North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 43

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025

NSJONLINE.COM

ALLISON JOYCE / AP PHOTO

Members of the Lumbee Tribe participate during the BraveNation Powwow and Gather at UNC Pembroke on March 22. The tribe is closing in on federal recognition after its bid was included in the National Defense Reauthorization Act.

Lumbee poised for federal recognition

the

BRIEF this week

Winslow will not seek reelection to N.C. House Raleigh State Rep. Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin) will finish out the remainder of his term but will not be seeking reelection in 2026. Winslow is in his third term in the House and is the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He also serves as chair for the Energy and Public Utilities Committee as well as the Appropriations, Capital and Information Technology Committee.

He is the owner/operator of Winslow Homes, a homebuilding company located in his hometown of Youngsville. In his letter, Winslow also gave his “full support” to Cory Thornton, who has already filed to run for Winslow’s seat. Democrat Mark Speed, a Franklin County commissioner from Louisburg, has also filed to run for the seat, which spans Franklin and Vance counties. In 2022, Speed unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Lisa Barnes (R-Nash) for her Senate District 11 seat.

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy: Proposals to end war with Russia near Kyiv, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says proposals being negotiated with U.S. officials for a deal to end the fighting in Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion of his country could be finalized within days, after which American envoys will present them to the Kremlin before possible further meetings in the U.S. next weekend.

Zelenskyy called the draft “very workable” but cautioned that some key issues — notably what happens to Ukrainian territory occupied

by Russian forces — remain unresolved.

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The National Defense Reauthorization Act included an act that would end the tribe’s wait

Federal government releases $33M in Helene relief funds The latest federal money follows $155 million by FEMA in November

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced another $33 million in relief for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in North Carolina on Dec. 5.

“This investment will repair

and restore critical public infrastructure across North Carolina, including schools, public safety facilities, utilities, and community services,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a press release.

According to the press release, the funding will go toward 44 recovery projects, bringing the total in public assistance funds for the state’s See HELENE, page A3

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A Donald Trump campaign promise to North Carolina’s Lumbee Indian Tribe is a step closer to becoming reality with the addition of the Lumbee Fairness Act in this year’s National Defense Reauthorization Act. The U.S. House passed the $900.6 billion National Defense Reauthorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 312-112 on Dec. 10. Only one North Carolina House member, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-Hillsborough), voted no.

The bill has been sent to the Senate for action, where passage seems likely.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump’s campaign promises included full recognition of the Lum-

Hall creates property tax reform committee “For too long, local governments have steadily increased property taxes.

Enough is enough.”

House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls)

The committee will examine local government revenue while attempting to reduce levies

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) has formed a new House Select Committee to examine property tax reform.

“For too long, local governments have steadily increased property taxes,” Hall said in a post on X. “Enough is enough. The House is focused on providing meaningful relief for hard-

working North Carolinians.”

According to the Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform’s formation document, members will “study options to reduce the property tax burden on taxpayers in North Carolina.”

The committee will also look at reforms that “provide property tax relief to taxpayers while balancing potential impacts on local government revenues.”

The new 23-member committee is made up of 15 Republicans and eight Democrats, and it will be co-chaired by Reps. Julia Howard (R-Davie), Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba), Erin Paré (R-Wake).

Vice chairs include Reps.

See TAX, page A3

bee Tribe. After taking office, Trump issued a presidential memorandum supporting full federal recognition that directed the secretary of the Interior to create and execute a plan to make it a reality.

The 2026 NDAA is more than 3,000 pages long and draws from two pieces of legislation, one being Senate Bill 2296 and the other, House Resolution 3838, which is the House version passed by that body Sept. 10.

North Carolina Congressman Mark Harris (R-Indian Trail) applauded the addition of the act into the NDAA. “For decades, the Lumbee People have sought full federal recognition — and today, we are closer than ever to making it a reality,” Harris said in a statement. “We have used every tool at our disposal to secure recognition in this year’s NDAA. I’m deeply grateful to President Trump for his longstanding championship of the Lumbee Tribe and for working See LUMBEE, page A2

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THURSDAY

12.18.25 #520

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the word | Waiting for the King who is coming It was a dark hour in the history of the world. Look beneath the cross. The whole world seemed in arms against God and against His Christ. The Roman power was against Him, for Pilate had delivered Him up to death. The rulers of the Jewish Church had condemned Him in their council. The mixed multitude shared in the sin of their leaders, for they cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Thus was fulfilled the ancient word: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed.”

And now all around the cross there was profane mockery of the Crucified One. The soldiers derided Him. The chief priests and scribes reviled Him. The passers-by wagged their heads. Even one of the malefactors crucified beside Him railed upon Him with the unbelieving scoff, “If You are Christ, save Yourself and us.”

But shall none take the part of our King in His day of shame? Shall no one dare to speak a word on behalf of the world’s Redeemer? If it were to be any, might we not have looked for it from those who had known Him best? Yet Judas had betrayed Him. Peter had denied Him and was weeping in secret. John, faithful still, was occupied in the care of the Lord’s mother. The rest had forsaken Him and fled. If ever faith seemed banished from the earth, it was in that hour.

Yet from the least expected quarter a confession was heard. A strange confessor appeared — a thief, a criminal, suffering the just reward of his deeds. He rebuked his fellow malefactor, saying, “Do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? We indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” In the midst of universal reproach, he bore witness to the innocence of Christ.

Nor did he end there. He advanced another step. Turning toward the dying Savior, he breathed forth that marvelous Advent prayer — spoken in the hearing of an unbelieving throng, and a glorious answer to the scorn of that hour: “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.”

For Christ’s kingly dignity had been scorned on every side. The crown of thorns, mock robe, feigned homage, superscription above His head and the soldiers’ taunt — “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself” — all told the same tale. Jesus a King? A King without a throne; a King without an army; a King without a follower?

Then arose the victorious faith of the malefactor. He looked away from that crowd of mockers. He looked away from the shame and suffering of the Redeemer. He looked through the dark shadows of that day — through the cross, through the grave — and his faith could discern, on the horizon, the dawn of a brighter day. Where others saw only defeat, he beheld a kingdom yet to be revealed, and a King who should come again in majesty and power.

Here was faith indeed — faith in spite of everything that could hinder it. It sprang up in one who had been an outcast and a rebel against God; yet it rose higher than the visible circumstances, and laid hold on unseen realities. While another malefactor desired only to be saved from present suffering, this man fixed his hope upon the great future, and upon the coming of the King.

The prayer was brief, yet immeasurably deep. Beneath these few words lay a full confession: “Lord, I see You dying upon the cross; yet

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Mountain Landscape” is a painting by Caspar David Friedrich (1804) in the collection of Goethe National Museum in Weimar, Germany, and was an antecedent to his famous “Tetschen Altar” depicting a cross in the mountains.

The altar painting is in the collection of Galerie Neue Meister in Dresden.

I believe You to be far other than You seem. I believe death cannot rob You of Your power. I believe there is a day coming when You shall come to rule, to reign, to judge. And when it shall be — then remember me.”

Thus, in that one petition, there is the spirit of Advent itself. Advent bids us wait — not with cold uncertainty, but with sure expectation.

It teaches us to look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; to confess Christ’s kingdom even when it appears hidden; to trust His glory even when it is veiled in suffering.

And Christ answered him. “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” The thief asked but for remembrance; Christ promised him His presence. He sought a thought in the distant day of appearing; he received, that very day, the assurance of communion with the King. And in the background of the promise there lay, as the Everlasting Day draws near, all that the prayer itself desired — glory and honor when Christ comes in His kingdom.

Let the prayer of the penitent thief find an echo in our hearts.

We too stand amid a world that often mocks Christ’s authority and despises His rule. Yet the King is coming. The kingdom is sure. And those who, in their need, turn to Him in faith shall not be forgotten.

The King who is coming is also the King who remembers.

George Everard was a 19th-century Anglican minister and devotional writer who served as vicar of St. Mark’s in Regent’s Park, London, from 1868 to 1884. He wrote widely read devotional addresses during the Victorian era. His works are now in the public domain. This is an edited version of his original.

Local Government Commission makes $1.1B in financing approvals The largest amounts included $395 million to Buncombe County and more than $257 million for Lake Norman Regional Medical Center refinancing

in Woodfin and general obligation bonds for streets, parks and stormwater in New Bern, and $20.5 million for a 180-unit low-income housing development in Winston-Salem.

Smaller approvals ranged from housing, education, public safety and infrastructure proj-

LUMBEE from page A1

Lumbee Chairman and newly appointed North Carolina statehouse Rep. John Lowery (R-Robeson) took to Facebook praising the announcement.

“The Lumbee Fairness Act is now included in the final National Defense Reauthorization Act (NDAA) draft heading to votes in the House and Senate in the next two weeks,” Lowery wrote in a Dec. 7 Facebook post.

“We move forward with hope and determination, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our friends in Congress and the White House to secure final passage,” wrote Lowery. “I remain deeply involved every step of the way, helping unite and focus all of our allies as we push to-

ward this long-awaited victory.

“Keep the prayers going up as we know the enemy will continue to fight our efforts.”

Full federal recognition for the 55,000-member Lumbee Tribe could mean additional education resources and health care funding in the Robeson County area, where many Lumbees call home.

There is also speculation the Lumbees could vie for building their own casino resort along the I-95 corridor, which would rival Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort run by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Harrah’s is located in the western part of North Carolina within the Qualla Boundary land trust in Cherokee.

across both chambers of Congress to deliver the full federal recognition and rights our people deserve. Now is the time — let’s get it over the finish line!”

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks, in a lengthy statement issued on Facebook, said the Lumbee Fairness Act’s inclusion is “unprecedented.”

“This decision, if allowed to move forward in this form, is unprecedented,” Hicks wrote.

“If allowed to proceed, it will permanently alter the legal and cultural structures of Indian Country.”

Hicks also claimed the “Lumbee group have not been feder-

COURTESY THW DESIGN

A rendering shows the fourth-floor main dining room at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in Asheville. Buncombe County received $395 million in conduit revenue bonds to expand the community. for the city of Raleigh to obtain lower-cost permanent financing, $45 million in limited obligation bonds for Henderson County to construct a new UNC Health Pardee medical office building and $40 million for Wilson County to build a new elementary school

ally recognized” and were attempting to “bypass established federal acknowledgment process by attaching their recognition bill to a must-pass NDAA.” Additionally, Hicks’ statement claimed the Lumbee had not met any standards for federal recognition, a claim he also made during a Nov. 5 hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on the matter.

During that hearing, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis gave remarks in support of full recognition of the tribe, while Hicks and the chief of the Shawnee Tribe opposed Congressional recognition, instead pushing for an administrative course of action that could take decades. Members from both

and multiple county facilities.

Additional multimillion approvals included $31.5 million for Triad Goodwill’s Sustainability and Opportunity Campus in Greensboro, $29 million for a 160-unit affordable housing project in Durham, $24 million each for affordable housing

“We move forward with hope and determination, standing shoulder-toshoulder with our friends in Congress and the White House to secure final passage.”

State Rep. John Lowery (R-Robeson), Lumbee chairman sides of the political aisle on the committee expressed preference for congressional approval as a course of action.

Following the inclusion of the tribe’s recognition in the NDAA,

Funds approved for Wilson County to build a new elementary school and county facilities

ects across multiple counties to landfill, sewer and water system improvements.

A full list of approvals can be accessed in a Dec. 2 press release on the Office of the State Treasurer’s website at nctreasurer.gov/news/press-releases The LGC, which oversees the fiscal health of more than 1,100 local governments, is chaired by State Treasurer Brad Briner.

A press release from Briner’s office noted the North Carolina Capital Facilities Finance Agency (NCCFFA) met before the LGC’s meeting and approved a request from Guilford County for a $31.5 million conduit revenue bond with proceeds directed to the Triad Goodwill to finance the construction and outfitting of the Sustainability Center in Greensboro for recycling.

Briner, who chairs the NCCFFA, “pushed to revise agency guidelines to lengthen the amount of time bonds mature from 20 or 25 years to 40 years in an attempt to make financing through NCCFFA more attractive than taking the business out of state,” according to a press release.

Additionally, Gov. Josh Stein appointee Betty Parker joined the board for her first meeting.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina Local Government Commission approved financing totaling more than $1.1 billion at its December meeting.

Key approvals focused on retirement communities and health care, including $395 million in conduit revenue bonds to Buncombe County for Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in Asheville to expand its continuing care retirement community and $275.67 million to Iredell County for Duke University Health System to refinance its acquisition of Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville.

The Duke Health System request was submitted by the North Carolina Medical Care Commission (NCMCC) for a tax-exempt conduit revenue bond and was one of three NCMCC requests approved.

The Local Government Commission (LGC) also approved $265 million in revenue bonds

$40M

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Chapel Hill Carrboro Schools officials grilled for noncompliance with Parents’ Bill of Rights The House Oversight Committee co-chair accused the CHCCS board chair of perjury

Chapel Hill Carrboro Schools Board Chair George Griffin, left, and district Superintendent Rodney Trice, right, are questioned by members of the North Carolina House Oversight Commission on compliance with the Parents’ Bill of Rights during a Dec. 10 hearing.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Lawmakers on the N.C. House Oversight Committee heavily criticized officials from Chapel Hill Carrboro schools over the district’s apparent failure to follow the state’s Parents’ Bill of Rights law during a hearing last Wednesday.

Chapel Hill Carrboro Schools’ Board Chair George Griffin and Superintendent Rodney Trice were called to testify and faced more than two hours of heated questioning for comments made

by Griffin and board actions taken during a January 2024 school board meeting.

The meeting, held on Jan. 18, 2024, was recorded and shows Griffin making comments aimed at ignoring provisions of the Parents’ Bill of Rights (Senate Bill 49), calling the law, “just morally wrong,” and saying, “We’re not going to do it this way.” He also told the board, “My recommendation is that we not comply with the law, and that we say so cleanly.”

One of the provisions the district is accused of attempting to circumvent is the right of parents to be notified before a school changes their child’s name or pronouns, and the other involves the ban on sexually inappropriate or gender identity materials in grades K-4.

The written testimonies submitted by Griffin and Trice are very similar, and both claim the district is “in compliance with the law — including the Parents Bill of Rights.”

Committee Co-Chair Rep. Brendan Jones (R-Columbus) opened the meeting with a lengthy prepared statement aimed at Griffin and Trice. He also warned other districts could end up in front of the

COURTESY NCGA

committee for violating the law.

“Make no mistake, you’re not here today because of a misunderstanding. You’re here today because you chose to wage war against the law,” Jones said. “You chose to deceive the public. And now you’re here because you got caught. And I’ll be honest, for the next two hours, it’s going to be uncomfortable because you deserve to be uncomfortable.”

Jones went on to call the actions a “coordinated middle finger to this legislature and to every parent in your district.”

“Let me remind you of something: No one in North Carolina is above the law,” Jones said.

“Especially not a public official who holds the trust of our children.”

Jones went on to give examples of “what really went on inside your schools” that included a book written by a CHCCS “equity specialist” that has a chapter titled “We Make Some

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls), pictured Sept. 23 in Raleigh, announced a new committee last week to evaluate property taxes.

Woke Kids.”

Jones said the district had promoted “resources” using Critical Race Theory, as well as books recommended to elementary students with titles such as “Santa’s Hug,” “It isn’t rude to be nude,” and “These are my eyes, this is my nose, this is my vulva, these are my toes.”

Throughout the hearing, Griffin was asked multiple times about his Jan. 18 meeting remarks to which he repeatedly claimed the board had followed the law.

On the books mentioned by Jones, Trice said he was unfamiliar with or had no knowledge of the books. Trice said that some links on their website went to third-party resources for parents, and CHCSS doesn’t approve all content that is linked off their website.

“Will you commit right now, under oath, to a full and permanent compliance with

S.B. 49, including parental notification of the K-4 instruction ban in policy?” Jones asked Trice.

“As superintendent of the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, I will follow the law as written,” Trice replied.

Three Democrats on the committee, Reps. Maria Cervania (Wake), Allison Dahle (Wake) and Amos Quick (Guilford), objected to the heated nature of the hearing.

Dahle, who is gay, said, “This is an attack on gay trans people,” and called the hearing a “kangaroo court.” Quick, who was late to the hearing but watched some of it on his phone, said the hearing was “good TV” and “embarrassing.”

Near the end of the hearing, Jones also accused Griffin of perjuring himself by claiming CHCCS was in compliance with the law when an email Griffin sent on Feb. 12 seemed to say the opposite.

“Either you are perjuring yourself or maybe you just have a really bad memory because on Feb. 12, almost a month later, you sent an email,” Jones said holding up a copy of the email in which Griffin wrote that the board had “unanimously voted not to develop policies” and cited CHCCS’ core value of “Social Justice Action.”

“So you lied in this email to these persons?” Jones pressed.

“I wouldn’t say I lied,” Griffin replied, and later added, “I may not have been as clear as I wished I could have been.”

Jones was visibly angry at Griffin’s response, and raising his voice told Griffin, “This has nothing to with clear.

This is a lie. These are lies. You are under oath. ... You swore to tell the truth today, and you lied.”

TAX from page A1

(D-Wake), Nasif Majeed (D-Mecklenburg) and Brian Turner (D-Buncombe).

Six areas of interest to be examined by the committee include: • Review existing property tax relief programs currently available to North Carolina homeowners to determine whether those programs should be modified or expanded.

• Consider mechanisms to expand property tax relief to homeowners more broadly, including adjusting the frequency of revaluations, implementing methods to minimize the impact of future revaluations on homeowners, or providing homeowners with alternative payment plans.

• Examine the uniformity requirement in Article V, Section 2 of the North Caroli-

na Constitution and evaluate whether to amend the North Carolina Constitution to allow counties to implement property tax reductions and reforms.

• Analyze potential impacts and options to address local government revenue reductions, including reimbursement mechanisms and additional revenue-generating authority.

• Consider factors associated with increasing property tax assessments on taxpayers, including reviewing local government debt and spending levels.

• Consult organizations and entities with expertise in local government operations, financing and real property valuation The committee’s findings and proposed legislation are to be presented before the convening of the legislature’s 2026 regular session.

Brian Echevarria (R-Cabarrus) and Neal Jackson (R-Moore).

The 10 remaining Republican Committee members are Reps. Jonathan Almond (R-Cabarrus), Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg), Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort), Larry Potts (R-Davidson), Dennis Riddell (R-Alamance), Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake), Harry Warren (R-Rowan), Sam Watford (R-Davidson), Diane Wheatley (R-Cumberland) and Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth).

The eight Democratic members are Reps. Eric Ager (D-Buncombe), Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg), Maria Cervania (D-Wake), Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg), Frances Jackson (D-Cumberland), Abe Jones

HELENE from page A1 recovery efforts to more than $1 billion. The $33 million funding is in addition to more than $2 billion in FEMA funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers statewide debris clearance in January.

“North Carolina communities are rebuilding stronger, and today’s approvals show this Administration’s commitment to cutting red tape and getting recovery dollars out the door faster,” said Noem. “I want to thank Senator Ted Budd, Congressman Chuck Edwards, and Chairman Michael Whatley for their strong advocacy on behalf of North Carolinians.”

In a separate press release, Budd thanked Noem for releasing the funding and noted he had released his hold on nominees for her department as a result.

“I am grateful for Secretary Noem working with me to more regularly approve reimbursements for Helene and past disaster recovery projects,” Budd

“North Carolina communities are rebuilding stronger, and today’s approvals show this Administration’s commitment to cutting red tape and getting recovery dollars out the door faster.”

Kristi Noem, DHS secretary

said. “While I have released my holds on DHS nominees, I will continue to engage all relevant federal agencies to make sure Western North Carolina receives the focus and attention it deserves, particularly the final distribution of funds to the municipalities and state agencies in desperate need of financial relief.

“There is still more work to be done to make the people of

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO

Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), pictured in January in Washington, D.C., thanked the Department of Homeland Security for releasing more Hurricane Helene relief funds.

Western North Carolina whole in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, and the federal government must continue to do its part.”

Budd’s release noted more than $29 million of the funds are public assistance reimbursements that follow FEMA’s previous release of $155 million for

To read the extended version of this article, visit NSJonline.com

recovery projects. His release also included a list of projects, the locations and the cost.

That included more than $7.6 million to Asheville Municipal Golf Course; more than $4 million for Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton; nearly $2.1 million for Blevins Creek Road repairs in Avery County; more than $3.45 million for Avery County senior center and administrative buildings; more than $1.6 million each for Beech Mountain and Asheville emergency support; more than $1.6 million for repairs to N.C. 1407 in McDowell County; more than $1.3 million for Bee Tree Dam in Asheville; more than $1.3 million for repairs to several Buncombe County roads; just over $1.3 million for alternative procedures debris removal; nearly $1.3 million for a water distribution system in Spruce Pine; more than $1.1 million for several roads in Caldwell County; and just over $1 million for emergency support for North Carolina Emergency Management.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Are Americans reading enough great books every year?

Would they just go to their computer and ask AI to write a new Constitution for us?

I AM READING “The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution” by Bernard Bailyn, which is an astonishing history of the intellectual and philosophical input that our founders put into their heads way before they met in Philadelphia to pass the Declaration of Independence first and the Constitution later. The wide array of treatises, essays, literature, poetry and history they read dating back more than 2000 years and referenced easily in their speeches and writing is carefully documented by Bailyn.

It also serves as a shocking reminder to every American as to how far we have allowed our educational system to fall short of providing the intellectual and philosophical fuel our democratic republic needs to sustain itself. Without it, selfgoverning republics suffocate.

There was nothing spontaneous or made up on the spot during those deliberations in Philadelphia long ago. Nothing occurred by magic or pure chance. All the ideas put together in those two historic and timeless documents were drawn from the greatest writers, playwrights, philosophers, theologians and thinkers from days long before America was even a dream in anyone’s eyes.

Bailyn obviously was a scholar of the utmost pedigree who taught at Harvard and passed away in 2020. The first thing that came to mind while reading his book was a stunning finding from the Pew Research Center that came out about 20 years ago that

adult Americans, on average, only read one book per year.

There was no mention of what type of book the average American was reading.

It could have been anything from a sultry summer romance novel or a dark science fiction story about how AI is going to destroy mankind to an in-depth exposé of the secret life of a celebrity. Chances are pretty high the book read by the average American each year was not on the order of Augustine’s “City of God” or Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables.”

The emphasis was “on average,” meaning there were many adults who didn’t read one book in any given year. There are voracious readers who may read a book per week to bring the average back close to one.

Former President Bill Clinton was one of those voracious readers. He somehow found time to read at least one book per week, according to news reports at the time.

The question for today would be what would our current generation draw upon if asked to write a new Constitution or Declaration? Would it be based on some amalgamation of lyrics from current rap songs, quotes from Marvel comics movies about superheroes, or any pithy comment made by a professional NBA or NFL superstar after they won a championship against all odds and “fought like soldiers” through pain or setback?

Or would they just go to their computer and ask AI to write a new Constitution for us?

There may not be enough intellectual or philosophical fuel left in the American pipeline to reproduce such miraculous documents once the current older generations who have studied it and tried to practice it pass on one day. This is a major reason to support any effort to bring back classical liberal education to our classrooms and homes in 2026 and beyond.

Granted, there are far more diversions in the 21st century that compete for the time and headspace of Americans today than in the 18th century. But are the brain darts that are fired at us daily on social media through our cell phones, laptops and television sets really helping build us up as whole people, or are they turning us into fiery, angry, narrowminded smaller tribes of like-minded folks who are losing the capacity to live peaceably with each other despite our marked differences of opinion?

In the human brain, there is a small structure in the limbic system called the amygdala that controls your behavior and emotions. It is more commonly associated with governing your “fight or flight” response system. Modern technology has allowed marketers the ability to tap into your purchasing preferences based on your search and purchase patterns. It has also given political experts the ability to target your “political amygdala” — let’s call it — on an almost continuous basis. No wonder we feel so exhausted all the time.

In our founders’ time, such emotions could only be tapped through paper pamphlets or newspapers. But once those were read and dropped into the trash bin or burning fire, your brain had a chance to relax and recover some degree of normalcy before the next stimulus came around.

Can’t we all use some of that brain restoration and healing today?

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

The other victims and near-victims on Charlotte’s public transit system

Another threatening incident she experienced scared her so much that she hasn’t ridden on the light rail system since.

ONE WOULD THINK that the stabbing murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska back in August and the national backlash that ensued after it was learned the suspect, 34-year-old homeless man Decarlos Brown Jr., was a repeat offender with a violent history, would have brought about a political reckoning of sorts for social justice-minded Charlotte city leaders.

While there was a lot of talk about “accountability” and “change” in the aftermath of what happened to Zarutska, woke Democrats, the kind who advocate for the very soft-on-crime policies that enable violent tragedies to happen, remain in control of the city council after the November elections.

One month after the elections, there was another stabbing on Charlotte’s light rail system, where, fortunately, the victim is recovering. But this time, not only is the suspect, 33-year-old Oscar Solarzano, a violent repeat offender, he is also a twicedeported illegal immigrant who never should have been here.

Not surprisingly, the same Democrats and left-wing activists who complained loudly about the federal “Charlotte’s Web” immigration sweep have had little to nothing

to say regarding that inconvenient fact.

But while both cases have gotten a lot of attention, there are other instances that don’t get as much of a spotlight as people go about their daily business on the light rail and the buses. This includes incidents where riders were made to feel unsafe by what was going on around them, the stories of passengers witnessing concerning and erratic behavior, drug exchanges, and, in some cases, being harassed, bullied or assaulted.

After Zarutska was murdered, we heard a lot more about such instances as crime reports were pulled and analyzed. Some people also stepped forth to describe what they had experienced.

WCNC, for instance, reported that “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department records show other light rail riders reported getting bitten, hit in the face, robbed at gunpoint and forced to touch a person’s genitals on and around the light rail.”

And all of these were crimes that took place within the roughly two weeks after the brutal attack on Zarutska.

In a report from WSOC-TV, we learned about an almost-victim who, along with a co-worker, was “confronted by a stranger with a knife on the light rail in December 2023. The stranger threatened to kill

people,” but both the woman and her coworker, fortunately, got away without being hurt. The woman said the incident and another she experienced scared her so much that she hasn’t ridden on the light rail system since.

Another commuter told the news outlet, “People have harassed other people; you can tell that they’re probably not mentally well.”

Someone very close to me was once nearly victimized on the Charlotte trolley system many years ago, being followed by four young guys who sat close to her on the trolley, with one positioning himself right next to her and periodically bumping her side, commenting about how she must be “rich” considering the type of purse she was carrying and the clothes she was wearing.

When she got off at her stop, the guys followed behind her. Fortunately, there was a group of police officers standing nearby, so she went and stood next to them. Once that happened, the guys who had been following her switched gears and went in a different direction.

In the debate over crime, safety and security in Charlotte, the stories of the victims matter, and the stories of the nearvictims also matter. It’s just a shame that there are members of Charlotte’s city council who don’t appear to agree.

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

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

COLUMN | PAUL STAM

COLUMN

A collision course with itself?

Social Security is in trouble.

RECENTLY I READ several news items that convinced me that the foreign and economic policies of the United States government are on collision courses with themselves.

1. “(Marco) Rubio wants allies urged to restrict immigration. The State Department has ordered its diplomats in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to press their host governments to restrict most immigrants and to file reports if the governments appear to be overly supportive of immigrants.” The New York Times, Nov. 28.

2. On the same page of The Times, this article: “The Biggest Secret in British Society.

Immigration is plummeting, not rising.” It is dropping in 2025 from 640,000 to 204,000, and it is going much lower in 2026 under new policies of the Labor government.

3. From the December report of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity (CTUP) is news that the People’s Republic of China will impose, in January, a 13% tax on condoms.

Fifty years ago, the Chinese Communists imposed a “one child” policy. It resulted in coerced abortions, infanticide (mostly girls), forced sterilization and massive fines for a second child. In the last decade, that “onechild” policy went to the “two-child” and then “three-child” policy. The People’s Republic has new incentives for prospective parents, promising child care services from nurseries to kindergartens and marriage-related services.

In 2024, the population of China actually fell by several million for the first time in 50 years.

4. The fourth “news” appears every other day. Social Security is in trouble. A few decades ago, there were 16 workers for every retiree. Now it is less than three workers for

every retiree (and going down to 2.5). Most politicians have promised not to cut benefits or raise taxes and recently voted for the OBBB to exempt some taxation on Social Security benefits for a few seniors. At some point, those under age 40 will rise in revolt over their elders transferring $38 trillion of debt to their descendants to the third and fourth generations.

To put all this together requires understanding population demographics. A society needs an average of 2.1 births over time for each woman during her lifetime to maintain its population. The United States fertility rate is now at 1.6. The North Carolina fertility rate is about 1.8. All of Europe is below replacement level, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Our allies in the western Pacific — Taiwan, Japan and South Korea — have even lower rates. South Korea is in last place in the world at just 0.7 children per woman. South Korea is rapidly committing demographic suicide. The rest of the “West” is slowly committing demographic suicide.

Except for Malthusians and devotees of Paul Ehrlich’s 1965 “The Population Bomb” nonsense, all sentient economists realize that a slowly growing population is necessary for economic prosperity. The administration is asking our oldest and best allies to stop allowing immigration on top of their low fertility rates.

In “Through the Looking Glass,” Alice was told by the Queen that she could believe “six impossible things before breakfast!” That may be true in fantasy fiction but not in real life.

Paul Stam spent 16 years in the General Assembly, the last 10 as minority leader, then majority leader and then speaker pro tem.

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

The left doesn’t believe in the Constitutional order It’s about time an unaccountable fourth branch of the state was decimated.

During oral arguments in Trump v.

Slaughter, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor threatened America with a good time, warning that the administration is “asking us to destroy the structure of government.”

Great. It’s about time an unaccountable fourth branch of the state was decimated.

Trump v. Slaughter revolves around the president’s ability to fire executive branch officials without cause at “independent” agencies. For one thing, nowhere does the Constitution empower Congress to create “independent” anything. The notion is a concoction of our worst former president, Woodrow Wilson, and it was codified nearly a century ago in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, when the court ruled that the Federal Trade Commission was a quasi-legislative, executive and judicial agency.

Google AI still informs me that the Federal Trade Commission is an “independent agency” that is “technically within the executive branch structure,” which is not a real thing. Moreover, even if it were one, the scope of “independent” agencies has expanded significantly since 1934. In some ways, they now have more power over Americans than any branch. There is no conception of the founding that included a sprawling, autonomous administrative state empowered to create its own rules, investigate citizens, adjudicate guilt, impose fines and destroy lives. The Supreme Court already overturned the Chevron deference, which granted agencies nearly unfettered powers to create regulatory regimes without Congress.

Humphrey’s Executor deserves the same fate.

But we should not ignore the political aspect of the debate over “independent” agencies: the left’s bad-faith warnings about the collapse of the constitutional order.

Legacy media outlets warn that the Supreme Court is “poised to expand presidential powers” or “vastly expand presidential powers.” Modern presidents have taken far too much power, no doubt. Often, that power is unconstitutionally handed to the executive by Congress, as in the case of levying tariffs. Article II of the Constitution, however, unsurprisingly vests control of the executive branch in the executive. So what power is being expanded here? One that explicitly exists? Or rather, as professor Randy Barnett asks: Argument: Allowing the president to remove administrative officials will transfer an enormous amount of power to the president.

Question: Transfer from whom? Who currently has all that power?

The answer is one of the political parties,

which have crammed bureaucracies with activists. The setup is reminiscent of the “nomenklatura” in the Soviet Union.

Now, Democrats are panicking about presidential power. But their entire conception of the constitutional order is upside-down or inside-out or whatever form helps them best today.

When in power, Democrats champion the democratization of the only branch of government that’s explicitly meant to be undemocratic: the courts. Prominent Democrats, including presidential candidates, endorse the idea of packing the Supreme Court to create an ever-expanding pseudolegislature. The Supreme Court, of course, exists to uphold the law, not answer to the whims and vagaries of the electorate.

When in power, Democrats (though they are certainly not alone in this regard) demand that the executive act as if he were a one-man legislative branch. Perhaps no modern president has abused executive power more than former President Barack Obama, who engaged in a litany of unilateral acts, including, but certainly not limited to, ignoring Congress and legalizing millions of illegal immigrants without Congress. His Democratic successor, former President Joe Biden, not only attempted to “forgive” billions of dollars in private loans but also tried to declare the Equal Rights Amendment the “law of the land” via an X post, to the cheers of many Democrats.

Now Democrats, the great guardians of “democracy,” argue that the country is in peril because commissioners in agencies within the executive branch will be under the purview of the president. It’s reminiscent of when Democrats warned us that the Supreme Court was crushing “democracy” when it overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the matter of abortion to voters.

Is it in the best interest of the country for the president to allow agencies (small “i”) independence for the sake of governing stability? Yes. Constantly interfering with, for instance, the FTC for short-term partisan gain undermines the country. The temperament of candidates is an important matter for the electorate to contemplate when it chooses a president. The Constitution did not create an FTC immune from oversight.

Of course, if you don’t want presidents to wield power over vast bureaucracies, the best thing to do is to shrink them or not create them in the first place.

DAVID BLACKMON

MIT and Coldplay are worried about your carbon footprint EVERY WEEK brings a new raft of inane and absurd studies related to climate change, and this past week was no exception. The most absurd such study that came across the newswires in recent days is one from the MIT Climate Machine detailing the carbon emissions footprint of — wait for it — music concerts and festivals.

Yes, concertgoers: MIT — in conjunction with the pop group Coldplay, Warner Music Group, Live Nation and Hope Solutions — is deathly concerned about the emissions you and your fellow music lovers generate when you go see Taylor Swift, Jelly Roll or this Bad Bunny guy who will perform at halftime of this year’s Super Bowl. Come to think of it, the Super Bowl itself no doubt generates an enormous carbon footprint: Can’t wait to see MIT’s attempt to define the percentage of it that can be attributed to Mr. Bunny.

None of this is surprising: It’s just par for the course in western academia today thanks to all the billions of dollars that flood from a massive web of corporations like Warner Music Group, dark money NGOs and leftwing billionaire foundations to the schools, specifically earmarked for any study, report, white paper or sternly worded memo that supports the climate alarm narrative. We could criticize leadership at MIT for participating in this sort of narrative boosting, but the truth is that it is just one of hundreds of American universities that are in on the scheme.

Thus, we get scholarly reports like this one, whose accompanying press release boasts “analyzes data from over 80,000 events across the U.S. and the U.K., capturing greenhouse gas emissions across all major impact areas including trucking, energy, food and beverage consumption, water, waste, fan travel, artist and crew travel, accommodation, and freight.” The release later adds, “Grounded in rigorous peerreviewed research, industry reports, and advanced analysis, the findings offer an unprecedented, data-driven view of live music’s environmental impact.”

So, what are those rigorous, peer-reviewed findings? Welp, fans, it turns out your own travel to and from the concerts is the biggest source of shame, accounting for 77% of total concert-related emissions in the U.K. and 62% in the United States. Don’t you feel bad about yourselves now? Maybe you should consider limiting your consumption of your favorite artist’s songs to popping in the earbuds and activating that Spotify app.

But if you feel you must go see these fabulous autotune assisted artists live and in person, perhaps you should consider staying thirsty and hungry since the MIT study blames your personal food and beverage intake for another 16% of emissions in the U.S. and 7.6% in the U.K. What’s a little dry mouth or stomach growling when you’re saving Mother Gaia, after all?

MIT’s researchers next point their green finger of shame at trucking and freight as causes of 14% of U.S. emissions and a whopping 35% associated with U.K. concerts. (Apparently, the U.K. has some really dirty trucking happening on its roads these days.)

The fourth major category listed in the release targets what the researchers call “large format shows,” which, “though fewer in number, generate a disproportionate share of total emissions.”

Not to be overly harsh towards MIT, but absurd studies like this one are one reason why the reputation of higher education is falling into such disfavor now. If this is what the school’s top professors and researchers are spending their time on, no wonder the Trump White House wants to cut off the flow of federal money. Taxpayers who actually work for a living deserve better than this.

David Blackmon is an energy writer and consultant based in Texas. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at 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.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Jones & Blount

Murphy to Manteo

Brisson to retire at end of NC House term

Lights, camera, action in NC! The N.C. Department of Commerce announced last week that two streaming television series’ and an independent feature-length film have been approved for North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grants. The productions, estimated to create more than 4,900 jobs in total, are expected to spend more than $113 million during their production windows, supporting North Carolina film crew professionals and small businesses servicing the productions across much of the state.

The North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant is used to attract feature-length film and television productions that stimulate economic activity and create jobs in the state. Production companies receive no money up front and must meet direct in-state spending requirements to qualify for grant funds, which are paid out as a rebate following the completion of the project and a successful audit of the production’s spending.

In addition to the three awardees that are currently in production or just completed principal photography, New Hanover County-filmed streaming series “The Runarounds,” Season 3 of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and “The Waterfront” were all released in 2025.

The 10-term Bladen County legislator switched to Republican in 2017

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RECENT RECIPIENTS: Season 2 of television/streaming series “The Hunting Wives”

(filming in and around Lake Norman and the Greater Charlotte metro area).

The first season of the new series “RJ Decker” (filming in New Hanover County).

The independent thriller “Widow” (filming in Davidson, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin counties).

WEST

PIEDMONT

EAST

Court date set for man charged with assaulting police officer, stealing police car

Durham Academy graduate 1 of nine injured in Brown shooting

Woman pleads guilty to federal charges for SNAP benefit theft

Durham County One of the nine injured in a campus shooting at Brown University on Saturday was from North Carolina, according to reports. Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, confirmed that a recent graduate, Kendall Turner, was critically wounded.

The school said her parents were with her. Turner graduated from Durham Academy in 2025 after she attended there from pre-K through 12th grade, attending one semester at the North Carolina School of Science and Math.

New Hanover County A North Carolina Social Services employee has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 in SNAP benefits.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of N.C., Shermeca McCrary, 46, pleaded guilty to theft of government property after allegedly using her position as a caseworker to unlawfully access the SNAP accounts of qualified individuals and convert $102,000 in government funds for her personal use. She faces up to 10 years in prison and will be sentenced later this year.

Henderson County A man who was arrested last week for allegedly assaulting a law enforcement officer, stealing the officer’s vehicle and leading officials on a chase is set to make his next court appearance just before Christmas. Ramae Cynquan Foster reportedly struck a Brevard police officer in the face as she was trying to detain him, then stole a city vehicle and drove away, leading law enforcement on a chase that went from Transylvania County over to Henderson County on Interstate 26.

WBTV

Teen released from hospital, charged in Concord tree lighting shooting Cabarrus County An 18-year-old was charged for his alleged involvement in the shooting at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Concord last month that injured three others, according to police. Concord police said they arrested 18-year-old Nasir Bostic after he was released from the hospital last week following an injury sustained in the Nov. 21 shooting.

Police charged Bostic with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill and inciting a riot.

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Body found in Candler is teen missing since early December Buncombe County The family of a missing teenager who was found deceased in Candler last week is seeking answers about what led to his death. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office responded Friday to reports of a deceased person in a creek along Gilbert B. Crook Road. Deputies identified the person as 18-year-old Joseph Rose, who was reported missing earlier this month. An officer with the Asheville Police Department said they filed a missing person report for him on Dec. 2, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating Joseph’s death. Officials with the BCSO did not have an update at this time and are not ready to comment on a cause of death.

According to a previous report, Joseph also went missing for a brief period back in 2021. His sister Emily said he was a free spirit who cared for everyone he met.

WLOS

NSJ

“Inattentive” driver hits two people in crosswalk Alamance County An “inattentive” driver was cited after two people were struck by a car while walking in a crosswalk on Friday night, according to the Graham Police Department. Investigators say that two pedestrians were struck by a car while attempting to cross the intersection of North Main Street and Court Square in a crosswalk. The driver was issued a citation, and the two people who were struck were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

WGHP

New information released in fatal North Forsyth High stabbing Forsyth County Law enforcement offered new details after a deadly stabbing at North Forsyth High School last week. A fight between two students, one 16 and one 18, led to the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Cameron Graham. The 18-year-old was injured and taken to the hospital.

Detectives with the sheriff’s office said during the press conference that Graham and the 18-year-old, who knew each other well, were fighting over a THC vape pen when Graham produced a knife. The two boys fought, and Graham was accidentally stabbed in the chest as the other teen tried to wrestle the knife from him. The 18-yearold suffered defensive wounds to his hands. Witness testimony and video evidence corroborated the account, and no charges will be filed against the surviving teenager. Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough described the knife as three inches. Metal detectors were not being used in the school that day due to staffing issues, according to Kimbrough.

WFMY

NSJ

Beloved historic home lost in fire Carteret County The Town of Beaufort was devastated Monday by the loss of a historic landmark. The iconic Duncan house on Front Street in Beaufort is a total loss after an early morning fire broke out, drawing a dozen crews on scene fighting high winds and extremely cold weather.

Officials said no one was in the home when the fire started, and no injuries were reported, but that the high winds were of great concern, alongside the proximity of homes in Beaufort.

Officers disperse large group with guns gathering in neighborhood Lenior County Law enforcement officers with the Kinston Police Department arrested two people on gun charges. Officers arrived at the area of Jack Roundtree on Dec. 11 to assist with a report of a large gathering of people with guns.

Information on a car involved in the incident that fled the area was given to officers before they arrived. Through an investigation, it was determined that two people involved in the incident walked away before officers arrived.

A description of the suspects was provided to officers, leading to two arrests. Javaree Herring, 20, of Lenoir County, and Que’vion Patton, 18, of Kinston, were arrested and charged with going armed to the terror of the people. During the arrest, Herring was found to be armed with an AR pistol, and Patton was armed with a handgun.

RALEIGH — North Carolina statehouse Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen) announced he will end his 20-year career as a legislator by retiring at the end of his term in December 2026.

“Serving the people of District 22 has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Brisson said in a press release.

“This is where I grew up, where my family put down roots, and where neighbors still look out for one another. Every day in Raleigh, I tried to carry the voices and values of our small towns, farms, and communities with me.

“This decision wasn’t made lightly. After a lot of prayer, reflection, and long talks with my family, I know it’s the right time to step back and let a new generation of leaders serve.

But I’ll never stop working to make life better for the people of this district — this will always be home.”

Brisson is in his 10th term as the District 22 representative for Sampson and Bladen counties. His focus while in the General Assembly has been on rural issues, including farming, broadband expansion and health care, as well as a dedication to bringing investment opportunities to his district.

“Thank you for allowing me to represent you — to stand up for our farmers, our small towns, and our families,” added Brisson. “It’s been the privilege of a lifetime, and I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together.”

The 79-year-old is co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as a vice chair for both the Agriculture and Environment Committee and the Appropriations, Justice, and Public Safety Committee.

The Bladen County Republican Party thanked Brisson for his service.

“We are extremely grateful to Rep. Brisson, and sincerely appreciate his unwavering service to Bladen County over the years as a County Commissioner and a State Representative, and wish him well as he serves out his current term before returning to private life,” the Bladen County Republican Party said in a statement.

“As a seasoned and experienced representative to the NC General Assembly, Mr. Brisson’s decision to step down from office in 2026 completes an outstanding career representing the legislative, farming, and business interests for the citizens of Bladen and Sampson counties,” Bladen County GOP Chairman Wayne Schaeffer said.

The Bladen lawmaker was first elected in 2006 as a Democrat but switched parties in 2017. When he made the switch, he said he had always been a “conservative Democrat” and didn’t “have a lot in common with the Democratic Party right now because they have become so liberal.”

Two Republicans have filed to run for Brisson’s seat in 2026: former two-term Sampson County Commissioner Jerol Kivet and political newcomer Wellie Jackson, a farmer in Sampson County.

WNCT

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Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen)

“Serving the people of District 22 has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”

Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen)

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

NATION & WORLD

Gunmen kill 15 in attack on Australian Hanukkah event Authorities say a father and son carried out the attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach The Associated Press SYDNEY — Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, including a child, officials said Monday, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. The shooters were father and son, authorities said.

The massacre at one of Australia’s most popular beaches followed a wave of antisemitic attacks that have roiled the country over the past year, although the authorities didn’t suggest those and the shooting Sunday were connected. It was the deadliest shooting in almost three decades in a country with strict gun control laws.

One gunman, a 50-year-old man, was fatally shot by police. The other shooter, his 24-year-old son, was wounded and was being treated at a hospital, said Mal Lanyon, New South Wales police commissioner.

Police said one gunman was known to security services, but Lanyon said authorities had no indication of a planned attack.

Those killed were aged between 10 and 87 years old, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told reporters. At least 42 others were being treated at hospitals on Monday morn-

MARK BAKER / AP PHOTO

A woman kneels and prays at a flower memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Monday. ing, several of them in critical condition.

“What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday.

“It is forever tarnished by what has occurred.”

The violence erupted at the end of a summer day when thousands had flocked to Bondi Beach, an icon of Australia’s cultural life. They included hundreds gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea event

“It is forever tarnished by what has occurred.”

Anthony Albanese, Australian prime minister celebrating the start of the eight-day Hanukkah festival.

The festivities included face painting and a petting zoo.

Then mayhem erupted.

Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish movement that runs outreach worldwide and sponsors events during major Jewish holidays, identified one of the dead as Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and

an organizer of the event.

Police said emergency services were called at about 6:45 p.m., responding to reports of shots being fired. Video by onlookers showed people in bathing suits running from the water as shots rang out.

Separate footage showed two men in black shirts firing with long guns from a footbridge leading to the beach. One dramatic clip broadcast on Australian television showed a man appearing to tackle and disarm one gunman before pointing the man’s weapon at him then setting the gun on the ground.

Minns called the man, identified by relatives to Australian media as fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, a “genuine hero.”

Authorities were not looking for anyone else in connection with the massacre, said Lanyon. Police pledged a “thorough” investigation, he added.

Further inquiries are likely to be announced.

Two improvised explosive devices were found at the scene.

Bomb disposal experts rendered them safe.

Lanyon described them as “rudimentary” devices that would have been detonated by a wick rather than a phone or electronically.

After the massacre, messages flooded in from leaders around the world.

King Charles III said he and Queen Camilla were “appalled and saddened by the most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack.” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on X he was horrified, and his “heart is with the Jewish community worldwide.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X: “The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Australia targeting a Jewish celebration. Antisemitism has no place in this world.”

Authorities continue search for Brown shooter, release images of suspect A Durham Academy graduate was among those injured in the attack

Authorities are searching for a person of interest in the shooting that occurred at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.

By Kimberlee Kruesi and Leah Willingham The Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Authorities knocked on doors in search of video and sifted through snow and dumpsters for other evidence that might lead them to the Brown University gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.

Early in the week, officials released three new videos of the man they believe carried out Saturday’s attack that show him wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket. Although his face wasn’t visible, the footage from about two hours before the shooting provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.

The FBI said the man is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a stocky build. The agency offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

“We’re asking for the public’s assistance,” Providence’s police chief, Col. Oscar Perez, said at a news conference, urging people who might recognize the suspect to call a tip line.

Police renewed their search after releasing a person of interest Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere. Meanwhile, details began to emerge about the students who were shot.

The lockdown order for the Ivy League school was lifted Sunday after authorities said they had detained the person of interest. But hopes for a quick

FBI / PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA AP

resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released him.

The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as questions swirl about campus security, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.

Gov. Dan McKee requested additional local police at schools to provide reassurance for students, families and educators.

Before Monday’s news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video — like one released the day of the shooting — didn’t show the suspect’s face.

In a neighborhood near the university, a line of officers scraped their feet through a snow-covered yard looking for evidence. Meanwhile, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals asked locals if they had security cameras.

The shooting occurred as final exams were underway at Brown, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom, and the attack set off hours of chaos.

Attorney General Peter Neronha, who said Sunday that there weren’t many cameras where the attack happened, said Monday that investigators were “making steady progress.”

The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor at home.

In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful,

bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”

The other student who was killed was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience.

