street as above described, the title to said properties contained within the boundaries of said street shall vest in the persons or entities owning said street provided by §160A-299 of the North Carolina General Statutes.

RESOLVED, this 6th day of October, 2025

TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Co-Executors of the Estate of Kathleen H. Braxton, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, noti es all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned at their address, 386 Old Siler City Road, Pittsboro, North Carolina, 27312, on or before the 30th day of January, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment.

This 24th day of October, 2025.

Kathy B. Shuping

386 Old Siler City Road

Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312

Michael E. Braxton

296 Old Siler City Road

Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312

GUNN & MESSICK, PLLC

P. O. Box 880

Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312-0880 October 30, November 6, 13, 20

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Probate #25E000556-180

All persons, rm and corporations having claims against Carolyn Herberta Huckshorn , late of Chatham County, North Carolina are hereby noti ed to present them to Kristin Rae Huckshorn, as Executor of the decedent’s estate in care of Kendall H. Page, Attorney, 210 N Columbia Street, Chapel Hill,

will be

on

are

in

of

or

Debtors of the

to make immediate payment. This the 16th day of October, 2025. JOHN B. CAMERON, III, Executor C/O Privette Legacy Planning 1400 Crescent Green, Suite G-100 Cary, NC 27518 O16, 23, 30 and 6

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE A public hearing

Glass to grain at Whiskey Prison

Sprits of both kinds dwell inside Southern Grace Distilleries

By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record

MOUNT PLEASANT — In-

side the old Cabarrus Correctional Center, bourbon breathes where inmates once served time. Southern Grace Distilleries at Whiskey Prison has transformed the 1930s-era compound into one of North Carolina’s most distinctive craft-spirits operations — a place where the smell of aging whiskey replaces the sting of disinfectant and each bottle carries a little history in the glass.

Thomas Thacker, the distillery’s director of operations, leads tastings through the chapel-turned-barroom with the precision of a jeweler and the ease of a bartender.

“First thing you do is check the color,” he said, holding a glass to the light. “That tells you the barrel has done its work.”

His guided tastings follow the same evaluation process used in the trade: look, nose, taste, nish — then connect every note back to the grain, the proof and the wood.

He moves the glass beside a jar of clear moonshine for comparison.

“Whereas that moonshine looks like this, bourbon should look like this,” he said, shifting from crystal to amber.

The darker hue, he explained, signals proper barrel contact.

“We cut to 105 when we go in the barrel. Lower proof slows color extraction; higher proof speeds it up. Some compounds are water soluble, some alcohol soluble. Change the balance, change the extraction.”

Thacker’s philosophy begins not in the rickhouse but at the bar.

“People talk about grainto-glass, and we do that,” he

MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

The former Cabarrus Correctional Center, now home to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, has been transformed from a prison into a one-of-a-kind bourbon destination.

said. “But our company’s really glass-to-grain. We start with the person who orders a neat pour of bourbon. That’s our constituency. Everything else backs up from there.”

A longtime bartender, Thacker understands the quiet calculus of the second pour.

“You have to pass that minimum bar of entry,” he said. “If you’re not good, people quit drinking you after the rst time.”

Southern Grace’s small scale — “just about too small to be in the bourbon business,” he joked — means babysitting every drop, trusting the wood, and letting each barrel sing di erently.

“We don’t cut it and we don’t mingle it,” he said. “The next barrel will be a little di erent. We’ll guarantee it’s good — you decide if you like it.”

At the tasting table, Thacker pours from what he calls the “hot

box,” a barrel aged in the distillery’s warmest room. The whiskey runs around 101 proof, light in color but loaded with baking-spice sweetness.

“We use so much corn,” he said. “Those fatty acids give that buttery coating — a creaminess that hits right around 100 proof.”

Then comes a sample of the ve-year Conviction Double Oak, a blend of four barrels nished in new charred oak.

“Aging is dilutive,” Thacker said. “Year one’s bigger than year four. With double oak, you get year one and two, then start over.”

The result is darker and smokier, with a dry, red wine -like nish.

Conviction has earned its share of medals — Best Bourbon Under Four Years Old at the 2019 New Orleans Bourbon Festival and more recent golds for both single-barrel and double-oak re-

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000341-180 The undersigned, JO ANNE RUSSO AND JULIE C. RUDOWSKI, having quali ed on the 14TH Day of JULY, 2025 as ADMINISTRATORS of the Estate of BRENDA GRAHAM DOWLING, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16TH Day JANUARY 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2025. JO ANNE RUSSO, ADMINISTRATOR 1113 RUSSET LANE APEX, NC 27523 *MAIL TO: JULIE C. RUDOWSKI, ADMINISTRATOR 10520 SABLEWOOD DRIVE #103 RALEIGH, NC 27617 Run dates: O16,23,30,N6p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

IRENE PATRICIA WERNER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 6th Day OF FEBRUARY 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 6th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025. MICHAEL J. WERNER, ADMINISTRATOR 115 WILLOWCREST DRIVE WINSTON SALEM, NC 27107 Run dates: N6,13,20,27p

FILE#25E000545-180 The undersigned, MICHAEL P ROULEAU, having quali ed on the 1ST Day of OCTOBER, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of PATRICIA JOAN PAIT, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16TH Day JANUARY 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 16TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2025.

MICHAEL P ROULEAU, EXECUTOR 209 PARKGATE DRIVE CARY, NC 27519 Run dates: O16,23,30,N6p

leases — but Thacker values the feedback over the hardware.

“You get a couple dozen smart palates sending you evaluative notes,” he said. “That’s worth the entry fee.”

Much of Southern Grace’s reach now comes from the online “bourbon sphere” — YouTube reviewers, podcasters and social-media tasters who bring national attention to small distillers.

“When somebody you’ve followed for ve years says our Double Oak is one of their favorites, people show up,” Thacker said. “We’ve seen orders from all over the country because of it.”

While production and tastings drive the business, tourism keeps the place humming. The site’s prison bones and shadowy corridors have become as famous as the bourbon itself. The distillery’s “Convicted Spirits”

ghost tours are a word-of-mouth phenomenon, often running until 3 or 4 in the morning. Paranormal groups return again and again, cameras and thermal sensors in tow.

“People think they want that until it happens,” Thacker said with a grin.

He’s witnessed enough to respect the stories.

“There’s a line in one of the barrel houses that dogs won’t cross,” he said. “Even with food on the other side, they stop and bark.”

Guests have reported tugged shirts, cold air pockets, and the unsettling sense of eyes on them.

“It’s a weird, creepy place when the lights go out,” Thacker said. “But it’s good for business. You wouldn’t believe how many people come for the ghosts and stay for the bourbon.”

Mount Pleasant has embraced the distillery, and the community connection runs deep. Local restaurants like 73 & Main send diners for tours, and concertgoers stop in for tastings. Future plans include more live music, food trucks and outdoor events on the old prison grounds.

“We could double production and boost tourism 50% without leaving this campus,” Thacker said. “What we need is more space to age barrels.”

He laughs at the practicality of it all.

“I need a barrel house that’ll hold a thousand barrels,” he said. “In this business, that four, ve, six years you have to sit on stu — that’s gravity. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have the space, you don’t have it.”

The editor in him — years spent in newspapers and politics — still shows in the way he measures words.

“Get the data right, then make it beautiful,” he said. “It’s the same with bourbon.”

And as the sun slants through the old cellblock windows, he raises a nal glass, amber and steady.

“We’re not a threat to Jack Daniels,” he said, swirling the whiskey. “But when a serious drinker says our bottle holds its own — that’s all the conviction we need.”

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

25E000497-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Sandra Williams, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Jean Hicks Riddle, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify

PHOTOS BY MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Left, after the distillation process, whiskey drips into jars at Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant.

Right, barreled whiskey at Southern Grace Distilleries develops complex avors, aromas and its signature color through chemical reactions with the wood, evaporation and oxidation.

CHATHAM SPORTS

Hickory got the best of the Hawks in the 5A volleyball championship

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

WINSTON-SALEM — Seaforth’s redeeming volleyball playo run fell short of its ultimate vindication. The fth-seeded Hawks, representing the East, fell 3-1 to Hickory in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 5A state title game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Friday.

After taking a thrilling rst set 26-24, Seaforth lost consecutive sets all by single-digit margins. Hickory junior Emmi Gambill, the championship game’s MVP, led the Red Tornadoes with team highs of 17 kills, ve aces, two blocks and 13 digs. The Red Tornadoes took the crown in their rst state title appearance.

“We played an outstanding opponent today,” Seaforth coach Scott Green said. “Played an outstanding match. We played well too, but we just couldn’t quite get over the hump when we needed to.” Seaforth, making its sec -

ond straight state championship appearance, survived early Hickory punches in the rst set. Trailing 5-1 in a hot start for Hickory, Seaforth reclaimed the lead with its seventh point. The two teams went back and forth until a violation and an out of bounds swing broke a 24-24 tie and gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

“I feel like we knew that we played very good in the rst set,” Seaforth senior Josie Valgus said. “But we always push ourselves to be better, and we knew that we could play better. We knew that our tempo could be better.”

Tied at 14 points apiece in the second set, Hickory took a more convincing 25-19 win thanks to a run sparked by Gambill and freshman Eliese Moreau. The Red Tornadoes built a 17-10 lead in the third set, but

points by Valgus and freshman Naomi Stevenson led a rally to bring Seaforth within two. A kill by Stevenson brought the Hawks within one following a timeout, yet Hickory still closed the set 25-21. Seaforth took a 16-15 lead in the decisive fourth set thanks to back-to-back blocks from Valgus, but juniors Kira Morin, who nished the night with 16 kills, and Piper Jillings sparked a late run to swing the momentum back into Hickory’s favor. Gambill, who dictated the night with her powerful

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

All four local teams earned a postseason bid

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

West Carteret 29, Northwood 21

West Carteret (6-4) senior running back Joshua Bauman rushed for 167 yards and two scores, including a fourth quarter touchdown that spoiled Northwood’s (3-7) comeback e ort, to help the Patriots defeat the Chargers 29-21 on Oct. 30.

Trailing 21-7 entering the fourth quarter, Northwood senior quarterback Grayson Cox rolled to his right and found junior Raje Torres wide open for a 35-yard touchdown, bringing the Chargers within six after a successful two-point conversion.

Following Bauman’s 3-yard touchdown to put the Patriots ahead two scores with ve minutes to play, Cox stormed back with a 21-yard run to the end zone, and after a blocked PAT, Northwood trailed by eight with under three minutes left.

The Chargers couldn’t get the necessary stop on the Patriots’ following possession as they ran the clock out.

In the rst quarter, West Carteret senior quarterback Tanner Payne, an Elon commit, threw two straight touchdown passes to senior D’jabrien Murray and senior Dallas Riggan for a 13-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Cox fought his way out of a tackle and ran 19 yards for a touchdown. Senior running back Robert Tripp broke a long run deep into West Carteret territory late in the second half, but he fumbled on his way down, and the Patriots recovered for a crucial stop.

3A East playo s (First round): No. 18 Northwood at No. 15 Hertford County Northwood will start its third straight playo appearance at Hertford County (5-5) Friday. Hertford County is coming o a 29-16 loss to Martin County, the Northeastern Coastal 3A/4A/5A co-champions,

The Seaforth basketball coach moved closer to his ultimate goal

CHAPEL HILL — Seaforth

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD The Seaforth bench looks on

Hickory in the NCHSAA state

Torris Price

Chatham Charter, cross-country

Chatham Charter junior Torris Price earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Oct. 27.

Price nished as the state runner-up in the NCHSAA 1A cross-country state championship race on Oct. 31. His time of 16 minutes, 31.58 seconds was ve seconds behind the state champion and over 1 minute, 30 seconds faster than his time in last year’s state title race.

Price’s performance helped the Knights’ boys earn a sixth-place nish at the state championship meet.

Fall state championships conclude, soccer regular season ends

Local athletes nished strong across tennis, golf and cross-country

By Asheebo Rojas

Chatham News & Record

Volleyball (state playo s)

WOODS CHARTER ended its historic season with a 3-0 loss to Falls Lake in the 1A East Regional Final on Oct. 28.

Senior Sadye Bu aloe led the eventual state champions with 15 kills. After double-digit losses in the rst two sets, Woods Charter lost the third set by four points.

The Wolves accomplished their most wins in program history (24) while reaching the regional nal for the rst time. Prior to the loss to Falls Lake, Woods Charter won 22 straight games and collected 21 straight set wins throughout the year.

Sophomore Cecilia Brignati achieved her 1,000th career assist during the playo run.

Girls’ tennis (state playo s)

Dual team No. 10 Seaforth fell to No. 8 Durham School of the Arts 5-1 in the 5A East regional nal on Oct. 30.

Girls’ golf (state playo s)

Northwood senior Taylor Thompson nished tied for 25th at the NCHSAA 3A state championship with a score of 104 (32 over par). Her teammate, senior Briana Graham nished tied for 37th with a score of 115 (+43). The 3A state championship, held at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines

1,000 career assists and counting for Woods Charter’s Cecilia Brignati

on Oct. 27, was shortened to 18 holes due to rain.

Cross-country (state championships at Ivey Redmon Sports Complex)

1A: Woods Charter’s girls nished fth and its boys nished 11th in the 1A championship races. Chatham Charter’s boys nished sixth as junior Torris Price nished as the state runner-up with a time of 16:31.58. Price’s top 10 nish earned him All-State honors. Chatham Charter sophomore Emily Scheidt earned an 11th-place nish in the girls’ race (22:30.75), and Woods Charter junior So a Rodriguez nished 12th (22:31.67).

3A: Northwood senior Sydney Gray nished fth in the 3A girls’ championship race with a time of 20:12.62. Her teammate Jordan Wiley, a senior, nished sixth in the boys’ race with a time of 17:17.26. The Chargers’ boys nished fth as a team.

5A: Seaforth’s girls nished sixth and its boys nished 12th in the 5A championship races. In the girls’ race freshman Chloe Freeman led the way with a 13th-place time of 19 minutes, 45.51 seconds. Sophomore Samuel Neil led the boys with a 21st-place nish (16:61.65).

Boys’ soccer

Jordan-Matthews nished the regular season with a 10-1

win over Uwharrie Charter on Oct. 27 and a 7-1 win over Eastern Randolph on Oct. 29. After a 3-0 victory over Uwharrie Charter on Oct. 29, Northwood lost its nal regular season game to Southwestern Randolph 2-0.

Seaforth notched its fourth straight clean sheet in an 8-0 victory over South Granville on Oct. 27. Sophomore Collin Atkinson and senior Isaak Serrano scored two goals apiece in the win. The Hawks ended the regular season with a 3-1 loss to Orange on Oct. 29.

Woods earned its 13th win with a forfeit by Southern Wake Academy on Oct. 27. The Wolves nished the regular season with their most wins since 2016.

Final conference standings

Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Southwestern Randolph (22-1, 10-0, conference champion); 2. Jordan-Matthews (15-7, 7-3); 3. Northwood (12-6-5, 6-3-1); 4. North Moore (6-7-1, 3-6); 5. Eastern Randolph (6-11-3, 2-6-1); 6. Uwharrie Charter (1-12, 0-10)

Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Clover Garden School (17-3, 11-0, conference champion); 2. Woods Charter (13-3-1, 10-2); 3. Ascend Leadership (8-8-1, 5-6-1); T4. Chatham Charter (6-12-1, 5-7); T4. River Mill (6-13, 5-7); 6. Central Carolina Academy (5-10-1, 4-6-1)

Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Orange (17-5, 11-1, conference champion); 2. Carrboro (12-8-1, 10-2); 3. Seaforth (9-9-3, 7-4-1); 4. Cedar Ridge (9-9-2, 4-6-2); 5. Durham School of the Arts (4-15-1, 4-8); 6. South Granville (6-16-1, 3-9); 7. J.F. Webb (5-12-1, 1-10-1)

CHATHAM CHARTER SCHOOL / FACEBOOK

Chatham Charter’s cross-country team poses for a photo after the state championship races on Oct. 31.

Northwood takes rst Mid-Carolina Flag Football title

Noelle Whitaker took over in a big win over Southeast Alamance

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY — As Northwood girls’ ag football head coach Fred Whitaker jumped up and down and waved his arms in the direction of the stands, the Chargers lined up in victory, or rather history, formation.

Northwood defeated Southeast Alamance 26-20 to capture the rst Mid-Carolina Flag Football championship Monday at Jordan-Matthews High School.

The Chargers nally overcame the Stallions, who were the better equines in their previous three meetings.

“It feels great actually making history for being our rst ag football team,” Northwood quarterback Alyia Roberts said.

Said Whitaker, “It’s overwhelming and overexciting, man. I knew when I woke up this morning it was going to be a good day. Normally when I feel like that, I already know what time it is. Very proud of the girls. I told them before we got o the bus, I said ‘Look, if we stay locked in the whole game, we’re going to win.’ And they were locked in the whole game.”

To start the game, Northwood’s defense held strong while its o ense still worked to nd its groove. After the Chargers’ rst turnover on downs, senior Kelis Watson picked o a pass from Southeast Alamance junior Tatum Shelton. Following another turnover on downs

BERRY from page B1

of three or more submissions and ve di erent takedown sequences. After that, he had to go through a gauntlet of ve 5-minute rounds with highly skilled opponents specially selected to challenged him with short breaks in between.

At the end, Quest owner Hardee Merritt presented Berry with the brown belt to replace his purple one.

“They were all killers,” Berry said about his opponents. “I don’t know who I’m ghting. All I know is (Merritt) speaks to these guys on the side and says, ‘I want you to kill him. Smash him. Make him work for it.’” Berry, who has been practicing jiujitsu for 15 years, had a choice whether to earn his next certi cation through the gauntlet or not. Merritt could’ve brought Berry in front of the class one day and promoted him based on what he’d

on Northwood’s next possession, sophomore Noelle Whitaker came up with the Chargers’ second interception with eight minutes left to play in the rst half. This time, Northwood capitalized on the turnover. Roberts handed the ball o to Whitaker, and Whitaker reversed it to Watson who then threw to an open Shaylah Glover for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

“It was beautiful,” Whitaker said about the trick play.

On the next Northwood possession, Roberts completed a long pass to Mikaylah Glover down to the 7-yard line. That set up another touchdown pass by Roberts to Whitaker

shown leading up to the decision, but he chose a di erent route.

“He’s always striving for improvement and development, and I’m sure that he will always be the guy that is hunting that next level,” Merritt said. “What people don’t realize is after the demonstration, which was just short of 20 minutes, and getting up and doing a martial arts demonstration in silence for 20 minutes is a very taxing endeavor. So by the end of the demonstration, nerves are high. You’re already starting to sweat. You’re already a little out of breath, mentally fatigued and then, they go into the round right after that.

“I was very impressed, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Berry prepared for the moment for six weeks, incorporating di erent ways of cardio training, including marching with a weighted backpack, running on the treadmill, rid-

for a 12-0 lead before the half.

Whitaker left her footprints all over the second half as she scored two long touchdowns to keep the Chargers on top.

After a quick Southeast Alamance score from Shelton to sophomore Katie Lloyd. Whitaker responded with a long touchdown run down the sideline on the Chargers’ rst play of their next possession.

The Stallions came back with another touchdown pass from Shelton, this time to junior Ava Wheely. However, Whitaker had another big play up her sleeve as she caught a short pass and ran through numerous failed ag pulls to put Northwood ahead 26-12

ing his wife’s Peloton and using a row machine.

While spectators looked on to see “Coach” do something cool or “interesting” — or something he’s been telling many people about for weeks — the pressure reached a maximum in his mind. Berry, 58-year-old uber-competitor, was taking on one of the hardest physical challenges of his life in front of his loved ones and the ones he teaches perseverance on a near daily basis. For him, failure wasn’t an option. Going through the gauntlet with a stoic face, looking himself in the mirror after the demonstration and taking deep breaths, Berry had to nd his “center,” or a way to stay in the moment that he learned from the book “The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance” by George Mumford because his reasons for the gauntlet were bigger than himself.

“I wanted to show by example,” Berry said. “As a coach

with six minutes left to play.

“Normally when we play (Southeast Alamance), man, when they make a big play, we don’t make a play to counteract what they do,” Whitaker said.

“We fold. So tonight, when they made a play, we made a play.”

Southeast Alamance drove down the eld and scored once more with just under three minutes left in the game. Northwood ran the clock down and picked up a crucial rst down to seal the win.

In a fun, experimental year with a new sport, Whitaker said his favorite moment of the season was when the clock hit zero in the Chargers’ nal game.

For Watson, the win meant

at Seaforth High School, as a coach of Youth Hoops Basketball Camps, I’m constantly pushing kids. ‘Don’t be afraid, stand up to your fears.’ It’s not about you not being scared. It’s about whether or not you stand up to those fears and face them head on. That’s what makes people courageous. I wanted to put myself in a situation where I was compromised. It was going to be very, very tough, or I could take the easy way out. I wanted them to see how I would respond to that type of thing.”

Austin Smith, a senior who played under Berry last year and attended the demonstration, said Berry’s energy and the mat was consistent with the way he coaches basketball. Smith, who did jiujitsu growing up, said he’s practiced with Berry a few times together.

“He coaches us so hard, and he just wants the best for us,” Smith said. “He gets quiet. He doesn’t talk much when

more than just earning a trophy. She ful lled her purpose of playing in the rst place.

Watson played ag football for her late brother, Monte Thomas, who played football at Northwood. Before the season started, Watson told the Chatham News & Record that Thomas taught her everything she knew about football.

“I wanted to win a championship because he’s never won a championship before in football,” Watson said.

Prior to the championship game, Northwood defeated Seaforth 28-0 in the semi nal Monday night. Jordan-Matthews also fell 18-0 in the seminal to Southeast Alamance.

he’s locked in, same way before games. He barely talks. He sits on the bench. He meditates while we warm up, and then it’s game time.”

After more than a decade of training, Berry has used jiujitsu as another medium to live out his identity. His second reason for doing the gauntlet was to show his love for the dojo and those who have helped him along his journey. Berry gives back by helping teach in Quest’s youth classes or helping Merritt coach up a member of the dojo. And now, Berry’s classmates call him “Coach” too.

His nal reason for doing the gauntlet was his overall love for combat sports. Berry chose to pursue jiujitsu because its similarity to wrestling, a sport he participated in while in high school and at Howard University.

As a lifetime goal, Berry wants to earn a black belt one day. Now he’s one step closer.

PHOTOS BY ASHEEBO ROAJS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Left, Northwood’s girls’ ag football team takes a photo following its championship victory on Nov. 3. Right, Northwood’s Noelle Whitaker runs around a Southeast Alamance defender in the Mid-Carolina Flag Football championship on Nov. 3.

and accurate swings, landed the match point for Hickory, ending the nal set 25-22.

“We’ve always had two words that we hoped to describe our team, and it’s calm and fearless,” Valgus said. “It shows a good mix of just being ourselves, being calm, having fun, but also hitting those balls, going for those spots, serving aggressive. And today, we just couldn’t do both of those at the same time.”

Hickory’s state title victory marked its 12th straight win as the Red Tornadoes nished the season with a 35-4 record. Seaforth nished the year 19-9, losing more than six games in a season for the rst time since its inaugural 2021 campaign.

Despite the loss, Seaforth’s journey back to the nal stage after falling to McMichael in the 2024 2A state title didn’t go without acknowledgement.

The Hawks had a rougher-than-usual start to the season after an injury to junior Ally Forbes kept the UNCW commit out for multiple games. Seaforth also failed to claim any share of a conference title for the rst time since 2022 after losing three games to conference champion Cedar Ridge, including two regular season losses and a defeat to the Red Wolves in the conference tournament championship.

At the end of the regular season, Seaforth added the decorated former Chapel Hill coach Ross Fields to its sidelines. Fields led the Tigers to three state championship appearances and won the 3A title 2019.

which was its third defeat in its last four games. The Bears are led by junior quarterback Rucker Nixon and the rushing tandem of junior Ayden Everette and junior Justin Bunch, two backs who have combined for more than 1,400 yards this season. Throughout the year, the Bears have been as good as their o ense. Hertford County is 0-5 in games in which it scores less than 17 points.

Northwood, which has held three of its last four opponents to 20 points or less, will need a run-stopping night from its defense. The Chargers have struggled limiting explosive rushing o enses this season but have also shown the ability to dominate the line of scrimmage in wins over Jordan-Matthews and North Moore.

Seaforth 57, Carrboro 0

Seaforth junior quarterback Duncan Parker was responsible for six touchdowns in a 57-0 win over Carrboro (1-9) on Oct. 30, helping the Hawks (5-5) clinch the share of a conference title for the rst time in program history.

With South Granville beating J.F. Webb in the nal week of the season, Seaforth shares the conference title with J.F. Webb.

Senior Nick Gregory was all over the eld against Carrboro, catching three touchdown passes, rushing for a score and snagging an interception.

Parker, who rushed for a 51-yard score on Seaforth’s rst o ensive play and ran in another score in the third quarter, hit senior Patrick Miller for a 45-yard touchdown pass to put the Hawks ahead 36-0 before halftime.

Junior Brayden Moran joined the end zone party with a 16-yard score midway through the second quarter.

Sophomore Jude O’Neill intercepted a pass just before halftime.

Seaforth, clinching the most wins and scoring the most points in a game in program history, earned its largest ever win.

5A East playo s (First round): No. 20 Seaforth at No. 13 South Brunswick

Seaforth’s rst ever playo opponent will be South Brunswick (7-3) on Friday.

South Brunswick won its third straight game last week with a 35-7 blowout over West Bladen. The Cougars’ o ense has scored at least 28 points in three straight games. Senior quarterback Jayden Daniels has thrown for more than 1,800 yards and 23 scores, while junior running back Amerius Revels has rushed for over 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. Beating the Cougars must be done con-

Seaforth poses with their 5A state championship runner-up plaque.

“I was just having a conversation with him toward the end of our regular season, and he just happened to mention he would be available to help us out during the postseason playo run,” Green said. “He was able to join us the second round of the playo s, and he just brings this extra energy. Plus, he’s got tons and tons of experience, especially playo experience, and I found that to be very valuable. He’s also coached a lot of our players, and

they were familiar with him.”

Seaforth had to win on the road during its playo run as it swept No. 4 West Carteret in the third round and nally got over the Cedar Ridge hump with a 3-1 win over its top-seeded foes in the regional semi nal.

In the regional nal game against No. 5 Person, the Hawks rallied from down 2-0 and completed a reverse sweep to secure a return to the state championship.

“It just shows what kind of individuals they are,” Green said. “They’re able to make adjustments when they need to. They grew as a team and became more trusting in each other. They understood that each one had each other’s back, and it’s OK to make mistakes and just forget about it and go on to the next play. And that if we’re down, we can come back. We’re not out of it. Ever.”

Seaforth will graduate four seniors in Valgus, a TCU commit,

Lyla Walters, Karleigh Purcell and Alyssa Sarbaugh.

The Hawks plan to return with a talented core for 2026, including Forbes, Abigail and Isabelle Valgus, Clarke Hollier and Stevenson, who led the team in kills as a freshman.

“We just have to play it, take it one game at a time,” Green said. “But we’re very fortunate to have that level of talent coming back. I’m looking forward to next year.”

Northwood’s Grayson Cox looks for an open man in a loss to West Carteret on Oct. 30.

vincingly. South Brunswick is 4-0 in games decided by one possession, while its losses have all come by double digits.

Seaforth will need its best defensive game, especially against the run, to slow down a potent o ense. The Hawks will also need to continue their ve-game streak of scoring 27 or more points.

Eastern Randolph 49, Jordan-Matthews 0

Jordan-Matthews (5-5) had no answer for Eastern Randolph junior James Combs in a 49-0 loss to the Wildcats (8-2) on Oct. 30. Combs ran in the Wildcats’ rst three touchdowns, including a 4-yard score one play after a blocked Jordan-Matthews punt. Following his 17-yard score to put the Wildcats ahead 21-0 in the rst quarter, Combs caught another blocked Jordan-Matthews punt and returned it 40 yards to the end zone to give Eastern Randolph a four-score lead early in the second quarter.

Eastern Randolph ended the rst half up 42-0 after junior quarterback Cade McCallum hit senior Mason Carson for a 9-yard touchdown, and senior Meadows Zeb ran in a 20 -yard score. Junior Hayden Payne threw the nal punch with a 9-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Jordan-Matthews once again struggled o ensively. The Jets,

who were shut out for the rst time this year, have yet to score 20 points in a game since beating Wheatmore on Sept. 12.

4A East playo s (First round): No. 17 Red Springs at No. 16 Jordan-Matthews

Jordan-Matthews will get to host its rst playo game since 2009 against Red Springs (4-6) on Friday.

Red Springs is coming o a 28-8 victory over Fairmont. The Red Devils have leaned on the connection between senior quarterback Chase Boone, who has thrown for more than 1,950 yards, and senior receiver Taquan Ellerbe, who has accumulated over 980 receiving yards, this season. Red Springs is 1-5 in games decided by one possession and 0-5 against teams with more than four wins. It has also struggled to stop the run at times this season.

While limiting the Red Devils’ explosive passing game will be key, Jordan-Matthews will need to reestablish its rushing attack and nd its speedy receivers in space. The Jets have struggled to keep defenders out of the backeld for weeks, and an inability to score has led to losing ve of its last six games. Jordan-Matthews has not won a playo game since 2011.

Winston-Salem Prep 20, Chatham Central 7

Chatham Central (1-9) strug-

gled to stop Winston-Salem Prep’s (2-8) o ense in a regular season-ending loss. Winston-Salem Prep freshman Jamari Wilson rushed for 180 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, recording most of the Phoenix’s 210 rushing yards as a team. Wilson also completed 10 passes for 230 yards, while junior Tim Smith threw for 115 yards. Sophomore receiver Elijah Skinner caught six passes for 200 yards and a score. Smith recovered a Chatham Central fumble and took it in for a touchdown. The Bears rushed for 182 yards as a team, and junior Carson Jackson ran in their only score of the night.

1A West playo s (First round): No. 11 Chatham Central at No. 6 Winston-Salem Prep Chatham Central will get another shot at the Phoenix in the rst round of the playo s Friday. With the Bears’ o ense limited in its throwing abilities due to injuries, they will need a big night from the defense. Forcing turnovers and creating favorable eld position can go a long way for Chatham Central, which has found itself in close games throughout the season. The Bears are 1-4 in games decided by two possessions or fewer.

Final conference standings

Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Eastern Randolph (8-2, 4-0, conference champion); 2. Southwestern Randolph (7-3, 3-1); 3. Northwood (3-7, 2-2); 4. Jordan-Matthews (5-5, 1-3); 5. North Moore (3-7, 0-4) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. J.F. Webb (7-3, 4-1, conference co-champion); 2. Seaforth (5 - 5, 4-1, conference co-champion); 3. Orange (3-7, 3-2); 4. South Granville (4-6, 3-2); 5. Carrboro (1-9, 1-4); 6. Cedar Ridge (1-9, 0-5) Greater Triad 1A/2A: 1. Bishop McGuinness (9-1, 6-0, conference champion); 2. South Davidson (9-1, 5-1); 3. North Stokes (4-6, 4-2); 4. South Stokes (4-6, 3-3); 5. Winston-Salem Prep (2-8, 2-4); 6. College Prep and Leadership (1-8, 1-5); 7. Chatham Central (1-9, 0-6)

Final power rankings 1. Seaforth 2. Northwood 3. Jordan-Matthews 4. Chatham Central Score predictions

• Northwood 21, Hertford County 16

• South Brunswick 42, Seaforth 35

• Jordan-Matthews 27, Red Springs 20

• Winston-Salem Prep 14, Chatham Central 7

FOOTBALL from page B1

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

SIDELINE REPORT

FISHING

New mandatory shing harvest reporting requirements just 1 month away

Morehead City New reporting requirements for both commercial and recreational shermen begin Dec. 1. Recreational shermen must report all ounder, red drum, striped bass, spotted seatrout (speckled trout), and weak sh (gray trout) they keep through an online N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries form, or a soon-to-be released iPhone app, with an Android version to follow. Reporting is required in waters upstream of coastal shing waters, as far inland as Chatham and Wake counties, according to a state o cial. In addition to current reporting, commercial shermen must now report all n sh, shell sh and crustacean they keep from Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and Inland Fishing Waters adjacent to Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters.

NBA Police investigating break-in at home reported to belong to Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Police are investigating a burglary at a home reportedly belonging to Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The breakin occurred while the NBA star was playing against the Washington Wizards. Nichols Hills police have not con rmed the homeowner’s identity or what was stolen. The suspects ed before o cers arrived, and no arrests have been made. The incident mirrors a series of burglaries targeting professional athletes’ homes across the U.S. Thieves often strike on game days when players are away. The NBA has urged teams to enhance home security measures.

NFL NFL nes Ravens $100K over inaccurate injury report involving Jackson

New York

The Baltimore Ravens were ned $100,000 by the NFL for incorrectly listing star quarterback Lamar Jackson as a full participant in practice on Oct. 24. Baltimore listed Jackson as a full participant and said he was questionable for that week’s game against Chicago. Then a day later, the Ravens ruled the two-time MVP out for that game and said he’d actually been limited in practice the previous day. Baltimore said the reason for the mix-up was that he’d participated in the entire practice but wasn’t taking starter reps, which made him limited according to league policy.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Nebraska extends Rhule’s contract through 2032

Lincoln, Neb.

Nebraska announced a two -year contract extension with coach Matt Rhule, adding bonuses for College Football Playo appearances. The deal runs through 2032. Rhule is in his third season at Nebraska, and there was speculation two weeks ago that he might ll the job at Penn State. Last season, Rhule led Nebraska to its rst winning season in eight years. Rhule, who earns $7.5 million this year, says his focus remains on building Nebraska football into a championship contender.

Rozier, Billups won’t receive NBA salaries while on leave in gambling cases

Both were arrested as part of federal gambling-related charges

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

NBA GUARD TERRY Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups will not receive their salaries while on leave for their arrests on federal gambling-related charges, per AP sources.

Rozier had been due to receive the rst installment of a $26.6 million annual salary with the Miami Heat at the end of October. That, and future installments, will be held pending resolution of his legal case. If Rozier is cleared and allowed to return to the NBA, which placed him on leave hours after his Oct. 23 arrest, he could receive the held payments in full.

The Heat will not receive any immediate salary cap relief by the NBA’s decision.

There are provisions in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that allow the league, in certain situations, to place salary withheld from a player in an interest-bearing account.

Billups, the Portland coach

$26.6M

Terry Rozier’s NBA salary for the 2025-26 season

who has also been placed on leave by the league after his arrest last week, is having his salary held by the Trail Blazers. Billups is under contract into at least the 2026-27 season. He agreed to a multiyear extension in April.

The National Basketball Players Association indicated it would le a grievance on Rozier’s behalf.

“While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said an NBPA spokesperson. “We plan to challenge their decision via the proper channels.”

Rozier, a former Charlotte Hornet, is now on the Heat roster. He, Billups and nearly three dozen other individuals were arrested last week on gambling-related

charges detailed in two separate indictments.

Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, has denied the allegations against his client. Federal o cials alleged that Rozier conspired with associates to help them win bets based on his statistical performance in a game when he was with the Hornets on March 23, 2023 — more than seven months before the lien was prepared and nearly eight months before it was formally led. Rozier played sparingly in that game, and gamblers who wagered that he would nish “under” certain statistical totals won those bets.

The charges against Rozier are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before he was banned from the league by Commissioner Adam Silver in 2024.

Rozier did not play in thenal eight games of that 2022-23 season, with he and the Hornets citing a foot injury. The Hornets had several players in-

jured at that time and were already eliminated from playo contention.

Sportsbooks detected unusual patterns of wagers on the Charlotte game in question — prop bets involving Rozier were agged and immediately brought to the NBA’s attention — and the league probed the matter but did not nd enough evidence to conclude that Rozier broke any rules. The NBA, unlike federal law enforcement, does not have subpoena power.

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, has said Rozier is “not a gambler” and looks forward to winning the case.

The NBA said earlier this week that it is reviewing how sensitive information like injury reports — which are public and updated hourly — should be handled going forward. Members of the House and Senate have both asked the NBA for more information.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Commerce Committee, and Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on that panel, wrote Silver this week seeking detail “about how the NBA investigated and handled these allegations” and why the NBA allowed Rozier to continue playing.

Pearls, Sampsons part of trend of college coaches passing programs onto sons

Family arrangements have raised concerns over nepotism

By Dave Skretta The Associated Press

ABOUT A MONTH after leading Houston to the NCAA championship game, Kelvin Sampson agreed to a contract extension that not only bumped up his salary but could keep the 70-year-old in charge of the Cougars through the 2028-29 season.

However long he lasts, there could be a Sampson calling the shots for a whole lot longer.

For more than two years already, there has been a plan in place for his son, Kellen Sampson, to take over whenever his father hangs up the whistle. It is spelled out in paragraphs in each of their contracts, one of which says: “UH acknowledges and agrees that Kellen Sampson shall have and maintain the functional title of ‘head coach in waiting’ for the team.”

The reason for the succession plan, the elder Sampson said, is quite simple: “Nobody knows the program better.”

They aren’t a rarity in college sports, either. In fact, the Sampson father-son duo is part of a growing trend of coaches employing their sons, many of them with an eye on not only their children’s future but that of their schools.

Just last month, Auburn

coach Bruce Pearl announced he was retiring with this season six weeks away, leaving his son, Steven, to take the reins of a program coming o a trip to the Final Four.

Such arrangements have raised red- ags about the role of nepotism across the landscape of college sports, with some arguing that coaches are getting jobs they don’t deserve simply because of who their father might have been.

Indeed, there are undeniable bene ts to passing the torch from father to son. In most cases, it means a relatively seamless transition at a time of great uncertainty and potential upheaval — the known quantity rather than a gamble on the unknown.

“The players know if a coach is good or not,” said St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt,

Houston head coach Kelvin

talks with assistant coach Kellen Sampson, right, during a February game against Texas Tech.

whose son, Nick, is on his sta . “And so you gain credibility by what you do in practice. And you can hire a big name, but if that guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, it doesn’t matter. The kids see right through it. So (Nick) is going to do an extremely good job. He’s well educated. He’s been in the gym since he was 4 years old, and he’s loyal. That’s a big part of it too.”

One thing Nick Schmidt is not: “He’s not silver-spooned,” Mark said, “I can tell you that. He earned his stripes.” In truth, despite the appearances of nepotism, most sons-in-waiting earned their stripes. They worked their way up through the ranks, often forging their own path along the way, picking up experience at numerous rungs on the coaching ladder. Kellen Sampson played for

his father at Oklahoma, and he worked for him at Indiana, back when he was starting his journey in the coaching world. But he also spent time with other coaches at Stephen F. Austin and Appalachian State before returning to his father’s sta in 2014, where together they have built the Cougars into a national powerhouse. Davidson coach Matt McKillop began his coaching career at Emory before joining his father Bob’s sta . By the time Bob retired after more than three decades with the Wildcats, Matt had spent more than a decade by his side.

That’s not always the case, though. Illinois coach Brad Underwood hired his son, Tyler, after his playing career ended. But even in that situation, the younger Underwood had to work his way from director of recruiting to a full- edged assistant coach.

“He works at it. He doesn’t take it for granted,” Brad Underwood explained. “He’s got his mother’s brains, which is a blessing. He’s very smart. The coach in me says he’s good at this job. The dad couldn’t be prouder.

“Whatever the path is for him,” Underwood added, “we’ll help him as we would any of our assistants gure out what that next step is. He’s very young. He’s had some opportunities this year to get involved in some things. That’s good for him.”

JUSTIN REX / AP PHOTO

DERICK HINGLE / AP PHOTO

Sampson, left,

Waxahatchee releases

‘Snocaps’

with twin sister, surprises fans

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

NEW YORK — For the recently converted Waxahatchee fan, Alabama-raised singer-songwriter Katie Crutch eld does not drum up the image of distorted ri s, scrappy lo- recordings and indie rock sensibilities. For many years, though, that was her reality. (Incisive, lyrical self-re exivity and emotional acuity have always been present in her work, now delivered in a familiar twang via her idiosyncratic folk style.)

Long before her 2024 album “Tigers Blood” or 2020’s “Saint Cloud” cemented Crutch eld as a leading voice in contemporary Americana, Waxahatchee more closely followed in the tradition of her early power punk-pop bands, P.S. Eliot and Bad Banana. Those were led by her and her twin sister, Allison Crutcheld, also of the in uential indie-punks Swearin’. It is impossible not to hear the impact of the pair’s clever harmonies, their ambling ri s and keen storytelling in generations of indie rock bands that followed. Those groups dissolved as

“Allison and I have been, in some way, shape or form, doing this together for over 20 years.”

Katie Crutch eld

Waxahatchee took over, reuniting here and there for one - o performances for their devout listenership, and only when music-making seemed fun again. But a new project with both Crutch elds seemed o the table.

Unlikely, that is, until now: Snocaps, a surprise new project from Katie and Allison Crutch eld, released a self-titled debut album on Halloween. It is 13 tracks performed by the two, joined by close collaborators Brad Cook (longtime Waxahatchee producer) and guitarist MJ Lenderman (formerly of the band Wednesday, known to Waxahatchee fans as one-half of “Right Back to It,” one of AP’s favorite songs of 2024). It would be an oversimpli cation to say Snocaps sounds as if no time has passed — but there is no doubt a sense of comforting familiarity. “Heathcli ” opens with a warming bass lick and Allison’s spirited voice; that, and “Ava-

lanche,” possess the unimpeachable melodicism of Swearin’. It bleeds e ortlessly into “Wasteland,” a Katie-led song where hints of modern Waxahatchee is heard. The style exists elsewhere, with her evolved and experienced tone (“Angel Wings”) and more subtly in swaying musical movements. The same is true of the sisters’ other projects: “Over Our Heads” has echoes of Bad Banana, free of the scuzz and fuzz.

And it isn’t just Katie and Allison taking turns on the track list: “I Don’t Want To,” and, in particular, “Hide” feel like an evolution from P.S. Eliot, perhaps a ripened “Tennessee” — a lovely slow burn with a simple pop melody. Then they dive into the ascendant “Cherry Hard Candy” with its jaunty cluster of guitars and hooky harmonies. In the last few decades, they’ve only become more expert at the style, meticulous and appearing e ortless.

In the limited press materials for the album, Katie Crutcheld wrote, “Allison and I have been, in some way, shape or form, doing this together for over 20 years.” It is likely, even when both are busy, that they will continue to do what comes more naturally — writing wise, revelatory songs with simple materials and expert vision. Here’s to 20 more.

Fans of the Crutch eld musical universe, sisterhood and twin telepathy take notice

ANTI RECORDS VIA AP

Katie Crutch eld of Waxahatchee teamed up with her twin sister and former bandmate, Allison, to write and record “Snocaps.”

this week in history

Guy Fawkes’ seized in failed “Gunpowder Plot,” Bolsheviks revolt, FDR wins third term

The Associated Press

NOV. 6

1860: Former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln of the Republican Party was elected president of the United States.

1861: An unopposed Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term as president of the Confederate States of America after serving much of the year as its provisional president.

1888: Republican presidential candidate Benjamin Harrison won the electoral vote over incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland despite Cleveland gaining 90,000 more total votes.

1947: “Meet the Press,” the longest-running television show in America, made its debut on NBC.

NOV. 7

1916: Jeannette Rankin of Montana won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the rst woman elected to either chamber of Congress.

1917: Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution took place as forces led

by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky.

1940: Washington state’s original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” collapsed into Puget Sound during a windstorm just four months after opening to tra c.

1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term in o ce.

1991: Basketball star Magic Johnson announced that he had tested positive for HIV and was retiring.

NOV. 8

1889: Montana was admitted to the Union as the 41st state.

1923: Adolf Hitler launched his rst attempt at seizing power in Germany with a failed coup in Munich that came to be known as the “Beer Hall Putsch.”

1942: The Allies launched Operation Torch in World War II as U.S. and British forces landed in French North Africa.

1960: John F. Kennedy won the U.S. presidential election over Vice President Richard M. Nixon.

NOV. 9

1906: Theodore Roosevelt

made the rst trip abroad of any sitting U.S. president to observe construction of the Panama Canal.

1935: United Mine Workers President John L. Lewis and other labor leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization.

1938: Nazis looted and burned synagogues as well as thousands of Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria in a pogrom that became known as “Kristallnacht.”

1989: Communist East Germany threw open its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the West for the rst time in decades — a landmark event often referred to as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

NOV. 10

1775: The U.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress.

1898: A mob of white supremacists killed dozens of African Americans in Wilmington and overthrew the local government in the violent “Wilmington Coup.”

1954: The U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the ag on Iwo Jima, was dedicated by Presi-

dent Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia.

NOV. 11

1620: Forty-one Pilgrims aboard the May ower signed the May ower Compact, creating a local government calling for a “civil body politick.”

1918: Fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France.

1921: The remains of an unidenti ed American service member were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

NOV. 12

1927: Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

1948: Former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and several other wartime leaders were sentenced to death by a war-crimes tribunal.

1954: Ellis Island o cially closed as an immigration station and detention center after processing more than 12 million immigrants since 1892.

2 Louvre heist suspects had prior theft conviction together

Authorities are exploring all leads to recover the jewels

By Sylvie Corbet

The Associated Press

PARIS — The Paris prosecutor said Sunday that two of the suspects in the Louvre jewels heist had previously been convicted in a theft case together 10 years ago, as three alleged members of the team of four are now in custody.

Laure Beccuau said the DNA of a 37-year-old man who was charged Saturday was found inside the basket lift that was used to reach the museum’s window. He was handed preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.

His criminal record contained 11 previous convictions, 10 of them for theft, Beccuau said.

The criminal record of a 39-year-old suspect who was handed similar preliminary charges last Wednesday mentions 15 convictions, including two for theft, Beccuau said.

“What’s interesting about these records, when we compare them, is that … we see that they were both involved in the same theft case, for which they were convicted in Paris in 2015,” Beccuau said.

Another man aged 34 suspected of being part of the “commando” team, as French

“There are four perpetrators, at least one of whom remains at large, plus possibly the one or those who ordered the crime and the jewelry.”

Laurent Nuñez, interior minister

media have dubbed the thieves, was also charged last week. A 38-year-old woman who was handed preliminary charges of “complicity” on Saturday is the longtime partner of the 37-year-old suspect, Beccuau said, noting some “closeness” between all suspects.

All four are being held in custody.

Beccuau declined to answer a question about whether investigators are getting closer to nding the jewels.

“We are examining all the possibilities on the parallel market for selling this jewelry, which I hope will not happen anytime soon. … It could be used for money laundering, it could be used for trade, all leads are being explored,” she said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said he remains “optimistic” about the investigation, in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper Saturday.

“There are four perpetrators, at least one of whom remains at large, plus possibly the one or those who ordered the crime and the jewelry,” Nuñez said.

solutions

“I have great con dence in the work of the police, so I’m optimistic. But my optimism doesn’t extend to thinking that the loot will be recovered quickly,” he added.

EMMA DA SILVA / AP PHOTO

Soldiers patrol in the courtyard of the Louvre museum Oct. 30 in Paris.

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famous birthdays this week

Maria Shriver is 70, Susan Tedeschi turns 55, Sinbad is 69, Leonardo DiCaprio turns 51

The Associated Press

NOV. 6

Actor Sally Field is 79. Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 76. Author Michael Cunningham is 73. Journalist-author Maria Shriver is 70. Author Colson Whitehead is 56. Actor Ethan Hawke is 55. Model-actor Rebecca Romijn is 53.

NOV. 7

Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Kaat is 87. Former Singer Johnny Rivers is 83. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 82. Retired Army general and former CIA Director David Petraeus is 73.

NOV. 8

Racing Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. is 83. Singer Bonnie Raitt is 76. TV personality Mary Hart is 75. Actor Alfre Woodard is 73. Singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is 71. Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro is 71. Filmmaker Richard Curtis is 69. Chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay is 59. Actor Parker Posey is 57.

NOV. 9

Film director Bille August is 77. Actor-bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno is 74. Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin is 66. TV writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy is 60. Rapper Scarface (Geto Boys) is 55. Blues singer Susan Tedeschi is 55.

NOV. 10

Lyricist Tim Rice is 81. Country singer Donna Fargo is 80. Film director Roland Emmerich is 70. Actor-comedian Sinbad is 69. Actor Mackenzie Phillips is 66. Actor Hugh Bonneville is 62. Actor-comedian Tommy Davidson is 62. Actor-comedian Tracy Morgan is 57. Rapper-producer Warren G is 55. Actor Walton Goggins is 54.

NOV. 11

Music producer Mutt Lange

NOV. 12

Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 82. Rock musician Booker T. Jones is 81. Sportscaster Al Michaels is 81. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 80. Author Tracy Kidder is 80. Actor Megan Mullally is 67. Actor Ryan Gosling is 45. Actor Anne Hathaway is 43.

is 77. Actor Stanley Tucci is 65. Actor Demi Moore is 63. Actor Calista Flockhart is 61. TV personality Carson Kressley is 56. Actor David DeLuise is 54. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 51. Musician Jon Batiste is 39.

PHIL MCCARTEN / INVISION FOR THE TELEVISION ACADEMY / AP IMAGES

Actor Sally Field, pictured during the 27th Television Academy Hall of Fame ceremony in 2025, turns 79 on Thursday.

MARCO UGARTE / AP PHOTO

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured posing for photos during a red-carpet event for the lm “One Battle After Another” in Mexico City in 2025, turns 51 on Tuesday.

‘The

Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, ‘Downton Abbey’

Willie Nelson interprets the songs and voice of Merle Haggard

The Associated Press

THE EARNEST superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and Tracy Morgan returning to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch” 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 this week: The upstairs-downstairs drama “Downton Abbey” bids farewell in a nal movie, Kim Kardashian plays a divorce attorney in Hulu’s “All’s Fair,” and Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Guillermo del Toro realizes his long-held dream of a sumptuous Mary Shelley adaptation in “Frankenstein” (Friday on Net ix). Del Toro’s lm, starring Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his monster, uses all the trappings of handmade movie craft to give Shelley’s classic an epic sweep. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote: “Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Matt Shakman’s endearingly earnest superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (now streaming on Disney+) helps alleviate a checkered-at-best history of bigscreen adaptations of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby comic. Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon MossBachrach and Joseph Quinn play Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch, respectively. In 1964, they work to defend Earth from its imminent destruction by Galactus. In my review, I praised “First Steps” as “a spi y ’60s-era romp, bathed in retrofuturism and bygone American optimism.”

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” (Friday on Peacock) bids goodbye to the Crawleys 15 years after Julian Fellowes rst debuted his upstairs-downstairs drama. The cast of the third and nal lm, directed by Simon Curtis, includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Paul Giamatti. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote that the lm gives “loyal Downton fans what they want: a satisfying bit of closure and the

“Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

sense that the future, though a bit scary, may look kindly on Downton Abbey.” Peacock is also streaming the two previous movies and all six seasons of “Downton Abbey.”

“The Materialists” (Friday on HBO Max), Celine Song’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2023 breakthrough “Past Lives,” stars Dakota Johnson, Pascal and Chris Evans in a romantic triangle. The New York-set lm adds a dose of economic reality to a romantic comedy plot in what was, for A24, a modest summer hit. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a smart rom-com that tries to be honest about life and still leaves us smiling.”

MUSIC TO STREAM

The legendary Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year. “Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle,” out Friday, is exactly what it sounds like: Nelson o ering new interpretations of 11 classic songs written by Merle Haggard. And we mean

classics: Check out Nelson’s latest take on “Okie From Muskogee,” “Mama Tried,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink” and more. Where’s the future of the global music industry? All over, surely, but it would be more than just a little wise to look to Brazil. Not too dissimilar to how Anitta brought her country’s funk genre to an international mainstream through diverse collaborations and genre meddling, so too is Ludmilla. On Thursday, she will release a new album, “Fragmentos,” fresh o the heels of her sultry, bilingual collaboration with Grammy winner Victoria Monét, “Cam Girl.” It’s a combination of R&B, funk and then some.

SERIES TO STREAM

Morgan returns to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch.” He plays a widowed empty-nester whose world is turned around when his adult children move home with his grandkids in tow. The Paramount+ series is available now.

Kardashian says she will soon learn whether she passed the bar exam to become a lawyer, but she plays a sought-after divorce attorney in “All’s Fair,” her new TV series for Hulu. Kardashian stars alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor in the show about an all-female law rm. Ryan Murphy created the show with Kardashian in mind after she acted in “American Horror Story: Delicate.” It is streaming now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The old saying about truth being stranger than ction applies to Net ix’s new four-episode limited-series “Death by Lightning.” It’s a historical dramatization (with some comedy thrown in) about how James Gar eld became the 20th president of the United States. He was shot four months later by a man named Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who was desperate for Gar eld’s attention. Two months after that, Gar eld died from complications of his injuries. It’s a wild story that also features Betty Gilpin, Nick O erman, Bradley Whitford and Shea Whigham. The series premieres Thursday. HBO o ers up a new docuseries about the life of retired baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez. “Alex Vs. A-Rod” features intimate interviews with peo -

ple who are related to and know Rodriguez, as well as the man himself. The three-part series premieres Thursday. The next installment of “Wicked,” called “Wicked: For Good,” ies into theaters Nov. 21, and NBC has created a musical special to pump up the release. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” a concert event that premieres Thursday on NBC and streams on Peacock Friday. Additional lm cast members like Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater appear as well.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

It’s going to be a while until the next Legend of Zelda game, but if you’re craving some time with the princess, check out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. In this spino , a prequel to 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda travels back in time to join forces with the Six Sages in a war against the invader Ganondorf. You can also drag another human into battle with split-screen or the GameShare feature on Nintendo’s new console. Like the previous collaborations between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, it’s more hack-and-slash action than exploration and discovery. It arrives Thursday on Switch 2.

MARVEL / DISNEY VIA AP

Pedro Pascal stars as Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

Laura Carmichael, from left, Harry Hadden-Paton, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery are part of the ensemble cast in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

Duplin Journal

Christmas gift drive underway

Magnolia

The Magnolia Police Department is collecting Christmas gifts for local children, with a collection box now located at the Dollar General in Magnolia. Gifts can also be dropped o at the police department or town hall during business hours, Monday through Thursday. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 16 and distributed in the days leading up to Christmas.

Bingo night to bene t Duplin’s furry friends

Wallace Pet Friends of Duplin County will host a Bingo Night on Nov. 7 at Coley Hall at Poston Baptist Church in Wallace. The event will feature a children’s contest and concessions. Doors open at 6 p.m., and games begin at 6:45 p.m. Proceeds will support Pet Friends of Duplin County, a small, all-volunteer nonpro t that provides spay/neuter assistance, free rabies clinics, pet food for families in need and support for local shelters throughout Duplin County. Admission is $10 and includes games and entry into drawings for cash and gift door prizes.

NC Pickle Festival vendor applications open early

Mount Olive Vendor applications for the 2026 North Carolina Pickle Festival are now open. With this earlier release comes an earlier application deadline of Feb. 1. Vendors are encouraged to submit their applications at ncpicklefest. org/vendors to secure a spot. The 2026 NC Pickle Festival will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Veterans Day

o ce closures

Mount Olive The town of Mount Olive o ces will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day and will reopen on Nov. 12 at 8 a.m. The recycling center will also be closed and reopen Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 a.m. Household garbage collection will remain on its regular schedule. Yard waste collection will follow the regular schedule on Monday, Thursday and Friday, with Tuesday’s collection moved to Wednesday. For water or sewer emergencies, residents can call 919-658-5031, option 0, to reach nonemergency dispatch.

Warsaw marks 105th Veterans Day Parade with time-honored traditions

The Sudan Drum and Bugle Corps from Wilmington added their signature sound and spirit to the 105th North Carolina Veterans Day Parade in Warsaw on Saturday. Turn to B6 for more.

Duplin acts to protect retiree health coverage amid Humana changes

By Ena Sellers For Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Duplin

County o cials have taken decisive action to safeguard health care access for retirees after

learning that UNC Health would no longer accept Humana Medicare Advantage plans starting on Jan. 1. At Monday’s County Commissioners meeting, retirees voiced concerns about the changes in provider networks and rate increases. The commissioners responded by unanimously approving a motion to contract with United American for post-65 medical supplement coverage and to negotiate prescription drug coverage options.

UMO breaks ground on livestock center

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

MOUNT OLIVE — The weather did not cooperate for a traditional groundbreaking ceremony, but the rain did not

$2.00

dampen the spirits of the estimated 100 guests attending an indoor version to celebrate a new 34,000 -square-foot educational livestock facility that will be

More than 90 post-65 retirees received notices last month from Humana, UNC Health and the county’s bene ts administrator, AmWINS, alerting them to the changes. Local pharmacies also informed retirees they would no longer be in-network for prescription coverage.

Judy Brown criticized the county’s HR department and AmWINS for failing to monitor

Surprises take ight at Duplin Airport Commission meeting

Wendell Murphy and Joseph Bryant were recognized for their contributions to the airport

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Last week’s Airport Commission meeting was full of surprises. Following the traditional dinner together, prayer and approval of the minutes, the board took time to honor two people who have been instrumental to the airport’s development.

Wendell Murphy received a special resolution recognizing his life and legacy. Board Member Grey Morgan shared personal memories and acknowledged Murphy’s family in attendance, calling him a “visionary farmer and entrepreneur” who consistently supported infrastructure and economic development.

“You’ve always run your business the way one ought to be run,” said Morgan. “I have fond memories of listening to your

dreams and doggone if they haven’t come true. With the airport, you’ve always seen the vision for why we needed an airport here, and you always helped us nd money when we needed it.”

After Morgan read the resolution, the full room erupted with applause. Murphy, one of the integral founders of the airport in the 1960s, re ected on his long-term involvement, including being able to allocate $50,000 in discretionary funds to the airport in the 1980s when he was a politician.

“I am proud of the airport and privileged to have been a part of its history,” Murphy said.

Following Murphy’s award, all but one knew that a second surprise was coming.

“Tonight is a night of celebration,” Chairman Jack Alphin began. “We got a retired board member that we want to recognize as well.” Joseph Bryant was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Health’s decision to drop Humana forces Duplin leaders to act fast to keep care local

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

THURSDAY

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Four County EMC elects new board president

Kenneth Thornton Jr. takes the helm as S. Franklin Williams transitions to the West Duplin District

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

FOUR COUNTY Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) announced a new slate of o cers on its Board of Directors following its regular monthly meeting on Oct. 28.

The board elected Kenneth Thornton Jr. of the East Bladen District as its new president, following longtime board President S. Franklin Williams’ decision to step down after more than two decades in his role. As president, Thornton will lead the board in setting strategic direction and representing the cooperative to key stakeholders. According to the announcement, under Williams’ leadership, Four County EMC navigated major periods of growth, system improvements and inno -

vation while maintaining its core focus on reliability and a ordability.

Williams, a Duplin County native who joined the board in 1985, will continue serving as the West Duplin District representative.

“We are deeply grateful for Mr. Williams’ dedication and steady leadership,” said CEO Don Gatton. “His passion for reliability, a ordability, and service has shaped the success and strength of our cooperative.”

Thornton has served on the board for nearly two decades and as vice president since 2021.

The board also elected G. Clayton Hollingsworth, an atlarge director for more than two decades, to ll the vice

president position. Hollingsworth’s decades of cooperative experience and community involvement are expected to bring valuable insight to his new role.

In addition, S. Eugene “Gene” Jordan of Pender County was reelected as secretary/treasurer, a position he has held since 2007. Jordan, who earned the director gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, was recognized for his commitment to responsible governance andnancial integrity.

Four County EMC thanked the board of directors for their longstanding dedication to reliability, affordability and cooperative governance.

Wallace begins phase one on inclusive playground

The Clement Park project will provide accessible fun for children

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

WALLACE — Phase one of Wallace’s new inclusive playground project is underway at Clement Park, bringing more than ve years of planning and fundraising to life with accessible play opportunities for children of all abilities.

“We are very excited to get this project started,” David Bizzel, Wallace Parks and Recreation director told Duplin Journal. “It has been a very long process.”

Phase one includes relocating the current playground at Clement Park to Dobbins Park as part

HEALTH from page A1

the plan and stressed the need to periodically rebid retiree insurance plans.

“Never should we enter into any type of health insurance plan that does not include our local providers and our local pharmacies,” Brown said.

Evan Quinn, a retiree from the Department of Social Services, highlighted the economic impact on independent pharmacies, which would be excluded under the current Express Scripts-administered drug plan.

Quinn noted it will force retirees to travel outside the county and threaten small businesses that contribute to the local economy. Local pharmacists echoed those concerns.

Jennifer Byrd of Kenansville Pharmacy explained that independent pharmacies cannot compete with nationwide chains like Walgreens or CVS and often ll prescriptions at a loss due to pharmacy bene t managers’ practices.

COURTESY WALLACE PARKS AND RECREATION

of the Dobbins Park Renovation Project, which will also feature a picnic shelter and walking path. Once the playground is reassembled at Dobbins Park, construction will begin on the new inclusive playground at

ENA SELLERS FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL Retirees attend Monday’s County Commissioners’ meeting.

The playground at Clement Park is being relocated to Dobbins Park. Once the playground is reassembled at Dobbins Park, construction will begin on the new inclusive playground at Clement Park.

Clement Park. Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to use the Farrior Park playground while construction is ongoing.

“We hope to have the entire project completed by Thanksgiving, with both playgrounds

the cost,” she explained. Byrd urged decision-makers to consider these issues when selecting health care plans, suggesting that input from on-the-ground providers should inform plan decisions rather than relying solely on insurance agents.

up and ready for use,” Bizzel said. “That is, of course, depending on weather and any unforeseen problems we may run into.”

The Parks and Recreation Department has been busy with several other initiatives, including renovations of the old Clement School building, now home to the department o ces and a community building with a cardio room open to the public.

Designs are also underway for a soccer complex at Farrior Park, along with new soccer elds at Clement Park. Future projects include a tennis and pickleball facility at Farrior Park and the potential addition of a splash pad at Clement Park.

“We have a lot going on, and we are very excited about the future of our department,” Bizzel told Duplin Journal.

to remain primary, while United American acts as a supplemental plan. The change would preserve retirees’ current providers and expand access to additional health care options.

Nov. 7-8

Pickles, Pigs & Swigs

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pickles, Pigs & Swigs returns to Mount Olive for its fth year, featuring a whole hog barbecue cook-o sanctioned by the N.C. Pork Council, live music, craft beer, free Mt. Olive Pickles, vendors and family-friendly attractions like rides on the Pickle Train. New highlights this year include a classic car show and the opening of the Mt. Olive Pickle Parlor to the public on Saturday. Friday night kicks o with the BBQ competition at Town Hall, while Saturday’s festivities run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., bringing together food, fun and community spirit.

Downtown Mount Olive

Nov. 7-8

NC Poultry Jubilee

The NC Poultry Jubilee returns to downtown Rose Hill to celebrate North Carolina’s rich poultry heritage at the home of the World’s Largest Frying Pan in Rose Hill. The event will feature live music, local vendors, and lots of fried chicken.

512 E Main St., Rose Hill

Nov. 8

Oyster & Smoke Festival

Noon to 5 p.m.

“The pharmacy bene t manager is pretty much the middleman between us and your insurance,” Byrd explained. “This is the person taking a piece out of the pie that’s not really doing anything other than negotiating contracts.” Byrd explained they fall under a group called EPIC, which handles contracts for thousands of pharmacies to negotiate contracts with di erent insurance companies, and EPIC is no longer contracting with Express Scripts because of unsustainable reimbursement rates.

“I’ve contacted our patients personally to let them know this information since Medicare open enrollment is currently going on from now until Dec. 7,” said Jennifer Knowles, a community pharmacist at REALO in Beulaville. “Patients must pick a plan during this timeframe.”

Knowles explained that local pharmacies losing county plan participation would also affect businesses that employ local residents.

She illustrated the nancial strain this places on local pharmacies, noting that lling prescriptions at below-cost rates forces them to absorb losses, sometimes as high as $50 per prescription. “There’s no way for a pharmacy to stay in business and accept reimbursement rates below

“We have 18 employees in Beulaville and 15 employees in Wallace,” Knowles said. “I, along with the majority of REALO employees, reside in Duplin County, where we not only work but we raise our families and are tied deeply to our communities.”

Semeka Perry, Duplin County Human Resources director, proposed moving post-65 retirees from Humana to United American, a plan previously offered by the county. This option allows Medicare Parts A and B

Perry explained that retirees would pay $196.15 per month, with the county matching it, raising the county’s contribution from $16,595 to $18,241 per month. Perry emphasized that the immediate priority is ensuring retirees maintain access to their health care providers.

She acknowledged that the issue of prescription coverage with Express Scripts, which excludes locally owned pharmacies, had not been fully addressed.

“Unfortunately, I was not in a place that I could actually make that change with the short timing that Humana and UNC health care provided,” said Perry.

She admitted that neither she nor AmWINS had information about the drug plan changes.

“AmWins was unable to provide any answers,” said Perry.

The county has scheduled a post-65 retiree informational meeting on Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the Ed Emory Auditorium to provide guidance on Medicare options and answer questions regarding the insurance changes.

This fall, Duplin County is heating up with the rst Oyster & Smoke Festival in Teachey. Enjoy oysters, authentic smoked meats, live music and all the avors that capture the spirit ofeEastern North Carolina. General admission is $10 (no oysters included).

Boney St., Teachey

Nov. 15

Duplin Winery’s Down Home Country Christmas 3-9 p.m.

Sing along to your favorite Christmas classics, enjoy delightful storytelling and share plenty of laughs. Guests will savor a holiday meal crafted by Chef Bert, featuring seasonal dishes paired with Duplin’s wines, gourmet sauces and a dessert prepared by Pastry Master Chef Tabatha.

505 N. Sycamore St., Rose Hill

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

Thornton Jordan

Hollingsworth Williams

Building rural NC’s future one scholar at a time

Golden LEAF and UMO celebrated student leaders and rural progress

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

MOUNT OLIVE — As North Carolina’s rural communities look toward economic revitalization, the University of Mount Olive and the Golden LEAF Foundation are working together to equip students with the skills and leadership needed to drive that change from within.

At a recent luncheon celebrating Golden LEAF scholarship recipients, UMO faculty and Foundation representatives rea rmed their commitment to preparing graduates who will return home to drive progress in their communities.

At the event, Golden LEAF President and CEO Scott Hamilton commended UMO’s dedication to student success and rural advancement. He explained that the foundation’s mission has evolved from providing col-

lege access to actively preparing students to lead in emerging industries such as advanced manufacturing, precision agriculture, health care technology and entrepreneurship.

Hamilton challenged students to see themselves as “architects of opportunity” for their communities.

“Your journey is essential to North Carolina’s future because if rural North Carolina doesn’t succeed, North Carolina doesn’t succeed,” Hamilton said.

Each year, the program awards 215 renewable scholarships.

In addition to its scholarships, the foundation o ers hands- on learning and professional growth. Arlena Dongilli, scholarship program manager, highlighted programs like the Rural Internship Initiative, which places students in paid internships across rural counties, and Golden LEAF Scholars Connect, an online platform connecting more than 2,700 current scholars and alumni. These programs, she said, are designed to help stu-

dents gain real-world experience while remaining rooted in the regions that shaped them.

Representing UMO’s scholarship recipients, Taylor Hall, a senior majoring in veterinary bioscience, shared how her Golden LEAF-supported internship solidi ed her career goals and opened doors to future employment. She expressed gratitude for the foundation’s role in helping students not only succeed academically but also give back to their home communities.

“Each of us here today is eager to continue our education so that we may serve and strengthen the places we call home,” Hall said.

UMO President H. Edward Croom concluded the event by thanking the Golden LEAF Foundation for its partnership and investment in students’ futures.

“The Golden LEAF Foundation is making a di erence in lives across our state, and we’re honored to be a part of that story.”

James

Kenan Class of ’75 celebrates 50 years

JKHS alumni returned to celebrate and keep the Tigers legacy alive with a donation for the Golden Tiger statue project

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal

AT JAMES KENAN High School, they say that “once you are a tiger, you are always a tiger”— a sentiment that rings especially true among its alumni.

James Kenan alumni stay connected through class reunions and social media. Many friendships that are made in high school stay connected and watch each other’s families grow. Some come together and continue to support the school by organizing events and fundraisers through the PTO. This invisible organization makes it possible for current Tigers to have a ful lling experience, including supporting sports, classrooms, and teachers.

Tiger pride starts early. Local elementary students are introduced to the JK spirit through school visits, while seniors return to mentor them as part of a cherished tradition.

Some Tigers leave and build lives elsewhere, but many return to invest in their community. Several teachers at James Kenan are Ti-

ger Alumni. Even from a distance, Tiger alumni support their school — this year, some came from as far as Utah, Washington and Hawaii.

The Class of ’75 marked its 50th anniversary by donating $2,200 toward the brick base of a new tiger statue, part of an ongoing PTO project to honor the school’s legacy.

More than 80 of the 175 graduates attended the celebration, while approximately one - quarter of the class — recognized as “fallen classmates” — were honored during the event.

The Golden Reunion Committee organized a full program, including dinner at the Country Squire, recognition and awards, attendance at the JK Homecoming football game and a donation challenge.

“We built in a portion of our registration fee to be a donation to JKHS and assistance to help those who wanted to attend but were struggling,” said Wesley Boykin, chair of the JKHS Class of 1975 Golden Reunion Committee.

The donation challenge was that the Class of ’75 would be honored with a special plaque on the statue base if they reached a total contribution of $2,000. They met and exceeded that goal.

The golden tiger statue will be placed near the home goal post on Bill Taylor Field.

highest honor for private citizens, recognizing his 34 years of service.

“I’ve seen many a sunset here,” he recalled, “but I didn’t think I did that much.”

On the contrary, his colleagues credited him for being part of the infrastructure necessary to get the airport o the ground. Alphin praised Bryant’s guidance in ensuring the airport’s responsible growth.

“We appreciate you holding our feet to the re to make sure that every dollar we spent brought a dollar back to the county,” Alphin said.

Bryant thanked colleagues as the room applauded.

The meeting then turned to routine business. Airport Director Joshua Raynor provided updates on several projects:

• Hangar project: The airport has been dealing with persistently wet ground, prompting an adjustment to the underdrain system to improve overall drainage — a change that will also bene t pavement longevity. The board reviewed a $367,000 proposal for additional work to remove a problematic hill, including clearing, grading for proper

Airport Commission Chairman Jack Alphin,

board

drainage, tree and stump removal, and grass seeding. The board approved the change order, noting it will reduce future development costs and is more economical than completing the work as part of a new project.

• Taxiway connector: The taxiway connector project is nearing completion. Reels have

been repaired, and all areas requiring reseeding have been addressed. While the project records have been received, the team is still coordinating with S.T. Wooten to nalize the closeout process.

• Fuel farm: A work authorization for the fuel farm construction phase has been sent out. The state has assigned a part-time inspector for critical tasks, such as burial of utilities. With all expected funding secured, the board approved advancing the $2 million project to the county board for nal approval.

• Apron rehab and maintenance building. A DOA grant has been secured for the apron rehab project, and subcontractors are being arranged. Cleanup at the maintenance building site is complete, and one company has provided an estimate of $44,000 to $45,000 to remove and replace topsoil. The board

discussed options to reduce costs or seek additional bids. Given the contractor’s availability to do the work, the board agreed to vote remotely after Raynor negotiates the price.

Raynor also reported that the airport’s budget is on track. He noted sta changes, including the departure of a new employee due to con icts with other business interests and plans to ll the position in November, and the airport is applying for a third full-time position.

The board discussed canceling November and December meetings due to holidays. Raynor will relay whether or not it needs to meet each month at a time in advance of the scheduled meeting date.

Alphin concluded by thanking Raynor and Morgan for their e orts in honoring Murphy and Bryant, and the meeting adjourned.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE

Back row, Mark Anderson, Caroline Jones, Justin Cowan, Je rey Lee, H. Edward Croom, Scott Hamilton, Laura Smith and Gregory Rouse. Front row, Taylor Hall, Martha-Anne Bissette, Kaleb Buckingham, Bobbie Richardson, Arlena Dongilli and Alumna Katelyn

REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

The JKHS Class of ’75 — from left to right, Angela Best Mainor, Emily Killette Walter, Kathy Helton, Brenda Herring, Wesley Boykin, Sara Rose Byrd Herring, Alan Phillips, Michael Holton, Colleen “Beth” Wilson Newkirk and Deborah Hodges Whitehurst — donated $2,200 toward the purchase of a brick base for the school’s tiger statue.

AIRPORT from page A1

right, presents retired

member Joseph Bryant, left, with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country.

The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled. Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by

21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year. How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence.

Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration

abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

Duplin teachers take learning global with South Africa Educators Institute

Pam Stanley and Emily Ludlum joined 12 N.C. educators for a life-changing adventure

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal

WHEN TWO SCHOOL

teachers from Duplin County applied for the 2025 Educators of Excellence Institute in South Africa, they had no idea that it would change their lives forever.

Pam Stanley, a third grade teacher from B.F. Grady Elementary, said she applied because she was looking to do something di erent with her professional career. Emily Ludlum, a school teacher at Wallace Elementary, signed up for the adventure and what it could teach her. Both women were accepted to join a group of 12 educators across the state who attended the rst Educators of Excellence Institute in South Africa.

This unique opportunity is provided by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in partnership with parks across the world. According to Educators of Excellence Institutes’ website, institutes have been inspiring educators across North Carolina since 1987. Some of the institute locations have included Belize, Ecuador and Yellowstone. The 2025 institutes went to Mexico, Yellowstone and South Africa. The South Africa trip was the inaugural inter-

national journey for this specific institute.

While Ludlum and Stanley did not know each other before the trip, they are like sisters now.

“In Africa, you wake up with the sunrise and you are busy until sunset,” Ludlum said.

In the South African Institute, educators were split into groups and given tasks to complete each day.

“In addition to our group task, we had full itineraries to complete as well,” Ludlum said.

The daily itineraries included searching for the “Big 5” (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and water bu alo) as well as the “tiny but mighty” animals like the dung beetle. Group work cycled

through drawing and writing the journal depicting the day’s activities, collecting data on wildlife and weather, and writing the day’s blog entry. Blogs helped connect families and the outside world with the participants (and they are still used to interact with their journey today). From July 20 to Aug. 4, the 12 educators, two teachers from South Africa and four trip leaders traveled through the country including Kruger National Park, Wakkerstroom Wetlands and Gwahumbe Game Reserves. The trip cost $2,100 per participant, and that included all transportation, airfare, lodging and some meals. However, the museum does not want the cost to detract

interested participants. Support from the Friends of the Museum and the Goodnight Education Foundation made it possible to reduce the costs overall, and scholarships are available through the Simple Gifts Fund and the Anonymous Trust. Both Ludlum and Stanley were recipients of full scholarships.

Ludlum and Stanley said they left a part of their hearts in South Africa. What they learned there went beyond words; it inspired them both to action. Ludlum was moved to advocate for animal safety and awareness. Stanley was inspired to do more trips and expand her footprint beyond the classroom and into administration and instructional development.

One of the takeaways of every institute is that educators are expected to create a lesson or unit of material to take what they learn back to their schools. Both Ludlum and Stanley have made professional development presentations at their schools, but the learning didn’t stop there. In Ludlum’s class, for example, students dressed up and went on a virtual safari identifying wildlife and their needs. They read and rewrote a children’s book as a nature awareness book in response to their learning. It’s one way institutes are enriching classrooms across North Carolina. Applications are now open for the 2026 Institutes. Interested parties can apply through the museum’s website.

a major part of the University of Mount Olive School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. The new building will be constructed on the university’s 79 -acre farm on Shady Grove Road just outside of Mount Olive. The new facility will include space for training and animal-handling facilities, as well as an egg and meat processing facility. It will also house an indoor meeting space. At the same location, 50 acres will become home to grazing for several species of farm animals.

In an interview with Duplin Journal at the event, University of Mount Olive President H. Edward Croom said the location of the university makes it an ideal location for expansion of the School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences.

“If you look around us, we’ve got lots of livestock production around us,” Croom said. “You’ve got Butterball, House of Raeford and Case Farms. Eastern North Carolina is huge in feeding many, many parts of the world. We believe we are poised here because there is nothing between Greenville, NC State and Wilmington. We’re the university between them that has an ag component.”

Croom added that the construction of the facility is good timing, considering the success of the university’s agricultural-related programs.

“Last year, we had students from 80 of the 100 counties in North Carolina,” he said. “We’re not just Wayne County and Duplin County. Our footprint has grown.

One of the contributors toward the building of the new facility is the North Carolina Farm Bureau. The organization’s president, Shawn Harding, told Duplin Journal that not only is animal agriculture an important part of the state, but it’s still growing.

“We know in the agricultural world that 70% of our gate receipts here is from animal agriculture, the whole gambit, obviously pork and poultry, and we’ve gotten more involved with cattle as well,” Harding said. “It’s growing in North Carolina.”

In addition to the N.C. Farm Bureau, other major contributors to the new facility, include B & S Enterprises, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Mule City Specialty Feeds and the N.C. General Assembly.

In remarks at the event, Croom said the new educational livestock facility is just phase one of plans for the Shady Grove Road farm location. Plans also include building small-animal facilities and a commodity processing space.

Croom told Duplin Journal that looking far into the future, he has what he referred to as “Croom’s dream,” a veterinary medical school at the university. UMO currently is sending three or four students a year to the NC State School of Veterinary Medicine through its ag programs. There are currently only 33 veterinary medical schools in the United States.

REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL Pam Stanley, left, and Emily Ludlum pose at the Kenansville Library after talking about their experiences in Africa.

COURTESY N.C. STATE FAIR

Pink Hill pumpkin tops competition at State Fair weigh-in

Big pride from small-town Pink Hill — the Donald Murphy family grew the largest pumpkin in North Carolina this year, weighing in at 682.6 pounds at the N.C. State Fair’s Giant Pumpkin Competition in Raleigh.

Veterans Museum honors Duplin’s military history

From the Revolutionary War to the Middle East, the Warsaw museum honors generations of Duplin County heroes

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

WARSAW — Military recruitment posters during World War II featured the likeness of Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer with the caption, “Uncle Sam wants you!” That same message is being echoed by those in charge of the Duplin County Veterans Museum in Warsaw. They want you to come visit the incredible collection of artifacts that pays tribute to Duplin veterans of all wars, from the Revolutionary War to the most recent wars fought in the Middle East.

Duplin Journal visited the museum following the 105th Veterans’ Day Parade of North Carolina. Despite the intent to make the day a salute to those who have served and fought for freedom, the museum was mostly quiet after the parade. Earl Rouse, the museum’s curator, and the museum’s board members hope to generate signi cantly more interest in the museum.

The history of the museum’s home is a story in itself. Built by merchant and cotton gin owner Lucious B. Best in 1894, the large two-story house was home for Best and his family until they built an almost identical home in Mebane, where he, along with a relative, opened the factory for Craftique Furniture Company in 1946.

Members of the Best family lived in the Warsaw home until the mid-1960s, when the home was turned into apartments. Eventually, the house fell into poor repair and was at one point condemned.

A few local citizens concerned about the house’s fate made their pleas known all the way to Raleigh. When a Raleigh television station aired a story about the house, Preservation North Carolina learned about the danger of it being demolished. The group stepped in and saved the

Among

home after creating a nonpro t organization for the restoration and raising funds for the project. The Best home was restored and eventually given a new mission as the Duplin County Veterans Museum in 1995.

Rouse is a perfect t as the museum’s curator considering his interest in history and the fact he is a veteran himself, having served during the Vietnam War era in the U.S. Coast Guard. Rouse, at one point, found him-

self almost literally “missing the boat” he was assigned to in Hawaii at the U.S. Coast Guard base on Sand Island. It was 1964.

“We checked in at the guard shack and the man said, ‘Your ship’s leaving the dock right now, and you better be on it,’” Rouse said in an interview with Duplin Journal. “I never ran so far, so fast, in my life to make sure I didn’t get left behind.”

He made it to the ship just in time and ended up at sea for almost 90 days performing search-and-rescue operations and oceanographic work before returning to port.

Rouse would go on to serve in various areas of the Paci c, including Japan, Guam and Vietnam, where he was assigned to the docks in Saigon in October 1965.

Rouse has been involved with the museum for the past 16 years, with the exception of three years when he went into the mission eld for disaster relief, including in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina damaged or destroyed much of the area.

BBQ Sandwich Sale, $7 for 1 or $12 for 2

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Live Music: 581 South, 11 -1:30 pm

Zack Lee, 1:30-3:30 pm

Craft Beer by R&R Brewing

Pickle Train Rides, $3

Classic Car Show, Vendors

Corn Hole

During his absence and before being named curator, Randal Albertson, brother of long-serving Sen. Charlie Albertson, served as curator.

According to Rouse, the majority of the museum’s collection has been donated by Duplin County veterans or their families.

Duplin’s deep-rooted tradition of military service is evident throughout the museum. One particularly striking feature is the wall in the stairwell, dedicated to honoring Duplin County veterans who achieved the rank of general. According to Rouse, more generals have come from Duplin County than from any of the other 99 counties in North Carolina — a testament to the county’s extraordinary legacy of service and leadership.

“Everything in this building is somebody’s memory,” Rouse said.

Rouse hopes those memories remain alive by more people taking time to visit the museum, an important treasure in the heart of Warsaw’s historic district.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 11 AM-4 PM

Bring your own chair and enjoy the day!

PHOTOS BY MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

James Faison, a Duplin County native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, visited the Duplin County Veterans Museum following Warsaw’s Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. Though Faison now lives in South Carolina, he and his family frequently return home to Duplin County.

the many exhibits on display at the Duplin County Veterans Museum is a memorial honoring Duplin County veterans who were killed in action during the Vietnam War.

DUPLIN SPORTS

Tigers prevail in physical grudge match with Bulldogs

“I’m very proud of our e ort, our resiliency and I also commend the student athletes at Wallace-Rose Hill for playing with the passion they played with. I felt both teams represented their schools very well.”

Tim Grady, JK head coach

JK nips WRH via a late touchdown and could face its archrival in the second round of the playo s

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

WARSAW — James Kenan head coach

Tim Grady went into a clash against Wallace-Rose Hill “trusting the defense.”

The Tigers broke down many times against the running of Jamarae Lamb but held in crucial situations enough to register a 28-21 win.

“Defense won it for us, hands down,” said Grady, whose club won the Swine Valley Conference title and are the No. 1 seed in the 3A playo s. “We had big pass plays and special teams plays, and we needed it all. I’m very proud of our e ort,

our resiliency, and I also commend the student athletes at Wallace-Rose Hill for playing with the passion they played with. I felt both teams represented their schools very well.”

WRH’s defense also played a role in the tight a air by holding JK’s running attack to season-low 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Tied at 21-21 in the fourth quarter, JK stopped WRH on third-and-6 from the Tigers 11 to force a eld goal that was missed at the 7:09 mark.

That’s when twin brothers Eli and Cal Avent found a way to push across the winning score.

But rst came a 54-yard run by Jeremiah Davis (12-118) who was largely held in check by WRH.

Carell Phillips, Ethan Turnage and Jayden Pope had long runs as ND pushed past Hobbton 20-16 for share of the CC crown

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

NEWTON GROVE — O ensive coordinator

Brian Rhodes saved a play for Ethan Turnage, and the North Duplin senior switched from his role as a monster linebacker and back eld blocker to the spotlight usually provided by Carell Phillips — game-breaking runner.

He drove the bus into the promise land during ND’s nal scoring drive that led to a 20-14 win over Hobbton last Friday.

The win earned the Rebels share of the Carolina 2A/3A Conference title for the third consecutive season.

The senior, who leads ND in tackles, rumbled for the longest carry of his career — 50 yards — to the Wildcats 13 early in the fourth quarter.

He made a rst-down run to the 4 and pushed his way into the end zone the next play.

Turnage, who is averaging 7.5 tackles per day,

Crusaders big dream of Big East title squeezed by Trinity

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

FAYETTEVILLE — The Harrells Christian Academy football team found out about gridion heartbreak and playo positioning last Friday after a 29-20 road loss to Fayetteville Academy. While the win gave the Cumberland County school its third straight Big East title, it likewise swayed the No. 3 seed in the NCISAA’s 2A playo away from No. 4 HCA (8-2).

Trinity will host No. 6 South-

Lake Christian (3-7) in the rst round of the bottom of the seven-team bracket, with No. 2 Asheville Christian (5 -2 -1) squaring o against No. 7 Wayne Christian (4-6).

The heavy top has No. 1 High Point Christian (10-0) awaiting the winner of Friday night’s rst round match between the No. 4 Crusaders (8-2) and No. 5 Hickory Grove (6-3).

And the good news this week in the camp of head coach and o ensive coordinator Clayton Hall is his team will feel condent opening against the Lions,

who they beat 41-7 on Sept. 19 on Murphy-Johnson Field. Yet HCA might see a di erent approach with a second visit from Hickory Grove, who won four straight after falling to the Crusaders. The Lions are coming in o big losses to High Point (42-0) and Metrolina Christian (27-7).

Strickland, McKoy keep Cru crew in game

The loss wasn’t without highlights for HCA, which led 7-6 at halftime yet two lost fumbles, an interception and a stagnant running game against

See ROUNDUP, page B2

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

WRH’s Matthew Wells, left, and Aspen Brown, right, bring JK’s CJ Hill to the ground during the Tigers’ 28-21 win.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Dashaun McKoy (12) ran for 70 yards and had 101 yards in receptions in HCA’s 29 -20 loss to Trinity.

JASON WHITE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Ethan Turnage had a key 50 -yard run to set up ND’s winning score against Hobbton.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE

Jamarae Lamb

Jamarae Lamb is entering historic territory as a runner in Duplin County.

The Wallace-Rose Hill senior ran for 234 yards against James Kenan during a 28-21 loss and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Lamb has 2,042 yards this season and scored 24 touchdowns.

He’s averaging 9.8 yards per carry and 204 yards per game.

After going for 839 yards as a sophomore and 1,361 as a junior, he’s compiled 4,302 yards and has scored 42 touchdowns.

Lamb is undecided as to where he will play college football.

And the more he runs the more o ers he’s getting, including several from Division I programs.

Panthers ex muscles in rout of beleaguered Devils

Shawn Davis and Dewayne Davis each ran for two scores and Branson Norris hit Zackary Ball for a pair of scores as ED trashed South Lenoir

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — And just like that, it was all but over.

East Duplin scored early, often and quickly en route to a 48-0 win over South Lenior last Friday in a mismatch between a contender and a team that hardly deserves a spot in the postseason.

After a mere 25 total snaps, ED took a 27-0 lead.

Following a scoreless second quarter, ED’s defense overwhelmed the Blue Devils and gave the Panthers a chance to face a passing attack, which could be key in the playo s.

The win was the fth straight for the Panthers (8-2), who won the ECC a week earlier with a win over previously unbeaten Pender.

ED earned the No. 3 seed in the 4A playo s and won’t play until Nov. 12, hosting the winner of No. 14 North Johnston (5-5) and No. 19 Washington (2-8).

Tack up 27 points in under 12 minutes

South Lenoir’s three wins this season came against Lejeune, Jones Senior and Spring Creek, which are a combined 1-29.

The Blue Devils were in deep trouble shortly after their bus trip from Deep Run.

Dewayne Davis (3-62) ran for 10 yards on the rst snap of the game and then 50 on the next play for a touchdown. A failed conversion wouldn’t matter as ED led 6-0.

The Panthers defense allowed 14 yards in South Lenoir’s next possession, turning the ball over on fourth-and-8 from the Blue Devils 34 after a Christian Wooten incompletion.

Punting might have stalled ED’s progress. Or not, as the

ED sophomore Dewayne Davis has averaged 63 yards the past three games and scored ve touchdowns.

length ED had to travel was almost irrelevant because of big plays.

Branson Norris connected with Zachary Ball on rst down for a touchdown.

South Lenoir’s Isaiah Howard generously coughed up the ball on the third o ensive snap, and ED was primed for another score with the ball at the Blue Devils 40.

Keeshon Mckinnie (2-49) then sprinted 40 yards and Shawn Davis (3-18) ran untouched into the end zone from three yards out to up the score to 20-0.

Ball made his seventh interception of the season ve snaps later and returned it 37 yards to the South Lenoir 36.

Norris then found Ball for a 27-yard score for ED’s fourth score, which followed a Shawn Davis run of nine yards.

Shawn Davis and Dewayne Davis had short scoring runs 5 and 6 yards in the third quarter.

Reserve Tucker Coston had a 6-yard touchdown in the fourth.