He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics final when he was shot, his sister said.

Only one of the nine people wounded had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition, and the other seven were in critical but stable condition. Mayor Brett Smiley said Monday evening that none of their conditions had worsened but that he didn’t have further information.

Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that a recent graduate, Kendall Turner, was critically wounded and that her parents were with her.

“Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones,” the school said in a statement.

Utah repeals union ban for teachers, firefighters, police Salt Lake City Utah has repealed a collective bargaining ban passed earlier this year that prevented labor unions serving teachers, firefighters, police and other public employees from negotiating on behalf of their workers.

Republican Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday approved the repeal of a policy that experts had called one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country. The state’s Republican-controlled legislature originally approved the policy in February. Thousands of union members from the public and private sectors rallied outside Cox’s office for a week, urging him to veto the bill, which he decided to sign.

Ohio man on death row has case dismissed Cincinnati A man who spent more than a quarter-century on death row for the robbery and murder of a woman at an Ohio hotel had his case dismissed Friday by prosecutors. Elwood Jones has been free since shortly after a judge granted him a new trial in December 2022, concluding that prosecutors had not turned over relevant evidence to his attorneys years ago. A Hamilton County prosecutor said the dismissal of his case followed a monthslong comprehensive review of evidence and court filings in his case. Jones was convicted of aggravated murder, robbery and burglary in the 1994 beating death.

Rare fresco of Jesus uncovered in Turkey Iznik, turkey Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered one of the most important finds from Anatolia’s early Christian era: a fresco of a Roman-looking Jesus as the “Good Shepherd.” The painting was discovered in August in an underground tomb near Iznik, a town in northwestern Turkey that secured its place in Christian history as the place where the Nicene Creed was adopted in A.D. 325. Pope Leo XIV recently visited the town as part of his first overseas trip. At the time, the region was part of the Roman Empire, and the tomb in the village of Hisardere is believed to date to the 3rd century.

Iran arrests Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dubai, United Arab Emirates Iran arrested Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, her supporters said last Friday. A foundation in her name said she was detained in Mashhad while attending a memorial for a human rights lawyer recently found dead under unclear circumstances.

A local official reportedly acknowledged arrests had been made but did not directly name Mohammadi, 53. It wasn’t clear if authorities would immediately return her to prison, where she had been serving a sentence until her temporary release in December 2024 for medical purposes.

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EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

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3,341 related deaths ha Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this m or stay-at-home fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus thetoneed the curve in the novel coronavirus outbrt ylace being thrown out of work.

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by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero millions of Americans orders go into June. ority of at Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask — after all, trends canhas easily xpayer least $2.4 trillion in added working fr worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, Unitedmuted States over costreve th Here in North Democratic Gov.The Roycrisis Cooper stated d walnormal.” questions about the data, and when things can start getting back to have abided by recommendations and o Reserve backup liquidity to the be glad” as our 231-year history. At least fourainrecent the 20th century alone can be debt plus trillions more coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” end of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to flu,” stay 1977 at home; they’ve practiced socialto the U.S. dollar were notnormal the reserve dad, directly traced to China: 1957 “Asian flu,” 1968 “Hong orders Kong markets financial state’s stay-at-home will extend into May. andand Since when did They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without they’ve donned masks. o fund any of these emergency have tonot bet “Russian flu” and the 2002 SARS outbreak.

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

1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic also had its origins in China. measures imm justification for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like COVID-19 n’t know yet” if the process of returning back to normalcy. transparency According to the University of Washing seasons government There is 100% agreement, outside of do China, thatofCOVID-19 depreciation. For me, must this out an abundance Easter of caution.” is China’s No. The government works for us, and we have the right to askin those Metrics and Evaluation model most oftA rrant ways and decisions through and honesty originated Wuhan Province probably from the completely has to pay for provide a China at all levels It will need to be explained in detail to the people ofmaking. this state e asked as to the questions.

And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the Trump administration, the expected ne Diplomacy has obviously not worked Corinthian Chernobyl. unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. believe it came of at a home economic and financial fromSome our to are being told remain joblessout and message offor an undetermine become a ague ones like “we country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, peak outbreak was revised down by ove world of 21st century health, hygiene affliction, biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army. to we bring China into the scientific experts amount of time why models predicting hundreds thousands of hope that willof bad thing? thethe more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the num munist regimes never take blame affliction, Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and regulation of and fair trade.

Totalita are reliable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In inexpiration China. Chinese billion by Perhaps COVID-19 Since when did questioning government at all levels become a “Academic Grievance Studies and the North State Journal for Wednesday, April 15, an start getting back This is all new to Americans, and it is not normal.

Not in any way, the number of identified COVID-19 cas The U.S. territory lready talking about the possibility to b sacrifices are society comparison.

Senators inmoney Washing thing? That is what free citizens living in a free were supp Corruption of Scholarship.”

The study was or are people who shape, or form.

So while we should remain vigilant and stay safe, at and in theChina denominator are likely wrong.

W estimates losing n debt we owe them as one way to get health car An investment tax credit of 30% on half of U.S. investment of China forgiving $1.2 over. to do, last I checked. done by Areo, an opinion and analysis s sick. same time we shouldn’t comfortable “newbillion, applied to repatriated American manufacturing people have actually died coronaviru about get $6.2B betweenwith this so-called hey have caused US. the Don’t hold your today, or $60 China to of “pay” d digitalthe magazine.

By the way, Areo is short My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, isfor mythe fam vels become a bad normal.” number has been overestimated, given t 2020 and 2026 bilee” to happen but ask your elected n for Areopagitica, a speech delivered by investment to the U.S. would costworried the U.S.about Treasury $18 billion in breath waiting for a Ch them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. A iety were supposed Not one little bit. of death, particularly among elderly pat countableJohn in tangible financial Milton in defense ways of freefor speech. tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion lost revenue hold suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topande in.

Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. sources suggest the number is dramatic decimal dust compared to the $6 trillion+ Marshall Plan we are now this disaster.

I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brin Dánica Coto Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has thatBy rse, to is my family.

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

After and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.

Even more importantly, we have no cl nation. past. the world like any othe But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone in academia, especially within certain he 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scienti China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They call SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — all of this brings up Puerto Rico tax incentives that of identified business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that theycases could be an order of m these fields “grievance studies,” where Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronav senio prefer notscholarship to repeat. is not so much based uponhave lured thousands of rich number of people who have had intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and A federal appeals court last Americans to the U.S. territomost everyone has finding truth butaupon to replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi.

Thursday backed rulingattending that ry for over a decade are under

business & economy Fixing college n.c. corruption FAST

FACTS

New federal report scrutinizes Puerto Rico’s tax incentives luring wealthy Americans A6

Court backs contempt finding against Apple

north STA

Approved Logos

social grievances.

Grievance scholars held Apple in civil contempt scrutiny after federal legislabully students, administrators and other for brazenly defying an order departments intoitsadhering to their tors released a new report last designed to open iPhone app Friday worldview. The worldview they promote is by the U.S. Government Jason store to other payment systems Accountability Office. n neither scientific nor rigorous. Grievance besides its own, but the decision The report EDITORIAL found that the | STACEY MATTHEWS ose studies consist of disciplines such as also reopened a door for the island’s exemptions could sociology, anthropology, gender studies, amount to hundreds of milcompany to collect commission COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and critical race lions of dollars a year, and it from the rival options. studies. urged the International ReveThe unanimous decision

by Pluckrose, In 2017 and 2018, authors nue Service to improve its overaLindsay three-judge panel for the 9th and Boghossian started Circuit Courtbogus of Appeals mostly s submitting academic papers to sight, warning that some recipvalidated a scalding contempt academic journals in cultural, queer, ients “may not be meeting their RICARDO ARDUENGO / AP PHOTO order April bysexuality U.S. race, issued gender,infat and studies federal tax obligations.”

The report was requested in Puerto Rico’s tax breaks that have attracted wealthy mainland residents for years are facing District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez to determine if they would pass peer July 2023 by Democrats in the renewed scrutiny after a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability “THIS IS THEOffice.

DAYinto the lord has mad he seriousness offor theviolating virus and need Rogers a keythe part of review and be accepted for publication.

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home fallen place.

I unde U.S. House Natural ResourcAcceptance of dubious research that her September 2021 findings in in it” (Psalm 118:24). asy with how people who simply ask orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans to take precautions, bu es Committee to investigate editors found sympathetic to their legalstart battle instigated by video this challenging hen thingsajournal can getting back to are having to adjust to to what is being called the “new normal.”I know that during questions about the datt let alone contributing the how the tax breaks “could creintersectional or Games. postmodern leftist vision game maker Epic working from home or losing a job, it es with contempt. ate an unfair tax haven for the community.”

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. normal are treated inm s ofBut the the world would prove the problem of 9th Circuit’s 54-page “There’s barely anyone leftbetoglad” check if these as the Bible tells us to do.

How as a societylow simply must accept without ultra-wealthy and do nothing Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

They’re treated as th academic standards. decision key scrutiny to benefit the people of Puerto IRS under andplaying dad, theby Easter holiday hasthe remind ells us about whenoverturned it’s safefake toone begin the wealthy transplants are even the rules.”

Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during question what gove of the research partSeveral of Gonzalez Rogers’ civil papers Rico.” have to be thankful and hopeful for, eve malcy. contempt were accepted for publication.

The Fat a recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” if the process of returning ba crackdown that Huffman (D-Calif.)pandemic.

The report stems from an U.S. Rep. Jared U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, a Lenten and r us, and we have the right to ask those Studies journal published a hoax paper state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May. No. The government prohibited Apple from collecting Since when did began in December that argued the term bodybuilding wasCalifornia Democrat, said in a auditIfthat me, my faith is an important par t-home orders are in place all over the Easter seasons he ended does decide to extend it, questions should be asked asFor to the questions.

And the long commissions when consumers 2023 and this month.

It statement last Friday that afquestioning exclusionary andas should be replaced making.

Asshowing I celebrated Easter with my f them getmake in states, such Michigan, an e-commerce purchase justification for Rico it. And the answers should notabe vague ones “we country, and stricte provide lylike began results, inthe followed by Florida, New York noted that Puerto grantter President Donald Trump’s with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive government Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our feeling isolated and/or about within an iPhoneanxious app through a part, due to the complexity of and Texas. ed more than 5,800 resident administration downsized the must do this out of an abundance of caution.” the more people, sitting message of politicized performance.” One reviewer we may able com ding for their families, will demand payment system that operates high-income and high-wealth IRS announced in affliction, IRS, “there’s atbarely anyone investor all levels It willincentive need to be decrees explained inThe detail to the people of this state whoso that when theybecan gettoback ns said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this hope that we will audits, IRS not prioritizing 2021 that it would look into and nearly 3,900 export serleft to check if these wealthy outside of Apple’s control. affliction, with the comfort which we ou are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined answers. , article and believe it has an important become a the effort, and communication that again someenjoy people God.” vice business ones from 2012 concerns once transplants are even playing The levels should beappeals as forthcoming contribution tojudges make to as thethey field and this amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases Leaders at the local a between IRS and Puerto might be dodging federal gaps by the rules and badmeeting thing? the through 2024. decided the ban that would sportingtheir events, If you are celebrating the Easter seas d again, not vague answers, but answer journal.” are reliable. can be with those answ A majority of the resident in- tax obligations. basic residency requirements have prevented Apple from “Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity Thattax is what reflect on this message and be comforte ments believability. concerts, family To come date, I’ve along with That what“campaign the state has asked then with page details only recent-and vestors fromgone California, to justify these breaks, See PUERTO RICO, A11that give th imposing fees on rival payment Feminism anfamilies, Intersectional Reply to God’sabout example andWe comfort allallthose in what we can to keep as our free citizens mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions should contin gatherings, options wasand too severe and se Neoliberal Choice Feminism,” was this difficult time.

Through faith and by safe. But ordered we should also still continue the data.

State Republican leaders have, too. ourselves, and our com church services Gonzalez Rogers to living in a free accepted for publication

by Affilia, a confident we will emerge out of this pan because while reasonable stay-at-home Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is to ask questions about reopen the case tofor determine s feminist journal social workers. The and many more society were this same spirit, I continue to be in hey shouldapaper also have an expiration sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treatInthose measures are understa fair commission rate that consisted in part of the adate. rewritten after our own supposed helping neighbors. and it is not normal.

Not in any way,Two other passage from Mein Kampf.

Cupertino, California, company simply questioning the data and asking when we can start neighbors getting back This is all new to Am temporary In Concord, a shape, high school senior nam uld remaincan vigilant and stay safe, at including hoax papers were published, charge.

The ruling provided to do, last I to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who or form.

So whil .

“Rape Culture and Queer Performativity money to buy a 3-D printer andwe plastic comfortable with this so-called some general guidelines “new for sacrifices are otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick. the same time shou checked. at Urban DogRogers Parks.”might This paper’s subject how Gonzalez health care workers out of his own hom Since when did questioning government a bad normal.” over. at all levels become was dog-on-dog rape. But the determine a fair commission ondog rape thing?

That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. paper eventually forced Boghossian, external payment systems but to do, last I checked.

Pluckrose to prematurely out didn’t makeand anyLindsay suggestions n under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m Stacey Matthews has a themselves.

A Wall Street Journal writer about what the percentage RedState and Legal Insurrection. had figured out what they were doing. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After and is a regular contri Nearly 50 companies might be.

Some papers accepted for publication suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, But the appeals decision worldwide are investing in in academic journals advocated training I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up agreed Apple had made a human-form development men like dogs and punishing white male way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. mockery of Gonzalez Rogers’ college students for historical slavery by attempt to create more payment But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has asking them to sit in silence on the floor in By Matt O’Brien competition in the iPhone app n chains during class and to be expected to The Associated Press store partthe of adiscomfort. case that Other papers learnas from began in 2020.

That’s when Epic, ity celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life the maker the Fortnite video privately MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.— choice andofadvocated treating game, filed amasturbation lawsuit alleging conducted as a form of Robots have long been seen as a bad bet for Silicon Valley invesApple set upagainst a price-gouging d sexualhad violence women. Typically, tors — too complicated, capisystem within the iPhone app as academic journal editors send submitted store that had into papers out to turned referees foran review. In tal-intensive and “boring, honestly,” says venture capitalist recommending illegal monopoly. acceptance for publication, Modar Alaoui. many reviewers gave these papers glowing As part of the strategy, Apple But the commercial boom praise. all in-app purchases required in Politicalto scientist Zach Goldberg ran artificial intelligence has lit on iPhones be made through a spark under long-simmering ss certain grievance studies concepts through its payment processing system visions to build humanoid rod the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often while collecting commissions bots that can move their methey appeared in to our press over the years. ranging from 15% 30%.

Those chanical bodies like humans He found huge increases commissions have becomeina the usagesand do things that people do. of “white privilege,” “unconscious huge moneymaker that brings in bias,” Alaoui, founder of the Hung “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” more than $100 billion in annual All of this is being taught to college manoids Summit, gathered revenue for Apple. more than 2,000 people last students, many of whom become primary Although Gonzalez Rogers week, including top robotics c. and secondary school teachers who then GODOFREDO A. VÁSQUEZ / AP PHOTO engineers from Disney, Goorejected Epic’s assertion that indoctrinate our young people. gle and dozens of startups, to A man records a humanoid robot inside the exhibition room at the Humanoids Summit on theIiPhone storethe hadcoronavirusturned n doubt app whether showcase their technology and Dec. 11 in Mountain View, California. into an illegal monopoly in her caused financial crunch will give college debate what it will take to ac2021 decision, she ordered o? and university administrators, who are a celerate a nascent industry.

Apple to allow links to alternative crossbreed between a parrot and jellyfish, component production and roAlaoui says many researchpayment to be displayed the guts options and backbone to restore academic bot adoption and a mandate ers now believe humanoids or within apps. respectability. Far too often, they get much “The question is really just how long it will take.” last year “to have a humanofThe theircompany politicalthen support from campussome other kind of physical oid ecosystem established by embodiment of AI are “going to announced it wouldwho charge Modar Alaoui grievance people are members of the 2025,” said McKinsey partner become the norm.” faculty and diversity and multicultural commissions ranging from 12% Ani Kelkar. Displays by Chi“The question is really just administrative offices. to 27% on iPhone app purchases nese firms dominated the expo how long it will take,” he said.

Theonbest hope lies with boards of made alternative payment Disney’s contribution to the the technology, held at a Com- postdoctoral researcher came section of this week’s summit, trustees, though many serve as yes-men options — rates that remained so field, for the president.

I think that a a walking robotic version puter History Museum that’s a to the conference in Mountain held Thursday and Friday. The high thatuniversity few developers decided of “Frozen” character Olaf, will temple to Silicon Valley’s previ- View, California, just a week conference’s most prevalent good would be to find 1950s or 1960s to offerstart other choices. be roaming on its own through ous breakthroughs, skepticism after incorporating her startup. humanoids were those made catalogs.

Look at the course offerings at That prompted Epic to allege “The first customers are re- by China’s Unitree, in part beDisneyland theme parks in remained high that truly hua timewas when college graduates knew how Apple in contempt of cause researchers in the U.S. ally the people here,” she said. manlike robots will take root Hong Kong and Paris earto read, writeGonzalez and compute, court, a claim Rogersand makely next year. Entertaining and anytime soon. buy the relatively cheap model Researchers at the consulthem today’s curricula. Another helpful embraced after a series of testy to test their own software. tancy McKinsey & Company “The humanoid space has a highly complex robots that retool would be to give careful consideration court hearings last year and In the U.S., the advent of semble a human — or a snow- very, very big hill to climb,” said have counted about 50 comto eliminating all classes/majors/minors earlier this year that led her to generative AI chatbots like panies around the world that Cosima du Pasquier, foundman — are already here, but containing the word “studies,” such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Goohave raised at least $100 miler and CEO of Haptica Robotthe timeline for “general purconclude the company’s efforts women, Asian, black or queer studies. pose” robots that are produc- ics, which works to give robots lion to develop humanoids, led gle’s Gemini has jolted the to alternative payment I’dallow bet that by restoring the traditional tive members of a workplace or a sense of touch. “There’s a lot by about 20 in China and 15 in decades-old robotics indussystems into the iPhone app they would academic mission to colleges, try in different ways. Investor of research that still needs to be North America. store were little more than a put a serious dent into the COVID-19household is farther away.

China is leading in part due solved.”

Even at a conference de“sham.” budget shortfall.

VISUAL VOICES

s’

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

Humanoid robots take center stage at Silicon Valley summit; skepticism remains

signed to build enthusiasm for

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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

The

Stanford

University

to government incentives for

See ROBOTS, page A12

A10 Roomba maker iRobot files for bankruptcy protection Bedford, Mass.

Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company’s primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based company anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process

by February.

Johnson & Johnson owes $40M to 2 cancer patients Los Angeles A Los Angeles jury has awarded $40 million to two women who claim Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer.

The company plans to appeal the verdict. The case is part of an ongoing legal battle over the alleged link between talc in Johnson’s Baby Powder and cancer. Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-based powder globally in 2023. In October, another jury ordered the company to pay $966 million in a similar case.

Johnson & Johnson argues that scientific evaluations confirm talc is safe and plans to challenge the verdict.

Lululemon CEO to step down New York Lululemon Athletica said last Thursday that CEO Calvin McDonald is stepping down effective Jan. 31 as the athletic wear maker wrestles with a year of disappointing sales. The company, based in Vancouver, Canada, said McDonald and the board are working together to manage a “smooth transition,” and he will serve as a senior adviser to the company through March 31. The board said it was conducting a comprehensive search in partnership with a leading executive search firm to select his successor. McDonald took the helm in 2018.

New England’s shrimp fishery to shut down Portland, Maine Fishing regulators are extending a shutdown for New England’s historic shrimp fishing business, effectively shuttering an industry that fell victim to warming oceans.

The sweet pink shrimp were once a winter delicacy. Maine fishermen used to catch millions of pounds of shrimp, but the business has been under a fishing moratorium since 2014. Scientists say rising temperatures have created an inhospitable environment for the shrimp, and their population is too low to fish sustainably. An arm of the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted last Thursday to shut down the fishery for at least another three years.

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING DEC. 12

Beginning Cash

$2,604,387,112 Receipts (income)

$95,048,434 Disbursements

$231,645,850 Cash Balance

$2,467,789,696

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Crypto mogul Kwon sentenced for $40B stablecoin fraud The so-called “cryptocurrency king” will serve 15 years in prison

By Michael R. Sisak The Associated Press NEW YORK — Onetime cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon was sentenced last Thursday to 15 years in prison after a $40 billion crash revealed his crypto ecosystem to be a fraud. Victims said the 34-year-old financial technology whiz weaponized their trust to convince them that the investment — secretly propped up by cash infusions — was safe.

Kwon, a Stanford graduate known by some as “the cryptocurrency king,” apologized after listening as victims — one in court and others by telephone — described the scam’s toll: wiping out nest eggs, depleting charities and wrecking lives. One told the judge in a letter that he contemplated suicide after his father lost his retirement money in the scheme.

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said at a daylong sentencing hearing in Manhattan federal court that the government’s recommendation of 12 years in prison was “unreasonably lenient” and that the defense’s request for five years was “utterly unthinkable and wildly unreasonable.” Kwon faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

“Your offense caused real people to lose $40 billion in real money, not some paper loss,” Engelmayer told Kwon, who sat at the defense table in a yellow jail suit. The judge called it “a fraud on an epic, generational scale” and said Kwon had an “almost mystical

hold” on investors and caused incalculable “human wreckage.”

More than combined losses in FTX, OneCoin cases Kwon pleaded guilty in August to fraud charges stemming from the collapse of Terraform Labs, the Singapore-based firm he co-founded in 2018. The loss exceeded the combined losses from FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and OneCoin co-founder Karl Sebastian Greenwood’s frauds, prosecutors said. Engelmayer estimated there may have been a million victims.

Terraform Labs had touted its TerraUSD as a reliable “stablecoin” — a kind of currency typically pegged to stable assets to prevent drastic fluctuations in prices. But prosecutors say it was an illusion backed by outside cash infusions that came crumbling down after it plunged far below its $1 peg.

The crash devastated investors in TerraUSD and its floating sister currency, Luna, triggering “a cascade of crises that swept through cryptocurrency markets.”

Kwon tried to rebuild Terraform Labs in Singapore before fleeing to the Balkans on a false passport, prosecutors said. He’s been locked up since his March 2023 arrest in Montenegro. He was credited for 17 months he spent in jail there before being extradited to the U.S. Kwon agreed to forfeit over $19 million as part of his plea deal. His lawyers argued his conduct stemmed not from greed but hubris and desperation. Engelmayer rejected his request to serve his sentence in his native South Korea, where he also faces prosecution and where his wife and 4-year-old daughter live.

RISTO BOZOVIC / AP PHOTO

Montenegrin police officers escort South Korean citizen and Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, in 2024.

“This was fraud executed with arrogance, manipulation and total disregard for people.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mortazavi

“I have spent almost every waking moment of the last few years thinking of what I could have done different and what I can do now to make things right,” Kwon told Engelmayer.

Hearing from victims, he said, was “harrowing and reminded me again of the great losses that I have caused.”

Victims say losses ruined lives, harmed charities One victim, speaking by telephone, said his wife divorced him, his sons had to skip college, and he had to move back to Croatia to live with his parents after TerraUSD’s crash evaporated his family’s life savings. Another said he has to “live with the guilt” of persuading his in-laws and hundreds of nonprofit organizations to invest.

Stanislav Trofimchuk said his family’s investment plummeted from $190,000 to $13,000 — “17 years of our life, gone” during what he described

New York City getting first 3 Las Vegas-style casinos The projects will pump billions into the state’s economy

By Philip Marcelo The Associated Press NEW YORK — The New York Mets’ ballpark in Queens.

A Bronx golf course once operated by President Donald Trump’s company. A slot parlor on a horse racing track near John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The three disparate sites, located far from the tourist hub of Manhattan, will become the future homes of New York City’s first Las Vegas-style resort casinos.

The state Gaming Commission on Monday awarded the three projects’ licenses to operate in the lucrative metropolitan-area market during a meeting at a riverside park in upper Manhattan.

The panel approved the licenses with the condition that the companies each appoint an outside monitor that would report regularly to the commission to ensure they meet their financial and legal obligations, as well as the promised investments they made to local communities.

Brian O’Dwyer, the commission’s chair, said the state looked forward to the promise of jobs, infrastructure improvements and gaming revenue being realized.

“You all have an important charge ahead of you, and you can be assured that this commission takes our responsibility to keep your feet to the fire with great respect,” he said to the project representatives in attendance.

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement the projects would pump billions of dollars into

MICHAEL APPLETON / MAYORAL PHOTOGRAPHY OFFICE VIA AP

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a ribbon cutting at Bally Links, formerly Trump Links, the planned site of a $4 billion casino at Ferry Point in the Bronx in 2024. the state’s transit and education systems and create tens of thousands of jobs.

But a handful of protesters opposed to billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Hard Rock plan vowed to continue their fight in court. They and other casino opponents worry the projects will only increase gambling addiction.

“You picked a billionaire over New Yorkers! Shame on you!” the group shouted as they walked out of the meeting.

Cohen and Hard Rock’s proposal calls for an $8.1 billion casino complex on a parking lot next to the Mets’ Citi Field that would include a performance venue, hotel and retail space.

Bally’s has proposed a roughly $4 billion casino at the Ferry Point golf course in the Bronx that would include a hotel, event center, meeting spaces, restaurants and other amenities.

And Resorts World has proposed investing more than $5

“You all have an important charge ahead of you, and you can be assured that this commission takes our responsibility to keep your feet to the fire with great respect.”

Brian O’Dwyer, New York Gaming Commission billion to expand its slots parlor at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens into a full casino with a hotel, dining and entertainment options.

The projects bested several other proposals that fell by the wayside during the high-stakes competition.

Among them were three casinos proposed for Manhattan that were rejected by local boards, including a Cae-

as “two weeks of sheer terror.”

Chauncey St. John, speaking in court, said some nonprofits he worked with lost more than $2 million and a church group lost about $900,000. He and his wife are saddled with debt, and his in-laws have been forced to work well past their planned retirement, he said.

Nevertheless, St. John said, he forgives Kwon and “I pray to God to have mercy on his soul.”

A prosecutor read excerpts from some of more than 300 letters submitted by victims, including a person identified only by initials who lost nearly $11,400 while juggling bills and trying to complete college.

Kwon had made Terra seem like a safe place to stash savings, the person said.

“To some that is just a number on a page, but to me it was years of effort,” the person wrote. “Watching it evaporate, literally overnight, was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life.”

“What happened was not an accident. It was not a market event. It was deception,” the person added, imploring the judge to “consider the human cost of this tragedy.”

Kwon created an “illusion of resilience while covering up systemic failure,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mortazavi told Engelmayer. “This was fraud executed with arrogance, manipulation and total disregard for people.”

sars Palace in the heart of Times Square backed by rapper Jay-Z. A plan for a resort on Coney Island’s iconic boardwalk in Brooklyn was also defeated by local opposition, and MGM abruptly pulled out of the once-crowded sweepstakes despite local support.

The state gaming commission was authorized to license up to three casinos in the New York City area after voters approved a referendum in 2013 opening the door to casino gambling statewide.

Four full casinos, all upstate, now offer table games. The state also runs nine gambling halls without live table games, many of them also miles away from Manhattan.

Monday’s decision, in some ways, was largely a formality.

Millions of dollars in gambling revenues are already factored into the state budget.

A state panel charged with vetting the proposals for the commission also recommended awarding a license to all three remaining proposals earlier this month.

The Gaming Facility Location Board, in its written decision, argued that the region’s dense and relatively affluent population, combined with high tourism, would be able to support all three plans, despite their relative proximity to each other.

The panel said its consultants conservatively estimated the casinos would generate a combined $7 billion in gambling tax revenues from 2027 to 2036, plus $1.5 billion in licensing fees and nearly $6 billion in state and local taxes.

Monday’s decision also means Trump could stand to claim a substantial prize.

When Bally’s purchased operating rights for the city-owned Ferry Point golf course from the Trump Organization in 2023, it agreed to pony up an additional $115 million if it won a casino license.

Spokespersons for the Trump Organization didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Monday on the expected windfall.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Ford turns to stepped-up tech, police cooperation to thwart F-150 pickup thieves “Start Inhibit” lets owners remotely disable their engine through the FordPass app

member of the Detroit Police commercial auto theft section.

“The sooner we get the vehicle, the better. The vehicle is more likely to be intact.”

By Corey Williams The Associated Press

Security measures up, thefts trending down

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has stepped up technology in its popular F-150 pickup to combat the ever-evolving techniques car thieves have at their disposal.

It is the latest cat-and-mouse move that the automaker hopes will help customers avoid the costly and frustrating process that occurs when vehicles are swiped and includes a feature that won’t allow an engine to start even if a key fob is in the pickup.

Motor vehicle thefts recently have been on the decline in the U.S. after several years of increases. Still, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said more than 850,000 vehicles were stolen in the U.S. in 2024, pegging losses at $8 billion.

But thefts dropped 23% during the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to an analysis by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Ford’s F-150 was in the top 10 of most stolen models.

“F-150s have been the bestselling vehicle for decades, so there are a lot of them on the road,” said Christian Moran, Ford Secure general manager.

“Thieves do like to go after pickup trucks. They also like to go after the contents that are often in pickup trucks. Oftentimes, there are people who have thousands of dollars’ worth of tools and products in the back that are valuable above and beyond what the vehicle is worth.”

Auto theft is lucrative as some vehicles, especially high-end and luxury models, are targeted for resale. Other stolen vehicles are used to commit crimes like carjackings and smash-and-grab robberies at jewelry, liquor and other retail stores.

“We used to say most of the people stealing cars were joyriders,” said Thomas Burke, a retired New York City Police detective and a current director with the Chesapeake, Virginia-based International Association of Auto Theft Investigators.

“There are very few joyriders now,” Burke added. “It’s all professional. They steal them, change the (vehicle identification) numbers and sell them.”

Thieves seek easy targets like key fobs left in vehicles. They also break into a vehicle to reprogram its computer to accept another key, Burke said.

But it appears security measures are working.

“In New York in 1990, we had 196,000 cars stolen in one year,” Burke said. “This year, so far, a little over 10,000 have been stolen, and that’s out of more than 3.5 million cars registered.”

Motor vehicle theft in Detroit decreased from 9,260 in 2023 to 8,408 last year, according to the city’s police department. So far this year, there have been 1,837 fewer thefts than in 2024.

“We’re finding out ways that they’re stealing vehicles, and we work with companies to try to get that stopped,” Kakish said.

COREY WILLIAMS / AP PHOTO

Ibrahim Kakish, Detroit Police commercial theft section officer, stages a mock arrest during a demonstration of Ford’s anti-theft technology for F-150 and F-250 Super Duty pickups on Dec. 10.

Ford’s Stolen Vehicle Services, which was launched with the 2024 F-150 model year, added a “Start Inhibit” feature that allows owners to disable an F-150’s engine from a smartphone by using the FordPass app. This makes it impossible for a thief to start the pickup.

That was expanded in the 2025 model year to include the F-250 Super Duty pickup. Ford plans to extend it to other vehicles in the 2026 model year.

The security package comes with the purchase of a pickup and is included for one year

once activated. The cost after the first year is $7.99 per month.

Technology matching wits with thieves F-150 owners can receive alerts to their smartphones of potential thefts that include an unauthorized person entering their pickup, whether doors are ajar, and if the vehicle is moved or towed.

One of the strongest features of the security package is the coordination with police agencies, Moran said.

It works this way. Once an owner realizes or is notified that their pickup has been stolen, the owner is encouraged to call the police and file a report. The owner then contacts a Ford call center, which confirms with police that a theft report was completed. The call center coordinates efforts with police to use “Start Inhibit” to shut down the engine and to pinpoint where the pickup stopped.

“Usually, within an hour is when we try to work as hard as we can to get those vehicles,” said Officer Ibrahim Kakish, a

US gained 64K jobs in November, lost 105K in October The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest since 2021

By Paul Wiseman The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration, the government said in delayed reports.

Both the October and November job creation numbers, released Tuesday by the Labor Department, came in late because of the 43-day federal government shutdown.

The November job gains came in higher than the 40,000 economists had forecast. The October job losses were caused by a 162,000 drop in federal workers, many of whom resigned at the end of fiscal year 2025 on Sept.

30 under pressure from billionaire Elon Musk’s purge of U.S. government payrolls.

Labor Department revisions also knocked 33,000 jobs off August and September payrolls.

Workers’ average hourly earnings rose just 0.1% from October, the smallest gain since Au-

PUERTO RICO from page A9 Rico,” the GAO report said.

It also noted that until this year, the IRS was unable to obtain complete data on those claiming the investor incentive with Social Security numbers to ensure compliance. The IRS also had no plans to get updated data from Puerto Rico and didn’t pursue U.S. taxpayers identified by Puerto Rico as those not meeting the territory’s residency requirements.

The report offered an example from August 2023, noting that Puerto Rican officials shared an audit identifying 179 taxpayers that did not provide evidence to meet a residency requirement.

“One (IRS) … official reviewed

gust 2023. Compared to a year earlier, pay was up 3.5%, the lowest since May 2021.

Health care employers added more than 46,000 jobs in November, accounting for more than two-thirds of the 69,000 private sector jobs created last month. Construction companies added 28,000 jobs. Manufacturing shed jobs for the seventh straight month, losing 5,000 jobs in November.

Hiring has clearly lost momentum, hobbled by uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effect of the high interest rates the Federal Reserve engineered in 2022 and 2023 to rein in an outburst of inflation.

American companies are mostly holding onto the employees they have. But they’re reluctant to hire new ones as they struggle to assess how to use artificial intelligence and how to adjust to Trump’s unpredictable policies, especially his double-digit taxes on imports from around the world.

The uncertainty leaves job seekers struggling to find work or even land interviews. Federal Reserve policymakers are divided over whether the labor market needs more help from lower interest rates. Their deliberations

a few cases before determining the referrals did not need to be prioritized,” the GAO stated.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized the exemptions, asserting that “not only is this policy driving up wealth inequality on the island, but it is also stealing valuable federal tax revenue used to fund Social Security, Medicare, and other essential federal programs out of Americans’ pockets.”

The GAO noted that in 2024, the Democratic staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance launched an independent investigation into oversight of the exemptions.

The IRS has stated that it agrees with the GAO’s recommendations and has taken steps,

are rendered more difficult because official reports on the economy’s health are coming in late and incomplete after a 43-day government shutdown.

Labor Department revisions in September showed that the economy created 911,000 fewer jobs than originally reported in the year that ended in March.

That meant that employers added an average of just 71,000 new jobs a month over that period, not the 147,000 first reported. Since March, job creation has fallen farther — to an average of 35,000 a month.

The unemployment rate, though still modest by historical standards, has risen since bottoming out at a 54-year low of 3.4% in April 2023.

“The takeaway is that the labor market remains on a relatively soft footing, with employers showing little appetite to hire, but (they) are also reluctant to fire,” Thomas Feltmate,

senior economist at TD Economics, wrote in a commentary. “That said, labor demand has cooled more than supply in recent months, which is what’s behind the steady upward drift in the unemployment rate.”

Adding to the uncertainty is the growing use of artificial intelligence and other technologies that can reduce demand for workers.

“We’ve seen a lot of the businesses that we support are stuck in that stagnant mode: ‘Are we going to hire or are we not? What can we automate?

What do we need the human touch with?’” said Matt Hobbie, vice president of the staffing firm HealthSkil in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

“We’re in Lehigh Valley, which is a big transportation hub in eastern Pennsylvania.

We’ve seen some cooling in the logistics and transportation markets, specifically because

we’ve seen automation in those sectors, robotics.”

Worries about the job market were enough to nudge the Fed into cutting its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point last week for the third time this year.

But three Fed officials refused to go along with the move, the most dissents in six years. Some Fed officials are balking at further cuts while inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Two voted to keep the rate unchanged.

Tuesday’s report shows that “the labor market remains weak, but the pace of deterioration probably is too slow to spur the (Fed) to ease again in January,” Samuel Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconimics, wrote in a commentary.

Because of the government shutdown, the Labor Department did not release its jobs reports for September, October and November on time.

It finally put out the September jobs report on Nov. 20, seven weeks late. It published some of the October data — including a count of the jobs created that month by businesses, nonprofits and government agencies — along with the November report Tuesday.

including talking with Puerto Rico treasury officials to agree upon a yearly request of data.

offers incentives including a 4% corporate tax rate and 100% exemption on dividends or profit distributions.

Meanwhile, the individual investors act known as Act 22 targets wealthy individuals who relocate to Puerto Rico and offers 100% exemption on dividends, interest and long-term capital gains.

A study commissioned by Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce and released in 2019 found that the exemptions created more than 36,200 jobs and generated more than $2.5 billion in investments.

A 2024 study by the agency estimated that in 2022, individuals who received the incen-

tive had established more than 1,000 businesses and paid more than $200 million in taxes and donations to Puerto Rico, while the incentives cost the government $184 million.

Puerto Rico’s Treasury Department has estimated that from 2020 to 2026, the government will have foregone $4.4 billion because of individual investor incentives and $1.8 billion because of export service business incentives.

Meanwhile, the GAO said that “Puerto Rico’s economy has shown little or no growth” since the incentives were introduced in 2012 but added that “it is not possible to measure what growth or decline would have been without the incentives.”

“The takeaway is that the labor market remains on a relatively soft footing, with employers showing little appetite to hire, but (they) are also reluctant to fire.”

Thomas Feltmate, TD Economics

13 years’ worth of incentives The incentives, created by former Gov. Luis Fortuño in 2012 to try to boost the local economy, only apply to those who come from outside Puerto Rico and meet certain requirements.

The exemptions have long been criticized on the island of 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate, with some local officials noting that they have contributed to a rise in the cost of housing, among other things.

The Export Services Act, commonly known as Act 20,

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Expert tips to ease financial pressure, avoid holiday overspending Remember that generosity isn’t measured by money alone

By Adriana Morga The Associated Press NEW YORK — Are you feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to spend money on gifts, parties and travel this holiday season?

The job market is tough, student loan and credit card debt is rising, and prices for many items remain high due to inflation. If you’re feeling financially strained, know that you’re not the only one feeling that way, said Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, a financial therapist and host of the “Mind Money Balance” podcast.

To avoid putting additional pressure on your finances, use the holidays as a time to be extra mindful of how you spend.

Remember that spending money isn’t the only way to show your love to your friends and family.

“We add on all of the years of nostalgia and pressure that we put on the holidays to meet some sort of picture-perfect version,” Bryan-Podvin said.

From setting a budget to creating your own traditions, here are expert recommendations to avoid financial stress this holiday season.

Start with a budget What is marketed as “the most wonderful time of the year” can quickly become stressful, Jennifer Seitz, director of education at family finance app Greenlight, said. Setting a budget can help you avoid overspending on gifts, decorations or any other holiday expenses.

Don’t be afraid to say no

ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP PHOTO

Black Friday shoppers wait in line to enter Macy’s flagship store Nov. 28 in New York.

“Be sure to include your travel, your shipping, your seasonal tipping, knowing what you plan to spend in each category and then having a cap in place can make it easier to avoid debt in January,” Seitz said.

While having a budget is the first step, sticking to it is equally essential.

Bryan-Podvin also recommended that you include your regular debt payments in your holiday budget. That way, you avoid falling behind or acquiring more debt.

Shop around for best deals When you’re doing your holiday gift shopping, look for sales, coupons or other holiday dis-

get a free shipping offer. I really believe in those tools and use them every single time I shop,” Bodge said.

Bodge also recommends you try finding deals with browser extensions such as PayPal Honey and Rakuten.

“I think it’s really important for families to create alternative forms of joy that aren’t necessarily tied to buying.”

Decide what matters most to you

Jennifer Seitz, Greenlight director of family finance counts so you can reduce your overall costs, said Trae Bodge, a shopping expert.

“I’m always looking for maybe a coupon code so I can save a certain percentage off, or I can earn cash back, or I can

The holidays are the season of giving, but spending too much money and energy can have adverse effects on your mental health. Deciding what you care about most can help you avoid financial stress.

Bryan-Podvin recommends that you write down your holiday expenses: travel, celebra-

Retail sales unchanged in October, hurt in part by auto sales decline

excitement has poured money into ambitious startups aiming to build hardware that will bring a physical presence to the latest AI. But it’s not just crossover hype — the same technical advances that made AI chatbots so good at language have played a role in teaching robots how to get better at performing tasks.

Paired with computer vision, robots powered by “visual lan-

Create your own traditions In recent years, Seitz has noticed a shift away from spending money on goods and more of a focus on creating meaningful experiences with family.

“I think it’s really important for families to create alternative forms of joy that aren’t necessarily tied to buying. Kids often remember those memories and those traditions most of all,” Seitz said.

New ways of celebrating don’t have to include a greater expense, they can be as simple as organizing a pancake-making morning with the entire family, playing a new board game or doing a homemade gift exchange.

“The retail sales report for October was a dud, but the underlying details offer more encouraging signals for (fourth-quarter) consumer spending and an elevated starting point for the critical two-month stretch for holiday sales,” Tim Quinlan, an economist at Wells Fargo, wrote Tuesday.

The government retail sales figures, which aren’t adjusted for inflation, show that Americans remained selective in October as many households struggled with high prices for groceries, rent and many imported goods hit by tariffs.

The latest job report, released

by the Labor Department on Tuesday, also showed a souring employment picture.

The retail sales report covers about one-third of consumer spending, with the rest going to services such as travel, haircuts and entertainment.

Sales at clothing and accessories stores rose 0.9%, while business at furniture and home furnishing stores increased 2.3%, likely due to rising prices because of tariff costs. Most furniture is made in China.

Online retailers posted a 1.8% sales increase, while department stores saw business rise 4.9%.

But business at restaurants, the lone services component within the Census Bureau report and a barometer of discretionary spending, posted a 0.4% sales dip.

The report comes as retailers are preparing for the crowds of last-minute shoppers with expanded hours and stepped-up deals for the last stretch of holiday shopping before Dec. 25.

Hiring has generally been weak, while the unemployment rate has ticked higher, which could hurt consumer spending and the broader economy. The latest job report showed that the U.S. gained a decent 64,000 jobs

guage” models are trained to learn about their surroundings.

One of the most prominent skeptics is robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, a co-founder of Roomba vacuum maker iRobot who wrote in September that “today’s humanoid robots will not learn how to be dexterous despite the hundreds of millions, or perhaps many billions of dollars, being donated by VCs and major tech companies to pay for their training.”

Also missing was anyone

speaking for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s development of a humanoid called Optimus, a project that the billionaire is designing to be “extremely capable” and sold in high volumes.

The conference’s organizer, Alaoui, founder and general partner of ALM Ventures, previously worked on driver attention systems for the automotive industry and sees parallels between humanoids and the early years of self-driving cars.

Near the entrance to the

summit venue, just blocks from Google’s headquarters, is a museum exhibit showing Google’s bubble-shaped 2014 prototype of a self-driving car.

Some robots with human elements are already being tested in workplaces. Oregon-based Agility Robotics announced shortly before the conference that it is bringing its tote-carrying warehouse robot Digit to a Texas distribution facility run by Mercado Libre, the Latin American e-commerce giant.

Industrial robots performing single tasks are already commonplace in car assembly and other manufacturing. They work with a level of speed and precision that’s difficult for today’s humanoids — or humans themselves — to match.

The head of a robotics trade group founded in 1974 is now lobbying the U.S. government to develop a stronger national strategy to advance the development of homegrown robots, be they humanoids or otherwise.

Becca Mendoza and Tammi Hines look at products as shoppers browse through Kohl’s department store for Black Friday deals Nov. 28 in Woodstock, Georgia.

By Anne D’ Innocenzio The Associated Press

ROBOTS from page A9

Between work parties, family functions and gatherings with friends, the holiday season can quickly become overwhelming both emotionally and financially. If you’re feeling stressed, don’t be afraid to place a boundary and say no to an event or a gift exchange.

“Most people who you say a boundary to are going to understand and (some) are going to be relieved,” Bryan-Podvin said.

Being open about your money can be difficult, but sharing if you are struggling with debt or other financial issues can help family and friends understand that they should prioritize low-cost gifts or activities.

in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration.

Despite lots of uncertainty, the holiday shopping season had a solid start, with shoppers focusing on deals, according to data over the Black Friday weekend.

But spending hasn’t been even across the board.

Third-quarter results from retailers released last month have been mixed. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, posted strong sales as it pulls shoppers across a wide spectrum of incomes who are drawn to its low prices.

The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest trade group, still expects sales over November and December to increase 3.7% to 4.2%, compared with last year.

Retailers rang up $976 billion in holiday sales last year, or a 4.3% increase from the prior year, the group said.

Based on spending from its credit card and bank customers, the Bank of America Institute found that high-income shoppers increased spending by 2.6% in November compared with the year-ago period, while lower-income groups lagged with a gain of just 0.6% compared with a year ago.

“Near-full employment has continued to support broad-based consumer demand,” Moody’s Rating’s Claire Li, vice president of credit strategy, wrote in a report published earlier this month.

“But slowing hiring, cooling wage gains, and mounting affordability pressures are eroding households’ consumption growth.”

Spending trends by income continue to show a K-shaped pattern

NEW YORK — Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants were unchanged in October from September as consumers moderated their spending amid worries about higher prices and other economic uncertainties after splurging over the summer.

But a big factor dragging down the figure was a 1.6% drop in sales at motor vehicle and auto parts dealerships, hurt by the expiration of federal government subsidies that sliced demand for battery-powered electric cars.

Excluding that category, retail sales rose 0.4%, the Commerce Department said Tuesday in a report delayed more than a month because of the 43-day government shutdown.

The overall flat spending in October was less than economists expected and followed a revised 0.1% increase in September, the agency said. Retail sales jumped 0.6% in July and August and 1% in June.

The federal government is gradually catching up on economic reports that were postponed by the shutdown.

tions, gifts, etc. Then ask yourself if buying or participating in all of those activities and costs feels good.

“That helps you prioritize what are the things that are most important to you this holiday season,” she said.

While many people equate how much they spend on gifts or how many events they attend with how much they care for their loved ones, that is not the best way to approach the holiday season if you’re financially strained.

MEGAN VARNER / AP PHOTO

NCHSAA state football championships, B3

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

We are the champions Hough quarterback Miles Clark (16) and the rest of the Huskies sideline begins to celebrate late in the team’s 21-0 win over Millbrook that gave Hough its first football championship in school history. We have coverage of the state championships on page B3

the Thursday

Slavin’s return should solidify Hurricanes

SOCCER

The star defenseman missed 29 games with a lower-body injury

SIDELINE REPORT

U.S. to play Senegal on May 31 in pre-World Cup friendly in Charlotte Fayetteville, Ga. The United States will play Senegal in a friendly on May 31 at Charlotte in the Americans’ penultimate game before their World Cup opener.

After meeting 19th-ranked Senegal, the U.S. faces No. 9 Germany on June 6 at Chicago.

This will be the first meeting between the Americans and Senegal. At the World Cup, the U.S. opens Group D against No. 39 Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California.

NBA

Oft-injured Mavericks center Lively II set forseason-ending foot surgery Dallas Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is set for season-ending surgery on his ailing right foot, another setback for the promising but oft-injured player. The Mavericks previously said Lively was seeking multiple medical opinions as discomfort in the foot lingered. He had a procedure on the same foot in the offseason. The Duke one-and-done will have missed 148 of a possible 246 games by the end of his third season.

MLB

Dominican court orders new trial for Tampa Bay Rays’ Franco in sexual abuse case Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic An appeals court in the Dominican Republic ordered a new trial for Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, convicted earlier this year of sexually abusing a minor.

Franco had received a two-year suspended sentence. He was arrested last year after being accused of having a fourmonth relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time, and of transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — For the past decade, the Carolina Hurricanes could always count on Jaccob Slavin as their last line of defense.