Mckinnie’s 12 tackles and four pass de ections, along with 11 takedowns by defensive back Esiah Bennerman paced the defense, which had ,many contributors. Middle linebacker Shawn Davis, defensive end Tavarious Dawson and strong safety Bryson Brown each made six tackles. Gavin Jarman and Ball each had six apiece and both had an interception.

Looking ahead to known, unknown

Some fans were surprised to see No. 1 Reidsville (8-2) in the East.

ED beat the Rams in the 2A nal in 2022, and WRH did the same in 2017. But few schools can touch Reidsville, which has won 23 titles in its 30 nal appearances.

But that won’t be a concern unless the Panthers take care of business on the bottom half of the bracket as No. 2 Andrews (8-2) is a West school unknown to ED and most East foes.

But No. 2 West Craven (9-1) is not.

ED beat the Eagles 28-13 in 2023 but lost in the regular season (34-29) and second round (36-20) in 2024.

Another potential third round opponent is No. 6 Bunn (8-2), which was the best team in the weak Quad County 2A/3A/4A Conference. ED fell to the Wildcats 36-29 in 2015 in Franklin County in the fourth round.

Andrews, meanwhile, which lost to No. 4 Central Davis, has thrown for 1,300 yards via Cade Zellous (43-77 for 760 yards and 3 TDs) in the rst ve games before a season-ending injury with David Hill (58-97 for 766 yards, 9 TDs) lling in like a veteran.

The top half of the draw looks much rougher with Reidsville, No. 8 Southwest Randolph (7-3) as a sleeper and No. 5 Randleman (7-3), which played in a tough 4A/5A conference.

Holley, who is 155-62 overall and 163-64 in Beulaville, beat Randleman in 21-13 in 2017 and lost 29-20 two years later.

Look for Shawn Davis (138 -89, 12 TDs) to pick up his third-straight 1,000yard season during the playo s. He’s run for 3,523 yards and 49 touchdowns during his career.

Dewayne Davis (40-383, 7 TDs) has come on since an injury to Aaron Hall (101-614, 6 TDs), and Mckinnie (220 yards, 3 TD rushing, 2-112, 2 TDs receiving) has been steady o ensively apart from his defensive prowess.

Meanwhile, quarterback Norris (28-66 for 429 yards, 7 TDs) has shown he can add diversity to the o ense when needed and as a surprise in Holley’s Wing-T.

ROUNDUP from page B1

Trinity had consequences.

Amari Covington’s pick led to a Bralynn Howard to Anthony Farrior touchdown catch. Amir Jackson’s 49-yard run set up Jaden Clifton’s touchdown inside the red zone to hallmark the victory.

HCA had a season-low 109 rushing yards with Dashaun Mckoy (4-101, TD) leading the way.

Top runner Jeremiah Davis (6-20) wasn’t anything like the running back who is 29 yards shy of the 1,000-yard plateau. And fullback Jarrod Miller (11-19) and wingback Demetrius Jones (3-0) were likewise largely ine ective.

Quarterback Reid Strickland (8-14 for 103) and Mckoy (4-101) gave HCA lifeblood with a pair of touchdown connections.

Strickland has hit on 39 of 65 for 765 yards and 13 scores this fall as HCA is putting up 254 rushing and 85 passing yards per game as the Crusaders have their most wins since going 11-3 in 2021.

Fayetteville Academy was 2A runner-up the previous two seasons and captured three straight titles from 2007 to 2009. HCA’s last Big East titles were in 2020 and 2021. It has 13 state titles, the last of which came in 2008 under the late Jack Holley, who is second all-time career wins in North Carolina.

Wildcats win second straight to seal playo spot

Darryl Jackson ran for two touchdowns, the second of which came in the third

quarter and was the di erence-maker as Richlands beat Swansboro 14-10 last Friday at Brock Ridge Stadium. His rst score gave the Wildcats (3-7, 2-4) a 7-0 lead before Swansboro (2-6, 0-5) took a 10-7 halftime lead. The win was the second straight for Richlands, which beat Dixon two weeks ago 41-26 as CJ DiBennedetto red four touchdown passes by going 17 of 20 for a season-high 273 yards.

He threw scores to Tyler Clouatre (5-80), Cale Wilges (2-5) and two to Dwight Hooker (8-164). No. 21 Richlands will travel to No. 12 Havelock for a rst round 5A playo game Friday. The Rams, who tied Croatan and Northside-Jacksonville for the Coastal Conference title, beat the Wildcats 49-20 on Sept. 19 in Richlands.

Wallace Rose-Hill, football

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

THURMAN PARKER / FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Bulldogs believe long playo run in the cards

WRH has won 12 straight with a developing o ense and stingy defense

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

TEACHEY — Wallace-Rose Hill is hot and believing it can use the momentum of a 12-match winning streak as fuel for the 3A playo s.

Pairings were announced for Tuesday’s rst-round games the previous day in a somewhat bizarre and last-minute-looking move by the NCHSAA.

The Bulldogs (14-4-1, 12-0) stormed past Rosewood 9-0 and coasted past James Kenan 6-0 last week for its third consecutive shutout and ninth whitewash since starting Swine Valley Conference play.

“I’m excited about this postseason. I trust these guys, I have a lot of belief in the,” said rst-year coach Aaron Murray. “I think they believe in themselves, nally.”

Winning will do unify a team, and it’s come after a 2-4 -1 beginning.

“Our defense is starting to get it, they have been very strong, but there is always room to improve,” Murray said. “And our o ense guys have nally gotten hot at the right time.”

from page B1

was forced into double-duty because of a season-ending knee injury to two-way starter Vance Carter, who left as the team’s second-leading rusher and a top defensive back.

“It was a big moment in the game, and Carell (Phillips) and Camdyn (Summerlin) made blocks to spring him,” Rhodes said. “He’s an unbelievable linebacker, and I guess the scouting report would say he was going to block. He brings a lot to the table for our football team, and he loves the game.”

ND also came away from a hard-fought win with extra spice: On Sunday, the Rebels (9-1) were awarded a bye in the 2A playo s as the No. 3 seed.

They will play the survivor of No. 11 Southside-Chicowinity (5-5) and No. 19 Pamlico County (2-8) on Nov. 14 at H.E. Grubbs Field.

Tarboro (10-0) was the top seed, Warren County (8-2) second and CC rival East Bladen (7-2) fourth. Hobbton (6-4), under rst-year head coach and Duplin native Adam Scronce, was ninth.

Yet ND also beat its rival for the third-consecutive time to take a 30-27 lead in the all-time series because of its defense, headed up by longtime head coach Hugh Martin, who dialed up responses for Scronce’s Wing-T.

Holden Wiliams and Quan Stevens had big interceptions to drain the Wildcats’ drives, Noah Quintanilla made a key sack near the end of the game, and Trashawn Ru n and Turnage stood tall during heated battles.

“It was a good high school football game with two schools playing well all night,” said Martin, who is 157-124 during his career and 142-101 in his 20th sea-

Wilmer Flores scored twice during the triumph over the Tigers (9-9-2, 6-6), who will be the No. 11 seed in the playo s and host No. 22 Whiteville (8 -11-2) in the rst round. Flores, a freshman, has 14 scores.

Steven Acosta rang in his 13th of the fall and Felix Funez his 20th. Je ery Hernandez found the back of the net for the rst time.

Two days earlier, Acosta logged a hat trick with Ga-

briel Cubas and Sammy Varela each sending two balls into the back of the net against the Eagles.

WRH awaits the winner of No. 11 Northeastern (9-9-1) and No. 18 Eastern Randolph (6-11-3), with the possibility of a matchup against No. 3 Greene Central (14-4-2) on the horizon.

It’s been a rebuilding process for the Bulldogs after losing a ton of talent from the 22-4-2 campaign last season.

Murray has returned to

son at ND and has marched the Rebels to the 1A nals in 2007 and 2017.

“Both sides made early mistakes and then settled. Their linebacker, No. 14 (Bryan Mendez) played exceptionally well and stayed to his role as we were really battling them up front,” he said.

Martin said a big takeaway was how his team made in-game adjustments.

“We’ve gotten much better at that, and we’re obviously still not as consistent as we want to be on both sides of the ball,” he said.

“I’m proud of the e ort and energy of our players and our sta to be in the position we are now.”

Phillips (9-132) dazzled his team and fans with an 86-yard score to tie it at 7-7 following a scoreless rst quarter.

“It was his most unbelievable run of the season,” said Rhodes of Phillips (160-1,726 yard, 24 TDs), who is second in rushing and tied in touchdowns in Duplin County with Wallace-Rose Hill’s Jamarae Lamb (207-2,037). “He stiarmed a guy at the line, broke an-

other tackle and then scored even though a defender has an angle on him.”

Regginald Thompson (36-221, 2 TDs) scored the rst touchdown of the night on the 15th play of a 93-yard drive.

The second somewhat unexpected long run came midway through the third quarter when Jaylen Pope (10-91) went 66 yards for a score following Williams’ pick.

ND, who fumbled away a rst quarter chance after Stevens’ interception deep in Wildcats territory in the rst quarter, let a turnover setup Hobbton’s score to tie it at 14-14 late in the third quarter as a punt hit a Rebels player and the Wildcats pounced on it at the 25.

Thompson scored from the 18 three snaps later.

Turnage and Ru n stopped Hobbton’s run on fourth-and-2 from the ND 14 with two minutes left on the clock.

Quintanilla sacked Thompson with 26 seconds left to end the Wildcat’s nal hope of a win.

the basics, which includes team togetherness.

“I think they have taken steps forward every day,” said Murray, who was the NCHSAA’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 1A last fall while at Pender. “When I got here, I think we lacked belief. I think they lacked some team chemistry.

“We have tried our best to cultivate a culture of family here. Lots of meals, lots of doing things together. Trying to bring these boys together.”

It owed and progressed like wild owers on a mountainside.

“Then they just all started buying into the idea and the system we were putting into place,” Murray said. “They are so close to each other outside of the soccer eld and it translates to game day.”

North Carolina School of Science and Math (17-1-2) is the top seed. Greene Central (14 - 4 -2) is third.

If WRH wins in the second round it could face league foe and No. 10 Spring Creek (11-12 -1), which the Bulldogs were 3-0 and 1-0 during the regular season.

An opening round win by JK and the Tigers take on No. 6 Princeton, another Swine Valley school. Princeton (14-7) beat them 4-3 and 3-2 earlier in the fall.

Panthers take No. 7 seed in 4A

East Duplin, winners of five of its last six matches, nabbed the No. 7 seed and a bye in the first round and await the survivor of No. 10 Carrboro and No. 19 Southwest Edgecombe (5-12-2) in the 4A playoffs. The Panthers (14-7-2) were second in the ECC to No. 2 Clinton (22-2). No. 1 Southwest Randolph (22-1) is in the East, though it has been a West school for nearly two decades.

Richard Reyes, Brayon Gonzalez, Yoskar Canales and Brayan Mendez savored their Senior Night by scoring a goal. Sophomore Zair Ramirez crashed the party with his first score of the season.

The win was the fifth in the past six matches for ED. Canales, who leads Duplin County in goals with 24, had a score and an assist earlier in the week when ED topped Pender 3-2. Osiris Mendoza and Yobani Gomez also connected as ED’s two league losses came via Clinton.

Fifteen players have scored for the Panthers, who have surrendered just 2.1 goals per game and have a pair of one - goal wins over JK and a big one against WRH.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

WRH’s Felix Funez, left, works against JK’s Edin Gomez and Gerson Diaz.

ND

JASON WHITE / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Jayden Pope runs for a touchdown and 66 of his 91 yards against Hobbton.

JK got a pass interference ag on Eli Avent’s pass to CJ Hill. With the ball at Bulldogs 13, he threw a short pass to his fullback and defensive end brother that gave JK a rst-and-goal from the 5. Cal Avent grappled the ball with a man in front of him and bulled through him to the marker in show of nesse and toughness.

His brother scored from the 2 three plays later.

WRH would drive into JK territory on its nal drive but was stooped on fourth-and-14 via a sack by Jacquez Smith.

The Bulldogs (5-5, 4-2) played far better than most pigskin prognosticators would have predicted.

“I don’t think I’ve been prouder of a WRH team for the e ort and how we played,” said head coach Kevin Motsinger. “We ran out of bullets. I’m so proud, even though it was devastating to lose. Our team gave all they had and played their tails o . That’s what I care about.”

As did a talented and deep JK team, who won for the second-straight time against its archrival, who coincidentally could be the Tigers’ second-round foe in the playo s. JK gets a rst-round bye, and No. 16 WRH hosts No. 17 Greene Central (5-5) on Friday with the winner going to Warsaw on Nov. 14.

Classic matchup had little of everything

Fans were treated to an intense, hard-hitting and physical game, which started after Hill picked up a midair fumble by fullback Montavious Hall and returned it 65 yards to give his team a 7-0 lead.

It came after WRH stopped JK on three downs to open the game.

Lamb, who torched JK for 234 yards with a running score and a touchdown pass, rallied the Bulldogs as he burned through the middle of the defense.

He moved WRH to the JK 15 after the two schools exchanged three -and-out series.

But the Tigers defense made the crowd roar with a stop on fourth-and-4 as Lamb came up a yard short.

WRH forced another three-andout at the start of the second quarter.

“They have such a good defense, and Miami (Adrian Allen, a 5-foot11, 338-pound juggernaut with strength and fast feet) is a man-child, and he gave us problems. No one has stopped our super power this year.”

The two schools responded with quick scores. Lamb threw a bomb to Matthew Wells, who caught the ball between two JK defenders and fell into the end zone.

“Wells played his tail o and was at the hospital at 5 in the morning,” Motsinger said. “So it that wasn’t his last game, he’s sure played like it was, making a great catch, getting an interception and as a blocker on the wing.”

Hill had an answer when he took the ensuing kicko to the house from the JK 16 to reclaim the lead at 14-7.

WRH went 78 yards in 7 plays to come to within 14-13 at halftime.

Lamb had back-to-back runs of

17 and 26 yards, one of which gave WRH more yards after a JK face making penalty. He scored from the 11 by backing up as if to pass and then swerving up the middle for an open lane to the end zone.

JK got to the WRH 35 in thenal 50 seconds of the second quarter before Wells’ interception on fourth-and-11.

Lamb’s speed, moves and strength were on display all night, particularly when he scored from the 47 on the second snap of the third quarter and added the 2-point conversion.

WRH led 21-14 for four minutes on the game clock. JK got past consecutive false start ags to score when Eli Avent hit Hill and David Zeleya for 27- and 15-yard passes, respectively.

Eli Avent scored from the 8 after getting a rst down the previous play on fourth-and-1 from the 11.

WRH then had an incredible 24 -play march that ended at the 11 with a missed eld goal.

JK’s roughing the punter penalty kept the drive alive after a three -yard punt.

Lamb kept grinding, toting the ball one 10 of the next 14 downs.

“How we ended that drive says it all to me,” Grady said. “We’d been pushed around play after play and gather our energy up and stop it.

“Mr. Lamb proved he’s a next-level athlete to me with the plays he made. He’s a great kid from everything I hear, and I’m proud he’ll be representing Duplin County.”

Avent, who was a modest 5 of 10 for 56 yards, bene ted from three pass interference penalties. There were also several facemask penalties by both schools, all of which were accidental in nature as players played with reckless abandon.

Grady applauded the game plan of WRH defensive coordinator Tyler Pugh, who was an assistant for JK last season and is a Tigers graduate who played on the state title team in 2017.

“Just a great job by Tyler to stop us from doing what we wanted to do,” Grady said. “It forced us to use pass plays we’ve never used and people haven’t seen. Cal’s goal-line catch was one of those. Eli hit him at the right time, and that big boy just rumbled

DUPLIN

and ripped his way to a rst down.”

Motsigner, who calls WRH’s plays, said he battled with JK defensive coordinator John Bert Avent, the twins’ father, all night.

“It was a chess match,” he said. “They stunt and move guys so much. Four plays in, he stunted a guy, and it worked out. Seven other times we got the rst down.

“We’ve been through a lot, from losing two coaches to injuries to losing the talent we have in the last two years to a thin depth chart to losing close games to things that would tear other teams apart. These kids never turned on each other or quit. We’ve had disgruntled parents and fans to say what they want on social media without any consequences. Rams look to upend Bulldogs’ plans

Green Central (5-5) won its rst four games, lost ve straight and last week beat rival Bedding eld 55-14.

The Bruins are paced o ensively by quarterback Joshua Centnar (68-135 for 1,139, 20 TDs) and running back Dejuan Cobb (155-1,196, 14 TDs). Three other backs bring the team’s rushing total to 2,095 yards to bring the o ense per-game to 323 yards.

Rivalry notebook

WRH leads the all-time series 47-30. JK is three wins away from 500 wins. The Tigers are 497-280 -5 since they started football in 1957. WRH beat Pender last season for its 600th win.

Lamb (205-2,042) went over the 2,000-yard mark for the season in the fourth quarter. He leads Duplin in that category, and his 24 touchdowns are tied with North Duplin’s Carell Phillips.

Hall’s 1,367-yard output is third, and his 21 scores also ranks third.

According to longtime sportswriter Bill Rollins, WRH broke JK’s school-record of scoring at least 62 points in six straight games. JK matched or topped that output eight times this fall. The only exception was a 27-21 win over East Duplin. JK’s previous longest 42-point steak was four, which came in 1990, 2014, 2015 and 2021.

FISHING

Morehead

New reporting requirements for both commercial and recreational shermen begin Dec. 1. Recreational shermen must report all ounder,

or a

app, with an Android version to follow. Reporting is required in waters upstream of coastal shing waters, as far inland as Chatham and Wake counties, according to a state o cial. In addition to current reporting, commercial shermen must now report all n sh, shell sh and crustacean they keep from Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and Inland Fishing Waters adjacent to Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters.

NOTICES

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#25E001393-300 The undersigned, SOMMER WILSON, having quali ed on the 6TH DAY of OCTOBER, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of ANITA LOIS BURTON, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 30TH Day of JANUARY 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please

Run

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#25E001388-300 The

their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 16TH Day of OCTOBER 2025. TAMMY PARKER, EXECUTOR 2927 S NC HWY 50 BEULAVILLE, NC 28518

Run dates:O16,23,30,N6p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#25E001159-300 The undersigned, HENRIETTA M. WILLIAMS having quali ed on the 2ND DAY of OCTOBER, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of ANDREW WILLIAMS, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16TH Day of JANUARY 2026, or

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

JK’s Zamarion Smith, left, and Eli Avent celebrate after beating WRH for the second straight time.

Katie Mae Graham Fussell

Sept. 23, 1932 – Oct. 27, 2025

Mrs. Katie Mae Graham Fussell, age 93, of Goldsboro, NC, passed away on Monday, October 27, 2025, in Goldsboro, NC.

A viewing will be held on Monday, November 3, 2025, from 11-11:45 a.m. at Island Creek A.M.E. Church in Rose Hill, NC, immediately followed by the funeral at noon. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia, NC.

Left to cherish her precious memories are her children: Christine Hinnant (James) and Tonya Williams, both of Goldsboro, NC; nine grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren and eighteen great, great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.

Jenette Rivenbark Baucom

Sept. 3, 1932 – Nov. 2, 2025

A kind and gentle soul, a gracious and loving lady, Jenette Rivenbark Baucom entered into the Glory of her Lord on the Lord’s Day, Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the age of 93. She was born on September 3, 1932, in Pender County, one of eight children born to James Anthony Rivenbark and Ola Lee Wells Rivenbark. In addition to her parents, Jenette was preceded in death by her husband, Dan Edison Baucom; and her brothers, Anthony “Doc”, Paul, Hooper, George, James “Pumpkin” and Nathan Rivenbark.

Jenette is survived by her sons, Michael Anthony Baucom (Sharon), Glenn Edison Baucom and Stuart Lee Baucom (Sandra Ramsey); grandchildren, Justin Baucom (Emily), Richard Lee Prince, Katherine Johnson (Daniel), Abram Baucom (Andrea), Victoria Matthews (Lee) and Kelsi Baucom; great grandchildren, Greyson, Lydia, Lily, Callie, Henry, Olivia and Benjamin; sister, Julia Rivenbark; many nieces and nephews; and additional extended family members.

Jenette taught middle school in Jacksonville for many years. Upon moving to Watha in Pender County, Jenette became a faithful, longtime member of Forest Hills Baptist Church.

Jenette was an extraordinary woman of God whose resounding faith and love for her family was unmatched. Her brightly shining light often served as a guide to those around her. Those who knew Jenette well remember her passion for growing beautiful owers and reading/studying her Bible. She was a true example of what it meant to be a Christian Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and Friend. Her presence in our lives will be forever missed, but we nd solace in knowing she is at peace and rejoicing with her Almighty Father.

The graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at Riverview Memorial Park with Rev. Brandon Deas conducting the service.

Funeral worship service will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, November 5, 2025, at Forest Hills Baptist Church with Rev. Brandon Deas o ciating. The family will receive friends following the service.

Craig Darwin Lewis

Oct. 8, 1940 – Oct. 26, 2025

Craig Darwin Lewis, 85, passed from his earthly life on Sunday, October 26, 2025, leaving behind a vibrant legacy of love, independence, and creativity.

He was born on October 8, 1940, in Downsville, New York, where he spent his younger years. Craig was the son of Darwin Thomas Lewis and Evelyn Fitch Murtagh. In addition to his parents, Craig was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis Lewis; sister, Nikki Freeth; and brother, Dale Lewis.

Craig is survived by his daughter, Kelli Pearson (Andy); sons, Michael Lewis (Michelle), Daniel Lewis (Geri), and Patrick Lewis (Lindsay); grandchildren, Jason Todd (Nikki), Cameron Pearson, Nathan Lewis, Alleigh Cotten (Tyler), Jordan Pearson, Jesse Lewis, Evie Lewis, and Ashley Scanlin; ve great grandchildren; sisters, Marilyn Aten and Penny Jacobs (Donnie); many extended family and friends.

Craig and Phyllis raised their wonderful family of four children in Cicero, New York, where Craig was a skilled truck driver for St. Johnsbury Trucking Company. He served in the New York Army National Guard. Craig was a talented artist at heart, with a passion for painting, especially working with oils on canvas. Many of his paintings adorn the walls of family and friends. Craig loved to talk and had a way with words, told engaging stories, and could strike up an interesting conversation with both friends and strangers. Craig’s greatest love in life was his family. Outside of family, Craig loved the outdoors, with hunting and shing being at the top of his list for enjoyment. In recent years, Craig struggled with memory issues, but on Sunday morning, he left all struggles behind and entered a much-earned place of peace and contentment.

A graveside funeral service will be held at Pepacton Cemetery in Downsville, NY, at a later date.

Amazi Jyson Lewis

Oct. 26, 2025

Walstonburg- We are saddened to announce the passing of Baby Amazi Jyson Lewis. Please pray with the family as they learn to live without their loved one, and pray for the Sta of J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home and Cremation as we serve their needs. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” There will be no public service.

Patricia Gazaleh

April 16, 1942 – Oct. 26, 2025

Patricia Kate Cockman Gazaleh, age 83, of Wallace, passed peacefully from this earthly life to her eternal rest on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

She was born on April 16, 1942, in Duplin County, North Carolina, the daughter of the late Earl Cockman and Dora Hoover Cockman. In addition to her parents, Patricia was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Zaki “Zak” Nasralla Gazaleh, and her daughter, Patricia “Patsy” Gazaleh.

Patricia was a member of Wells Chapel Baptist Church, where she was very active as long as her health permitted.

Surviving to cherish her memory are her son, Nicholas “Nic” Gazaleh, and wife, Cheryl, of Wake Forest, NC; sister Jenny Cavenuagh and husband Aaron of Wallace; numerous extended family and friends who loved Patricia dearly. Patricia was a loving wife and caring mother, and sister. She was a diligent homemaker, and with a joyful spirit, she lled her home with love and welcomed all who entered. Being a good neighbor and friend, Patricia was loved by all who knew her. With a green thumb, she loved gardening, and she made sure there were always blooming owers on her front porch. Patricia loved antiquing. She enjoyed it so much that she worked on the weekends at Jennie’s and Aaron’s antique store. Patricia was a homebody who loved traveling, but only locally. She did not want to go too far from home. She loved the Lord, her family and friends with all her heart and would go out of her way to help them. Patricia will surely be missed, but treasured memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Wells Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery in Wallace, North Carolina, with Pastor Stan Jenkins o ciating.

In lieu of owers, donations may be sent to Wells Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 8565 S NC 41 Hwy., Wallace, NC 28466.

Betty “Betty Jo” Hamilton Grant

Feb. 16, 1947 – Oct. 30, 2025

Died peacefully with family on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, NC. She is survived by daughter Laurie Weston and husband Sam of Richlands; son Mark Grant of Kinston; Granddaughter Kandace Beckley and husband Logan of Richlands; brother Gerry Hamilton and wife Mary of Pin Hook; and great-grandson Waylon Ryder Beckley (unborn). She was preceded in death by husband Norman Lee Grant; mother Janice Hamilton; father Eldridge Gerry Hamilton; and sister Valerie Blue

Edward Wayne Cowan

Sept. 30, 1945 – Oct. 29, 2025

Edward Wayne Cowan, 80, a beloved husband, father, brother, and friend, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, leaving a legacy of love, strength, integrity and thoughtfulness for others.

He was born in Burgaw on September 30, 1945, the son of Edward Owen Cowan and Nealie Dale Cowan. In addition to his parents, Wayne was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patricia “Pat” Leimone Cowan.

Wayne is survived by his daughters, Michelle Hu man, Melissa Cowan, and Jennifer Holland and her husband, Paul; grandsons, Hudson James Hu man and Banks Cowan Holland; sister, Joyce James; brother, Kenneth “Pete” Cowan and his wife, Sue; several nieces: and many loyal friends.

Wayne graduated from Burgaw High School in 1963, where he was Captain of the Varsity Basketball Team. School is where he met his life-long love, Pat Leimone, and they would go on to have three adored daughters. This is also where he cultivated friendships with a group that remained a routine and important part of his life. Their weekly Saturday breakfasts led to adventures that put everyone home after lunch and sometimes well into the afternoon.

After high school, he attended Wilmington College, which later would become the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

After farming for many years, Wayne started his own successful trucking company, Carolina Transport of Burgaw, which employed over 30 drivers and an o ce sta that were like family to him.

The highlights of Wayne’s life became his two grandsons, Hudson and Banks. They all share a love of sports, riding ATVs at the family farm and their trait of impatience for waiting in a line….or for anything really.

There is a quote that says, “Happiness is spending days together with your grown children and realizing that you’ve won the lottery of life.” He realized this, and so did his three girls. None of us took these blessed times together for granted, and they will leave a legacy of how to live for generations to come within our family.

While we will all miss our earthly time with him, we rejoice in knowing he is with our Mother and in the presence of our Lord and Jesus Christ, our Savior, and we take great comfort knowing we will all be reunited in Heaven.

The memorial service will be 2 p.m. Sunday, November 9, 2025, at Burgaw Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Robert Bayley conducting the service. Following the service, the family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall.

The family would like to thank his loyal friends- Everett Durham, Gary Traywick, Bertice Lanier and Charles Rooks for the wonderful memories they created with our Dad.

In lieu of owers, memorial gifts may be made to Burgaw Presbyterian Church, PO Box 565, Burgaw, NC 28425, where Wayne and his family are multigenerational members.

John Wayne Southerland

Feb. 12, 1949 – Oct. 25, 2025

John Wayne Southerland, 76, passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by family, on October 25, 2025.

Born on February 12, 1949, as the third child to Wayne and Dollie Williams Southerland, he grew up in the Fountaintown community, where he helped his parents on their tobacco farms.

He was an active and faithful member of Bethlehem Original Free Will Baptist Church, where he had sung in the choir since he was a teenager and had spent years serving as a trustee and deacon.

After graduating from East Duplin High School in 1967, he earned his associate’s degree in business through Mount Olive College and James Sprunt.

Shortly after, he married his rst wife, had two children, Karen and Ryan, and went into civil service at Camp LeJeune Marine Corps base in Supply and Logistics for 38 years, nishing his last years of retirement at Norfolk Naval Base. Never one to enjoy downtime, he returned to Camp LeJeune as an independent contractor for an additional four years, giving over 42 years of civil service, and then transitioned to a part-time job as a courier for Sanders Ford in Jacksonville, a favorite opportunity for him as it allowed him to meet new people and enjoy learning about the, one of his favorite things. In 2012, John married his treasured longtime friend and companion, Betty Byrd Southerland. Although a 2018 diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease prevented them from traveling as much as they would like, their home was never short of laughter and joy with their little dogs, Cocoa, Jake and Toby, and relishing in family celebrations with children and grandchildren. John was witty, curious and loved storytelling and storytellers even more. He always had time and an open heart for anyone who needed a listening ear, from his family to his coworkers to people he would encounter on a daily basis.

He was exceptionally close to his sisters, Kathleen and Mary Lane, and always lived within a step of them. He was a family man who never had too little time for his children and grandchildren and loved traveling to see them in their activities.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Dollie Southerland, and his sister, Mary Lane Nobles.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, daughter Karen Jackson and son-in-law Jarrett of Chinquapin, son Ryan Southerland and daughterin-law Jessica of Beulaville, sister Kathleen Southerland of Chinquapin, grandchildren William Jackson and Zachary Jackson of Raleigh, and Devin Southerland and Jonah Southerland of Beulaville, special niece Lori Price and husband Phil of Chinquapin, and great-niece Amanda Price of Raleigh. He also cherished a close and loving bond with his stepson, David G. Byrd and wife Angela of Rose Hill and their children, JW, Spencer, Brooke, Nicole, and Ronnie.

Stanly NewS Journal

WHAT’S HAPPENING

USDA says SNAP will be partially funded in November

Providence, R.I.

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program in November after two federal judges required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount bene ciaries who receive it will be reduced.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running, with leeway to pay for it entirely or partially.

2 men accused of plotting terror attacks at LGBTQ+ bars near Detroit

Detroit

Two men have been charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere. According to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court, the men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and coconspirators were inspired by the Islamic State group’s extremism, according to a court ling.

Shutdown could become longest ever as Trump says he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats

Washington, D.C.

Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday that he was “optimistic” the Senate could vote to reopen the government by the end of the week if lawmakers make progress over the next couple days. That followed comments from President Donald Trump who said he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats to reopen. Democrats say they want to x a health care crisis and extend subsidies.

Albemarle City Council appoints Martha Hughes to vacant seat

Hughes was one of six candidates for the seat

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle City Council has lled its District 4 seat vacancy that has been open since August.

At the council’s meeting Monday night, councilmembers voted 4-2 to appoint Martha Hughes, who previously served on the council as an at-large member from December 2013 to November 2022. Her new term is set to expire on Dec. 7, 2026. “We started this process a couple of months ago, rst asking for letters of interest, then following up after that with a questionnaire back to all the individuals who had expressed

interest,” Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael said. “Those questionnaires were received, and then those individuals were allowed to come in and make a presentation to council at the last meeting. Tonight, we’re at the point whether we can continue discussion, or if anyone wants to make a motion I can open the oor.”

Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall motioned to nominate Hughes for the vacant seat left behind by former District 4 representative Chris Whitley, who submitted his resignation in August so he could assist with providing care to a family member experiencing health issues.

Hall joined Councilmembers Dexter Townsend, Chris Bramlett and Benton Dry in voting in favor of Hughes’ appointment, while Councilmem-

“I

hope that I can make a positive di erence here in the coming year.”

Martha Hughes, new councilmember

bers David Hunt and Bill Aldridge voted against the move.

The council had previously listened to presentations from Hughes, James Fleming, Robert Gruver, David Morgan, Victoria Ramos and Scott St. John, who each expressed interest in the open position.

After she was sworn into ofce, Hughes gave an introductory statement to the council and meeting attendees.

“I will say it’s good to be back,” Hughes said. “I hope that I can make a positive dif-

Stanly commissioners pass resolution in support of fox trapping season extension

The current season is limited to Jan. 2-31

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Commissioners has adopted a resolution seeking local legislative approval from the North Carolina General Assembly to extend the county’s fox trapping season.

On Monday night, the board voted 7-0 in favor of the resolution to extend the trapping season for foxes to coincide with all other fur-bearing animal trapping

from Oct. 1 until Feb. 28.

“Right now, it’s limited to Jan. 2 through Jan. 31 each year, and they were trying to match it up with all other fur-bearing animals, which would be from Oct. 1 until the end of February,” County Manager Andy Lucas said. “If a resolution is passed, it would be sent to our legislative delegation for them to work to get that into some special legislation during the short session that will start back up in May of 2026.” Currently, foxes are listed as game animals and not furbearers such as raccoons,

ference here in the coming year. Chris (Whitley) reached out to me after that last presentation, and I got a really nice and supportive text from him. I’ve got his shoes to ll, and I hope I do a good job.”

During Hughes’ presentation on Oct. 20, she expressed that her prior role as an Albemarle councilmember had given her valuable experience to do it again.

“I already understand the functions of this council and the needs of our city sta , and I can be an immediate, productive partner on day one,” she said. “I’ve helped to develop budgets, and I’ve worked to build consensus. I won’t need months to learn the process.”

The Albemarle City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY NOV. 7

SATURDAY NOV. 8

SUNDAY NOV. 9

Stanly County Chorale to perform Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’

The group will present two free holiday concerts in early December

Stanly News Journal sta THE STANLY County

Chorale will present Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and other holiday favorites during two free concerts in early December. The performances will feature local soloists and orchestra members for “Gloria,” along with a selection of pop -

ular holiday pieces from the chorale’s 57-year history.

“It’s been great fun revisiting the Chorale library of music for this concert,” said Lisa Ewers, director of the Stanly County Chorale. “There are so many beautiful and fun pieces, both old and new, that have become repeat requests by the singers and audience members alike!”

The program will include works by composers John Rutter and Dan Forrest, as well as classics like “Carol of the Bells” and “Silent Night.”

Oct. 30

$10

all the trimmings and dessert Dine in or take-out

All proceeds go to missions

• Jeihel Maldonado Teodosio, 35, was arrested for reckless driving to endanger, driving while impaired and driving while license revoked.

• Avery Randall Smith, 41, was arrested for failure to report new address as a sex o ender and nonsupport of a child.

• Brandon McCullough, 39, was arrested for larceny by removing, destroying or

Lighter selections such as “Goin’ to Bethlehem” and “Cool Yule” will round out the program. Concerts will be held Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Norwood and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Albemarle. Both performances are free and open to the public. The Stanly County Chorale, founded in 1968, presents two concerts annually. For more information, visit stanlycountychorale.org.

WEST STANLY CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES Annual Thanksgiving Food Donation Drive Sat., Nov. 22, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stan eld Log Barn 101 West Stanly St., Stan eld Items needed: Nonperishable Food / Shelf Stable Foods, Personal Hygiene Production & Toiletries, Housing Cleaning Products Monetary Donations are Greatly Appreciated! More info: 704-201-7074

deactivating a component and felony larceny.

• Emily Mary Bagen, 42, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Nov. 1

• Nasir Malik Demby, 26, was arrested for breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, injury to real property, resisting a public

o cer and possession of burglary tools.

• Robert Anthony Smith, 55, was arrested for communicating threats and misdemeanor domestic violence.

Nov. 2

• Maya R. C. Spurlocke-Richards, 38, was arrested for driving while impaired, reckless driving with wanton disregard, misdemeanor child abuse and injury to personal property.

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

Nov. 9

41st Annual Stan eld Elementary School’s Arts and Crafts Show noon to 4:30 p.m.

More than 120 vendors will o er locally made jewelry, décor, and items made with holiday giftgiving in mind. A sweet shop and food trucks will be on-site.

101 Montgomery Ave. Stan eld

Salute to Veterans Concert

4-5 p.m.

Presented by The Singing Americans of Stanly County, this selection of patriotic songs is performed in honor of all US Armed Forces Veterans. No admission fee.

Bethany Methodist Church 2311 US 52 Highway North Albemarle

Nov. 13

Health Heroes of Stanly County Part III (19751999)

7 p.m.

A presentation by Dr. Stephen Seltzer featuring biographies of physicians who have served the local community for years, sponsored by the Stanly County Historical Society. Admission is free. Contact the Stanly County History Center at (704) 986-3777 to pre-register. Central United Methodist Church 172 N. 2nd St. Albemarle

Nov.15

Handmade Craft Market

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This one-day outdoor event sponsored by the Stanly Arts Guild supports local artisans and allows the public the opportunity to purchase distinctive holiday gifts. 330-C N. 2nd St. Albemarle

Nov. 20

City of Locust

Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration

5-8 p.m.

Christmas tree lighting takes place at 6:30 p.m. There will also be opportunities to shop from local artist vendors and take holiday pictures with the Grinch. Refreshments available onsite.

Town Center Locust

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country. The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled.

Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by 21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year.

How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence. Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not

expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

7 Head Start preschools close in NC as government shutdown continues

The centers largely serve the children of farmworkers in rural areas

By Moriah Balingit, Makiya Seminera and Heather Hollingsworth The Associated Press

THE GOVERNMENT shutdown is triggering a wave of closures of Head Start centers, leaving working parents scrambling for child care and shutting some of the nation’s neediest children out of preschool.

Dozens of centers are missing out on federal grant payments that were due to arrive Nov. 1. Some say they’ll close inde nitely, while others are staying a oat with emergency funding from local governments and school districts. The closures mean Head Start students — who come from low-income households, are homeless or are in foster care — are missing out on preschool, where they are fed two meals a day and receive therapy vital to their development.

In North Carolina, the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project operates seven centers serving farmworker families in rural communities including Angier, Bailey, Boonville, Faison, Fountain, Newton Grove and Rocky Point. The Raleigh-based nonpro t, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, operates 43 campuses total across 10 states, serving approximately 3,500 children annually.

In total, the project is temporarily shutting 24 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers spread across ve states. Those centers, created to assist the children of migrant farmworkers, typically operate on 10- to 12-hour days to accommodate the long hours parents work on farms.

Children attending the centers in Florida, Georgia, Ala-

REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO

Students help put away supplies at the end of a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program run by Easterseals, an organization that gets about a third of its funding from the federal government, in January.

bama and Oklahoma, as well as North Carolina, recently came home with iers warning of possible closures, along with other parent noti cations. Those centers serving more than 1,100 children will now remain closed until the shutdown ends, said East Coast Migrant Head Start Project CEO Javier Gonzalez. About 900 sta members across the centers also have been furloughed.

In the absence of other options for child care, some parents’ only option may be to bring their young child to the elds where they work, Gonzalez said.

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts,” said Sarah Sloan, who oversees smalltown Head Start centers in Scioto County, Ohio. Sta told families they planned to close

Monday. “It’s hampering our families’ ability to put food on the table and to know that their children are safe during the day.”

A half-dozen Head Start programs never received grants that were anticipated in October, but there are now 140 programs that have not received their annual infusion of federal funding. All told, the programs have capacity to assist 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents.

Pause in food aid compounds struggles for Head Start families

Many of the families that qualify for the federal preschool program also depend on food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts.”

Sarah Sloan, Head Start supervisor

or food stamps. That program also was on track to run dry of money due to the shutdown, although a pair of federal judges last Friday ordered the Trump administration to keep the program running with emergency reserve funds.

That means many Head Start families have been worried about food aid, along with the child care they rely on to make ends meet. A day without child care means a day without work for many parents — and a day without pay.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Jhanee Hunt teaches toddlers at a Head Start site, the Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center, where her 6-month-old son is cared for in another classroom. The center said it can scrape up enough money to stay open for a few weeks, but the money won’t last much beyond November.

At dropo , she said, parents often are wearing uniforms for fast food restaurants like Wendy’s and McDonald’s. Some work as certi ed nurse assistants in nursing homes. None have much extra money. The most urgent concern right now is food, she said.

“A lot of the parents, they’re, you know, going around trying to nd food pantries,” she said. “A parent actually asked me, do I know a food pantry?”

More than 90% of the center’s families rely on SNAP food assistance, said Deborah Mann, the center’s executive director. One construction company o ered to help ll the grocery carts of some families

that use the center. But overall, families are distressed, she said.

“We’ve had parents crying. We’ve had parents just don’t know what to do,” Mann said. Some centers stay open for now

Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start programs provide a range of services beyond early education, such as medical and dental screenings, school meals and family support to children from low-income households who can’t a ord other child care options.

The initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, leaving it with little cushion from funding disruptions.

Some that have missed out on grant payments have managed to remain open, with philanthropies, school districts and local governments lling in gaps. Others are relying on fast-dwindling reserves and warn they can’t keep their doors open for much longer.

“If the government doesn’t open back up, we will be providing less services each week,” said Rekah Strong, who heads a social services nonpro t that runs Head Start centers in southern Washington state. She’s already had to close one center and several classrooms and cut back home-based visiting services. “It feels more bleak every day.”

In Florida, Head Start centers in Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County closed Oct. 27,but then reopened the next day thanks to a grant from Children’s Services Council of Leon County. The local school district and churches have stepped up to provide meals for the children.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and our village has come together,” said Nina Self, interim CEO of Capital Area Community Action Agency.

But children in rural Jefferson and Franklin counties, where the agency runs two small Head Start centers, were not as lucky. They’ve been closed since late October.

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing

Authorities said he charged an o cer wielding a 2-by-4 as a weapon

The Associated Press

RAEFORD — A Lee County deputy shot and killed a 13-year - old Hoke County boy wanted in the killing of his grandmother when the teenager charged toward the ocer with a piece of lumber the boy had picked up during a chase, authorities said Friday.

The State Bureau of Investigation will review last Thursday’s shooting involving the Lee County sheriff’s deputy, which is a standard protocol.

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved.”

Roderick Virgil, Hoke County sheri

The events began in Raeford where the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said 68-yearold Connie Linen was pronounced dead in her home.

Authorities say she was a victim of a homicide but haven’t released details about how she was killed. Deputies initially came to the home in response to a well-being check.

Detectives determined Linen’s grandson to be a suspect, and authorities

had completed paperwork charging him with first-degree murder, the Hoke Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it was told about the homicide, and officers later found the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area.

When deputies approached the boy, he ran away, authorities said. The teenager grabbed a two-by-four from

a yard during the pursuit and charged toward an officer, who shot the teen, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said. The office’s news released described the boy as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 150 pounds.

Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation didn’t immediately respond to emails Friday seeking more information about the shooting and the investigation.

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved,” Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said Friday. “We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event.”

Michael Joe Dennis

May 14, 1981 – Oct. 26, 2025

Michael Joe Dennis, 44, of New London, North Carolina, passed away on October 26, 2025, at his home. Born on May 14, 1981, in Albemarle, North Carolina, Michael was the beloved son of Bill and Sherri Dennis and the cherished brother of Jennifer Doss (Bobby).He shared his life with his loving partner, Chad Starnes, and together they created a home lled love and laughter. He was a cherished uncle to his niece, Emma Sanders, and nephews, Brody Doss and Chase Doss, who adored him dearly. Michael is survived by grandmothers, Shirley Hinson, and Sarah Burris in addition to many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Michael was a graduate of North Stanly High School and employed at Clifton Larson Allen LLP (CLA) in Charlotte, North Carolina, as an Engagement Director. Michael had a natural gift for bringing people together. He will be remembered for his generosity, sense of humor, and the way he loved deeply. Whether cooking elaborate meals for family and friends, planning memorable vacations, or spending time with his beloved fur babies, Daisy and Jake, Michael poured his heart into everything he did. Michael’s joy was often found at Badin Shores Resort with his second family. His adventurous spirit and kindness left a lasting impression on everyone he met. There will be no visitation as the family will hold a Celebration of Life at a later date to honor Michael’s memory. His legacy of love and laughter will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

OBITUARIES

IN MEMORY

AARON KENNETH FOWLER

FEB. 13, 1934 – OCT. 29, 2025

Aaron Kenneth Fowler, 91, of Midland, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville.

Aaron was born February 13, 1934, in Union County to the late Neal Fowler and Emma Broome Fowler. He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife, Flora Marie Fowler; son, Aaron “Kenny” Fowler Jr.; and daughter, Machelle Fowler Smith.

Aaron was a loving husband, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, friend and so much more. He worked at Charlotte Aircraft Corporation and, after his retirement, with the Cabarrus County School System. He enjoyed many things throughout his life, with family and shing being among his greatest joys. He loved playing the guitar, tending to his garden and spending time with those he loved most.

He is survived by his son-in-law, Steve Smith; his cherished granddaughters, Kymberly (Ben Petrea), Emily Smith and Haley (Luke Ward); and his adored great-grandchildren, Waylon, Harper and Sawyer. Each of them cared for and loved Aaron deeply.

In his nal days, Kymberly, along with the help of Ben and his mother, Maggie Petrea, lovingly cared for him in her home to keep him comfortable before he entered hospice care, where he passed peacefully. His presence will be profoundly missed by all who knew and loved him.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, November 3, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday at Hartsell Funeral Home’s Jack Hartsell Memorial Chapel in Midland, o ciated by Pastor Rob Mariucci. Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens, 8901 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill.

In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Via Health Partners (formerly Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region), 705 Gri th St., Suite 203, Davidson, NC.

MARY AGNES “AGGIE” NASTASE

JUNE 15, 1937 – OCT. 29, 2025

Mary Agnes “Aggie” Nastase, 88, of Stan eld, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Spring Arbor of Albemarle.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 3, 2025, at Crown Memorial Park in Pineville, o ciated by Father Nicholas Kramer. No formal visitation will be held.

Born June 15, 1937, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Aggie was the daughter of the late Richard and Grace Hautz. She devoted her life to caring for others, working as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina before retiring. Her compassion, dedication and gentle nature touched countless lives throughout her career and beyond.

A member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Indian Land, South Carolina, Aggie lived her faith through kindness and service. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and looked forward to family dinners and gatherings. Her family will always remember her as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.

Aggie is survived by her children, Rob Nastase (Jana), Jill Arkol (Fred), Jay Nastase (Icilda), Jodi Grice (Ricky) and Cara Fernandez (Albert); siblings, Richard Hautz (Carol), Connie Gruca, Karen Myers, Ellen Gratton (Bob) and Peggy Mulvahill (John); grandchildren, Seth Grice, Zachary Grice (Karlie), Markus Nastase, Scout Grice, Isabella Fernandez and Nathan Fernandez; and great-grandchild, Gi n Grice.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert “Bob” Nastase, who passed away on March 13, 2022. Aggie will be remembered for her giving heart, her unwavering devotion to her family and her deep love for her late husband.

KATHY MAULDIN TAYLOR

MAY 21, 1955 – OCT. 31, 2025

Kathy Mauldin Taylor, 70, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully at her home on October 31, 2025.

Born May 21, 1955, in Stanly County, she was the daughter of the late Hubert and Evelyn Vanhoy Mauldin. Kathy was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother whose gentle spirit and unwavering faith touched everyone who knew her.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@ northstatejournal.com

She was a longtime member of the Norwood Church of God, where she once taught Sunday school and served as the choir leader before her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. Though she battled MS for more than twenty years and was con ned to a wheelchair for the last seven, she faced every day with grace, gratitude and a steadfast love for God. Her faith never wavered, and she passed that faith on to her family—her greatest legacy.

Kathy is remembered by her family as caring, faithful, loving and determined—a woman who was both sweet and strong. She cherished her family deeply and always found joy in Gospel music, worship and the simple blessings of life.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 48 years, Mike Taylor; her daughter, Kim Furr Register (Jimmy) of Albemarle; stepdaughter Joy Richardson (Tim McSwain) of Albemarle; brother Barry Mauldin of Albemarle; and ve grandchildren: Jeremy Walters (Kelsey), Brandon Furr (Kaitlin), Alayna Richardson, Jolei Richardson and Ricki Register.

She was preceded in death by her son, Michael Furr; grandson, John Walters; granddaughter, Cortney Furr; and brother, Jimmy Mauldin.

Kathy’s kindness, faith and love will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew her.

A memorial service will be held at Victory Tabernacle on November 9, 2025, at 3 p.m. with Rev. Amanda Wilson and Minister Jeremy Walters.

ROY HARVEY FREEMAN

FEB. 16, 1940 – OCT. 31, 2025

Roy Harvey Freeman, 85, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 10:56 a.m. His funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Faith Free Will Baptist Church, with Pastor Gene Mullis Jr. and Rev. Phillip Martin o ciating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care from 6-8 p.m. on Monday evening.

Born February 16, 1940, in Moore County, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Harvey Martin Freeman and Novia Brown Freeman. Mr. Freeman was a retired heavy equipment operator with Culp Brothers of Gold Hill and a faithful member of Faith Free Will Baptist Church for 58 years. He loved bluegrass and gospel music, enjoyed a good joke and treasured his family deeply. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Alene Kennedy Freeman, with whom he shared 63 wonderful years of marriage. Mr. Freeman is survived by his son, Allen Freeman (Cindy) of Albemarle; daughters. Susie Kidd of Rich eld, Teresa Calloway (Joey) of New London, Sally Eudy of Albemarle, Brenda Galloway (Lynn) of Rich eld and Renda Eudy (Charles) of New London; brother Clinton Freeman (Cindy) of Biscoe; and sister Janice Reynolds of Biscoe.

He was preceded in death by sons Jimmy Ray Kennedy, Roy Lee Freeman and Harvey Edward Freeman, as well as his grandson Donnie Kennedy.

He leaves behind a large and loving family of 18 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and ve great-great-grandchildren who will cherish his memory and the joy he brought to their lives. Memorials may be made to Faith Free Will Baptist Church Building Fund, 34915 Locust Lane, New London, NC 28127.

HOMER JOSEPH PROCTOR JR. MARCH 1, 1941 – OCT. 31, 2025

Homer Joseph Proctor Jr., 84, of Locust, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 9:40 a.m.

His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Community Church in Locust, with Pastor Steve Jirgal o ciating. Burial will follow in the Community Church Cemetery, with military rites. The family will receive friends at the church from noon to 1:45 p.m., prior to the service. Born March 1, 1941, in Forsyth County, NC, he was the son of the late Homer Joseph Proctor Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Soots Proctor. Homer was a U.S. Navy veteran and later retired from a career in telecommunications with Executone. He attended Community Church of Locust, where he faithfully served and supported the church’s outreach and mission work. Homer loved to sing and was known for his quick wit and humor— always a jokester who could bring a smile to any occasion.

He is survived by his loving wife, Kay Eudy Proctor of the home; one son, Homer Joseph “Joe” Proctor III (Leslie) of Locust; one daughter, Katherine Proctor Rogers of Locust; and two grandchildren, Whitney Rogers of Locust and Tyler Carter (Marissa) of Oakboro. He is also survived by ve greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by a grandchild, Kelly Smith, a grandchild, Mark Carter Jr., and a brother, Wilson V. Whitesell. Memorials may be made to the Community Church – Missions Fund, 818 N. Central Ave., Locust, NC 28097. Nancy Huneycutt Nov. 14, 1956 – Nov. 1, 2025 Nancy Nichwander Huneycutt, 68, of Norwood, passed away Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Atrium Health Stanly.

A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 6 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home in Norwood. Pastor Johnny Leslie will o ciate. The family will receive friends starting at 4 p.m. Nancy was born on November 14, 1956, in Helena, Montana, to the late Paul and Jean Jackson Nachwinder. She worked for many years with Albemarle Glass Company and was a member of Freedom Tabernacle Baptist Church. Nancy was a hard worker. She had a big heart and loved her family, especially her grandchildren; she was always their loudest cheerleader.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings: Gary Burns, Larry Burns, Tammi Payne and Rayetta. She is survived by her husband, Harry Lee Huneycutt Jr.; three sons: Craig Huneycutt, Corey Huneycutt and Colt Huneycutt (Misty), all of Norwood; six grandchildren: Austin, Jessie, Mason, Jade, Luke and Harper Huneycutt.

STANLY SPORTS

South Stanly claims co-conference title, Stanly Cup with road win

The Rowdy Rebel Bulls are 4 - 0 since Oct. 10

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — With a dominant 50-13 road win at Albemarle on Friday night, South Stanly capped o its regular season by earning a share of the Yadkin Valley Conference championship and claiming the 2025 Stanly Cup trophy.

The Rowdy Rebel Bulls (8-2, 6-1 YVC) nished tied atop the

league standings with North Stanly and North Rowan, who each went 6-1 in conference play.

South Stanly also secured local bragging rights by sweeping its intracounty matchups, including a 27-0 win at West Stanly on Aug. 22 and a 40-0 shutout of North Stanly on Oct. 10. The Stanly Cup is awarded annually to the team that posts the best record against other Stanly schools during the regular season.

Friday’s matchup was competitive early before South Stanly took control in the second quarter and never let go. After

Albemarle (4-6, 2-5 YVC) tied the game 6-6 late in the rst, the Bulls outscored the Bulldogs 44-7 to post their highest scoring total of the season.

Senior quarterback Kaleb Richardson powered the offense, completing 12 of 15 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns while adding 26 rushing yards and a score. His top target, senior wide receiver Jasiah Holt, caught ve passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Richardson opened the scoring midway through the first quarter with a 15-yard

touchdown pass to Holt, but Albemarle answered before the end of the period with a 16 -yard scoring run by sophomore AJ Butler, who nished with 82 rushing yards on 17 carries.

South Stanly reclaimed the lead early in the second quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by senior Carter Callicutt, who had eight carries for 64 yards. Callicutt later intercepted a pass to set up a 27-yard touchdown strike from Richardson to sophomore Jayden Woods, giving the Bulls a 19-6 advantage. A short eld goal before half-

time extended the lead to 22-6. Holt’s second touchdown catch of the night, coming late in the third quarter, made it 29-6. Richardson then scrambled for a 29-yard rushing score early in the fourth, and senior Ikey Holt added another touchdown run minutes later.

Albemarle senior Shoddy Pergee broke free for a 13-yard touchdown with two minutes remaining, nishing with 132 rushing yards on 15 carries, but Woods answered on the ensuing kicko with a 97-yard return for South Stanly’s nal score.

Both teams will compete in the upcoming NCHSAA 2A state playo s.

The seventh-seeded Bulls earned a rst-round bye and will host No. 10 Christ the King on Nov. 14, while the No. 16 Bulldogs will host No. 17 Cherokee in the opening round on Friday night.

Albemarle to host Cherokee in rst round of playo s

The West Stanly Colts will travel to Lexington

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — The NCHSAA state playo s have arrived for Stanly County’s four varsity football teams, which are seeded between fourth and 24th in their respective brackets.

Two teams will open postseason play Friday — one at home and one on the road — while the county’s top two squads earned rst-round byes and will prepare for their second-round games on Nov. 14.

No. 17 Cherokee at No. 16 Albemarle

The Albemarle Bulldogs (4-6, 2-5 Yadkin Valley Conference) are entering their postseason tournament on a two-game skid after notching a pair consecutive wins earlier in October.

This past Friday, the Bulldogs lost 50-13 at home to South Stanly, surrendering the most points they have allowed in any game this season. The team will now try to rebound as a No. 16 seed in the 2A bracket, where it will host No. 17 Cherokee in Bulldog Stadium. With four losses in their past ve games, the Braves (3-7, 2-4 Smoky Mountain) will aim to take down a Bulldogs team that nished fth in the YVC this season. The winner of the contest will travel to No. 1 Murphy for second-round action.

No. 24 West Stanly at No. 9 Lexington Senior

On Friday, West Stanly tried to snap a six-game losing streak but fell short in a 25-14 home loss to Mount Pleasant, dropping the Colts (1-9, 0-5 Rocky River Conference) to last place in the RRC standings. As a No. 24 seed in the 4A bracket, Colts will head to Lexington to face the No. 9 Lexington Senior Yellow Jackets (6-4, 3-3 PAC Seven) in the teams’

rst-round action. The Yellow Jackets are on a three-game winning streak after a trio of consecutive losses in the middle of the season. Looking ahead, either West Stanly or Lexington Senior will hit the road in the second round to face No. 8 Burns.

No. 4 North Stanly ( rst-round bye)

In the North Stanly Comets’ (9-1, 6-1 YVC) nal regular-sea-

son game of the 2025 season, they defeated Union Academy 55-17 at home as they landed in a rst-place tie with South Stanly and North Rowan as YVC co-champions. The fourth-seeded Comets have a week to rest up thanks to their rst-round bye in the 3A bracket. They will host the winner of No. 13 East Surry and No. 20 Polk County in the second round.

No. 7 South Stanly

Albemarle running back Shoddy Pergee looks for extra yardage during a matchup with Union Academy.

( rst-round bye)

After their blowout home win over the Albemarle Bulldogs to claim a share of the YVC title, the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls’ (8-2, 6-1 YVC) have a rst-round bye in the 2A bracket. The seventh-seeded Bulls, who have four wins in a row with a scoring margin advantage of 154-27, will gear up to host No. 10 Christ the King, which also has a bye week to open the state playo s.

COURTESY SOUTH STANLY ATHLETICS

The South Stanly football team celebrates with the 2025 Stanly Cup trophy after the Bulls’ road win at Albemarle on Friday night.

COURTESY STARLA WHITLEY

NC State stuns visiting Georgia Tech for program’s rst top-10 win since 2021

The Wolfpack’s o ense came alive with more than 500 total yards

By Ryan Henkel The Associated Press

RALEIGH — NC State delivered a statement win to end its two-game skid, defeating No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36 on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

It was the rst top-10 win since 2021 for Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack, who handed the Yellow Jackets their rst loss of the season.

“It’s special when you have a top-10 win at home,” Doeren said. “Night games at the Carter are so special and I’m just proud of this team. Resiliency is what this place is about. It’s why I’ve always loved NC State. It’s de nitely a part of my DNA, and the harder it gets, sometimes I think, the better we are. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight.”

The Wolfpack were propelled to victory by their offense, which totaled nearly 600 yards and scored on eight of its 10 drives.

“Our mindset on o ense was just to try and score every drive,” said sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey. “Every time we touched the ball, that was the mindset, and throughout the whole week, that was our plan.”

It was a bounce-back game overall for Bailey, who threw for 340 yards and two scores with no interceptions and picked up another 34 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

“CJ played like a captain,” Doeren said. “He was in charge and played really, really good ball.”

NC State’s o ense had a big night without some of their most important names as both running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Justin Joly were out with injuries.

Freshman Duke Scott, who took on starting running back duties, dominated the Yellow Jackets with 196 yards and a touchdown on 24 attempts.

Scott broke free for big runs multiple times, his biggest coming in the third quarter when he rumbled for 69 yards.

NC State tight end Cody Hardy (44) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Preston Douglas (82) against Georgia Tech.

“Duke Scott had a phenomenal game,” Doeren said. “But I’m not surprised at all. We thought we could run the football on them, and Duke’s way faster than people know. We have a really good tandem in that back eld, and tonight, he had to step up and take on the entire load, and obviously he did a tremendous job.”

Senior tight ends Dante Daniels and Cody Hardy also had a good night, with Hardy getting the team’s rst touchdown of the game and each picking up key yardage.

“Our tight ends, that room … the way they played without Justin was impressive,” Doeren said. “They really stepped up and had to do more things than they normally do.

“Kids come to this program hoping for the opportunity to play. And when it’s your opportunity, you have to seize it. It says a lot about all these guys. We don’t quit here. It’s not a part of this program and it never will be.”

Defensively, things weren’t as pretty for the Wolfpack, as the team gave up 559 total yards, including more than 400 through the air.

“That’s a tough o ense,” Doeren said. “Brent (Key) is a great coach, and that is a really good football team. I have nothing but respect for him and his sta . Buster Faulkner, his offensive coordinator, is, I think, one of the best in the country, and their quarterback is a really good player. So that was a hard-fought game.”

But even with the defense’s aws, it still had a few key moments when it forced Georgia Tech to settle for a few eld goals.

“The defense did enough to give our o ense possessions and eld position where they could go score,” Doeren said.

Senior linebacker Caden Fordham came through with his rst career interception to seal the win for the Wolfpack, ushering hundreds of fans onto the turf at Carter-Finley for a well-earned eld storm.

“It’s awesome, especially winning a game like that,” said Fordham. “Being in the Carter tonight, it was special. It was amazing to go out there and do that with my brothers.”

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER ROUNDUP

South Stanly’s Baker wins state title

The freshman took the Class 2A girls’ cross-country crown

Stanly News Journal sta

KENADIE BAKER of South Stanly won the state championship for girls’ cross-country at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex. The freshman ran the Class 2A title by running the 5K course in 18:17.44, winning by 10.82 seconds. In Class 4A, Kelsey Burleson missed a state title by 49.24 seconds. The West Stanly senior nished fourth in the state with a time of 19:22.87.

Teammate Kennedy Foxx, a senior, was 30th at 21:30.32. West junior Victoria Shushlyakova was 42nd at 22:06.72. Freshman Makayla High was 77th at 23:39.87, senior Kaylee Snellings 87th at 24:09.35, freshman Lexie Morton 89th at 24:15.21 and sophomore Brianna Suhr 97th at 24:39.98.

The group gave West Stanly a ninth-place nish in the Class 4A team standings. Fellow Rowdy Rebel Bulls freshman Mary Huneycutt nished in 43rd place with a time of 22:48.72. Gray Stone Day senior Addyson Carter nished in 54th at 23:13.12. On the boys’ side, Gray

Stone Day junior Layne Higgins nished seventh with a time of 16:51.22. South Stanly’s Hayden Jernigan, a junior, took 26th, at 17:59.33. Teammate Mason Teeter, a sophomore, was 62nd, at 18:47.72. In class 3A, North Stanly’s Blake Baldwin placed 19th. The junior turned in a time of 18:02.34.

The West Stanly boys nished third in the state at Class 4A, with seven runners earning points.

Sophomore Luke Jacobi was 11th at 17:03.08. Fellow junior Jayden Bobo was 17th at 17:11.67. Sophomore Josiah Deme nished 31st at 17:52.61. Sophomore Gavin Gannuscio was 36th at 17:58.47. Freshman Bryce Fetzer nished 44th at 18:17.67. Sophomore Knox Grice was 61st at 18:37.80, and sophomore Lonnie Preslar was 63rd at 18:41.80

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

Yadkin Valley 2A/3A nal standings

North Stanly, 9-1, 6-1

South Stanly; 8-2, 6-1

North Rowan; 6-4, 6-1 Mountain Island, 5-5, 4-3 Albemarle; 4-6, 2-5 Union; 4-6, 2-5

Thomas Je erson; 4-6, 2-5 Bonnie Cone, 0-10, 0-7

Rocky River 4A/5A Final standings Monroe; 6-3, 5-0 Mount Pleasant; 7-3, 4-1 Forest Hills; 8-2, 3-2 Anson; 2-8, 2-3 Parkwood; 2-8, 1-4 West Stanly; 1-9, 0-5

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NOTICES

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY. SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25SP000120-830

TONY BIGGERS, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ALVIN DAVID SPEIGHTS, JR. Petitioner, Vs. SYLVIA SMITH, MAXINE UNDERWOOD, ROGER BLAKE, AL BLAKE, WELLS FARGO BANK AND SYNCHRONY BANK Respondents

NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

Pursuant to an order of the Honorable Ginger D.F. E rd, Clerk of Superior Court of Stanly County, North Carolina, entered on the 21st day of October, 2025 in the special proceeding entitled Tony Biggers Administrator of the Estate of Alvin David Speights, Jr., Petitioner, vs Sylvis Smith, Maxine Underwood, Al Blake, Roger Blake, Wells Fargo Bank and Synchrony Bank – Ascension Point Recovery Services, LLC, Respondents, 25SP000120-830 who by said Order was appointed Commissioner to sell the lands described in the petition will o er for sale to the highest bidder at public auction on the 20th day of November, 2025 at 10:00 AM at the courthouse door in Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina those certain parcels or tracts of land lying and being in County of Stanly, State of North Carolina and being more particularly described as follows: TRACT ONE: BEGINNING on an iron stake by a large oak, the Southeast corner of Alvin David Speights’ lot, being also the Northeast corner of Lot No. 5 of the J.T. Mills Farm property, as portrayed on a plat recorded in the O ce of the Register of Deeds for Stanly County, North Carolina, in Plat Book No. 1, at Page 272, to which reference is hereby made; thence S. 53 W. 332 feet to an iron stake by three white oaks, thence S. 40 W. 571 feet, more or less, to a point in the center of the MillsDunlap road; thence with the center of said road N. 22-30 E. 199 feet to a point in the center of said road; thence N. 18E. 500 feet to a point in the center of said road; thence S. 85-30 E. 400 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING, containing 2.6 acres, more or less. The above-described tract of land is taken from the Northeast area or corner of said Lot No. 5 of the J.T. Mills Farm property, and the description thereof is based on a survey by James A. Harward, Surveyor, on February 11, 1961. The foregoing Tract One is vacant.

TRACT TWO: Bounded on the North and West by the lands of Alvin D. Speights, Jr., and on the East and South by the lands of Dr. Joel Mauldin and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a point in the old boundary line between Alvin D. Speights, Jr. and Dr. Joel Mauldin, said point being N. 43-25-30 E. 631.57 feet from an existing iron pipe on the edge of the payment of N.C. Highway #24 & 27, N. 43-25-30 E. 302.58 feet from a point in the centerline of SR #1736, and also N. 76-05 E. from a new iron spike in the centerline of SR #1736; thence along the old-line N. 43-25-30 E. 268.42 feet to a point in the old line; thence along the old line N. 55-00 E. 332.00 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence a new line S. 37-50 W. 326.17 feet to a new iron pipe; thence S. 57-12-30 W. 192.70 feet to a new iron pipe; thence S. 76-05 W. 97.28 feet to the point of beginning, and containing 0.74 acres as surveyed and platted by Rogell E. Hunsucker, R.L.S., on May 24, 1979, and being a portion of the tract of land owned by Dr. Joel Mauldin described as Lot #6 in Plat Book 1, Page 272, Stanly County Registry. The foregoing Tract Two property has a physical address of 25650 Dunlap Road, Albemarle, North Carolina 28001. There is situated on the aforesaid real property a single-family residence having two bedrooms and one and one-half bathrooms. The sale shall be made subject to all unpaid ad valorem taxes, liens, easements and restrictions of record. The high bidder must deposit with the Clerk of Superior Court ve (5) percent of the high bid or $750.00, whichever amount is greater as by law required. The sale shall remain open for ten (10) days for a raised bid as by law required and the nal bid will be subject to the con rmation of the court. Any further announcements shall be made at the sale. Tony Biggers 20283 Hwy 52 S. Albemarle, NC 28001 James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for Tony Biggers Administrator of the Estate of Alvin David Speights, JR. P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002 704-983-2709 Publish: November 5, and 12, 2025 Posted on: October 22, 2025

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION STANLY COUNTY BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E-000562-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executrix of the estate of Dora JoAnn Sasser Bullins, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Dora JoAnn Sasser Bullins to present them to the undersigned on or before January 30, 2026, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 23rd day of October, 2025 Patty F. Randolph 97 LeCline Circle NE Concord, NC 28025 (GS 28A-14-1)

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Town of Oakboro will hold a public hearing at Oakboro Town Hall located at 109A N Main Street, Oakboro,

NOTICE

the stream

‘The

Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, ‘Downton Abbey’

Willie Nelson interprets the songs and voice of Merle Haggard

The Associated Press

THE EARNEST superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and Tracy Morgan returning to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch” 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 this week: The upstairs-downstairs drama “Downton Abbey” bids farewell in a nal movie, Kim Kardashian plays a divorce attorney in Hulu’s “All’s Fair,” and Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Guillermo del Toro realizes his long-held dream of a sumptuous Mary Shelley adaptation in “Frankenstein” (Friday on Net ix). Del Toro’s lm, starring Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his monster, uses all the trappings of handmade movie craft to give Shelley’s classic an epic sweep. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote: “Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Matt Shakman’s endearingly earnest superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (now streaming on Disney+) helps alleviate a checkered-at-best history of bigscreen adaptations of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby comic. Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon MossBachrach and Joseph Quinn play Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch, respectively. In 1964, they work to defend Earth from its imminent destruction by Galactus. In my review, I praised “First Steps” as “a spi y ’60s-era romp, bathed in retrofuturism and bygone American optimism.”

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” (Friday on Peacock) bids goodbye to the Crawleys 15 years after Julian Fellowes rst debuted his upstairs-downstairs drama. The cast of the third and nal lm, directed by Simon Curtis, includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Paul Giamatti. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote that the lm gives “loyal Downton fans what they want: a satisfying bit of closure and the

“Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

sense that the future, though a bit scary, may look kindly on Downton Abbey.” Peacock is also streaming the two previous movies and all six seasons of “Downton Abbey.”

“The Materialists” (Friday on HBO Max), Celine Song’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2023 breakthrough “Past Lives,” stars Dakota Johnson, Pascal and Chris Evans in a romantic triangle. The New York-set lm adds a dose of economic reality to a romantic comedy plot in what was, for A24, a modest summer hit. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a smart rom-com that tries to be honest about life and still leaves us smiling.”

MUSIC TO STREAM

The legendary Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year. “Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle,” out Friday, is exactly what it sounds like: Nelson o ering new interpretations of 11 classic songs written by Merle Haggard. And we mean

classics: Check out Nelson’s latest take on “Okie From Muskogee,” “Mama Tried,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink” and more. Where’s the future of the global music industry? All over, surely, but it would be more than just a little wise to look to Brazil. Not too dissimilar to how Anitta brought her country’s funk genre to an international mainstream through diverse collaborations and genre meddling, so too is Ludmilla. On Thursday, she will release a new album, “Fragmentos,” fresh o the heels of her sultry, bilingual collaboration with Grammy winner Victoria Monét, “Cam Girl.” It’s a combination of R&B, funk and then some.

SERIES TO STREAM

Morgan returns to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch.” He plays a widowed empty-nester whose world is turned around when his adult children move home with his grandkids in tow. The Paramount+ series is available now.

Kardashian says she will soon learn whether she passed the bar exam to become a lawyer, but she plays a sought-after divorce attorney in “All’s Fair,” her new TV series for Hulu. Kardashian stars alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor in the show about an all-female law rm. Ryan Murphy created the show with Kardashian in mind after she acted in “American Horror Story: Delicate.” It is streaming now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The old saying about truth being stranger than ction applies to Net ix’s new four-episode limited-series “Death by Lightning.” It’s a historical dramatization (with some comedy thrown in) about how James Gar eld became the 20th president of the United States. He was shot four months later by a man named Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who was desperate for Gar eld’s attention. Two months after that, Gar eld died from complications of his injuries. It’s a wild story that also features Betty Gilpin, Nick O erman, Bradley Whitford and Shea Whigham. The series premieres Thursday. HBO o ers up a new docuseries about the life of retired baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez. “Alex Vs. A-Rod” features intimate interviews with peo -

ple who are related to and know Rodriguez, as well as the man himself. The three-part series premieres Thursday. The next installment of “Wicked,” called “Wicked: For Good,” ies into theaters Nov. 21, and NBC has created a musical special to pump up the release. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” a concert event that premieres Thursday on NBC and streams on Peacock Friday. Additional lm cast members like Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater appear as well.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

It’s going to be a while until the next Legend of Zelda game, but if you’re craving some time with the princess, check out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. In this spino , a prequel to 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda travels back in time to join forces with the Six Sages in a war against the invader Ganondorf. You can also drag another human into battle with split-screen or the GameShare feature on Nintendo’s new console. Like the previous collaborations between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, it’s more hack-and-slash action than exploration and discovery. It arrives Thursday on Switch 2.

MARVEL / DISNEY VIA AP

Pedro Pascal stars as Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

Laura Carmichael, from left, Harry Hadden-Paton, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery are part of the ensemble cast in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

Court back in session

A new era tipped o at North Carolina State as coach Will Wade, left, guided the Wolfpack to a blowout 114-66 victory against North Carolina Central in his debut with the Wolfpack on Monday night. Meanwhile, Duke went back to the future in showing o legacy addition Cameron Boozer (No. 12), who, along with his brother Cayden, looks to carry on the legacy of their father, former Blue Devils star Carlos Boozer.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

USDA says SNAP will be partially funded in November

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program in November after two federal judges required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount bene ciaries receive will be reduced. The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running, with leeway to pay for it entirely or partially.

Two men accused of plotting terror attacks at LGBTQ+ bars near Detroit

Winston-Salem conveys city-owned property for a ordable housing

The council approved the development and refurbishment of 60 homes

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem City Council is continuing to assist in the development of a ordable housing. At its Nov. 3 meeting, the council approved the sale of 21 city-owned lots for the development of 56 single-family a ordable homes and townhomes.

The approved plans include the construction of eight homes in the East Ward by Prosperity Alliance, 33 townhomes in the Southeast Ward also by Prosperity Alliance and 15 homes in the North, Northwest, Southwest and East Wards by Moravian Church in America.

In addition, the council approved the provision of $525,000 in gap nancing for the Moravian Church in America developments.

The council also approved $140,000 in gap nancing for the rehabilitation of four homes: one in the East Ward by Whole Man Ministries, and three in the East and Northeast Ward by Bells Property Management.

“We’re learning to y the plane while we’re ying it,” said Mayor Pro Tem Denise Adams. “Winston-Salem has never had a housing plan, and I don’t care who tells you that it did. I know.”

The council then denied a resolution for the sale of just over ve acres of property located on Peters Creek Parkway to A ordable Housing Management for the development of 84 units of a ordable rental housing, although councilmember

“A ordable housing is something that we do need to have in our community.”

Councilmember James Taylor

James Taylor moved to have the Prosperity Group’s project related to the subject property brought back for reconsideration at the council’s Nov. 17 meeting.

“A ordable housing is something that we do need to have in our community, and I’m willing to work with you on another parcel in the Southeast Ward on that,” Taylor said. “I apologize with where we are on this today, but the neighbors have spoken, they were loud and clear, and we want to show them the respect they deserve in their community, but I’m willing to work with you going forward.”

The council also had a reso-

lution on its agenda to consider conveying approximately nine acres of city-owned property located on Mock Street in the East Ward to the Vecino Group for the development of 42 units of single-family a ordable rental housing, however, the developer withdrew its proposal.

“We still have some funding, we still have the ability to bring forth some a ordable housing, so hopefully in the next cycle we’ll see some projects get that LIHTC (low-income housing tax credit) funding,” said Director of Neighborhood Services Shantell McClam.

The Winston-Salem City Council will next meet Nov. 17.

7 Head Start preschools close in NC as government shutdown continues

Two men have been charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere. According to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court, the men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and coconspirators were inspired by the Islamic State group’s extremism, according to a court ling. $2.00

The centers largely serve the children of farmworkers in rural areas

By Moriah Balingit, Makiya Seminera and Heather Hollingsworth

The Associated Press

THE GOVERNMENT shutdown is triggering a wave of closures of Head Start centers, leaving working parents scrambling for child care and shutting some of the nation’s neediest children out of preschool. Dozens of centers are missing out on federal grant payments that were due to arrive Nov. 1. Some say they’ll close

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts.”

Sarah Sloan, Head Start supervisor

inde nitely, while others are staying a oat with emergency funding from local governments and school districts. The closures mean Head Start students — who come from low-income households, are

PHOTOS BY KARL DEBLAKER AND CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: forsythcommunity@ northstatejournal.com

Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

homeless or are in foster care — are missing out on preschool, where they are fed two meals a day and receive therapy vital to their development.

In North Carolina, the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project operates seven centers serving farmworker families in rural communities including Angier, Bailey, Boonville, Faison, Fountain, Newton Grove and Rocky Point. The Raleigh-based nonpro t, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, operates 43 campuses total across 10 states, serving approximately 3,500 children annually.

In total, the project is temporarily shutting 24 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers spread across ve states. Those centers, created to assist the children of migrant farmworkers, typically operate on 10- to 12-hour days to accommodate the long hours parents work on farms.

Children attending the centers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, as well as North Carolina, recently came home with iers warning of possible closures, along with other parent noti cations. Those centers serving more than 1,100 children will now re -

THURSDAY NOV. 6

FRIDAY NOV. 7

Nation’s largest eet of police Cybertrucks to patrol Las Vegas

It was paid for with private donations from a venture capitalist

By Jessica Hill The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — The na -

tion’s largest police eet of Tesla Cybertrucks is set to begin patrolling the streets of Las Vegas in November thanks to a donation from a U.S. tech billionaire, raising concerns about the blurring of lines between public and private interests.

“Welcome to the future of policing,” Clark County Sheri Kevin McMahill said during a recent press conference, surrounded by the Cybertrucks while drones hovered overhead and a police helicopter circled above him.

The eet of 10 black- and-white Cybertrucks of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with ashing lights and sirens are wrapped with the police department’s logo. About 400 o cers have been trained to operate the trucks that will use public charging stations. The all-electric vehicles are equipped with shotguns, shields and ladders and additional battery capacity to better handle the demands of a police department, McMahill said.

The donation has raised concerns from government oversight experts about private donors’ in uence on public departments and the boost to the Tesla brand. The department is the latest U.S. city to turn to Tesla models even as Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company has faced blowback because of his work earlier in the year to advance the president’s political agenda and downsize the federal government.

McMahill noted the trucks will help keep officers safer because they are bulletproof, while Metro’s other squad cars are not. Each Cybertruck is valued at some -

main closed until the shutdown ends, said East Coast Migrant Head Start Project CEO Javier Gonzalez. About 900 sta members across the centers also have been furloughed.

In the absence of other options for child care, some parents’ only option may be to bring their young child to the elds where they work, Gonzalez said.

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts,” said Sarah Sloan, who oversees small-town Head Start centers in Scioto County, Ohio. Sta told families they planned to close Monday.

“It’s hampering our families’ ability to put food on the table and to know that their children are safe during the day.”

A half-dozen Head Start programs never received grants that were anticipated in October, but there are now 140 programs that have not received their annual infusion of federal funding. All told, the programs have capacity to assist 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents.

Pause in food aid compounds struggles for Head Start families

Many of the families that qualify for the federal preschool

where between $80,000 and $115,000 and will be used to respond to calls like barricades and shootings in addition to regular patrols.

The Cybertrucks also offer unique bene ts such as a shorter turn radius, he said.

“They look a little bit di erent than the patrol cars that we have out there, but they represent something far bigger than just a police car,” the sheri said. “They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commitment to serve this community with the best tools that we have available, safely, eciently and responsibly.”

Some express concerns with private donation

The donation comes after President Donald Trump earlier this year shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway and said he hoped his purchase would help the company as it struggled with sagging sales and declining stock prices.

Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said now the Las Vegas eet of another Tesla model “to patrol our communities

program also depend on food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP or food stamps. That program also was on track to run dry of money due to the shutdown, although a pair of federal judges last Friday ordered the Trump administration to keep the program running with emergency reserve funds.

That means many Head Start families have been worried about food aid, along with the child care they rely on to make ends meet. A day without child care means a day without work for many parents — and a day without pay.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Jhanee Hunt teaches toddlers at a Head Start site, the Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center, where her 6-monthold son is cared for in another classroom. The center said it can scrape up enough money to stay open for a few weeks, but the money won’t last much beyond November.

At dropo , she said, parents often are wearing uniforms for fast food restaurants like Wendy’s and McDonald’s. Some work as certi ed nurse assistants in nursing homes. None have much extra money. The most urgent concern right now is food, she said.

TUESDAY NOV. 11

“They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commitment to serve this community with the best tools that we have available, safely, e ciently and responsibly.”

Kevin McMahill, Clark County sheri

really draws the next parallel there.” Haseebullah also is worried about the Cybertrucks’ surveillance abilities that the public may not be unaware of, and that the eet might give Tesla access to police data.

Following the explosion of a Cybertruck outside of Trump’s Las Vegas tower earlier this year, Tesla was able to provide detailed data of the driver inside, including the driver’s movements leading up to the explosion.

Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an expert on national and

“A lot of the parents, they’re, you know, going around trying to nd food pantries,” she said.

“A parent actually asked me, do I know a food pantry?”

More than 90% of the center’s families rely on SNAP food assistance, said Deborah Mann, the center’s executive director. One construction company o ered to help ll the grocery carts of some families that use the center. But overall, families are distressed, she said.

“We’ve had parents crying. We’ve had parents just don’t know what to do,” Mann said.

Some centers stay open for now

Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start programs provide a range of services beyond early education, such as medical and dental screenings, school meals and family support to children from low-income households who can’t a ord other child care options.

The initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, leaving it with little cushion from funding disruptions.

Some that have missed out on grant payments have managed

state police practices, said private donations to law enforcement is not uncommon nor illegal unless a local or state law prohibits it.

In this case, the donation is a physical piece of equipment, and the money can’t be diverted to something else, Obayashi said. That said, he doesn’t think the trucks provide the department with a speci c advantage.

“There’s not going to be really any distinct or noticeable advantage or bene ts, so to speak, other than the fact that it’s a free vehicle and it saves the taxpayers money to replace equipment,” Obayashi said.

Donation came from tech venture capitalist

The Las Vegas eet was a donation totaling about $2.7 million from Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the Silicon Valley venture capital rm known as Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, and his wife, Felicia Horowitz.

The couple, who live in Las Vegas, have made multiple donations to the department, including between $8 million to $9 million for Project Blue Sky, the department’s implementation of drones throughout the valley. They’ve also donated funds to buy emergency call technology and license plate readers — products from companies in which Andreessen Horowitz invests.

Ben Horowitz, who has donated to political campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans, was among the investors who backed Elon Musk’s bid to take over Twitter, now known as X.

His venture capitalist rm also hosted McMahill and Metro Chief of Sta Mike Gennaro on a podcast in November 2024.

Ben and Felicia Horowitz could not be reached for comment, however, in a 2024 blog post, Ben Horowitz described their interest in donating to the department, stressing the importance of public safety and the di culties public sectors have in budgeting for technology.

McMahill said the couple wanted to make sure that Las Vegas didn’t “become California when it comes to crime.”

to remain open, with philanthropies, school districts and local governments lling in gaps.

Others are relying on fast-dwindling reserves and warn they can’t keep their doors open for much longer.

“If the government doesn’t open back up, we will be providing less services each week,” said Rekah Strong, who heads a social services nonpro t that runs Head Start centers in southern Washington state. She’s already had to close one center and several classrooms and cut back home-based visiting services. “It feels more bleak every day.”

In Florida, Head Start centers in Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County closed Oct. 27,but then reopened the next day thanks to a grant from Children’s Services Council of Leon County. The local school district and churches have stepped up to provide meals for the children.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and our village has come together,” said Nina Self, interim CEO of Capital Area Community Action Agency.

But children in rural Jefferson and Franklin counties, where the agency runs two small Head Start centers, were not as lucky. They’ve been closed since late October.

Tesla Cybertrucks owned by the Las Vegas Metro Police department were on display in Las Vegas last week.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country.

The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled. Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by

21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year. How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence.

Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration

abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

Mistake- lled legal briefs show the limits of relying on AI tools at work

AI can massively increase productivity, but it also comes with risks of shoddy work

By Cathy Bussewitz

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Judges around the world are dealing with a growing problem: legal briefs that were generated with the help of arti cial intelligence and submitted with errors such as citations to cases that don’t exist, according to attorneys and court documents.

The trend serves as a cautionary tale for people who are learning to use AI tools at work. Many employers want to hire workers who can use the technology to help with tasks such as conducting research and drafting reports. As teachers, accountants and marketing professionals begin engaging with AI chatbots and assistants to generate ideas and improve productivity, they’re also discovering the programs can make mistakes.

Damien Charlotin, a French data scientist and lawyer, has catalogued at least 490 court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” which are AI responses that contain false or misleading information. The pace is accelerating as more people use AI, he said.

“Even the more sophisticated player can have an issue with this,” Charlotin said. “AI can be a boon. It’s wonderful, but also there are these pitfalls.”

Charlotin, a senior research fellow at HEC Paris, a business school located just outside France’s capital city, created a database to track cases in which a judge ruled that generative AI produced hallucinated content such as fabricated case law and false quotes. The majority of rulings are from U.S. cases in which plainti s represented themselves without an attorney, he said. While most judges issued warnings about the errors, some levied nes.

But even high-pro le companies have submitted problematic legal documents. A federal judge in Colorado ruled that

a lawyer for MyPillow Inc., led a brief containing nearly 30 defective citations as part of a defamation case against the company and founder Michael Lindell.

The legal profession isn’t the only one wrestling with AI’s foibles. The AI overviews that appear at the top of web search result pages frequently contain errors.

And AI tools also raise privacy concerns. Workers in all industries need to be cautious about the details they upload or put into prompts to ensure they’re safeguarding the con dential information of employers and clients.

Legal and workplace experts share their experiences with AI’s mistakes and describe perils to avoid.

Think of AI as an assistant

Don’t trust AI to make big decisions for you. Some AI users treat the tool as an intern to whom you assign tasks and whose completed work you expect to check.

“Think about AI as augmenting your work ow,” said Maria Flynn, CEO of Jobs for the Future, a nonpro t focused on workforce development. It can act as an assistant for tasks such as drafting an email or researching a travel itinerary, but don’t think of it as a substitute that can do all of the work, she said.

When preparing for a meeting, Flynn experimented with an in-house AI tool, asking it to suggest discussion questions based on an article she shared with the team.

“Some of the questions it proposed weren’t the right context really for our organization, so I was able to give it some of that feedback ... and it came back with ve very thoughtful questions,” she said.

Check for accuracy

Flynn also has found problems in the output of the AI tool, which still is in a pilot stage. She once asked it to compile information on work her organization

had done in various states. But the AI tool was treating completed work and funding proposals as the same thing.

“In that case, our AI tool was not able to identify the di erence between something that had been proposed and something that had been completed,” Flynn said.

Luckily, she had the institutional knowledge to recognize the errors.

“If you’re new in an organization, ask coworkers if the results look accurate to them,” Flynn suggested.

While AI can help with brainstorming, relying on it to provide factual information is risky. Take the time to check the accuracy of what AI generates, even if it’s tempting to skip that step.

“People are making an assumption because it sounds so plausible that it’s right, and it’s convenient,” Justin Daniels, an Atlanta-based attorney and shareholder with the law rm Baker Donelson, said. “Having to go back and check all the cites, or when I look at a contract that AI has summarized, I have to go back and read what the contract says, that’s a little inconvenient and time-consuming, but that’s what you have to do. As much as you think the AI can substitute for that, it can’t.”

Be careful with notetakers

It can be tempting to use AI to record and take notes during

meetings. Some tools generate useful summaries and outline action steps based on what was said.

But many jurisdictions require the consent of participants prior to recording conversations. Before using AI to take notes, pause and consider whether the conversation should be kept privileged and con dential, said Danielle Kays, a Chicago-based partner at law rm Fisher Phillips. Consult with colleagues in the legal or human resources departments before deploying a notetaker in high-risk situations such as investigations, performance reviews or legal strategy discussions, she suggested.

“People are claiming that with use of AI there should be various levels of consent, and that is something that is working its way through the courts,” Kays said. “That is an issue that I would say companies should continue to watch as it is litigated.”

Protecting con dential information

If you’re using free AI tools to draft a memo or marketing campaign, don’t tell it identifying information or corporate secrets. Once you’ve uploaded that information, it’s possible others using the same tool might nd it. That’s because when other people ask an AI tool questions, it will search available information, including details you revealed, as it builds its answer, Flynn said. “It doesn’t discern

490

Court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” or AI responses that contain false or misleading information

whether something is public or private,” she added.

Seek schooling

If your employer doesn’t o er AI training, try experimenting with free tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. Some universities and tech companies offer classes to help you develop your understanding of how AI works and ways it can be useful. A course that teaches people how to construct the best AI prompts or hands-on courses that provide opportunities to practice are valuable, Flynn said.

Despite potential problems with the tools, learning how they work can be bene cial at a time when they’re ubiquitous.

“The largest potential pitfall in learning to use AI is not learning to use it at at all,” Flynn said. “We’re all going to need to become uent in AI, and taking the early steps of building your familiarity, your literacy, your comfort with the tool is going to be critically important.”

Alabama man charged with threatening religious leaders

He was charged with making an interstate communications threat

By Kim Chandler

The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

— Federal prosecutors have charged an Alabama man with making threatening calls and texts to multiple rabbis, an imam and others in the South, including telling one rabbi that “I want you to die.”

Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker of Needham, Alabama, was charged with making an Interstate Communications Threat. He was arrested earlier on related state charges of resisting arrest and possession of a pistol by a person forbidden to legally have a handgun.

An FBI agent wrote in court documents that Shoemaker made a series of menacing calls and texts to rabbis in Alabama and Louisiana, an imam in Georgia, a church in North Carolina and others. Multiple rearms were later found in the man’s home, along with a suitcase full of ammunition and papers listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of religious leaders and other prominent gures, authorities said.

The agent wrote that Shoemaker told authorities that the communications were not

a threat of actual violence but “an e ort to intimidate or engage in psychological warfare.” Court documents also suggest the man has a diagnosed mental illness. His grandmother told the FBI agent that he had refused to take his medication for the illness, the agent wrote.