The 31-year-old defenseman, who since being forced into action as a rookie in 2015 due to injuries on the Carolina blue line had missed just 16 combined games over the past 10 seasons, grew into arguably the NHL’s best defensive defenseman.

Or, as Andrei Svechnikov said Sunday when Slavin returned to the lineup, “the best D in the world.”

So when Carolina got 37 minutes of Slavin to start the season

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74), pictured in March in a game last season against Montreal, returned to the Carolina lineup Sunday after missing 29 games with a lower-body injury. and then had to go without him, there was reason for concern.

The Hurricanes, however,

climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference standings minus their defensive backbone, in part

Historic season ends in bitter heartbreak for Wolfpack Despite overcoming a two-goal deficit, NC State found itself on the wrong end of a golden goal

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal IT’S BEEN 42 years since an NC State men’s team last won a national title, and it’s going to be an even longer wait still as the Wolfpack men’s soccer team lost an absolute heartbreaker to the Washington Huskies on Monday night in a 3-2 overtime final.

In front of what was essentially a soldout home crowd at the WakeMed Soccer Park, the Wolfpack stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime only to concede the golden goal less than two minutes into the extra frame.

The 3-2 loss was perhaps the toughest way the game could have ended for NC State, which was appearing in its first national championship game in pro-

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

NC State players watch as officials review a replay of the final goal to confirm Washington’s victory in the NCAA College Cup National Championship final. gram history, as the goal not only came quic, but was also reviewed for a potential offside, giving the home team a momentary last gasp of hope, only for it to ultimately be ripped away.

“Just devastated for the guys,”

said NC State coach Marc Hubbard, who is in his second year at the helm of the program. “I think they put on a good show and a really good effort within the game to come back from 2-0 and be in a situation

because several fill-ins — led by veteran Mike Reilly and rookies Joel Nystrom and Charles Alexis Legault — played above expectations during injuries to Slavin, K’Andre Miller, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield.

“The guys did a great job while I was out … and everyone else has just been working,” Slavin said after playing just over 14½ minutes in his return to the lineup, a 3-2 shootout win over the Flyers on Sunday. “All the young guys that came up and played, the team’s just done a great job.”

While Legault suffered a freak injury that resulted in hand surgery and a long-term recovery, Nystrom — in his first professional season — made enough of an impression to receive a four-year, $4.9 million extension.

Slavin, who has averaged over 22 minutes of ice time throughout his career, will slowly return to his role as Carolina’s shutdown defender.

“We have to ease him back, and that’s hard to do too,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “But yeah, it’s been a long time without him, and (it’s) nice to get him back and hopefully up to speed here.”

See CANES, page B2

like that. Just really proud of them.”

Early on, things were tough for the Wolfpack, as they really struggled to deal with the Huskies’ speed, and it was evident on both the goals they conceded.

The first goal against came off of a long ball that got past the Wolfpack line. While senior goaltender Logan Erb came all the way out of the box to challenge the ball and even managed to knock that chance away, it wound up going right to Huskie midfielder Zach Ramsey, who had an open net to finish into in the 44th minute.

Then in the 62nd minute, Washington forced a turnover near midfield and used that speed to get position on the NC State defenders for a quick strike.

NC State was then staring up the mountain, seeing its dream slip away, and with the fact that the Huskies were 12-0-0 when scoring first, it didn’t look like it was going to leave much of a chance for a comeback.

However, junior forward Donavan Phillip was the man on the spot once again to give his team a spark, and his NCAA-leading 19th goal of the season came at a crucial moment See SOCCER, page B2

B2 THURSDAY

12.18.25 TRENDING

Freddie Kitchens: The UNC offensive coordinator won’t return next season. The school announced it had “parted ways” with Kitchens and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer. That came after the school’s 4-8 season, Bill Belichick’s first as Tar Heel coach.

UNC’s offense was one of the worst in the country, ranking 119th in FBS, averaging 19.3 points and 129th in total offense at 288.8 yards per game.

Rick Delia: The volunteer coach for the Miracle League of the Triangle was named USA Baseball’s Volunteer Coach of the Year for 2025. Former Charlotte Knights pitching coach Kirk Champion, now a pitching coordinator with the women’s national team, won Coach Educator of the Year, and Duke Assistant Athletic Trainer Aldo Plata, who worked with the national team, won Service Provider of the Year.

Eli Drinkwitz: The Missouri coach and former App State coach and NC State coordinator has reportedly been contacted by a search firm about the opening at Michigan.

Two weeks ago, Drinkwitz agreed to a six-year contract worth an average of $10.75 million annually after going 46-28 in six seasons at Missouri.

CANES from page B1 Slavin, despite playing about two-thirds of his normal minutes, still made an impact Sunday, making a goal-saving block in a tight game, and said it wasn’t too difficult returning to action.

“My style is not very flashy, so it’s pretty easy,” he said. “Couple missed clears on the (penalty kill) there, though, so knocking off some rust, for sure. But our system makes it really easy. Guys are helping out all over the ice, so coming back wasn’t too hard.”

What can Carolina expect

SOCCER from page B1 following a free kick in the 66th minute.

It was a chaotic sequence in the box leading up to the goal, but eventually Phillip found the loose ball and got a leg on it with a backward, no-look, jumping kick to finally solve Huskies goalkeeper Jadon Bowton.

“After they scored their second goal, we got together in the mid-

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

NCAA FOOTBALL

Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935. Mendoza led Indiana to its first No. 1 ranking and the Big Ten title, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdowns.

Mendoza beat out Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.

MICHAEL WOODS / AP PHOTO

“He’s using NIL for his first wife’s alimony.

Are we nuts?”

John Calipari, exaggerating while complaining about the number of older players in college basketball

EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP PHOTO

NCAA FOOTBALL

MLB

LYNNE SLADKY / AP PHOTO

“It’s honestly like a slap to my face.”

Former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on Philip Rivers getting pulled out of retirement by the Indianapolis Colts.

PRIME NUMBER

6

MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO

Georgia and NC State canceled their home-and-home football series for the 2033 and 2034 seasons. The move was needed after the SEC and ACC moved to nine league games starting in 2026. The expanded league schedule also led Louisville, also of the ACC, to cancel a 2026 nonconference game with Charlotte.

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

The Houston Astros are selling the Fayetteville Woodpeckers to Diamond Baseball Holdings. Fayetteville will continue to be the Astros’ Single-A affiliate. Houston also sold farm teams in Sugar Land, Texas, and Corpus Christi to Diamond Baseball Holdings, which owns 45 other minor league teams around the country.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Number of quarterback Philip Rivers’ teammates on the Colts younger than his oldest child.

The 44-year-old’s daughter Halle was born in 2002, prior to the births of Colts rookies DJ Giddens, JT Tuimoloau, Riley Leonard, Reuben Lowery, Justin Walley and Hunter Wohler.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after the latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate.

The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans. Prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680.

once all the rust is knocked off?

For one, the Hurricanes’ penalty kill already showed a marked improvement in Slavin’s first game back. Carolina was a perfect 4 for 4 against Philadelphia, the first time since Oct. 20 the team had a perfect night on the PK when it was called on to kill at least four penalties. The Hurricanes have had the NHL’s best penalty kill since Brind’Amour took over as coach but are currently in the league’s bottom half — 18th with a 79.8% success rate.

While there have been some concerns among the Hurri-

canes’ fanbase that the team hasn’t been as defensively stout at 5-on-5 this season without Slavin, the numbers don’t bear out that assessment.

The team’s expected goals for percentage at 5-on-5 is stable compared to recent seasons (57.02% in 2023-24, 55.93% last season and 56.53% through 32 games this year). The Hurricanes’ goals for and goals against are nearly identical from last season — 3.25 goals for per game this season, 3.24 last year; 2.78 goals allowed this season, 2.80 last.

Adding Slavin to an already

capable group has the potential to make the defense its best in the Brind’Amour era. After playing his first two games of the season before his injury alongside Sean Walker, Slavin returned to the lineup paired with rookie Alexander Nikishin, a fellow left-handed shot who shifted to his off side to accommodate Slavin.

“We knew we were limiting minutes for Slavin, so that’s kind of the pairing we thought we’d start with,” Brind’Amour said, hinting that the current pairings — Walker with Miller and Chat-

field with Gostisbehere — aren’t etched in stone.

But one thing that is clear is his teammates — even his newest one — are glad to see No. 74 patrolling the blue line.

“Obviously, (it was the) first time playing with him officially in a game,” said goaltender Brandon Bussi, who didn’t play his first NHL game until the season’s third game — the first of 29 that Slavin missed. “So you could see just that calmness he brings. He’s a reliable stick and we’ve missed him, and it’s great to have him back.”

dle of the field and spent the time left just trying to keep our heads up,” Phillip said. “We had nothing to lose at that point, so it was just about going full out. After we got that first goal back, we knew that anything was possible. We just needed one more chance.”

That chance came in the 87th minute as midfielder Taig Healy, for the fourth-straight game, found the back of the net for the improbable goal that sent

the Cary crowd into an uproar.

Again, after creating some chaos in the box, Healy was set up from just outside the middle, and he wasn’t going to be denied.

What seemed like an impossible comeback had turned on a dime, and with overtime on the way, it was anybody’s game.

Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, their luck had run dry, and thre comeback was over almost as quick as it started. Harrison

Bertos scored the golden goal to secure Washington’s first national championship.

“I was so proud of every one of us and the run we had been on,” Healy said. “What a special team I’ve been a part of.”

It was a good run for the Wolfpack, who made it further than any other team in program history, and they look to really be building something special.

“When Hubs came, this pro-

gram was in a totally different place,” said sophomore defenseman Nikola Markovic. “Playing out there is unreal when you have 10,000 people and maybe 9,000 of them are your fans.”

“Couldn’t be prouder of that group of individuals in the locker room for what they’ve done this year and what they represent,” Hubbard said. “The sun will come up tomorrow, and we’ll get back to work and move on.”

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

B3

Eight state football champions crowned

By Shawn Krest North State Journal KENAN STADIUM on the UNC campus saw two first-time state champions crowned.

Wilson Prep kicked a field goal in the final minute to beat Robbinsville 9-8 in the 1A game, leaving junior lineman Kameron Best (65 in orange) overcome with emotion.

Sophomore Ryan Peterson (5) and senior Micah Bright (7) helped point the way to Hough’s first state title in a 21-0 win over Millbrook in the 8A game.

At Lenoir-Rhyne's Moretz Stadium, Tarboro beat Murphy 22-0 to win the 2A title, the 10th championship in school history.

Also at Kenan, Watauga won its second state title and first in 47 years with a 47-25 win over Middle Creek in the 6A game. Seniors Evan Burroughs (12) and Thomas Deiter (right, both in light blue) were feeling the overwhelming emotion.

Grimsley added to its championship total in Chapel Hill with a 24-14 win over Clayton in the 7A game for its second straight state title and third in four years. Senior offensive lineman Nick Kashubara (72) shared a hug with a coach after the win.

The 4A title game was also held in Hickory, with Reidsville beating Brevard 50-20 for its 21st NCHSAA title and 24th overall state football crown.

Durham County Stadium saw a record-setting shootout as Shelby won the 3A crown, its 13th state title, in a wild 84-41 win over Kinston.

Also in Durham, Crest won the seventh title in school history, beating Hunt 31-14 in the 5A title game.

Watauga senior linebacker Matthew Leon (14) breaks up a pass.

Wilson prep senior Nazir Vines pulls in a pass for the team’s only touchdown.

Hough junior quarterback Ethan Royal had all three touchdowns for the Huskies.

PHOTOS BY JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Grimsley quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) stretches the ball for more yardage on a carry.

Wilson prep senior Travon Usher (5) leads the celebration as the Tigers receive their banner and trophy.

B4

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Late nonconference games to watch for local men’s teams Tobacco Road has few chances left for key interleague wins

Kansas’s Flory Bidunga dunks over NC State’s Ven-Allen Lubin (22) during the second half of the Wolfpack’s overtime loss.

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal CHANCES TO GRAB another marquee win in the nonconference season are running out for teams along Tobacco Road.

No. 3 Duke, No. 12 UNC, Wake Forest and NC State are entering the final stretch of what has been an informative first few weeks of interleague play.

All four teams will play its last, or one of its last, nonconference games before the ACC gauntlet begins later this month. For some, the pressure is on more than others when it comes to seizing opportunities to improve their tournament resume.

Here are the key final nonconference games to watch this week.

Duke vs. No. 19 Texas Tech (Saturday at 8 p.m.)

Duke’s second-to-last nonconference game of the season (matchup with Michigan on Feb. 21) against Texas Tech in the SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden will be its fifth matchup against a ranked opponent and another chance to pad its already impressive resume.

Through the first few weeks of the season, the Blue Devils, 10-0 as of Monday, have found a way to win in any given circumstance, and none of their victories have looked better than 66-60 win at Michigan State earlier this month.

But what can be seen as just another opportunity for Duke is a must-win for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech, coming off a loss to No. 14 Arkansas, is 2-3 in Quad 1 games and 0-3 against ranked opponents as of Monday. Although Texas Tech has five players averaging in double digits (Kevin Obanor leads with

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

14.4 points per game), it has allowed more than 80 points in each ranked matchup.

Wake Forest vs. No. 13 Vanderbilt (Sunday at 1 p.m.)

Wake Forest will get to host its third ranked opponent of the season in Vanderbilt, 10-0 as of Monday, to close out its nonconference schedule.

Both teams could use a win for their resumes as Wake Forest is 0-2 in Quad 1 games, and Vanderbilt hasn’t played the toughest schedule up to this point.

The Demon Deacons, led

by Juke Harris’ 20.1 points per game, have been very close — two points close — to having a very different outlook on the season. One-point losses to No. 2 Michigan and Texas Tech have proven that Wake Forest can compete against the best teams in the country, but

now it’s time to get a win to prove it.

Getting the win will require its best defensive effort of the season. The Commodores, led

by Duke Miles’ 16.6 points per night, have scored 95.4 points per game, the fifth-most in the country. Their 37.5% 3-point shooting clip leads the SEC. NC State vs. Ole Miss (Sunday at 1 p.m.)

NC State badly needs a win in its nonconference finale against Ole Miss at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.

The Wolfpack, coming off an overtime loss to No. 17 Kansas, have not shown up when the lights are bright. They’ve lost both of their matchups to ranked opponents and have fallen to 0-2 against SEC teams. As potent as its offense is, NC State has struggled with defensive consistency and finds itself in

the bottom four of the ACC in points allowed per game.

Ole Miss also needs the win to build some positive momentum going into conference play.

The Rebels, led by AJ Storr’s 13.3 points per game and 45.2% 3-point clip, have lost four of their last five as of Monday.

During that stretch, Ole Miss challenged No. 22 St. John’s in a 63-58 loss highlighted by Malik Dia’s 18 points. Although Ole Miss has a bottom offense in the SEC so far, it makes up for it on the defensive end, holding opponents to 67.9 points per game.

UNC vs. Ohio State (Saturday at 3 p.m.)

UNC will begin to wind down its nonconference slate against Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta.

The Tar Heels, hoping for an approaching return from their key leader and defensive guard

Seth Trimble, have kept the ship afloat while being shorthanded, closing out that crucial four-game stretch from St. Bonaventure to Georgetown with three wins.

Although Ohio State has not graced the AP Top 25 this season, it’s not a team to overlook.

The Buckeyes, 8-2 as of Monday, have fallen to No. 18 Illinois and Pitt by a combined nine points.

Led by Bruce Thornton, who averages 21.8 points per game and shoots 50% from beyond the arc (52 attempts), the Buckeyes’ offense ranks third in the Big Ten and top 40 in the nation in points per game (87.6).

Scoring guards have been an Achilles’ heel for UNC with Trimble out. Should its best defender still be out, UNC must limit Thornton’s impact. With Ohio State being ranked 49th in the NET rankings Monday, this could be another Quad 1 opportunity by tip off.

Charlotte Hornets still searching for rhythm amid injuries The Hornets are 2-4 so far in December

Hornets guard Kon Knueppel shoots a jump shot against Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson during the second half of a game in Charlotte on Dec. 7

By Jesse Deal North State Journal CHARLOTTE — Nearly two months into the 2025-26 season, the Charlotte Hornets are still struggling to find consistency as the team navigates a sustained rough stretch marked by injuries and flashes of promise from its young core.

After losing seven of its past 10 games, Charlotte sits at 8-18 overall and 2-4 in December entering the midpoint of the month. The team has been forced to juggle rotations and lean heavily on role players while multiple key contributors remain sidelined.

The Hornets notched a much-needed road victory on Sunday, topping the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-12) 119-111 in overtime. Rookie Kon Knueppel led Charlotte with 29 points, while Brandon Miller added 25 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the extra-period triumph.

After blowing a 17-point lead in the third quarter, the Hornets regrouped late as Miller buried a tying 3-pointer with five seconds remaining to force overtime.

Charlotte then locked down defensively in the extra period, holding Cleveland scoreless as the Cavaliers became just the 12th team in NBA history to be blanked in an overtime and the first since 2015.

“I thought the guys responded from the first quarter to the end of overtime,” Hornets coach Charles Lee said after the win.

“To have a scoreless shutout in overtime with (Darius) Garland, (Donovan) Mitchell and (De’Andre) Hunter and all those guys who usually do such a great job of creating, I loved it. It was Sion (James), it was Brandon (Miller), it was Miles (Bridges), it was Kon (Knueppel). You can go down the whole roster.”

JIM DEDMON / AP PHOTO

As Charlotte’s leading scorer with 21.3 points per game, Bridges also contributed a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the victory, which marked only the Hornets’ second win in their last six games.

“I love the competitive response that we had as a group and the ability for everybody to be ready for their opportunity,” Lee said. “Just everyone’s open-mindedness as everyone chipped in. You get happy when you know how much effort they put into a game. To beat a good team on the road, it feels good.”

Star guard LaMelo Ball has been out since Dec. 5 with a left ankle bruise that continues to limit his mobility. His absence has left a noticeable void in Charlotte’s offensive flow, as the team has struggled to generate the same tempo that fuels its fast-paced attack.

“I thought the guys responded from the first quarter to the end of overtime.”

Hornets coach Charles Le Collin Sexton, the offseason acquisition brought in to boost scoring and energy, has missed time since Dec. 3 with a left quadriceps strain. Prior to going down, he had provided an immediate spark, averaging double-digit points and attacking the rim with aggression off the bench.

Tre Mann, another backcourt option who had carved out a key reserve role, has been out since Nov. 29 with a right knee bruise.

Grant Williams, the team’s

versatile frontcourt presence, has been sidelined all season following right knee surgery, limiting Charlotte’s physicality and defensive flexibility in the paint.

Now in his 11th NBA season, veteran guard Pat Connaughton has also missed time since Nov. 22 with a right calf strain.

All of the absences have forced Lee to rely on younger players and increased minutes from the likes of Knueppel, who continues to be a bright spot in his first NBA campaign as he averages 19 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

The former Duke standout has impressed with his versatility, his shooting efficiency and ability to make the right read in transition, making him a steady presence in a rotation otherwise hit hard by injuries.

The standout rookie has also taken on a larger role in di-

recting the offense with Ball sidelined.

“We have a lot of guys that can handle the ball,” Knueppel said.

“It’s something I don’t take lightly, and something I want to get better at. So with LaMelo out, to have that opportunity and try to step up into that role is a big time opportunity. I’m just trying to do my best.”

A welcome sign came Dec. 12 when guard Josh Green saw his first game action of the season after missing time following left shoulder surgery in June to address joint instability. Green’s athleticism and defensive energy add a needed boost on the perimeter, and the Hornets hope his return will help stabilize the defense as the team looks to solidify its identity.

The Hornets will host the Atlanta Hawks in the Spectrum Center on Thursday night.

B5

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

features 10 TV shows from 2025 to catch up on before it’s 2026 Netflix’s “Adolescence” and “The Beast in Me” deliver gripping drama

By Alicia Rancilio The Associated Press IF YOU’D RATHER stay in than brave the elements or deal with holiday crowds, it’s a great time to catch up on the year’s standout television shows. Several titles got people watching and also talking.

In no particular order, here are 10 shows that broke out in 2025.

“Dept. Q” When it comes to his TV credits, Matthew Goode has a history of being a “late add” to TV shows. He swept in to be Mary’s love interest on “Downton Abbey” after the death of Cousin Matthew. He joined Season 2 of “The Crown” as Margaret’s husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, known as Earl Snowdon. Goode was also added to “The Good Wife” during Josh Charles’ shocking final episode in the show’s fifth season. In “Dept. Q,” Goode leads as a curmudgeonly detective who assembles a team of misfits to solve cold cases.

The show is based on a Danish book series and was renewed for a second season. (Available on Netflix) “Paradise” Sterling K. Brown stars in this drama as a U.S. Secret Service agent who arrives to work one day and finds the president is dead. It gets crazier from there. The show is part sci-fi, part drama, and definitely a mystery. It’s been renewed for a second season with Shailene Woodley added to the cast, so now is a good time to catch up.

(Available on Hulu)

“Love Island USA” Because each season has a new cast, we’ll count the seventh season of “Love Island USA” as a new show. Chatter about this one dominated social media and watercooler chatter this summer as it aired five nights a week. The gist: cameras follow a group of single people sequestered at a Fiji villa as they couple up. New connections are consistently in jeopardy as contestants get sent home — by the cast or the viewers who can vote — and new people called bombshells arrive like fresh bait.

About halfway through, the men and women are separated for a week of episodes and introduced to a whole new cast.

(Available on Peacock) “The Pitt” Noah Wyle revived his leading man status this year by once again portraying a doctor. This time, he’s not an intern but leads a Pittsburgh trauma center emergency room. “The Pitt” won several Primetime Emmy Awards this year, including best drama series and an acting and producing win for Wyle. Watch before Season 2 premieres in early January. (Available on HBO Max) “The Studio” Seth Rogen plays Matt Remick, the newly elevated head of a Hollywood studio.

Some critics say the show is too inside baseball about showbiz, but if you liked cringey comedies like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Episodes” or “The Comeback,” this one is for you. It also has a great supporting cast, including Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn and AP Breakthrough Entertainer Chase Sui Wonders. It also has real Hollywood players like Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, and

NETFLIX VIA AP

Owen Cooper plays a teenage boy accused of murder in “Adolescence.”

Olivia Wilde playing heightened versions of themselves. Rogen won Emmys for acting, directing, producing and writing on the series. A second season is in the works. (Available on Apple TV) “Adolescence” A teenage boy accused of murder is a disturbing premise, but watching this limited series is like watching great theater or even live music. Why? Each of the four episodes was filmed in a single continuous shot after extensive rehearsals. The show also introduced us to another AP Breakthrough Entertainer, Owen Cooper, who had never had a professional acting job before. Cooper, Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty all won Emmys for their performances.

(Available on Netflix) “The Beast in Me” Two of today’s best TV actors, Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, grace the screen together in “The Beast in Me.” Danes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Rhys plays a real estate developer suspected in the disappearance of his first wife.

Danes’ character has a severe case of writer’s block as she’s working on her second book, so she pivots to writing a biography of Rhys’ character. (Available on Netflix) “St. Denis Medical” OK, this one debuted in November 2024, but it was so close to the end of the year that let’s just agree to say it was new in 2025. NBC loves a workplace mockumentary series, and this one has Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman and David Alan Grier as employees at an Oregon hospital. Comedies don’t get much time to hit their stride anymore, and this one deserved its renewal. (Available on Peacock) “The Paper” “The Paper” had a tough go as the official spinoff to “The Office.” It had its niche — a mockumentary about the staff of a small, struggling newspaper in Toledo, Ohio — but the ghosts of Dunder Mifflin were hard to ignore. Many viewers went in looking for a new Michael Scott or Dwight Schrute and were disappointed. “The Paper” may not

AP names Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025 Five rising performers, including Emmy historymakers, made the list

have carbon copies of its predecessor’s characters (although accountant Oscar Martinez returns), but it does have running jokes, quirky personalities and is worth a fair shake. If you recall, “The Office” wasn’t a hit right away either. A second season is in the works. (Available on Peacock) “Forever” This contemporary spin on the controversial Judy Blume novel from 1975 follows a young couple in Los Angeles as they experience first love. Lead actors Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. both turned in strong performances, as did Karen Pittman. Like most young lovers, the couple’s relationship has highs and lows. A second season is confirmed, so there’s more story to tell. (Available on Netflix)

“I’ve been a part of some amazing productions. I’ve been able to see the world.

It’s been the dream.”

Danny Ramirez

The Associated Press OWEN COOPER emphatically announced himself to the world in 2025. The “Adolescence” star became the youngest male acting winner at the Emmy Awards. He was just 15. It was his first professional job.

The young English actor’s rocket-fueled arrival was just one of several notable career turns that got the world of entertainment talking this year.

“Severance” star Tramell Tillman also made Emmy history as the first black man to win for supporting actor in a drama series, Chase Sui Wonders helped make Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” a delicious satire, and Danny Ramirez captivated in Season 2 of “The Last of Us.” Plus, you couldn’t miss Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi, star of Netflix’s chart-topping animated film, “KPop Demon Hunters.”

All five have ended 2025 with critical and popular attention and have been named The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year.

Few performers have had a year like Cho, a Korean American who, as the lead character in “KPop Demon Hunters,” propelled it to becoming Netflix’s most watched movie of all time and watched as it notched four top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 1 hit “Golden.”

“It feels like it is my golden moment,” says Cho.

“If you liked cringey comedies like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ ‘Episodes’ or ‘The Comeback,’ (‘The Studio’) is for you.”

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO

“Severance” star Tramell Tillman attends Time100 Next at Pier 59 on Oct. 30 in New York.

The Harvard-educated Wonders had two plum parts in 2025 — playing Quinn Hackett, a comically manipulative creative

executive on “The Studio,” and the scream queen Ava Brucks in “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

“I do feel absurdly lucky that I get to be on set with all my friends and telling a bunch of jokes and being a weirdo on

screen,” she says.

Ramirez, best known for playing Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — the first Latino Avenger — and Lt. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia opposite Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick,” made a memorable turn as a vengeful member of the group that hunted down our favorite characters in the hellish landscape of “The Last of Us.” “Across the board, it’s been creatively, incredibly fruitful,” says the actor. “I’ve been a part of some amazing productions. I’ve been able to see the world. It’s been the dream.”

Cruise also connects another AP Breakthrough Entertainer — Tillman, who co-starred in one of the biggest hits of the year, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” as well as enjoying a breakout Season 2 as Seth Milchick in “Severance,” capped by a finale in which he led a marching band with full choreography.

“It’s been quite a banner year,” he says. “I want to continue to expand and to tell more stories, stories that we haven’t heard and stories that tell the same story but in a different perspective.”

That’s also something the now-16-year-old Cooper is looking forward to after a 2025 that saw him anointed as a new Hollywood star.

“I just want to do everything,” he says.

B6

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Country singer Jelly Roll feels good, ready to win Grammy in 2026 The artist earned his first nomination in the contemporary Christian category

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press NEW YORK — Jelly Roll is catching his breath.

It’s not a metaphor. He’s running up a hill in South Texas when he answers The Associated Press’ phone call, part of his ongoing health transformation journey. “Endorphins are flying. I feel great,” he cheered.

“It’s time to win a (expletive) Grammy!”

He’s got a lot to train for: Last week, he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. And last month, Jelly Roll learned that he was nominated for three Grammys in 2026, marking his third year in a row receiving nods. Two of those are new territory for him.

He’s up for his first contemporary Christian music (CCM) award for “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” his collaboration with Christian singer Brandon Lake.

He is also up for his first award in the inaugural contemporary country album category. That’s for “Beautifully Broken.”

“It’s definitely the greatest honor,” he said. “Everybody wants to be nominated for a Grammy.”

Since its release in 2024, Jelly Roll’s album “Beautifully Broken” has connected with his passionate audience, those who view his music as both representational and aspirational. “God wanted people to know you can still be beautiful and broken,” he said of the album’s Grammy recognition. “It’s truly my most meaningful album.”

Much of his work has become associated with overcoming adversity. Take, for example, the song “Winning Streak,” which tells the story of someone’s first day sober, which he debuted on “Saturday Night Live.” Or the direct-and-to-the-point, “I Am Not Okay.” Even though

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Jelly Roll performs “Heart of Stone” at this year’s 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas. his life looks pretty great right now, Jelly Roll’s no stranger to struggle. He’s been incarcerated a few times, most seriously at age 16 when he was tried as an adult for aggravated robbery. At 23, he was arrested for drug dealing.

“I’m never disconnected from it,” he said of his past. It has informed his philanthropic efforts, which often focus on mental health, recovery efforts and include not infrequent performances in prisons.

“When I first started doing this, I was just telling my story of my broken self,” he said of his career. “By the time I got through it, I realized that my story was the story of many.

So now I’m not telling my story anymore. I’m getting to pull

it right from the crevices of the people whose story’s never been told. Right from them.”

He joked, “I have a nobody cries alone policy.”

Jelly Roll said God has been the force driving his year, and receiving a Christian music Grammy nomination is just further proof that “He’s got my back,” the singer said. And while Jelly Roll rejects the idea of crossing over into CCM — “I definitely live a little too secular to be releasing Christian music” — the recognition of “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Lake is just further proof that “God knows my heart,” he said.

“Country is largely about faith, freedom and family, and those are all things I believe in,” Lake told AP. Collaborat-

“I really don’t care when the organized religions wave their finger at me.

I’m just glad to see the message, the gospel getting presented.”

Jelly Roll

ing with Jelly Roll, an artist he loves, was natural. “I believe we can change even more millions of people’s lives through these songs.”

Jelly Roll agreed, “It’s well intentioned.”

Beyond that, he sees a world

that is searching for messages of hope — in his work, in country music, in Christian music and beyond. “I think there really is a revival happening in America right now where people are being re-presented the gospel in a digestible way. And it doesn’t seem like finger waggy and ‘You’re all going to hell,’ you know?”

“I really don’t care when the organized religions wave their finger at me,” he continued. “I’m just glad to see the message, the gospel getting presented.”

At the end of the day, he said, “I’m a broken dude that came from a broken place, and like Humpty Dumpty, they put me back together, baby.”

He hopes his music can help others do the same.

Cho seizes golden moment after Hollywood heartbreak The actor voiced Rumi in Netflix’s smash hit “KPop Demon Hunters”

By Liam McEwan The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Three years ago, Arden Cho was ready to walk away from acting. She’d landed her first lead role in the Netflix series “Partner Track” only to see it canceled after one season. She was heartbroken.

Her agent wouldn’t let her go.

“She refused to say, ‘You’re done.’

She just kept sending me things,” Cho said. “She just keeps being like, ‘Look, I know you’re not auditioning. I know you’re done, but I think you’d like this.’”

Now Cho is juggling multiple projects after voicing the lead character Rumi in Netflix’s animated summertime sensation “KPop Demon Hunters,” which has become the all-time most-streamed movie on the platform — and spawned inescapable earworms “Golden” and “Soda Pop” as its soundtrack dominated pop charts.

“I am so ready,” Cho said. “It feels like it is my golden moment.”

Cho is among The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025, and the timing feels almost cosmic. Netflix announced that “KPop Demon Hunters” was its most-watched

movie on Aug. 26 — exactly three years after it began streaming “Partner Track.” “It was kind of like a gift from God of, hey, you lost something, but I’ve given you something better,” Cho said.

Cho — who doesn’t sing in the movie — says she sees her own insecurities in the character, a K-pop idol and demon hunter who loses her voice. And she’s ready to join in more stories in the world created by Maggie Kang.

“I hope there are sequels, I hope there’s prequels, I hope that every little Asian girl and boy feels so seen and feels like they deserve to be the main character,” she said. “I hope this opens doors for more Korean and American collaborated projects. I hope that ... Rumi gets to find out a little bit more about her mom and dad. I hope to know how HUNTR/X became HUNTR/X. And I kind of hope to go save Jinu.”

The movie has led a fresh wave of worldwide interest in Korean food, culture and K-pop idol life, which Cho, her co-stars and the singer-songwriters behind HUNTR/X have leaned into as the film’s publicity tour grinds into Hollywood’s awards season.

“I just feel so blessed to be able to have these conversations because I am so proud to be, obviously, to be American, but at the same time, I’m also so proud to be Korean,” Cho said.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Actor Arden Cho poses for a portrait in Los Angeles on Aug. 26.

“I just feel so blessed to be able to have these conversations because I am so proud to be, obviously, to be American, but at the same time, I’m also so proud to be Korean.”

Arden Cho Growing up in Texas and Minnesota, she hadn’t thought much about racial identity. But while attending college at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, something shifted.

“I realized that was the first time when I was like, oh, people look at me and don’t think that I’m an American,” she recalled.

“And it was interesting because

I realized at that time, there are two ways to look at it. You can just be mad and say, ‘Oh, I hate that we don’t have representation, I hate people that don’t see us, I hate that people don’t see our stories,’ or you can say, ‘I’m going to try.’”

So she tried. In 2007, she moved to Los Angeles.

“It was tough to leave my friends and family behind; it was tough to stay positive and to have thick skin,” she said. “I still don’t have thick skin.”

She found success as superpowered Kira Yukimura on MTV’s “Teen Wolf” series starting in 2014 but otherwise struggled to find meaty roles before “Partner Track.”

For the legal drama, she was finally No. 1 on the call sheet.

But, she said, “I blinked and it was done, and I was devastated.”

“I’m such a ‘I want to take care of everything and everyone’ type of personality. And I want

to do it all,” Cho said. “And so, I think that whole experience sort of went by in a way where it was over before it began. I missed my moment because I was so busy trying to make it perfect, trying to fix it all by myself. And in a weird way, like, it reminds me so much of Rumi.”

Then “KPop Demon Hunters” came her way. The film’s producer, Michelle Wong, said she and other filmmakers narrowed finalists down to six actors, then did a blind “listen test” to pick the voice of Rumi. Cho was the unanimous choice.

“Our movie is dramatic, it’s action, it’s comedy, it’s everything,” Wong said. “The talent needs to be at the highest level, which, you know, Arden obviously encapsulates all of that. She has a great range. I hope this opens doors for her because she deserves it.”

Cho celebrated her 40th birthday in August as “Demon Hunters” was peaking in popularity.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Hallmark holiday movie lovers flocking to Conn.’s quaint filming locations Christmas movies are big business and a big deal to fans

Norwich City Hall in Connecticut is decorated for the annual “Light Up City Hall” event Dec. 5. Scenes from the Hallmark movie “Sugar Plum Twist” were filmed at City Hall.

By Susan Haigh The Associated Press WETHERSFIELD, Conn. — “Christmas at Pemberley Manor” and “Romance at Reindeer Lodge” may never make it to Oscar night, but legions of fans still love these sweet-yet-predictable holiday movies — and this season, many are making pilgrimages to where their favorite scenes were filmed.

That’s because Connecticut — the location for at least 22 holiday films by Hallmark, Lifetime and others — is promoting tours of the quaint Christmas-card cities and towns featured in this booming movie market, places where a busy corporate lawyer can return home for the holidays and cross paths with a plaid shirt-clad former high school flame who now runs a Christmas tree farm. (Spoiler alert: They live happily ever after.)

“It’s exciting — just to know that something was in a movie and we actually get to see it visually,” said Abby Rumfelt of Morganton, North Carolina, after stepping off a coach bus in Wethersfield, Connecticut, at one of the stops on the holiday movie tour.

Rumfelt was among 53 people, mostly women, on a recent weeklong “Hallmark Movie Christmas Tour,” organized by Mayfield Tours from Spartanburg, South Carolina. On the bus, fans watched the matching movies as they rode from stop to stop.

To plan the tour, co-owner Debbie Mayfield used the “Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail” map, which was launched by the wintry New England state last year to cash in on the growing Christmas-movie craze.

Mayfield, who co-owns the company with her husband, Ken, said this was their first Christmas tour to holiday movie locations in Connecticut and other Northeastern states. It included hotel accommodations, some meals, tickets and even

SUSAN HAIGH / AP PHOTO

a stop to see the Rockettes in New York City. It sold out in two weeks.

With snow flurries in the air and Christmas songs piped from a speaker, the group stopped for lunch at Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre, where parts of the Hallmark films “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane” and “Rediscovering Christmas” were filmed.

Once home to America’s oldest seed company, the store is located in a historic district known for its stately 1700s and 1800s buildings. It’s an ideal setting for a holiday movie. Even the local country store has sold T-shirts featuring Hallmark’s crown logo and the phrase “I Live in a Christmas Movie.

Wethersfield, CT 06109.”

“People just know about us now,” said Julia Koulouris, who co-owns the market with her husband, Spiro, crediting the movie trail in part. “And you see

these things on Instagram and stuff where people are tagging it and posting it.”

The concept of holiday movies dates back to the 1940s, when Hollywood produced classics like “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Christmas in Connecticut,” which was actually shot at the Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California.

In 2006, five years after the launch of the Hallmark Channel on TV, Hallmark “struck gold” with the romance movie “The Christmas Card,” said Joanna Wilson, author of the book “Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-Themed Episodes, Specials and Made-for-TV Movies.”

“Hallmark saw those high ratings and then started creating that format and that formula with the tropes, and it now has become their dominant formula that they create for their Christ-

mas TV romances,” she said.

The holiday movie industry, estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year, has expanded beyond Hallmark and Lifetime. Today, a mix of cable and broadcast networks, streaming platforms, and direct-to-video producers release roughly 100 new films annually, Wilson said. The genre has also diversified, with characters from a wider range of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as LGBTQ+ storylines.

The formula, however, remains the same. And fans still have an appetite for a G-rated love story.

“They want to see people coming together. They want to see these romances. It’s a part of the hope of the season,” she said.

“Who doesn’t love love? And it always has a predictable, happy ending.”

Hazel Duncan, 83, of Forest City, North Carolina, said she

Oscar winner Morricone’s lost opera debuts in Naples after 30 years “Partenope” explores the link between the ancient legend and the modern city’s identity

“His spirit is back and has enchanted us.”

Giovanni Capuano, cinema student

By Giada Zampano and Salvatore Laporta The Associated Press NAPLES, Italy — At long last, vindication has arrived for an Oscar-winning composer who sought to prove he was just as capable of breathing life into Italy’s grand theaters as into gritty Hollywood films.

Last Friday night, Naples’ Teatro San Carlo staged Ennio Morricone’s only opera, “Partenope,” three full decades after its composition. It is inspired by the mythical siren who drowned herself after failing to enchant Ulysses, her body washing ashore and becoming a settlement that grew over millennia into the seaside city of Naples.

When Morricone wrote “Partenope” in 1995, he was already the world-famous creator of the theme to the Spaghetti Western “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and haunting soundtracks for epic films such as “The Untouchables” and “Once Upon a Time in America.”

He earned an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2007, but his compositions never resounded in the hallowed halls of opera houses — viewed in his home country as the elite musical echelon. To his great chagrin, “Partenope” gathered dust for decades; Morricone died

“It was such a long wait, that’s why we are here today,” said Alfonso Ieneroso as he entered the theater.

Local legend

SALVATORE LAPORTA / AP PHOTO

Actors perform during the general rehearsal of Ennio Morricone’s only opera, “Partenope,” at the San Carlo Theatre, in Naples, Italy, last Thursday. without seeing it performed.

“In the end, he read as a sign of destiny the fact he would not make his debut in the opera world,” Alessandro De Rosa, a close collaborator who coauthored Morricone’s autobiography, said in an interview. “I’m sure that if he were alive now, he would have taken the challenge and would have dialogued with the orchestra and the director tirelessly, like a young kid.”

Neapolitan sounds Director Vanessa Beecroft and conductor Riccardo Frizza had to find their way through the visionary work without the benefit of those notes.

“It would have been wonderful to be able to talk to Mor-

ricone about his musical choices … but we had to understand them from what he left us and tried to interpret them in the best way,” Frizza said.

For instance, he chose not to use violins in this orchestra, instead favoring flutes, harps and horns, which appear in Greek mythology, Frizza explained.

“Then you have the modern instruments, lots of percussion, with the Neapolitan sounds provided by tambourines and putipu’,” he added, referencing a friction drum used in local folk music.

Teatro San Carlo was filled with anticipation last Thursday evening as Neapolitans attended an open rehearsal. Free tickets were snapped up in just a few hours.

The mythical Partenope is part of Naples’ culture, with tradition suggesting her voice represents the city’s enduring spirit. The original Greek settlement was named for her. She is depicted at monuments like the Fontana della Sirena, a fountain that has become one of the city’s symbols. Young children all along the Gulf of Naples, living under Mount Vesuvius’ shadow, learn the legend of Partenope from their parents.

And like Morricone’s opera, Naples itself spent decades downtrodden and overlooked but is enjoying a resurgence: The U.N. recognized its pizza makers as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity; it is featured on foreign media lists of must-visit destinations; Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels were acclaimed bestsellers that became an HBO series; and its soccer team in 2023 took home the nation’s top league trophy for the first time since Maradona played in the 1980s — then won again in May. Naples has also been cele-

and her husband of 65 years, Owen, like to watch the movies together year-round because they’re sweet and family-friendly. They also take her back to their early years as a young couple, when life felt simpler.

“We hold hands sometimes,” she said. “It’s kind of sweet.

We’ve got two recliners back in a bedroom that’s real small, and we’ve got the TV there.

And we close the doors off, and it’s just our time together in the evening.”

Connecticut’s chief marketing officer, Anthony M. Anthony, said the Christmas Movie Trail is part of a multipronged rebranding effort launched in 2023 that promotes the state not just as a tourist destination, but also as a place to work and live.

“So what better way to highlight our communities as a place to call home than them being sets of movies?” he said.

brating its 2,500th anniversary this year, and Morricone’s opera marks the culmination of festivities. The protagonist in his adaptation is a woman who, after her husband dies and she is separated from her best friend, refuses the consolation of being transformed into a distant constellation. Instead, she asks the gods to let her stretch her wings along the gulf on which an immortal city will arise.

“The torment” Morricone originally composed the one-act opera — free of charge — to accompany a libretto by authors Guido Barbieri and Sandro Cappelletto for a small festival in Positano, just south of Naples on the Amalfi Coast. But it was not to be.

The festival went bankrupt, and “Partenope” was shelved.

“In those years Morricone had the torment of not being accepted as a composer of what he called ‘absolute music,’ as he was identified with his popular movie scores,” Barbieri, one of the libretto’s authors, said in an interview. Cappelletto said that, in a conversation with the two authors in 2017, three years before his death, Morricone appeared “at peace” with his music career.

Partenope has inspired several productions over the centuries, including operas by renowned composers George Frideric Handel and Antonio Vivaldi in the 18th century, and a 2024 movie by Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino. Morricone’s work is finally coming alive to join their ranks.

“It was a great pleasure to listen to Morricone’s music, the real protagonist of this opera,” said Giovanni Capuano, a 26-year-old cinema student, after last Thursday’s rehearsal.

“His spirit is back and has enchanted us.”

B8

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Reiner mourned by Obama, O’Connell, Woods, many others The director of such films “Stand by Me,” “A Few Good Men” and the “Spinal Tap” films was 78

Director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, pictured at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner 2023, in Washington, D.C., were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday.

The Associated Press REACTIONS to the death of actor-director Rob Reiner, who was found dead with his wife, Michele Reiner, at their home in Los Angeles on Sunday. The acclaimed director and Emmy winner was also a major Democratic booster, leading many prominent politicians to share tributes.

Here’s a look at some notable reactions to Reiner’s death in their own words.

Actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest “Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michelle Singer Reiner, and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them. There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.” — In a statement to The Associated Press.

Maria Shriver “I loved Michele and Rob Reiner. They were among my closest friends. We raised our kids together, from mommy and me on up. We laughed together, cried together, played together, dreamed together. We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in their lives: loving one another, their friends, their family, their country. They never gave up on our country. They always wanted to make our world better and were willing to fight to make it the country they loved.” — On Threads.

Author Stephen King “I’m horrified and saddened

James Woods lives were touched by Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s extraordinary contributions.

We take solace in knowing their work will live on for generations to come.” — On X. Actor Paul Walter Hauser “Grieving the loss of my favorite director of all-time. A Few Good Men is THE reason I became an actor, and Rob’s filmography behind the camera is THE reason I wanted to direct and still do.” — On Instagram.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Barack Obama “Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people — and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.”

— On X.

“Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other.

I am devastated by this terrible event.”

KEVIN WOLF / AP PHOTO

by the death of Rob Reiner and Michele. Wonderful friend, political ally, and brilliant filmmaker (including 2 of mine).

Rest in peace, Rob. You always stood by me.” — On X, referring to “Stand By Me” and “Misery.”

affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.” — On Truth Social.

Actor Kathy Bates

“What a huge loss. Rob Reiner was one of my favorite directors. He made some of the most formative movies for my generation.” — On X.

“I loved Rob. He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fought courageously for his political beliefs. He changed the course of my life. Michele was a gifted photographer. She shot my beautiful photos for the Misery campaign. My heart breaks for them both. My thoughts are with their family.” — In a statement.

Bill and Hillary Clinton “Hillary and I are heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our friends Rob and Michele Reiner. They inspired and uplifted millions through their work in film and television. And they were good, generous people who made everyone who knew them better through their active citizenship in defense of inclusive democracy, setting an example for us all to follow. Hillary and I will always be grateful for their friendship, unfailing kindness, and support.” — In a statement.

President Donald Trump “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable

Actor Ben Stiller

Director Ron Howard “Our careers and lives intersected often over the decades from Rob writing the pilot script for Happy Days and then as we each shifted from acting careers into directing and producing.

He proved to be a superlative filmmaker, a supportive colleague and at all times a dedicated citizen. Rob will be missed on so many levels. My heart goes out to his family and his many close friends.” — On X. Actor Jerry O’Connell “Love you, Rob.” — On Instagram with a photo of him and Reiner on the set of “Stand By Me.” Actor Eric Idle “Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour. I always enjoyed his company. I met him at his dad’s house in 1975. He was telling me about filming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future. This is so awful. I shall miss him. A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.” — On X. Actor Josh Gad “He was one of the greatest di-

rectors of our time. He was a friend. He was simply a beautiful person. Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were two of the most kind and caring souls you could ever imagine.” — On Instagram.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom “Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as The Princess Bride to A Few Good Men. His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger.

That empathy extended well beyond his films.” — In a statement.

Actor James Woods “Rob and I remained good friends ever since we made GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI. The studio didn’t think I was old enough to do the part, but Rob fought for me. Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other. I am devastated by this terrible event.” — On X. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass “This is a devastating loss for our city and our country. Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice.” — In a statement.

Joe and Jill Biden “Jill and I send our deepest condolences to everyone whose

“The news of a deadly assault on Rob and Michelle Reiner in their home is devastating. It’s hard to think of anyone more remarkable and excellent in every field and endeavor they pursued. Rob was creative, funny, and beloved. And in all of their endeavors, Michelle was his indispensable partner, intellectual resource, and a loving wife.”

— On X. Actor Elijah Wood “Horrified to hear of the passing of Rob Reiner and his wonderful wife Michelle. So much love to their kids and family.” — On X. The family of “All in the Family” creator Norman Lear “The Lear Family is devastated by the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner. Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world.

Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place.” — In a statement.

Director Joe Russo “I can’t handle the truth that one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live is gone. We lost one of the few good men.” — On X. Actor Virginia Madsen “Thank you, Rob, for giving us so much joy to hold on to. Life and talent always turned up to 11.” — On Instagram.

Actor Cary Elwes “No words…” — On Instagram, with a photo from the set of “The Princess Bride,” in which he starred.

TAKE NOTICE

ATTENTION! MALE AND FEMALE YORKIES AND A MALE ENGLISH BULLDOG READY FOR ADOPTION FOR FREE. IF INTERESTED, EMAIL ME TO GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE PUPPIES. craigdw11@gmail.com.

CUMBERLAND NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JACK BEHAR CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001653-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jack Behar, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Carlee Cummings, Co-Executor, at P.O. Box 81, Pembroke, NC 28372 and Benjamin David Crumpler, Co-Executor, at 105 John St., Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before the 12th day of March, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Co-Executors named above.