The name of the diagnosis was redacted in public court documents. An FBI agent’s a davit led with federal court documents said that Shoemaker came to

the attention of federal authorities after leaving threatening voice messages, including one earlier this month for a rabbi in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

“I want you to die because you want the death of us,” Shoemaker said in one of the calls.

“You want the West to die o .”

The agent wrote that Shoemaker sent text messages to an Islamic center in Louisiana in 2024, including one stating that the “jews and you musIimeens have declared war on us

Authorities say these weapons and ammunition were removed from the home of an Alabama man following a search warrant.

again, and we are going to defend ourselves.” Another to a Georgia imam this year said he knew where the imam lived and warned for him to watch his back. Shoemaker told the FBI agent that he did not intend any violence and the calls and texts were an attempt at intimidation. “Shoemaker claimed his statements were satire, not a legitimate threat, rebuttal, and mocking them,” the agent wrote.

A search of Shoemaker’s home found multiple rearms, a body armor carrier and numerous boxes of ammunition.

Needham is a small town in southwest Alabama located about 10 miles from the Mississippi-Alabama border. Shoemaker is being held in the Choctaw County Jail.

Sara Jones, FBI special agent in charge, said multiple law enforcement agencies acted “within hours of learning of a threat to a member of the Jewish community.”

“This is a prime example of law enforcement working together to crush violent crime and protect the American people,” Jones said in a statement Friday.

Ernest C. McCorquodale, III, a defense lawyer representing Shoemaker in the state charges, declined to comment when reached.

The Clarke County Sheri ’s O ce announced Tuesday that a man was taken into custody by a multiagency force after the FBI and other law enforcement o ces were “noti ed of credible threats of violence made against multiple synagogues throughout Alabama and surrounding states.” A photo posted by the sheri ’s department shows a semi-automatic ri e, shotgun, handgun and piles of ammunition taken from the home.

PETER HAMLIN / AP ILLUSTRATION

Using AI can increase productivity, but keep an eye out for shoddy work.

Forsyth SPORTS

NC State stuns Georgia Tech for program’s rst top-10 win since 2021

The Wolfpack’s o ense came alive with more than 500 total yards

By Ryan Henkel The Associated Press

RALEIGH — NC State delivered a statement win to end its two-game skid, defeating No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36 on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

It was the rst top-10 win since 2021 for Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack, who handed the Yellow Jackets their rst loss of the season.

“It’s special when you have a top-10 win at home,” Doeren said. “Night games at the Carter are so special and I’m just proud of this team. Resiliency is what this place is about. It’s why I’ve always loved NC State. It’s de nitely a part of my DNA, and the harder it gets, sometimes I think, the better we are. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight.”

The Wolfpack were propelled to victory by their offense, which totaled nearly 600 yards and scored on eight of its 10 drives.

“Our mindset on o ense was just to try and score every drive,” said sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey. “Every time we touched the ball, that was the mindset, and throughout the whole week, that was our plan.”

It was a bounce-back game overall for Bailey, who threw for 340 yards and two scores with no interceptions and picked up another 34 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

“CJ played like a captain,” Doeren said. “He was in charge and played really, really good ball.”

NC State’s o ense had a big night without some of their most important names as both running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Justin Joly were out with injuries.

Freshman Duke Scott, who took on starting running back duties, dominated the Yellow Jackets with 196 yards and

a touchdown on 24 attempts.

Scott broke free for big runs multiple times, his biggest coming in the third quarter when he rumbled for 69 yards.

“Duke Scott had a phenomenal game,” Doeren said. “But I’m not surprised at all. We thought we could run the football on them, and Duke’s way faster than people know. We have a really good tandem in that backeld, and tonight, he had to step up and take on the entire load, and obviously he did a tremendous job.”

Senior tight ends Dante Daniels and Cody Hardy also had a good night, with Hardy getting the team’s rst touchdown of the game and each picking up key yardage.

“Our tight ends, that room … the way they played without Justin was impressive,” Doeren said. “They really stepped up and had to do more things than they normally do.

“Kids come to this program hoping for the opportunity to play. And when it’s your opportunity, you have to seize it. It says a lot about all these guys. We don’t quit here. It’s not a part of this program and it never will be.”

Defensively, things weren’t as

pretty for the Wolfpack, as the team gave up 559 total yards, including more than 400 through the air.

“That’s a tough o ense,” Doeren said. “Brent (Key) is a great coach, and that is a really good football team. I have nothing but respect for him and his sta . Buster Faulkner, his offensive coordinator, is, I think, one of the best in the country, and their quarterback is a really good player. So that was a hard-fought game.”

But even with the defense’s aws, it still had a few key moments when it forced Georgia Tech to settle for a few eld goals.

“The defense did enough to give our o ense possessions and eld position where they could go score,” Doeren said.

Senior linebacker Caden Fordham came through with his rst career interception to seal the win for the Wolfpack, ushering hundreds of fans onto the turf at Carter-Finley for a well-earned eld storm.

“It’s awesome, especially winning a game like that,” said Fordham. “Being in the Carter tonight, it was special. It was amazing to go out there and do that with my brothers.”

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Sophia Perdue

West Forsyth, girls’ golf

Sophia Perdue is a sophomore on the West Forsyth girls’ golf team.

A golfer since she was seven years old, Perdue reached the NCHSAA Class 8A state golf tournament this year, becoming the only Class 8A golfer from the county to do so. She just barely missed the cut in her freshman year, but, after getting the ticket to Pinehurst No. 6 as a sophomore, she shot an 83 to tie for 17th in the state, 10 shots away from a championship.

Duke’s Boozer headlines slate of talented freshmen to watch this season

By Steve Megargee

The Associated Press

CAMERON BOOZER’S extraordinary potential is evident from the way Tennessee coach Rick Barnes described him before the Duke freshman forward even played a college game that counts.

“One of the best players in the country,” Barnes said after Boozer collected 24 points and 23 rebounds in No. 6 Duke’s 83 -76 exhibition victory over No. 18 Tennessee on Sunday.

Boozer ranks alongside Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa as the best players in a freshman class that’s loaded with star power at the top. They have a chance of being the rst three players taken in next year’s NBA Draft.

Boozer might have the most familiar name in the group because of his family ties. Boozer and his twin brother and Duke teammate, Cayden Boozer, are sons of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, who won a national title at Duke.

Cameron and Cayden Boozer played on four straight Florida state championship teams at Miami’s Columbus High School. Cameron Boozer, a three-time Florida Mr. Basketball, was named the Gatorade national boys’ basketball player of the year in 2023 and 2025. He was the nation’s No. 3 prospect in his class and

Cayden was ranked 20th. “He is a warrior, man,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Cameron Boozer. “I think that’s the best thing I can say about him.”

Scheyer made that comment after the 6-foot-9 forward collected 33 points and 12 rebounds in a 96-71 exhibition victory over UCF. Boozer followed that up with his big performance against Tennessee.

“He’s as good as I’ve seen in a long time up close and personal,” Barnes said after that game. Here are some other freshmen who should make an immediate impact this season.

Darius Acu , Arkansas

Acu scored 17 points in each of Arkansas’ two exhibition games — an 8961 win over Cincinnati and a 99-75 triumph over Memphis. He also averaged 5.5 assists in those two games. The 6-foot-3 guard was ranked 11th in the 247Sports Composite and was one of ve nalists for the Naismith Award given annually to the nation’s top high school player. Acu is from Detroit but nished his high school career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Ament is ranked fourth in the 247Sports Composite and is generally listed just below the trio of Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer in terms of their potential 2026 draft position. The 6-10 forward was named the Gatorade Virginia high school player of the year. Ament had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the exhibition loss to Duke.

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Dybantsa, who is 6-9, signed with BYU as the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect. He was one of

ve players selected to The Associated Press All-America preseason team. Dybantsa averaged 24 points in No. 8 BYU’s exhibition games with Nebraska and No. 25 North Carolina. Dybantsa was the Massachusetts state Gatorade player of the year as a freshman.

Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Peterson won the Naismith Trophy as the national high school player of the year last season. The 6-6 guard from Canton, Ohio, is rated second in his class. Peterson scored 18 points in the McDonald’s All-American Game to share MVP honors with Boozer.

Caleb Wilson, UNC

Wilson had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ 78-76 exhibition loss to BYU. The 6-10 forward from Atlanta was named the Gatorade high school player of the year in Georgia and is ranked fth in the 247Sports Composite. He had 21.7 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game his senior year at Holy Innocents Episcopal School. He had 28 points and six rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic.

Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

This 6-5 wing is from the West African country of Be

nin but played high school basketball in Santa Maria, California. He was ranked 14th in

class.

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

NC State tight end Cody Hardy (44) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Preston Douglas (82) against Georgia Tech.

Cameron Boozer is joined on the Blue Devils by twin brother Cayden

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Duke forward Cameron Boozer, center, passes the ball past Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) during an exhibition game.

SIDELINE

REPORT

FISHING

New mandatory shing harvest reporting requirements just 1 month away

Morehead City New reporting requirements for both commercial and recreational shermen begin Dec. 1. Recreational shermen must report all ounder, red drum, striped bass, spotted seatrout (speckled trout), and weak sh (gray trout) they keep through an online N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries form, or a soon-to-be released iPhone app, with an Android version to follow. Reporting is required in waters upstream of coastal shing waters, as far inland as Chatham and Wake counties, according to a state o cial. In addition to current reporting, commercial shermen must now report all n sh, shell sh and crustacean they keep from Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and Inland Fishing Waters adjacent to Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters.

NBA Police investigating break-in at home reported to belong to Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Police are investigating a burglary at a home reportedly belonging to Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The breakin occurred while the NBA star was playing against the Washington Wizards. Nichols Hills police have not con rmed the homeowner’s identity or what was stolen. The suspects ed before o cers arrived, and no arrests have been made. The incident mirrors a series of burglaries targeting professional athletes’ homes across the U.S. Thieves often strike on game days when players are away. The NBA has urged teams to enhance home security measures.

NFL NFL nes Ravens $100K over inaccurate injury report involving Jackson

New York

The Baltimore Ravens were ned $100,000 by the NFL for incorrectly listing star quarterback Lamar Jackson as a full participant in practice on Oct. 24. Baltimore listed Jackson as a full participant and said he was questionable for that week’s game against Chicago. Then a day later, the Ravens ruled the two-time MVP out for that game and said he’d actually been limited in practice the previous day. Baltimore said the reason for the mix-up was that he’d participated in the entire practice but wasn’t taking starter reps, which made him limited according to league policy.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Nebraska extends Rhule’s contract through 2032

Lincoln, Neb.

Nebraska announced a two -year contract extension with coach Matt Rhule, adding bonuses for College Football Playo appearances. The deal runs through 2032. Rhule is in his third season at Nebraska, and there was speculation two weeks ago that he might ll the job at Penn State. Last season, Rhule led Nebraska to its rst winning season in eight years. Rhule, who earns $7.5 million this year, says his focus remains on building Nebraska football into a championship contender.

guard Terry Rozier

shoots over

Herbert Jones (5) during the rst quarter of the March 23, 2023, game against New Orleans that is now under investigation for gamblingrelated issues.

Rozier, Billups won’t receive NBA salaries while on leave in gambling cases

Both were arrested as part of federal gambling-related charges

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

NBA GUARD TERRY Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups will not receive their salaries while on leave for their arrests on federal gambling-related charges, per AP sources.

Rozier had been due to receive the rst installment of a $26.6 million annual salary with the Miami Heat at the end of October. That, and future installments, will be held pending resolution of his legal case.

If Rozier is cleared and allowed to return to the NBA, which placed him on leave hours after his Oct. 23 arrest, he could receive the held payments in full.

The Heat will not receive any immediate salary cap relief by the NBA’s decision.

There are provisions in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that allow the league, in certain situations, to place salary withheld from a player in an interest-bearing account.

Billups, the Portland coach who has also been placed on

$26.6M

Terry Rozier’s NBA salary for the 2025-26 season

leave by the league after his arrest last week, is having his salary held by the Trail Blazers. Billups is under contract into at least the 2026-27 season. He agreed to a multiyear extension in April.

The National Basketball Players Association indicated it would le a grievance on Rozier’s behalf.

“While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said an NBPA spokesperson. “We plan to challenge their decision via the proper channels.”

Rozier, a former Charlotte Hornet, is now on the Heat roster. He, Billups and nearly three dozen other individuals were arrested last week on gambling-related charges detailed

in two separate indictments.

Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, has denied the allegations against his client. Federal o cials alleged that Rozier conspired with associates to help them win bets based on his statistical performance in a game when he was with the Hornets on March 23, 2023 — more than seven months before the lien was prepared and nearly eight months before it was formally led. Rozier played sparingly in that game, and gamblers who wagered that he would nish “under” certain statistical totals won those bets.

The charges against Rozier are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before he was banned from the league by Commissioner Adam Silver in 2024.

Rozier did not play in thenal eight games of that 2022-23 season, with he and the Hornets citing a foot injury. The Hornets had several players injured at that time and were al-

ready eliminated from playo contention.

Sportsbooks detected unusual patterns of wagers on the Charlotte game in question — prop bets involving Rozier were agged and immediately brought to the NBA’s attention — and the league probed the matter but did not nd enough evidence to conclude that Rozier broke any rules. The NBA, unlike federal law enforcement, does not have subpoena power. Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, has said Rozier is “not a gambler” and looks forward to winning the case.

The NBA said earlier this week that it is reviewing how sensitive information like injury reports — which are public and updated hourly — should be handled going forward. Members of the House and Senate have both asked the NBA for more information.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Commerce Committee, and Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on that panel, wrote Silver this week seeking detail “about how the NBA investigated and handled these allegations” and why the NBA allowed Rozier to continue playing.

Pearls, Sampsons part of trend of college coaches passing programs onto sons

Family arrangements have raised concerns over nepotism

By Dave Skretta The Associated Press

ABOUT A MONTH after leading Houston to the NCAA championship game, Kelvin Sampson agreed to a contract extension that not only bumped up his salary but could keep the 70-year-old in charge of the Cougars through the 2028-29 season.

However long he lasts, there could be a Sampson calling the shots for a whole lot longer.

For more than two years already, there has been a plan in place for his son, Kellen Sampson, to take over whenever his father hangs up the whistle. It is spelled out in paragraphs in each of their contracts, one of which says: “UH acknowledges and agrees that Kellen Sampson shall have and maintain the functional title of ‘head coach in waiting’ for the team.”

The reason for the succession plan, the elder Sampson said, is quite simple: “Nobody knows the program better.”

They aren’t a rarity in college sports, either. In fact, the Sampson father-son duo is part of a growing trend of coaches employing their sons, many of them with an eye on not only their children’s future but that of their schools.

Just last month, Auburn

coach Bruce Pearl announced he was retiring with this season six weeks away, leaving his son, Steven, to take the reins of a program coming o a trip to the Final Four.

Such arrangements have raised red- ags about the role of nepotism across the landscape of college sports, with some arguing that coaches are getting jobs they don’t deserve simply because of who their father might have been.

Indeed, there are undeniable bene ts to passing the torch from father to son. In most cases, it means a relatively seamless transition at a time of great uncertainty and potential upheaval — the known quantity rather than a gamble on the unknown.

“The players know if a coach is good or not,” said St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt,

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson, left, talks with assistant coach Kellen Sampson, right, during a February game against Texas Tech.

whose son, Nick, is on his sta . “And so you gain credibility by what you do in practice. And you can hire a big name, but if that guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, it doesn’t matter. The kids see right through it. So (Nick) is going to do an extremely good job. He’s well educated. He’s been in the gym since he was 4 years old, and he’s loyal. That’s a big part of it too.”

One thing Nick Schmidt is not: “He’s not silver-spooned,” Mark said, “I can tell you that. He earned his stripes.” In truth, despite the appearances of nepotism, most sons-in-waiting earned their stripes. They worked their way up through the ranks, often forging their own path along the way, picking up experience at numerous rungs on the coaching ladder. Kellen Sampson played for

his father at Oklahoma, and he worked for him at Indiana, back when he was starting his journey in the coaching world. But he also spent time with other coaches at Stephen F. Austin and Appalachian State before returning to his father’s sta in 2014, where together they have built the Cougars into a national powerhouse. Davidson coach Matt McKillop began his coaching career at Emory before joining his father Bob’s sta . By the time Bob retired after more than three decades with the Wildcats, Matt had spent more than a decade by his side.

That’s not always the case, though. Illinois coach Brad Underwood hired his son, Tyler, after his playing career ended. But even in that situation, the younger Underwood had to work his way from director of recruiting to a full- edged assistant coach.

“He works at it. He doesn’t take it for granted,” Brad Underwood explained. “He’s got his mother’s brains, which is a blessing. He’s very smart. The coach in me says he’s good at this job. The dad couldn’t be prouder.

“Whatever the path is for him,” Underwood added, “we’ll help him as we would any of our assistants gure out what that next step is. He’s very young. He’s had some opportunities this year to get involved in some things. That’s good for him.”

DERICK HINGLE / AP PHOTO

Charlotte Hornets

(3)

New Orleans Pelicans forward

the stream

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, ‘Downton

Willie Nelson interprets the songs and voice of Merle Haggard

The Associated Press

THE EARNEST superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and Tracy Morgan returning to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch” 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 this week: The upstairs-downstairs drama “Downton Abbey” bids farewell in a nal movie, Kim Kardashian plays a divorce attorney in Hulu’s “All’s Fair,” and Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Guillermo del Toro realizes his long-held dream of a sumptuous Mary Shelley adaptation in “Frankenstein” (Friday on Net ix). Del Toro’s lm, starring Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his monster, uses all the trappings of handmade movie craft to give Shelley’s classic an epic sweep. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote: “Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Matt Shakman’s endearingly earnest superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (now streaming on Disney+) helps alleviate a checkered-at-best history of bigscreen adaptations of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby comic. Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon MossBachrach and Joseph Quinn play Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch, respectively. In 1964, they work to defend Earth from its imminent destruction by Galactus. In my review, I praised “First Steps” as “a spi y ’60s-era romp, bathed in retrofuturism and bygone American optimism.”

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” (Friday on Peacock) bids goodbye to the Crawleys 15 years after Julian Fellowes rst debuted his upstairs-downstairs drama. The cast of the third and nal lm, directed by Simon Curtis, includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Paul Giamatti. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote that the lm gives “loyal Downton fans what they want: a satisfying bit of closure and the

Abbey’

Laura Carmichael, from left, Harry Hadden-Paton, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery are part of the ensemble cast in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

“Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

sense that the future, though a bit scary, may look kindly on Downton Abbey.” Peacock is also streaming the two previous movies and all six seasons of “Downton Abbey.”

“The Materialists” (Friday on HBO Max), Celine Song’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2023 breakthrough “Past Lives,” stars Dakota Johnson, Pascal and Chris Evans in a romantic triangle. The New York-set lm adds a dose of economic reality to a romantic comedy plot in what was, for A24, a modest summer hit. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a smart rom-com that tries to be honest about life and still leaves us smiling.”

MUSIC TO STREAM

The legendary Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year. “Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle,” out Friday, is exactly what it sounds like: Nelson o ering new interpretations of 11 classic songs written by Merle Haggard. And we mean

classics: Check out Nelson’s latest take on “Okie From Muskogee,” “Mama Tried,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink” and more. Where’s the future of the global music industry? All over, surely, but it would be more than just a little wise to look to Brazil. Not too dissimilar to how Anitta brought her country’s funk genre to an international mainstream through diverse collaborations and genre meddling, so too is Ludmilla. On Thursday, she will release a new album, “Fragmentos,” fresh o the heels of her sultry, bilingual collaboration with Grammy winner Victoria Monét, “Cam Girl.” It’s a combination of R&B, funk and then some.

SERIES TO STREAM

Morgan returns to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch.” He plays a widowed empty-nester whose world is turned around when his adult children move home with his grandkids in tow. The Paramount+ series is available now.

Kardashian says she will soon learn whether she passed the bar exam to become a lawyer, but she plays a sought-after divorce attorney in “All’s Fair,” her new TV series for Hulu. Kardashian stars alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor in the show about an all-female law rm. Ryan Murphy created the show with Kardashian in mind after she acted in “American Horror Story: Delicate.” It is streaming now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The old saying about truth being stranger than ction applies to Net ix’s new four-episode limited-series “Death by Lightning.” It’s a historical dramatization (with some comedy thrown in) about how James Gar eld became the 20th president of the United States. He was shot four months later by a man named Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who was desperate for Gar eld’s attention. Two months after that, Gar eld died from complications of his injuries. It’s a wild story that also features Betty Gilpin, Nick O erman, Bradley Whitford and Shea Whigham. The series premieres Thursday.

HBO o ers up a new docuseries about the life of retired baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez. “Alex Vs. A-Rod” features intimate interviews with peo -

ple who are related to and know Rodriguez, as well as the man himself. The three-part series premieres Thursday. The next installment of “Wicked,” called “Wicked: For Good,” ies into theaters Nov. 21, and NBC has created a musical special to pump up the release. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” a concert event that premieres Thursday on NBC and streams on Peacock Friday. Additional lm cast members like Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater appear as well.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

It’s going to be a while until the next Legend of Zelda game, but if you’re craving some time with the princess, check out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. In this spino , a prequel to 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda travels back in time to join forces with the Six Sages in a war against the invader Ganondorf. You can also drag another human into battle with split-screen or the GameShare feature on Nintendo’s new console. Like the previous collaborations between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, it’s more hack-and-slash action than exploration and discovery. It arrives Thursday on Switch 2.

MARVEL / DISNEY VIA AP

Pedro Pascal stars as Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

FOCUS FEATURE VIA AP

STATE & NATION

Glass to grain at Whiskey Prison

Sprits of both kinds

dwell inside Southern Grace Distilleries

By Dan Reeves Twin City Herald

MOUNT PLEASANT — Inside the old Cabarrus Correctional Center, bourbon breathes where inmates once served time. Southern Grace Distilleries at Whiskey Prison has transformed the 1930s-era compound into one of North Carolina’s most distinctive craft-spirits operations — a place where the smell of aging whiskey replaces the sting of disinfectant and each bottle carries a little history in the glass.

Thomas Thacker, the distillery’s director of operations, leads tastings through the chapel-turned-barroom with the precision of a jeweler and the ease of a bartender.

“First thing you do is check the color,” he said, holding a glass to the light. “That tells you the barrel has done its work.”

His guided tastings follow the same evaluation process used in the trade: look, nose, taste, nish — then connect every note back to the grain, the proof and the wood.

He moves the glass beside a jar of clear moonshine for comparison.

“Whereas that moonshine looks like this, bourbon should look like this,” he said, shifting from crystal to amber.

The darker hue, he explained, signals proper barrel contact.

“We cut to 105 when we go in the barrel. Lower proof slows color extraction; higher proof speeds it up. Some compounds are water soluble, some alcohol soluble. Change the balance, change the extraction.”

Thacker’s philosophy begins not in the rickhouse but at the bar.

“People talk about grainto-glass, and we do that,” he said. “But our company’s really glass-to-grain. We start with the person who orders a neat pour of bourbon. That’s our constituency. Everything else backs up from there.”

A longtime bartender, Thacker understands the quiet calculus of the second pour.

“You have to pass that minimum bar of entry,” he said. “If you’re not good, people quit drinking you after the rst time.”

Southern Grace’s small scale — “just about too small to be in the bourbon business,” he joked — means babysitting every drop, trusting the wood, and letting each barrel sing di erently.

“We don’t cut it and we don’t mingle it,” he said. “The next barrel will be a little di erent. We’ll guarantee it’s good — you decide if you like it.”

At the tasting table, Thacker pours from what he calls the “hot box,” a barrel aged in the distillery’s warmest room. The whiskey runs around 101 proof, light in color but loaded with baking-spice sweetness.

“We use so much corn,” he said. “Those fatty acids give that buttery coating — a creaminess that hits right around 100 proof.”

Then comes a sample of the ve-year Conviction Double Oak, a blend of four barrels nished in new charred oak.

“Aging is dilutive,” Thacker said. “Year one’s bigger than year four. With double oak, you get year one and two, then start over.”

The result is darker and smokier, with a dry, red wine -like nish.

Conviction has earned its share of medals — Best Bourbon Under Four Years Old at the 2019

New Orleans Bourbon Festival and more recent golds for both single-barrel and double-oak releases — but Thacker values the feedback over the hardware.

“You get a couple dozen smart palates sending you evaluative notes,” he said. “That’s worth the entry fee.”

Much of Southern Grace’s reach now comes from the online “bourbon sphere” — YouTube reviewers, podcasters and social-media tasters who bring national attention to small distillers.

“When somebody you’ve followed for ve years says our Double Oak is one of their favorites, people show up,” Thacker said. “We’ve seen orders from all over the country because of it.”

While production and tastings drive the business, tourism keeps

the place humming. The site’s prison bones and shadowy corridors have become as famous as the bourbon itself. The distillery’s “Convicted Spirits” ghost tours are a word-of-mouth phenomenon, often running until 3 or 4 in the morning. Paranormal groups return again and again, cameras and thermal sensors in tow.

“People think they want that until it happens,” Thacker said with a grin.

He’s witnessed enough to respect the stories.

“There’s a line in one of the barrel houses that dogs won’t cross,” he said. “Even with food on the other side, they stop and bark.”

Guests have reported tugged shirts, cold air pockets, and the unsettling sense of eyes on them.

“It’s a weird, creepy place when the lights go out,” Thacker

The former Cabarrus Correctional Center, now home to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, has been transformed from a prison into a oneof-a-kind bourbon destination.

said. “But it’s good for business. You wouldn’t believe how many people come for the ghosts and stay for the bourbon.”

Mount Pleasant has embraced the distillery, and the community connection runs deep. Local restaurants like 73 & Main send diners for tours, and concertgoers stop in for tastings. Future plans include more live music, food trucks and outdoor events on the old prison grounds.

“We could double production and boost tourism 50% without leaving this campus,” Thacker said. “What we need is more space to age barrels.”

He laughs at the practicality of it all.

“I need a barrel house that’ll hold a thousand barrels,” he said. “In this business, that four, ve, six years you have to sit on stu — that’s gravity. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have the space, you don’t have it.”

The editor in him — years spent in newspapers and politics — still shows in the way he measures words.

“Get the data right, then make it beautiful,” he said. “It’s the same with bourbon.”

And as the sun slants through the old cellblock windows, he raises a nal glass, amber and steady.

“We’re not a threat to Jack Daniels,” he said, swirling the whiskey. “But when a serious drinker says our bottle holds its own — that’s all the conviction we need.”

Young T. rex or new dinosaur? New bones add to the debate

The 80 -year-old mystery has remained an open question for decades

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?

At rst, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate but didn’t settle the controversy. Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — rst uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identi es the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosau-

rus rex. The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said study co-author Lindsay Zanno with the N.C. Museum of Natu-

ral Sciences and NC State. Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully edged T.

rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major di erences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.

Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery skeletons like Jane are something new.

Other independent scientists also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an

adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.

There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.

“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.

Resolving the case is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier but still mighty predator also roamed.

The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops and is currently on display at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

PHOTOS BY MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / TWIN CITY HERALD

Barreled whiskey at Southern Grace Distilleries develops complex avors, aromas and its signature color through chemical reactions with the wood, evaporation and oxidation.

NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES VIA AP

The skull of a T. rex may actually be a new species.

Randolph record

Court back in session

A new era tipped o at North Carolina State as coach Will Wade, left, guided the Wolfpack to a blowout 114-66 victory against North Carolina Central in his debut with the Wolfpack on Monday night. Meanwhile, Duke went back to the future in showing o legacy addition Cameron Boozer (No. 12), who, along with his brother Cayden, looks to carry on the legacy of their father, former Blue Devils star Carlos Boozer.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

USDA says SNAP will be partially funded in November

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program in November after two federal judges required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount bene ciaries receive will be reduced.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running, with leeway to pay for it entirely or partially.

Two men accused of plotting terror attacks at LGBTQ+ bars near Detroit

Two men have been charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere. According to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court, the men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and co-conspirators were inspired by the Islamic State group’s extremism, according to a court ling.

Trogdon wins Asheboro mayoral race

In voting for Asheboro City Council, one incumbent didn’t make the cut

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Joey Trog-

don will be the next mayor of Asheboro after winning Tuesday’s election by nearly 500 votes against fellow city councilman Eddie Burks.

Trogdon will be the second member of his family to be the city’s mayor. His father, Joe Trogdon, held the position from 1983-2001.

David Smith, who has been mayor since 2009, previously announced he’s retiring.

Trogdon received 1,640 votes and Burks collected 1,171. Burks will remain on the city council because his term wasn’t expiring. In the race for city council, incumbent Kelly Heath barely held onto a seat as one of

four candidates elected. She’ll be joined by Phil Skeen (1,618 votes), Phillip Cheek (1,589) and Mary Joan Pugh (1,422).

Heath received 1,293 votes to nish ahead of Pamela Vuncannon (1,228).

Others in the race were Dave Thomas (1,193), incumbent William McCaskill (884) and Joel McClosky (794).

Cheek has been a member of the Asheboro City Schools board of education, but he opted not to run in that race.

Current councilmen Walker Mo tt and Clark Bell chose not to run.

For the board of education, Brad Thomas (1,690) and Mikayla Cassidy (1,434) will move onto the board. They nished ahead of Michael Brown (1,353) and incumbent Hilda DeCortez (1,147).

Here’s a look at results from other municipalities.

Franklinville

Billy Farias (49) and Rich-

ard Goodwin (44) kept their seats as town commissioners despite challenges from Sarda Nieblas (41) and Joe Dawkins (17). Ben Harman was unopposed for mayor.

Liberty

Mayor Filmore York was unopposed, receiving 169 votes. There were 21 miscellaneous write-in ballots.

But mayor pro tem Larry Coble was ousted from the board of town commissioners. Incumbents Tyson Nixon (166) and Terry Caviness (158) were reelected along with challengers Rebekkah Glass (142). Coble received 132 votes.

Ramseur

Town council member Diana Brower didn’t keep her seat, nishing last in a three -way race. David Neve (133) was the top vote-getter, followed by Jesse Hembree (98).

Randleman

Mayor Gary Betts Sr. won a close race to keep his job, receiving 189 votes to J.W. Gaster’s 180. Melissa Blalock was a clear winner to remain on the Board of Alderman representing Ward 1. Blalock received 265 votes to Craig Hancock’s 96.

Randolph County gifted Charters of Freedom setting

The display will house copies of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Randolph County will be getting its own copies of the U.S. Charters of Freedom. At the Randolph County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday, the board accepted the gift of a permanent Charters of Freedom setting from Foundation Forward, a North Carolina nonpro t.

The setting will house displays of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution.

“We have an organization that has already produced and constructed 60 settings in North Carolina counties,” said Ron Lewis, who was representing Foundation Forward. “Our goal by the end of 2026 is to have all 100 counties having their own Charters of Freedom.”

The county’s preliminary plan is to erect the display behind the courthouse building.

“There’s a wide-open, beautiful space that is level to the existing sidewalk, easy to get power to the backside of the

setting,” county manager Zeb Holden said.

In addition, the board was in favor of an approximately $10,000 appropriation for upscaling around the display including a concrete pad for accessibility, lighting and landscaping.

Foundation Freedom has its own crew that will erect the setting, and the plan is to be done before the semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026.

“I think it is particularly timely given the America 250 celebrations that will be taking place as we celebrate the freedoms that are ours,” commissioner Hope Haywood said.

The board also approved a

Nancy Henderson was unopposed in Ward 2.

Seagrove

Kevin McBride will join the town commissioners by topping the eld with 51 votes. Ed Walker will stay on the board with 36 votes, though Sandra Walker had 35 votes and lost her seat. Jeremy Steinhart was picked on 20 ballots.

Staley

Brooke Boswell will be a newcomer as a town commissioner, topping the eld with 29 votes and essentially lling a vacant seat.

Incumbents Lori Lynn Langley (28), Sherri Martin (28), Faye Johnson (27) and Renee Harrelson (25) all retained their seats.

Mayor Karen Scotton was unopposed.

Thomasville

Raleigh York Jr. will remain mayor after a narrow victory against challenger JacQuez Johnson. There was only a small sliver of voters eligible in Randolph County for this race, and they also opted for York by a small margin.

Elected to the city council were Dana Skeen Lomba, Hunter Thrift, Ericka Sanders and Doug Hunt.

change to its animal control ordinances to add additional mechanisms of response for animal control o cers.

The change would allow ofcers to pick up and hold animals for certain time periods, and if the overall problems are not addressed by the owners, then they may have to give up the rights to the animals.

“The thing about animals is that they’re not like people,” said Jonathan Moody, animal services director. “We can’t just pick them up and take them to jail for breaking the law.”

Moody said the biggest problem the change is looking to address is dogs running loose because they can be aggressive and pose risks to citizens and especially children.

The board then approved a transfer of $750,000 from the Randolph County School System Board of Education’s local current expense fund to its See BOARD, page A2

PHOTOS BY KARL DEBLAKER AND CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

THURSDAY

Organizers gear up for another large Christmas parade

The event in Asheboro is a major undertaking, and it’s about a month away

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Interest is running high again for the Asheboro Christmas Parade with the deadline at the end of this week to apply to secure a spot in the annual event.

“Last year, we had an overabundance of parade entries,” said Vickie Burgess, o ce coordinator with the Asheboro/ Randolph Chamber. “I loved last year’s. (People) said that was one of the biggest we’ve had here in a long, long time.”

It’s shaping up that way again. As of last Friday, there were 94 applications submitted. The limit is capped at 100, though there will be a waiting list.

The parade is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

Addie Corder of Downtown Asheboro Inc. said the Christmas parade is generally one of the largest events in downtown each year. It’s the parade that draws the largest attendance, she said. So that means the planning process is critical.

“The parade is a pretty large feat,” Corder said. “It’s pretty standard that we have over 100 entries. … We’ll do the best to

CRIME LOG

Oct. 27

• Kelsey Fogle, 28, of Greensboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for resisting a public o cer.

• Doyle Henderson, 57, of Trinity, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second-degree trespassing and misdemeanor breaking and entering.

THURSDAY NOV. 6

FRIDAY NOV. 7

SATURDAY NOV. 8

SUNDAY NOV. 9

MONDAY NOV. 10

TUESDAY NOV. 11

WEDNESDAY NOV. 12

get as many on that wait list in (the parade).”

Corder said the variety of types of entries contributes to the parade’s spectacle. It also makes each entry di erent in terms of the amount of space required.

There are 300 spaces available in the parade, though some entries or units use up more than one space. So that’s part of the review process undertaken by members of the parade committee.

“You don’t have anywhere else to put them,” Burgess said of reaching the maximum.

There was a new sta with the Asheboro/Randolph Cham-

Asheboro PD for second-degree trespassing.

• Jenny White, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for felony larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and obtaining property by false pretense.

Oct. 29

• Logan Hill, 34, of High Point, was arrested by RCSO for resisting a public o cer, failing to heed light or siren, driving the wrong way on a dual lane highway and improper turn.

• Jacob Tally, 32, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for seconddegree sexual exploitation of a minor (10 counts).

Oct. 28

• Morgan Davidson, 34, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for felony larceny, obtaining property by false pretense and felony conspiracy.

• William Glenn, 61, of Gibsonville, was arrested by NC Highway Patrol for driving while impaired, driving while license revoked with impaired revocation, reckless driving, no liability insurance, expired registration card/tag and canceled/ revoked/suspended certi cate/ tag.

• India Johnson, 40, of Greensboro, was arrested by

BOARD from page A1

capital outlay fund for a cleanup project at Trinity High School.

The board also approved a change to its holiday accrual policy for deputy sheri s and detention o cers who

• David Brown, 55, of Durham, was arrested by Asheboro PD for felony possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Oct. 30

• Campbell Mitchell, 42, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for felony larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

• Leslie Moore Pugh, 36, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for eeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, resisting a public o cer, felonious restraint (multiple counts), assault with a deadly weapon on a government o cial, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault in icting serious bodily injury, driving while license revoked, cruelty to animals, reckless driving, injury to personal property, aggressive driving, injury to trees/crops/lands,

work 12-hour shifts to align them with other emergency response employees.

“Currently, these employees receive 12 hours when they work on a holiday,” said Steven Nunn, a colonel with the Randolph County Sheri ’s O ce. “But when they’re o , they only

ber in 2024, so Burgess said that meant a major learning experience regarding the parade.

Spaces are assigned for the entries in an e ort to maintain order. That also helps, Corder and Burgess said, in guring out how many entries can be accommodated. Applications should be reviewed by the end of next week to determine the makeup of the parade.

There are several volunteers on the parade committee, while much of the event’s manpower is provided through City of Asheboro sta . The event is “a good labor of love” for many who help, Corder said.

identity theft and multiple tra c violations.

Oct. 31

• Logan Conley, 47, of Archdale, was arrested by Archdale PD for failure to register as a sex o ender (eight counts).

• Cristofer Moran-Esiquio, 24, of Randleman, was arrested by RCSO for felony larceny, injuring utility wires/ xture, obtaining property by false pretense and injuring property involving nonferrous metal.

• Holly Owens, 46, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for impeding tra c and disorderly conduct.

• Michael Roper-Matthews, 67, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for felony possession of cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine (three counts), possession of drug paraphernalia, conspiracy to sell or deliver cocaine, manufacturing/selling/ delivering/possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park (two counts) and manufacturing cocaine.

• Zachery Thomas, 43, of High Point, was arrested by RCSO for misdemeanor breaking and entering and resisting a public o cer.

accrue eight hours. There’s a little bit of a disparity in the Randolph County policy, and other emergency response employees already receive the hours whether they work or not.”

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will next meet Dec.

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

Nov. 8

Rock-n-Roll

Elvis Christmas

7 p.m.

Headliner Rick Brooks presents an evening of rock ’n’ roll classics, featuring Carol Rousseau, a Patsy Cline tribute artist. General admission tickets are $10 and available at the door.

Sunset Theatre 234 Sunset Ave.

Asheboro

Nov. 8-14

Military Appreciation Week at the North Carolina Zoo

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

All active duty, reserve, veteran and retired military personnel are granted free admission along with no charge for one accompanying guest. Service member identi cation is required to qualify.

4401 Zoo Parkway Asheboro

Nov. 11

Asheboro Veterans’ Parade 4-5 p.m.

This annual event always draws a large crowd — no admission fee.

Downtown Asheboro at Church St. and Sunset Ave.

Nov. 15

Revolutionary War Patriots Plaque Dedication

11 a.m.

As part of ongoing celebrations of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, the Randolph County America 250 NC Committee is hosting a dedication ceremony of a commemorative stone marker to be placed at the cemetery where Col. Andrew Balfour, Revolutionary War patriot, is buried.

2421 Doul Mountain Road Asheboro

Randleman Candlelight Christmas

5-9 p.m.

Arts, crafts and business vendors will line the streets of downtown Randleman and ll Commerce Square Park holiday shopping and entertainment, including the opportunity to meet Santa Claus.

Commerce Square and Main Street

RANDOLPH RECORD FILE PHOTO

Here’s one of the many oats that were part of last year’s Asheboro Christmas Parade in downtown.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country.

The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

| VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled. Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by

21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year. How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence.

Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration

abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

Ray Watson Pridgen

Jan. 7, 1958 – Oct. 30, 2025

Ray Watson Pridgen, age 67, a resident of Washington, NC, died Thursday, October 30, 2025, at ECU Medical Center in Greenville.

A private celebration of Watson’s life will be held later for the family.

Watson was born in Beaufort County on January 7, 1958, the son of the late William Eldred Pridgen and the late Neva Joyce Carrow Pridgen. He was a 1977 graduate

Frank Edward Snider

May 17, 1936 – Oct. 24, 2025

Frank Edward Snider, age 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 24, 2025, surrounded by his family, at Lexington Community Hospice House in Lexington, South Carolina. Frank was born in Asheboro, NC, on May 17, 1936, to the late Wavely William and Hazel Moser Snider.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother; brother, William (Bill) Snider of Charleston, SC; sisters, Barbara Trotter of Charleston, SC, and Doris Hanner of Greensboro, NC; son, Craig Moser Snider of Randleman, NC; halfsisters, Mary Gray Copcea of Randleman, NC, and Hilda Lee Davis of Asheboro, NC.

He is survived by daughters, Kelly Snider, Patti James and Amy Gillian, all of Columbia, SC; grandchildren, Ti any Davis (Jamie) of Sophia, NC, Taylor and Megan James of Columbia, SC, Alex Gillian of Mount Pleasant, SC and Lauren Gillian of Delray Beach, FL; great-grandchildren, Kash and Piper Davis of Sophia, NC; sister-in-law, Lucy Snider of North Charleston, SC; nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Jaxon.

Frank honorably served as a veteran in the US Air Force. He furthered his education with a degree from High Point College. With his entrepreneurial spirit, Frank created Piedmont Graphics in the 1970s, where he acted as owner. In 1975, he began his construction career under the name of Frank Snider Construction, Inc., and was in business for 34 years. His love for craftsmanship and professionalism was always evident in every project, leading him to become a member of the Home Builders Association. In 1980, he founded Randleman Printing and Screen Company.

He enjoyed horseback riding with his children and friends, watching college and NFL football, and ballroom dancing, with the waltz being his favorite. At Frank’s request, there will be no funeral service; however, there will be a gathering of family and friends for a celebration of his life from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Midstate Cremation and Funeral Service, 304 Lanier Ave., Asheboro, NC. A private burial will follow.

Flowers are welcome or memorial donations may be made in Frank’s memory to Randolph County SPCA, 300 W. Bailey Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org.), 200 Vesey Street, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10281, on behalf of Frank’s son and granddaughter.

obituaries

of Washington High School, where he played on the Pam Pack tennis team, helping to win the conference championship all three years he played. He also enjoyed playing golf, but his greatest love was spending time with family. Before his retirement, he was a truck driver for ten years with Evan’s Seafood in Washington.

Survivors include his brother, Keith Pridgen and his husband, Ik Jumani of Charleston, SC; a brother-in-law, Lee Cherry of Washington; nieces and nephews, Aven Harris, Roshad Pridgen, Brandy Powell, Anna Lee Powell, Trae Cherry, Scarlet Cherry, Loren Cherry, and Neva Smith; and a close family friend, Solomon Gibbs Jr. In addition to his parents, Watson was preceded in death by a brother, Wesley Pridgen, and sisters, Neva Cherry and Tammy Lynn Pridgen.

In lieu of owers, the family kindly asks that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 930A Wellness Dr., Greenville, NC 27834.

Robin “Robbie” Swain

Sept.10, 1954 – Oct. 25, 2025

Robin (Robbie) Alan Swain, age 71, resident of Bath, died Saturday, October 25, 2025, at ECU Beaufort Hospital.

A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Pirates Hall in the Old Bath High School on Harding Street in Bath from 3-6 p.m.

The family will receive friends on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory in Washington.

Robbie was born on September 10, 1954, in Belhaven to the late Horace and Annie Ruth Swain. Robbie lived his last two years of high school in the home of his aunt and uncle, Marie and Rudolph Smith, who have always been considered his second parents. He graduated from John A Wilkinson High School in 1972. He, like his brothers, became a carpenter like their father and spent time in Virginia Beach, where he met his wife, Melissa. They ventured out to Texas in 1978, spending seven plus years having two children and working during the high-rise construction boom. Robbie was happy to be back home these last thirty plus years, able to sh, hunt and spend time with family and friends. His dog, Willow, was seen with him most of the time. But what he enjoyed most was watching his three granddaughters dance and later become volleyball enthusiasts.

Robbie is survived by his wife, Melissa, of the home, son Aaron Swain (Katy) of Greenville, daughter Erica Swain Woolard (Neal) of Greenville, and his cherished granddaughters Lorelai, Addison and Stella, who brought endless joy and pride to his life, a brother Randy Swain of Georgia, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Horace and Annie Ruth, brothers Billy, Bit (Lloyd), Dave, and wife Cheryl, sister Annette Jones and husband Ray, nephews Ray and Rafe Jones. He will be very much missed by all who knew him.

Hilda Gean Bass

Nov. 18, 1933 – Oct. 26, 2025

Hilda Gean Langley Bass, 91, of Archdale, passed away on Sunday, October 26, 2025. She was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, on November 18, 1933, to the late Ross B. Langley and Carrie Peacock Langley.

Hilda graduated from Greensboro Senior High School in 1952. On June 1, 1951, she married the love of her life, Bill Bass, in Chester eld, South Carolina, and together they shared a lifetime of love, faith and family.

A devoted follower of Christ and lifelong Quaker, Hilda was a faithful member of several Friends Meetings throughout her life, including Spring Garden and Battle Forest in Greensboro, and Cedar Square in Archdale. She served her church communities in many roles over the years— as treasurer, youth leader and elder—always with a humble heart and a spirit of service. Later in life, she attended Trinity Heights Wesleyan Church in Archdale.

Hilda worked diligently throughout her life, holding administrative positions at Pilot Life and Beaman Corporation. She was recognized for her many years of leadership and dedicated service as Administrative Assistant to the Greensboro Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at Cone Hospital. Outside of work and church, Hilda’s hands were rarely still. She spent countless hours knitting, crocheting and sewing— creating beautiful pieces that brought comfort and joy to those she loved. She cherished time spent visiting the mountains of North Carolina and especially loved hosting family gatherings, where her warmth and laughter lled the room.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Edna King, Nell Martin and Margaret Roberts; and brothers Ross B. Langley Jr. and A.W. Langley.

Hilda is survived by her devoted husband, Bill Bass; daughters Debbi (Chuck) Harris and Susan (Bill) Hedrick. She was lovingly known as “Nana” to her grandchildren: Josh (Shelly) Harris, April (Dave) Edwards, Kim (David) Lehmann, Thomas (Lynne Margaret) Hedrick, Keevy (Ben) Fuller, and Charity (John) McDaris. And nineteen great-grandchildren: Emerson, Kennedy, Charleigh, Harrison, Elijah, Cash, Langley, Audrey, Cayden, Caleb, Maddy, Ava, Avett, Adlynn, Maddox, Emerlyn, Emilliah, Mikayla and Judah. She also leaves behind many cherished nieces and nephews who will forever hold her memory close.

Hilda will be remembered for her unwavering faith, kindness and deep love for her family. Her legacy of compassion, service and devotion will continue to inspire all who knew her.

A celebration of Hilda’s life will be held at a later date.

Maria Consuelo Pitones DeGarcia

July 26, 1934 – Oct. 28, 2025

Maria Consuelo Pitones DeGarcia, age 91, of Asheboro, passed away peacefully at her residence on October 28, 2025.

Maria was born on July 26, 1934, in Lobatos, Mexico, to the late Julio and Videla Hernandez Pitones. She was a homemaker and enjoyed time spent with family and friends.

Maria is survived by three children, of whom her daughter, Maria Del Pilar of Asheboro, has provided care for many years.

The family will conduct services of remembrance at a later date.

Midstate Cremation & Funeral Service in Asheboro is honored to assist the family of Ms. Maria Pitones DeGarcia.

Robert Story Millikan

Jan. 11, 1958 – Nov. 1, 2025

Robert Story Millikan passed away peacefully on November 1, 2025, at Pine Ridge Health and Rehabilitation.

Robert never met a stranger. His friends knew him as The Dew, and he was kind and a genuinely funny person. Whether he was doing stand-up comedy in Nashville, or making the nursing home sta burst out laughing, he was always looking for a laugh. Motorcycles and trucking were his favorite topics of conversation, and he even ran his own trucking business for a time. Robert was an old soul and had an a nity for the community of older folks.

Robert is preceded in death by his father, James R. Millikan. He is survived by his mother, Lurlene S. Millikan, his brothers Michael Millikan and Edward Millikan, his sisters Laraine M. Cook (Terry), Susan M. Delk, Jamie M. Albright (Stuart), and nieces and nephews Amber (Nolan), Dakota (Rachel), Nevada (Holli), Madison, Nathan and Jackson.

There will be a visitation at Pugh Funeral Home on November 4, 2025, at 1 p.m., and a graveside funeral service at 2 p.m. in Oaklawn Cemetery.

The family would like to give special thanks to the sta at Pine Ridge Health and Rehabilitation for the special attention and care given to Robert during his time there.

Je rey Fred Cagle Sr.

May 10, 1960 – Oct. 28, 2025

Je rey Fred Cagle Sr., 65, of Asheboro, passed away on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

A private burial will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Jesus Christ was Mr. Cagle’s Lord and Savior. He had “oldfashioned” character, morals and values. He was a very caring and loving man. He loved to take mountain vacations with his family, who meant the most to him. Mr. Cagle was also quite the handyman.

Mr. Cagle was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Blanche Cagle, and his son, Mitchell Cagle. Survivors include his wife, Patricia Gale Lowe of the home; daughters, Ruby Lowe Bridges (David), Amanda Cagle; sons, Josh Lowe, Je ery Cagle Jr. (Amanda); several grandkids; siblings, Don Cagle, Danny Cagle and Rachel Cagle.

Kenneth Franklin Stout

Sept. 23, 1935 – Oct. 28, 2025

Kenneth Franklin Stout, age 90, of Greensboro, passed away on October 28, 2025, at Trinity Elms in Clemmons.

Mr. Stout was born in Asheboro on September 23, 1935, to Ervin and Colean Ledwell Stout. He was a proud graduate of Asheboro High School and NC State University, where he earned numerous accolades and honors. Kenneth met the “prettiest girl he had ever seen” walking down Sunset Avenue in Asheboro, Betty Stalvey, and was married to her for 65 years.

As a teenager, Kenneth was employed with Acme-McCrary. His lifetime career was with J.P. Stevens in Greensboro, retiring after 40 years of service. He was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church. Kenneth loved reading, astronomy, and the beach. He adored his grandkids and great-grandkids. In addition to his parents, Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, and daughter, Donna Weekley.

He is survived by his sister, Judith Owens (James); son, Thomas Franklin Stout (Tracy) of Carolina Beach; daughter, Jennifer McIntyre of Davidson County; grandchildren, Emily Wall (Evan), Jordan Guerrero (Logan), Caroline Perez (Luis), Chandler McIntyre (Mackenzie) and Thomas Stout II; great grandchildren, Ruby Perez, Ty McIntyre, Beau McIntyre and one on the way, Isabella Perez.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Back Creek Friends Meeting Cemetery with Tony Owens o ciating.

Dorothy “Dottie” Lou Smith

Sept. 2, 1940 – Oct. 30, 2025

Dottie Lou Smith, age 85, died Thursday, October 30, 2025, at ECU Health Center.

A Memorial Service (Celebration of Life) will be held on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Bethany United Methodist Global Church in Winsteadville, with Pastor Bill Creech and Rev. Harry Smith o ciating.

The family will receive friends Sunday, November 2, 2025, from 3-6 p.m. at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory in Washington and at other times at Dottie Lou’s home, 78 Sparrow Ave., Belhaven, NC 27810.

Dottie Lou was born on September 2, 1940, in Beaufort County, to the late John Fisher and Lula Sparrow. She was a graduate of John A. Wilkinson High School. On May 8, 1966, she married Charles Rudolph Smith Jr. She was a lifetime member of Bethany United Methodist Church. Due to Dottie Lou’s outgoing personality, she was a beloved member of many communities across Beaufort County. She loved to talk and ask questions. One of her favorite ways to show people she cared about was to cook for them. She loved to cook and feed people with delicious meals, cakes and special desserts. She also loved to play cards with “The Card Ladies”. When she was able to, she loved to travel with family and friends, see new places, meet new people and shop. She was an avid reader and would get a new book and nish it by the next day. She was mother to two biological children, but countless people were taken into her loving arms as her “children and grandchildren”.

Dottie Lou, also known as Mema, was a very loving and giving person and loved to shower her circle of people with gifts and fun times. She made every occasion a true celebration and when you were with her, you always left with a laugh and a smile on your face.

Survivors include her husband, Charles R. Smith Jr., daughter Dawn Smith Johnson (Tim); son Clay Ryder Smith, all of Belhaven. Grandchildren: Cody Johnson, Shelby Johnson (Jacob), Chase Smith, Martin Wynn and Madeline Wynn. Greatgrandchildren, Scarlett Johnson, Isla Baysden and Marshall Waters. She was preceded in her death by her brother, Johnny Sparrow of Grifton, and has a surviving brother, Lonnie Sparrow of Belhaven.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the ECU Neuro Intensive Care Team and the Palliative Care Department of ECU Health and Gentiva Hospice for their care and support during her illness.

Jimmie Lee Beamon Jr.

June 26, 1954 – Oct. 30, 2025

Jimmie Lee Beamon Jr. of Chocowinity, NC was born in Beaufort County on June 26, 1954, and passed on October 30, 2025. He graduated from Chocowinity High School in 1972 and attended Mount Olive College. He lived all of his life in Beaufort County, NC, and Pitt County, NC.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, from 2-5 p.m. at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington.

Jimmie was preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie Lee Beamon Sr., and Elizabeth Baker Beamon, as well as his ex-wife, Betsy Wallace Beamon, with whom he remained friends.

Surviving Jimmie are: his daughter Stacy Beamon Geo rion (husband Matthew) of Wilmington, NC; son Jeremy Eric Beamon ( ancée Erin Palmer) of Elizabeth City, NC; granddaughter Bailey Elizabeth Hines ( ancée Ryley Cushing) of Champlain, NY; grandson Gabriel Matthew Geo rion, of Wilmington, NC; great-grandson newborn Archer Matthew Cushing, of Champlain, NY; sister Teresa Paul of Greenville, NC; sister Pam Worthington (husband Obe) of Chocowinity, NC; brother Kenny Beamon of Grimesland, NC; beloved nephews and niece, and Betsy’s children-Jessica, Seth and Adam, who remained dear to him, too.

Jimmie enjoyed spending time with his family, with special friends Linda and Floyd Francis at their home in Shallotte, NC, near the water and shing, being outdoors, listening to music and his new hobby of playing guitar. Jimmie could x almost anything and was good with his hands. He had recently retired from Flanders Filters in Washington, NC and was entering a new phase of life where he was becoming reacquainted with how to relax and take it easy, all over again. He approached this phase of life with a renewed vigor for reaching out and sharing his experience, strength and hope to help others. Jimmie believed in second chances and tried to inspire other people to believe in them, too.

“God, Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the di erence.”

Prunella Scales, who played Sybil in British sitcom ‘Fawlty Towers,’ dead at 93

Just 12 episodes were made, but it’s cited as one of the funniest sitcoms ever

By Jill Lawless

The Associated Press

LONDON — Actor Prunella Scales, best known as acid-tongued Sybil Fawlty in the classic British sitcom “Fawlty Towers,” has died, her children said Tuesday. She was 93 and had lived with dementia for many years.

Scales’ sons, Samuel and Joseph West, said she died “peacefully at home in London” on Monday.

“Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home,” her sons said. “She was watching ‘Fawlty Towers’ the day before she died.”

Scales’ career included early roles in a 1952 television version of “Pride and Prejudice” and the 1954 lm comedy “Hobson’s Choice,” followed by her TV breakthrough starring opposite Richard Briers in “Marriage Lines,” a popular 1960s sitcom about a newlywed couple.

In “Fawlty Towers,” she played the exasperated wife of hapless Basil Fawlty, played

“I’ve recently been watching a number of clips of ‘Fawlty Towers’ whilst researching a book. Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.”

John Cleese

by John Cleese, whose e orts to run a seaside hotel inevitably escalated into chaos. Only 12 episodes were made, in 1975 and 1979, but it is regularly cited as one of the funniest sitcoms of all time.

Cleese remembered Scales as “a really wonderful comic actress” and “a very sweet lady.”

“I’ve recently been watching a number of clips of ‘Fawlty Towers’ whilst researching a book,” Cleese said in a statement. “Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.”

Scales also starred as the small-town social powerhouse Elizabeth Mapp in “Mapp & Lucia,” a 1985 TV adaptation of E.F. Benson’s 1930s series of comic novels.

Later roles included Queen Elizabeth II in “A Question of Attribution,” Alan Bennett’s

stage and TV drama about the queen’s art adviser, Anthony Blunt, who was also a Soviet spy. Scales played another British monarch in the one-woman stage show “An Evening with Queen Victoria.”

Scales was a versatile stage performer whose theater roles ranged from Shakespeare’s comedies to the morphine-addicted matriarch Mary Tyrone in a 1991 production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.”

But she remained best known for “Fawlty Towers.” In 2006, Scales was guest of honor at the reopening of the Gleneagles Hotel in the English seaside resort of Torquay, the establishment whose memorably rude owner had inspired Cleese to create Basil Fawlty after a stay there in the 1970s. Scales was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013. Between 2014 and 2019, she and her husband, actor Timothy West, explored waterways in Britain and abroad in the gentle travel show “Great Canal Journeys.” The program was praised for the way it honestly depicted Scales’ dementia. West, her husband of 61 years, died in November 2024. Scales is survived by her sons, stepdaughter Juliet West, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Bob Trumpy, longtime Bengals player, broadcaster dead at 80

He called two Super Bowls and was part of coverage of three summer Olympics

By Joe Reedy The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Bob Trumpy, who was an original member of the Cincinnati Bengals for 10 years before enjoying a career as a network radio and television analyst, has died. He was 80.

The Bengals announced on Sunday that Trumpy died peacefully and was surrounded by family at home. The team had a moment of silence before its game against the Chicago Bears.

“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” said Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get down eld and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.

“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the eld.”

Trumpy played collegiate -

ly at the University of Utah before being drafted by the AFL expansion Bengals in the 12th round of the 1968 common draft. He scored the franchise’s rst receiving touchdown on a 58-yard reception against Denver on Sept. 15, 1968.

Trumpy’s 4,600 receiving yards, 35 receiving touchdowns and 15.4 yards per catch remain the most by a tight end in team history. After retiring, Trumpy went on to have a distinguished career in radio and television. He joined NBC Sports as an NFL analyst in 1978 and called games through 1997, when it lost the AFC package to CBS.

Trumpy was NBC’s lead analyst with Dick Enberg from 1992-94 and he called two Super Bowls. He also called “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowls with Don Criqui on radio. He would also be a part of three Summer Olympics and three Ryder Cups for NBC.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave Trumpy the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement in NFL broadcasting.

Trumpy also was a sports talk show host in Cincinnati from 1980-89. In 1983, while hosting “Sportstalk” on WLW, he received a call from a despondent woman who said she was going to commit suicide.

Trumpy spent the next 21⁄2 hours on the phone with the

ED KOLENOVSKY / AP PHOTO

Bengals tight end Bob Trumpy (84) and Houston’s Ken Houston (29) ght for a high pass from Bengals quarterback Sam Wyche during a Dec. 13, 1970, game in the Houston Astrodome.

woman — who identi ed herself as “Sugar” — until police located her.

“I don’t know why she called a sports talk show,” Trumpy told the Los Angeles Times in 1993.

“It probably was just the rst phone number she heard on the radio and decided to call it.

“I sure didn’t feel like a hero after that. I hated that woman. She wasn’t the only one who had to go to a crisis center for therapy. So did I, since I couldn’t gure out why I hated her. They convinced me I hated her because of what she put me through.”

ROBERT DEAR / AP PHOTO

Actress Prunella Scales delivers a petition carrying the signatures of 100 prominent women to 10 Downing Street in London on Feb. 11, 1975.

STATE & NATION

Glass to grain at Whiskey Prison

Sprits of both kinds

dwell inside Southern Grace Distilleries

By Dan Reeves Randolph Record

MOUNT PLEASANT — Inside the old Cabarrus Correctional Center, bourbon breathes where inmates once served time. Southern Grace Distilleries at Whiskey Prison has transformed the 1930s-era compound into one of North Carolina’s most distinctive craft-spirits operations — a place where the smell of aging whiskey replaces the sting of disinfectant and each bottle carries a little history in the glass.

Thomas Thacker, the distillery’s director of operations, leads tastings through the chapel-turned-barroom with the precision of a jeweler and the ease of a bartender.

“First thing you do is check the color,” he said, holding a glass to the light. “That tells you the barrel has done its work.”

His guided tastings follow the same evaluation process used in the trade: look, nose, taste, nish — then connect every note back to the grain, the proof and the wood.

He moves the glass beside a jar of clear moonshine for comparison.

“Whereas that moonshine looks like this, bourbon should look like this,” he said, shifting from crystal to amber.

The darker hue, he explained, signals proper barrel contact.

“We cut to 105 when we go in the barrel. Lower proof slows color extraction; higher proof speeds it up. Some compounds are water soluble, some alcohol soluble. Change the balance, change the extraction.”

Thacker’s philosophy begins not in the rickhouse but at the bar.

“People talk about grainto-glass, and we do that,” he said. “But our company’s really glass-to-grain. We start with the person who orders a neat pour of bourbon. That’s our constituency. Everything else backs up from there.”

A longtime bartender, Thacker understands the quiet calculus of the second pour.

“You have to pass that minimum bar of entry,” he said. “If you’re not good, people quit drinking you after the rst time.”

Southern Grace’s small scale — “just about too small to be in the bourbon business,” he joked — means babysitting every drop, trusting the wood, and letting each barrel sing di erently.

“We don’t cut it and we don’t mingle it,” he said. “The next barrel will be a little di erent. We’ll guarantee it’s good — you decide if you like it.”

At the tasting table, Thacker pours from what he calls the “hot box,” a barrel aged in the distillery’s warmest room. The whiskey runs around 101 proof, light in color but loaded with baking-spice sweetness.

“We use so much corn,” he said. “Those fatty acids give that buttery coating — a creaminess that hits right around 100 proof.”

Then comes a sample of the ve-year Conviction Double Oak, a blend of four barrels nished in new charred oak.

“Aging is dilutive,” Thacker said. “Year one’s bigger than year four. With double oak, you get year one and two, then start over.”

The result is darker and smokier, with a dry, red wine -like nish.

Conviction has earned its share of medals — Best Bourbon Under Four Years Old at the 2019

New Orleans Bourbon Festival and more recent golds for both single-barrel and double-oak releases — but Thacker values the feedback over the hardware.

“You get a couple dozen smart palates sending you evaluative notes,” he said. “That’s worth the entry fee.”

Much of Southern Grace’s reach now comes from the online “bourbon sphere” — YouTube reviewers, podcasters and social-media tasters who bring national attention to small distillers.

“When somebody you’ve followed for ve years says our Double Oak is one of their favorites, people show up,” Thacker said. “We’ve seen orders from all over the country because of it.”

While production and tastings drive the business, tourism keeps

the place humming. The site’s prison bones and shadowy corridors have become as famous as the bourbon itself. The distillery’s “Convicted Spirits” ghost tours are a word-of-mouth phenomenon, often running until 3 or 4 in the morning. Paranormal groups return again and again, cameras and thermal sensors in tow.

“People think they want that until it happens,” Thacker said with a grin.

He’s witnessed enough to respect the stories.

“There’s a line in one of the barrel houses that dogs won’t cross,” he said. “Even with food on the other side, they stop and bark.”

Guests have reported tugged shirts, cold air pockets, and the unsettling sense of eyes on them.

“It’s a weird, creepy place when the lights go out,” Thacker

The former Cabarrus Correctional Center, now home to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, has been transformed from a prison into a oneof-a-kind bourbon destination.

said. “But it’s good for business. You wouldn’t believe how many people come for the ghosts and stay for the bourbon.”

Mount Pleasant has embraced the distillery, and the community connection runs deep. Local restaurants like 73 & Main send diners for tours, and concertgoers stop in for tastings. Future plans include more live music, food trucks and outdoor events on the old prison grounds.

“We could double production and boost tourism 50% without leaving this campus,” Thacker said. “What we need is more space to age barrels.”

He laughs at the practicality of it all.

“I need a barrel house that’ll hold a thousand barrels,” he said. “In this business, that four, ve, six years you have to sit on stu — that’s gravity. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have the space, you don’t have it.”

The editor in him — years spent in newspapers and politics — still shows in the way he measures words.

“Get the data right, then make it beautiful,” he said. “It’s the same with bourbon.”

And as the sun slants through the old cellblock windows, he raises a nal glass, amber and steady.

“We’re not a threat to Jack Daniels,” he said, swirling the whiskey. “But when a serious drinker says our bottle holds its own — that’s all the conviction we need.”

Young T. rex or new dinosaur? New bones add to the debate

The 80-year-old mystery has remained an open question for decades

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?

At rst, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate but didn’t settle the controversy. Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — rst uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identi es the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex.

The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said study co-author Lindsay Zanno

with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State. Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek

Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully edged T. rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major di erences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.

Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery skeletons like Jane are something new.

Other independent scientists

also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.

There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.

“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.

Resolving the case is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier but still mighty predator also roamed.

The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops and is currently on display at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

PHOTOS BY MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / RANDOLPH RECORD

Barreled whiskey at Southern Grace Distilleries develops complex avors, aromas and its signature color through chemical reactions with the wood, evaporation and oxidation.

NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES VIA AP

The skull of a T. rex may actually be a new species.

RandolpH SPORTS

Academy’s

Upchurch makes a play on the ball as teammates, including Caroline Way (7), look on last Friday at Joel Coliseum.

UCA falls short in long state nal

The Eagles had momentum late in the championship match before their fortunes shifted

Randolph Record sta

WINSTON-SALEM — Uwharrie Charter Academy’s special volleyball season ended one victory shy of the ultimate prize.

The Eagles made a strong bid for a Class 4A state championship in the program’s rst appearance in a nal, but Lake Norman Charter spoiled that. Involved in their second ve-set match of the season, the Eagles fell 25-18, 14-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-9 in the title match Friday at Joel Coliseum.

Eastern Randolph maintains dominance in league play

The Wildcats have gone ve consecutive football seasons without losing a conference game

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

SILER CITY — Eastern Randolph’s football team ended up in a familiar position when the regular season ended last Thursday night.

Undefeated in conference play and league champion again.

“I feel like we’re still up there and we’re going to leave it better than we found it, like we always say,” running back/linebacker James Combs said.

The Wildcats manhandled host Jordan-Matthews for a 49-0 victory in the Four Rivers Conference nale, with Combs scoring four touchdowns.

Afterward, the team members posed for group photos and held up ve ngers to represent ve consecutive conference championships. While it’s a new league make-up this year, Eastern Randolph has rattled o 24 consecutive victories in conference competition since a loss

“It’s important how we come together as a family. It’s a good time for us.”

James Combs, Eastern Randolph player

during the pandemic-revised spring 2021 season. It’s still a big deal to claim conference championships to veteran coach Burton Cates.

“That’s ve in a row,” Cates said. “We talk about it. It’s something good, and not everybody gets to do.”

The Wildcats (8-2 overall, 4-0 Four Rivers Conference) did it in dominating fashion, outscoring their conference opponents by a combined 181-10.

“It’s great to come out here and show what we’re made of,” senior defensive lineman Preston Dobbins said.

Eastern Randolph showed

UCA (28-4) hadn’t lost since Aug. 19, building a 24-match winning streak. Lake Norman Charter (30-3) won its rst state title, nishing the season on a 25-match winning streak.

In the fth set, the Eagles bolted to a 5-0 lead before Lake Norman Charter recovered to secure the next six points and extended that to claim 10 of the 11 points during that match-changing stretch.

Match point came when the Eagles had an unsuccessful return after scrambling to keep the ball in play.

Lake Norman Charter’s London Stewart of was selected as Most Valuable Player.

UCA had generated momentum after losing the rst set. The Eagles hadn’t lost a set during

their winning streak — a string of 72 consecutive sets won. But despite facing a decit, they put together a stellar stretch with Caroline Way and Carly Rush clicking at the net. The 28 victories matched the UCA team record.

Of the eight state nals across two days, only three of the matches were extended to ve sets.

UCA’s appearance in thenals marked the rst time a Randolph County school reached the last match since Southwestern Randolph captured the 2021 state title in Class 2A.

Other state champions in title matches contested at Joel Coliseum or Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh were Falls Lake (Class 1A), Community School of Davidson (Class 2A), Ayden-Grifton (Class 3A), Hickory (Class 5A), Greenville Rose (Class 6A), Marvin Ridge (Class 7A) and Green Level (Class 8A).

Football teams pick up byes in playo s

The state playo s will begin for many teams in the area with home games in the second round

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

THERE WILL BE no high school football this week in Randolph County. All except one of the postseason-qualifying football teams received rst-round byes and will begin their quests in the state playo s with home games Nov. 14. The other team, Wheatmore, will be on the road Friday night. The new format that includes eight classi cations means that at least 16 teams in each class — eight in the East Region and eight in the West Region — receive rst-round byes. Three teams from the county are in the Class 3A West Region. Eastern Randolph (8-2) is the Four Rivers Conference champion, and Providence Grove (8-2) won the Central Carolina 3-A Conference.

Eastern Randolph is the No. 3 seed, awaiting the winner between No. 14 seed Black Mountain Owen and No. 19 seed Union Academy. Providence Grove holds the No. 5 seed, with a second-round home game against either 12th-seeded West Davidson or 21st-seeded Madison. West Davidson (7-3) was the second-place team in the Central Carolina 3-A Conference, losing 23-22 at home to Providence Grove on Oct. 3. Wheatmore (2-8) is also on that Class 3A bracket as the No. 22 seed, meaning a trip Friday night to No. 11 seed West Wilkes. The winner will visit sixth-seeded Walkertown. Trinity (1-9) didn’t qualify for the playo s. In Class 4A, fth-seeded Randleman and eighth-seeded Southwestern Randolph are in the East Region. Randleman (7-3) will welcome the winner between No. 12 seed North Pitt and No. 21 seed Burlington Cummings.

Southwestern Randolph (7-3) will play either ninth-seeded

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter

Sadie

BOB SUTTON / RANDOLPH RECORD

Eastern Randolph team members ash ve ngers after last Thursday night’s game to signal the football program’s ve consecutive conference championships.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

UCA’s Emory Johnson attempts a block on Lake Norman Charter’s Finley Fay.

Lawver

Providence Grove, football Jackson

The quarterback of the Central Carolina 3-A Conference champions has had a productive season.

Lawver has a team-leading seven rushing touchdowns while his 593 yards on the ground are the second most on the team. He also has thrown for 12 touchdowns.

He was a big contributor to the Patriots’ title-clinching victory against Thomasville last week with a touchdown pass and touchdown run. After a rst-round bye, the Patriots will take a six-game winning streak into the Class 3A state playo s next week.

Soccer teams head into state playo s on rolls

The Southwestern Randolph and Trinity teams received byes after winning conference titles

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

Before realignment, Lawver was an all-conference football selection in 2023 and 2024 in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Lawver also has been a key contributor to the school’s baseball team.

pass play to Mason Carson, Zeb Meadows’ 20-yard run and Hayden Payne’s 9-yard rush.

that right away against fourthplace Jordan-Matthews (5-5, 1-3).

On the Wildcats’ rst possession, Combs covered all 43 yards on three carries, scoring on a 6-yard run. After Eastern Randolph’s Kobe Walker blocked a punt, Combs was in the end zone on the next play from 4 yards out.

Combs carried 17 yards for a touchdown in the waning seconds of the rst quarter. Then there was more success on special teams for the Wildcats when a partially de ected punt went down eld but into Combs’ hands. He powered his way into the end zone to complete a 41-yard return.

“It came straight to me,” the junior said of his rst points on a punt return.

The Jets weren’t able to operate smoothly on o ense with defenders Dobbins and Kageon Brown among those causing havoc. Jordan-Matthews had negative yardage on four of its rst ve possessions.

Eastern Randolph quarterback Cade McCallum completed six of nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats added touchdowns on McCallum’s 19-yard

Eastern Wayne or No. 24 seed

Anson. In Class 6A, Asheboro (7-3) is the No. 6 seed in the West Region

After a 3-2 record midway through the season, Eastern Randolph has been in control.

“That’s how we kind of expected it to go,” Cates said. Some painful lessons earlier in the season might have been bene cial.

“It’s important how we come together as a family. It’s a good time for us,” Combs said. “I think those losses helped us get better and win more. I feel like we’re going to have a great run in the playo s.”

The Wildcats are looking forward to that.

“We’re ecstatic,” Dobbins said. “We’re ready.”

Southwestern Randolph 32, North Moore 13: At Asheboro, Brody Sheppard scored three touchdowns as the host Cougars clinched outright possession of second place in the Four Rivers Conference.

Levi Dalke threw for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown. His 13-yard pass to Devonte Dukes with four seconds left in the rst half put Southwestern Randolph (7-3, 3-1) up 12-7.

Brady Atkinson scored both touchdowns for last-place North Moore (3-7, 0-4).

and will be matched up against either No. 11 Greensboro Dudley or No. 22 Kernersville Glenn. It could mean a rematch from last year of Asheboro’s 55-0 rstround loss at Greensboro Dudley.

SOUTHWESTERN Randolph’s boys’ soccer team carries the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A East Region into the state playo s.

Trinity joined the Cougars with rst-round byes, putting those teams in Thursday night’s second round.

Southwestern Randolph (22-1) will have a home game against No. 16 Reidsville or No. 17 Burlington Cummings. Randleman is also in the Class 4A East Region as the No. 9 seed. That meant a game earlier this week against No. 24 Uwharrie Charter Academy. The winner of that game advanced to Thursday night’s clash at eighth-seeded Jordan-Matthews.

Four county teams are in the Class 3A eld, with three in the

East Region and Wheatmore in the West Region. Seventh-seeded Trinity (10-8-3) had a bye before a second-round home game vs. No. 10 seed Spring Creek or No. 23 seed South Lenoir. No. 12 seed Providence Grove opened at home vs. No. 21 seed Goldsboro. The winner has a test at fth-seeded Wake Prep. Eastern Randolph is the No. 18 seed with a trip to No. 15 Northeastern. The winner visits second-seeded Wallace-Rose Hill. Wheatmore’s No. 20 seed in the West Region meant a game at No. 13 Hendersonville. The winner will be in Thursday’s second round at fourth-seeded Union Academy. In Class 6A, Asheboro, as the No. 10 seed in the West Region, had a home game Tuesday night against St. Stephens. The winner will advance to face seventh-seeded Kernersville Glenn on Thursday.

Last week’s results

Chris Betancourt and Fer-

Oakley places fourth in Class 3A golf

The Providence Grove golfer followed a strong regional with a solid conclusion to the season

Randolph Record

SOUTHERN PINES — Megan Oakley of Providence Grove placed fourth in the Class 3A state tournament for girls’ golf last week.

Oakley shot 12-over-par 84 in the weather-shortened tournament at Longleaf Golf & Family Club.

The scheduled two-day event was o track because of persistent rain and reduced to 18 holes.

Wheatmore’s Kyndal Kindley tied for seventh place with 87. Paisley Freda of Pine Lake Prep was the champion with 77.

PREP FOOTBALL

Providence Grove placed fourth in the team standings. Adison Johnson shot 110 for 30th place, and Olivia Coleman shot 111 to tie for 31st.

A week earlier, Oakley was the co-medalist in the East Regional at Washington Yacht & Country Club in Washington. The Patriots were the regional team champions.

Oakley’s 14-over 86 put her in a tie with Martin County’s Isabel Taylor and North Carolina School of Science and Math’s Yuwen He.

Johnson was fourth with 94 and Coleman placed 16th with 111. • In Class 3A, also at Longleaf Golf & Family Club, Danielle Jaeck of Southwestern Randolph carded 23-over 95 to end in a tie for 18th place.

The Cougars ended up sixth

nando Hernandez each scored two goals as Southwestern Randolph blew out North Moore 9-0 in a Four Rivers Conference game moved to Zoo City Sportsplex.

The Cougars nished the regular season with Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Northwood with Betancourt and Yael Rebollar-Ortiz providing the goals.

• Trinity clinched the Central Carolina 3-A Conference crown with an 8-1 triumph at Wheatmore.

• Asheboro fell 2-1 at Northern Guilford in a showdown in the Triad Area Athletic Conference last Thursday. Ozmar Martinez scored for the Blue Comets, who would have tied for the league title with a victory.

• Mitchell Carranza’s three goals helped Randleman top host High Point Central 5-3, but the Tigers lost 1-0 to visiting Ledford last Thursday. That result allowed Ledford to tie with Randleman for second place in the Piedmont Athletic Conference behind Montgomery Central.

among six teams in the team standings. Lucy York with 108 tied for 29th, Nauttica Parrish with 116 and Ryleigh Hineline with 117 tied for 41st. Sarah Shaw withdrew. Randleman’s Layla White shot 109 for a tie for 32nd. The previous week in the East Regional at Washington Yacht & Country Club in Washington, Jaeck shot 93 to place sixth. Southwestern Randolph was third in the team competition, with Randleman in fth, with White’s 97 good for 11th place.

Cross-country

Ayden Fitzgerald of Wheatmore captured a seventh-place nish in the Class 3A state meet for boys Friday at Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville. Fitzgerald completed the 3.1-mile race in 17 minutes, 22.82 seconds. In the girls’ race, Wheatmore’s Scarlett Hildreth placed eighth in 20:35.94. Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt was 11th in the race in 20:56.94.

Patriots claim rst football crown

The Providence Grove team went undefeated in conference play

Randolph Record sta

CLIMAX — Providence Grove’s rst conference championship in football came with Nick Straughn rushing for two touchdowns and 196 yards in Friday night’s 31-9 victory against visiting Thomasville.

That made the Patriots outright champions of the Central Carolina 3-A Conference under rst-year coach Cody Moran. A Thomasville triumph would have created a three -way tie at the top.

The Patriots (8-2 overall, 5-0 Central Carolina 3-A Conference) also bene ted from Jackson Lawver’s 100 rushing

yards and his touchdown pass to Holden Swift Lawver also ran for a touchdown. Swift also secured an interception on defense.

Carson Jones booted a 33 -yard eld goal.

Thomasville dropped to 5-5, 3-2.

Wheatmore 34, Trinity 7: At Trinity, Gavin McPherson ran for three touchdowns as the Warriors won the road in the matchup between neighbors in the Central Carolina 3-A Conference. Connor Benton threw for two touchdowns and 248 yards despite three interceptions. Bentley Mills and Zach Helton each had a touchdown reception for Wheatmore (2 - 8, 2-3), which led 19-7 at halftime. Kenny Hoover and Helton

both made interceptions for Wheatmore’s defense.

Khad’n Fuller made two interceptions for Trinity (1-9, 0-5).

Asheboro 37, Southern Guilford 0: At Greensboro, Dallas Brinton rushed for two touchdowns and threw for two more touchdowns in the Triad Area Athletic Conference nale.

DJ Scott pulled in both touchdown receptions and Jayden Spruill ran for a touchdown. Je erson Aguilar kicked a 33-yard eld goal. Brinton threw for 128 yards and ran for 80. The Blue Comets (7-3, 2-3) led 27-0 at halftime on the way to their second shutout of the season. Garrison Cheek and Williams Sherrod made interceptions. Southern Guilford is 2-8, 0-5.

COURTESY PHOTO

FOOTBALL

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history

Guy Fawkes’ seized in failed “Gunpowder Plot,” Bolsheviks revolt, FDR wins third term

The Associated Press

NOV. 6

1860: Former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln of the Republican Party was elected president of the United States.

1861: An unopposed Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term as president of the Confederate States of America after serving much of the year as its provisional president.

1888: Republican presidential candidate Benjamin Harrison won the electoral vote over incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland despite Cleveland gaining 90,000 more total votes.

1947: “Meet the Press,” the longest-running television show in America, made its debut on NBC.

NOV. 7

1916: Jeannette Rankin of Montana won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the rst woman elected to either chamber of Congress.

1917: Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution took place as forces led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky.

1940: Washington state’s original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” collapsed into Puget Sound during a windstorm just four months after opening to tra c.

1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term in o ce.

1991: Basketball star Magic Johnson announced that he had tested positive for HIV and was retiring.

NOV. 8

1889: Montana was admit-

PHOTO

President-elect John F. Kennedy won the presidency on Nov. 8, 1960.

ted to the Union as the 41st state.

1923: Adolf Hitler launched his rst attempt at seizing power in Germany with a failed coup in Munich that came to be known as the “Beer Hall Putsch.”

1942: The Allies launched Operation Torch in World War II as U.S. and British forces landed in French North Africa.

1960: John F. Kennedy won the U.S. presidential election over Vice President Richard M. Nixon.

NOV. 9

1906: Theodore Roosevelt made the rst trip abroad of any sitting U.S. president to observe construction of the Panama Canal.

1935: United Mine Workers President John L. Lewis and other labor leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization.

1938: Nazis looted and burned synagogues as well as thousands of Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria in a pogrom that became known as “Kristallnacht.”

1989: Communist East Germany threw open its borders,

allowing citizens to travel freely to the West for the rst time in decades — a landmark event often referred to as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

NOV. 10

1775: The U.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress.

1898: A mob of white supremacists killed dozens of African Americans in Wilmington and overthrew the local government in the violent “Wilmington Coup.”

1954: The U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the ag on Iwo Jima, was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia.

NOV. 11

1620: Forty-one Pilgrims aboard the May ower signed the May ower Compact, creating a local government calling for a “civil body politick.”

1918: Fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France.

1921: The remains of an unidenti ed American service member were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

NOV. 12

1927: Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

1948: Former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and several other wartime leaders were sentenced to death by a war-crimes tribunal.

1954: Ellis Island o cially closed as an immigration station and detention center after processing more than 12 million immigrants since 1892.

Germans from East and West stand atop the Berlin Wall in front of the Reichstag Building one day after Communist East Germany opened its borders on Nov. 9, 1989, signifying the fall of the Berlin Wall.

AP

Waxahatchee releases ‘Snocaps’ with twin sister, surprises fans

Fans of he Crutch eld musical universe, sisterhood and twin telepathy take notice

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

NEW YORK — For the recently converted Waxahatchee fan, Alabama-raised singer-songwriter Katie Crutch eld does not drum up the image of distorted ri s, scrappy lo- recordings and indie rock sensibilities. For many years, though, that was her reality. (Incisive, lyrical self-re exivity and emotional acuity have always been present in her work, now delivered in a familiar twang via her idiosyncratic folk style.)

Long before her 2024 album “Tigers Blood” or 2020’s “Saint Cloud” cemented Crutch eld as a leading voice in contemporary Americana, Waxahatchee more closely followed in the tradition of her early power punk-pop bands, P.S. Eliot and Bad Banana. Those were led by her and her twin sister, Allison Crutch eld, also of the in uential indie-punks Swearin’. It is impossible not to hear the impact of the pair’s clever harmonies, their ambling ri s and keen storytelling in generations of indie rock bands that followed.

Those groups dissolved as Waxahatchee took over, reuniting here and there for one - o performances for their devout listenership, and only when music-making seemed fun again. But a new project with both Crutch elds seemed o the table.

Unlikely, that is, until now: Snocaps, a surprise new project from Katie and Allison Crutch eld, released a self-titled debut album on Halloween. It is 13 tracks performed by the two, joined by close collaborators Brad Cook (longtime Waxahatchee producer) and guitarist MJ Lenderman (formerly of the band Wednesday, known to Waxahatchee fans as one-half of “Right Back to It,” one of

Katie Crutch eld

“Allison and I have been, in some way, shape or form, doing this together for over 20 years.”

Katie Crutch eld

AP’s favorite songs of 2024). It would be an oversimplication to say Snocaps sounds as if no time has passed — but there is no doubt a sense of comforting familiarity. “Heathcli ” opens with a warming bass lick and Allison’s spirited voice; that, and “Avalanche,” possess the unimpeachable melodicism of Swearin’. It bleeds e ortlessly into “Wasteland,” a Katie-led song where hints of modern Waxahatchee is heard. The style exists elsewhere, with her evolved and experienced tone (“Angel Wings”) and more subtly in swaying musical movements. The same is true of the sisters’ other projects: “Over

Our Heads” has echoes of Bad Banana, free of the scuzz and fuzz. And it isn’t just Katie and Allison taking turns on the track list: “I Don’t Want To,” and, in particular, “Hide” feel like an evolution from P.S. Eliot, perhaps a ripened “Tennessee” — a lovely slow burn with a simple pop melody. Then they dive into the ascendant “Cherry Hard Candy” with its jaunty cluster of guitars and hooky harmonies. In the last few decades, they’ve only become more expert at the style, meticulous and appearing e ortless. In the limited press materials for the album, Katie Crutch eld wrote, “Allison and I have been, in some way, shape or form, doing this together for over 20 years.” It is likely, even when both are busy, that they will continue to do what comes more naturally — writing wise, revelatory songs with simple materials and expert vision. Here’s to 20 more.

$50M literary fund will support indie publishers, nonpro ts

The aim is to address a persistent lack of nancial resources

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Citing a chronic shortage of nancial backing for independent publishers and nonpro ts dedicated to writing and reading, a coalition of seven charitable foundations has established a Literary Arts Fund that will distribute a minimum of $50 million over the next ve years.

The idea for the fund was initiated by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the country’s largest philanthropic supporter of the arts. Mellon President Elizabeth Alexander cited literature as a vital source of expression.

“Novelists, poets, and all manner of creative writers have shaped and driven our collective discourse and capacity for invention since the nation’s founding,” Alexander, an acclaimed poet who joined Mellon in 2018, said in a statement. “American philanthropy can and must play a bigger role in strengthening the nancial infrastructure of the literary organizations and nonpro ts that serve these literary artists.”

Author-bookseller Ann Patchett said in a state-

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in 2015.

ment that support “of the future of literature is a cause for celebration.”

The other participants are the Ford Foundation, Hawthornden Foundation, Lannan Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Poetry Foundation and an anonymous foundation. The project will be overseen by Jennifer Benka, whose previous experience includes serving as executive director of the Academy of American

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

Poets. The application process is scheduled to begin Nov. 10.

During a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Alexander emphasized that the literary fund had been in the works well before the National Endowment of the Arts and National Endowment of the Humanities drastically cut back their support this year for virtually every art form. She referred to a 2023 study from the research organization Candid that found literary organizations and individuals were receiving less than 2% of some $5 billion in arts grants awarded in the U.S.

Parameters have not yet been established for the size of grants, but Alexander said support will likely extend across a wide range of recipients, from poetry festivals to writer residencies to small publishers.

“Support for literature goes a long way,” she said. “And language in its highest form is the best of humanity.”

Percival Everett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, said in a statement that “without nonpro t publisher’s American letters would have stalled long ago.” Everett himself was published for decades by an independent press, Graywolf, before moving to Penguin Random House and breaking through commercially with “James,” which received the Pulitzer in 2024.

ANTI RECORDS VIA AP

of Waxahatchee teamed up with her twin sister and former bandmate, Allison, to write and record “Snocaps.”

famous birthdays this week

Maria Shriver is 70, Susan Tedeschi turns 55, Sinbad is 69, Leonardo DiCaprio turns 51

The Associated Press NOV. 6

Actor Sally Field is 79. Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 76. Author Michael Cunningham is 73. Journalist-author Maria Shriver is 70. Author Colson Whitehead is 56. Actor Ethan Hawke is 55. Model-actor Rebecca Romijn is 53.

NOV. 7

Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Kaat is 87. Former Singer Johnny Rivers is 83. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 82. Retired Army general and former CIA Director David Petraeus is 73.

NOV. 8

Racing Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. is 83. Singer Bonnie Raitt is 76. TV personality Mary Hart is 75. Actor Alfre Woodard is 73. Singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is 71. Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro is 71. Filmmaker Richard Curtis is 69. Chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay is 59. Actor Parker Posey is 57.

NOV. 9

Film director Bille August is 77. Actor-bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno is 74. Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin is 66. TV writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy is 60. Rapper Scarface (Geto Boys) is 55. Blues singer Susan Tedeschi is 55.

NOV. 10

Lyricist Tim Rice is 81. Country singer Donna Fargo is 80. Film director Roland Emmerich is 70. Actor-comedian Sinbad is 69. Actor Mackenzie Phillips is 66. Actor Hugh Bonneville is 62. Actor-comedian Tommy Davidson is 62. Actor-comedian Tracy Morgan is 57. Rapper-producer Warren G is 55. Actor Walton Goggins is 54.

NOV. 11

Music producer Mutt Lange is 77. Actor Stanley Tucci is 65. Actor Demi Moore is 63. Actor Calista Flockhart is 61. TV personality Carson Kressley is 56.

12

Actor-playwright

Actor David DeLuise is 54. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 51. Musician Jon Batiste is 39. NOV.

Wallace Shawn is 82. Rock musician Booker T. Jones is 81. Sportscaster Al Michaels is 81. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 80. Author Tracy Kidder is 80. Actor Megan Mullally is 67. Actor Ryan Gosling is 45. Actor Anne Hathaway is 43.

Actor Sally Field, pictured during the 27th Television Academy Hall of Fame ceremony in 2025, turns 79 on Thursday.