This the 2nd day of December, 2025.

Carlee Cummings Benjamin Davis Crumpler Co-Executors of the Estate of Jack Behar Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: December 11, December 18, December 25, 2025 and January 1, 2026

NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF: ISAAC BENNETT Administrator’s NOTICE The undersigned, having qualited as Administrator of the estate of Isaac Bennett, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February , 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recov-ery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of November 2025.

Tevi Bennett 1338 Fairmont St. Durham, NC 27713 Administrator of the estate of Isaac Bennett, deceased

The undersigned, Kevin Brown, administrator of the Estate of Clara Jean Brown, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 19th day of November, 2025 Kevin Brown 5906 Lacebark Ln, Durham, NC 27713 of the estate of Clara Jean Brown, deceased

In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #23E001865-250 State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Estate of Marilyn Whichard Cashwell, deceased.

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Marilyn Whichard Cashwell, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before March 18, 2026,(which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Mail claims to: Jill Cashwell Newlan, Executor 2720 H Bullard Road Hope Mills, NC 28348 This 15th day December, 2025.

Jill Cashwell Newlan, Executor

B9

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE In the General Court of Justice of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #25E001083-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION NOTICE The undersigned having Qualified as Executor of the Estate of Denny Davis, 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 4h day of March 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 24th day of November, 2025.

Administrator of the Estate of Denny Davis.

Sandra Davis 651 Wood Church Rd. Louisburg, NC 27549

NOTICE In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate file #25E001671-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Doris Ann Maxwell English, 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 11th day of March, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 8th day of December 2025.

Administrator of the Estate of Doris Ann Maxwell English PO Box 53473 Fayetteville, NC 28305

Executor’s Notice IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 25E001646-250 State of North Carolina Cumberland County NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of Elizabeth A. Spell aka Elizabeth Autry Spell, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms or corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at 5420 Thompson Circle, Hope Mills, North Carolina 28348, on or before February 27, 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 27th day of November, 2025.

Susan Spell Glancy Executor of the Estate of Elizabeth A. Spell aka Elizabeth Autry Spell, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 11/27/2025, 12/04/2025, 12/11/2025 and 12/18/2025

NOTICE State of North Carolina In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division County of Cumberland Estate File# 25E001906-250 Administrator’s /Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as CoAdministrator of the Estate of Alfredo SuarezMartinez, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before 18th day of March, 2026 ( which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Undersigned.

This day 18th of December, 2025 Daniela Suarez-Evans 3684 Pioneer Drive Hope Mills, NC 283348 Co-Administrator Alfredo Suarez Jr. 3686 Pioneer Drive Hope Mils, NC 28348 Co-Administrator Of the Estate of Alfredo Suarez-Martinez, Deceased

NOTICE

NOTICE

State of North Carolina County of Cumberland In The General Court Of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E001785-250 Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as executor of the Estate of Mrs. Hattie Mace Fowler, Deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations, having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 11 day of March, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 11 day of December, 2025.

Executor 1019 Hillsboro Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 Of The Estate of Hattie Mace Fowler, Deceased.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND AND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE: 24E002856-250 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF : DEALTON THAGGARD. Administrator’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Dealton Thaggard, Deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of March, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in the bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 11th day of December, 2025.

Charisma McKoy, 2300 Cumberland Gap Drive, Apt. 106, Fayetteville, NC 28306Administrator of the Estate of Dealton Thaggard; Deceased; September 3, 2024, December 11, 2025.

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Gregory G. Gates, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 4th day for March 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 24th day of November 2025.

Stephanie Keating 289 Tree Pharm Dr St. Pauls, NC 28384 Executor of the Estate of Gregory G. Gates.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF MIHOKO KNOX CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001672-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Mihoko Knox, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Jewett D. Brown, Executor, at 1416 Elma St., Spring Lake, NC 28390, on or before the 5th day of March, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 25th day of November, 2025.

Jewett D. Brown Executor of the Estate of Mihoko Knox Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: December 4, December 11, December 18 and December 25, 2025

Notice to Creditors ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against George Franklin Mitchell Jr., deceased, of Cumberland County N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 18, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This 18th day of December, 2025.

Mark D. Mitchell Administer, 310 75th Ave N. Unit 10, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572.

The North State Journal December 18, 25, 2025, Jan.1, 8, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith Cumberland County Estate File No. 25E001779-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to David Neal Smith, Executor of the Estate of Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, at 4010 Bankshire Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603, on or before the 6th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 4th day of December, 2025.

David Neal Smith, Executor of the Estate of Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith Williford McCauley - Attorney for the Estate of Robert Leslie Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith, Jr. a/k/a Robert L. Smith Mailing address: P. O. Box 53606 Fayetteville, NC 28305 Physical address: 235 Green Street Fayetteville, NC 28301

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF DENNIS CURTIS VANDEVENDER CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 001788-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Dennis Curtis Vandevender, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Linda Walker Vandevender, Administrator, at 738 Southview Cir., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 5th day of March, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above.

This the 1st day of December, 2025.

Linda Walker Vandevender Administrator of the Estate of Dennis Curtis Vandevender Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: December 4, December 11, December 18 and December 25, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Charles White, Deceased Date of Death: October 12, 2025 Notice is hereby given that Domonique, acting as Executor of the Estate of Charles White, deceased, has been appointed to administer said estate.

All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with proper documentation, to the undersigned Personal Representative at the address below on or before March 20, 2026, or such claims may be forever barred.

Claims may be mailed or delivered to: Domonique Personal Representative of the Estate of Charles White 123 Willborough Avenue Fayetteville, NC 28303 Dated: December 11, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF DEREK JON GERDES CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001817-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Derek Jon Gerdes, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Kathryn Marie Gerdes, Administrator, at 11807 Breton Ct 22, Reston, VA 20191, on or before the 19th day of March, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above.

This the 15th day of December, 2025.

Kathryn Marie Gerdes Administrator of the Estate of Derek Jon Gerdes Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: December 18 and December 25, 2025, January 1 and January 8, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ERIC COLIN HENDERSON CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001692-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Eric Colin Henderson, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 19th day of March, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above.

This the 15th day of December, 2025.

Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Eric Colin Henderson Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: December 18 and December 25, 2025, January 1 and January 8, 2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, John Talbot, having qualified on the 10th day of December 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Albert Talbot (25E002615-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 23rd day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 18th day of December 2025.

John Talbot Executor ESTATE OF ALBERT TALBOT David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 January 1, 2026 January 8, 2026

NOTICE

NEW HANOVER NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Shannon Clayboss, having qualified on the 9th day of December 2025, as Collector of the Estate of Urban D. Burk (25E002599640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 23rd day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 18th day of December 2025.

Shannon Clayboss Collector ESTATE OF URBAN D. BURK David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 January 1, 2026 January 8, 2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Eileen Marie Hillicke, having qualified on the 25th day of September 2025, as Limited Personal Representative of the Estate of Charles P. Hillicke, Jr. (25E002162-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 9th day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 4th day of December 2025.

Eileen Marie Hillicke Limited Personal Representative ESTATE OF CHARLES P. HILLICKE, JR. David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 4, 2025 December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, aDavid E. Anderson, having qualified on the 3rd day of November 2025, as Administrator of the Estate of Stefan Linscheid (25E002482-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 16th day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 11th day of December 2025.

David E. Anderson Administrator ESTATE OF STEFAN LINSCHEID David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 January 1, 2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Amy M. Perry, having qualified on the 1st day of December 2025, as Administrator of the Estate of Neil William Perry (25E002598-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 16th day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 11th day of December 2025.

Amy M. Perry Administrator ESTATE OF NEIL WILLIAM PERRY David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 January 1, 2026

NORTH CAROLINA WAKE COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Christa Ritchie, having qualified on the 25th day of November 2025, as Executor of the Estate of Stephen Joseph Veno (24E003678910), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 16th day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 11th day of December 2025.

Christa Ritchie Executor ESTATE OF STEPHEN JOSEPH VENO David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 January 1, 2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Charles J. Sumner, having qualified on the 21st day of November 2025, as Ancillary Executor of the Estate of Nancy Peters Vermilyea (25E002410-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 9th day of March, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 4th day of December 2025.

Charles J. Sumner Ancillary Executor ESTATE OF NANCY PETERS VERMILYEA David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 4, 2025 December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025

ORANGE NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons, firm and corporations having claims against Philip M. Pavlik, late of Orange County, North Carolina are hereby notified to present them to John Christopher Bartoldus, as Executor of the decedent’s estate in care of Kendall H. Page, Attorney, 210 N Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 on or before the 4th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the above named Executor.

Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Bar # 14261 Notice to Run: 12/4/2025,12/11/2025, 12/18/2025 & 12/25/2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Probate #25E000490-670 All persons, firm and corporations having claims against Beatrix Preyer Witten , late of Orange County, North Carolina are hereby notified to present them to Susannah Elise Smith, as Executor of the decedent’s estate in care of Kendall H. Page, Attorney, 210 N Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 on or before the 18th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the abovenamed Executor.

Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Bar # 14261 Notice to Run: 12/18/2025, 12/25/2025, 1/01/2026 & 1/08/2026

RANDOLPH NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Jacob Charles Bodenhamer, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before March 23, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 18th day of December, 2025 Aaron Charles Bodenhamer Administrator CTA of the Estate of Jacob Charles Bodenhamer MARION “BETH” MCQUAID, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 12/18/25 12/25/25 01/01/26 01/08/26

B10

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

RANDOLPH NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Edgar Dale Clise a/k/a Edgar D. Clise, of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Executor at the Law Office of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before March 15th 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 11th day of December 2025.

Dianna L. Clise Edgar Dale Clise a/k/a Edgar D. Clise, Estate Andrew J. Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualifie d as Administrator of the estate of: TRUDY BEAMON HUDSON 950 Cliff Road Asheboro, NC 27203 This is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the: 03-15-2026 This Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said estate are notified to make immediate payment.

TODAY’S DATE: 12-08-2025 TERENCE R. HEGLAR, ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE ESTATE OF TRUDY BEAMON HUDSON, DECEASED, FILE NO. 25 E 001159-750 315 Belmont Place Rockwell, NC 28138 704-798-6146 ATTORNEY AT LAW: JOHN T. HUDSON 122 NORTH LEE STREET SALISBURY, NC 28144 704-633-1947

CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE

OF

NORTH

CAROLINA

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 25SP000653-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by NICOLE EVANS AND BETTY JEAN WHITE dated September 6, 2006 in the amount of $66,965.00 and recorded in Book 7357 , Page 839 of the Cumberland County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Cumberland County, North Carolina, in Book 12106, Page 611, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on December 29, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 0479524346000 ADDRESS: 3135 JAMES DAIL RD

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP001075-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Cheryl Meyers (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): ) to Elizabeth Ells, Trustee(s), dated May 15, 2001, and recorded in Book No. 5472, at Page 0121 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on April 10, 2023, in Book No. 11708, at Page 0435 A Loan Modification recorded on November 14, 2024, in Book No. 12110, at Page 0245, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute

DAVIDSON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP000458-280 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Melvin Larry Murphy, II and Buffy Z. Murphy (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Melvin Larry Murphy, II and Buffy Z. Murphy) to Mark E. Randolph, Trustee(s), dated July 24, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 2188, at Page 2091 in Davidson County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Davidson County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on December 29, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Thomas David Malone, of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Administrator at the Law Office of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before March 15th 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 11th day of December 2025.

Victoria Alicia Miller Thomas David Malone, Estate Andrew J. Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of LILLIE L. SUGG aka LILLIE MAE LINEBERRY SUGGS, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of TAYLOR B. CALLICUTT, ATTORNEY AT LAW, PO Box 2445, Asheboro, North Carolina 27204, on or before March 2, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of November, 2025 Charles H. Lineberry, Executor of the Estate of Lillie L. Sugg ska Lillie Mae Lineberry Suggs TAYLOR B. CALLICUTT ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 2445 Asheboro, NC 27204 (336) 953-4661 PUBL/DATES: 11/27/25, 12/04/25, 12/11/25, 12/28/25

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of JOSEPH GROSSANO (25E004502-910), late of Wake County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of March, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 11th day of December 2025.

Joe S. Grossano Executor of the Estate of Joseph Grossano c/o Linda Funke Johnson Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 12/11, 12/18, 12/25/2025, 1/1/2026)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

WAKE

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of RONALD GLENN HORTON, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E004469-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 21st day of March, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 18th day of December 2025.

Mildred Horton Judd Administrator of the Estate of Ronald Glenn Horton c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 12/18, 12/25, 1/1/2026, 1/8/2026)

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Janet Pruitt aka Janet Starling aka Janet Warren, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before March 23, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 18th day of December, 2025 Donna Warren Roach aka Donna Roach Executor of the Estate of Janet Pruitt aka Janet Starling aka Janet Warren MARION “BETH” MCQUAID, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 12/18/25, 12/25/25, 01/01/26, 01/08/26

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of LAURANCE A. BECK, aka, LAURANCE ALBERT BECK (25E004259-910), late of Wake County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of March, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 11th day of December 2025.

Katherine M. Bard Administrator CTA of the Estate of Laurance A. Beck, aka, Laurance Albert Beck c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 12/11, 12/18, 12/25/2025, 1/1/2026)

Notice to Creditors

Gregory P. Cowan, NC Bar #39608 Attorney for Petitioner Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 13010 Morris Road, Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004

Cumberland COUNTY In the Superior Court MEB REO TRUST VIII C/O SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING v. BETTY R OUTLAW F/K/A BETTY R HOLT RYLANDER; VALERIA RYLANDER; ASTRID RYLANDER; CLIFFORD CARPENTER RYLANDER; 24SP000342-250 Party to be served: Rylander, Clifford C Holt

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Plaintiff requests the Clerk to determine the owner of surplus funds following the foreclosure sale of real property located at 5044 Tangerine Drive Fayetteville, NC 28304

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than January 19, 2026, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

EASTOVER, NC 28312 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): BETTY JEAN WHITE THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 7357 , PAGE 839, AS FOLLOWS: CERTAIN LAND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: EASTOVER TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA: BEGINNING AT A SET NO.6 RE-BAR IN THE NORTHWEST RIGHT-OF-WAY MARGIN OF SR 1828, JAMES DALE ROAD (30 FOOT FROM CENTER), BEING ALSO THE THIRD CORNER OF THAT TRACT CONVEYED TO EDWARD LEE WHITE BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 2241,PAGE 619 AND RUNS THENCE ALONG THE NORTH WEST MARGIN OF THE AFORESAID ROAD SOUTH 38 DEGREES 53 MINUTES WEST 222.65 FEET TO A SET NO.6 RE-BAR; THENCE NORTH 51 DEGREES 07 MINUTES WEST 207.78 FEET TO A SET NO.6 RE-BAR; THENCE NORTH 38 DEGREES 53 MINUTES EAST 196.64 FEET TO A SET NO.6 RE-BAR, BEING THE FOURTH CORNER OF THE AFOREMENTIONED EDWARD LEE WHITE TRACT; THENCE ALONG THE THIRD LINE OF SAID TRACT SOUTH 58 DEGREES 15 MINUTES EAST 209.40 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. CONTAINING 1.00 ACRES BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED BY FEE SIMPLE DEED FROM MILIA BERTHA WHITE WIDOWED TO JAMES WHITE, JR. AND WIFE BETTY JEAN WHITE WIDOWED TO JAMES WHITE, JR.

AND WIFE BETTY JEAN WHITE, DATED 01/19/1983 RECORDED ON 01/21/1983 IN BOOK 2903, PAGE 407 IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY RECORDS, STATE OF NC. THE SAID JAMES WHITE, JR. HAVING DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON 12/05/1984, THEREBY VESTING FEE SIMPLE TITLE IN BETTY JEAN WHITE. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

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

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

subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

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

days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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

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

Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on December 29, 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 No. 70 in a Subdivision known as recombination of Lots 68-71 of GREENBRIAR HILLS, SECTION SIX, PHASE 1 according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 90, Page 142 Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3237 Melba Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

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

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

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

Any person who occupies the

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

way line of John Green Road; thence with the northeast right-of-way of John Green Road North 26 deg. 31 min. 59 sec. West 286.44 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, and containing 2.127 acres, more or less, designated as “P/O Tax Lot 1” and also designated as “Tract A”, according to a “Map for Mike Hedgecock” prepared by Coe Forestry & Surveying, dated June 2, 2015, and designated as Job #15105. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1616 John Green Road, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

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

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property

An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

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

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

the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an existing iron in or near the northeast right-of-way line of John Green Road, said iron being located also in the southwest corner of Terri Hampton (Deed Book 1358, at Page 305, Davidson County Registry); thence from said beginning point, with Hampton’s southern line, South 84 deg. 54 min. 59 sec. East 195.04 feet to an existing iron in the common southeast corner of Hampton and the southwest corner of Mary Tate (Deed Book 1726, at Page 1119, Davidson County Registry); thence continuing with Tate’s southern line South 84 deg. 54 min. 59 sec. East 127.09 feet to an existing iron in the common southeast corner of Tate and the southwest corner of Zachary Motsinger (Deed Book 1701, at Page 677, Davidson County Registry); thence continuing with Motsinger’s southern line South 84 deg. 54 min. 59 sec. East 126.95 feet to an existing iron in the common southeast corner of Motsinger and the southwest corner of Ricky Gobble (Deed Book 909, at Page 160, Davidson County Registry); thence continuing with Gobble’s southern line South 84 deg. 54 min. 59 sec. East 147.78 feet to a stone; thence South 20 deg. 50 min. 32 sec.

West 109.31 feet to a new iron; thence South 76 deg. 41 min. 02 sec. West 439.48 feet to a new iron, in or near the northeast right-of-

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

This, the 10th day of December, 2025.

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm, LLP P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1266326 - 141233

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 20647 - 145310

B11

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

TAKE NOTICE Sandra Phifer Davis; Any Spouse of Sandra P. Davis a/k/a Sandra Phifer Davis; Ingle Law Firm, PA; Allegacy Federal Credit Union; Truliant Federal Credit Union,

FORSYTH NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

Defendants.

To:

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF FORSYTH GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 25CV007870-330 Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2015-6, U.S. Bank National Association as Indenture Trustee; and Towd Point Master Funding Trust 2014R4, Plaintiffs, v.

David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis; Any Spouse of David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis; Sandra P. Davis a/k/a

JOHNSTON NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 24SP000425-500 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAY SPILLANE JR AND MARIE SPILLANE DATED JUNE 10, 2022 IN THE AMOUNT OF $313,500.00 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6277 AT PAGE 432 IN THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA, by Anthony Maselli or Genevieve Johnson, either of whom may act, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Johnston County, North Carolina, in Book 6716, Page 166, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on December 30, 2025 at 11:00am, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the

NEW HANOVER NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE WHEREAS, on May 9, 2011, a certain Deed of Trust was executed by Charles G. Bowen and Margie Bowen, “Mortgagor(s)” in favor of MetLife Home Loans, a Division of MetLife Bank, N.A., “Mortgagee” and was recorded on May 11, 2011, in Book 5562, Page 2011 in the Official Land Records of New Hanover County, North Carolina; and WHEREAS, the Deed of Trust was insured by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the Secretary) pursuant to the National Housing Act for the purpose of providing single family housing; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary, pursuant to an assignment dated March 6, 2017 and recorded on March 27, 2017, in Book 6046, Page 826 in the Official Records of New Hanover County, North Carolina; and WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage in that the Borrower has died and the Property is not the principal residence of at least one surviving borrower, and the outstanding balance remains wholly unpaid as of the date of this notice, and no payment has been made sufficient to restore the loan to currency; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of December 1, 2025 is $209,056.94; and

WAKE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP002269-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Arianna P. Smith (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Arianna P. Smith) to William T. Morrison and Phillip M. Rudisill, Trustee(s), dated August 5, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 019111, at Page 00404 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 Office of the Register of Deeds AWake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP002114-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by John Warrick, III and Renee A. Warrick (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): John Warrick, III and Renee A. Warrick) to Moore & Alphin, PLLC, Trustee(s), dated September 15, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 019434, at Page 02618 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 Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF CAROLINA WAKE COUNTY In the Superior Court PLANET HOME LENDING,

NORTH LLC

v.

David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis Any Spouse of David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis 710 Newton Street Winston Salem, NC 27105 David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis Any Spouse of David Wayne Davis a/k/a David W. Davis 1310 Aurora Glen Drive Rural Hall, NC 27045 Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:

That the Court declare that Plaintiff is entitled to enforce the Note and Deed of Trust; That Plaintiff’s valid, first position lien or trust on the Property be foreclosed by judicial sale pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. § 1-339.1, et seq., by Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, as Commissioner specially appointed by the Court to serve without bond, with proceeds of the sale applied as follows:

27105 shall be sold at a public sale to the highest bidder;

To the cost of this action; To the compensation allowed by the Court for a person holding the sale pursuant to the N.C.G.S. § 1-339.11; To the amount due to the Plaintiff under the Note and Deed of Trust, including reasonable attorney’s fees and costs provided therein; and The surplus, if any, to be paid to the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Forsyth County pending a determination of those persons entitled thereto.

In the alternative, that a constructive trust, resulting trust or equitable lien be declared in favor of Plaintiff upon the interests of Borrowers in the Property, consistent in all regards with the terms and conditions of the Deed of Trust;

That the Property located at 710 Newton Street, Winston Salem, North Carolina

following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 14021020 ADDRESS: 312 N SUMNER ST SELMA, NC 27576 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): JAY SPILLANE JR AND MARIE SPILLANE THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF JOHNSTON, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 6277, PAGE 432, AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT AN EXISTING IRON STAKE IN THE EASTERN RIGHT-OF-WAY OF NORTH SUMNER STREET, SAID IRON STAKE BEING LOCATED 219.6 FEET, MORE OR LESS, FROM THE NORTHERN RIGHT-OF-WAY OF OAK STREET; THENCE LEAVING SAID BEGINNING POINT AND ALONG SAID RIGHT-OF-WAY OF NORTH SUMNER STREET NORTH 38 DEG. 11’ 31” EAST 100.87 FEET TO A PAINTED SPOT ON THE CONCRETE OF THE JOINT DRIVE, A CORNER WITH NOW OR FORMERLY KATHERINE STEPHENS ON; THENCE LEAVING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF NORTH SUMNER STREET AND WITH THE STEPHENSON PROPERTY LINE SOUTH 53 DEG. 54’ 26” EAST 153.76 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE, A CORNER WITH NOW OR FORMERLY A.Z. THOMPSON; THENCE SOUTH 42 DEG. 16’ 41” WEST 105.00 FEET TO AND IRON PIPE SET AT A FENCE POST, A CORNER WITH NOW OR FORMERLY RALPH L. BASS; THENCE

WITH THE BASS PROPERTY LINE SOUTH 52 DEG. 30’ 00” WEST 146.19 FEET TO THE POINT AND PLACE OF BEGINNING AND CONTAINING 15,398 SQUARE FEET, 0.353 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY AND PLAT PREPARED BY BARBOUR LAND SURVEYING DATED JUNE 10, 1993, AND ENTITLED “ SURVEY FOR ROSALINE SIAU-LING DERKA”.

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

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

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded

WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the Mortgage to be immediately due and payable;

other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorata share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale.

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, 12 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR part 27, subpart B, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded on August 17, 2022 in Book 6588, Page 1299, notice is hereby given that on January 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM local time, all real and personal property at or used in connection with the following described premises (“Property”) will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder: All that certain parcel of land situated in New Hanover County, State of North Carolina, being known and designated as Lot 299, Section 5, Kings Grant, filed in Plat Book 10, Page 25.

By fee simple deed from Robert Hill Construction Company, Inc. as set forth in Book 919, Page 661 dated 10/06/1971 and recorded 10/06/1971, New Hanover County Records, State of North Carolina.

Commonly known as 1005 Lord Thomas Road, Wilmington, NC 28405 Parcel ID#: R04317-006-021-000 The sale will be held at the New Hanover County Courthouse, 316 Princess Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, at the location designated by the Clerk of Court for public auctions.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $214,035.08.

There will be no proration of taxes, rents or

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 December 29, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 45, Townes at Oakview Subdivision, as shown on that plat recorded in Book of Maps 2021, Pages 1363-1367, Wake County Registry. Including the Unit thereon; said Unit being located at 826 Oak Center Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Property Address: 826 Oak Center Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 Parcel ID: 0487412 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

1:30 PM on December 29, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Wendell in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being in the Town of Wendell, Marks Creek Township, Wake County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: All of Lot 58, of Watson Tract Subdivision, as shown on a map recorded in Book of Maps 2022, Pages 2422-2427, Wake County Registry, to which map reference is hereby made for a more particular description.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 609 Embrun Run, Wendell, North Carolina.

Property Address: 609 Embrun Run, Wendell, NC 27591 PIN/PARCEL NO.: 0503177 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.

CHARLES DALTON; SHAYLA CANTYFORTE; HEATHERBROOK RECREATION ASSOCIATION, INC.; SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; GODDARD & PETERSON, PLLC; Docket 25CV025658-910 Party to be served: SHAYLA CANTY-FORTE

When making their bids, all bidders except the Secretary must submit a deposit totaling $21,403.51 (10% of the Secretary’s bid), in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. A deposit need not accompany each oral bid. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of $21,403.51 must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within 30 days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence.

This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the highest bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveying fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery date of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At the conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them.

The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extensions will be for 15day increments for a fee of $500.00, paid in advance. The extension fee shall be in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Secretary of HUD. If the high bidder closes the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due.

That Plaintiff have and recover judgment against Borrowers in the amount of all principal, interest, late fees, costs, charges, expenses, fees, and attorneys’ fees due under the terms of the Note, which amount is in excess of $25,000.00, together with any pre- or post-judgment interest allowed by law;

That the Court direct that any final Order resulting from this action be duly recorded in the Forsyth County Register of Deeds, and indexed according to those parties named in said Deed of Trust for the purpose of establishing record notice of this proceeding in the chain of title to the Property;

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

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

If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder may be required to forfeit the cash deposit or, at the election of the foreclosure commissioner after consultation with the HUD representative, will be liable to HUD for any costs incurred as a result of such failure. The Commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD representative, offer the property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder.

There is no right of redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price in accordance with the terms of the sale as provided herein.

HUD does not guarantee that the property will be vacant.

The scheduled foreclosure sale shall be cancelled or adjourned if it is established, by documented written application of the mortgagor to the Foreclosure Commissioner not less than 3 days before the date of sale, or otherwise, that the default or defaults upon which the foreclosure is based did not exist at the time of service of this notice of default and foreclosure sale, or all amounts due under the mortgage agreement are tendered to the Foreclosure Commissioner, in the form of a certified or cashier’s check payable to the Secretary of HUD, before public auction of the property is completed.

That the Plaintiff have and recover its cost in this action including reasonable attorney’s fees; and For such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than January 28, 2026, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This, the 10th day of December, 2025.

BROCK & SCOTT, PLLC /s/ Alan M. Presel_________________ Alan M. Presel, NC Bar #24470 6701 Carmel Road, Suite 315 Charlotte, NC 28226 Telephone: 704-643-0290 Facsimile: 704-332-7225 Email: Alan.Presel@brockandscott.com Attorney for Plaintiffs 24-29098 CXLIT01

that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Sarah A. Waldron or Terrass Scott Misher, Esq ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Rd., Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

mortgage is to be reinstated prior to the scheduled sale is $209,056.94 as of December 1, 2025, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in giving notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement.

Tender of payment by certified or cashier’s check or application for cancellation of the foreclosure sale shall be submitted to the address of the Foreclosure Commissioner provided below.

Date: ___________________ __________________________________ David W. Neill, NCSB 23396 MCMICHAEL TAYLOR GRAY, LLC Foreclosure Commissioner Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404.474.7149 Fax: 404.745.8121 Email: dneill@mtglaw.com NC2025-00153

3550 Phone:

The amount that must be paid if the

Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

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

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

of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice

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

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

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

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

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

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

pleading not later than February 10, 2026, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

Attorney for Petitioner Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 13010 Morris Road, Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Plaintiff is seeking the foreclosure of real property at You are required to make defense to such

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

PEN & PAPER PURSUITS

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solutions LAST WEEK

VOLUME 148 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Got the Grinch!

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office had an elaborate float in the Pittsboro Christmas Parade on Sunday, complete with the Grinch locked away in a jail cell to keep Whoville safe. For more photos, turn to page A3.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

the

Chatham Schools building practices BRIEF this week to better implement AI in classrooms Chatham County deputy shot in Pittsboro hostage situation Pittsboro A Chatham County Sheriff’s Office deputy was shot and injured Tuesday afternoon during a hostage situation involving a barricaded person inside a residence on Pittsboro Goldston Road near U.S. Highway 421.

The deputy was transported for medical treatment. No details about their condition had been released at press time. The sheriff’s office said there was no active threat to the community, though the investigation is ongoing.

Goldston Road was closed in both directions during the incident.

Gary Leonard and Del Turner were reelected as board chair and vice chair

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — Chatham County Schools is working to position itself strongly for

the growing use of AI in the classroom.

In face of the growing impact and development of AI, the Chatham County Schools Board of Education was presented with the district’s current work and stance surrounding AI at its Dec. 15 meeting.

The current stance of the district seems to be working to-

A new ballpark will be built for the college summer team

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

COURTESY REGGIE ALLRED

Fans attend a Randolph Ropin’ Roosters game last season.

COLLEGIATE SUMMER baseball is coming to Chatham County.

The Old North State League, a summer wood-bat baseball league for college athletes, an-

As gerrymandering battles sweep country, supporters say partisan dominance ‘fair’ “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

$2.00

“This is just technology,” said board member David Hamm. “I remember teaching first grade and digital clocks were just coming out, and we were telling our students that they still needed to learn to read the face of a clock. We’re learning, but this is nothing new.”

See SCHOOLS, page A3

ONSL baseball team coming to Siler City

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria Washington, D.C. The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified.

The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian TorresTovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. A Syrian official says the assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS. The gunman was killed.

ward teaching students how to best utilize AI as a tool in the modern world instead of shrinking away from its use.

“AI is everywhere, but digital learning is not focused on technology,” said Chief Technology and School Accountability Officer Mark Samberg. “Technology is the tool, not necessarily the task.”

Both sides embrace gerrymandering when it’s convenient for them

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WHEN INDIANA adopted new U.S. House districts four years ago, Republican legislative leaders lauded them as “fair maps” that reflected the state’s communities.

But when Gov. Mike Braun recently tried to redraw the lines to help Republicans gain more power, he implored lawmakers to “vote for fair maps.”

What changed? The definition of “fair.”

As states undertake mid-de-

cade redistricting instigated by President Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats are using a tit-for-tat definition of fairness to justify districts that split communities in an attempt to send politically lopsided delegations to Congress. It is fair, they argue, because other states have done the same. And it is necessary, they claim, to maintain a partisan balance in the House of Representatives that resembles the national political divide.

This new vision for drawing congressional maps is creating a winner-take-all scenario that treats the House, traditionally a more diverse patchwork See BATTLES, page A7

nounced it will relocate the Randolph Ropin’ Roosters to Siler City for the 2026 season. The team will be owned and operated by Chatham County Baseball LLC, a privately owned company headed by ONSL President and CEO Alec Allred and ONSL CIO Reggie Allred.

Randolph went 10-23 and finished fourth in the Mountain division in its inaugural season See BASEBALL, page A10

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THURSDAY

12.18.25 #121

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2025 Media Contact: Kara Lusk | 919-542-8258| kara.lusk@chathamcountync.gov

Chatham County names 2025 Employee of the Year

www.chathamnewsrecord.com

North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Copyright 2025 Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Asheebo Rojas Sports Reporter Ryan Henkel Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer BUSINESS David Guy Advertising Manager Chatham News & Record (USPS #101160) is published weekly, 52 weeks a year, by North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, NC 27344 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344 CONTACT US For a vacation hold or to report a delivery problem: 919-663-3232 To place a classified or display ad: 919-663-3232; Fax: 919-663-4042 To submit a news tip or correction: 919-663-3232; news@chathamnewsrecord.com

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Annual subscription rate: $104.

CRIME LOG Dec. 8 • Billy Joe Phillips, 36, of Bear Creek, was arrested for possession of firearm by felon.

• Kristin Gray Poe, 40, of Goldsboro, was arrested for possession of schedule II controlled substances, simple possession of schedule III controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Ebony Nicole Harris, 47, of Siler City, was arrested for communicating threats, simple assault and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

THE CHATHAM County Board of Commissioners recognized Brenton Hart as the county’s 2025 Employee of the Year during its Dec. 15 meeting.

Hart, a policy and legislative analyst in the County Manager’s Office, was nominated for his work on several projects, including the Chatham County Information Hub, the county’s Digital Inclusion Plan, revisions to the Board of Commissioners Advisory Committee Policy, data analysis for the Aging Master Plan and the Pittsboro Redevelopment Initiative.

His nomination also noted his involvement in tasks ranging from researching procedures for disinterring graves and erecting commemorative historical markers to best practices for community gardens.

“Brenton embodies the very best of public service, bringing together exceptional competence, humility, and a genuine commitment to serving others,” said County Manager Bryan Thompson. “In just three years with the organization, he has made a meaningful impact by giving back to the community in which he was raised.”

County staff submitted

Dec. 19 3-8 p.m.

COURTESY CHATHAM COUNTY

The Associated Press SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation follow-

Hart’s nomination also stated that he is Opportunity to shop for local involved in everything from researching the handmade items. Live music, foodprocedure and beverages available graves to proper for disinterring onsite. erecting commemorative historical markers to best practices for collaborative The Plant community gardens.

220 Lorax Lane

Pittsboro Brenton Hart, third from left, stands with members of the Chatham County of Commissioners being “Brenton embodies theBoard very best of public service,after bringing together exceptional competence, humility, and a named county’s 2025 Employee of the onThompson, Monday. Chatham County Manager. “In just three years genuinethe commitment to serving others,” saidYear Bryan From left, Vice Chair Franklin Gomez Flores, Commissioner with the organization, he has made a meaningful impact by giving back to the community in which he was Katie Kenlan, Hart, Commissioner Karen Howard, Chair raised. A true beacon and for the future of public service, Brenton’s dedication and character make him richly Amanda Robertson Commissioner David Delaney.

Dec. 20

deserving of the Employee of the Year award. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments and look Annual Storytelling forward to all he will continue to achieve.”

nominations for the award, 11 a.m. to noon and the County Workforce DevelChatham staff were asked“In to submit nominations for 2025 Employee of the Year. The Workforce just three years with opment Committee selected Headlined by storyteller Development Committee received many qualified nominees.

Hart from among numerous the organization, he Donald Davis, this event is nominees. expected to sell out. Tickets has made a meaningful “We are incredibly fortunate he sets a powerful for “Through his hard work,to have Brenton as part of our organization, are and $10 each and proceeds example go impact by giving back unwavering commitment, and Julie his colleagues every day,” said Eckenrode, Director, Chatham County Human Resources.

“Through his to CORA food bank. genuine passion for serving to the community in 500 Market St. others, Brenton truly embodies the spirit of Chatham Coun- which he was raised.”

Pittsboro ty and the values we strive to Bryan Thompson, uphold in service to our community,” said Julie Eckenrode, county manager director of Chatham County Human Resources.

Chatham County has recogYoga at BFP nized outstanding employees through the award since 2008.

Dec. 23 6-7 p.m.

11 firefighters injured in Salisbury after explosion during house fire None of the injuries were considered life-threatening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up Hart was nominated for his exceptional in Chatham County:

leadership, innovation, and collaboration in the development and implementation of a number of different projects and initiatives including the Chatham County Information Hub, the County’s Digital Inclusion Plan, the revision to the Board of Commissioners Advisory Committee Policy, the data Last Minute Christmas analysis work on the Aging Master Plan, and Mart at The Plant the Pittsboro Redevelopment Initiative.

Chatham News & Record staff

Chatham News & Record

happening

PITTSBORO, NC — During its meeting on December 15, 2025, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners proudly presented the 2025 Employee of the Year award to Brenton Hart, Policy and Legislative Analyst in the County Manager’s Office, in recognition of his outstanding service to the community.

Policy analyst Brenton Hart was recognized by the county commissioners

“Join the conversation”

CHATHAM

Chatham County Recognizes 2025 Employee of the Year

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down.”

Bob Parnell, Salisbury fire chief ing the fire Monday evening.

Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether they were in the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire De-

partment responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

• Anthony Joseph Hassell, 33, of Goldston, was arrested for purchasing firearm in violation of domestic order.

Yoga class for all fitness levels. Bring your own mat.

Free to attend; suggested donation of $15.

Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Dec. 26 Live Music at The Plant 5-8 p.m.

Featuring musician Ryan Melquist, also known as Qwister, playing a variety of genres. No cover charge, tips encouraged.

The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Dec. 27 Bluegrass Jam Circle

Dec. 9

10 a.m. to noon

• Trent Alexander Phillips, 39, of Goldston, was arrested for domestic violence protective order violation.

This free acoustic jam session is open to musicians and singers of all ages and skill levels. There is no admission fee, and the public is welcome to attend.

• Maggi Elizabeth Brady, 36, of Bear Creek, was arrested for domestic violence protective order violation.

Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Dec. 10 • Wade Hampton Farrish, 72, of Siler City, was arrested for domestic violence order violation, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, assault on a female, felony assault on individual with disability and breaking and entering to terrorize.

• Brian Andrew Mock, 45, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for manufacturing marijuana, maintaining vehicle/dwelling/ place for controlled substances and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

Dec. 11 • Dominique Kyjuana Parker, 40, of Siler City, was arrested for misdemeanor child abuse, second degree trespass and harassing phone call.

Dec. 12 • Keith Arrington Moore, 55, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for contributing to delinquency of juvenile and resisting arrest.

• Adrian J. Jones, 24, of Pittsboro, was arrested for possession of marijuana up to ½ oz, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and no liability insurance.

WSOC VIA AP

Thirteen people were injured in an explosion at a house in Salisbury on Monday.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Parading

SCHOOLS from page A1 AI is prevalent not just with students, but teachers too, as Samberg stated that other studies have shown that three in 10 teachers use AI weekly, stating that it saves six weeks a year in workload, helps with translation and even tutoring.

The school system already has two AI tools available to teachers: MagicSchool and Google Gemini, which are both purpose-built for K-12, and in addition, high schoolers are also allowed to utilize other AI tools similar to ChatGPT after hours.

However, the district is also aware of the potential risks of using AI, such as lessening the impact of critical thinking and also the potential risks with the information it provides.

“AI can very confidently lie to you and make stuff up, it has environmental impacts, allegedly poses some potential mental health issues,” Samberg said. “So it’s now about how do we teach students to get ahead of this and to recognize this?”

When asked about potential data and privacy concerns too, Samberg reinforced that the current tools they are using are already vetted in that regard.

“When we talk about Google Gemini, we’re using the educational version, which is covered under the Google Workspace for education terms and conditions, which means that they do not mine that data as part of that license agreement,” Samberg said.

Director of Digital Learning and Libraries Kira Berggren also reiterated that individual teachers will set the expectations for in what ways and how much digital learning will take place in the classrooms.

Additional AI support that the district is providing for its teachers includes an AI Pedagogies living document, which is a strategically aligned guide for teachers, an AI implementation timeline and also the

The annual Pittsboro Christmas Parade featured floats from local groups and businesses, marching bands and more on Sunday afternoon along East and West streets in downtown.

return of medic and technology advisory committees.

“This is what we’re providing for our educators so that they can continue to model and support ethical use of AI as well as modeling AI literacy for their students in the classroom,” Berggren said.

The district will also be utilizing a district-wide professional development program, which is funded through a Department of Education grant, focused on AI teaching, that will be flexible, asynchronous and reward teachers with microcredentials for implementing AI in the classroom.

“In the past, this has been either a summer experience or during a PD day, but we wanted to do something a little bit different this year and find a way to recognize that every teacher is at a different place with this and that we want to protect teaching time as much as possible,” Samberg said.

“It is very important not only for our students and teachers to learn how to use AI, but also for them to recognize when they’re being presented things that have been generatively created,” said board member Ana Carlson.

The board also approved a contract with Owens Roofing for the Siler City Elementary School project.

“It’s time for new roofing,” said Director of New Construction and Maintenance Randy Drumheller.

The contract is for just over $1.6 million, which was the lowest total of the six bids received, and includes a pair of alternates as well for additional improvements/upgrades.

“It’s good to be ahead of the game,” Hamm said.

In addition, both Gary Lenoard and Del Turner were reelected as board chair and vice chair respectively for another year.

“I appreciate that very much,” Leonard said. “Thank y’all for your confidence.

You’re an awfully good board to work with.”

The Chatham County Schools Board of Education will next meet Jan. 12.

Shelled Pecans for Sale Sponsored by

The Dig and Dream Garden Club in Siler City

$12.00/bag Pick up at: Chatham News and Record Office 303 W. Raleigh St. • Siler City, NC

PHOTOS BY GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Bubbles and candles As the sun began to set, men on a bridge opened fire.

THEY WERE BLOWING bubbles on the beach.

That’s the report of one mother who attended the Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach with her baby. It’s easy to imagine the bubbles drifting in the salt air and catching the afternoon sunlight.

As the sun began to set, men on a bridge opened fire.

The story of human cruelty is as old as the story of humans.

Why do we kill one another? Sacred texts and traditions forbid murder: Thou shalt not kill. But the evil urge to kill for one’s god is as old as religion.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 164 BCE. Led by a rural priest, a guerrilla army of Jews overthrew the tyrannical Seleucid Empire, which had repressed their religious and civil rights. The modern menorah represents the golden lamp in the Temple that miraculously burned for eight consecutive nights with only enough oil for one night.

Hanukkah traditions have evolved and differ from country to country. Bubbles on a beach are a lovely adaptation, especially in Australia, a country that, after Israel, has the largest per capita Holocaust survivor population in the world. A bubble with its fragile beauty seems a fitting metaphor for life itself.

Candles are still essential to Hanukkah. They represent the light shining in the darkness and therefore the goodness in the world, especially when the evil seems far greater and stronger. There is a blessing pronounced only on the first night of Hanukkah when the first candle is lit: “Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.”

It is winter here in the northern hemisphere. This Sunday marks the winter solstice, or longest night of the year. It’s freezing cold, and the sun seems to set at lunchtime. Why is it that I notice the lack of light and warmth more readily than their presence? Perhaps the same could be said of goodness.

Our Jewish siblings need our support. We can reach out with kindness and concern, which might not seem like much.

Yet ordinary expressions of care can perhaps light and warm these dark days, like a candle in the dark, or bring joy, like a bubble on the breeze. There is no joy, however small, that is unremarkable.

Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Literature, little folks, Mama some of keys of Christmas Sometimes the realization I am a bona fide senior citizen just doesn’t feel right in my little head, and I think that’s the age my mama should be.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS benefits to grandparent-hood.

You get to love on babies — while they remain babies. You get to see how the next generation is turning out and, if your own youngsters were a handful at times, you get to say to the grandchildren’s parents things like, “I’m glad you’ve got one just like you were.”

You’re glad to see them come and sometimes glad to see them go. For a period of time you can do no wrong and your grandchildren think you hung the moon. When they’re nice and clean, you get to enjoy the nice clean baby smells, and when one of the baby smells smells bad, you can hand them off to their parents and say, “Here. You do it” … unless they’re not there and you’re the babysitter.

And babies teach you lessons and serve as reminders … as in why, for instance, God intended for moms and dads to have their children when they (the parents) are young.

But lately I’ve discovered or remembered something else grand about grandchildren, namely that you get to read all sorts of really outstanding literature to the little folks and in the process your memory gets jogged.

From time to time, the five young princesses who make up the biggest chunk of my grands, took a shine to a growing collection of books with which they and I have spent many a fine moment together. They don’t do that quite as much as they once did mainly because they’re getting older and are turning into pretty good readers. Yet we have read and sometimes reread classics. Among them are such offerings as “Barnyard Dance,” “If You Gave a Pig a Party,” “Rustie Gets Dirty” and maybe our mostest favorite — “Llama Llama Red Pajama.”

That particular offering is about a young llama whose mama

reads him a bedtime story, tucks him in in his upstairs bed and then goes downstairs to wash dishes and such. Somewhere along the line, Baby Llama wants a drink of water and then gets all bent out of shape when his mama doesn’t come right away.

Before it’s all over he’s gone from whimpering to yowling that he “wants his mama.”

I know how he feels.

I want mine, too.

Maybe it’s because Christmas is around the corner and I remember what Mama did in anticipation and celebration of that event. Maybe it’s because I’m old enough now to allow Uncle Sam to give me back some of the money he “borrowed” from me, interest-free I might add, through my 65-plus years and still going of employment. Sometimes the realization I am a bona fide senior citizen just doesn’t feel right in my little head, and I think that’s the age my mama should be.

Maybe it’s lots of things. Maybe I just miss her and wish she — and the other parents in my lives — could see and meet the new generation. I think they’d like them.

Whatever it is, this Christmas marks another in a growing number of Christmases when I’ll visit with my Mama only in my thoughts and remember the decorations and the shoe boxes of candy and nuts and fruits she put under the tree and the food and the music on the stereo while she did all the preparation.

If you’ve still got yours — your mama, that is — tell her you love her … and let her see the grandchildren.

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

BE IN TOUCH

Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

Must I confess?

You’d think all the years of my adulting practice, therapy, and reading spiritually profound books would have put me right. I’ve accepted (mostly) that this human is who she is.

MUST I CONFESS? Uh-huh.

Well, OK. I’ve had a lifelong desire to serve as a bridge builder. Teaching conflict transformation to other humans. Nifty, eh?

But, whoops, yours truly is also very emotionally reactive. Sad to say, my inclinations tend toward burning down bridges rather than laying them across chasms of differences. Not so nifty, eh?

Bridge building is really hard. Blessed with such emotional reactivity, you can imagine how I respond when triggered by differences of opinion and opposing beliefs of others. It’s not pretty.

Where the heck did my inclination to torch bridges originate? Me!! My brain, that is. My lil’ ol’ human brain, and to be honest, yours too. Parts of my brain are inherited from my prehistoric predecessors. They had dinosaurs to contend with and always needed to be on high alert for anything that seemed threatening.

(Laying the blame elsewhere makes me feel so much better.)

Our eons-old, brain-based instinct to survive (resident in you, you, and you) quite frequently perceives even relatively small differences with others as taking the form of scaly, huge predators out to get us. How can poor me survive when those large scaly monsters are threatening?

I’m provoked and ignited when feeling threatened, even if only by words, not ferocious scaly dinosaurs. That little, still-resident, prehistoric part of my brain becomes activated, and you better get the heck out of my way! I mean now!

Ms. Bridge-builder (in my dreams, anyway), is human enough that my behavioral values can, poof, disappear into thin air when someone activates my judgment or anger. “Predator, predator! Fight!”

Incredibly embarrassing. You’d think all the years of my adulting practice, therapy and reading spiritually profound books would have put me right. I’ve accepted (mostly) that this human is who she is. Still choosing commitment to human connection, even though my bridge-building merit badge seems sorely lacking. More Brownie than Girl Scout in this lifetime?

Nothing like my childhood favorite, Diet Dr Pepper, and some intensely flavorful dark chocolate to ground and help me open my eyes.

Conflict transformation just ain’t my bag in this lifetime. But take hope, spreading showers of gratitude is. I mean, who knew?

And, huzzahs, in place of my much-desired bridge-building merit badge, the universe gifted me, instead, with tons (yes, tons!) of gratitude confetti.

Confetti? Yep, sharing (pretty indiscriminately) “thanks” and “thank yous” for just about anything with all you humans on my daily path. An easy-peasy passport to acknowledging that you, you and you, are all seen. (I like being seen and acknowledged.

Don’t you?)

Well, how ’bout that? No actual failure on my part with the bridge building template, due to my reactive personality. Nope, my path took an unexpected turn toward disseminating (as often as possible) wholesale gratitude to our collective parade of humans. I like it. Thanks, universe.

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

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it.

Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without health insurance for longer than a year. This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its

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deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-theone-hands, says that it could/might/may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose” Obamacare and that 45% would consider taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in March 2010.

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis.

No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

obituaries

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Calvin “Marty” Martin Wilson Oct. 10, 1954 – Dec. 8, 2025 Calvin “Marty” Martin Wilson, 71, of Bennett passed away on Monday, December 8th, 2025, at his home surrounded by his family.

Marty was born in Chatham

St., his Pittsboro, NCTeresa 27312 |W. 919-542-3057 | www.donaldsonfunerals.com Griffin; sisters, County on October 10th, 1954, to396 West Graves and her husband Ricky the late John Hoover and Nancy of Siler City, and Carolyn Wilson Elaine Pritchard Wilson. He is of Burlington; nieces & nephew, preceded in death by his parents Hillary Graves, Nicole Wilson, and and his brothers, Greg and John Cliff Graves and his wife, Tiffany; Wilson. and his two great nieces, Norah & Marty was a 1972 graduate of Edith Graves.

Jordan Matthews High School.

A funeral service will be He was the owner/operator of held on Saturday, December Wilson’s Auto Body Shop. He was 13th, 2025, at 3 pm, at Bear a member of Bear Creek Baptist Creek Baptist Church. There Church where he was a deacon. will be a visitation from 2-3 pm In his spare time, he enjoyed at the church, and other times going fishing and working on and at the home of Teresa & Ricky seeing old classic cars. His main Graves. Burial will follow in the joy in life was spending time and church cemetery. Services will making memories with his family be officiated by Reverend Bob and friends.

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Left to cherish Marty’s Smith & Buckner Funeral memory are his wife of 7 years, Home will be assisting the Wilson Sarah Henderson Wilson of the family. home; his sons, Corey Wilson, Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and Online condolences can be Adam Wilson, Joshua Riggs, and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at made at www.smithbucknerfh.

Joel Riggs; his daughter, Jessica obits@chathamnewsrecord.com com Ward; his granddaughter, Jackie

Rob Reiner, son of a comedy giant who became one in turn, dies at 78 His movies are some of the most beloved in Hollywood

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press ROB REINER, the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78.

Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed their identities but could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3:30 p.m., and authorities arrested their couples’ son Nick, who faces murder charges.

Reiner grew up thinking his father, Carl Reiner, didn’t understand him or find him funny.

But the younger Reiner would in many ways follow in his father’s footsteps, working both in front and behind the camera, in comedies that stretched from broad sketch work to accomplished dramedies.

“My father thought, ‘Oh, my God, this poor kid is worried about being in the shadow of a famous father,’” Reiner told “60 Minutes” in October, recalling the temptation to change his name. “And he says, ‘What do you want to change your name to?’ And I said, ‘Carl.’ I just wanted to be like him.”

After starting out as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” Reiner’s breakthrough came when he was, at age 23, cast in Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” as Archie Bunker’s liberal son-in-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic. But by the 1980s, Reiner began as a feature film director, churning out some of the most beloved films of that, or any, era.

His first film, the largely improvised 1984 cult classic “This Is Spinal Tap,” remains the quintessential mockumentary.

After the 1985 John Cusack summer comedy, “The Sure Thing,” Reiner made “Stand

By Me” (1986), “The Princess Bride” (1987) and “When Harry Met Sally …” (1989), a four-year stretch that resulted in a trio of American classics, all of them among the most often quoted movies of the 20th century.

A legacy on, off screen For the next four decades, Reiner, a warm and gregarious presence on screen and an outspoken liberal advocate off it, remained a constant fixture in Hollywood. The pro-

considered adapting Goldman’s book. It ultimately fell to Reiner (from Goldman’s own script) to capture the unique comic tone of “The Princess Bride.”

But only once he had Goldman’s blessing.

“At the door he greeted me and he said, ‘This is my baby.

I want this on my tombstone.

This is my favorite thing I’ve ever written in my life. What are you going to do with it?’”

Reiner recalled in a Television Academy interview. “And we sat down with him and started going through what I thought should be done with the film.”

Though only a modest success in theaters, the movie — starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant and Robin Wright — would grow in stature over the years, leading to countless impressions of Inigo Montoya’s vow of revenge and the risky nature of land wars in Asia.

“When Harry Met Sally ...”

CHRIS PIZZELLO / INVISION / AP

Carl Reiner, left, and his son Rob Reiner pose together following their hand and footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in April 2017 in Los Angeles. duction company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, launched an enviable string of hits, including “Seinfeld” and “The Shawshank Redemption.”

By the turn of the century, its success rate had fallen considerably, but Reiner revived it, and this fall released the long-in-coming sequel “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”

All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry’s most passionate Democrat activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. He was co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged in court California’s ban on samesex marriage, Proposition 8. He also chaired the campaign for Prop 10, a California initiative to fund early childhood development services with a tax on tobacco products. And Reiner was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.

“Beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people — and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action,” former President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Politics ran in the family too.

Reiner’s father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s, and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War. “If you’re a nepo baby, doors

“Beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people.”

Barack Obama

will open,” Reiner told the Guardian in 2024. “But you have to deliver. If you don’t deliver, the door will close just as fast as it opened.”

“All in the Family” to “Stand By Me” Robert Reiner was born in the Bronx on March 6, 1947.

As a young man, he quickly set out to follow his father into entertainment. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school and, in the 1960s, began appearing in small parts in various television shows.

But when Lear saw Reiner as a key cast member in “All in the Family,” it came as a surprise to the elder Reiner.

“Norman says to my dad, ‘You know, this kid is really funny.’ And I think my dad said, ‘What? That kid? That kid?

He’s sullen. He sits quiet. He doesn’t, you know, he’s not funny.’ He didn’t think I was anyway,” Reiner told “60 Minutes.”

On “All in the Family,” Reiner served as a pivotal foil to Carroll O’Connor’s bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker. Reiner was seven times nominated for an Emmy for his performance on the show, winning in 1974 and 1978. In Lear, Reiner also found a mentor. He called him “a second father.”

“It wasn’t just that he hired me for ‘All in the Family,’” Reiner told “American Masters” in 2005. “It was that I saw, in how he conducted his life, that there was room to be an activist as well. That you could use your celebrity, your good fortune, to help make some change.”

Lear also helped launch Reiner as a filmmaker. He put $7.5 million of his own money to help finance “Stand By Me,” Reiner’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella “The Body.”

The movie, about four boys who go looking for the dead body of a missing boy, became a coming-of-age classic, made breakthroughs of its young cast (particularly River Phoenix) and even earned the praise of King.

“Rest in peace, Rob,” King said Monday on X. “You always stood by me.”

With his stock rising, Reiner devoted himself to adapting William Goldman’s 1973’s “The Princess Bride,” a book Reiner had loved since his father gave him a copy as a gift.

Everyone from François Truffaut to Robert Redford had

Reiner was married to Penny Marshall, the actor and filmmaker, for 10 years beginning in 1971. Like Reiner, Marshall experienced sitcom fame, with “Laverne & Shirley,” but found a more lasting legacy behind the camera.

After their divorce, Reiner, at a lunch with Nora Ephron, suggested a comedy about dating.

In writing what became “When Harry Met Sally …” Ephron and Reiner charted a relationship between a man and a woman (played in the film by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan) over the course of 12 years.

Along the way, the movie’s ending changed, as did some of the film’s indelible moments.

The famous line, “I’ll have what she’s having,” said after witnessing Ryan’s fake orgasm at Katz’s Delicatessen, was a suggestion by Crystal — delivered by none other than Reiner’s mother, Estelle.

The movie’s happy ending also had some real-life basis.

Reiner met Singer, a photographer, on the set of “When Harry Met Sally …” and in 1989, they were wed. They had three children together: Nick, Jake and Romy.

Reiner’s subsequent films included another King adaptation, “Misery” (1990) and a pair of Aaron Sorkin-penned dramas: the military courtroom tale “A Few Good Men” (1992) and 1995’s “The American President.”

By the late ’90s, Reiner’s films (1996’s “Ghosts of Mississippi,” 2007’s “The Bucket List”) no longer had the same success rate. But he remained a frequent actor, often memorably enlivening films like “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993) and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013). In 2023, he directed the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.”

In an interview earlier this year with Seth Rogen, Reiner suggested everything in his career boiled down to one thing.

“All I’ve ever done is say, ‘Is this something that is an extension of me?’ For ‘Stand by Me,’ I didn’t know if it was going to be successful or not. All I thought was, ‘I like this because I know what it feels like.’”

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Bestselling British writer Joanna Trollope dies at 82 She wrote dozens of contemporary novels over decades of work The Associated Press LONDON — British writer Joanna Trollope, whose bestselling novels charted domestic and romantic travails in well-heeled rural England, has died, her family said Friday.

She was 82.

Trollope’s daughters, Antonia and Louise, said the writer died peacefully at her home in Oxfordshire, southern England, on Thursday.

Trollope wrote almost two dozen contemporary novels, including “The Rector’s Wife,” “Marrying the Mistress,” “Other People’s Children” and “Next of Kin.” They were often dubbed “Aga sagas,” after the old-fashioned Aga ovens found in affluent country homes.

Trollope disliked the term, noting that her books tackled uncomfortable subjects including infidelity, marital breakdown and the challenges of parenting.

“That was a very unfortunate phrase, and I think it’s done me a lot of damage,” she once said.

“It was so patronizing to the readers, too.”

Trollope’s most recent novel, “Mum & Dad,” examined the

LEWIS WHYLD / PA VIA AP

Joanna Trollope announces the shortlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2012. “sandwich generation” of middle-aged people looking after both children and elderly parents.

Trollope also published 10 historical novels under the pseudonym Caroline Harvey.

Trollope, a distant relative of Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope, was born in Minchinhampton in the west of England in 1943. She studied English at Oxford University, then worked in Britain’s Foreign Office and as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer in 1980. She became a household name after “The Rector’s Wife” was adapted for television in 1991.

Trollope’s novel “Parson

Harding’s Daughter” won a novel of the year award from the Romantic Novelists’ Association in 1980. In 2010, the association gave her a lifetime achievement award for services to romance.

In 2019, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, by Queen Elizabeth II. Her literary agent, James Gill, called Trollope “one of our most cherished, acclaimed and widely enjoyed novelists.

“Joanna will be mourned by her children, grandchildren, family, her countless friends and — of course — her readers,” Gill said.

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BATTLES from page A1

All is “fair” in redistricting

of politicians, like the Senate, where members reflect a state’s majority party. The result could be reduced power for minority communities, less attention to certain issues and fewer distinct voices heard in Washington.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky fears that unconstrained gerrymandering would put the United States on a perilous path if Democrats in states such as Texas and Republicans in states like California feel shut out of electoral politics. “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Although Indiana state senators rejected a new map backed by Trump and Braun that could have helped Republicans win all nine of the state’s congressional seats, districts have already been redrawn in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Other states could consider changes before the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress.

“It’s a fundamental undermining of a key democratic condition,” said Wayne Fields, a retired English professor from Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on political rhetoric.

“The House is supposed to represent the people,” Fields added. “We gain an awful lot by having particular parts of the population heard.”

Indiana’s delegation in the U.S. House consists of seven Republicans and two Democrats — one representing Indianapolis and the other a suburban Chicago district in the state’s northwestern corner.

Dueling definitions of fairness were on display at the Indiana Capitol as lawmakers considered a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have split Indianapolis among four Republican-leaning districts and merged the Chicago suburbs with rural Republican areas. Opponents walked the halls in protest, carrying signs such as “I stand for fair maps!”

Ethan Hatcher, a talk radio host who said he votes for Republicans and Libertarians, denounced the redistricting plan as “a blatant power grab” that “compromises the principles of our Founding Fathers” by fracturing Democratic strongholds to dilute the voices of urban voters.

“It’s a calculated assault on fair representation,” Hatcher told a state Senate committee.

But others asserted it would be fair for Indiana Republicans to hold all of those House seats because Trump won the “solidly Republican state” by nearly three-fifths of the vote.

“Our current 7-2 congressional delegation doesn’t fully capture that strength,” resident Tracy Kissel said at a committee hearing. “We can create fairer, more competitive districts that align with how Hoosiers vote.”

When senators defeated a map designed to deliver a 9-0 congressional delegation for Republicans, Braun bemoaned that they had missed an “opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps.”

Redistricting is diluting community representation Under the Constitution, the Senate has two members from each state. The House has 435 seats divided among states based on population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative.

In the current Congress, California has the most at 52, followed by Texas with 38.

Because senators are elected statewide, they are almost always political pairs of one party or another. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the only states now with both a Democrat and Republican in the Senate. Maine and Vermont each have one independent and one senator affiliated with a political party.

By contrast, most states elect a mixture of Democrats and Republicans to the House. That is because House districts, with an average of 761,000 residents, based on the 2020 census, are more likely to reflect the varying partisan preferences of urban or rural voters, as well as different racial, ethnic and economic groups.

This year’s redistricting is diminishing those locally unique districts.

In California, voters in several rural counties that backed Trump were separated from similar rural areas and attached to a reshaped congressional district containing liberal coastal communities. In Missouri, Democratic-leaning voters in Kansas City were split from one main congressional district into three, with each revised district stretching deep into rural Republican areas.

Some residents complained their voices are getting drowned out. But Govs.

Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Mike Kehoe, (R-Mo.) defended the gerrymandering as a means of countering other states and amplifying the voices of those aligned with the state’s majority.

Disrupting an equilibrium By some national measurements, the U.S. House already is politically fair. The 220-215 majority that Republicans won over Democrats in the 2024 elections almost perfectly aligns with the share of the vote the two parties received in districts across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But that overall balance belies an imbalance that exists in many states. Even before this year’s redistricting, the number of states with congressional districts tilted toward one party or another was higher than at any point in at least a decade, the AP analysis found.

The partisan divisions have contributed to a “cutthroat political environment” that “drives the parties to extreme measures,” said Kent Syler, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University. He noted that Republicans hold 88% of congressional seats in Tennessee, and Democrats have an equivalent in Maryland.

“Fairer redistricting would give people more of a feeling that they have a voice,” Syler said.

Rebekah Caruthers, who leads the Fair Elections Center, a nonprofit voting rights group, said there should be compact districts that allow communities of interest to elect the representatives of their choice, regardless of how that affects the national political balance. Gerrymandering districts to be dominated by a single party results in “an unfair disenfranchisement” of some voters, she said.

“Ultimately, this isn’t going to be good for democracy,” Caruthers said. “We need some type of détente.”

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Protesters are seen through a window in the Senate Chamber during dissuasion before a vote to redistrict Indiana’s congressional map last Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

TAKE NOTICE

NOTICE TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS Tax Listing Notice All persons owning real, personal and business property on January 1, 2026, have the duty to list property that is subject to Chatham County property taxation. Certain personal property must be listed every year. Real estate listing is not required unless buildings or other improvements having a value in excess of $100 have been acquired, begun, erected, damaged, or destroyed in the year prior to January 1, 2026.

Listing Period Begins - January 1, 2026 Listing Period Ends - January 31, 2026 For Business Listings only, requests for an extension must be received in writing by January 31, 2026.

Extensions will only be granted until April 15, 2026.

Listing Assistance is available at: Chatham County Tax Department 12 East Street, Pittsboro NC 27312 Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Except Holidays WHAT TO LIST? You are required to list un-licensed vehicles, trailers with multi-year registrations, mobile homes not designated as real property, all types of water craft, aircraft, and items used in a business. Business Property also includes items used for farming, a trade or profession, or furnishings or appliances you provide to a tenant.

Except for trailers with multi-year registration, exempted from listing are licensed vehicles, mobile homes (considered real estate,) and household items used for your own residence.

Forms may be picked up at the office or obtained from our website at https://www.chathamcountync. gov You may list in person. Bring all detailed information necessary to identify your property and its value.

If forms were mailed to you, please bring them with you.

Listing by mail is permitted. Listings must bear a U.S. Postal Service postmark on or before January 31, 2026. Penalties apply to late listings.

If you have not received your listing forms by January 20, you should make satisfactory arrangements with this office so that you may make a timely listing.

Persons who fail to comply are subject to listing penalties and other penalties which are prescribed by N.C. General Statutes.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF: Persons at least 65 years of age or persons that are permanently and totally disabled whose income does not exceed the maximum, may apply for a tax reduction or tax deferment on their permanent residence.

The maximum income to qualify for the 2026 tax reduction is $38,800, the maximum income to qualify for 2025 tax deferment is $58,200. If you meet the qualifications your taxes could be significantly lowered. Please contact our office or visit our website for more details on this program and to obtain an application.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR DISABLED VETERANS: This program excludes the first forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) of the appraised value of a permanent residence owned and occupied by a North Carolina Resident, who is an Honorably Discharged 100% Disabled Veteran, or the unmarried surviving spouse of an Honorable Discharged 100% Disabled Veteran. Please contact our office or visit our website for more details about this program.

Chatham County Tax Department P O Box 908, Pittsboro NC 27312 (919) 542-8250

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF CHATHAM File Number 25E000652-180 THE UNDERSIGNED, having qualified on the 1st day of December 2025, as Executor of the ESTATE OF GRANT FRANKLIN KOHER, Deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 5th of March, 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 4th day of December, 2025.

Blanche Guay Koher EXECUTOR ESTATE OF GRANT FRANKLIN KOHER c/o Shirley Diefenbach, Attorney Walker Lambe, PLLC Post Office Box 51549 Durham, North Carolina 27717

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION 25E000484-180 Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of Kathy Thompson Whaley of Chatham County, NC, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before February 27, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

Ellen Thompson Jones, Co-Executor Rachel Elizabeth Whaley, Co-Executor Janice A. Walston, Attorney PO Box 279 Wilson, NC 27894-0279

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Chad Eric Sexton late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the 2nd day of December, 2025.

Yvonne Sexton Goldston, Administrator Of the Estate of Chad Eric Sexton 1102 N. Hampton Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

This the 20th day of November, 2025.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified on the 20th day of November 2024, as Executor of the Estate of Scobie I. Arnott, Sr., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18th day of March 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 18th day of December 2025.

John Riley Culberson, Co-Executor of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner 902 Mt. Vernon Hickory Mountain Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Ricky Gordon Culberson, Co-Executor of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner 140 Lay N Low Way Goldston, North Carolina 27252 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

Roger W. Arnott, Executor of the Estate of Scobie I. Arnott, Sr.

NOTICE

4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707

NORTH CAROLINA

THE CHATHAM NEWS: 12/18; 12/25; 1/1/2026; 1/8/2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of MATTHEW T. FLYER AKA MATTHEW THOMAS FLYER, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before March 19, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 18th day of December, 2025.

Lynn Marie Flyer Executor of the Estate of Matthew T. Flyer aka Matthew Thomas Flyer 177 Pine View Acres P.O. Box 535 Goldstone, NC 27252 Leigh Anne Kasia Wyatt Early Harris Wheeler LLP 1912 Eastchester Drive, Ste 400 High Point, NC 27265 336-884-4444 Publication dates: December 18, 25, 2025; January 1 and 8, 2026.

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 25E000603-180 ALL persons having claims against Eric Charles Youmans, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Feb 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 27th day of November, 2025.

CHE BOYD YOUMANS, EXECUTOR C/O Howard Stallings Law Firm PO Box 12347 Raleigh, NC 27605 N27, 4, 11 and 18

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 25E000628-180 ALL persons having claims against Gisela Hilda Hecken, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Mar 04 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 4th day of December, 2025.

Margit H. Iwanowicz, Executor C/O Howard Stallings Law Firm PO Box 12347 Raleigh, NC 27605 D4, 11, 18 and 25

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JERRY WILLIS MOODY FILE NO. 25E000339-180 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jerry Willis Moody, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 18, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This 18th day of December 2025.

Scarlett M. Blue, Executor 148 Morrison Bridge Rd Vass, NC 28394 The Chatham News December 18, 25, January 1 and 8, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24E001626-180 The undersigned, DEREK RILE GREEN, having qualified on the 20TH Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ANN BLANKENSHIP GREEN, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 4th Day OF MARCH 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 4th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

DEREK RILE GREEN, EXECUTOR 4551 STALEY SNOW CAMP RD. STALEY, NC 27355 Run dates: D4,D11,18,25p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

c/o Gwendolyn C. Brooks, Kennon Craver, PLLC

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to Ellen L. W. Proctor, Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson, c/o Patrick E. Bradshaw, Attorney for the Estate, at Bradshaw Robinson Slawter & Rainer LLP, PO Box 607, Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 11th day of March, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 11th day of December, 2025.

Ellen L. W. Proctor Executor of the Estate of Mary L. D. Wilkinson Patrick E. Bradshaw Bradshaw Robinson Slawter & Rainer LLP PO Box 607 Pittsboro, NC 27312 (For Publication: 12/11, 12/18 and 12/25/2025 and 1/1/2026)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

HAVING QUALIFIED as Co-Executors of the Estate of James Thomas Cotner late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Harry F. Knepp, Jr. late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of February, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the 20th day of November, 2025.

Erin Knepp Warrick, Executor of the Estate of Harry F. Knepp, Jr. 149 Pike Drive NW Pikeville, North Carolina 27863 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Billy Hugh Elkins, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned at her address, P. O. Box 266, Goldston, North Carolina, 27252, on or before the 4th day of March, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment.

This 26th day of November, 2025.

Rebecca L. Elkins P. O. Box 266 Goldston, North Carolina 27252 GUNN & MESSICK, PLLC P. O. Box 880 Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312-0880 December 4, 11, 18, 25

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JENNIFER GODFREY SCOTT 25E000648-180 ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Jennifer Godfrey Scott, deceased of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 12, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. This 11th day of December, 2025. Amber Paige Bonde, Administrator, c/o The Walls Law Firm, 5511 Capital Center Dr., Ste 180 Raleigh, NC 27606.

Chatham News & Record: December 11, 18, 25 2025; January 1, 2026.

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000644-180 The undersigned, LESLIE LEIGH LAFOSSE, having qualified on the 24TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of BETTY OLIVE FARLESS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 4th Day OF MARCH 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 4th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

LESLIE LEIGH LAFOSSE, ADMINISTRATOR 6923 WILLIAMS COUNTRY ROAD STALEY, NC 27355 Run dates: D4,D11,18,25p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000651-180 The undersigned ROBIN ZENICK, having qualified on the 26TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BEVERLY A. WHITBECK, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

ROBIN ZENICK, EXECUTOR 725 S. CLARKSON ST. DENVER, CO 80209 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000653-180 The undersigned TATANISHEA AMINA BRANTLEY, having qualified on the 26TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DALLAS IRVIN JACOBS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

TATANISHEA AMINA BRANTLEY, ADMINISTRATOR 302 LACE CAROL LANE ELGIN, SC 29045 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25000649-180 The undersigned, LORETTA WHITEHEAD BATCHELOR, having qualified on the 26TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DIANE B. WHITEHEAD aka BARBARA DIANE BOWERS WHITEHEAD, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 4th Day OF MARCH 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 4th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

LORETTA WHITEHEAD BATCHELOR, EXECUTOR 2465 ROSSER ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 Run dates: D4,D11,18,25p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#09E000257-180 The undersigned SHIRLENE THOMAS, having qualified on the 10TH Day of DECEMBER 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of JAMES ERNEST THOMAS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 18th Day OF MARCH 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 18th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

SHIRLENE THOMAS, ADMINISTRATOR 3800 OLD US #1 NEW HILL, NC 27562 Mail to: ARLENE RAINEY 209 TREVOR RIDGE DR. HOLLY SPRINGS, NC 27540 Run dates: D18,25,J1,8p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000629-180 The undersigned REBA THOMAS, having qualified on the 25TH Day of NOVEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LOUISE HARTON STULTZ, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

REBA THOMAS, EXECUTOR 2459 WALTER BRIGHT RD. SANFORD, NC 27330 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000659-180 The undersigned DELTABLUE LEFLEUR CHEVALIER, having qualified on the 2ND Day of DECEMBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of RICHARD MINTER NORWOOD, III, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 11th Day OF MARCH 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 11th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

DELTABLUE LEFLEUR CHAVALIER, EXECUTOR 91 WELDON DRIVE NORTH CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: D11,18,25,J1p

Notice to Creditors ALL Persons firm and corporation having claims against Patsy Louise Wolfe Truelove, deceased of Chatham County, N.C. 24E001659-180, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 19, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 18th day of December, 2025. Ralston Lane Truelove, Executor, C/O Horsley Law Firm, P.A. 5720 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 101, Raleigh, NC 27609, 919-847-3880.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000588-180 The undersigned TERRY WALLACE, having qualified on the 24TH Day of OCTOBER 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOHN ROMIE WOMBLE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 18th Day OF MARCH 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 18th DAY OF DECEMBER 2025.

TERRY WALLACE, EXECUTOR 866 JUNO ROAD BROADWAY, NC 27505 Run dates: D18,25,J1,8p

A10

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

NASCAR settles federal antitrust case, gives all teams the permanent charters they wanted The surprise settlement came after days of brutal testimony

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood side by side on the steps of a federal courthouse as if they were old friends following a stunning settlement last Thursday of a bruising antitrust case in which the Basketball Hall of Famer was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing the top racing series in the United States of being a monopolistic bully.

The duo was flanked by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Jordan, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and more than a dozen lawyers as they celebrated the end to an eight-day trial that ultimately led NASCAR to cave and grant all its teams the permanent charters they wanted.

“Like two competitors, obviously we tried to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, towering over the 81-year-old France. “I’ve said this from Day 1: The only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point, unfortunately it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have gotten us to this point where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I am very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

France concurred.

“I do feel the same, and we can get back to focusing on what we really love, and that’s racing, and we spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we needed to be,” France said. “I feel like we made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

A charter is the equivalent of

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Michael Jordan, left, shakes hands with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman as NASCAR chairman Jim France, center, looks away outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte last Thursday. the franchise model used in other sports, and in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams a spot in every top-level Cup Series race and a fixed portion of the revenue stream. The system was implemented in 2016, and teams have argued for over two years that the charters needed to be made permanent — they had been revokable by NASCAR — and the revenue sharing had to change.

NASCAR, founded and privately owned by the Florida-based France family, never considered making the charters permanent. Instead, after two-plus years of bitter negotiations, NASCAR in September 2024 presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer that gave teams until end of that day to sign the 112-page document.

23XI and Front Row refused and sued, while 13 other organizations signed. But testimony in court revealed many did so “with a gun to our head” because the threat of losing the charters would have put them out of business.

Jordan testified early in the trial that as a new team owner to NASCAR — 23XI launched in 2021 — he felt he had the strength to challenge NASCAR. Eight days of testimony went badly for NASCAR, which when it began to present its case seemed focused more on mitigating damages than it did on proving it did not violate antitrust laws.

Although terms of the settlement were not released — NASCAR was in the process of scheduling a call last Thursday with all teams to discuss the revenue-sharing model moving forward — both Jordan and NASCAR said that charters will now be permanent for all teams.

23XI and Front Row will receive their combined six charters back for 2026.

An economist previously testified that NASCAR owes 23XI and Front Row $364.7 million in damages, and that NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said from the front-row seat he’s occupied since the trial began

Dec. 1 as he waited for the settlement announcement.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who had presided over two days of failed settlement talks before the trial began, echoed the sentiment. Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

The settlement came after two days of testimony by France and last Wednesday night’s public release of a letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris calling for NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps to be removed.

The discovery process revealed internal NASCAR communications in which Phelps called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress a “redneck” and other derogatory names; Bass Pro

BASEBALL from page A1 last summer. The team played at Craven Stadium behind Ramseur Elementary. Reggie Allred pointed to Chatham County’s growth and the freedom of not playing on school property as reasons to move the team.

The Siler City Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a proposal on Nov. 17 to allow the team to lease and use the Paul Braxton sports fields, the site of the former American Legion field, for the baseball team’s ballpark. The facility, set to open in May, will feature a concrete grandstand, a beer garden, dedicated space for food trucks, new dugouts, a modern press box, upgraded infield and playing surface, and more fan amenities.

The ballpark is expected to cost more than $200,000.

The Town of Siler City has committed $125,000 in capital improvements, such as the fencing. Construction and the team’s search for sponsors will begin after Jan. 1. Reggie Allred said the plan is to host events other than baseball at the facility too, even before the inaugural baseball season.

“We’re definitely excited about the baseball side of things because that’s in our wheelhouse,” Reggie Allred said. “But we’re excited about just having a place for the public to go to watch movies, have concerts, you know, have stuff going on all the time over there.”

Discussions between the town and the team’s ownership began in late summer.

North Carolina selected Siler City into its Main Street Program as a Downtown Associate Community in July.

The DAC program helps revitalize downtowns through economic development strategies. Siler City will receive two years of downtown technical assistance services valued at $30,000.

“We drew on our current

sponsors Childress’ teams, as well as some others, and Morris is an ardent NASCAR supporter.

Childress gave fiery testimony earlier this week over his reluctance to sign the charter agreement because it was unfair to the teams, which have been bleeding money and begged NASCAR for concessions. Letters from Hall of Fame team owners Joe Gibbs, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Roger Penske were introduced in which they pleaded with France for charters to become permanent; France testified he was not moved by the men he considers good friends.

Hendrick and Penske, who were both scheduled to testify Friday, expressed gratitude that a settlement had been reached.

Penske called it “tremendous news” and said it cleared the way to continue growing the series.

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters — the future of our sport,” Hendrick said. “This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders. I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

The settlement came abruptly on the ninth day of the trial. Bell opened expecting to hear motions, but both sides asked for a private conference in chambers.

When they emerged, Bell ordered an hourlong break for the two sides to confer. That turned into two hours, all parties returned to the courtroom and Kessler announced an agreement had been reached.

“What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter and its possibilities are greater.”

strategic plan of promoting economic vitality and built on that concept from start to finish,” Assistant Town Manager Kimberly Pickard said in a statement. I believe in this project and the positive impact it will have on our downtown area. This partnership could not have come at a better time, as we have just become a Main Street Community.”

The ONSL recently completed a similar project in Oak Island, transforming Bill Smith Park into a sports entertainment venue to host the Oak Island Loggerheads baseball team, baseball tournaments and other events.

The new Siler City baseball team held a name-the-team contest on Facebook. Participants had until Sunday to submit name ideas. The team will hold fan voting on the following names until Sunday at 11:59 p.m: Chatham Wild Hares, Chatham Millers, Chatham Yardbirds, Chatham Cluckers, Chatham Fowl Tips and Chatham Hot Wings. The official team name will be announced live on all team social media platforms on Jan. 12 at 6 p.m.

The arrival of the ONSL is the return of organized summer wood-bat baseball to Siler City. Generations of local players once competed for the historic Siler City Millers decades ago.

Although ONSL rosters feature players from different states and countries, the teams try to get as many local players as possible. Players must be playing in college or high school seniors that are committed to a college program.

Former Chatham Charter standout Aidan Allred played for the Ropin’ Roosters last season.

The Siler City team is set to play its first home game on May 29 at 7 p.m. against the Raleigh Red Oaks. The league will still used Craven Stadium to host legacy games during the season.

CHATHAM SPORTS

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood’s Josiah Brown (1) puts up a 3 in this season’s first Battle of Pittsboro.

Northwood boys, Seaforth girls claim first Pittsboro battle Katie Leonard notched 19 points in the first half

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record Boys: Northwood 66, Seaforth 31 PITTSBORO — Northwood rode a hot shooting night to rout its rival Seaforth 66-31 Friday.

The Chargers shot 40% from beyond the arc and finished the night with five players who scored in double figures.

“These guys are just so un-

selfish,” Northwood coach Matt Brown said.

Senior guard Cam Fowler, who scored 10 points, and junior guard Josiah Brown, who scored 11, each hit two 3s in the first quarter to help Northwood take an 18-9 advantage by the end of the period.

Then senior forward Bakari Watkins came alive in the second quarter with nine of his 11 points.

At the same time, Northwood held Seaforth to five second quarter points as the Hawks only took six shots in the period. The Chargers led 36-14 at halftime.

“Momentum and energy,” Watkins said. “Once we got that momentum from defense, it just made everything easy on offense.”

Junior guard Grant Locklear scored nine of his team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter.

He shot 5 for 6 from the field.

Graves, in his second game back with the Chargers, finished the night with 10 points.

Northwood improved to 4-3 with the win, and Seaforth fell to 3-4. While the Hawks have lost consecutive games for the first time this year, the Chargers have won back-to-back games for the first time this

season. Northwood is now 7-0 over Seaforth all time.

Girls: Seaforth 43, Northwood 36 Seaforth senior Katie Leonard scored 19 first half points to lead the Hawks over Northwood 43-36 Friday.

Leonard was a bright spot in a poor shooting night for both teams, scoring seven of Seaforth’s 11 first quarter points.

“The girls on the court are supporting her,” Seaforth coach Kimberly Brower said.

“She’s doing good with that, leading the girls on the court

“These guys are just so unselfish.”

Matt Brown and getting them involved.

They do good setting her up, setting picks for her and letting her get that shot off.”

She shot 3 for 5 from 3 in the first half and scored 12 points in the second quarter to give Seaforth a 26-9 lead at halftime.

Northwood couldn’t buy a basket in the first half as it shot 3 for 28. The Chargers took 12 shots in the second quarter and missed all except Parker Maness’ buzzer-beating 3.

“Defense was the key,” Brower said. “I told them we were going to press in the first quarter, and See BASKETBALL, page B3

Carolina Hornets win NTBA Winter Nationals title A travel team of local coaches and players finished the season 26-0

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record COURTESY COACHZBASKETBALL.COM

Mike Zeillmann, left, poses with his NC Attack team.

Seaforth hires Zeillmann as girls’ basketball coach The longtime Triangle basketball figure will replace Charles Byrd

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record SEAFORTH HIRED Mike Zeillmann, a longtime trainer and figure in the Triangle basketball space, as its varsity girls’ basketball coach.

Zeillmann, also known as Coach Z, officially earned the head coach title Monday. He’s the program’s second leader of girls’ basketball after Charles Byrd, who started the program in 2021 and made three

9

WNBA players have been trained by Mike Zeillmann regional final appearances (including a state title appearance in 2023), stepped down before the start of the season.

Prior to earning the Seaforth job, Zeillmann last coached high school basketball at Cary Academy, where he led the varsity girls from 2012-16. His 2012-13 team

went undefeated in conference play and reached the state semifinals of the NCISAA 3A playoffs. He also won conference coach of the year honors for that season.

Zeillmann coached the Durham Academy varsity boys in the 2000-01 season and the Jordan ninth grade boys in 1992-93. He served as an assistant with the Northern Durham varsity boys from 2006-08, the Durham Academy varsity boys from 1995-2000, the Jordan varsity boys in the 1993-94 season and the Greensboro Day See SEAFORTH, page B2

A LOCAL GIRLS’ basketball team’s first go under the Nike Jr. EYBL title couldn’t have gone better.

The Carolina Hornets 13U team, the Jr. EYBL iteration of the Carolina Magic, closed out the fall and winter season by winning the 2025 National Travel Basketball Association Winter National championship in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Dec. 7.

The Hornets, coached by Siler City natives Ryan and Jarred Siler and consisting of

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tournament wins for the Hornets this season players from and nearby Chatham County, defeated Charlotte Dream Elite 52-49 in the seventh grade championship game. The team finished the tournament 4-0, including pool play.

In its first fall and winter season with Carolina Hornets United organization, the 13U team coached by the Siler brothers won all six tournaments and finished 26-0. The Carolina Magic joined the Carolina Hornets in August.

COURTESY RYAN SILER

The Carolina Hornets pose with medals after winning their final tournament of the season.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP

Wrestling teams fall short of conference foes

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

5

Boys’ basketball Uwharrie Charter snapped Chatham Charter’s five-game winning streak by beating the Knights 55-40 on Dec. 11.

Following back-to-back wins over North Moore and Ascend Leadership, Chatham Central lost its conference opener to North Stokes 76-72 on Friday.

Seaforth fell to Southeast Alamance 74-64 on Dec. 9 as senior Davian Edwards led the Stallions with 30 points.

After Levi Haygood’s team-high 17 points led Woods Charter over River Mill 62-32 on Dec. 9, the Wolves fell to Wake Prep Academy 61-42 on Friday.

Jordan-Matthews defeated Phoenix Academy 95-79 on Dec. 11, picking up consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1.

Northwood (4-3, 0-0); 2. Uwharrie Charter (3-3, 0-0); 3. North Moore (2-3, 0-0); 4. Southwestern Randolph (2-4, 0-0); 5. Jordan-Matthews (2-4, 0-0); 6.

Eastern Randolph (0-4, 0-0) Central Tar Heel 1A: 1.

Woods Charter (4-3, 1-0); 2.

River Mill (1-10, 1-1); T3. Central Carolina Academy (0-5, 0-1); T3.

Ascend Leadership (2-7, 0-0); T3. Chatham Charter (7-4, 0-0); T3. Clover Garden (1-5, 0-0); T3.

Southern Wake Academy (6-3, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: T1.

Bishop McGuinness (6-1, 1-0); T1. South Stokes (6-0, 1-0); T1.

North Stokes (2-4, 1-0); 4. College Prep and Leadership (2-6, 1-1); T5. Winston-Salem Prep (1-5, 0-1); T5. South Davidson (0-5, 0-1); T5. Chatham Central (6-3, 0-1) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1.

Durham School of the Arts (4-4, 0-0); 2. South Granville (3-3, 0-0); 3. Seaforth (3-4, 0-0); 4.

Cedar Ridge (1-5, 0-0); 5. J.F.

SEAFORTH from page B1 School junior varsity boys (while coaching eighth grade) in 1991-92.

In 1994, Zeillmann founded Coach Z Basketball Training to develop skills for basketball players in the Triangle. He has trained nine players who have played in the WNBA and four who have played in the

Game winning streak for Chatham Charter’s boys snapped by Uwharrie Charter

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood’s Connor Willingmyre grabs hold of his opponent in a dual on Dec. 10.

Webb (1-6, 0-0); 6. Orange (0-5, 0-0); 7. Carrboro (0-6, 0-0) Power Rankings (week of Dec. 8): 1. Northwood; 2. Chatham Charter; 3. Seaforth; 4.

Woods Charter; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6. Chatham Central Last week’s rankings: 1.

Chatham Charter; 2. Northwood; 3. Seaforth; 4. Woods Charter; 5. Jordan-Matthews; 6.

Chatham Central

Charter; 6. Chatham Charter Last week’s rankings: 1.

Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Jordan-Matthews; 4. Chatham Central; 5. Woods Charter; 6.

Chatham Charter

Despite a career-high 32 points from senior Katie Leonard, Seaforth fell to defending state champions Southeast Alamance 65-49 on Dec. 9.

Chatham Central followed consecutive wins over North Moore and Ascend Leadership with a 64-27 conference-opening loss to North Stokes on Friday.

Northwood lost to Western Alamance 59-52 on Saturday, dropping its second straight game by less than 10 points.

Jordan-Matthews fell to Phoenix Academy 63-23 on Dec. 11.

Chatham Charter lost to Uwharrie Charter 56-22 on Dec. 11 despite 17 points from sophomore Peyton York.

Woods Charter fell to Wake Prep 62-22 on Friday.

Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1.

Uwharrie Charter (7-1, 0-0); 2.

Southwestern Randolph (4-1, 0-0); 3. Northwood (4-4, 0-0); 4. Jordan-Matthews (1-6, 0-0); 5. North Moore (0-4, 0-0); 6.

Eastern Randolph (0-4, 0-0) Central Tar Heel 1A: 1.

Woods Charter (5-4, 1-0); 2.

River Mill (1-10, 1-1); T3. Central Carolina Academy (0-5, 0-1); T3.

Ascend Leadership (0-6, 0-0); T3. Chatham Charter (3-8, 0-0); T3. Clover Garden School (1-4, 0-0); T3. Southern Wake Academy (2-2, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: T1.

College Prep and Leadership (60, 2-0); T1. North Stokes (3-3, 1-0); T3. South Stokes (4-6, 0-1); T3. South Davidson (0-5, 0-1); T3. Chatham Central (5-3, 0-1); 6. Bishop McGuinness (6-1, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Seaforth (5-1, 0-0); 2. Orange (22, 0-0); 3. Durham School of the Arts (4-4, 0-0); 4. Carrboro (3-4, 0-0); 5. South Granville (2-3, 0-0); 6. Cedar Ridge (2-5, 0-0); 7. J.F. Webb (2-5, 0-0) Power Rankings (week of Dec. 8): 1. Seaforth; 2. Northwood; 3. Jordan-Matthews; 4.

Chatham Central; 5. Woods

Boys: Seaforth went 2-2 at the Baddest Cat on the Mat team duals Saturday, defeating Triton (60-11) and Westover (48-25) while losing to Hoke County (67-9) and South View (48-34).

Chatham Central fell to South Stokes 48-27 on Dec. 10.

Northwood fell to Southwestern Randolph 45-35 on Dec. 10.

Uwharrie Charter, the defending dual team state champions, defeated Jordan-Matthews 84-0 on Dec. 10.

Top individual performances: Jordan-Matthews’ Daniel Carter finished second in the 285-pound division at the King of the Mat tournament Saturday.

Girls: Forfeits helped Jordan-Matthews beat Uwharrie Charter 36-11 on Dec. 10.

Northwood defeated Southwestern Randolph 24-6 by way of forfeits.

Top individual performances: Jordan-Matthews’ Johanna Carter won the 132-pound division

NBA. More than 20 of Zeillmann’s trainees have played professionally overseas, and 90 (61 women and 29 men) have played college basketball.

From 1999-2003, Zeillmann implemented a skill development plan for the Duke women’s basketball team, including ACC Player of the Year winners Georgia Schweitzer, Alana Beard and Lindsey Harding.

Zeillmann founded NC Attack, a travel basketball team for eighth through 12th grade girls, in 2013. Serving as the head coach, Zeillmann has coached more than 40 collegiate players and won five national level tournaments. Seaforth senior Katie Leonard and former Hawks Peyton Collins and Jocelyn Gesner have played for NC Attack.

Seaforth has seen immense success in its short history. The Hawks have won a share of the conference title (Mid-Carolina 1A/2A) for the past four seasons, losing one regular season conference game in their existence.

The program produced Gabby White, a former four-star recruit and espnW’s 94th-best player in the class of 2025, who now plays at Virginia. The pro-

Girls’ basketball

Wrestling

at the Queen of the Mat tournament Saturday. She was down 15-2 in the final period before notching a late pin. Jordan-Matthews’ Edith Vargas finished second in the 152-pound division at the Queen of the Mat tournament on Saturday. Seaforth’s Sarah Tanner finished fourth in the 132-pound bracket at the Rumble in the Jungle on Friday.

Swimming Seaforth competed against Orange and Durham School of the Arts in a conference meet on Dec. 10. Here are the first-place finishes by Seaforth swimmers: Boys: Charles Mitler, Eli Shepherd, Quinn Hepburn, Colton Roberts (200 medley relay, 1 minute, 57.79 seconds); Stuart Vaughn (200 free, 2:20.28); Charles Mitler (200 individual medley, 2:07.43); Colton Roberts (500 free, 5:05.37); Aden George, Quinn Hepburn, Stuart Vaughn, Charles Mitler (200 free relay, 1:47.26); Charles Mitler (100 backstroke, 57.20); Colton Roberts (100 breaststroke, 1:09.15) Girls: Natalie Hinde (200 free, 2:21.92); Alexandra Smith (500 free, 7:31.98) Indoor Track Local first-place finishers at the Eastern Alamance Polar Bear meet on Dec. 11: Ezra Roebuck (Northwood, boys 300, 36.66); Juan Sanchez (Northwood, boys 500, 1:10.31); Sam Bacheler (Northwood, boys 1,600, 5:01.25); Shiloh Teta (Northwood, girls 1,000, 3:35.83)

gram has sent other players to college, including Hannah Ajayi (Guilford College) and Leonard, who will play at Cornell next season.

As of Monday, Seaforth boasts a 5-1 record with its only loss coming to defending state champion Southeast Alamance. The Hawks opened Big Seven 4A/5A conference play at Carrboro Wednesday.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Local teams to compete in holiday basketball tournaments Northwood will host the Charger Classic this weekend

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record IT’S TIME FOR some holiday hoops.

Local high school teams will play in holiday tournaments over the next two weeks, ramping up the competition ahead of the winter break.

Northwood is hosting the First Bank Charger Classic from Friday to Monday. Admission is $10 for each full day. No passes will be accepted except for the NCCA Coaches Card.

This year’s tournament will feature eight boys’ teams and eight girls’ teams with games played at Pollard Middle School and Northwood High School.

The girls will tip off with East Chapel Hill taking on Charlottesville (Virginia) on Friday at 3 p.m. at Pollard Middle followed by Hillside facing off against Cary at 6:30 p.m. also at Pollard Middle. The winner of those two games will play each

4

local teams will play in the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational other in the semifinal round on Saturday at Northwood at 3 p.m.

At Northwood, Felton Grove and North Moore will tip off at 3 p.m. followed by Northwood taking on Riverside at 6:30 p.m. Winners from those games will also play each other in the semifinal at Northwood at 6 p.m.

The boys’ first round Friday will feature Lexington (S.C.) against Charlotte Christian at 5 p.m. at Northwood, and the winner of that game will play the victor between Cardinal Gibbons and Charlottesville (Va.), which tips off at 8 p.m. at Pollard Middle. The semifinal will take place at Northwood Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

The other semifinal matchup

will be the winners of Franklinton against Hillside (5 p.m. at Pollard) and Felton Grove against Northwood (8 p.m. at Northwood). The winners will tip off at Northwood Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Northwood will host both championships Monday with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys closing out the event at 7:30 p.m.

Local teams will also play in the Sportstone Christmas Invitational at Asheboro High School from Dec. 27-30.

In the girls’ bracket, Chatham Charter will take on Southwestern Randolph at 4 p.m. on Dec. 27 followed by Jordan-Matthews facing off against Asheboro at 7 p.m.

The winners and losers of that game will play each other on Dec. 29.

On the boys’ side, Jordan-Matthews will take on Eastern Guilford at 2:30 p.m., and Chatham Charter will play Trinity at 5:30 p.m.

The championships will take place on Dec. 30 with the girls tipping off at 7 p.m. and the boys following at 8:30 p.m.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Katie Leonard

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth, girls’ basketball Seaforth senior Katie Leonard earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Dec. 8.

Leonard stuffed the scoring column last week, notching a career-high 32 points in a loss to Southeast Alamance on Dec. 9 and 21 points in a win over Northwood Friday. Against the Chargers, Leonard scored 19 points in the first half.

In her final high school season, Leonard has stepped up as Seaforth’s offensive engine. She’ll take her talents to Cornell University next year.

BASKETBALL from page B1

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jordan-Matthews’ Zaeon Auguste (0) drives against Chatham Central defenders. The Jets will play in the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational.

we’re going to make sure that we stay on top of them.”

Seaforth’s offensive struggles and a combined eight points from sophomore Noelle Whitaker and senior Mikaylah Glover in the third helped Northwood close the gap.

Northwood trailed 3319 entering the fourth quarter. Senior Alyia Roberts got hot, knocking down two 3s and scoring 10 fourth quarter points to lead the Chargers within single digits of Seaforth.

But as Leonard put the

Local Service Directory

Hawks ahead in the first half, Lariah Rodgers kept them ahead in the second half. Rodgers scored seven of her 11 points in the last two quarters.

“I told her when she goes in and attacks the basket, make sure she puts her body on a player to get that foul,” Brower said. “She’s very aggressive.”

Annika Johansson also helped Seaforth ice the win with a late fourth quarter 3, which was her only made field goal of the night.

Seaforth improved to 5-1, while Northwood fell to 4-3.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Rivers emotional after nearly leading Colts to win in return: ‘There is doubt, and it’s real’ The former Wolfpack quarterback returned to the NFL after five years of retirement The Associated Press SEATTLE — Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons, or the young men he has coached, that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44.