MARCO UGARTE / AP PHOTO Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured posing for photos during a red-carpet event for the lm “One Battle After Another” in Mexico City in 2025, turns 51 on Tuesday.

the stream

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, ‘Downton

Willie Nelson interprets the songs and voice of Merle Haggard

The Associated Press

THE EARNEST superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and Tracy Morgan returning to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch” 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 this week: The upstairs-downstairs drama “Downton Abbey” bids farewell in a nal movie, Kim Kardashian plays a divorce attorney in Hulu’s “All’s Fair,” and Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Guillermo del Toro realizes his long-held dream of a sumptuous Mary Shelley adaptation in “Frankenstein” (Friday on Net ix). Del Toro’s lm, starring Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his monster, uses all the trappings of handmade movie craft to give Shelley’s classic an epic sweep. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote: “Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Matt Shakman’s endearingly earnest superhero team-up tale “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (now streaming on Disney+) helps alleviate a checkered-at-best history of bigscreen adaptations of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby comic. Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon MossBachrach and Joseph Quinn play Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch, respectively. In 1964, they work to defend Earth from its imminent destruction by Galactus. In my review, I praised “First Steps” as “a spi y ’60s-era romp, bathed in retrofuturism and bygone American optimism.”

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” (Friday on Peacock) bids goodbye to the Crawleys 15 years after Julian Fellowes rst debuted his upstairs-downstairs drama. The cast of the third and nal lm, directed by Simon Curtis, includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Paul Giamatti. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote that the lm gives “loyal Downton fans what they want: a satisfying bit of closure and the

Abbey’

Laura Carmichael, from left, Harry Hadden-Paton, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery are part of the ensemble cast in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

“Everything about ‘Frankenstein’ is larger than life, from the runtime to the emotions on display.”

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

sense that the future, though a bit scary, may look kindly on Downton Abbey.” Peacock is also streaming the two previous movies and all six seasons of “Downton Abbey.”

“The Materialists” (Friday on HBO Max), Celine Song’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2023 breakthrough “Past Lives,” stars Dakota Johnson, Pascal and Chris Evans in a romantic triangle. The New York-set lm adds a dose of economic reality to a romantic comedy plot in what was, for A24, a modest summer hit. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a smart rom-com that tries to be honest about life and still leaves us smiling.”

MUSIC TO STREAM

The legendary Willie Nelson continues to demonstrate his proli c output with the release of yet another new album this year. “Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle,” out Friday, is exactly what it sounds like: Nelson o ering new interpretations of 11 classic songs written by Merle Haggard. And we mean

classics: Check out Nelson’s latest take on “Okie From Muskogee,” “Mama Tried,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink” and more. Where’s the future of the global music industry? All over, surely, but it would be more than just a little wise to look to Brazil. Not too dissimilar to how Anitta brought her country’s funk genre to an international mainstream through diverse collaborations and genre meddling, so too is Ludmilla. On Thursday, she will release a new album, “Fragmentos,” fresh o the heels of her sultry, bilingual collaboration with Grammy winner Victoria Monét, “Cam Girl.” It’s a combination of R&B, funk and then some.

SERIES TO STREAM

Morgan returns to TV with a new comedy called “Crutch.” He plays a widowed empty-nester whose world is turned around when his adult children move home with his grandkids in tow. The Paramount+ series is available now.

Kardashian says she will soon learn whether she passed the bar exam to become a lawyer, but she plays a sought-after divorce attorney in “All’s Fair,” her new TV series for Hulu. Kardashian stars alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor in the show about an all-female law rm. Ryan Murphy created the show with Kardashian in mind after she acted in “American Horror Story: Delicate.” It is streaming now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The old saying about truth being stranger than ction applies to Net ix’s new four-episode limited-series “Death by Lightning.” It’s a historical dramatization (with some comedy thrown in) about how James Gar eld became the 20th president of the United States. He was shot four months later by a man named Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who was desperate for Gar eld’s attention. Two months after that, Gar eld died from complications of his injuries. It’s a wild story that also features Betty Gilpin, Nick O erman, Bradley Whitford and Shea Whigham. The series premieres Thursday.

HBO o ers up a new docuseries about the life of retired baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez. “Alex Vs. A-Rod” features intimate interviews with peo -

ple who are related to and know Rodriguez, as well as the man himself. The three-part series premieres Thursday. The next installment of “Wicked,” called “Wicked: For Good,” ies into theaters Nov. 21, and NBC has created a musical special to pump up the release. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” a concert event that premieres Thursday on NBC and streams on Peacock Friday. Additional lm cast members like Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater appear as well.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

It’s going to be a while until the next Legend of Zelda game, but if you’re craving some time with the princess, check out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. In this spino , a prequel to 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda travels back in time to join forces with the Six Sages in a war against the invader Ganondorf. You can also drag another human into battle with split-screen or the GameShare feature on Nintendo’s new console. Like the previous collaborations between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, it’s more hack-and-slash action than exploration and discovery. It arrives Thursday on Switch 2.

MARVEL / DISNEY VIA AP

Pedro Pascal stars as Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

FOCUS FEATURE VIA AP

MURDER from page A1

Detectives determined Linen’s grandson to be a suspect, and authorities had completed paperwork charging him with rst- degree murder, the Hoke Sheri ’s O ce said in a news release.

The Lee County Sheri ’s O ce said it was told about the homicide, and o cers later found the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area.

When deputies approached the boy, he ran away, authorities said. The teenager grabbed a two -by-four from a yard during the pursuit and charged

SCHOOL from page A1

In North Carolina, the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project operates seven centers serving farmworker families in rural communities including Angier, Bailey, Boonville, Faison, Fountain, Newton Grove and Rocky Point. The Raleigh-based nonpro t, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, operates 43 campuses total across 10 states, serving approximately 3,500 children annually.

In total, the project is temporarily shutting 24 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers spread across ve states. Those centers, created to assist the children of migrant farmworkers, typically operate on 10 - to 12-hour days to accommodate the long hours parents work on farms.

Children attending the centers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, as well as North Carolina, recently came home with iers warning of possible closures, along with other parent noti cations. Those centers serving more than 1,100 children will now remain closed until the shutdown ends, said East Coast Migrant Head Start Project CEO Javier Gonzalez. About 900 sta members across the centers also have been furloughed.

In the absence of other options for child care, some parents’ only option may be to bring their young child to the

toward an o cer, who shot the teen, the Lee County Sheri ’s O ce said. The o ce’s news released described the boy as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 150 pounds. Lee County Sheri Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation didn’t immediately respond to emails Friday seeking more information about the shooting and the investigation.

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved,” Hoke County Sheri Roderick Virgil said Friday. “We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this di cult event.”

elds where they work, Gonzalez said.

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts,” said Sarah Sloan, who oversees small-town Head Start centers in Scioto County, Ohio. Sta told families they planned to close Monday. “It’s hampering our families’ ability to put food on the table and to know that their children are safe during the day.”

A half- dozen Head Start programs never received grants that were anticipated in October, but there are now 140 programs that have not received their annual infusion of federal funding. All told, the programs have capacity to assist 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents.

Pause in food aid compounds struggles for Head Start families

Many of the families that qualify for the federal preschool program also depend on food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP or food stamps. That program also was on track to run dry of money due to the shutdown, although a pair of federal judges last Friday ordered the Trump administration to keep the program running with emergency reserve funds.

That means many Head Start families have been wor-

ried about food aid, along with the child care they rely on to make ends meet. A day without child care means a day without work for many parents — and a day without pay.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Jhanee Hunt teaches toddlers at a Head Start site, the Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center, where her 6 -month- old son is cared for in another classroom. The center said it can scrape up enough money to stay open for a few weeks, but the money won’t last much beyond November.

At dropo , she said, parents often are wearing uniforms for fast food restaurants like Wendy’s and McDonald’s. Some work as certi ed nurse assistants in nursing homes. None have much extra money. The most urgent concern right now is food, she said.

“A lot of the parents, they’re, you know, going around trying to nd food pantries,” she said. “A parent actually asked me, do I know a food pantry?”

More than 90% of the center’s families rely on SNAP food assistance, said Deborah Mann, the center’s executive director. One construction company o ered to help ll the grocery carts of some families that use the center. But overall, families are distressed, she said.

“We’ve had parents crying. We’ve had parents just don’t know what to do,” Mann said.

Some centers stay open for now

Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start programs provide a range of services beyond early education, such as medical and dental screenings, school meals and family support to children from low-income households who can’t a ord other child care options.

The initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, leaving it with little cushion from funding disruptions.

Some that have missed out on grant payments have managed to remain open, with philanthropies, school districts and local governments lling in gaps. Others are relying on fast- dwindling reserves and warn they can’t keep their doors open for much longer.

“If the government doesn’t open back up, we will be providing less services each week,” said Rekah Strong, who heads a social services nonpro t that runs Head Start centers in southern Washington state. In Florida, Head Start centers in Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County closed Oct. 27, but then reopened the next day thanks to a grant from Children’s Services Council of Leon County. The local school district and churches have stepped up to provide meals for the children.

A podcast local to Hoke-Raeford, NC, with Ruben Castellon and Chris Holland.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country.

The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled. Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by

21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year. How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence.

Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration

abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

Mistake- lled legal briefs show the limits of relying on AI tools at work

AI can massively increase productivity, but it also comes with risks of shoddy work

By Cathy Bussewitz

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Judges around the world are dealing with a growing problem: legal briefs that were generated with the help of arti cial intelligence and submitted with errors such as citations to cases that don’t exist, according to attorneys and court documents.

The trend serves as a cautionary tale for people who are learning to use AI tools at work. Many employers want to hire workers who can use the technology to help with tasks such as conducting research and drafting reports.

As teachers, accountants and marketing professionals begin engaging with AI chatbots and assistants to generate ideas and improve productivity, they’re also discovering the programs can make mistakes.

Damien Charlotin, a French data scientist and lawyer, has catalogued at least 490 court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” which are AI responses that contain false or misleading information. The pace is accelerating as more people use AI, he said.

“Even the more sophisticated player can have an issue with this,” Charlotin said. “AI can be a boon. It’s wonderful, but also there are these pitfalls.”

Charlotin, a senior research fellow at HEC Paris, a business school located just outside France’s capital city, created a database to track cases in which a judge ruled that generative AI produced hallucinated content such as fabricated case law and false quotes. The majority of rulings are from U.S. cases in which plainti s represented themselves without an attorney, he said. While most judges issued warnings about the errors, some levied nes.

But even high-pro le companies have submitted problematic legal documents. A federal judge in Colorado ruled that a lawyer for MyPillow Inc., led a brief containing nearly 30 defective citations as part of a defamation case against the company and founder Michael Lindell.

The legal profession isn’t the only one wrestling with AI’s foibles. The AI overviews that appear at the top of web search result pages frequently contain errors.

Court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” or AI responses that contain false or misleading information

And AI tools also raise privacy concerns. Workers in all industries need to be cautious about the details they upload or put into prompts to ensure they’re safeguarding the con dential information of employers and clients.

Legal and workplace experts share their experiences with AI’s mistakes and describe perils to avoid.

Think of AI as an assistant

Don’t trust AI to make big decisions for you. Some AI users treat the tool as an intern to whom you assign tasks and whose completed work you expect to check.

“Think about AI as augmenting your work ow,” said Maria Flynn, CEO of Jobs for the Future, a nonpro t focused on workforce development. It can act as an assistant for tasks such as drafting an email or researching a travel itinerary, but don’t think of it as a substitute that can do all of the work, she said.

When preparing for a meeting, Flynn experimented with an in-house AI tool, asking it to suggest discussion questions based on an article she shared with the team.

“Some of the questions it proposed weren’t the right context really for our organization, so I was able to give it some of that feedback ... and it came back with ve very thoughtful questions,” she said.

Check for accuracy

Flynn also has found problems in the output of the AI tool, which still is in a pilot stage. She once asked it to compile information on work her organization had done in various states. But the AI tool was treating completed work and funding proposals as the same thing.

“In that case, our AI tool was not able to identify the di erence between something that had been proposed and something that had been completed,” Flynn said.

Luckily, she had the institutional knowledge to recognize the errors.

“If you’re new in an organiza-

tion, ask coworkers if the results look accurate to them,” Flynn suggested.

While AI can help with brainstorming, relying on it to provide factual information is risky. Take the time to check the accuracy of what AI generates, even if it’s tempting to skip that step.

“People are making an assumption because it sounds so plausible that it’s right, and it’s convenient,” Justin Daniels, an Atlanta-based attorney and shareholder with the law rm Baker Donelson, said. “Having to go back and check all the cites, or when I look at a contract that AI has summarized, I have to go back and read what the contract says, that’s a little inconvenient and time - consuming, but that’s what you have to do. As much as you think the AI can substitute for that, it can’t.”

Wesley Price

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.

Mr. Wesley is an experienced financial worker who has only been with company a short period, however, the residents love him! He is retired military and on most of his time off he enjoys time with his family. His free time is spent working around the house.

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.

Residents love him because he takes his time explaining things to them, answers all questions and is very polite. They like his open-door policy!

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.

THANK YOU, Mr. Wesley, for a job well done and being a part of the Integrity Open Arms team!

Be careful with notetakers

It can be tempting to use AI to record and take notes during meetings. Some tools generate useful summaries and outline action steps based on what was said.

But many jurisdictions require the consent of participants prior to recording conversations. Before using AI to take notes, pause and consider whether the conversation should be kept privileged and con dential, said Danielle Kays, a Chicago -based partner at law rm Fisher Phillips.

Consult with colleagues in the legal or human resources departments before deploying a notetaker in high-risk situations such as investigations, performance reviews or legal strategy discussions, she suggested.

“People are claiming that with use of AI there should be

various levels of consent, and that is something that is working its way through the courts,” Kays said. “That is an issue that I would say companies should continue to watch as it is litigated.”

Protecting con dential information

If you’re using free AI tools to draft a memo or marketing campaign, don’t tell it identifying information or corporate secrets. Once you’ve uploaded that information, it’s possible others using the same tool might nd it.

That’s because when other people ask an AI tool questions, it will search available information, including details you revealed, as it builds its answer, Flynn said. “It doesn’t discern whether something is public or private,” she added.

Seek schooling

If your employer doesn’t o er AI training, try experimenting with free tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. Some universities and tech companies offer classes to help you develop your understanding of how AI works and ways it can be useful.

A course that teaches people how to construct the best AI prompts or hands-on courses that provide opportunities to practice are valuable, Flynn said.

Despite potential problems with the tools, learning how they work can be bene cial at a time when they’re ubiquitous.

“The largest potential pitfall in learning to use AI is not learning to use it at at all,” Flynn said. “We’re all going to need to become uent in AI, and taking the early steps of building your familiarity, your literacy, your comfort with the tool is going to be critically important.”

DON FERIA / AP CONTENT SERVICES FOR ANTHROPIC

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei unveils Claude 4 during the Code with Claude conference in May.

PETER HAMLIN / AP ILLUSTRATION

HOKE SPORTS

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Hoke’s middle school runners

The county has plenty of cross-country runners to honor this week, which is why we need co-athlete of the week honors to spread around the love.

Sandy Grove Middle School’s girls’ team took the Middle School Cross Country championship for the fourth year in a row.

Meanwhile, on the boys’ side, West Hoke Middle School’s Michael Dawkins nished rst to earn an individual Middle School championship.

NC State stuns Georgia Tech for program’s rst top-10 win since 2021

The Wolfpack’s o ense came alive with more than 500 total yards

By Ryan Henkel

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — NC State delivered a statement win to end its two-game skid, defeating No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36 on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

It was the rst top-10 win since 2021 for Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack, who handed the Yellow Jackets their rst loss of the season.

“It’s special when you have a top-10 win at home,” Doeren said. “Night games at the Carter are so special and I’m just proud of this team. Resiliency is what this place is about. It’s why I’ve always loved NC State. It’s de nitely a part of my DNA, and the harder it gets, sometimes I think, the better we are. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight.”

The Wolfpack were propelled to victory by their offense, which totaled nearly 600 yards and scored on eight of its 10 drives.

“Our mindset on o ense was just to try and score every drive,” said sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey. “Every time we touched the ball, that was the mindset, and throughout the whole week, that was our plan.”

It was a bounce-back game overall for Bailey, who threw for 340 yards and two scores with no interceptions and picked up another 34 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

“CJ played like a captain,” Doeren said. “He was in charge and played really, really good ball.” NC State’s o ense had a big night without some of their most important names as both running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Justin Joly were out with injuries.

Freshman Duke Scott, who took on starting running back duties, dominated the Yellow Jackets with 196 yards and a touchdown on 24 attempts.

Scott broke free for big runs multiple times, his biggest coming in the third quarter when he rumbled for 69 yards.

“Duke Scott had a phenomenal game,” Doeren said. “But I’m not surprised at all. We thought we could run the football on them, and Duke’s way faster than people know. We have a really good tandem in that back eld, and tonight, he had to step up and take on the entire load, and obviously he did a tremendous job.”

Senior tight ends Dante Daniels and Cody Hardy also had a good night, with Hardy getting the team’s rst touchdown of the game and each picking up key yardage.

“Our tight ends, that room … the way they played without Justin was impressive,” Doeren said. “They really stepped up and had to do more things than they normally do.

“Kids come to this program hoping for the opportunity to play. And when it’s your opportunity, you have to seize it. It says a lot about all these guys. We don’t quit here. It’s not a part of this

program and it never will be.”

Defensively, things weren’t as pretty for the Wolfpack, as the team gave up 559 total yards, including more than 400 through the air.

“That’s a tough o ense,” Doeren said. “Brent (Key) is a great coach, and that is a really good football team. I have nothing but respect for him and his sta . Buster Faulkner, his o ensive coordinator, is, I think, one of the best in the country, and their quarterback is a really good player. So that was a hard-fought game.”

But even with the defense’s aws, it still had a few key moments when it forced Georgia Tech to settle for a few eld goals.

“The defense did enough to give our o ense possessions and eld position where they could go score,” Doeren said.

Senior linebacker Caden Fordham came through with his rst career interception to seal the win for the Wolfpack, ushering hundreds of fans onto the turf at Carter-Finley for a well-earned eld storm.

“It’s awesome, especially winning a game like that,” said Fordham. “Being in the Carter tonight, it was special. It was amazing to go out there and do that with my brothers.”

FALL SPORTS ROUNDUP

Soccer heads to postseason while football seniors depart

North State Journal sta Football season ends

HOKE COUNTY’S football season came to an end with a 30-10 loss at Jack Britt. The Bucks struggled against a Britt defense that had four interceptions — one of them returned for a touchdown — a fumble recovery, two sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Despite the duress, Hoke sophomore quarterback Peyton Price completed 16 of 29 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown to William Leak. The senior Leak had four catches for 71 yards to lead Bucks receivers.

The Bucks nished 2-7 on the year, losing their last three. They were 1-4 in the Mid-South 7A/8A conference. Hoke County then su ered another setback, when the Bucks were passed over for a NCHSAA playo berth.

With the end of the season, the high school football careers for Hoke’s senior class also come to an end.

Captain Joshua Ferrell was fourth in Class 8A in passes intercepted. William Leak led the team in receiving and was sixth in 8A in return yards. Favor Anab led the team in rushing and touchdowns.

Linebacker Andrew Walker had a sack and two fumble recoveries, while defensive backs Mikequavious Biggers and Jordan Mitchell had interceptions. Defensive back Uriah Blue caused three fumbles.

The rest of the Hoke senior class included safety Jaylen Bryson, corner Tyriek Davis, receivers Chad and Jalen Royster, linebackers Raheem Nielly, Nahjair Lyons and Caleb Winston, defensive backs Devin Ellerbee and Ethan Ball, defensive linemen Kristian Thomas and Matthew Currie, running backs Asean Craigmiles and Ya’Sier Lee, and o ensive lineman Mouhamed Lo, Marcos Urquil-

Marcos Urquilla-Moscoso is one of the Hoke seniors who saw their high school football career come to a conclusion.

la-Moscoso, Alfred Gillispie and Dennis Ragston. Soccer earns playo bid

The boys’ soccer team dropped three of its nal four games, with only a 1-0 win over Lumberton on the positive side. Pedro Ramos had the goal on an assist from Carson Hewitt, while Brentley Blumer got the shutout in goal. The Bucks nished the regular season at 13-7-4, 6-4 in conference. Despite the slump at the end of the schedule, Hoke received a bid to the state tournament.

Hoke is the 10th seed in the Class 8A boys’ soccer bracket and opened with No. 7 Garinger (15-7-2). The winner of Monday’s game advanced to play No. 2 West Forsyth.

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

NC State tight end Cody Hardy (44) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Preston Douglas (82) against Georgia Tech.

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

SIDELINE REPORT

NBA

Police investigating break-in at home reported to belong to Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Police are investigating a burglary at a home reportedly belonging to Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The breakin occurred while the NBA star was playing against the Washington Wizards. Nichols Hills police have not con rmed the homeowner’s identity or what was stolen. The suspects ed before o cers arrived, and no arrests have been made. The incident mirrors a series of burglaries targeting professional athletes’ homes across the U.S. Thieves often strike on game days when players are away. The NBA has urged teams to enhance home security measures.

NFL

NFL nes Ravens $100K over inaccurate injury report involving Jackson

New York

The Baltimore Ravens were ned $100,000 by the NFL for incorrectly listing star quarterback Lamar Jackson as a full participant in practice on Oct. 24. Baltimore listed Jackson as a full participant and said he was questionable for that week’s game against Chicago. Then a day later, the Ravens ruled the two-time MVP out for that game and said he’d actually been limited in practice the previous day. Baltimore said the reason for the mix-up was that he’d participated in the entire practice but wasn’t taking starter reps, which made him limited according to league policy.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Nebraska extends Rhule’s contract through 2032

Lincoln, Neb.

Nebraska announced a two -year contract extension with coach Matt Rhule, adding bonuses for College Football Playo appearances. The deal runs through 2032. Rhule is in his third season at Nebraska, and there was speculation two weeks ago that he might ll the job at Penn State. Last season, Rhule led Nebraska to its rst winning season in eight years.

Rhule, who earns $7.5 million this year, says his focus remains on building Nebraska football into a championship contender.

Rozier, Billups won’t receive

NBA salaries while on leave in gambling cases

Both were arrested as part of federal gambling-related charges

By Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press

NBA GUARD TERRY Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups will not receive their salaries while on leave for their arrests on federal gambling-related charges, per AP sources.

Rozier had been due to receive the rst installment of a $26.6 million annual salary with the Miami Heat at the end of October. That, and future installments, will be held pending resolution of his legal case.

If Rozier is cleared and allowed to return to the NBA, which placed him on leave hours after his Oct. 23 arrest, he could receive the held payments in full.

The Heat will not receive any immediate salary cap relief by the NBA’s decision.

There are provisions in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that allow the league, in certain situations, to place salary withheld from a player in an interest-bearing account.

Billups, the Portland coach

$26.6M

Terry Rozier’s NBA salary for the 2025-26 season

who has also been placed on leave by the league after his arrest last week, is having his salary held by the Trail Blazers. Billups is under contract into at least the 2026-27 season. He agreed to a multiyear extension in April.

The National Basketball Players Association indicated it would le a grievance on Rozier’s behalf.

“While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said an NBPA spokesperson. “We plan to challenge their decision via the proper channels.”

Rozier, a former Charlotte Hornet, is now on the Heat roster. He, Billups and nearly three dozen other individuals were arrested last week on gambling-related

charges detailed in two separate indictments.

Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, has denied the allegations against his client.

Federal o cials alleged that Rozier conspired with associates to help them win bets based on his statistical performance in a game when he was with the Hornets on March 23, 2023 — more than seven months before the lien was prepared and nearly eight months before it was formally led. Rozier played sparingly in that game, and gamblers who wagered that he would nish “under” certain statistical totals won those bets.

The charges against Rozier are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before he was banned from the league by Commissioner Adam Silver in 2024. Rozier did not play in the nal eight games of that 2022-23 season, with he and the Hornets citing a foot injury. The Hornets had sever-

al players injured at that time and were already eliminated from playo contention.

Sportsbooks detected unusual patterns of wagers on the Charlotte game in question — prop bets involving Rozier were agged and immediately brought to the NBA’s attention — and the league probed the matter but did not nd enough evidence to conclude that Rozier broke any rules. The NBA, unlike federal law enforcement, does not have subpoena power. Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, has said Rozier is “not a gambler” and looks forward to winning the case.

The NBA said earlier this week that it is reviewing how sensitive information like injury reports — which are public and updated hourly — should be handled going forward. Members of the House and Senate have both asked the NBA for more information.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Commerce Committee, and Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on that panel, wrote Silver this week seeking detail “about how the NBA investigated and handled these allegations” and why the NBA allowed Rozier to continue playing.

DERICK HINGLE / AP PHOTO

Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier (3) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) during the rst quarter of the March 23, 2023, game against New Orleans that is now under investigation for gambling-related issues.

Lennix Hue Cummings

Oct. 27, 2025

Lennix Hue Cummings, precious infant son of Devan Cummings and Leilani Locklear of Raeford, NC, was born on October 27, 2025, at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center at 21 weeks of gestation. He peacefully passed in the arms of his parents on the same day.

Lennix is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Mr. Troy Donahue Cummings; two maternal great-grandfathers, Mr. Bobby Locklear and Mr. Boyce Locklear; two paternal greatgrandfathers, Mr. Hayword Cummings and Mr. David Lambert, one paternal greatgrandmother, Ms. Ann MaynorCummings; one great-aunt, Ms. Darlene Bullard; and one aunt, Ms. Alani Nicole Locklear.

He is survived by his paternal grandmother, Miss Tonya Lambert; his maternal grandparents, Mr. Joshua and Lakeisha Locklear; paternal great-grandmother, Annie Bell Lambert; maternal greatgrandmothers, Dora Locklear and Marguerite Locklear; one uncle, Jasiah Locklear; one aunt, Natoria Cummings; three great-aunts, Jensine Locklear Waddy, Lavonda Mckenzie and Wanda Locklear; four great-uncles, Bobby Locklear Jr., Julius Locklear, Damon McKenzie and Marlon Waddy; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Despite Lennix’s short time here on earth, he was deeply loved and brought immense joy to those around him. He will forever be remembered and loved by his parents and entire family.

Ted and Joann Chavis

Oct. 27, 2025

Ted and Joann Chavis went to be with their Lord and Savior together on Thursday, October 27, 2025.

Ted and Joann enjoyed traveling, spending time with their family, and being the best Pawpaw and Gma. They were members of Turning Point Worship Center and Praise and Worship Ministries. They lived a devoted life to Christ.

Joann and Ted Chavis were a shining example of love, faith and family. They spent their lives devoted to one another and to the family they cherished so deeply. Together, they created a home lled with laughter, warmth and kindness — a place where everyone felt welcome and loved.

Joann and Ted found their greatest joy in spending time with their children and grandchildren, sharing stories, wisdom and unconditional love. Their faith guided every step of their journey, and they took pride in serving their church community. Both were passionate about teaching and mentoring the youth, helping to shape countless young lives with compassion, patience and faith.

Their love for God, each other and their family was evident in everything they did. Joann and Ted leave behind a legacy of faith, love and service that will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know them. Though they are deeply missed, their spirit lives on in the hearts of their family and friends, and in the many lives they touched.

May their memory be a reminder that a life lived with love and purpose never truly ends— it continues in the light they leave behind.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 2 p.m., Rock sh Church, 16433

US- 15-501 South, Aberdeen, NC 28315. A funeral service will follow at 3 p.m. with Pastor Stoney Locklear o ciating.

Kermit “Sonny” Wood Jr.

Dec. 20, 1936 – Oct. 30, 2025

Kermit “Sonny” Wood Jr. of Raeford, NC, passed away on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

He was born on December 20, 1936, in Hoke County, NC.

Sonny is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Elizabeth “Lib” Wood; his children, Pam Whitehead, Gerry Wood and Wendy Hayes (Bill). He was a proud grandfather to seven grandchildren; Jason Whitehead (Teresa), Amanda Duncan (Ken), Zachary Hayes (Stephanie), Connor Wood (Ashley), Morganne Wood, Ariana Hayes and Grant Hayes; and three great-grandchildren; Jazlynne Whitehead, Kaden Whitehead and Josie Wood, with two bonus great-grandchildren: Hayleigh and Blake Duncan. Kermit is also survived by his sister, Sandra Hill (Jerry) of Carlisle, KY.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kermit Sr. and Mildred Wood, and his brother, Mike Wood.

Sonny led a long and ful lling life. He served honorably in the Army National Guard for nine years, having begun his service while in high school. He graduated from Hoke County High School prior to attending NC State University and St. Andrews University. He then worked alongside his father at Wood Furniture Company in Raeford, which his grandfather had started in the late 1940s. He also enjoyed working for Carolina Turf for a few years prior to returning to the furniture store after his father’s death in 1974. Kermit later took on the Radio Shack franchise and moved the store to Harris Ave. until his retirement.

At the time of his passing, Sonny was the longest attending member of Raeford First Baptist Church and was widely known in his community as an integral board member of the Raeford Hoke Museum. He also loved working with Raeford Habitat for Humanity for many years.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, with visitation from 1-3 p.m., with the service to follow at 3 p.m.

Essie Neill Carter Cain Vaughan

July 7, 1950 – Oct. 30, 2025

Essie Neill Carter Cain Vaughn, age 75 of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was born on July 7, 1950, to the late Golden Leslie Carter and the late Lucille Groves Carter in Robeson County, North Carolina. She departed this life on October 30, 2025, at her residence. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce K. Vaughn Jr., her daughter, Tonis Bullard, her maternal grandparents, Gold Carter and Thelma Smith Carter, two brothers, Clester Carter and Eartle B. Carter. Essie leaves to cherish her memories two sons: Tom Cain (Monalyn) of Hope Mills, North Carolina, Timothy Cain (Elizabeth) of Leland, North Carolina, two brothers: Dorsey Carter of Red Springs, North Carolina, Leslie Gene Carter of Fayetteville, North Carolina, mother of Cecil and Carter: Whitney Bullard, ten grandchildren: Danny (Angela), Travis, Vanceston “Turtle” (Savannah), Titus (Kendle), TJ, Kohl, Jackson, Joshua. Serena, Logan, seven great grandchildren: Kennedy, Damian, Rowan, Cecil, Carter, Axle, Delia, along with a host of other relatives and friends. A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 812 S Main St., Red Springs, NC 28377, with the funeral service taking place at the same place on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 3 p.m.

northstatejournal.com

Longtime Bengals player, NBC broadcaster Bob Trumpy dead at 80

He called two Super Bowls and was part of coverage of three summer Olympics

By Joe Reedy The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Bob Trumpy, who was an original member of the Cincinnati Bengals for 10 years before enjoying a career as a network radio and television analyst, has died. He was 80.

The Bengals announced on Sunday that Trumpy died peacefully and was surrounded by family at home. The team had a moment of silence before its game against the Chicago Bears.

“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” said Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get down eld and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.

“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career

that was as successful as what he accomplished on the eld.” Trumpy played collegiate-

receiving

yards, 35 receiving touchdowns and 15.4 yards per catch remain the most by a tight end in team history. After retiring, Trumpy went on to have a distinguished career in

radio and television. He joined NBC Sports as an NFL analyst in 1978 and called games through 1997, when it lost the AFC package to CBS.

Trumpy was NBC’s lead analyst with Dick Enberg from 1992-94 and he called two Super Bowls. He also called “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowls with Don Criqui on radio. He would also be a part of three Summer Olympics and three Ryder Cups for NBC. The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave Trumpy the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement in NFL broadcasting.

Trumpy also was a sports talk show host in Cincinnati from 1980-89. In 1983, while hosting “Sportstalk” on WLW, he received a call from a despondent woman who said she was going to commit suicide.

Trumpy spent the next 21⁄2 hours on the phone with the woman — who identi ed herself as “Sugar” — until police located her.

“I don’t know why she called a sports talk show,” Trumpy told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. “It probably was just the rst phone number she heard on the radio and decided to call it.

“I sure didn’t feel like a hero after that. I hated that woman. She wasn’t the only one who had to go to a crisis center for therapy. So did I, since I couldn’t gure out why I hated her. They convinced me I hated her because of what she put me through.”

ED KOLENOVSKY / AP PHOTO

Bengals tight end Bob Trumpy (84) and Houston’s Ken Houston (29) ght for a high pass from Bengals quarterback Sam Wyche during a Dec. 13, 1970, game in the Houston Astrodome.

STATE & NATION

Glass to grain at Whiskey Prison

Sprits of both kinds

dwell inside Southern Grace Distilleries

By Dan Reeves North State Journal

MOUNT PLEASANT — Inside the old Cabarrus Correctional Center, bourbon breathes where inmates once served time. Southern Grace Distilleries at Whiskey Prison has transformed the 1930s-era compound into one of North Carolina’s most distinctive craft-spirits operations — a place where the smell of aging whiskey replaces the sting of disinfectant and each bottle carries a little history in the glass.

Thomas Thacker, the distillery’s director of operations, leads tastings through the chapel-turned-barroom with the precision of a jeweler and the ease of a bartender.

“First thing you do is check the color,” he said, holding a glass to the light. “That tells you the barrel has done its work.”

His guided tastings follow the same evaluation process used in the trade: look, nose, taste, nish — then connect every note back to the grain, the proof and the wood.

He moves the glass beside a jar of clear moonshine for comparison.

“Whereas that moonshine looks like this, bourbon should look like this,” he said, shifting from crystal to amber.

The darker hue, he explained, signals proper barrel contact.

“We cut to 105 when we go in the barrel. Lower proof slows color extraction; higher proof speeds it up. Some compounds are water soluble, some alcohol soluble. Change the balance, change the extraction.”

Thacker’s philosophy begins not in the rickhouse but at the bar.

“People talk about grainto-glass, and we do that,” he said. “But our company’s really glass-to-grain. We start with the person who orders a neat pour of bourbon. That’s our constituency. Everything else backs up from there.”

A longtime bartender, Thacker understands the quiet calculus of the second pour.

“You have to pass that minimum bar of entry,” he said. “If you’re not good, people quit drinking you after the rst time.”

Southern Grace’s small scale — “just about too small to be in the bourbon business,” he joked — means babysitting every drop, trusting the wood, and letting each barrel sing di erently.

“We don’t cut it and we don’t mingle it,” he said. “The next barrel will be a little di erent. We’ll guarantee it’s good — you decide if you like it.”

At the tasting table, Thacker pours from what he calls the “hot box,” a barrel aged in the distillery’s warmest room. The whiskey runs around 101 proof, light in color but loaded with baking-spice sweetness.

“We use so much corn,” he said. “Those fatty acids give that buttery coating — a creaminess that hits right around 100 proof.”

Then comes a sample of the ve-year Conviction Double Oak, a blend of four barrels nished in new charred oak.

“Aging is dilutive,” Thacker said. “Year one’s bigger than year four. With double oak, you get year one and two, then start over.”

The result is darker and smokier, with a dry, red wine -like nish.

Conviction has earned its share of medals — Best Bourbon Under Four Years Old at the 2019

New Orleans Bourbon Festival and more recent golds for both single-barrel and double-oak releases — but Thacker values the feedback over the hardware.

“You get a couple dozen smart palates sending you evaluative notes,” he said. “That’s worth the entry fee.”

Much of Southern Grace’s reach now comes from the online “bourbon sphere” — YouTube reviewers, podcasters and social-media tasters who bring national attention to small distillers.

“When somebody you’ve followed for ve years says our Double Oak is one of their favorites, people show up,” Thacker said. “We’ve seen orders from all over the country because of it.”

While production and tastings drive the business, tourism keeps

the place humming. The site’s prison bones and shadowy corridors have become as famous as the bourbon itself. The distillery’s “Convicted Spirits” ghost tours are a word-of-mouth phenomenon, often running until 3 or 4 in the morning. Paranormal groups return again and again, cameras and thermal sensors in tow.

“People think they want that until it happens,” Thacker said with a grin.

He’s witnessed enough to respect the stories.

“There’s a line in one of the barrel houses that dogs won’t cross,” he said. “Even with food on the other side, they stop and bark.”

Guests have reported tugged shirts, cold air pockets, and the unsettling sense of eyes on them.

“It’s a weird, creepy place when the lights go out,” Thacker

The former Cabarrus Correctional Center, now home to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, has been transformed from a prison into a oneof-a-kind bourbon destination.

said. “But it’s good for business. You wouldn’t believe how many people come for the ghosts and stay for the bourbon.”

Mount Pleasant has embraced the distillery, and the community connection runs deep. Local restaurants like 73 & Main send diners for tours, and concertgoers stop in for tastings. Future plans include more live music, food trucks and outdoor events on the old prison grounds.

“We could double production and boost tourism 50% without leaving this campus,” Thacker said. “What we need is more space to age barrels.”

He laughs at the practicality of it all.

“I need a barrel house that’ll hold a thousand barrels,” he said. “In this business, that four, ve, six years you have to sit on stu — that’s gravity. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have the space, you don’t have it.”

The editor in him — years spent in newspapers and politics — still shows in the way he measures words.

“Get the data right, then make it beautiful,” he said. “It’s the same with bourbon.”

And as the sun slants through the old cellblock windows, he raises a nal glass, amber and steady.

“We’re not a threat to Jack Daniels,” he said, swirling the whiskey. “But when a serious drinker says our bottle holds its own — that’s all the conviction we need.”

Young T. rex or new dinosaur? New bones add to the debate

The 80 -year-old mystery has remained an open question for decades

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?

At rst, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate but didn’t settle the controversy. Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — rst uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identi es the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosau-

NORTH

The skull of a T. rex may actually be a new species.

rus rex. The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said study co-author Lindsay Zanno with the N.C. Museum of Natu-

ral Sciences and NC State. Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully edged T.

rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major di erences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.

Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery skeletons like Jane are something new.

Other independent scientists also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an

adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.

There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.

“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.

Resolving the case is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier but still mighty predator also roamed.

The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops and is currently on display at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

PHOTOS BY MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Barreled whiskey at Southern Grace Distilleries develops complex avors, aromas and its signature color through chemical reactions with the wood, evaporation and oxidation.

CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES VIA AP

MOORE COUNTY

new era tipped o

WHAT’S HAPPENING

USDA says SNAP will be partially funded in November

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program in November after two federal judges required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount bene ciaries receive will be reduced. The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running, with leeway to pay for it entirely or partially.

Two men accused of plotting terror attacks at LGBTQ+ bars near Detroit

Two men have been charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere. According to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court, the men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and co-conspirators were inspired by the Islamic State group’s extremism, according to a court ling.

$2.00

a

114-66

future in showing o legacy addition Cameron

Moore County approves new land use plan

One of the primary goals of the plan focuses on preserving the county’s rural character

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County Commissioners have approved a new land use plan.

As the gap between the former plan (2013) and the Uni ed Development Ordinance (UDO) continued to grow, the need for an updated plan became increasingly evident to town sta , so the county set out to develop a new plan.

“The process we used to get to this document lasted well over a year,” said Commissioner Tom Adams. “It involved public hearings, it was developed by a steering committee comprised of individuals of every walk of life, appointed just

for that process. They were assisted by consultants and the county planning sta . The draft plan was heard by the county planning board and the commission twice each and revised due to the public comments we received.”

The land use plan is intended to guide future land use regulations, public infrastructure improvements and development within the county.

The new plan, which was approved by the board at their Oct. 21 meeting, lays out ve primary goals: preserve and protect the ambiance and heritage of Moore County; conserve open space and protect vital resources to enhance the health and wellness of the community; optimize the uses of land within Moore County and assure adequate infrastructure is available to support the desired growth of the county; provide information and seek citizen

“I think it’s a very good plan, well thought out and I think where the growth will go will be really good in the future.”

Commissioner Jim von Canon

participation; and accommodate for a variety of housing types.

From those goals, the plan also lays out 24 recommendations and 53 actions to help the county achieve those goals.

“I think it’s a very good plan, well thought out, and I think where the growth will go will be really good in the future,” said Commissioner Jim von Canon.

The plan also sets the groundwork for a Master Utilities Plan

and a Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan to help the county better plan out the future growth of each.

A big goal brought forth by the community and echoed in the plan too was the preservation of rural space. One tool that the plan utilizes to achieve this is the restriction of development in the rural agricultural zoning district.

“One of the main things that the steering committee found during this process was that growth in Moore County needs to be properly managed,” said Planning Director Ruth Pedersen.

“There’s a perception in our public that the Moore County land use plan from 2013 was not followed, and that’s a misconception,” said Vice Chair Nick Picerno. “If you look at the actual data and statistics, which tell the real story, Moore County has grown consistently at around 1,300 to 1,400 people a year. Most of the development we’ve seen is exactly what this new land use plan talks about, and that is the small town model.”

The Moore County Board of Commissioners will next meet Nov. 18.

7 Head Start preschools close in NC as government shutdown continues

The centers largely serve the children of farmworkers in rural areas

By Moriah Balingit, Makiya Seminera and Heather Hollingsworth

The Associated Press

THE GOVERNMENT shutdown is triggering a wave of closures of Head Start centers, leaving working parents scrambling for child care and shutting some of the nation’s neediest children out of preschool. Dozens of centers are missing out on federal grant payments that were due to arrive Nov. 1. Some say they’ll close

inde nitely, while others are staying a oat with emergency funding from local governments and school districts. The closures mean Head Start students — who come from low-income households, are homeless or are in foster care — are missing out on preschool, where they are fed two meals a day and receive therapy vital to their development.

In North Carolina, the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project operates seven centers serving farmworker families in rural communities including Angier, Bailey, Boonville, Faison, Fountain, Newton

REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO

Court back in session

A

at North Carolina State as coach Will Wade, left, guided the Wolfpack to

blowout

victory against North Carolina Central in his debut with the Wolfpack on Monday night. Meanwhile, Duke went back to the

Boozer (No. 12), who, along with his brother Cayden, looks to carry on the legacy of their father, former Blue Devils star Carlos Boozer.

PHOTOS BY KARL DEBLAKER AND CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

11.6.25

THURSDAY NOV. 6

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CRIME LOG

Oct. 28

• Corrina Jo Evers, 48, was arrested by MCSO for possession of schedule II controlled substance and attempted breaking or entering motor vehicle.

• Anderson Stewart Townsend, 18, was arrested by MCSO for assault with a deadly weapon and assault by pointing a gun.

Oct. 29

• Ashley Kayla White, 21, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor child abuse.

Oct. 30

• Emanuel Rasheen Green Jr., 23, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for robbery with dangerous weapon.

• Dominano Jyreece Latrell Wooten Jr., 20, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for robbery with dangerous weapon, felony conspiracy, common law robbery, breaking or entering motor vehicle, larceny of motor vehicle, possession of stolen property and resisting public o cer.

Oct. 31

• Tavion Malik Lebby, 22, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for robbery with dangerous weapon.

Nov. 1

• Brandon Alexander Muldrow, 29, was arrested by FirstHealth Company Police for communicating threats.

Nov. 2

• Joseph David Cheeks Sr., 71, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for violating a domestic violence protection order.

• Oscar Lorenzo Hammond, 38, was arrested by MCSO for larceny of motor vehicle and possession of stolen motor vehicle.

• Madden Chene Scout Milstead, 18, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for simple assault, resisting public o cer and assault on government o cial or employee.

7

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing

Authorities said he charged an o cer wielding a 2-by-4 as a weapon

The Associated Press

RAEFORD — A Lee County deputy shot and killed a 13-year-old Hoke County boy wanted in the killing of his grandmother when the teenager charged toward the o cer with a piece of lumber the boy had picked up during a chase, authorities said Friday. The State Bureau of Investigation will review last Thursday’s shooting involving the Lee County sheri ’s deputy, which is a standard protocol.

The events began in Raeford where the Hoke County Sheri ’s O ce said 68-year-old Connie Linen was pronounced dead in her home. Authorities

HEAD START from page A1

Grove and Rocky Point. The Raleigh-based nonpro t, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, operates 43 campuses total across 10 states, serving approximately 3,500 children annually. In total, the project is temporarily shutting 24 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers spread across ve states. Those centers, created to assist the children of migrant farmworkers, typically operate on 10- to 12-hour days to accommodate the long hours parents work on farms.

Children attending the centers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, as well as North Carolina, recently came home with iers warning of possible closures, along with other parent noti cations. Those centers serving more than 1,100 children will now remain closed until the shutdown ends, said East Coast Migrant Head Start Project CEO Javier Gonzalez. About 900 sta members across the centers also have been furloughed.

In the absence of other options for child care, some parents’ only option may be to bring their young child to the elds where they work, Gonzalez said.