“There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers said, choking up briefly. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.”

Rivers ended a nearly five-year retirement to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and played efficient football for the desperate Colts, who turned to the future Hall of Famer after Daniel Jones was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

He threw a touchdown pass in the first half, played mostly mistake-free and moved the Colts into position for Blake Grupe’s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds left. But Jason Myers responded with a 56-yarder that gave the Seahawks an 18-16 victory.

It was a remarkable day for a grandfather who’s spent the past few years coaching high school football in his native Alabama.

Rivers took a few hard hits from the Seahawks’ stout defense, and he even enjoyed them.

“I never minded that part of it,” Rivers said. “My wife always tells me I’m crazy because there’s been times in the last three or four years I said, ‘I wish I could just throw one and get hit — hard.’”

This wasn’t a novelty act, as it may have seemed when the Colts signed the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist to their practice squad less than a week ago. Coach Shane Steichen’s Colts, who began the

STEPHEN BRASHEAR / AP PHOTO

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers celebrates a touchdown, his first in five years.

“The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ ” Philip Rivers season 7-1 but are trying to stop a second-half collapse, knew what they were getting out of the veteran.

Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with the pick coming on his final pass as he tried to force the ball down the field in the closing seconds.

“I was just thankful — grateful — that I was out there,” Riv-

ers said. “And it was a blast — it was a blast — but obviously the emotions now are disappointment. This isn’t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.”

The Colts (8-6) have dropped four straight and five of six, and they are outside the AFC playoff picture with three games left.

They trail both Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

Steichen called a conservative game, relying on running the ball and controlling the clock. Rivers threw mostly short passes to the outside, checkdowns and screens.

“He went out there and gave us a chance to win it,” Steichen said.

Rivers took two sacks, and he showed his age on the first one. He stumbled while evad-

ing pressure from Boye Mafe, got up, then fell again.

Rivers pumped his right fist and let out a roar after throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 1:33 remaining in the first half to put the Colts up 13-3.

It was Rivers’ first touchdown pass since he threw a 27-yarder to Jack Doyle in the Colts’ 27-24 loss to Buffalo in a wild-card playoff game on Jan. 9, 2021. He also became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass at age 44 or older, joining Tom Brady, George Blanda, Steve DeBerg and Vinny Testaverde.

“It’s been 1,800 days since I’ve thrown a touchdown — or interception for that matter.

So we have both those (boxes) checked,” Rivers said.

Rivers was chosen last month

as one of 26 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 but will now have his eligibility delayed. A player must be out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.

He ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in wins, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.

Since his retirement, he’s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where the team held a watch party on Sunday.

Rivers’ players were on his mind as he returned to the NFL. “Maybe it will inspire or teach not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said.

From hoops to oysters: Inside the second acts of WNBA stars Even all-stars and Hall of Famers need a second post-playing career

“In the real world, you can put in a ton of work and do a lot right and not get anywhere.”

By Claire Savage and Brittany Peterson The Associated Press AFTER SEVEN DAYS of wind, the morning is finally calm enough on New York’s East Moriches Bay for Sue Wicks to jetty her boat to check on her oysters. Hundreds of cages pop out at odd angles from their lines, and a few float away.

The retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer admits that the aquaculture farm she started at age 50 can be anxiety-inducing and compares it to her time playing basketball.

“Some days you’re like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ You’re injured, you’re hurt, you are losing, things are going bad. And then the next day you go back and do it again because you love it,” she said.

Wicks, 59, has worked as a commentator, college basketball coach and at a fitness start-up since retiring from the WNBA in 2002, and says she feels lucky to again find a career “that works for my soul.” But the reality is that even a successful run as one of the world’s best basketball players didn’t earn her enough to fully retire.

Although the WNBA is bringing in more than ever from sponsors and ticket sales, many players still find themselves financially unsteady when the final whistle blows.

For 2009 second overall draft pick and 2015 WNBA All-Star Marissa Coleman, the main difference between post-playing careers between WNBA and NBA players is that “most NBA guys are sitting on tens, sometimes hundreds of million dol-

Devereaux Peters, former Minnesota Lynx forward

YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO

Retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer Sue Wicks throws an anchor from her boat in Moriches Bay in New York. lars.” And for those who are financially savvy, working after the game is “more so curing boredom versus a necessity.”

“Most women athletes across the board have to find a career after basketball out of necessity,” Coleman said.

When former Minnesota Lynx forward Devereaux Peters transitioned from basketball to real estate development in 2019, she said the hardest lesson was learning that work-

ing hard in her new career may not be enough to yield results quickly, or at all. After a tough game during her playing days, she could “go in the gym and shoot and work on my shot. And you’re going to see a result if you’re putting in the work.”

“That is not necessarily true in the real world,” said the 36-year-old. “You can put in a ton of work and do a lot right and not get anywhere.”

The shift away from basket-

ball also came as a financial shock: “That transition was a little bit difficult in that I had to cut back significantly,” she said. “There was a lot of learning very quickly” given the “big gap in what I was making then and what I make now.”

For 38-year-old Coleman, the next phase of her career also unfolded far outside the paint.

Alongside former teammate Alana Beard, Coleman franchised a Mellow Mushroom — a psy-

chedelic-themed pizza chain — in Roanoke, Virginia. She also chaired a campaign to legalize sports betting in Maryland and now leads strategy and growth for the VIP team at fantasy sports platform Underdog, with the aim of carving space for more women and people of color to access the industry.

“I knew from a very early age entrepreneurship and business were something that I was really, really passionate about,” Coleman said.

She added that she feels grateful to her parents for emphasizing the importance of education and long-term career planning. Thanks to their wisdom, she made sure to seek out mentors and explore industries that interested her throughout her basketball career.

“I knew I didn’t want to be one of those players that retired, and it was like, ‘Oh gosh, what now?’” Coleman said.

Many former athletes land in sports-related roles, such as coaching or sports broadcasting. But not all are surefooted in finding their next calling.

Despite her own post-WNBA success, Peters says players could use more guidance to help them understand how to plan, save and prepare for the future.

“The general lifespan of a basketball player is not long,” she said. “You have to be prepared to not be here tomorrow or the next year.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT NCAA FOOTBALL

4th-and-goal score leads No. 22 Navy to 17-16 win over Army Baltimore Navy beat Army for a second straight season.

Blake Horvath threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich with 6:32 remaining — on fourth-and-goal — and the 22nd-ranked Midshipmen rallied for a 17-16 win.

Horvath turned the ball over twice, and his fumble near the goal line nearly spoiled Navy’s key drive.

But Heidenreich fell on the ball, and Horvath found him when Navy gambled and went for it on fourth down.

NFL

NFL seeking practice squad officials, wants to base postseason assignments on performance The NFL is seeking to create a practice squad of officials and wants postseason assignments to be based on performance rather than seniority. Those were among the key points league executive Troy Vincent emphasized to owners. The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.

The current CBA expires on May 31, 2026. So far, discussions with the game officials’ union have been unsuccessful, according to a memo that was sent to teams.

TRACK & FIELD

Owing between $10M and $50M, Grand Slam Track files for bankruptcy; Johnson vows to press on Grand Slam Track, the league fronted by sprint great Michael Johnson that offered six-figure prize money for top runners, has filed for bankruptcy after canceling its final event and failing to pay athletes and vendors. Johnson boasted a $30 million bankroll at the outset, but in its Chapter 11 filing, the league said it had less than $50,000 cash on hand, between 200 and 999 creditors and owes between $10 million and $50 million.

“I refuse to give up on the mission of Grand Slam Track,” Johnson said.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Indiana’s Daley likely to miss playoffs after celebration injury Bloomington, Ind. Defensive end Stephen Daley is expected to miss the College Football Playoff after getting injured during No. 1 Indiana’s Big Ten championship celebration. A social media video showed Daley appearing to land awkwardly on his right leg while high-fiving fans moments after the Hoosiers completed a 13-10 victory over Ohio State to capture their first Big Ten title since 1967. Daley had 38 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 51⁄2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup this season, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors.

EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP PHOTO

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin pose with the trophy.

Mendoza wins Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player The IU quarterback won by more than 900 points

By Everett Merrill The Associated Press NEW YORK — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history, and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love

and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP. A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when

7

Heisman winners out of the last nine who transferred before their award-winning season the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” he said. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. “ Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” he said. “I had the opportunity to go there, and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza picked

up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night, while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years.

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement.

He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 touchdown passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

Clark, Bueckers, Reese bring youth movement to USA Basketball camp The women’s national team holds camp at Duke

“I think we really bring out the best of each other. I think that’s what USA Basketball does.”

By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press DURHAM — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years, and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them, and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their

Paige Bueckers

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, left, shoots against the Washington Mystics. high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won

gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge.

Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other, and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expec-

tations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest?

What is it to be on this team?

Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said.

“For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

entertainment Affable comedy acting legend Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old Last year, the performer became the oldest recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award The Associated Press COMEDY ICON Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins” and starred in his self-titled sitcom.

“The funniest thing is, it’s not enough,” Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home.

“A hundred years is not enough.

You want to live more, which I plan to.”

As part of the celebration of Van Dyke’s birthday last weekend, theaters around the country are showing a new documentary about his life, “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration.”

Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era

ANN JOHANSSON / AP PHOTO

Dick Van Dyke poses with chimney sweeps during arrivals to the 40th anniversary and repremiere of Mary Poppins at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles in 2004. with “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran from 196166 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic “Mary Poppins” and, in his 70s, played a physician-sleuth on “Diagnosis: Murder.”

Also, a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for “Bye Bye Birdie” to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap “Days of Our Lives.”

In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.

Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he’s gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.

“You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous,” he told ABC News. “It’s not really that way. I don’t know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself.”

He recently imparted wisdom about reaching the century mark in his book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.”

5 notable Sophie Kinsella books; author died of cancer at age 55 The celebrated British writer died last week

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press SOPHIE KINSELLA, who has died at age 55, had a special talent for characters who persevered through the most embarrassing mishaps — often of their own making.

Here are five novels that helped keep readers laughing, and relating, over the past 30 years.

“The Tennis Party” (1995) Fellow writers could only envy Kinsella’s success, how early it came and how seemingly easy. As the author would remember, she was a 24-yearold financial journalist who, while commuting by train one day, thought to herself, “I want to have a go at this, I want to write a book.” Within two years, she was the bestselling author of “The Tennis Party,” under her real name, Madeleine Wickham.

Released in the U.S. as “40 Love,” her debut novel centered on the misadventures of a weekend tennis party and introduced readers to her conversational touch about everything from love to money to ... tennis.

“They all have a lot of baggage,” the author explained on her website.

“The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic” (2000) She published her first several books as Wickham before becoming a global brand as “Sophie Kinsella.” Spurred by this first “Shopaholic” novel, millions would cheer on the hopelessly indebted financial journalist Becky Bloomwood, who helps keep the economy turning with her “investments” in clothing, household and other products.

“Can You Keep a Secret?”

(2003) As Kinsella, the novelist had a mission to get her characters in trouble. Emma Corrigan has a proper job as a marketing assistant and a proper and “heartbreakingly handsome” boyfriend. She is also prone to panic and distraction, to going about in public with her blouse unbuttoned or unleashing a spurt of soda on a client’s shirt. And she has a few secrets she would like to hold on to, whether it’s pouring orange juice on the plant of a colleague who annoys her or how she sometimes holds back laughter while having sex — “just normal, everyday little secrets.”

“The Undomestic Goddess”(2005) Her alliteratively named characters were ever fish out of water, sometimes on the driest land. Samantha Sweeting is a London lawyer who can’t take it anymore, boards a train to the countryside and finds herself working as a housekeeper, for which she has no known skills.

“I had so much fun charting Samantha’s comedy disasters in the kitchen, her battles with the ironing board, her gradual slowing down and relaxing and finding love,” the author writes on her website. “It’s a story of an uber-professional realizing there’s more to life than work and starting to appreciate the little things.”

“Twenties Girl” (2009) Just your typical supernatural adventure in which 27-yearold Lara Lington is visited by the ghost of her flapper-great aunt Sadie and sent off to retrieve Sadie’s long-lost necklace. Subplots include Lara being dumped by her boyfriend and Lara wondering if she can succeed in business as a headhunter.

She also lies a lot, to her parents. Yes, her work is going great. Yes, she loved their Christmas gift. No, she doesn’t just subsist on pizza and yogurt and vodka.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

this week in history

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nd

“Nutcracker” premieres, Washington leads army to Valley Forge, Clinton impeached The Associated Press DEC. 18 1865: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery was declared in effect

by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

1892: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception.

1916: The Battle of Verdun, World War I’s longest at 10 months, ended between French and German forces; it led to nearly 1 million casualties.

DEC. 19

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Offer valid through February 28, 2026.

1777: During the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of more than 12,000 soldiers to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.

1907: Two hundred thirty-nine workers died in an explosion at the Darr coal mine near Van Meter, Pennsylvania.

2001: Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers.

1998: President Bill Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice. He was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.

DEC. 20

DEC. 23

1803: The Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.

1860: South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union by a vote of delegates at a secession convention, emboldening other Southern states to follow suit and helping to trigger the American Civil War. 1946: The classic holiday film “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered at the Globe Theater in New York City.

been played in Springfield, Massachusetts.

DEC. 21

DEC. 22

1620: Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, for the first time.

1864: During the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman ended their “March to the Sea” by capturing Savannah, Georgia.

1891: The first basketball game, devised by James Naismith, is believed to have

1894: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of antisemitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)

1944: During World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German surrender demand with a one-word reply: “Nuts!”

AP PHOTO

The holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring James Stewart, premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City on Dec. 20, 1946.

1913: The Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act. 1948: Former Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese World War II leaders were executed in Tokyo after being tried for war crimes.

DEC. 24 1814: The United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which would end the War of 1812 following ratification by both the British Parliament and the U.S. Senate.

1851: Fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes.

1914: During World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front, principally between British and German soldiers but also involving French troops.

‘Star Wars’ painting fetches $3.9M at auction The 1977 film is one of the highest grossing of all time

By Audrey Mcavoy The Associated Press THE PAINTING THAT introduced “Star Wars” to the world nearly 50 years ago — and was reproduced in an iconic movie poster — sold at auction for $3.875 million.

The acrylic and airbrush painting by the artist and movie poster designer Tom Jung first appeared in newspaper advertisements on May 13, 1977, a little less than two weeks before the space epic created by George Lucas opened. It also adorned billboards, magazine ads and theater programs.

“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” said Charles Epting, the director of pop culture and historical consignments at Heritage Auctions.

“Star Wars” producer Gary Kurtz kept the original painting and hung it on his office wall before passing it down to his daughter. The Kurtz family later put the work up for sale at the Dallas headquarters of Heritage Auctions, where bidding started at $1 million.

The sale set records for high-

“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away.”

Charles Epting, Heritage Auctions est selling piece of memorabilia from the film franchise, and in general, for any movie poster artwork, Epting said. The buyer, whose winning bid came in through the website, has chosen to keep his identity private.

Prior to this, the highest price for franchise memorabilia was Darth Vader’s lightsaber, which sold at auction for $3.6 million.

“Star Wars,” starring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, is one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of all time since its 1977 debut. The original was followed by sequels and prequels, and spawned offshoot books, movies and other series.

Its fans span the globe.

One side of the painting shows Skywalker holding up a lightsaber behind Princess Leia. Darth Vader looms over them in the background. On the other, a team of X-wing starfighters is launching an attack. Han Solo and Skywalker

solutions

HERITAGE AUCTIONS VIA AP

The paining Tom Jung created to promote the 1977 movie “Star Wars” sold at auction for nearly $4 million. are depicted receiving medals.

In the lower right-hand corner are R2-D2 and C-3PO, which were added at the last minute, Epting said. The droids are absent from the early reproductions of the painting and later appeared when the mov-

ie poster and the billboard were produced.

“You can watch the evolution of this piece and how they were figuring out what was important to include, what are we going to represent, what’s going to draw people in,” Epting said.

The painting is not just film memorabilia but is also a cultural artifact and part of American history, Epting said. “Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials around it — you see this piece; your heart starts racing.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

famous birthdays this week Billie Eilish is 24, Jane Fonda turns 88, Samuel L. Jackson is 77, Eddie Vedder turns 61 THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

DEC. 18 Chef Jacques Pépin is 90.

Rock musician Keith Richards is 82. Filmmaker Alan Rudolph is 82. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is 79. Filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is 75. Actor Brad Pitt is 62. Actor Katie Holmes is 47. Singer Christina Aguilera is 45. Singer Billie Eilish is 24.

SCOTT A. GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO

DEC. 19 Actor Tim Reid is 81. Singer Janie Fricke is 78. Actor Jennifer Beals is 62. Basketball Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis is 61.

Actor Alyssa Milano is 53. Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 53. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 45.

Actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of the film “F1: The Movie” in 2025, in London.

He turns 62 on Thursday.

DEC. 20 Rock drummer Peter Criss (Kiss) is 80. Producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order”) is 79. Musician Alan Parsons is 77. Author Sandra Cisneros is 71. Rock singer Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) is 59. Filmmaker Todd Phillips is 55. Actor Jonah Hill is 42.

JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

DEC. 21 Actor Jane Fonda is 88. Singer Carla Thomas is 83. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is 81.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 77.

Film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert is 71. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 68. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is 59.

DEC. 22 Actor Hector Elizondo is 89.

Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is 81. Broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer is 80. Golf Hall of Famer Jan Stephenson is 74. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 63. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is 55.

DEC. 23 Former

Emperor

Akihi-

Steven Spielberg arrives at the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Francis Ford Coppola at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The director turns 79 on Thursday. to of Japan is 92. Actor-comedian Harry Shearer is 82. Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark is 81. Actor Susan Lucci is 79. Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is 77. Rock musician Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is 61.

DEC. 24 Filmmaker Lee Daniels is 66.

Basketball Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright is 64. Singer Ricky Martin is 54. Novelist and film producer Stephenie Meyer is 52.

TV host Ryan Seacrest is 51.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

the stream

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Walton Goggins, left, and Justin Theroux arrive at the premiere return for a second season of “Fallout” on Prime Video.

‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Him,’ Peter Criss, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Riz Ahmed Hugh Bonneville narrates the endangered species documentary “Born to be Wild” The Associated Press MARLON WAYANS starring in the Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 featuring Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll and Olivia Dean are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week: a second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video, Season 5 of “Emily in Paris” drops on Netflix and Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

MOVIES TO STREAM The Peele-produced “Him” (Dec. 19 on Peacock) takes the hard knocks of the gridiron to bloody extremes. It stars Tyriq Withers as an up-and-coming quarterback whose mentorship with the veteran champ (Marlon Wayans) grows increasingly dark and surreal. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that “Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

In David Mackenzie’s “Relay,” Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who runs a covert service that brokers deals between corrupt companies and potential threats. To preserve anonymity, he uses a “relay” telephone service, usually for deaf or speech-impaired people, to disguise identities.

This nifty thriller streams Friday on Netflix after a late-summer theatrical release. Co-starring Lily James and Sam Worthington.

For a particularly seductive December, you can spend your holidays with Wong Kar-wai.

The Criterion Channel is host-

GIULIA PARMIGIANI / NETFLIX VIA AP

UNIVERSAL PICTURES VIA AP

Left, Lily Collins stars in “Emily in Paris,” which is back for a fifth season on Netflix. Right, Marlon Wayans plays a veteran football champion in the Jordan Peele-produced “Him.”

“Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

SERIES TO STREAM

Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer ing many of the Hong Kong filmmaker’s finest films, including “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love,” as well as his first TV series, “Blossoms Shanghai.” A hit in China, the 30-part series is set amid the 1990s opening of the Chinese economy and the relaunch of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. New episodes debut every Monday.

MUSIC TO STREAM Alex Warren. BigXthaPlug.

Conan Gray. Ed Sheeran. Jelly Roll. Jessie Murph. The Kid LAROI. Laufey. Mgk. Monsta X. Myles Smith. Nelly. Oliv-

drummer and founding member who left and rejoined the group on a number of occasions — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

ia Dean. Ravyn Lenae. Reneé Rapp. Shinedown. Zara Larsson. What do all these popular artists have in common? They’re performing at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour! ABC’s iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 holiday special — made up of a few tour stops — will become available to stream on Hulu Thursday. It’s all the fun of a star-studded pop concert from the comfort of your couch.

In 2023, glam rockers Kiss said its goodbyes for one final performance at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

But that doesn’t mean their musical story ended there. On Friday, Peter Criss — Kiss’ original

A second season of “Fallout” is now streaming on Prime Video. Based on a hugely popular video game, it’s a postapocalyptic series set two centuries after a nuclear war destroyed modern civilization. In Season 2, Justin Theroux, Macaulay Culkin and Kumail Nanjiani join a cast that includes Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.

Emily, of “Emily in Paris,” is still living la dolce vita in Rome when Season 5 drops Thursday. The Darren Starr-created show follows the adventures of an American expat played by Lily Collins.

A new documentary series called “Born to be Wild” fol-

lows six endangered baby animals that were orphaned or born as part of conservation programs. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, it streams on Apple TV beginning Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The video game business has wrapped up its big-release schedule for the holidays, so now is a good time to catch up on titles you may have missed — or started and didn’t have time to finish. It has been a solid year for role-playing games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2 leading The Associated Press’ top 10 list. If you’re in the mood for a trip to Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yōtei both offer sprawling open-world journeys with RPG elements.

Check out the rest of our top 10 for more ways to keep your game device of choice humming past New Year’s Day.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

BRIEF this week

Section of West Charity Road temporarily closed Rose Hill The North Carolina Department of Transportation has temporarily closed a section of West Charity Road over Island Creek near Bay Road due to damage from a crash.

The road is expected to reopen by 5 p.m. on Dec. 26, weather permitting.

Local traffic can detour via Bay Road to East Rosemary Road to Harrell Road.

Drivers are advised to use caution in the area and check DriveNC.gov for updates.

JSCC celebrates Access to Achievement program Duplin County James Sprunt Community College announced its first Access to Achievement interns for Fall 2025.

Eight students completed internships across JSCC and community sites, gaining workplace skills, confidence and career experience while promoting inclusion for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

NCMedAssist to host over-the-counter medicine giveaway Dec. 20 Warsaw NCMedAssist will hold an over-the-counter medicine giveaway and community event Dec. 20, at the KEMBA Center in Warsaw. Participants are encouraged to preorder medicine while supplies last. Volunteers aged 12 and older are welcome, with those under 18 requiring adult supervision. The event will also offer digital literacy training, telehealth guidance and information on additional benefits. For assistance, participants can call 910-226-8138.

Suspect arrested in homicide investigation Wallace Authorities have arrested a man in connection with the Dec. 14 shooting death of a woman in Wallace, police said. The suspect, Melvin Cruz Morales, 40, was taken into custody Monday in Harnett County and transported to Duplin County. The arrest was assisted by the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

According to Wallace Police, officers responded to reports of shots fired at Wallace Mobile Home Park Lane, where they found an adult female with gunshot wounds. The victim, later identified as Iliana Gómez, was pronounced dead at the scene. She is survived by two young daughters.

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Holiday spirit fills Main Street at Wallace Parade Bringing the parade to a festive close, Santa Claus “flew” over the railroad tracks on Main Street with the help of a few reindeer Saturday. Turn to B6 for more.

Wallace swears in mayor, town council The state soccer champions and an outgoing council member were also honored

By Curt Simpson For Duplin Journal THE DECEMBER Wallace Town Council meeting opened on a celebratory note Thursday, recognizing a state championship soccer team, honoring an outgoing council member and

swearing in the mayor along with two council members, including one newcomer to the board.

Mayor Jason Wells presented Wallace-Rose Hill High School’s soccer team with a proclamation after their 2-0 state championship win over Polk County on Nov. 22 in Greensboro.

Wells then honored outgoing Councilwoman Tasha Herring for her service to the town over the past two years. Herring

thanked the mayor and council for their support during her time on the board and said she is not finished with public service.

Herring finished third in the November election for two council seats but said she was not upset, emphasizing her continued commitment to the community.

“I didn’t lose,” Herring said.

“Wallace won. There were three great people running, and they all love Wallace. I am

so happy to be a part of this community and this board because they have taken me in with open arms.”

Superior Court Judge Bob Roupe then administered the oaths of office to Wells, returning Councilman Jason Davis and council newcomer Glenn Price before the board moved on to the evening’s agenda.

The first order of business was the selection of a mayor See WALLACE, page A6

New Rose Hill commissioner joins returning officials Marsha Whaley was recognized for 28 years of service

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal THE ROSE HILL Board of Commissioners welcomed a new face at its Dec. 9 meeting as newly elected member Perry Tulley was sworn in by Town Clerk Keren Parker.

Tulley is taking the seat of re-

tiring board member Marsha Whaley, who served on the board for a total of 28 years. Mayor Davy Buckner presented Whaley with a large, inscribed silver dish honoring her service to the town.

In addition to Tulley’s oath of office, Buckner and commissioner Tashau Mathis were also sworn in for their new terms.

Board member Billy Wilson, who also serves as chief of the Rose Hill Fire Department, was unanimously selected as mayor pro tem.

After the ceremony, the board voted to approve the budget calendar, the board meeting schedule and the holiday schedule for 2026.

In other business, the board considered two bids recommended by Angela Smith to perform services as part of improvements to buildings under a Community Development Block Grant the town recently received funds for from the state. The services for this portion of the grant include asbestos inspections as well as

Warsaw installs new mayor Mayor Boykin demanded full accounting of wastewater treatment funds before the new budget cycle

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — Prior to swearing in new leadership, the Warsaw Town Board debated concerns over the ABC Board appointment at its December meeting, with Commissioner Ebony Willis-Wells emphasizing transparency, ethics and public trust in the selection process. While paperwork had been submitted late, she said this alone did not justify removing the item from the consent agenda without discussion.

Willis-Wells emphasized the importance of adhering to North Carolina General Statute. She stressed transparency, proper discussion and the right of any

member to recuse themselves when necessary to ensure public trust and compliance with state law.

“We as a board can do a temporary appointment so that the board can meet properly, and then we can come back as well so that the town manager has adequate time to be able to advertise it from a fair standpoint to the entire town body just in case if there is someone else that desires to serve on that board,” said Willis-Wells.

Despite procedural debate, the consent agenda containing the ABC Board appointment and prior meeting minutes was approved by a divided vote. Following the consent agenda, Mayor Wesley Boykin, Willis-Wells, and new Commissioner Cherryl Smith were sworn in, with Commissioner Scotty Smith presenting plaques to outgoing officials, See WARSAW, page A6

“I want to address lingering matters in Warsaw that need attention to make the town the best small town in this state.”

Wesley Boykin, new Warsaw mayor

surveying services for four structures benefiting from the grant.

Smith told the board three companies had submitted bids for the surveying services. The lowest bid was from Willie Miller Land Surveying for $800 per structure. Kenan Consulting and Construction Company submitted a bid for $750 per structure for asbestos inspections. The board approved both of Smith’s recommendations.

See ROSE HILL, page A5

A2

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THURSDAY

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12.18.25 #104

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Duplin Schools board approves key initiatives, expands AP opportunities Brent Davis and Reginald Kenan were renewed as chairman and vice chair

Trip Hoffend Publisher

SATURDAY DEC. 20

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Education opened its December meeting by reappointed Brent Davis as board chairman and Reginald Kenan as vice chair.

Erica Jones, director of grades 9–13 curriculum and Career and Technical Education, presented an update on Advanced Placement programs across the district.

Jones said Duplin County offers 40 AP courses and continues to expand access. She shared participation data by school and student group, prompting board discussion about equitable access and limited in-person AP offerings at some schools.

Jones said students at

schools without on-site AP instructors, including James Kenan High School, can enroll in online AP courses. She also noted that AP enrollment may be affected by competition from college courses offered through James Sprunt Community College.

Unlike AP credits, which vary by university based on exam scores, college courses may provide more consistent transfer options, though final decisions remain with four-year institutions. Only the state’s articulation agreement for completed two-year degrees guarantees broader credit transfer. Jones said she will provide additional data requested by the board.

The board approved a comprehensive consent agenda, including nearly $358,000 in liability insurance with Surry Insurance, a new press box for North Duplin Junior/ Senior High School, and a $30,000 donation from House

of Raeford FLOCK to support deescalation and sensory reset rooms at Beulaville and Chinquapin elementary schools.

Two artist residencies funded through the N.C. Arts Council Grassroots Grant were also approved.

Additional approvals included school fundraisers and field trips, North Carolina Education Lottery funds for awnings and lighting at Kenansville and Chinquapin elementary schools, and an online surplus sale through Floyd’s Auction from Dec. 16 to Jan. 5, 2026.

The board later met in closed session to discuss personnel and approved related recommendations upon returning to open session. Members also congratulated Wallace-Rose Hill High School on its state championship in boys’ soccer and recognized James Kenan High School’s run to the Eastern regional finals in football.

The meeting adjourned with holiday well wishes.

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

Dec. 23 Duplin County Christmas Resource & Food Event Noon Families and community members who could use a little extra support this holiday season are invited to the Duplin County Christmas Resource & Food Event for a first-come, first-serve drive-thru event at Duplin County Event Center. The event includes holiday meal boxes. community resources and festive cheer.

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CRIME LOG Dec. 12 • Tyreek Ahmad McMillan, 34, was arrested by Beulaville PD for identity theft, obtaining property by false pretense and financial card fraud.

Dec. 13 • Christopher Howard Lovelace, 41, was arrested by DCSO for providing fictitious or false information to an officer, driving while impaired and reckless driving with wanton disregard.

• Logen Craige Rogers, 22, was arrested by DCSO for felony possession of Schedule I controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

Dec. 14 • Randy Earl Holloman, 40, was arrested by DCSO for driving while license revoked, operating a vehicle with no insurance, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, reckless driving with wanton disregard, exceeding posted speed, failure to stop at stop sign or flashing red light, failure to maintain lane control, failure to wear seat belt, no liability insurance, assault on a government official or employee and resisting a public officer.

Dec. 15 • Melvin Cruz-Morales, 40, was arrested by Wallace PD for murder.

• Kevin Hall, 53, was arrested

by DCSO for possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and communicating threats.

• Fred Abraham JacoboHernandez, 21, was arrested

by DCSO for carrying a concealed gun and resisting a public officer.

• Humberto Pedro, 33, was arrested by DCSO for misdemeanor secret peeping and obstructing justice.

Wishing YOU and YOURS a VERY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Got a local event? Let us know and we’ll share it with the community here.

Email our newsroom at community@duplinjournal. com. Weekly deadline is Monday at noon.

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A3

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Teachey welcomes newly elected commissioner Danny Sutton The board named Ronnie Page mayor pro tem and honored Ethylen Powell

Members of the Teachey Board of Commissioners discuss a change in the town’s trash pickup providers after reports of a decline in service from the existing provider GFL.

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal TEACHEY — The Teachey Board of Commissioners welcomed a new member to the board at their meeting Monday evening during a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Danny Sutton.

In an interview with Duplin Journal after the meeting, Sutton said his inspiration for running was simple: people.

“I enjoy serving the people,” Sutton said. “I like to find out what people need, what they want, in order to help the people of the town. I enjoy doing that.”

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

As for his hopes during his tenure on the board, he said he would “like to see more involvement in the fire department and increased activity in the parks.”

Mayor Bobby Jones also swore in reelected board mem-

ber Patrick Williams for his second term.

After Sutton was seated, the board selected Commissioner Ronnie Page as the town’s new mayor pro tem. Page also serves as assistant chief of the Teachey Fire Department. He replaces

outgoing board member Ethylen Powell in the role.

Jones showed the board a plaque the town prepared for Powell honoring her 17 years of service. He expressed sympathy to Powell in the recent loss of her husband and said the plaque will be presented to her soon.

In town business, Teachey Public Works Director James Parker asked the board to consider changing trash service companies, telling members that service from the existing contractor, GFL, has declined.

Jones reported the town had met with Wall Recycling, formerly Liberty Waste Solutions of Wilmington. Parker noted that service from Wall Recycling would cost an additional $1,300 a year, but he believes the improved ser-

vice would justify the expense.

Parker presented a copy of the current contract with GFL to Town Attorney Joseph Ezzell for review to ensure the town would properly cancel the agreement if it decides to make a change.

Parker also reported that construction on two homes in the new subdivision on Log Cabin Road will begin just after the first of the year. The developer plans to build an additional 14 homes on the property.

In closing remarks, Jones said the Town of Teachey will host the quarterly Duplin County mayors’ meetings next year and asked for input to ensure the meetings are productive.

The board voted to hold a workshop session at noon Jan. 23.

Commissioner Sandy McCarty, left, is sworn in by Mayor Billy Ward during Faison’s December town board meeting.

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The commissioners approved a ride contract and banner designs for the celebration

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal FAISON — The Faison town board discussed animal complaints involving excessive cats at a rental property and a report of an aggressive dog at another during the Dec. 3 meeting. In both cases, members said there was little the town could do.

Executive Administrator Jimmy Tyndall said the cat issue was being created by a resident who continued feeding and attracting strays. In the dog complaint, Tyndall said there was little evidence that the dog was aggressive.

In preparation for the town’s 250th anniversary, the Faison Improvement Group (FIG) presented a motion to place selfie murals on the baseball field and concession stand, a proposal previously discussed in November. The board raised concerns about maintenance, noting older murals were in need of repainting. FIG agreed to table the mural proposal and address maintenance needs before bringing it back.

FIG then presented designs for the welcome banners approved in November. The board approved Option 1, with “Welcome” at the top of the banner and “Thank you for visiting, come back soon” printed on the back. The banners will be installed at the main entrances to town.

Matthew Boney of Boney’s Amusements gave a presentation on the rides planned for the 250th anniversary celebration. Board members asked about deposits and contingencies for bad weather. Boney said the deposit is 10% and noted that some larger rides take several days to transport and set up. Mayor Billy Ward said the celebration date is set, rain or shine, because fireworks have already been secured. Boney said the company may need to keep the deposit if weather forces cancellations.

“We focus on clean, safe, fun,” Boney said. “We have been in business for 40 years and have not had one single incident.”

The board approved an $11,000 contract with Boney’s Amusements to provide four rides for the celebration.

Ward then swore in reelected commissioners Sandy McCarty, Kenneth Avent Jr. and Juan Carlos Quintanilla. Sharon Lee swore in Ward for his new term as mayor. Ward thanked the board for its work and support.

Sheriff Stratton Stokes spoke with the board about the current state of county law enforcement and its impact on Faison.

“We are trying to do everything we can to save money as well as keep our citizens safe,” Stokes said. “Duplin County is the lowest paid county. Unfortunately, we become a revolving door for people who come here, get trained and move on to (somewhere else that pays more).”

He shared additional information about departmental operations and answered questions from commissioners about staffing and town coverage. The board thanked Stokes for his time and wished him good luck in the election.

Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Scott updated the board on programs.

“I’m having to turn away people because I don’t have the space or volunteers to house them all,” Scott said. “That’s something we are having to do with all our sports.”

Scott shared a fundraiser idea to offer personalized Stanley-style cups for donations at the concession stand, with proceeds funding scholarships for children. The board approved the idea.

Ward then read a retirement letter from Town Clerk Sharon Lee, who plans to retire at the end of March 2026 to travel more. The mayor and board reluctantly accepted her notice and approved advertising the position. Ward said Lee had provided ample time for the town to hire and train her replacement.

“They will have some big shoes to fill,” Ward said.

The board then discussed the meeting schedule for 2026 and approved keeping meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Members approved the 2026 holiday schedule and updated membership for the cemetery and planning boards, including several additions and removals.

The board approved two budget amendments, a budget ordinance and transferring $175,000 to another bank to earn more interest. Members also approved a county tax release for two residents and accepted an anonymous $5,000 donation to fund employee bonuses. The donor requested that full-time employees receive $500 each, with the remainder divided among parttime employees.

The board discussed holiday parties and meetings planned for later in the week and announced March 14 as the date for next year’s town parade.

The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.

A4

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | REP. JIMMY DIXON

Beyond carols, commerce and tradition

Who and what we make room for in this life is big spiritual business with everlasting consequences.

ONE OF THE most recognized religiously connected sounds of the Christmas season must surely be “Joy to the World.” There is something about the initial sound of those first four words that immediately lifts the soul and commands intention. The next four words, “the Lord is come,” announce the long-awaited mortal birth of our Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Oh, how we wish the entire world would heed the Godly directive of the next five words: “Let earth receive her king.” There is only one perfect form of government, and that is a Kingdom with a perfectly righteous King.

There are millions of men and women, prophets and apostles, ministers and teachers, past and present, who testify that indeed the New Testament Jesus was born as a babe in a manger in Bethlehem to His virgin mother, Mary.

A short search will reveal that the original version of “Joy to the World,” written by Isaac Watts in 1719, was not written as a Christmas carol. It was written and published in a book of poems, “in which each poem was based on a psalm.” He used Psalm 98 to present the New Testament Lord coming to judge all men with righteous equity.

“Over a hundred years after the original poem was written, the second half of it was set to music to give us what has become one of the most famous of all Christmas carols.” It, along with other biblical scriptures, presents the world with an excellent model of how earthly governments should be established.

It appears that the poet is suggesting that we, the world, should be joyfully receptive to a judge and a government that will represent us in righteousness.

Watts projects the New Testament Jesus as requesting to be our King, not demanding it so to be; “Let every heart prepare Him room.” From the very beginning of His Gospel, it is abundantly clear that we are free to choose whether or not we make “room” for Him. We do — always — make room for another absolute

longtime character associated with Christmas, Santa Claus. Surely we should not and would not remove Santa from our Christmas traditions. St. Nicholas, a kindly 4th-century Greek Bishop in Turkey who reportedly became popular by giving secretly to those in his community, is the source of the Santa Claus tradition. If the true spirit of giving results from the Santa tradition, then the world should be thankful for and promote that worthy result.

We sing to our children: “He’s making a list, And checking it twice, Gonna find out, Who’s naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming to town.” We use the poem “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” to encourage our children to quietly go to bed, hoping Santa will come again this year.

“Economists for the National Retail Federation tell us that retail Christmas purchases for 2025 will exceed $1 trillion for the first time. If that is accurate, we will exceed the $976 billion we spent in 2024 just during November and December. Online spending for gifts, food, decorations, and more will exceed $312 billion, which many retailers will rely on this year for a huge amount of their annual profits.”

Will Christmas be big temporal or big spiritual business this year?

Truly, who and what we make room for in this life is big spiritual business with everlasting consequences.

Jesus’ Father is the great immortal God of Heaven.

We are Jesus’ brothers and sisters. He condescended for our Father to send Him to this earth as the babe of Bethlehem. He infinitely atoned for our sins and suffered for all our pains, afflictions and infirmities.

We the people, knowing that he will come again, should be nice, not naughty, and quietly but firmly heed this invitation from the babe of Bethlehem: “Come follow me.”

Rep. Jimmy Dixon represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN

Do you know what I know?

What we “know” is in the Bible might not actually be in the Bible.

WHEN I TAUGHT introduction to New Testament classes at community colleges and led Bible studies and Sunday School classes, I used “A Christmas Quiz.” The purpose of the quiz is to discover that what we “know” is in the Bible might not actually be in the Bible. Reactions ranged from “Wow, I never knew that” to one man telling me I had ruined his Christmas. I told him I thought it was interesting that reading the Bible stories had such a negative effect on him.

One question is, “Where do we find the Christmas story in the Bible?” Matthew, Mark, Luke or John? If you tried to write a Christmas pageant or carol based on Mark and John, you wouldn’t have any material to work with.

Matthew and Luke tell us about Jesus’s birth, each in his own way. Most of the time, we mix all of the characters from both gospels in our plays and carols. There’s really nothing wrong with that, but in doing so, we don’t appreciate Matthew and Mark on their own.

A question that always sparks discussion is, “How did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem?” The answer choices are: by camel; by donkey; they walked; Joseph walked and Mary rode a donkey. Year in and year out, the large majority of people chose the last answer. However, the Bible doesn’t tell us. Luke simply says that Joseph and Mary went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Still, lots of people insist that Joseph walked and Mary rode on a donkey. After all, she was nine months pregnant.

Here’s another question: “How many wise men were there?” Well, the answer is pretty obvious, because it’s right there in the Christmas carol, “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” This is question No. 19, and, by this point, folks are saying, “Well, I want to say three, but you’re probably going to say that’s not in the Bible.” And they are right! Matthew only states that wise men from the East came looking for Jesus. We get the “three” from the gifts they offered: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The final question in the Christmas quiz is, “Who told Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem?” Was it an angel, Mary’s mother, Caesar Augustus or Alexander the Great?

You’re right, it was Caesar Augustus. In his story, Luke reminds us that Jesus was born into a world full of empires and political intrigue and all of the consequences that follow.

Do you know what I know? That’s not a boast on my part, but a sincere question. Of course, I took that from the song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” in which the shepherd boy asks the mighty king, “Do you know what I know?” As part of your Christmas celebration this year, take time to read Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2. You might be surprised at what you don’t find in the stories, but you will certainly be blessed by what you do find.

Merry Christmas.

Philip Gladden is a retired minister who lives in Wallace.

A5

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

4 veteran educators compete for JSCC presidential post The finalists bring backgrounds spanning institutional research, workforce development and advancement

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — James Sprunt Community College recently named four finalists in its search for the institution’s next president, advancing a process that began with a nationwide recruitment effort in September.

After securing the State Board of Community Colleges’ approval, the Board of Trustees announced the candidates, who include Dean Roughton of the College of The Albemarle, Robin Ross of Catawba Valley Community College, Shannon Hair of Danville Community College and Dustin Walston, who currently serves at James Sprunt.

Each finalist brings a long record of leadership within community colleges and experience in areas ranging from academic oversight to workforce development. Roughton has spent more than two decades at the College of The Albemarle, where he has held leadership roles in institutional research, planning and accreditation. His background includes teaching across multiple institutions in North Carolina, South Carolina and Michigan, along with a doctorate in community college leadership.

Ross offers extensive experience in both higher education administration and clinical practice. Over her more than 25-year tenure at Catawba Valley Com-

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Ross began her career in respiratory therapy and later transitioned into academic leadership, ultimately earning a doctorate in adult and community college education.

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tion leadership and economic development experience. His career has included major fundraising initiatives, regional workforce partnerships and more than a decade working with localities in Virginia and North Carolina to secure state and federal funding.

He holds degrees in engineering, higher education administration and higher education leadership.

Walston, the internal finalist, serves as James Sprunt’s vice president of curriculum and chief academic officer. With

State rebates help eligible homeowners, renters save money Energy Saver NC provides up to $16,000 for home improvements and $14,000 for electric appliances

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nearly two decades of experience in K–12 and higher education, he has directed curriculum programs, accreditation efforts, distance learning, early college partnerships and workforce pathways. Before joining JSCC, he led one of the state’s largest continuing education and basic skills divisions at Lenoir Community College.

The Board of Trustees conducted the presidential search with support from Executive Leadership Associates, a consortium of former North Carolina community college presidents. Trustees plan to have the next president in place by Feb. 1, 2026, marking a new chapter for the institution as it continues its mission of serving students and supporting economic and workforce development in Duplin County.

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KENANSVILLE — The chill of winter is here, and for many, so are the high energy bills. For some households across Duplin County, that could mean a first peek at a room with drafty windows, aging heaters or a system running overtime. Thanks to the state’s Energy Saver North Carolina program, Duplin homeowners and renters now have access to rebates for upgrades that make homes warmer and cheaper to run.

The Energy Saver initiative helps cover the cost of upgrades such as heat pumps, insulation, high-efficiency windows and doors, and energy-efficient appliances, while also supporting local businesses and boosting the local economy.

The program, launched by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality earlier this year and officially opened to Duplin County households in November, offers more than $208 million in federally funded rebates.

Energy Saver NC consists of two components: Homeowners Managing Efficiency Savings (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR).

HOMES provides up to $16,000 for home improvements such as air sealing, high-performance windows/ doors and energy-efficient HVAC units. HEAR covers up to $14,000 for electric appliances like heat pumps, water heaters, stoves, wiring and insulation. These rebates can often be combined with federal tax credits (like the federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit) and some utility incen-

3 People: $55,000 4 People: $61,100 5 People: $66,000 6 People: $70,900 7 People: $75,800 8 People: $80,700

tives, as long as stacked incentives do not exceed the project cost.

Eligibility is based on household income. In Duplin County, a two-person household earning up $48,900 or a four-person household earning up to $61,100 may qualify for a full rebate, while families earning 80% to 150% of the area median income are eligible for partial rebates. The program targets single-family, owner-occupied or rented homes, particularly in areas with high energy costs or storm impacts. Single-family homes (including manufactured homes) are the primary target, but tenants can qualify if the property owner agrees.

Approved participants receive a free home energy assessment from licensed Energy Saver NC contractors, who provide recommendations and complete the work once approved.

Applications can be submitted online, by email, phone or mail, with customer support available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 866-998-8555 or at energysavernc.org.

The program is currently open to 39 counties and will continue to open to more counties across North Carolina in the future. The program is expected to run through 2031.

Rose Hill Mayor Davy Buckner, right, presents outgoing town commissioner Marsha Whaley with a large silver dish honoring her total of 28 years serving on the board.

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ROSE HILL from page A1 During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Tonya Pittman expressed concern over the longtime issue of the deteriorated ties at the railroad crossing on Church Street at Railroad Street.

“I had called (CSX Railroad) myself and complained about it,” Pittman said, “They said they would get down here.

But I don’t think the regular citizens are going to be able to do that,” meaning convincing CSX to take the issue seriously.

CSX spokesperson Austin Staton responded to an earlier Duplin Journal story in October saying the repairs would be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, yet there was no indication of any work in progress at the crossing as of the Dec. 9 meeting.

A6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Beulaville student wins scholarship The Advance Auto Parts Foundation honored its founder while supporting college-bound families

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE — A Beulaville student is one of 23 nationwide to receive the O. Temple Sloan Jr. Founder’s Scholarship from the Advance Auto Parts Foundation.

Callista Holmes will use the merit-based award to continue her studies at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Holmes said the scholarship is a major help as she begins college without financial assistance.

“I was over the moon to learn that I had scholarship opportunities through my mom’s job at

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“Winning the scholarship meant a lot for me as someone who is going into university without financial support.”

The scholarship program pro-

vides one-time awards to students pursuing college or occupational training. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, personal experience and career goals. The awards honor the legacy of O. Temple Sloan Jr., founder of Advance Auto Parts, and reflect the company’s commitment to education and support for the families of team members.

“We’re proud to recognize these outstanding students and support their career journeys,” said Todd Davenport, senior vice president of real estate and development at Advance Auto Parts. “This scholarship program reflects our foundation’s belief in the power of education and the importance of investing in our team members and their families.”

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WALLACE from page A1 pro tem to serve in the mayor’s absence. Councilman Francisco Rivas-Diaz was unanimously reelected to the position.

Due to staff turnover and the implementation of new accounting software within the town Finance Department over the past year, the Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2026-30 was adopted Thursday night. The plan is typically adopted earlier in the year alongside the town budget, Town Manager Rob Taylor explained. The challenges within the Finance Department led to the delay.

The Capital Improvement Plan is not an exact budget, Taylor said, but rather a document outlining the town’s funding priorities over the next five years. Any expenditure exceeding $25,000 is included, providing a snapshot of where town leaders expect to focus spending through 2030.

The plan is divided into seven categories: administration; parks and recreation and cultural resources; public safety; public facilities; public works; water and sewer; and the airport.

Parks and recreation projects include an $800,000 inclusive playground and a $500,000 splash pad at Clement Park, plus, starting in 2027, Farrior Park improvements totaling more than $2 million, funded primarily by grants and the general fund.

Public safety investments of $2.1 million over five years include fire and police equipment, funded by $600,000 from the general fund and $1.5 million financed.

The public safety building currently under construction on Southerland Street is among the town’s largest capital projects, with $6.8 million budgeted over the next two years. Additional projects include $500,000 for Town Hall renovations and $60,000 over the next three years for a downtown mural and wayfinding signage.

Road and sidewalk improvements remain a focus, with $25,000 allocated annually and $550,000 budgeted over the next five years for pavement management of the town’s 23 miles of streets, along with drainage improvements. The total investment is nearly $3.35 million and is expected to be funded through a combination of debt issuance, grants, storm-

WARSAW from page A1 Commissioner Al Searles and Mayor A.J. Connors, for their service. After taking office, Boykin addressed residents and board members, emphasizing a commitment to building on past successes while addressing lingering issues.

Boykin thanked outgoing Connors and Searles, noting that his goal is not to discredit prior leadership but to continue and enhance the town’s progress.

“I want to build upon the ideas and successes that this entire board and staff achieved,” Boykin said. “At the same time, I want to address lingering matters in Warsaw that need attention to make the town the best small town in this state.”

He highlighted his personal connection to Warsaw and the drive that brought him home after living in other states, crediting his faith for his return and election.

Boykin detailed his commitment to enforcing all town ordinances and ensuring transparency in government operations.

He encouraged board members to review the town charter and code of ordinances, and to work together to improve existing policies.

A major focus of the speech was citizen involvement through the creation of multiple community advisory committees.

The committees would provide structured input on administrative oversight, infrastructure and public works, waste and sewage management, community wellness and community development, including safe and drug-free neighborhoods, beautification, and special events. He stated governance

water funds and state Powell Bill funds designated for transportation.

Airport improvements represent some of the largest projected costs, though most are expected to be funded through Airport Commission enterprise funds, Pender County contributions and state grants.

Planned projects include road and utility relocation, a runway extension, new runway lighting, a terminal, a fueling system and hangar construction.

Total airport expenditures are projected at $24.1 million, with grants expected to cover all but $65,000.

The 82-page Capital Improvement Plan can be viewed on the town’s website under the finance tab. Although the plan was just adopted, Taylor said town staff will begin work on a new plan in the coming months as they start developing next year’s budget.

In other financial business, the town received an audit last month for fiscal year 2023-24 that identified deficiencies largely related to challenges within the Finance Department. Delays in completing the audit raised concerns among auditors, requiring the town to file a formal response with the state Local Government Commission.

Taylor said that with a new finance director in place and the accounting software fully implemented, the town’s financial operations are stabilizing.

“The challenges we faced last year with the finance department and several finance directors put us in a hole,” Taylor said. “It’s not perfect, but we’re getting back to where we need to be.”

In other business, a property known as the Hannah property on N.C. 41 in the Tin City area was voluntarily annexed into the town as part of ongoing economic development efforts.

The council also approved the relocation of power lines to accommodate a runway extension at Wallace Airport.

The $475,000 cost will be reimbursed by the state Department of Transportation.

Mills Bryant and Kema Boney were reappointed to the town Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which oversees the ABC store in the Tin City area. The council also unanimously approved Sammy Marshburn, elected fire chief in September, to continue serving in the position in the coming year.

should be done “with” citizens, not “for” them.

Public comment reflected community engagement on collaboration among elected officials, responsible use of public funds, veteran services, youth athletics and outreach efforts.

Departmental updates followed, outlining ongoing programs and services.

Finally, Boykin called for financial transparency, specifically requesting an accounting of funds collected from a prior water bill increase that was promised for wastewater treatment.

“During the last budget cycle, we got on the record that every dime, and the word dime was huge, of the last year’s water bill increase will go to the wastewater treatment plant. So in the next meeting, we need to get a report on how many ‘dimes’ have been collected,” Boykin said.

He stressed accountability over costly audits.

“We asked that question three times,” he said. “The answer came from this board that every dime would be going into that. So we need to get a report. As the budget process begins in January, we need to have a full accounting of where we are. And the only way to get that, outside of that, is a complete forensic audit, which we don’t want to spend money to get that. So we’re going to hold each other accountable. And remember, you’re holding us accountable. And we hold staff accountable.”

The new mayor concluded by emphasizing shared responsibility among officials, staff and citizens, expressing gratitude and offering well wishes for the holiday season.

DUPLIN SPORTS BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW WALLACE-ROSE HILL

BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW JAMES KENAN TIGERS

Tigers’ gridiron star’s unity key in transition to basketball Thirteen football players who helped JK advance to the 3A region final have replaced cleats for sneakers

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Jawon Carr (4), who is being recruited by colleges, is a key player in WRH’s game plan this winter.

Bulldogs’ seniors, new additions start season with title ambitions Wallace-Rose Hill shows early promise behind five seniors and rising newcomers

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal TEACHEY — Losing a letter-winner before for his senior season — because he signed to play college football in January or because he transferred — has been detrimental for the Wallace-Rose Hill basketball team the past five years.

This winter, the loss is running back Jamarae Lamb, third in rushing in the state who graduates in December and will be on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus for its spring semester.

While that’s normally enough to bring a pause to preseason expectations, first-year coach Dustin Squibb said his players have nonetheless set their sights high.

Off to a 4-0 start, the Bulldogs will be tested Friday when Goldsboro,

the Swine Valley Conference favorite, comes to town.

“Our kids have high expectations, and I see it all the time in practice and in games,” said Squibb, who took over for Irving Murray (76-50 in six seasons). “We’ve stepped up to the challenge early on.

“Wallace-Rose Hill hasn’t won a conference championship in the last 18 years, and we think we have the tools, are in a good conference and hungry.

We’re senior heavy, and those players realize this in their last chance.”

Squibb said the foundation was there when he was announced head coach last spring.

“I’m fortunate to be stepping into a situation as coach Murray set a very high example,” he said. “He taught the kids to play the game, how to cut, space and play. We’re not starting totally over here.”

Yet the ball is tipped in the air by returnees Jawon Carr, Matthew Wells, Aspen Brown, Darrius McCrimmon and point guard Jamari Carr and three

key emerging additions — freshman guard Kayden Keith, sophomore Raquan McCrimmon and Chase Bland, a 6-foot-4 transfer post from Atlanta.

Wells, who averaged 11.6 points as a first-team all-Duplin player last season, can connect from anywhere on the floor and hustles as well as the best around.

“He’s a competitor and really a vocal guy in getting our guys where they need to be,” Squibb said. “He’s had to play a bit out of position in the past.”

Nearly everyone is expecting a breakout season for Jawon Carr (5.9 points per game in 2024-25), including his coach. He is averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 boards through four games.

“He’s one of the most improved players around and is willing and has the ability to play defense,” Squibb said. “He’s a heck of an athlete. One of his offseason goals was to improve defensively, and it’s carried over into his total game.”

See BULLDOGS, page B6

WARSAW — If winning on the gridiron breeds winning on the hard courts, James Kenan will return to its contender status.

The push comes after the Tigers went 8-12 last winter and 14-10 in 2023-24 when the football team went 24-2 over that span.

Longtime head coach Taylor Jones said part of the recovery for the grid players is success in basketball.

“We were all disappointed, frustrated and heartbroken, but this is their ‘next play,’” Jones said. “But as soon as we had our first practice we took off. This See TIGERS, page B4

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Zamarion Smith and James Kenan hope to shoot their way into contention for the Swine Valley title and a spot in the 3A playoffs.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Relentless Crusaders dump 8A RJ Reynolds for 10th straight The Harrells Christian Academy boys have nearly forgotten a season-opening loss after winning nine of 10 games by a landslide

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal GREENSBORO — Harrells Christian Academy is an experienced, talented and proven basketball team.

Yet it took an opening-night knockdown for the Crusaders get the energy and intensity it had in 2024-25 during a 30-win campaign.

HCA has recovered quite nicely from it 85-50 setback to New Hanover with a 10-game

winning streak, which includes a 73-54 triumph over 8A R.J. Reynolds last Saturday in the Marion Webster Tourney Town Showcase at Ben L. Smith High School.

Two Crusaders had double-doubles. Another just missed.

Antonio McKoy scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, cousin Dashaun McKoy netted 20, had seven boards and five assists, while center Amir Moore added 20 markers and 14 rebounds.

Point guard J’Kaeshi Brunson scored five points and dished out six assists as HCA rallied from a three-point halftime deficit with a 21-9 roll in the third quarter.

The one-day event featured six boys’ and one girls’ game.

The lopsided win is also a recent trend. HCA’s average margin of victory this season is 19.9 points. It’s lone nail-biting wins came over 6A Westover (68-64) and Northside Christian (58-47) from St. Petersburg, Florida.

Yet head coach Clayton Hall and his team will play in two See ROUNDUP, page B2

PJ WARD-BROWN / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Former WRH center Amir Moore is averaging 12 points an and 7.7 rebounds for 10-1 HCA.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW EAST DUPLIN PANTHERS

Panthers seek togetherness in ‘new’ ECC conference East Duplin regroups behind Zachary Ball, Aaron Hall and sophomores from a 17-4 JV squad

Aaron Hall and the Panthers are seeking to go over .500 for the first time since 2020.

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE – Blake Lanier is hoping his players step up.

Seniors need to raise the bar and so do underclassmen, who showed promise on the junior varsity team.

East Duplin, which battled its way to an 11-11 mark after a 2-22 campaign in 2023-24, returns a pair of key players and has a handful of others moved up from junior varsity coach Chase Ingram’s 17-4 club.

“We’ve got a good mix of a little experience and sophomores with a lot of potential,” said the seventh-year Panthers coach, who also coaches the boys’ soccer team. “They need to learn a lot while they start to work on playing better together.”

ROUNDUP from page B1 extremely competitive tournaments during the holidays — Dec. 19-20 at the Greenfield Christmas Tournament in Wilson and Dec. 27-28 at the Terry Walls Holiday Invitational at Goldsboro High School.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Panthers take down Bulldogs Wallace-Rose Hill has no doubt seen enough of Kinsey Cave.

Cave, the two-time Ms. Basketball in Duplin County, scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals during the Panthers’ 61-40 win over the Bulldogs.

Senior Zoe Cavanaugh chipped in with 14 points, freshman Lorena Rodriguez 10 and Andraia Scarborough six and seven boards.

The two schools played three competitive quarters after ED roared to an 18-4 lead on Jerry Hunter Court. WRH was outscored by one point in the second and fourth quarters and five in the second as ED lead 32-17 at halftime.

The nearly even three quarters no doubt caught the attention of both ED head coach Mark Lane and his WRH counterpart, Jermel Miller.

The Panthers (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season earlier in the week at the hands of 8A Hoggard, 71-39.

Ella Jones pushed 12 of her 23 points in the first half, and Tristan Shivers scored 11 of her 17 in the second half.

A 23-4 run in the second quarter opened it up for the Vikings.

Cave checked in with 21 and Cavanaugh 10, though it was not close after Hoggard’s 23-4 run in the second quarter.

ED will continue to play higher classification schools with tournament dates against 5A Charles B. Aycock and 7A schools Ashley and Ballantyne Ridge (Charlotte) before opening ECC play Jan. 6 against Southwest Onslow.

All three of WRH’s losses have

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Panthers lost two key players from last winter: point guard Ryan Jenkins, who averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, and shooting guard Calvin Harper (16 points, 4 rebounds), who was a first-team all-Duplin player two years running.

But they return Aaron Hall

come to higher classification schools (5A Clinton, 8A Laney).

Both wins have come against Pender, the latest of which was a 61-6 lashing early last week in which 14 Bulldogs scored.

WRH opens Swine Valley Conference play Friday when Goldsboro (6-1) pays a visit to Steve Robinson Court.

Rebels “white out” East Columbus in league opener Lilly Fulghum scored a career-high 19 points and Abby Rose 18 as North Duplin dumped East Columbus 58-35 in the Carolina 1A/2A Conference opener for both teams in Calypso last Friday.

Reagan Herring added nine and Maggie Brown and Abigeal Norris six apiece. Brown owned the glass with 12 rebounds and had four assists.

ND (3-2) kept its “white out” theme by shutting down all but one Gator, 6-foot forward Malia Graham, who poured in 19 points and had 12 boards.

The Rebels went up 24-13 by halftime and cruised.

ND couldn’t find a fast enough gear earlier in the week during a 58-37 loss to 4A Clinton (5-0).

Rose (11), Brown (10 points, 12 rebounds, eight blocks) and Fulghum (eight) paced the attack.

Tigers roar past Gators with top teams on the horizon Gabi Outlaw and Y’Anna Rivers combined for 37 points to lead James Kenan to a lopsided 52-3 win over Spring Creek.

Outlaw’s 21 markers were a career high. Rivers, an all-Duplin first-team player last season, added 17.

JK (2-1, 1-0) travels to fellow Swine Valley Conference foe Rosewood this week and will face three higher-classification schools — 4A Topsail, 6A Western Guilford and 7A Ashley — between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. All of this should prep the Panthers for their Jan. 9 showdown against Goldsboro in the Cougar’s gymnasium.

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(6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals) and Zachary Ball (7.0 points, 3.3, 2.2), who Lanier feels can shoot better than the 40% mark as they did last season.

“Zach’s consistent,” he said.

“He goes about his job quietly. I want him to be more vocal, though it’s not his personality. Yet I trust he’s doing

what he’s supposed to be doing.

“Aaron’s more vocal, and he’ll (have an) alright consistency level. And he can be a really tough defender.”

Sophomore Dominic Hall, a 6-foot-5 post who averaged 12.8 points for the JV squad, seems prepared to make immediate contributions.

“He wants the ball close to the basket but has the ability to step out and hit shots and can dribble well,” Lanier said. “You can see he’s putting in the work in the offseason.”

Classmates DJ Davis (9.1 points), Esiah Bennerman (6.3), Nick Davis (4.7) and Jeremiah Monk (3.6) were also his teammates last winter as the JV team went 5-1 in conference play, losing only to Kinston.

“We have to let the sophomores work their way through and into varsity ball and live with some of their mistakes,” said Lanier, who was Duplin’s top coach in 2019 when he guided ED to a 15-10 mark.

Getting the Panthers back on that mark will take help from junior Keeshon McKinnie, a lightning-quick player who was the Defensive Player of the Year in the ECC in football.

Another all-league pick, FB/ MLB Shawn Davis, has returned to Jerry Hunter Gymnasium.

Sawyer Whaley, Obadiah Miller, Jordan Pickett and Ali Flow will look for mintues off the Panthers bench.

ED is winless in three games, including last Friday’s 62-57 setback to Wallace-Rose Hill, though ECC play won’t start until a Jan. 6 trip to Southwest Onslow, who along with ED and Clinton are the three 4A schools in the league. Pender, Trask and South Lenoir are 3A schools, as ED is no longer in a loop with Duplin rivals WRH and James Kenan.

“I think we’ll be competitive with a chance to finish near the top,” Lanier said, “if we can all come together on the same page.”

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW NORTH DUPLIN REBELS

Byrd wants Rebels’ hoopsters to stay in attack mode Short on experience, North Duplin stays with Jeff Byrd’s platoon system in preparation for the new and improved Carolina Conference

Senior Quan Stevens is one of several letterwinners ND will be counting on this winter.

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO — Veteran prep basketball coach Jeff Byrd might have made an excellent field general in the army.

North Duplin’s boys’ coach understands the stamina and abilities of his players and the need for constant reinforcement.

Despite being short on experience, he’s long on fresh bodies, who will once again be featured as two platoons.

“Two groups put constant pressure on people,” said Byrd, who was Duplin’s Coach of the Year the last two seasons and twice at James Kenan (2016, 2017). “I think this year we’ll be a little more athletic top to bottom.”

His two-unit platoon system worked the previous two seasons as the Rebels were 17-3 in Carolina 1 Conference play, taking the title in 2023 and landing second last winter to 22-2 Lakewood.

Byrd will be without the services of Mr. Basketball Donavan Armwood (17.4 points), Branson Martin (9.1), Luke Kelly (6.5) and Anthony Kornegay (4.4) as ND followed its normal trend of starting slow while playing higher classification schools to prep for conference play.

The CC is now a 1A/2A split league with more challenges than in the past.

“It’s probably the best conference our group (Hobbton, Lakewood, Union) has had in a long time,” said Byrd in a loop that now includes East Bladen, West Columbus and East Columbus.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

It will be better competition and longer road trips because of the addition of the three new members.

The Rebels got their usual slow start as the ND football team played in the third round of the postseason.

Senior returnees take the lead Seniors Quan Stevens (6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds), Holden Williams (5.8, 2.7) and Lucas Dail (4.4, 2.4) are the most experienced Rebels and players Bryd is expecting to produce and lead.

“Those three need to be on top of their game, especially early on,” Byrd said. “Dail is a workhorse and Quan and Holden will be valuable on both ends of the court.”

Sophomore Noah Bennett averaged 5.0 points in nine games last season, and classmate Noah Price (1.2) also had limited minutes.

Jae’lyn Ingram, also a sophomore, would have been on the court had he not broken his leg.

The fourth sophomore in Byrd’s rotation is Missiah Cooper.

Juniors Lucas Gregory, Christopher Kornegay and Noa Quintanilla, who were captains on the Rebels’ junior varsity team last winter, will likewise be getting rotation-minutes on the floor.

Senior Carell Phillips, an all-county running back for the past two seasons, is back in the gymnasium as is classmate Carson Barwick.

Byrd balances out the experience and talent.

Dail, Price, Ingrams, Phillips and Gregory comprised one troop with Stevens, Williams, Bennett, Quintanilla and Cooper taking the tag for fresher legs. The combinations could change, according to Byrd.

“We’re gonna play 12 to 13 players and not a lot of high schools where 13 kids get quality playing time,” he said. “If a player busts his tail in practice, he’s going to get a chance to play.”

ND beat Spring Creek 76-68 last week for its first win in four outings following setbacks to Rosewood (62-57), Clinton (76-42) and East Columbus (76-58). Bennett has led the Rebels in scoring, though nine others added nearly equivalent contributions.

“We’ve got six seniors but not a lot of experience in terms of playing minutes,” Byrd said. “Our four sophomores are big, and everyone is important because we’re running a man-to-man defense.

We play seven games over the Christmas break. We play a lot more than we practice. We’ll compete in the conference this year.”

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It might sound a bit premature, but Kinsey Cave in riding hard into the history archives at East Duplin.

The two-time Player of the Year in Duplin County has picked up her scoring, and through four games, she is averaging 19.5 points, EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assist and 3.8 steals.

She poured in 267 markers as a freshman, 299 last season and is currently 356 shy of 1,000. When she arrives, she will join Jonisha McCoy, who reached the coveted milestone in 2016.

Cave wants to play basketball at the next level, even though she’s Panther enough to play two other sports — softball and volleyball — and excels in both.

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B4 TIGERS from page B1 team will play tough together and have a winning attitude that you can’t manufacture.

“We have five seniors back that started at various times last year, three that played a bunch and two that got some court time. What I like most about our seniors is how they are leaders.”

Linebacker Zamarion Smith and running back Jeremiah Hall have the most experience. Free safety David Zeleya, one of the best athletes on the campus, returns after a year’s absence.

While quarterback Eli Avent may be a reserve or complementary player, he’ll likely not turn the ball over much.

SE/RB/kick returner CJ Hill missed a fourth-round playoff game and played sparingly in the region final because of a knee injury, is getting healthier and will be a contributor.

Smith will play point guard.

“He’s a strong, dynamic with the ball and has outstanding technique,” Jones said. “He and Jeremiah are great leaders. They make up for their lack of size with heart and effort.

“David’s going to have a good year. He’s a good player, and you’ll see that this year,” Jones said.

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Alex Vasquez, a two-way lineman in the fall, starts at center.

Lee McRae, Cal Avent and Amir Manly will be shifted in as frontcourt players. All three started for the football team, as did junior guard Keyshawn Murray.

According to Jones, JK will need sophomores Jamarion Graham, Kentrell Morrisey and Vasquez.

“They are going to play a lot,” Jones said. “We’re going to roll out playing eight or nine deep. Graham and Morrisey are hoop players and good for our makeup.

Tripp shoots the ball well and is extremely smart.

“We want to speed up their learning curve, and the only way to do that is to go full tilt for two hours. The only way I know how to do that is to let them play.”

Key losses from last season include Tyquise Wilson and TJ Oats.

Jones said the Tigers will play an up-tempo game, even though he realizes most still have “football” legs.

“I have to get us in the best possible shape in the least amount of time possible,” he said. “So we’re going to see the potential and hold them accountable to that standard.”

Jones said he likes the new

Swine Valley 2A/3A Conference, which features Goldsboro as everyone’s favorite, Wallace-Rose Hill, Midway, Princeton, Spring Creek and Rosewood as the lone 2A school.

“Teams play a lot of different styles, which is great for us because it prepares you if you have an opportunity in the playoffs,” he said.

“I feel I know how we’ll respond to a problem, and that makes me excited about the season. These are high-character kids.”

Morrisey scored 19 points and Hall nine and four assists as JK beat Spring Creek 70-29 in its opener last week after practicing just three times.

Eli Avent and Graham each had eight markers and six boards, while Smith and Cal Avent chipped in with six points apiece.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well, but we played hard,” Taylor said. “I think our kids will do that because that’s how they are wired.”

The Tigers play six games in the next two weeks before opening conference play Jan. 7 against Midway. Three of the nonconference games will be played in Wayne County, one against Rosewood and two at CB Aycock during the FCA Winter Classic (Dec. 22-23), normally held at Mount Olive University.

FORCLOSURE AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Posted By:________________ FILE NUMBER: 25SP001078-300 Date Posted: ______________ Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by JUAN HERVERT SOLARES dated August 17, 2022 in the amount of $191,958.00 and recorded in Book 2009, Page 184 of the Duplin County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Duplin County, North Carolina, in Book 2087, Page 487, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Duplin County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on December 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Duplin, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 03-1109-1 ADDRESS: 1779 SUMMERLINS CROSSROAD RD, MOUNT OLIVE, NC 28365 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): JUAN HERVERT SOLARES THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF DUPLIN, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 2009, PAGE 185, AS FOLLOWS: BEING THAT CERTAIN PARCEL CONTAINING 0.87 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, AS SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN SURVEY ENTITLED “BOUNDARY SURVEY FOR JOHN DAVID HOWELL” RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 33, PAGE 301 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. BEING A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY CONVEYED BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 1086, PAGE 304 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Sarah A. Waldron or Terrass Scott Misher, Esq ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Rd., Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

PUBLIC NOTICE Proposed Lease of Land December 18th, 2025 County of Duplin, NC The County of Duplin is considering leasing land at the Duplin County Airport near Kenansville, North Carolina for establishing and production of Coastal Bermuda Hay or pasture land.

The properties to be leased are referred to as the RPZ’s (Runway Protection Zones) on each end of the Duplin County Airport runway. The properties consist of approximately 85 acres (Area A 25-acre, Area B 8 acres and Area C 52 acres tracts respectively) adjacent to Bowdens Road and Best Road, Kenansville, NC. Currently all tracts have had Coastal Bermuda Hay established for five years.

Prospective bidders should submit sealed bids to Josh Raynor, Duplin County Airport Director, by mail, or in person, at 260 Airport Road, Kenansville, NC 28349, by 12:00 noon on January 8th, 2026. Bids should be submitted as a proposed tract and amount per acre.

For example:

-Area A 25 acre @ $ price per acre = total lease amount per year -Area B 8 acres @ $ price per acre = total lease amount per year -Area C 52 acres @ $ price per acre = total lease amount per year -Area A + Area B + Area C = combine total lease amount per year The County reserves the right to reject any and all bids submitted. Bidder does not necessarily have to bid on all areas.

It is anticipated that a lease agreement will be negotiated with the highest (per acre) responsive bidder for an initial term of six years with an optional renewal term of four additional years.

The tenant will be responsible for conducting all soil tests and amending the soils as necessary. Due to Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, the use of chicken or turkey litter, animal waste sludge, or other animal byproducts used for enhancing crop growth is prohibited due to the potential of creating a bird attractant within the

runway protection zones. The established crop should be sprayed as necessary to limit the growth of weeds and the hay should not exceed a height of three feet between harvesting.

For information on the bidding process, to view maps of, or tour the properties, or to obtain additional information, please contact: Josh Raynor Duplin County Airport Director Kenansville, NC 28349 910-296-2188 office phone 910-290-3989 cell phone Joshua.Raynor@duplinnc.gov Published in December 18th, 2025 issue of The Duplin Journal Posted at USDA Farm Service Agency Posted at NC Cooperative Extension Posted at Duplin County Airport Terminal Building Posted at Duplin County Administration Building Posted on the Duplin County website

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

obituaries

James Earl Harper Jr. Sept. 19, 1970 – Dec. 6, 2025 James Earl Harper Jr., 55, of Rose Hill, NC, passed away on December 6, 2025, at his residence. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Hawes Funeral Home Warsaw, NC.

Darryl Pinner Oct. 14, 1971 – Dec. 10, 2025 Darryl Dewayne Pinner, 54, passed from his earthly life on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

He was born on October 14, 1971, in Alachua County, Florida, the son of Cecil Pinner and Rosemary Liles Pinner.

Darryl was preceded in death by the mother of his sons, Pammela Baker.

In addition to his parents, Darryl is survived by his sons, Nicholas Samuel “Sam” PinnerBaker (Savannah Boykin) and CAJ Baker (Lindsay Casteen); sister-inlaw, Stephanie Verlyn Baker and her children, Noah Blanton, Elijah Blanton (Destiny Clewis), Adam Blanton, and Ella Blanton (Ethan Bolin); and many friends.

Darryl was blessed with a gift/ ear for music, and he excelled playing his guitar. He was a quiet in manner, generous in sharing his musical talents, and a loving family man. Most important in Darryl’s life was family; he enjoyed family gatherings with delicious grilled foods. Darryl was loved and will be greatly missed.

There will be a private family Celebration of Darryl’s Life.

Any sympathy cards may be mailed to the family at Burgaw Veterinary Hospital, 1255 US Hwy 117 N, Burgaw, NC 28425.

Kyle Dye Jan. 16, 1994 – Dec. 8, 2025 Kyle William Dye, 31, left his earthly life way too soon on Monday, December 8, 2025.

He was born January 16, 1994, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Mark Randolph Dye and the late Lorie Ann Fedullo Dye. In addition to his father, Kyle is survived by his wife, Maria Dye; children, Vienna Ramirez, Maria Ramirez, Gabriela Ramirez, Sofia Dye, and Francisca Dye; his twin brother, John Dye (Lindsey) and Randy Myles (Alicia); several nieces and nephews; other extended family members; and his best friends, Benjamin and Jordan. Kyle’s canine best friend was Grizzly, who already misses Kyle.

CPL Dye served his country honorably and with valor in the US Marine Corps. He was an outstanding Marine, dedicated to his country.

Kyle was a die-hard Detroit Lions fan, being their biggest fan whether they won or lost a game. He was an accomplished cook, often cooking and grilling delicious special foods for family and friends. Kyle gave his all to anything and everything he undertook. His presence in our daily lives will truly be missed as he was an awesome husband, dad, son, brother and friend.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home, Burgaw Chapel.

QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME

Billy Kendall Jones

Sarah Nannie Phillips

June 7, 1956 – Dec. 8, 2025

May 12, 1954 – Dec. 9, 2025

March 17, 1933 – Dec. 9, 2025

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of John Robert Hawes III, a cherished brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and loyal friend to many.

He was born June 7, 1956, in Wilmington, the son of the late John Robert Hawes, Jr. and Margaret Annette Davis Hawes.

John Robert is survived by his siblings, Margaret Hawes Blackwell (Joe), Roger Davis Hawes, and Virginia Hawes Gallien; niece, McCotta Blackwell Wilson (Todd); nephews, Shawn David Gallien and Cody Marks; and many dear friends.

John graduated from Atkinson High School where he played baseball and basketball. As a youth he was active in FFA and Boy Scouts; later in life he became a Boy Scout master in Atkinson and assistant scout master in Long Beach (now Oak Island).

After many years of service, John retired from The Town of Oak Island and was also coowner of Hawes Brothers Farm in western Pender County. He was a faithful member of United Faith Fellowship in Atkinson.

John wore many hats throughout his life – was a member of Long Beach Fire Department and rescue squad attendant for ten years; for 40 years he was the official Santa the Oak Island Christmas parade; member of Virginia Forage and Grassland Council, serving as a past officer in the NC Chapter; and he enjoyed all aspects of farming. Most of all John loved his family and was an outstanding, caring brother, uncle, and friend.

The family will receive friends at 2 p.m. Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home, Burgaw Chapel, with a memorial service at 3 p.m. in the chapel. Pastor Don Yerby will conduct the service.

Warsaw - Billy Kendall Jones, 71, of Warsaw, passed away quietly at home on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Billy was born in Sampson County, May 12, 1954, to the late James Junior Jones and Estelle Humphrey Jones.

Billy was a loving husband and friend to many. He was an outdoorsman and loved hunting all kinds of game. He worked for years as a service representative for Butterball.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025, at Pinecrest Cemetery. No formal visitation or viewing will be held, but anyone who would like to go back to the house after the service is welcome to Billy’s Barn.

Left to cherish Billy’s memory are wife, Barbara Outlaw Jones of the home, brothers, Charles Jones and wife Celes, Lewis Jones of Warsaw; sister, Joyce Norwood and husband, Bobby of Hampstead, mother-in-law, Ann Outlaw of Warsaw; sisterin-law Vickie Outlaw Deaver and husband, Ricky of Warsaw; special sons, Julio Medina Ramano and wife, Carmello and Little Juan Valquez of Warsaw, special sister, Judy Brown.

Barbara would like to send out a huge thank you to all the people who have been like family over the years, helping out Billy and his care, and the multitude of other things that have been done for them. No deed was too large or too small, and all were greatly appreciated, and you will all have a special place in our hearts for the love and help we received.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Love for Layla, 127 Circle Drive, Kenansville, NC 28349, and the Faison Baptist Church Brotherhood, P.O. Box 280, Faison, NC 28341.

Goldsboro- Ms. Sarah Nannie Waters Phillips, 92, completed her earthly journey and transitioned from labor to reward on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center. Please remember her family during their time of bereavement. The Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at noon at Woods Chapel UAFWB Church, 928 New Hope Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534.

There will be a viewing from 11-11:50 a.m. She will be laid to rest at Wayne Memorial Park, 2925 US Hwy 117 South, Dudley, NC 28333.

John Robert Hawes III

James Leon Hollingsworth Nov. 3, 1943 – Dec. 13, 2025 James Leon Hollingsworth of Willard, NC, passed away early Saturday morning, December 13, 2025, while at home. Born on November 3, 1943, he is the son of the late Charles Leon and Sarah Lou Uselton Hollingsworth.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of forty-four years-Shirley Ann Autry Hollingsworth of the home; sons--Eric and Chris Hollingsworth of Tennessee; three grandchildren; two great grandchildren; sisters-in-law-Glenda Taylor of Wallace and Gail Stone (Rodger); and brothersin-law--Henry Autry (Ann) of Penderlea, Eugene “Skeeter” Autry of Willard, and Dean Autry of Wallace.

“Jimmy” was born in Davidson County, Tennessee and lived there during his early life. A very mild-mannered man, he never had much to say unless he was asked. He went into the United States Army and spent time in Viet Nam during his first enlistment.

Later, he reenlisted and was in the army for a total of twentytwo years. During this time, he was named Outstanding Army Soldier of the Year by the senior enlisted members of the Defense Mapping Agency. His excellence in marksmanship is shown in his sharpshooter marksmanship qualification badge. In 1981, he married the love of his life while in the military, and they settled in Willard after their retirement.

A service to celebrate his life is set for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in the 401 West Main Street chapel of Padgett Funeral Home of Wallace, NC. The Hollingsworth family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at 1 p.m. and at other times at the residence.

SPONSORED BY

Larry Donell Ingram Oct. 5, 1952 – Dec. 10, 2025 Fremont- Mr. Larry Donell Ingram, age 73, crossed over on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, into a world of love, where peace has no end, and joy knows no bounds. Mr. Ingram passed at his residence surrounded by his loving family. The arrangements are incomplete at this time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, and please continue to keep the family in your prayers during their time of bereavement.

Betty Hall April 2, 1932 – Dec. 11, 2025 A gracious and loving lady, Betty Clark Hall, entered eternal rest on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the age of 93. She was born April 2, 1932, one of seven children born to Charles Henry Clark, Sr. and Elizabeth Hale Clark, living most of her wonderful life in the Long Creek Community of Rocky Point.

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Donald Hall; sons, Tim Hall and Mark Hall; daughter-in-law, Lou Hall; four sisters; and two brothers.

Betty is survived by her son, Donald “Scrappy” Hall; daughter, Angela Rogers and her husband, Steve; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister, Effie Lee Eakes; caregivers, Lillian and Omar; and many extended family and friends.

For many years, Betty worked as a meat inspector for the NC Department of Agriculture.

In all of Betty’s 93 years, one never saw her without her hair “beauty shop” fixed. Betty was an extraordinary lady with a strong will whose resounding faith and love of family was unmatched.

Her bright and shining light often served as a guide to those around her. She was a true example of what it meant to be a wife, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Her presence in our lives will be forever missed, but we find solace in knowing that she is resting in peace.

A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Rileys Creek Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. William Hill Pearsall conducting the service.

The family will receive friends at the cemetery following the service.

B6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours!

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Squibb likes the composure, leadership and defense of Jamari Carr (4.1 points).

“He’s our vocal leader and a really good on-the-ball defender,” he said. “He’s a defensive stopper on the perimeter.”

Darruis McCrimmon (6.8 points in 2024-25), a shutdown defensive back in football, is maintaining that reputation in basketball.

“He’s a super-talented kid with the ability to be the best defender in our conference, and he takes pride in stopping people,” Squibb said. “He’s one of the most if not the most athletic players on our team.”

Squibb is likewise on the bandwagon of younger brother Raquan.

“He’s a super scorer and very physical for a sophomore,” he said. “He could be pretty special and will help us because we’re going to attack aggressively.”

Brown, a solid-bodied forward who mixed it up with a lot with bangers last season, is likewise ready to step into the limelight after a strong start

(8.3 points and 8 rebounds).

WRH also lost senior Devon Sloan two months ago when his family moved out of the district, but Keith, who was the JV quarterback in the fall, is averaging 8.0 points in a balanced WRH attack.

Bland, meanwhile, is about to make his debut as Squibb said he was proceeding “very carefully about the transfer rules” before he plays for WRH. “He has a high basketball IQ and is super long,” said Squibb, who is a former coach at Neuse Charter. “He can hit the stand-still jumper off penetration, the trailing jumper and the top of 3 jumper.”

WRH went 11-8 last season with Lamb and Boney and this year’s senior class.

The Bulldogs arguably play in a weaker conference, which includes Spring Creek, Princeton, Rosewood, Midway, and longtime rival James Kenan, and the aforementioned Goldsboro.

“The one thing I’m not happy about right now is our shooting, but we’ve moved along my trajectory chart otherwise,” Squibb said.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Duplin County – AirPark Entrance Road Signage Project No.: 2421-000 Sealed bids will be received until 4:00 p.m. (local time), January 8, 2026, at the Duplin County Airport, 260 Airport Road, Kenansville, North Carolina 28349, and then opened and publicly read for furnishing all labor and materials and performing all work connected with New AirPark Entrance Road Signage. The project shall consist of furnishing all labor, materials, and equipment and performing all work required to satisfactorily complete the project. Items of work include permitting and construction of a new entrance road signage, site lighting, and landscaping improvements. Bid Forms, Plans, Specifications, and Contract Documents will be available on Thursday, December 18, 2025 and will be available through the Duplin County website: www.duplinnc.gov, with the online plan rooms Construct Connect, www. constructconnect.com and Dodge Construction Network, www.construction.com. Duplin County reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any and all technical defects in the execution of the submission of any bid. Duplin County reserves the right to reject any sub-contractors. Duplin County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and invites the submission of proposals from small and minority and women-owned firms, historically underutilized businesses, and certified/registered Section 3 businesses. This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact the Economic Development Commission at 910296-2180 for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Economic Development Commission al 910-296-2180 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

VOLUME 145 ISSUE 99 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM

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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

WHAT’S HAPPENING Big retailers didn’t pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after recall, FDA says The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves. The FDA sent letters posted Monday to leaders at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons, saying the companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks despite a Nov. 11 recall of all products. The formula is linked to an outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened more than 50 babies in 19 states. All of the babies have been hospitalized and treated for the illness.

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified. The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. A Syrian official says the assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS. The gunman was killed.

Trump sues BBC for $10B, accusing it of defamation over editing of Jan. 6 speech President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit seeking $10 billion in damages, accusing the BBC of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices. The lawsuit says it broadcast a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 election. It accused the BBC of “splicing together two entirely separate parts” of a Jan. 6 speech in order to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning of what Trump said.” The BBC said it would defend the case.

MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

The nice list A local youngster tells Santa about their wish list at the Albemarle Downtown Christmas event on Dec. 5.

Albemarle police chief provides report on Greyhound bus stop The Albemarle Police Department observed the bus stop for 30 days

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Albemarle Police Chief Ryan Manley presented data to the Albemarle City Council on Monday night that suggests the Greyhound bus stop on First Street is not creating widespread public safety or quality-of-life issues in downtown Albemarle.

The council had previous-

ment’s findings do not support said 98% of passengers entered the idea that the location is vehicles shortly after arriving, generating recurring problems. and officers observed no loiter“At the request of the coun- ing or littering during the recil, we pulled 30 days worth view period.

The data was collected using of data,” Manley said. “There were no folks observed litter- fixed video cameras as well as ing, using the bathroom or direct officer observations, althrowing trash around the lowing the department to evalarea, and the people that did uate both activity levels and not get into the cars walked behavior around the stop.

City Manager Darren away from the area.”

According to the APD’s re- Rhodes told the council it porting from Nov. 8 to Dec. 8, could choose to send a letter the Greyhound bus stopped to Greyhound’s customer re38 times. During that period, lations department to request 25 passengers boarded the bus and 26 disembarked. Manley See BUS STOP, page A2

Adult charged with raping child, breaking into Stanfield home “If there are any other victims, we definitely encourage them to come forward.”

Jeff Crisco, Stanly County sheriff

$2.00

ly requested information on the bus stop, which Manley said officers have monitored through a combination of video review and in-person observation.

In past meetings, some residents and business owners have raised concerns about loitering, panhandling, littering, incivility and the presence of homeless individuals near the stop. Several Stanly County commissioners have also stated at prior board meetings that they would prefer the bus stop be removed from Albemarle.

Manley said the depart-

Justin Brigham’s bond was set at $10 million

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal STANFIELD — A Charlotte man has been charged with burglary and sexual offenses involving a 13-year-old girl following an incident at a Stanfield home on Dec. 10.

According to the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, 44-year-old Justin Tawse Brigham — a co-owner of Sycamore Brewing in Char-

lotte — is accused of entering a residence along Furr Road on Dec. 10 before committing the assault inside the home.

Following an investigation by responding patrol deputies and members of the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigation Division, Brigham was charged with statutory rape of a child under 15, first-degree burglary and indecent liberties with a child.

“These are very serious crimes and he could go See CRIME, page A5

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A2

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

12.17.25 #67 THURSDAY DEC. 18

WEDNESDAY DEC. 17 HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 518620) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Jesse Deal Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer BUSINESS David Guy Advertising Manager Published Wednesday and Sunday as part of North State Journal 1548 NC 24-27 BYP W Albemarle NC 28001

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11 firefighters injured in Salisbury STANLY after explosion during house fire happening None of the injuries were considered life-threatening The Associated Press SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation following the fire Monday

evening. Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether they were in the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down.”

Bob Parnell, Salisbury fire chief

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

Dec. 20 Santa’s Stocking 4:30-6 p.m.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

Holiday photo opportunities, crafts, food and festivities.

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Thirteen people were injured in an explosion at a house in Salisbury on Monday.

BUS STOP from page A1

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potential changes related to the stop’s location or general presence.

Instead, the council agreed to follow up directly with a concerned business owner and share the findings from the police department’s report.

Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall said issues tied to the bus stop were more common in the past, when

additional nearby businesses — some of which have since closed — created more opportunities for problems to arise.

Councilmember Dexter Townsend said he has not seen evidence that would warrant city involvement or further action.

“We’ve had our officers spend a significant amount of time, even going back over a year or so ago, watching film on a consistent ba-

sis,” Townsend said. “We responded to citizens’ requests about it being a situation worse than what we actually see evidence of. We haven’t found evidence that people are getting off the bus and becoming problematic to citizens in the city of Albemarle.”

The Albemarle City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it. Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without

health insurance for longer than a year.

This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-the-one-hands, says that it could/might/ may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose”

Obamacare and that 45% would consider taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis Electricity rates are rising.

Reliability is crumbling.

We know the cause.

OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis. No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit

utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL

customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

As gerrymandering battles sweep country, supporters say partisan dominance ‘fair’ Both sides embrace gerrymandering when it’s convenient for them

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WHEN INDIANA adopted new U.S. House districts four years ago, Republican legislative leaders lauded them as “fair maps” that reflected the state’s communities.

But when Gov. Mike Braun recently tried to redraw the lines to help Republicans gain more power, he implored lawmakers to “vote for fair maps.”

What changed? The definition of “fair.”

As states undertake mid-decade redistricting instigated by President Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats are using a tit-for-tat definition of fairness to justify districts that split communities in an attempt to send politically lopsided delegations to Congress. It is fair, they argue, because other states have done the same. And it is necessary, they claim, to maintain a partisan balance in the House of Representatives that resembles the national political divide.

This new vision for drawing congressional maps is creating a winner-take-all scenario that treats the House, traditionally a more diverse patchwork of politicians, like the Senate, where members reflect a state’s majority party. The result could be reduced power for minority communities, less attention to certain issues and fewer distinct voices heard in Washington.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky fears that unconstrained gerrymandering would put the United States on a perilous path if Democrats in states such as Texas and Republicans in states like California feel shut out of electoral politics. “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Although Indiana state senators rejected a new map backed

by Trump and Braun that could have helped Republicans win all nine of the state’s congressional seats, districts have already been redrawn in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Other states could consider changes before the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress.

“It’s a fundamental undermining of a key democratic condition,” said Wayne Fields, a retired English professor from Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on political rhetoric.

“The House is supposed to represent the people,” Fields added. “We gain an awful lot by having particular parts of the population heard.”

Redistricting is diluting community representation Under the Constitution, the Senate has two members from each state. The House has 435 seats divided among states

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Protesters are seen through a window in the Senate Chamber during dissuasion before a vote to redistrict Indiana’s congressional map last Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. based on population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative. In the current Congress, California has the most at 52, followed by Texas with 38.

Because senators are elected statewide, they are almost always political pairs of one party or another. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the only states now with both a Democrat and Republican in the Senate. Maine and Vermont each have one independent and one senator affiliated with a political party.

By contrast, most states elect a mixture of Democrats and Republicans to the House. That is because House districts, with an average of 761,000 residents, based on the 2020 census, are more likely to reflect the varying partisan preferences of urban or rural voters, as well as different racial, ethnic and economic groups.

This year’s redistricting is diminishing those locally unique districts.

In California, voters in several rural counties that backed Trump were separated from similar rural areas and attached to a reshaped congressional district containing liberal coastal communities. In Missouri, Democratic-leaning voters in Kansas City were split from one main congressional district into three, with each revised district stretching deep into rural Republican areas.

Some residents complained

“I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) their voices are getting drowned out. But Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Mike Kehoe, (R-Mo.) defended the gerrymandering as a means of countering other states and amplifying the voices of those aligned with the state’s majority.

All is “fair” in redistricting Indiana’s delegation in the U.S. House consists of seven Republicans and two Democrats — one representing Indianapolis and the other a suburban Chicago district in the state’s northwestern corner.

Dueling definitions of fairness were on display at the Indiana Capitol as lawmakers considered a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have split Indianapolis among four Republican-leaning districts and merged the Chicago suburbs with rural Republican areas. Opponents walked the halls in protest, carrying signs such as “I stand for fair maps!”

Ethan Hatcher, a talk radio host who said he votes for Republicans and Libertarians, denounced the redistricting plan as “a blatant power grab” that “compromises the principles of our Founding Fathers” by

fracturing Democratic strongholds to dilute the voices of urban voters.

“It’s a calculated assault on fair representation,” Hatcher told a state Senate committee.

But others asserted it would be fair for Indiana Republicans to hold all of those House seats because Trump won the “solidly Republican state” by nearly three-fifths of the vote.

“Our current 7-2 congressional delegation doesn’t fully capture that strength,” resident Tracy Kissel said at a committee hearing. “We can create fairer, more competitive districts that align with how Hoosiers vote.”

When senators defeated a map designed to deliver a 9-0 congressional delegation for Republicans, Braun bemoaned that they had missed an “opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps.”

Disrupting an equilibrium By some national measurements, the U.S. House already is politically fair. The 220-215 majority that Republicans won over Democrats in the 2024 elections almost perfectly aligns with the share of the vote the

two parties received in districts across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But that overall balance belies an imbalance that exists in many states. Even before this year’s redistricting, the number of states with congressional districts tilted toward one party or another was higher than at any point in at least a decade, the AP analysis found.

The partisan divisions have contributed to a “cutthroat political environment” that “drives the parties to extreme measures,” said Kent Syler, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

He noted that Republicans hold 88% of congressional seats in Tennessee, and Democrats have an equivalent in Maryland.

“Fairer redistricting would give people more of a feeling that they have a voice,” Syler said.

Rebekah Caruthers, who leads the Fair Elections Center, a nonprofit voting rights group, said there should be compact districts that allow communities of interest to elect the representatives of their choice, regardless of how that affects the national political balance. Gerrymandering districts to be dominated by a single party results in “an unfair disenfranchisement” of some voters, she said.

“Ultimately, this isn’t going to be good for democracy,” Caruthers said. “We need some type of détente.”

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

4 charged with plotting New Year’s Eve attacks in Southern California The suspects are allegedly members of a pro-Palestian extremist group

By Christopher Weber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California, announcing the arrests of members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.

The four suspects were arrested last Friday as they were testing explosives in the desert east of Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the four suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table shortly before their arrests.

In the criminal complaint, the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41.

They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a pro-Palestinian group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Each faces charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, Essayli said, adding that additional charges were expected in coming weeks.

Essayli said Carroll last

month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve and were trying to hit multiple companies.

He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was explicit,” Essayli said. “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs ... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with explosive devices at multiple businesses that were set to blow up simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

Two of the group’s members also had discussed plans for

future attacks, including targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026, according to the criminal complaint.

“Carroll stated that some of those plans would quote ‘take some of them out and scare the rest,’” Essayli said.

The plans were discussed both at an in-person meeting with members in Los Angeles and through an encrypted messaging app, Essayli said.

The suspects “all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, including various sizes of PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, charcoal, charcoal powder, sulfur powder, and material to be used as fuses, among others,” the complaint states.Last week they

were rehearsing their attack and testing devices in the desert near Twentynine Palms, California, before federal authorities moved in, officials said.

“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” he said.

Authorities issued search warrants and found posters for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at Carroll’s home that called for “Death to America,” and “Death to ICE,” Essayli said. In Page’s residence, police found a copy of the detailed bomb plan, he added.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they come together still to protect residents.

The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years.

“The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of our unified response,” McDonnell said.

CRIME from page A1

ATTENTION CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS OF STANLY COUNTY PROPERTY TAX LISTING FOR 2026 North Carolina General Statute 105-285 requires that all property subject to ad valorem taxation be listed annually.

All persons who, on January 1, 2026, own property subject to taxation must list such property within the listing period which is January 1 - January 31, 2026. Any person who fails to do so will be subject to the penalties prescribed by law. Listing forms will be mailed December 30th. Listing forms must be received in the Tax Assessor’s Office or postmarked by the US Postal Service by January 31.

of disability (if you’re disabled and not yet 65 years of age) must be submitted with the application. Applications and disability forms are available in the Personal Property Listing Office and online at www.stanlycountync.gov on the Tax Administration - Property Tax Relief page.