“Children love school, and the fact that they can’t go is breaking their hearts,” said Sarah Sloan, who oversees small-town Head Start centers in Scioto County, Ohio. Sta told families they planned to close Monday.

“It’s hampering our families’ ability to put food on the table and to know that their children are safe during the day.”

A half-dozen Head Start programs never received grants that were anticipated in October, but there are now 140 programs that have not received their annual infusion of federal funding. All told, the programs have capacity to assist 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents.

Pause in food aid compounds struggles for Head Start families

Many of the families that qualify for the federal preschool program also depend on food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP or food stamps. That program also was on track to run dry of money due to the shutdown, although a pair of federal judges last Friday ordered the Trump administration to keep the program

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved.”

Roderick Virgil, Hoke County sheri

say she was a victim of a homicide but haven’t released details about how she was killed. Deputies initially came to the home in response to a well-being check.

Detectives determined Linen’s grandson to be a suspect, and authorities had completed paperwork charging him with rst-degree murder, the Hoke Sheri ’s O ce said in a news release.

The Lee County Sheri ’s Ofce said it was told about the homicide, and o cers later

moore happening

found the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area.

When deputies approached the boy, he ran away, authorities said. The teenager grabbed a two-by-four from a yard during the pursuit and charged toward an o cer, who shot the teen, the Lee County Sheri ’s O ce said. The o ce’s news released described the boy as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 150 pounds.

Lee County Sheri Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation didn’t immediately respond to emails Friday seeking more information about the shooting and the investigation.

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved,” Hoke County Sheri Roderick Virgil said Friday. “We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this di cult event.”

running with emergency reserve funds.

That means many Head Start families have been worried about food aid, along with the child care they rely on to make ends meet. A day without child care means a day without work for many parents — and a day without pay.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Jhanee Hunt teaches toddlers at a Head Start site, the Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center, where her 6-month-old son is cared for in another classroom. The center said it can scrape up enough money to stay open for a few weeks, but the money won’t last much beyond November.

At dropo , she said, parents often are wearing uniforms for fast food restaurants like Wendy’s and McDonald’s. Some work as certi ed nurse assistants in nursing homes. None have much extra money. The most urgent concern right now is food, she said.

“A lot of the parents, they’re, you know, going around trying to nd food pantries,” she said. “A parent actually asked me, do I know a food pantry?”

More than 90% of the center’s families rely on SNAP food assistance, said Deborah Mann, the center’s executive director. One construction company o ered to help ll the grocery carts of some families that use the center. But overall, families are distressed, she said.

“We’ve had parents crying. We’ve had parents just don’t know what to do,” Mann said. Some centers stay open for now

Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty,

Head Start programs provide a range of services beyond early education, such as medical and dental screenings, school meals and family support to children from low-income households who can’t a ord other child care options.

The initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, leaving it with little cushion from funding disruptions. Some that have missed out on grant payments have managed to remain open, with philanthropies, school districts and local governments lling in gaps. Others are relying on fast-dwindling reserves and warn they can’t keep their doors open for much longer.

“If the government doesn’t open back up, we will be providing less services each week,” said Rekah Strong, who heads a social services nonpro t that runs Head Start centers in southern Washington state. She’s already had to close one center and several classrooms and cut back home-based visiting services. “It feels more bleak every day.”

In Florida, Head Start centers in Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County closed Oct. 27,but then reopened the next day thanks to a grant from Children’s Services Council of Leon County. The local school district and churches have stepped up to provide meals for the children.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and our village has come together,” said Nina Self, interim CEO of Capital Area Community Action Agency. But children in rural Jefferson and Franklin counties, where the agency runs two small Head Start centers, were not as lucky. They’ve been closed since late October.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County.

Nov.

7

Moonlight Hike

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Southern Pines Parks and Recreation, this free, ranger-led hike is open to all ages. Hikers are encouraged to bring a ashlight or headlight. For more information, contact 910-692-7376.

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve 1024 Fort Bragg Road Southern Pines

Nov. 7-9

20th Annual Ederville Train and Tractor Show

Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Demonstrations, exhibitions a parade, tractor pull, nightly sparkler show and more. For more information, contact 919-708-8665.

644 Niagara Carthage Road Carthage

Nov. 8

Southern Pines Veterans Day Parade 9:30 a.m.

Popular annual event designed to show support for the troops and veterans. This is a family-friendly event that all are encouraged to attend. Downtown Southern Pines

Holly eld Design Christmas Open House

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open house includes a display lled with all sorts of Christmas décor and holiday gifts. Refreshments provided. 130 E. Illinois Ave. Southern Pines

Nov. 12

Movie: “Blue Moon” 7-9:30 p.m.

Based on the true story of the professional and personal life of celebrated lyricist Lorenz Hart, the lm is rated R. Tickets are $10.

Sunrise Theater 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

NICK INGRAM / AP PHOTO

Christina Middleton, center, reads with her daughters, Ti anie Hiatt-Calhoon, 11, left, and Mikaylie Middleton, 3, right, at the Great Beginnings Early Education Center in Lee’s Summit, Mo., last month.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Stop blaming COVID-19 for poor student math and reading scores

The cracks in our education system predate the pandemic.

THE LATEST RESULTS from the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be a wake-up call for every parent, policymaker and citizen who cares about the future of this country.

The “Nation’s Report Card” revealed that the graduating class of 2024 posted historically low scores in math and reading, just months before leaving high school. These numbers represent a generation stepping into adulthood less prepared than those who came before them.

The decline is striking. Average math scores for 12th graders fell to their lowest levels since 2005, with nearly half of students performing below even the “Basic” benchmark. Reading followed a similar path, with average scores hitting new lows and only the highest-performing students avoiding decline.

It is tempting to blame the pandemic for all of this. After all, these students began high school as COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide. Isolation, screens and uneven remote instruction replaced their freshman year, when adolescents needed structure and a sense of belonging.

Disruption played a role.

But the truth is, the cracks in our education system predate the pandemic. The gap between high- and low-performing students was already widening before 2020, and the latest NAEP results show just how much worse it has gotten. The pandemic didn’t create the problem it exposed and accelerated it.

These results show grave threats to the future of the U.S. workforce. Despite poor reading

and math results, more than half of the seniors tested said a four-year college had accepted them. Acceptance is up, but readiness is down. It’s a disconnect that sets many young people up for failure and places an even heavier burden on colleges, which must now serve as remedial institutions instead of engines of higher learning.

At its core, this is about a system that has lost its mission. Federal involvement in education has expanded over decades, yet outcomes have stagnated or declined. Education Secretary Linda McMahon put it plainly: National oversight has not delivered results, and states may need to reclaim more control to innovate and respond to local needs.

A one-size- ts-all approach has not lifted student achievement. Worse still, how schools approach teaching often fails to inspire discipline or rigor within individual students. Fewer students are enrolling in advanced courses like precalculus, absenteeism is rising and surveys show that students feel less con dent in their math skills. These signs of disengagement point to more profound failings than test scores alone can capture.

The stakes could not be higher. A society that graduates students who cannot read pro ciently or solve fundamental math problems is declining. Employers already speak of a skills gap and a shortage of workers capable of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Meanwhile, technology and global competition are moving forward at a pace that demands more from our

citizens, not less. The future of the American workforce, and even our Republic’s vitality, depends on citizens who can think clearly and engage responsibly with each other and their communities. We’re falling short of that standard. What, then, is to be done? The answer cannot be another round of nger-pointing or shortterm xes. Real change will require courage and clarity. We must double down on the basics, ensuring that children build strong foundations in reading and math by the time they leave elementary school. We must restore rigor to our classrooms, refusing to water down expectations in the name of equity, because accurate “equity” requires giving all students access to challenging and meaningful coursework. We must address absenteeism urgently, recognizing that showing up is half the battle for learning. We must empower teachers to focus on the classroom instead of burying them with tasks unrelated to their profession so that they can do the hard work of instructing students.

The NAEP results are sobering, but they should leave us with the desire to act quickly and decisively. Educational progress isn’t impossible to achieve. While the decline in 12th-grade achievement is a stark warning for the future, there’s still time to correct the course, starting with the local school districts.

Aiden Buzzetti is the president of the 1776 Project Foundation and a native of Marietta, Georgia. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Are Americans better or worse o since January?

All branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

THE LEFT WING and media rage hysterically from one Trump psychodrama to the next, while President Donald Trump trolls both on social media.

But all that is verbiage. What matters is the data and facts of Trump’s rst nine months since Jan. 20 in comparison to either former President Joe Biden’s prior year or the averages of his four years in o ce.

Take the border. No one knows how many illegal aliens entered — or stayed in — the U.S. during Biden’s four years of open borders. What is clear is that he set a presidential record of well over 7 million illegal entrants.

The border under Trump is now tightly closed. Prior to his administration, it was common for 10,000 people to cross illegally in a single day. In just nine months, approximately 2 million illegal aliens have been deported or self-deported. The rate of border crossings is now the lowest it’s ever been since 1970.

How about energy? For Trump’s rst nine months, gas prices have averaged $3.19 versus Biden’s 2024 average of $3.30 a gallon. Over Biden’s four years, gas averaged $3.46 a gallon.

During the Biden years, oil production averaged 12.3 million barrels per day, compared to 13.5 million barrels during Trump’s rst nine months. Biden removed 200 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, leaving o ce with only 394 million barrels in the reserve.

The reserve has already inched upward under Trump’s initial months to 406 million barrels. Releases have been canceled. Purchases of replacement oil have been scheduled. Regarding the economy, Biden’s four years averaged 2.9% gross domestic product growth per annum.

Trump’s GDP rose 3.8% in the second quarter, with nal estimates for 2025 ranging around 3%.

In ation under Trump so far averages about 3%. Under Biden’s tenure, in ation increased by

21.4% over four years, or on average about 5.3% a year. How about U.S. deterrence and defense?

Under Biden, the military fell short by approximately 15,000 recruits per year, crashing to a shortfall of 41,000 in 2023.

Following Trump’s election and throughout the rst nine months of 2025, all branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The number of NATO nations meeting their promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense rose from 23 in 2024 to a likely total of 31 in 2025, with several pledging to spend as much as 5%.

Trump left o ce in 2021 with no major ongoing wars. His rst administration had nearly bankrupted Iran, destroyed ISIS, decimated the Russian Wagner group in Syria and birthed the Abraham Accords.

Under Biden, the Middle East exploded into a four-front war against Israel.

Iran boasted that it was within months of developing nuclear weapons after the Biden administration lifted prior Trump sanctions and courted Tehran to return to the so-called “Iran Deal.”

Over the last decade and a half, Russian leader Vladimir Putin had only kept within his borders during Trump’s rst term, invading neighboring countries during the George Bush, Barack Obama and Biden presidencies.

In 2022, Putin attacked Kyiv during Biden’s second year in o ce — leading to a full-scale Ukrainian-Russian war, incurring the greatest combat losses in Europe since the Second World War.

In August 2021, in one of the greatest military humiliations in U.S. history, Biden ordered the abrupt ight of all U.S. personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan. The skedaddle resulted in utter chaos, the deaths of 13 Marines and destroyed U.S. deterrence.

Thousands of U.S. contractors and employees were left behind, and the administration

abandoned billions of dollars of new weapons and military equipment to the terrorist Taliban.

In contrast, there is now a tentative calm across the Middle East. After Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the theocracy is not expected to be able to acquire a nuclear weapon for years.

Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis are decimated and increasingly impotent.

No wars broke out during Trump’s current year. Tentative Trump-inspired cease res helped stop violence between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump’s tari s so far have not caused, as critics predicted, a recession or stock collapse. Instead, the stock market has reached all-time highs.

Trillions of dollars in promised foreign investments in the U.S. have set a record. And China, for the rst time in 50 years, is facing an American-led global pushback against its exploitative, mercantilist trade policies.

The left is outraged about many of Trump’s executive orders.

But the public largely supports destroying the cartels’ seaborne drug shipments bound for the U.S. Polls show majorities favor banning transgender males from female sports, ending diversity, equity and inclusion racialist xations, and enacting long-overdue higher education reforms.

Yet the daily news is about politicians’ f-bombs, government shutdowns, Trump’s social media trolling and street violence. But the facts tell a di erent story of national recovery from the self-in icted disasters of the recent past.

Victor Davis Hanson is a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.

COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

COLUMN | AIDEN BUZZETTI

AI can massively increase productivity, but it also comes with risks of shoddy work

By Cathy Bussewitz

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Judges around the world are dealing with a growing problem: legal briefs that were generated with the help of arti cial intelligence and submitted with errors such as citations to cases that don’t exist, according to attorneys and court documents.

The trend serves as a cautionary tale for people who are learning to use AI tools at work. Many employers want to hire workers who can use the technology to help with tasks such as conducting research and drafting reports. As teachers, accountants and marketing professionals begin engaging with AI chatbots and assistants to generate ideas and improve productivity, they’re also discovering the programs can make mistakes.

Damien Charlotin, a French data scientist and lawyer, has catalogued at least 490 court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” which are AI responses that contain false or misleading information. The pace is accelerating as more people use AI, he said.

“Even the more sophisticated player can have an issue with this,” Charlotin said. “AI can be a boon. It’s wonderful, but also there are these pitfalls.”

Charlotin, a senior research fellow at HEC Paris, a business school located just outside France’s capital city, created a database to track cases in which a judge ruled that generative AI produced hallucinated content such as fabricated case law and false quotes. The majority of rulings are from U.S. cases in which plainti s represented themselves without an attorney, he said. While most judges issued warnings about the errors, some levied nes.

But even high-pro le companies have submitted problematic legal documents. A federal judge in Colorado ruled that a lawyer for MyPillow Inc., led a brief containing nearly 30 defective citations as part of a defamation case against the company and founder Michael Lindell.

The legal profession isn’t the only one wrestling with AI’s foibles. The AI overviews that ap -

pear at the top of web search result pages frequently contain errors. And AI tools also raise privacy concerns. Workers in all industries need to be cautious about the details they upload or put into prompts to ensure they’re safeguarding the con dential information of employers and clients.

Legal and workplace experts share their experiences with AI’s mistakes and describe perils to avoid.

Think of AI as an assistant

Don’t trust AI to make big decisions for you. Some AI users treat the tool as an intern to whom you assign tasks and whose completed work you expect to check.

“Think about AI as augmenting your work ow,” said Maria Flynn, CEO of Jobs for the Future, a nonpro t focused on workforce development. It can act as an assistant for tasks such as drafting an email or researching a travel itinerary, but don’t think of it as a substitute that can do all of the work, she said.

When preparing for a meeting, Flynn experimented with an in-house AI tool, asking it to suggest discussion questions based on an article she shared with the team.

“Some of the questions it proposed weren’t the right context really for our organization, so I was able to give it some of that feedback ... and it came back with ve very thoughtful questions,” she said.

Check for accuracy

Flynn also has found problems in the output of the AI tool, which still is in a pilot stage. She once asked it to compile information on work her organization had done in various states. But the AI tool was treating completed work and funding proposals as the same thing.

“In that case, our AI tool was not able to identify the di erence between something that had been proposed and something that had been completed,” Flynn said.

Luckily, she had the institutional knowledge to recognize the errors.

“If you’re new in an organization, ask coworkers if the results look accurate to them,” Flynn suggested.

While AI can help with

brainstorming, relying on it to provide factual information is risky. Take the time to check the accuracy of what AI generates, even if it’s tempting to skip that step.

“People are making an assumption because it sounds so plausible that it’s right, and it’s convenient,” Justin Daniels, an Atlanta-based attorney and shareholder with the law rm Baker Donelson, said. “Having to go back and check all the cites, or when I look at a contract that AI has summarized, I have to go back and read what the contract says, that’s a little inconvenient and time-consuming, but that’s what you have to do. As much as you think the AI can substitute for that, it can’t.”

Be careful with notetakers

It can be tempting to use AI to record and take notes during meetings. Some tools generate useful summaries and outline action steps based on what was said.

Court lings in the past six months that contained “hallucinations,” or AI responses that contain false or misleading information

But many jurisdictions require the consent of participants prior to recording conversations. Before using AI to take notes, pause and consider whether the conversation should be kept privileged and con dential, said Danielle Kays, a Chicago-based partner at law rm Fisher Phillips.

Consult with colleagues in the legal or human resources departments before deploying a notetaker in high-risk situations such as investigations, performance reviews or legal strategy discussions, she suggested.

“People are claiming that with use of AI there should be

various levels of consent, and that is something that is working its way through the courts,” Kays said. “That is an issue that I would say companies should continue to watch as it is litigated.”

Protecting con dential information

If you’re using free AI tools to draft a memo or marketing campaign, don’t tell it identifying information or corporate secrets. Once you’ve uploaded that information, it’s possible others using the same tool might nd it.

That’s because when other people ask an AI tool questions, it will search available information, including details you revealed, as it builds its answer, Flynn said. “It doesn’t discern whether something is public or private,” she added.

Seek schooling

If your employer doesn’t o er AI training, try experimenting with free tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. Some universities and tech companies offer classes to help you develop your understanding of how AI works and ways it can be useful.

A course that teaches people how to construct the best AI prompts or hands-on courses that provide opportunities to practice are valuable, Flynn said.

Despite potential problems with the tools, learning how they work can be bene cial at a time when they’re ubiquitous.

“The largest potential pitfall in learning to use AI is not learning to use it at at all,” Flynn said. “We’re all going to need to become uent in AI, and taking the early steps of building your familiarity, your literacy, your comfort with the tool is going to be critically important.”

DON FERIA / AP CONTENT SERVICES FOR ANTHROPIC

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei unveils Claude 4 during the Code with Claude conference in May.

MOORE SPORTS

Pinecrest wins fourth straight girls’ golf title

Rachel Joyce takes state individual crown

North State Journal sta

THE TOUGHEST opponent for the Pinecrest girls’ golf team on Pinehurst No. 6 may have been the weather.

While rain delayed things and wiped out the second round of play, the Patriots swept the top three individual spots at the NCHSAA Class 8A girls’ golf championships and won their fourth team title, beating Northwest Guilford by a 21-stroke margin.

It’s the most emphatic of Pinecrest’s four-pack of titles, topping the previous three margins of victory combined. The Patriots won by 10 strokes last year, eight and two in the previous state tournaments.

to an individual state

Senior Rachel Joyce, who nished tied for 14th in last year’s state championships, won the state individual title by a

one-stroke margin, becoming Pinecrest’s rst individual state champion in girls’ golf since 2019. She shot a 73, wiping out a two-stroke de cit on the back nine to win.

Teammate Ashley Lee nished second with a 74. The sophomore tied for fourth as a freshman in last year’s state championships.

Pinecrest’s Ira Joshi was third, at 75, giving the Patriots all three spots on the podium. She was the top nishing freshman golfer.

Junior London Fitzgerald shot a 78 to tie for ninth, and sophomore Charlotte Schroen was tied for 13th with an 80. Schroen tied for 28th as a freshman last year.

All ve of Pinecrest’s golfers nished in the top 13. No other school had more than two in that tier.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Madeline Dorsch

Pinecrest, cross-country

Madeline Dorsch is a sophomore on the Pinecrest girls’ cross-country team, and she’d like to remind everyone that girls’ golf isn’t the only one bringing home state titles for the Patriots.

Dorsch was absolutely dominant in winning the NCHSAA Class 8A girls’ cross-country state title at Ivey Redmon Sports Complex. She ran a 17:09.28, giving her a margin of victory of over one full minute. The second-place nisher ran an 18:10.21.

Dorsch’s win was one of the 10 largest in state history and was the second-fastest girl’s time ever run on that course. She also brought home the fourth cross-country individual title in Pinecrest history and the rst since 2021.

Duke’s Boozer headlines slate of talented freshmen to watch this season

is

By Steve Megargee

The Associated Press

CAMERON BOOZER’S extraordinary potential is evident from the way Tennessee coach Rick Barnes described him before the Duke freshman forward even played a college game that counts.

“One of the best players in the country,” Barnes said after Boozer collected 24 points and 23 rebounds in No. 6 Duke’s 83 -76 exhibition victory over No. 18 Tennessee on Sunday.

Boozer ranks alongside Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa as the best players in a freshman class that’s loaded with star power at the top. They have a chance of being the rst three players taken in next year’s NBA Draft.

Boozer might have the most familiar name in the group because of his family ties. Boozer and his twin brother and Duke teammate, Cayden Boozer, are sons of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, who won a national title at Duke.

Cameron and Cayden Boozer played on four straight Florida state championship teams at Miami’s Columbus High School. Cameron Boozer, a three-time Florida Mr. Basketball, was named the Gatorade national boys’ basketball player of the year in 2023 and 2025. He was the nation’s No. 3 prospect in his class and Cayden was ranked 20th.

“He is a warrior, man,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Cameron Boozer. “I think that’s the best thing I can say about him.” Scheyer made that comment after the 6-foot-9 forward col-

lected 33 points and 12 rebounds in a 96-71 exhibition victory over UCF. Boozer followed that up with his big performance against Tennessee.

“He’s as good as I’ve seen in a long time up close and personal,” Barnes said after that game. Here are some other freshmen who should make an immediate impact this season.

Darius Acu , Arkansas

Acu scored 17 points in each of Arkansas’ two exhibition games — an 89-61 win over

Cincinnati and a 99-75 triumph over Memphis. He also averaged 5.5 assists in those two games. The 6-foot-3 guard was ranked 11th in the 247Sports Composite and was one of ve nalists for the Naismith Award given annually to the nation’s top high school player. Acu is from Detroit but nished his high school career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Ament is ranked fourth in the 247Sports Composite and

“He is a warrior, man.” Duke coach Jon Scheyer on Cameron Boozer

is generally listed just below the trio of Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer in terms of their potential 2026 draft position. The 6-10 forward was named the Gatorade Virginia high school player of the year. Ament had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the exhibition loss to Duke.

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Dybantsa, who is 6-9, signed with BYU as the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect. He was one of ve players selected to The Associated Press All-America preseason team. Dybantsa averaged 24 points in No. 8 BYU’s exhibition games with Nebraska and No. 25 UNC. Dybantsa was the Massachusetts state Gatorade player of the year as a freshman.

Darryn Peterson, Kansas Peterson won the Naismith Trophy as the national high school player of the year last season. The 6-6 guard from Canton, Ohio, is rated second in his class. Peterson scored 18 points in the McDonald’s All-American Game to share MVP honors with Boozer.

Caleb Wilson, UNC

Wilson had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ 78-76 exhibition loss to BYU. The 6-10 forward from Atlanta was named the Gatorade high school player of the year in Georgia and is ranked fth in the 247Sports Composite. He had 21.7 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game his senior year at Holy Innocents Episcopal School. He had 28 points and six rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic.

Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

This 6-5 wing is from the West African country of Benin but played high school basketball in Santa Maria, California. He was ranked 14th in his class.

COURTESY NCHSAA

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Rachel Joyce hits a shot in the rain on her way

title.

COURTESY NCHSAA

The Pinecrest girls’ golf team poses with their state championship banner.

Cameron Boozer

joined on the Blue Devils by twin brother Cayden

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Duke forward Cameron Boozer, center, passes the ball past Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) during an exhibition game.

obituaries

Warlyene Chambers Thompson

March 22, 1959 – Oct. 25, 2025

Minster Warlyene Chambers Thompson entered into eternal rest on Saturday, October 25, 2025, in Tampa, Florida (formerly of Aberdeen, North Carolina).

There will be a viewing on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Shady Grove Holiness Church (Cameron Village), 1695 Loop Road, Raeford, NC 28376. Funeral service to follow at 1 p.m.

Interment following funeral service at Woodlawn Cemetery, 300 South Pine St., Southern Pines, NC 28387.

Please keep the family and friends of Minister Warlyene Chambers Thompson in your thoughts and prayers.

Jackie Lambert Holder

Oct. 7, 1951 – Oct. 25, 2025

Mr. Jackie Lambert Holder, 74, of Wadesboro, North Carolina (formerly of Sanford, North Carolina entered into eternal rest on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at Meadowview Assisted Living in Wadesboro, North Carolina. Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Jackie Lambert Holder in your thoughts and prayers.

George Bolen Epps

April 8, 1934 – Oct. 26, 2025

George Bolen Epps, Age 91, of Cameron, NC, went home to the Lord on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at his home.

A Graveside Service will be

Joseph “Joe” Merritt Rorie Sr.

Feb. 23, 1946 – Oct. 28, 2025

Joseph “Joe” Merritt Rorie Sr., age 79, of Southern Pines, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at his home surrounded by his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with Pastor Gregg Newton

O ciating. A time of visitation will be held two hours prior to the service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Joe served his community by serving the Moore County Fire Departments for over fty years.

As a result of his service to his community, he was an honored recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, awarded to persons who have made signi cant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. Joe was an asset to our community and will be greatly missed.

Joe was born in Moore County on February 23, 1946, to the late Floyd Cecil Rorie and Eunice Thompson Rorie. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Je ery Rorie, wife, Nellie Rorie; sister, Marie Rorie Bailey, and brother, Lee Rorie.

He is survived by his sons, Joey Rorie (Lori) of Fox re, Jon Rorie (Bonnie) of Pinehurst, Jason Rorie (Laura) of Elmira, New York and Justin Rorie (Kristy) of Youngsville. He is also survived by stepchildren, Billy Johnson (Bonnie) of Southern Pines; Laura Gwyn (DannyDeceased) of Spring Lake and Teresa Black (Larry) of Carthage; Sister Jean McNeill (Ronnie) of Aberdeen, twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. In lieu of owers, the family has requested donations be made to FirstHealth Hospice Foundation, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Cameron Community Cemetery with Pastor John Brown o ciating. He was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Upon his honorable discharge as a disabled veteran from the U.S. Army, he served as a civilian at Pope Air Force Base until retirement.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Denise, and son, Dennis.

George is survived by his daughters, Vicky Epps (Dennis Brown) of Sanford, Delores Nicely of Southern Pines and Ellen Hollowell of Texas. He was blessed with twelve grandchildren and fteen great-grandchildren.

In lieu of owers, donations may be made on his behalf to The Wounded Warrior Project.

Robert “Bob” Kucinski

Nov. 5, 1937 – Oct. 28, 2025

Bob passed away peacefully at the age of 87. Bob is survived by his wife Sylvia, three children, Ed (Sue), Rob (Kim) and Joan (Ron), ve grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Bob was born and raised in Indiana; he attended Purdue University, where he received both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering.

After graduating from Purdue, Bob began working for E. I. DuPont de Nemours (or just DuPont) at their Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware. He later moved on to an assortment of management positions in various elds at eight di erent locations. He ended his career in a worldwide marketing position working for Na on, whose business and manufacturing facilities were in Fayetteville. Bob worked principally out of his home and traveled extensively. The family lived in Pinehurst during that assignment. He retired from DuPont in 1995 at the age of 58 and remained in Pinehurst.

Bob always loved music. He was a clarinet and saxophone player and played in many musical groups through high school and college. He then put his horns away for 40 years while working for DuPont. He started playing again in Pinehurst and played with the Moore County Concert Band, the SCC Jazz Band, Eddie Barret’s Goodman Legacy Orchestra, Fred Brush’s Swing-er-Roo’s and pit orchestras at Union Pines, Pinecrest and SCC.

Bob loved golf and played three to four times per week after retirement. He was also an excellent cook whom many friends called a gourmet cook. He loved having family and friends over for dinner. He judged the quality of his meal by how clean the diners left their plates. Other interests were gardening, attending DPAC and eating out, where he was a severe critic of the food. He rarely went back to a restaurant where he didn’t love the food.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 9800 US 15-501, Pinehurst.

Virginia Cook Hayes

Oct. 9, 1931 – Oct. 26, 2025

Virginia Loue Cook Hayes, 94, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Tara Plantation. Virginia was born on October 9, 1931, in Cumberland County to the late Ernest Samuel Cook and Annie Luticious Smith Cook. She married Er e Hayes Jr. in 1951, and they had four loving sons. She worked as a Cloth Inspector at a textile mill for many years, then went on to work as a cashier at the Roses department store. Virginia was famous for her delicious cooking, especially her potato salad and banana pudding!

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 51 years, Er e Hayes Jr.; son, David Wayne Hayes; sisters, Annie Mae Williams and Ruby Kaulbeck, and brother, Ernest Cook Jr. Virginia is survived by her sons, Harold Hayes (Samara), William Gerald Hayes (Ann), and Anthony (“Tony”) Hayes (Debbie); daughter-in-law Debra Hayes; her seven grandchildren Stephanie West (Nate Layler), Terry Lyn Hayes, Holly Pruitt (BJ), Jennifer Caviness (Glenn), Christy Donathan (Teddy), Courtney Hayes and Christa Hayes (Ken Chavarria); 10 great-grandchildren; four greatgreat grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Cross Hill Cemetery with Elder Kerry Alzner o ciating.

Gary Junior Simon

July 4, 1955 – Oct. 30, 2025

Mr. Gary Simon, of Sanford, North Carolina, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at Liberty Commons in Sanford, North Carolina.

Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Gary Simon in your thoughts and prayers.

Arrangements are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of Sanford, North Carolina.

Irene Wallace Graham

May 30, 1941 – Oct. 27, 2025

Irene Wallace Graham, 84 years old, went to her heavenly home on Monday, October 27, 2025, at Transitions LifeCare Hospice Home, surrounded by family.

Irene was diagnosed with dementia four years ago, which has been challenging for her and her family. Her husband of 64 years, Larry Graham, did an amazing job of caring for her and their son, Steven, who has Down Syndrome. Irene and Larry created a loving Christian home for their children and the friends of their children. Irene’s positive in uence on the neighborhood children she cared for is a longlasting memory for many in the community.

Larry and Irene met and married at Beulah Hill Baptist Church and have been involved in the church all their life.

Irene enjoyed Bible study, gardening and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a devoted wife and mother, and faith and family were her priorities.

She is survived by her husband Larry, three children Donna Snipes and her husband (Tommy) and their three sons Matt (Michelle), Brad (Kaitlyn and son Oliver) and Zach; Kim and her husband (Bruce) and their four children Michael (Jazzi, and their two childrenTaylor and Skylar), Allison and her husband (Sam and their two children - Cassian and Lainey Jane), Kelsey and Joe.

Irene took wonderful care of the family, but had a special bond with her handicapped son, Steven. She was very proud of her family and enjoyed spending as much time with them as possible, including numerous family vacations to the North Carolina beaches and the mountains. Even as her di cult disease progressed, her kind and loving spirit shone brightly. In lieu of owers, donations of remembrance are requested by the family to be made to Beulah Hill Baptist Church or International Rett Syndrome Foundation in honor of Skylar LoBue (great granddaughter)

A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025, beginning at 1 p.m. at Beulah Hill Baptist Church, 7400 Beulah Hill Church Road, West End, NC 27376. A funeral service o ciated by Rev. Chris Bouldin will begin at 2 p.m., and burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Marvin “Jack” Hartsell

April 28, 1939 – Oct. 29, 2025

Surrounded by the love of his family, Marvin “Jack” Hartsell of Jackson Springs passed away peacefully at home on the morning of October 29, at the age of 86. Jack began his career at the JP Stevens Mill before opening a successful upholstery business with his late wife, Beulah. Dedicated to his community, he served as an o cer and deacon in his church, an o cer with his camping club, an organizer and leader of the community watch, and a Boy Scout leader. Jack also found joy in simple pleasurescamping, gardening, cooking for a crowd, listening to music and car races.

A man with a beautiful heart, Jack cherished his family deeply. His sisters, daughters, granddaughters and greatgrandchildren meant the world to him. He shared a special connection with each one, often showing his a ection through his trademark teasing and humor.

Jack also forged lasting friendships within his camping club and among lifelong neighbors. A natural leader in his church, club, and community, he was deeply respected, someone who could always be counted on when there was a need. One

of his greatest joys was hosting gatherings at “The Barn,” a beloved family property.

All who knew Jack will remember that familiar sparkle in his eye, a sure sign that some mischievous antic or witty remark was on the way.

Jack was blessed to share his life with two wonderful women. He was married to Beulah Auman for 45 beautiful years, and after her passing, spent the last 12 years of his life in a loving marriage to Jean Wright. Both brought him joy, laughter and deep companionship throughout his life’s journey. His marriage to Jean blessed him with additional children: Diane Overcash, Robert McInnis and Alicia Barbour (Lucas), and grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom he adored.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Beulah Auman Hartsell, and his parents, Marvin and Evelyn Hartsell.

Jack is survived by his wife, Jean Wright Hartsell; daughters Karla Short and Tina Upshaw (David); granddaughters Erin Widman (David), Ashley Wolfe (David), Megan Short and Perrin Upshaw; and greatgrandchildren, Kayleigh, Payton, Skylar, Kylie and Easton. He is also survived by his ve cherished little sisters and brothers-inlaw, Jane Brown (Carroll), Carol Deane Joyce (Jesse), Faye Freeman (Lawrence), Judy Bost (JE), and Debbie Davis (Edward), and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation is set for Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Boles Funeral Home in Pinehurst from 4-6 p.m., and the service on Monday, November 3, at 2 p.m. at Roseland United Methodist Church.

In place of owers, the family prefers a donation be made to either Roseland United Methodist Church or the Humane Society of Moore County.

Ray Stanley Whitaker

March 9, 1945 – Oct. 30, 2025

Ray Stanley Whitaker, age 80, of Carthage, passed away on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at his home surrounded by his family.

Ray was born on March 9, 1945, in Scotland County to the late Leonard Aaron Whitaker and Minnie Lee Miller Whitaker. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his son, Scott Whitaker; sisters, Kathleen, Joanna, Rosa, Nancy and Jeanette; brothers, Hervey, Bill and Mike; son-in-law, Paul Morton.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice Ring Whitaker; son, Stanley Whitaker (Annie) of Carthage; daughter, Shannon Morton of Carthage; grandchildren, Melissa Hurlocker (Jeremy), Johnathan Whitaker (Phelica), Amanda Carter (Justin), Nick Morton (Brittany) and Kinley Hickman (Chandler); great-grandchildren, Rylee Hurlocker, Maci Carter, Leah Hurlocker, Christian Carter, Jaxon Hickman and Pearl Morton; sister, Tina Foster of Kentucky; brother, Gene Whitaker (Doris) of Vass.

Ray was a lifelong skilled carpenter. He loved to cook and spend time with his family, especially with his grandchildren. He was loved and will be greatly missed.

No services are planned.

Mary Theodosia Bailey

Dec. 29, 1946 – Oct. 28, 2025

Mary Theodosia Bailey, a ectionally known by many as “Mary T.,” passed away peacefully at FirstHealth Hospice House on Tuesday morning, October 28, 2025. Born in Moore County to Dempsey Ernest and Theodosia Reed Bailey. She was the eleventh of 13 children. She grew up in Southern Pines, graduating from East Southern Pines High School, class of 1964. Then, she went on to graduate from Sanford Business College. Her career was as an administrative assistant in the insurance industry and several law practices, all after moving to South Carolina after graduation. In the 90s, she returned to Southern Pines, her hometown, and worked for many years at FirstHealth as a coding specialist, retiring in 2016. Her surviving siblings are Joyce Bailey Stutts (Roy) of Sparta, North Carolina (formally of Southern Pines), David E Bailey(Patsy) of Aberdeen, North Carolina, Dempsey J. Bailey of Townsville, South Carolina and Sue Bailey Haithcock (Mark) of Lexington, South Carolina. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Nonie Mattocks, Stephanie Sellars, Wade Melton, and great-greatgreat-nephew Luka Melton. Predeceased by her parents and eight siblings, Carlos, Reed, Keith, Bobby, Neil, Ernestine “Teenie”, Edna Lou and Margaret. In lieu of owers, memorials to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. No services will be held.

Longtime Bengals player, NBC broadcaster Bob Trumpy dead at 80

He called two Super Bowls and was part of coverage of three summer Olympics

By Joe Reedy

The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Bob

Trumpy, who was an original member of the Cincinnati Bengals for 10 years before enjoying a career as a network radio and television analyst, has died. He was 80.

The Bengals announced on Sunday that Trumpy died peacefully and was surrounded by family at home. The team had a moment of silence before its game against the Chicago Bears.

“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” said Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get down eld and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a

deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.

“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career

that was as successful as what he accomplished on the eld.”

Trumpy played collegiately at the University of Utah before being drafted by the AFL expansion Bengals in the 12th

“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the eld.”

Mike Brown, Bengals president

round of the 1968 common draft. He scored the franchise’s rst receiving touchdown on a 58-yard reception against Denver on Sept. 15, 1968.

Trumpy’s 4,600 receiving yards, 35 receiving touchdowns and 15.4 yards per catch remain the most by a tight end in team history. After retiring, Trumpy went on to have a distinguished career in radio and television. He joined NBC Sports as an NFL analyst in 1978 and called games through 1997, when it lost the AFC package to CBS.

George Karpathian

March 29, 1947 – Oct. 30, 2025

George Karpathian, 78, passed away on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the FirstHealth Hospice House in West End.

He was born on March 29, 1947, in Athens, Greece, to the late Anna Papathomas.

After his service as a diver in the Greek Navy Seals, George worked all over the world as a commercial diver and mechanic, including with U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He loved his homeland of Greece and his adopted country, the USA. He was devoted to his family and enjoyed the company of his many friends, especially when he could share his famous home-made yogurt and tzatziki. He also loved animals and had many pets over the years.

George is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Bettina; his two children, John Karpathian and partner, Heather Hastings, of Raleigh and Elizabeth Karpathian of the United Kingdom; and his cousin Elisabeth Paramythiotou of Athens, Greece. No memorial service is scheduled at this time. In lieu of owers, please consider making a donation to: rsthealth. org/foundation-of- rsthealth/ make-a-donation/ or to CorfuDonkeyRescue – Home.

Trumpy was NBC’s lead analyst with Dick Enberg from 1992-94 and he called two Super Bowls. He also called “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowls with Don Criqui on radio. He would also be a part of three Summer Olympics and three Ryder Cups for NBC. The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave Trumpy the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement in NFL broadcasting.

Trumpy also was a sports talk show host in Cincinnati from 1980-89. In 1983, while hosting “Sportstalk” on WLW, he received a call from a despondent woman who said she was going to commit suicide.

Trumpy spent the next 21⁄2 hours on the phone with the woman — who identi ed herself as “Sugar” — until police located her.

“I don’t know why she called a sports talk show,” Trumpy told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. “It probably was just the rst phone number she heard on the radio and decided to call it.

“I sure didn’t feel like a hero after that. I hated that woman. She wasn’t the only one who had to go to a crisis center for therapy. So did I, since I couldn’t gure out why I hated her. They convinced me I hated her because of what she put me through.”

ED KOLENOVSKY / AP PHOTO

Bengals tight end Bob Trumpy (84) and Houston’s Ken Houston (29) ght for a high pass from Bengals quarterback Sam Wyche during a Dec. 13, 1970, game in the Houston Astrodome.

STATE & NATION

Glass to grain at Whiskey Prison

Sprits of both kinds

dwell inside Southern Grace Distilleries

By Dan Reeves North State Journal

MOUNT PLEASANT — Inside the old Cabarrus Correctional Center, bourbon breathes where inmates once served time. Southern Grace Distilleries at Whiskey Prison has transformed the 1930s-era compound into one of North Carolina’s most distinctive craft-spirits operations — a place where the smell of aging whiskey replaces the sting of disinfectant and each bottle carries a little history in the glass.

Thomas Thacker, the distillery’s director of operations, leads tastings through the chapel-turned-barroom with the precision of a jeweler and the ease of a bartender.

“First thing you do is check the color,” he said, holding a glass to the light. “That tells you the barrel has done its work.”

His guided tastings follow the same evaluation process used in the trade: look, nose, taste, nish — then connect every note back to the grain, the proof and the wood.

He moves the glass beside a jar of clear moonshine for comparison.

“Whereas that moonshine looks like this, bourbon should look like this,” he said, shifting from crystal to amber.

The darker hue, he explained, signals proper barrel contact.

“We cut to 105 when we go in the barrel. Lower proof slows color extraction; higher proof speeds it up. Some compounds are water soluble, some alcohol soluble. Change the balance, change the extraction.”

Thacker’s philosophy begins not in the rickhouse but at the bar.

“People talk about grainto-glass, and we do that,” he said. “But our company’s really glass-to-grain. We start with the person who orders a neat pour of bourbon. That’s our constituency. Everything else backs up from there.”

A longtime bartender, Thacker understands the quiet calculus of the second pour.

“You have to pass that minimum bar of entry,” he said. “If you’re not good, people quit drinking you after the rst time.”

Southern Grace’s small scale — “just about too small to be in the bourbon business,” he joked — means babysitting every drop, trusting the wood, and letting each barrel sing di erently.

“We don’t cut it and we don’t mingle it,” he said. “The next barrel will be a little di erent. We’ll guarantee it’s good — you decide if you like it.”

At the tasting table, Thacker pours from what he calls the “hot box,” a barrel aged in the distillery’s warmest room. The whiskey runs around 101 proof, light in color but loaded with baking-spice sweetness.

“We use so much corn,” he said. “Those fatty acids give that buttery coating — a creaminess that hits right around 100 proof.”

Then comes a sample of the ve-year Conviction Double Oak, a blend of four barrels nished in new charred oak.

“Aging is dilutive,” Thacker said. “Year one’s bigger than year four. With double oak, you get year one and two, then start over.”

The result is darker and smokier, with a dry, red wine -like nish.

Conviction has earned its share of medals — Best Bourbon Under Four Years Old at the 2019

New Orleans Bourbon Festival and more recent golds for both single-barrel and double-oak releases — but Thacker values the feedback over the hardware.

“You get a couple dozen smart palates sending you evaluative notes,” he said. “That’s worth the entry fee.”

Much of Southern Grace’s reach now comes from the online “bourbon sphere” — YouTube reviewers, podcasters and social-media tasters who bring national attention to small distillers.

“When somebody you’ve followed for ve years says our Double Oak is one of their favorites, people show up,” Thacker said. “We’ve seen orders from all over the country because of it.”

While production and tastings drive the business, tourism keeps

the place humming. The site’s prison bones and shadowy corridors have become as famous as the bourbon itself. The distillery’s “Convicted Spirits” ghost tours are a word-of-mouth phenomenon, often running until 3 or 4 in the morning. Paranormal groups return again and again, cameras and thermal sensors in tow.

“People think they want that until it happens,” Thacker said with a grin.

He’s witnessed enough to respect the stories.

“There’s a line in one of the barrel houses that dogs won’t cross,” he said. “Even with food on the other side, they stop and bark.”

Guests have reported tugged shirts, cold air pockets, and the unsettling sense of eyes on them.

“It’s a weird, creepy place when the lights go out,” Thacker

The former Cabarrus Correctional Center, now home to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, has been transformed from a prison into a oneof-a-kind bourbon destination.

said. “But it’s good for business. You wouldn’t believe how many people come for the ghosts and stay for the bourbon.”

Mount Pleasant has embraced the distillery, and the community connection runs deep. Local restaurants like 73 & Main send diners for tours, and concertgoers stop in for tastings. Future plans include more live music, food trucks and outdoor events on the old prison grounds.

“We could double production and boost tourism 50% without leaving this campus,” Thacker said. “What we need is more space to age barrels.”

He laughs at the practicality of it all.

“I need a barrel house that’ll hold a thousand barrels,” he said. “In this business, that four, ve, six years you have to sit on stu — that’s gravity. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have the space, you don’t have it.”

The editor in him — years spent in newspapers and politics — still shows in the way he measures words.

“Get the data right, then make it beautiful,” he said. “It’s the same with bourbon.”

And as the sun slants through the old cellblock windows, he raises a nal glass, amber and steady.

“We’re not a threat to Jack Daniels,” he said, swirling the whiskey. “But when a serious drinker says our bottle holds its own — that’s all the conviction we need.”

Young T. rex or new dinosaur? New bones add to the debate

The 80-year-old mystery has remained an open question for decades

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?

At rst, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate but didn’t settle the controversy. Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — rst uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identi es the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosau-

The skull of a T. rex may actually be a new

rus rex. The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said study co-author Lindsay Zanno with the N.C. Museum of Natu-

ral Sciences and NC State. Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully edged T.

rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major di erences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.

Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.

There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery skeletons like Jane are something new.

Other independent scientists also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an

adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.

There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.

“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.

Resolving the case is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier but still mighty predator also roamed.

The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops and is currently on display at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

PHOTOS BY MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Barreled whiskey at Southern Grace Distilleries develops complex avors, aromas and its signature color through chemical reactions with the wood, evaporation and oxidation.

NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES VIA AP

species.