Application must be filed by June 1. If you currently receive the exclusion, you need not reapply. Appointments may be scheduled February 1 - June 1 for assistance in completing the application process; call 704-986-3627 to schedule.

Failure to list during January will result in a 10% late listing penalty.

Tax Exclusion for Totally and Permanently Disabled Veterans

Below are the personal property items which you are required to list annually.

An exclusion of up to $45,000 of the appraised value of a permanent residence is available for property owners who qualify. A qualified owner must be 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury or illness, or received benefits for specially adapted housing under 38 USC 2101 for the veteran’s permanent residence. A NCDVA-9 form must be completed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and accompany the application. Form NCDVA-9 and applications are available in the Personal Property Listing Office and online at www.stanlycountync.gov on the Tax Administration - Personal Tax Relief page. Application must be filed by June 1.

• Unregistered (untagged) vehicles, and multi-year or permanently tagged vehicles • Watercraft - boats & boat motors, jet skis, and wave runners • Dogs • Personal property singlewide/doublewide mobile homes (normally if the mobile home owner is not the land owner) • Aircraft • Business personal property (see below) Anyone who does not receive a listing form to list any items mentioned above should come by or call the Tax Administrator’s Office at 704-986-3626 to request a form, or download a form at www.stanlycountync.gov on the Tax Administration – Personal Property page.

Business Personal Property Business personal property must be listed in the Business Personal Property Office, Courthouse, second floor, Room 218. All business furnishings, equipment, and farm machinery that are used to produce an income, multiyear tagged and permanently tagged vehicles must be listed annually in January. Call 704-986-3628 for more information. An extension for the listing of business personal property may be requested in writing prior to close of the regular listing period on January 31; applicant must show “good cause.” All requests received after January 31 will be denied. Once an extension has been granted, the listing form must be received or postmarked no later than April 1. Direct your extension requests to Laura Hartsell, 201 South Second Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Tax Exclusion for Elderly or Totally and Permanently Disabled An exclusion of up to $25,000 or 50% of the appraised value of a permanent residence is available for property owners who are at least 65 years of age or totally and permanently disabled on January 1, 2026. A qualified owner’s 2025 income cannot exceed $38,800 (joint income for husband and wife). Proof of income and proof

Circuit Breaker – Tax Deferment Program North Carolina offers a deferment of a portion of taxes for property owners who are at least 65 years of age or totally and permanently disabled on January 1, 2026. A qualified owner’s 2025 income cannot exceed $58,200.

The applicant must have owned and occupied their permanent residence for the last five years. Deferred taxes become a lien on the property. Applications are available in the Personal Property Listing Office and online at www. stanlycountync.gov on the Tax Administration - Property Tax Relief page. A new application and proof of income must be submitted every year by June 1 to continue receiving this benefit. When there is a disqualifying event, three years deferred tax plus interest will become due.

If you have questions concerning either exclusions or deferment programs, call the tax office at 704-986-3627.

Staff is available to assist with personal property listing at the following location: Stanly County Courthouse, Second Floor - Personal Property Listing Office 201 South Second Street, Albemarle, NC

to prison for a long time,” Stanly County Sheriff Jeff Crisco said at a Dec. 12 press conference.

Police investigators said Brigham had been communicating online with the victim via a “common social media platform” for approximately two weeks before the incident occurred, noting that he was aware of the victim’s age.

Brigham appeared in Stanly County District Court on Dec. 11, where his secure bond was set at $10 million. He is being held in the Stanly County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 29.

If released on bail, Brigham will be required to surrender his passport, remain in North Carolina, avoid contact with the victim and refrain from using social media.

Deputies responded to the Furr Road residence shortly before midnight after receiving a 911 call reporting that a resident had discovered Brigham inside the house. When officers arrived, they located a nude male in a nearby vehicle and detained him without incident.

“This incident occurred on Dec. 10 in the evening hours, where deputies responded to a residence where an adult male was found inside of a home in a juvenile’s room,” Crisco said. “Later, deputies found the gentleman away from the home as he was taken into custody for questioning and was later charged.”

COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Justin Tawse Brigham As part of the ongoing investigation, sheriff’s deputies, with assistance from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, executed a search warrant at an address in south Charlotte on Dec. 11.

Authorities have seized multiple electronic devices belonging to the suspect as part of the ongoing investigation, and additional charges are anticipated as evidence is reviewed.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active and that further details will be released as they become available.

“If there are any other victims, we definitely encourage them to come forward,” Crisco said.

Anyone with information related to the case or anyone who may be a victim of sexual assault is asked to contact the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Division at 704-986-3714 or cid@ stanlycountync.gov.

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday January 2 – January 31, 2026 *Closed January 19 for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day* Clinton Swaringen, Tax Administrator Tina Howell, Personal Property Supervisor

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

OBITUARIES IN MEMORY

BRENDA KIKER ROBERSON OCT. 17, 1950 – DEC. 11, 2025

May Tho July 3, 1948 – Dec. 6, 2025 May Tho, 77, of Norwood, North Carolina peacefully passed away on Saturday, December 06, 2025, comfortably and surrounded by her loved ones at her home.

Born on July 3, 1948, in Laos, May was the cherished daughter of the late Faiv Ntaj Thoj and Maiv Kawm Muas. A devoted mother and loving wife, she lived her life with quiet strength, diligence, and purpose. She found joy in the simple things—sewing with patience and care, and tending her garden with a passion that reflected the beauty of her spirit.

May will be remembered as one of the most loving women many ever had the blessing to know— caring, humble, and deeply Christcentered. Her gentle heart set an example for everyone around her.

Family was her greatest treasure.

Nothing brought her more joy than gathering her loved ones close, seeing them happy, and creating a home filled with warmth and unity.

A gifted cook with gracious hospitality, May welcomed everyone with open arms and a warm meal waiting. She made sure no one ever left her table without a full belly and a sense of belonging.

She had an extraordinary ability to turn ordinary moments into meaningful ones; her days were shaped by purpose, kindness, and a loving heart.

May is survived by her devoted husband, Nhia Vue Vangkhue Lee, and their children: Sons: Chue Nhia Lee, Vam Kawv Lee, Tou Neng Lee, Toua Lee, Max Lee Daughters: Deu Lee, Nkauj Aib Lee, Mary Lee, Sunshine Lee, Jannett Lee She also leaves behind her daughters-in-law (Kia Vue, Xee Thao, Chia Vang, Mai Vang) and sons-in-law (Yias Yaj, Joe Moua, Jay Hughes, Va Nou Xiong, Dustin Vang). Her rich legacy continues through her 64 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

[Dancing in heaven together: Zoo Lee(Son), Damian Lee(Grandson)] May’s family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to the caregivers and hospice nurses who assisted her. A very special thanks to Ellen for her compassionate and constant support.

May’s legacy is one of unwavering devotion, generosity, and tireless love—a life lived faithfully, fully, and always in service to others. Her memory will forever continue to inspire those who were blessed to know her.

Funeral services will be held at: Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle: Friday, January 2, 2026, from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Albemarle: Saturday, January 3, 2026, from 9:00 AM until 11:30 AM Following the service on Saturday, May will be laid to rest at Stanly Gardens of Memory.

Terry Hunsucker Burleson Feb. 27, 1949 – Dec. 12, 2025 Terry Hunsucker Burleson, age 76, of Richfield, NC, passed away on December 12, 2025, at home, surrounded by her loving family. Terry was born on February 27, 1949, in Albemarle, NC, to the Rev. Lloyd G. Hunsucker and Bobbie Easley Hunsucker. She was preceded in death by her parents. Terry married Ronald Thurman Burleson at Pfeiffer Chapel on December 27, 1970.

In addition to her husband, Terry is survived by her two children, Ashley Burleson and husband Scott Nahrgang of Arlington, VA, and Andrew Burleson and wife Ashley of New London, NC. She cherished her three grandchildren—Georgia, Michael, and Matthew Burleson—deeply, finding immense joy and pride in each of them and treasuring every moment she spent watching them grow. Terry also leaves behind her sister, Kelley Hunsucker Rowland (Lewis), of High Point, NC. Terry was a faithful member of New Mount Tabor United Methodist Church in Richfield, NC, for over 50 years. She was involved in many aspects of the church, serving as Sunday school teacher, youth leader, and choir member. Terry graduated with honors from Pfeiffer University in 1971, earning a degree in English. She studied to be an educator and taught three generations of English students at Albemarle High School. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, an international honorary organization for women educators. Terry loved teaching, and expected excellence from her students throughout a career spanning more than 42 years at Albemarle High School, Gray Stone Day School, and Christ the King Christian Academy. Terry loved traveling, leading groups of high school students and community members on more than a dozen summer trips across Europe. She and Ronnie traveled across the country and internationally to visit Ashley and Scott. Terry was an enthusiastic reader with a deep love of books, and was equally known for the joy she took in giving meaningful gifts. She positively impacted the lives of thousands of students, who fondly remember the energy and passion she brought to teaching mythology, the Holocaust, and Shakespeare.

Terry’s family would like to thank the caregivers and hospice nurses who assisted her. A special thank you to Sarah Lawhon, Teresa Helms, and Hannah Leonard, who were compassionate and wonderful caregivers for Terry. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral Home in Albemarle, NC, from 5-7pm on January 3, 2026, and hold a celebration of life at New Mount Tabor United Methodist Church in Richfield, NC, at 2pm on January 4, 2026. To honor Terry’s memory, the family invites those who wish to make a donation to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) or St. Jude’s Children Hospital in lieu of flowers.

- UMCOR/Global Ministries, GPO, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068 - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105

Myrl Caroline Lackey Smith Oct. 12, 1937 – Dec. 11, 2025 Myrl Caroline Lackey Smith, 88, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2025.

Her funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday at Badin Presbyterian Church, where Rev. Dan Wray will officiate. Burial will follow in Stanly Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM, prior to the service.

Born October 12, 1937, in Stanly County, NC, Myrl was the daughter of the late Olney Lackey and Cora Alice Martin Lackey. She enjoyed a long and dedicated career as an accountant with Coca-Cola, faithfully serving the company for 39 years. A lifelong member of Badin Presbyterian Church, she shared her musical gifts as the church organist for nearly 60 years-an offering of service that brought joy and comfort to generations of worshippers.

Myrl will be remembered as a faithful and Godly woman whose life reflected kindness, forgiveness, and steadfast love. She was a devoted wife and mother, and her favorite scripture, John 3:16, guided her life and testimony.

Her gentle spirit and unwavering dedication to her family and her church will continue to inspire all who knew her.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Jimmy Lee Smith; her sons Ronnie Lynn Smith of New London and Derrick Tracy Smith of Matthews; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Badin Presbyterian Church, PO Box 776, Badin, NC 28009.

Jean Carroll Belk Aug. 25, 1967 – Dec. 5, 2025 Jean Carroll Belk, 58, of Lexington, passed away on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Jeannie was born in Albemarle on August 25, 1967, to Robert Dean and Jean Forbes Carroll. She attended Albemarle Senior High School and Appalachian State University.

Jeannie was presented at the 1986 North Carolina State Debutante Ball. A loving wife and mother with a deep dedication to her community, Jeannie was an active member of the Charity League of Lexington and First Baptist Church, where she was instrumental in forming the Family Matters Sunday School Class. She also served as Athletic Director at Davidson Academy; there, she coached for many years and founded both the first youth soccer program and the British Soccer Camp.

Jeannie was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Faith Anne Morgan. Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband, Brad Belk; daughters, Caroline (Joe) and Meredith Belk; brother, Dean Carroll; nephews, Drew Morgan (Katerina), Robert Carroll, Emerson and Montgomery Belk; niece, Faith Morgan; cousins, Julie Lewis and Anne Harrington; in-laws, Lynda and Fred Belk; and brother and sister-inlaw, Brian and Heather Belk.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Lexington, with the Rev. Dr. Ray Howell, III officiating.

The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made to Hospice, Charity League of Lexington, or First Baptist Church in Lexington.

Brenda Kiker Roberson, 75, of Albemarle, peacefully went home to be with the Lord, surrounded by her loving family, on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

Brenda was born on October 17, 1950, in Albemarle to the late Harvey Pierce Kiker and the late Lena Mae Harvell Kiker. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Loyde Kiker; her sister, Linda Kiker Shaffer; and her beloved furbaby, MoJo. Brenda loved oil painting and traveling with Joe. She was a devoted Christian and loved her church, Albemarle Wesleyan. Most of all, Brenda dearly loved her family.

Survivors include beloved husband of 50 years, Joe Roberson; son, Dale Roberson and wife, Diane; sister, Clair Bean and husband, Steve; sister, Elaine Efird; granddaughter, Banner Smith; great-grandchildren, Jacob Jordan, Olivia Hegler and husband, Shea, and Nicolas Smith; great-great-grandson, Oliver Hegler; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Albemarle Wesleyan Church, 33713 Mann Rd, Albemarle. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m., officiated by Pastor James Valk. Burial will follow at Stanly Gardens of Memory, 2001 East Main St., Albemarle.

MARVIN “JOKER” MATTHEW STALLINGS DEC. 17, 1951 – DEC. 11, 2025 Marvin “Joker” Matthew Stallings, 73, of Midland, NC, passed away Thursday, December 11, 2025.

Joker was born on December 17, 1951, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, to the late Matthew Caleb Stallings and the late Beatrice Rainey Stallings.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Brooks Stallings; son, Phillip Stallings and wife Amy of China Grove, NC; son, Kevin Stallings and wife Lindsay of China Grove, NC; son, Matt Love and wife Susan of Kannapolis, NC; grandchildren, Carter Stallings, Lily Stallings, Mason Stallings, Ella Love, Caleb Love and Andrew Love; and his sister, Carolyn Allman.

Joker Stallings built a career defined by hard work, integrity, and a genuine desire to help others. Many remember him as a young man working at the Sunoco 66 service station in Concord, where his strong work ethic and friendly nature were evident even then. He later found his calling in the manufactured housing industry, a field in which he spent the bulk of his career and truly excelled. His dedication and skill led to numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years.

Joker started his career with Connor before opening Ridgewood Homes. In 1996, alongside his wife, Helen, he opened Stallings Homes in Kannapolis, where he proudly worked until his retirement in 2012. During this time, Joker also served on the North Carolina Manufactured Housing Board, offering valuable insight and expertise that helped shape the industry. Above all, he found a great fulfillment in helping families purchase homes, taking pride in guiding them toward a place they could truly call their own.

He lived life with a larger-than-life personality that could light up any room. Known for his love of speed and style, he had a lifelong passion for fast cars and took great pride in restoring old ones. He also enjoyed spending quiet time in the woods hunting. While his hobbies brought him joy, nothing mattered more to him than his family. They were the center of his world, and his greatest pride and joy were his grandchildren, who brought him endless happiness and countless smiles.

Joker cherished time spent at the beach, where the sound of the waves and the open sky brought him peace.

He also loved reminiscing about his younger years, especially the weekends spent at Frye’s Skating Rink, where he made lasting memories laughing, skating, and enjoying life with close friends. He will be remembered for his big heart, his infectious enthusiasm, and the deep love he shared with everyone fortunate enough to know him.

The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m., Monday, December 15, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord, 460 Branchview Dr. NE, Concord, NC. The funeral service will be on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord, officiated by Pastor Benny Creed.

BONNIE AYCOCK ALDRIDGE SEPT. 25, 1944 – DEC. 12, 2025 Bonnie Aycock Aldridge, 81, of Norwood, died Friday afternoon, December 12, 2025, at CMC Main in Charlotte.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Gleaning Mission Church in Oakboro. Pastor Steve Barbee and Rev. J.R. Murr will officiate and interment will follow in Norview Gardens.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Bonnie was born September 25, 1944, in Stanly County to the late Arthur and Hazel Ussery Aycock.

She was a 1962 graduate of Norwood High School and was a retiree of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Independent Living Division. She was a member of Gleaning Mission Church in Oakboro.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry “Buddy” Aldridge, of the Home. One son, Ronny Aldridge (Bonnie) of Oakboro, and one daughter, Nancy Aldridge Murr (J. R.) of Norwood. Two brothers, Barry Aycock (Nancy) of Jacksonville, Fla. and John Aycock (Marie) of Goodyear, AZ. Four granddaughters, Kristen Gregory (Bill), Janna Johnson (Timothy), Francine Thompson (Jake) and Faith Carpenter (Matt). Four great-grandchildren, Thaddeus, Nathaniel, Elias and Lilly.

Memorials may be made to Gleaning Mission Church, 21413 E. 8th Street, Oakboro, NC 28129.

STANLY SPORTS South Stanly girls notch third win of season The Rowdy Rebel Bulls were 1-20 last season

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal NORWOOD — Coming off back-to-back one-win campaigns, the South Stanly girls’ basketball team has already tripled its previous win total from last season.

The Rowdy Rebel Bulls (3-3) captured their first road win of the year Dec. 11 with a 54-10 blowout victory over the South Davidson Wildcats (0-5) in Denton.

After double-digit losses to

West Stanly and Mount Pleasant in the week prior, the Bulls were able to get back on track.

South Stanly jumped to a 16-2 lead that the Bulls expanded to 30-2 by halftime. The Wildcats then trailed 43-5 by the end of the third quarter before the Bulls tacked on 11 more points for their 44-point victory — easily their largest win of the 2025-26 season.

Senior Briley Page led the Bulls with 17 points, while senior Ashelyn Tucker added 10.

Junior Kanija Colson made an impact with 16 points but was just as effective on the glass with a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Bulls are set to host

South Rowan on Friday for their last game of 2025. South Stanly will kick off the new year with a game at Albemarle on Jan. 6.

North Stanly 51, West Davidson 48 With a three-point win at West Davidson on Dec. 10, the undefeated North Stanly Comets (7-0) stayed perfect in their closest finish of the season as they outlasted the Dragons (2-4). The Comets held a 36-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter before West Davidson climbed back into contention.

The Comets, who have already eclipsed more than half

their win total from last season, will play host GCAA on Thursday and Uwharrie Charter Academy on Friday.

West Stanly 60, CATA 26 The West Stanly Colts (4-3, 1-0 Rocky River Conference) have won four of their last five games after a 60-26 home victory over the CATA Cougars (1-7, 0-1 RRC) on Friday, when the Colts piled up 20 first-quarter points in their first conference matchup.

West Stanly is scheduled to travel to Parkwood on Friday to challenge a Wolfpack squad (5-3, 0-1 RRC) that opened league play with a loss at Forest Hills.

Albemarle 60, Sun Valley 22 On Dec. 12, the Albemarle Bulldogs (4-4) put together their first consecutive wins of the season as they defeated

the Sun Valley Spartans (1-6) by 38 points at home. The Bulldogs had defeated Anson 41-5 on the road a week earlier.

Albemarle has no games scheduled until the last week of December, when the Bulldogs will square off with Parkwood (Dec. 27), Mount Pleasant (Dec. 29) and Jay M. Robinson (Dec. 30).

Gray Stone 34, CATA 26 Like the Bulldogs, the Gray Stone Knights (2-5) were also able to achieve back-to-back wins recently, defeating North Hills Christian 51-33 on Dec. 8 before beating CATA by eight points a day later. Both victories were on the Knights’ home court in Misenheimer.

Gray Stone will open Yadkin Valley Conference play on Jan. 6 as it hosts North Rowan. Last year’s Knights team finished 1-10 against its YVC opponents.

South Stanly’s Akerria Robinson goes up for a layup during the Bulls’ road game at South Davidson on Dec. 11.

COURTESY NFHS NETWORK

Pfeiffer women enter holiday break atop USA South standings The Falcons are 4-0 against their conference opponents

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — Seeking its first winning season in seven years, the Pfeiffer women’s basketball team is now heading into a three-week holiday break atop the USA South Athletic Conference standings.

The Falcons (6-3 overall, 4-0 USA South) have opened league play with four straight victories, building early momentum in their bid to surpass last season’s 11-13 finish and fifth-place conference standing.

Pfeiffer’s most recent conference win came Dec. 6 on the road at N.C. Wesleyan, where the Falcons logged a 52-48 victory behind a dominant effort in the paint. Pfeiffer outscored the Battling Bishops 38-18 inside and forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 19 points.

The Falcons led 30-24 at halftime and held off a fourth-quarter rally to remain unbeaten in the USA South.

Five days later, Pfeiffer closed out its 2025 calendar slate with a nonconference matchup at Guilford College in Greensboro. The Falcons kept the game close through three quarters before the Quakers pulled away for a 70-52 win, ending Pfeiffer’s four-game winning streak but not its perfect conference record.

The Falcons now have USA South wins over Greensboro, Salem, Meredith and N.C. Wesleyan.

As the new year approaches, Pfeiffer shares the top spot in

COURTESY PFEIFFER ATHLETICS

Pfeiffer’s bench celebrates during a home win at Merner Gym in Misenheimer. the USA South standings with William Peace (6-3, 3-0) and Southern Virginia (3-3, 2-0), the league’s only other unbeaten teams in conference play.

The Falcons entered the season picked fifth in the USA South Coaches’ Preseason Poll, earning 52 points behind

Southern Virginia (81), Brevard (69), N.C. Wesleyan (64) and Methodist (59).

On the court, Pfeiffer’s offense has been anchored by a consistent trio of double-figure scorers. Sophomore guard Ava Hairston leads the way at 13.8 points per game, while juniors

Miya Horton (11.3) and Lettie Michael (11.0) provide balanced scoring support.

Graduate forward Nyree Bell, Horton and junior guard Lola Cabaniss-Ali pace the Falcons on the boards, each averaging at least five rebounds per contest.

After the holiday break, Pfeiffer will return to action with back-to-back conference road games — Methodist (Jan. 3) and Meredith (Jan. 6) — before hosting Christopher Newport on Jan. 8 in a nonconference matchup as the Falcons’ first home contest of 2026.

B2

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Rivers emotional after nearly leading Colts to win in return: ‘There is doubt, and it’s real’ The former Wolfpack quarterback returned to the NFL after five years of retirement The Associated Press SEATTLE — Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons, or the young men he has coached, that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44.

“There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers said, choking up briefly. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.”

Rivers ended a nearly five-year retirement to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and played efficient football for the desperate Colts, who turned to the future Hall of Famer after Daniel Jones was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

He threw a touchdown pass in the first half, played mostly mistake-free and moved the Colts into position for Blake Grupe’s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds left. But Jason Myers responded with a 56-yarder that gave the Seahawks an 18-16 victory.

It was a remarkable day for a grandfather who’s spent the past few years coaching high school football in his native Alabama.

Rivers took a few hard hits from the Seahawks’ stout defense, and he even enjoyed them.

“I never minded that part of it,” Rivers said. “My wife always tells me I’m crazy because there’s been times in the last three or four years I said, ‘I wish I could just throw one and get hit — hard.’”

This wasn’t a novelty act, as it may have seemed when the Colts signed the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist to their practice squad less than a week ago. Coach Shane Steichen’s Colts, who began the season 7-1 but are trying to stop a second-half collapse, knew what they were getting out of the veteran.

Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with the pick coming on his final pass as he tried to force the ball down the field in the closing seconds.

“I was just thankful — grateful — that I was out

there,” Rivers said. “And it was a blast — it was a blast — but obviously the emotions now are disappointment. This isn’t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.”

The Colts (8-6) have dropped four straight and five of six, and they are outside the AFC playoff picture with three games left. They trail both Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

Steichen called a conservative game, relying on running the ball and controlling the clock. Rivers threw mostly short passes to the outside, checkdowns and screens.

“He went out there and gave us a chance to win it,” Steichen said.

Rivers took two sacks, and he showed his age on the first one. He stumbled while evading pressure from Boye Mafe, got up, then fell again.

Rivers pumped his right fist and let out a roar after throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 1:33 remaining in the first half to put the Colts up 13-3.

It was Rivers’ first touchdown pass since he threw a 27-yarder to Jack Doyle in the Colts’ 27-24 loss to Buffalo in a wild-card playoff game on Jan. 9, 2021. He also became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass at age 44 or older, joining Tom Brady, George Blanda, Steve DeBerg and Vinny Testaverde.

“It’s been 1,800 days since I’ve thrown a touchdown — or interception for that matter.

So we have both those (boxes) checked,” Rivers said.

Rivers was chosen last month as one of 26 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 but will now have his eligibility delayed.

A player must be out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.

He ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in wins, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.

Since his retirement, he’s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where the team held a watch party on Sunday. Rivers’ players were on his mind as he returned to the NFL. “Maybe it will inspire or teach not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said.

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B3

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

North Stanly boys, girls still unbeaten SOUTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL

NORTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

1-5, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley 2A/3A (17-9 last year)

7-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (13-13 last year)

Last week’s scores:

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 67-31 at Mount Pleasant • Won 66-32 at South Davidson

• Won 62-58 at West Stanly • Won 51-48 at West Davidson

This week’s schedule: • Dec. 19 vs. South Rowan

Dec. 18 vs. Greater Cabarrus Dec. 19 vs. Uwharrie Charter

Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, left, shoots against the Washington Mystics.

SOUTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

ALBEMARLE BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Clark, Bueckers, Reese bring youth movement to USA Basketball camp

3-3, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley 2A/3A (1-20 last year)

2-6, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (2-21 last year)

Last week’s scores:

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 9 58-46 at Mount Pleasant • Won 54-10 at South Davidson

• Lost 72-57 vs. Sun Valley

This week’s schedule:

ALBEMARLE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

The women’s national team holds camp at Duke

By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press DURHAM — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years, and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them, and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth play-

“I think we really bring out the best of each other. I think that’s what USA Basketball does.”

Paige Bueckers ers in the past to describe their high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships.

Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge. Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so

This week’s schedule: • No games scheduled

• Dec. 19 vs. South Rowan

many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other, and it’s more comfortable that way, too.

We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expectations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest?

What is it to be on this team?

Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said.

“For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

This week’s schedule:

4-4, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (25-5 last year)

WEST STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL 4-3, 1-0 in Rocky River 4A/5A (10-15 last year)

Last week’s scores:

Last week’s scores:

This week’s schedule:

• Lost 59-42 vs. North Stanly • Won 58-56 vs.

Central Academy This week’s schedule:

• Won 60-22 vs. Sun Valley

• No games scheduled GRAY STONE DAY BASKETBALL

Dec. 19 at Parkwood

0-8, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (3-17 last year)

WEST STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Last week’s scores:

4-3, 1-0 in Rocky River 4A/5A (14-12 last year)

• Lost 69-39 vs. Central Academy • Lost 61-23 at Christ the King

Last week’s scores:

This week’s schedule:

• Lost 62-58 vs. North Stanly • Won 60-26 vs.

Central Academy This week’s schedule: • Dec. 19 at Parkwood

• Dec. 15 vs. Bethany Community • Dec. 20 at Central GRAY STONE DAY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL 2-5, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (2-17 last year)

NORTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL 6-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (22-7 last year) Last week’s scores: • Won 59-42 at West Stanly • Won 55-38 at West Davidson • Won 58-24 vs. Math and Science of Charlotte This week’s schedule: • Dec. 18 vs. Greater Cabarrus • Dec. 19 vs. Uwharrie Charter

Last week’s scores: • Lost 45-33 at Central Academy • Lost 41-33 at Christ the King • Lost 34-26 vs.

Central Academy This week’s schedule: • Dec. 15 vs. Bethany Community

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

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NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000640-830 Having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Laceta Faye Smith deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Laceta Faye Smith to present them to the undersigned on or before March 18, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 17th day of December, 2025 Jeffrey Allan Smith 365 Montego Lane Salisbury, NC 28144 Administrator

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000629-830 Having qualified as Co-Administrators of the estate of Vann Burleson, Jr. deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Vann Burleson, Jr. to present them to the undersigned on or before March 11, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 10th day of December, 2025 Amy Whitley 12827 Swaringen Road Norwood, NC 28128 Co-Administrator Laura Curcio 1919 Palmetto Drive Apt. C Albemarle, NC 28001 Co-Administrator

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, STANLY COUNTY In the District Court Division COURTNEY LEDFORD, Plaintiff, Vs. JOSE LUJANO, Defendant.

TO: COURTNEY LEDFORD, PLAINTIFF: TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you was filed June 26, 2025 in Stanly County, North Carolina in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: MOTION TO MODIFY CUSTODY ORDER (19CVD000376-830) You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than March 2, 2026 to the Stanly County Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 668, Albemarle, NC 28002, Attn: Civil Division and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought on the next hearing date of March 9, 2026 at 9:30am.

This the 17th of December, 2025.

PARNELL AND SCALES, PLLC Andrew T. Scales Attorney for Defendant P.O. Box 2300 Albemarle, NC 28002

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PUBLISH: December 17, 2025, December 24, 2025 and December 31, 2025

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000599-830 Having qualified as Administratrix of the estate of Rebecca Lee Thorne deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Rebecca Lee Thorne to present them to the undersigned on or before March 11, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 10th day of December, 2025 Shirley Horvath Garrett 49403 Deer Run Road Norwood, NC 28128

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000591-830 Having qualified as Executrix of the estate of Ann Green Mundy deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Ann Green Mundy to present them to the undersigned on or before February 27, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 26th day of November, 2025 Donna P. Shaver 41350 Cotton Tree Lane New London, NC 28127

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000582-830 Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Franklin D. Parker deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Franklin D. Parker to present them to the undersigned on or before March 11, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This 10th day of December, 2025 Beth Parker Thompson 332 Spring Street New London, NC 28127 Executor

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000498-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administator Of the estate of Kathleen Mary Francis, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Kathleen Mary Francis to present them to the undersigned on or before March 17, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 17th day of December, 2025.

Charles W. Parnell, Jr. P.O. Box 2300 Albemarle, NC 28002 Publish: December 17, 2025, December 24, 2025, December 31, 2025, and January 7, 2026.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Pursuant to Section 143-129 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, sealed bids for “Apron & Taxilane Pavement Rehabilitation” at the Stanly County Airport will be received by the Stanly County Airport Authority in the Conference Room of the Airport Terminal Building, 43222 Lowder Aviation Parkway, New London, North Carolina 28127 until 2:00 P.M. (local time) Thursday, January 22, 2026. Immediately thereafter, the bids will be publicly opened and read in the Conference Room.

All Contractors are hereby notified that they shall have proper Contractor’s licenses as required by the state laws governing their respective trade in the state where this Project is located.

Bidding Documents may be examined in the Conference Room of the Airport Terminal Building and Plan Rooms as follows: Richa Graphics – www.richa.com Dodge Data & Analytics – www. construction.com Construct Connect/iSqFt – www.iSqFt. com A pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. (local time) in the Conference Room of the Airport Terminal Building, located at the Stanly County Airport located at 43222 Lowder Aviation Parkway, New London, North Carolina 28127.

Bidders may obtain a complete set of bidding documents from Richa Graphics, 704-331-9744, 800 North College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28206. All bid documents including addendum(s) are non-refundable. Contact Richa Graphics for document and shipping costs. Please note: Richa Graphics is the official Plan Room provider. Bidders must be listed on the plan holder’s list held by Richa Graphics in order to receive any Bid Documents.

Each bid must be accompanied by a Bid Bond or by a certified check payable to Stanly County Airport Authority, New London, North Carolina, and drawn on some bank or trust company authorized to do business in the State of North Carolina, for an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the bid amount.

No bid may be withdrawn for a period of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the closing time for the receipt of bids. The Stanly County Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any and all technical defects in the execution of the submission of any bid.

Envelopes containing proposals must be sealed and addressed to Mr. Randy Shank, Airport Director, Stanly County Airport, 43222 Lowder Aviation Parkway, New London, North Carolina 28127. Envelopes must be marked as follows: “Apron & Taxilane Pavement Rehabilitation,” Contractor’s name, address, and license number listed on the envelope.

Randy Shank Stanly County Airport Director

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

B5

the stream

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Walton Goggins, left, and Justin Theroux arrive at the premiere return for a second season of “Fallout” on Prime Video.

‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Him,’ Peter Criss, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Riz Ahmed Hugh Bonneville narrates the endangered species documentary “Born to be Wild” The Associated Press MARLON WAYANS starring in the Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 featuring Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll and Olivia Dean are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week: a second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video, Season 5 of “Emily in Paris” drops on Netflix and Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

MOVIES TO STREAM The Peele-produced “Him” (Dec. 19 on Peacock) takes the hard knocks of the gridiron to bloody extremes. It stars Tyriq Withers as an up-and-coming quarterback whose mentorship with the veteran champ (Marlon Wayans) grows increasingly dark and surreal. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that “Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

In David Mackenzie’s “Relay,” Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who runs a covert service that brokers deals between corrupt companies and potential threats. To preserve anonymity, he uses a “relay” telephone service, usually for deaf or speech-impaired people, to disguise identities.

This nifty thriller streams Friday on Netflix after a late-summer theatrical release. Co-starring Lily James and Sam Worthington.

For a particularly seductive December, you can spend your holidays with Wong Kar-wai.

The Criterion Channel is host-

GIULIA PARMIGIANI / NETFLIX VIA AP

UNIVERSAL PICTURES VIA AP

Left, Lily Collins stars in “Emily in Paris,” which is back for a fifth season on Netflix. Right, Marlon Wayans plays a veteran football champion in the Jordan Peele-produced “Him.”

“Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

SERIES TO STREAM

Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer ing many of the Hong Kong filmmaker’s finest films, including “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love,” as well as his first TV series, “Blossoms Shanghai.” A hit in China, the 30-part series is set amid the 1990s opening of the Chinese economy and the relaunch of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. New episodes debut every Monday.

MUSIC TO STREAM Alex Warren. BigXthaPlug.

Conan Gray. Ed Sheeran. Jelly Roll. Jessie Murph. The Kid LAROI. Laufey. Mgk. Monsta X. Myles Smith. Nelly. Oliv-

drummer and founding member who left and rejoined the group on a number of occasions — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

ia Dean. Ravyn Lenae. Reneé Rapp. Shinedown. Zara Larsson. What do all these popular artists have in common? They’re performing at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour! ABC’s iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 holiday special — made up of a few tour stops — will become available to stream on Hulu Thursday. It’s all the fun of a star-studded pop concert from the comfort of your couch.

In 2023, glam rockers Kiss said its goodbyes for one final performance at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

But that doesn’t mean their musical story ended there. On Friday, Peter Criss — Kiss’ original

A second season of “Fallout” is now streaming on Prime Video. Based on a hugely popular video game, it’s a postapocalyptic series set two centuries after a nuclear war destroyed modern civilization. In Season 2, Justin Theroux, Macaulay Culkin and Kumail Nanjiani join a cast that includes Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.

Emily, of “Emily in Paris,” is still living la dolce vita in Rome when Season 5 drops Thursday. The Darren Starr-created show follows the adventures of an American expat played by Lily Collins.

A new documentary series called “Born to be Wild” fol-

lows six endangered baby animals that were orphaned or born as part of conservation programs. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, it streams on Apple TV beginning Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The video game business has wrapped up its big-release schedule for the holidays, so now is a good time to catch up on titles you may have missed — or started and didn’t have time to finish. It has been a solid year for role-playing games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2 leading The Associated Press’ top 10 list. If you’re in the mood for a trip to Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yōtei both offer sprawling open-world journeys with RPG elements.

Check out the rest of our top 10 for more ways to keep your game device of choice humming past New Year’s Day.

B6

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

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THE FORSYTH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

A Kernersville Christmas Crowds line East Mountain Street in Kernersville as floats pass during the town’s annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 7.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Commissioners to hold monthly evening meetings

Big retailers didn’t pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after recall, FDA says

Don Martin, Gloria Whisenhunt reelected as chair and vice chair, respectively

The FDA sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves. The FDA sent letters posted Monday to leaders at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons, saying the companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks despite a Nov. 11 recall of all products.

The formula is linked to an outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened more than 50 babies in 19 states.

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified. The U.S. Army named 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. The gunman was killed.

$2.00

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald WINSTON-SALEM — The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners met Dec. 4 for its regular business meeting, which dealt primarily with organizational business.

The board kicked off the meeting by reelecting both Don Martin as board chair and Gloria Whisenhunt as vice chair.

The board then voted 5-2 to update its meeting schedule for the upcoming year, moving

to have one evening meeting a month.

“I really don’t see a single, compelling reason why we shouldn’t just have a monthly evening meeting,” said Commissioner Dan Besse. “It’s simple, it’s predictable, the public knows what to expect, and most local governments in North Carolina do this.”

Previously, the board held one evening meeting every quarter.

While Commissioner Richard Linville was one of the supporting votes to change the schedule, he did threaten to bring the decision back up should public comment decorum continue to be what he described as “poor.”

Commissioners Martin and Whisenhunt, who put forth a substitute motion to remove all evening meetings outside of those pertaining to the budget or rezoning cases, voted against the motion.

“I think technology has changed the way citizens communicate with public officials,” Martin said. “I think email is a very preferred form of that communication. Those are very helpful to me. In my experience, there has never been anything presented at a meeting that I have not already heard in an email.”

Finally, the board also approved three contractual items, including a contract with MES Life Safety just under $370,000

“I really don’t see a single, compelling reason why we shouldn’t just have a monthly evening meeting.”

Commissioner Dan Besse

for the replacement of turnout gear for Forsyth County EMS. The second contract was with Nashville Automotive for the purchase of three new 2026 Chevrolet 2500 crew cab trucks at a cost of just over $150,000 for county general services, fire services and the Sheriff’s Office.

The third contract was with MWM Construction for around $1.1 million for the Piedmont Propulsion Structural Infill Project.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will next meet Dec. 18

11 firefighters injured in Salisbury after explosion during house fire None of the injuries were considered life-threatening The Associated Press SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation following the fire Monday evening. Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and

couldn’t confirm whether they were in the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

WSOC VIA AP

Thirteen people were injured in an explosion at a house in Salisbury on Monday.

A2

Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

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President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in March 2010.

Then-Vice President Joe Biden dropped a famous obscenity during a hot mic moment at the event.

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 NSJONLINE.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

WTF? Embracing profanity is one thing both political parties seem to agree on We’ve come a long way since Joe Biden’s “This is a big f---ing deal”

By Steven Sloan The Associated Press

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As he shook President Barack Obama’s hand and pulled him in for what he thought was a private aside, Vice President Joe Biden delivered an explicit message: “This is a big f---ing deal.” The remark, overheard on live microphones at a 2010 ceremony for the Affordable Care Act, caused a sensation because open profanity from a national leader was unusual at the time.

More than 15 years later, vulgarity is now in vogue.

During a political rally Tuesday night in Pennsylvania that was intended to focus on tackling inflation, President Donald Trump used profanity at least four times. At one point, he even admitted to disparaging Haiti and African nations as “sh--hole countries ” during a private 2018 meeting, a comment he denied at the time.

And before a bank of cameras during a lengthy Cabinet meeting last week, the Republican president referred to alleged drug smugglers as “sons of b----es.”

While the Biden incident was accidental, the frequency, sharpness and public nature of Trump’s comments are intentional. They build on his project to combat what he sees as pervasive political correctness.

Leaders in both parties are seemingly in a race now to the verbal gutter.

Vice President JD Vance called a podcast host a “dips--t” in September. In Thanksgiving remarks before troops, Vance joked that anyone who said they liked turkey was “full of s---.” After one National Guard member was killed in a shooting in Washington, D.C., last month and a second was critically injured, top Trump aide Steven Cheung told a reporter on social media to “shut the f--- up” when she wrote that the deployment of troops in the nation’s capital was “for political show.”

Among Democrats, former Vice President Kamala Harris earned a roar of approval from her audience in September when she condemned the Trump administration by saying “these motherf---ers are crazy.” After Trump called for the execution of several Democratic members of Congress

last month, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said it was time for people with influence to “pick a f---ing side.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the administration cannot “f--- around” with the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who on Monday announced her Senate campaign in Texas, did not hold back earlier this year when asked what she would tell Elon Musk if given the chance: “F--- off.”

The volley of vulgarities underscore an ever-coarsening political environment that often plays out on social media or other digital platforms where the posts or video clips that evoke the strongest emotions are rewarded with the most engagement.

“If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at the social media companies,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said Tuesday night at Washington National Cathedral, where he spoke at an event focused on political civility. “It’s not a fair fight. They’ve hijacked our brains. They understand these dopamine hits. Outrage sells.”

Cox, whose national profile rose after calling for civility in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination in his state, approved an overhaul of social media laws meant to protect children. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the state law.

Tough political talk nothing new Tough talk is nothing new in politics, but leaders long avoided flaunting it.

Recordings from Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, for instance, revealed a crude, profane side of his personality that was largely kept private. Republican Richard Nixon bemoaned the fact that the foul language he used in the Oval Office was captured on tape. “Since neither I nor most other Presidents had ever used profanity in public, millions were shocked,” Nixon wrote in his book “In the Arena.”

“Politicians have always sworn, just behind closed doors,” said Benjamin Bergen, a professor at the University of California-San Diego’s Department of Cognitive Science and the author of “What the F: What swearing reveals about our language, our brains, and ourselves.” “The big change is

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump has used profane language on occasion, including calling drug smugglers “sons of b----es” during a cabinet meeting last week and a widely reported comment where he referred to “sh--hole countries” during a meeting in 2018. in the past 10 years or so, it’s been much more public.”

As both parties prepare for the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential campaign, the question is whether this language will become increasingly mainstream. Republicans who simply try to imitate Trump’s brash style do not always succeed with voters.

Democrats who turn to vulgarities risk appearing inauthentic if their words feel forced.

For some politicians, it is just a distraction.

“It’s not necessary,” said GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring next year after winning five elections in one of the most competitive House districts. “If that’s what it takes to get your point across, you’re not a good communicator.”

Risks of overusing profanity There also is a risk that if such language becomes overused, its utility as a way to shock and connect with audiences could be dulled. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has talked about this problem, noting that he used swear words in his early routines but dropped them as his career progressed because he felt profanity yielded only cheap laughs.

“I felt like well I just got a laugh because I said f--- in there,” he said in a 2020 interview with a fellow comedian on the “WTF with Marc Maron Podcast.” “You didn’t find the gold.”

White House spokesperson Liz Huston said Trump

“doesn’t care about being politically correct, he cares about Making America Great Again.

The American people love how authentic, transparent, and effective the President is.”

But for Trump, the words that have generated the most controversy are often less centered in traditional profanity than slurs that can be interpreted as hurtful. The final weeks of his 2016 campaign were rocked when a tape emerged of him discussing grabbing women by their genitals, language he minimized as “locker room talk.” His “sh--hole” remark in 2018 was widely condemned as racist.

More recently, Trump called a female journalist “piggy,” comments that his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, defended as evidence of a president who is “very frank and honest.”

Trump’s use of a slur about disabled people prompted an Indiana Republican whose child has Down syndrome to come out in opposition to the president’s push to redraw the state’s congressional districts.

On rare occasions, politicians express contrition for their choice of words. In an interview with The Atlantic published last week, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) dismissed Harris’ depiction of him in her book about last year’s presidential campaign by saying she was “trying to sell books and cover her a--.”

He seemed to catch himself quickly.

“I shouldn’t say ‘cover her a--,” he said. “I think that’s not appropriate.”

A3

Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it. Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without

health insurance for longer than a year.

This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-theone-hands, says that it could/might/may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose” Obamacare and that 45% would consider

taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis Electricity rates are rising.

Reliability is crumbling.

We know the cause.

OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis. No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit

utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL

customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

As gerrymandering battles sweep country, supporters say partisan dominance is ‘fair’ Both sides embrace gerrymandering when it’s convenient for them

“I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country.”

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WHEN INDIANA adopted new U.S. House districts four years ago, Republican legislative leaders lauded them as “fair maps” that reflected the state’s communities.

But when Gov. Mike Braun recently tried to redraw the lines to help Republicans gain more power, he implored lawmakers to “vote for fair maps.”

What changed? The definition of “fair.”

As states undertake mid-decade redistricting instigated by President Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats are using a tit-for-tat definition of fairness to justify districts that split communities in an attempt to send politically lopsided delegations to Congress. It is fair, they argue, because other states have done the same. And it is necessary, they claim, to maintain a partisan balance in the House of Representatives that resembles the national political divide.

This new vision for drawing congressional maps is creating a winner-take-all scenario that treats the House, traditionally a more diverse patchwork of politicians, like the Senate, where members reflect a state’s majority party. The result could be reduced power for minority communities, less attention to certain issues and fewer distinct voices heard in Washington.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky fears that unconstrained gerrymandering would put the United States on a perilous path if Democrats in states such as Texas and Republicans in states like California feel shut out of electoral politics. “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Although Indiana state senators rejected a new map backed

by Trump and Braun that could have helped Republicans win all nine of the state’s congressional seats, districts have already been redrawn in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Other states could consider changes before the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress.

“It’s a fundamental undermin-

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

congressional delegation for Republicans, Braun bemoaned that they had missed an “opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps.”

Disrupting an equilibrium

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Protesters are seen through a window in the Senate Chamber during dissuasion before a vote to redistrict Indiana’s congressional map last Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. ing of a key democratic condition,” said Wayne Fields, a retired English professor from Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on political rhetoric.

“The House is supposed to represent the people,” Fields added. “We gain an awful lot by having particular parts of the population heard.”

Redistricting is diluting community representation Under the Constitution, the Senate has two members from each state. The House has 435 seats divided among states based on population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative. In the current Congress, California has the most at 52, followed by Texas with 38.

Because senators are elected statewide, they are almost always political pairs of one party or another. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the only states now with both a Democrat and Republican in the Senate. Maine and Vermont each have one independent and one senator affiliated with a political party.

By contrast, most states elect a mixture of Democrats and Republicans to the House. That is because House districts, with an average of 761,000 residents, based on the 2020 census, are

more likely to reflect the varying partisan preferences of urban or rural voters, as well as different racial, ethnic and economic groups.

This year’s redistricting is diminishing those locally unique districts.

In California, voters in several rural counties that backed Trump were separated from similar rural areas and attached to a reshaped congressional district containing liberal coastal communities. In Missouri, Democratic-leaning voters in Kansas City were split from one main congressional district into three, with each revised district stretching deep into rural Republican areas.

Some residents complained their voices are getting drowned out. But Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Mike Kehoe, (R-Mo.) defended the gerrymandering as a means of countering other states and amplifying the voices of those aligned with the state’s majority.

All is “fair” in redistricting Indiana’s delegation in the U.S. House consists of seven Republicans and two Democrats — one representing Indianapolis and the other a suburban Chicago district in the state’s northwestern corner.

Dueling definitions of fairness were on display at the Indiana Capitol as lawmakers considered a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have split Indianapolis among four Republican-leaning districts and merged the Chicago suburbs with rural Republican areas. Opponents walked the halls in protest, carrying signs such as “I stand for fair maps!”

Ethan Hatcher, a talk radio host who said he votes for Republicans and Libertarians, denounced the redistricting plan as “a blatant power grab” that “compromises the principles of our Founding Fathers” by fracturing Democratic strongholds to dilute the voices of urban voters.

“It’s a calculated assault on fair representation,” Hatcher told a state Senate committee.

But others asserted it would be fair for Indiana Republicans to hold all of those House seats because Trump won the “solidly Republican state” by nearly three-fifths of the vote.

“Our current 7-2 congressional delegation doesn’t fully capture that strength,” resident Tracy Kissel said at a committee hearing. “We can create fairer, more competitive districts that align with how Hoosiers vote.”

When senators defeated a map designed to deliver a 9-0

By some national measurements, the U.S. House already is politically fair. The 220-215 majority that Republicans won over Democrats in the 2024 elections almost perfectly aligns with the share of the vote the two parties received in districts across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But that overall balance belies an imbalance that exists in many states. Even before this year’s redistricting, the number of states with congressional districts tilted toward one party or another was higher than at any point in at least a decade, the AP analysis found.

The partisan divisions have contributed to a “cutthroat political environment” that “drives the parties to extreme measures,” said Kent Syler, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

He noted that Republicans hold 88% of congressional seats in Tennessee, and Democrats have an equivalent in Maryland.

“Fairer redistricting would give people more of a feeling that they have a voice,” Syler said.

Rebekah Caruthers, who leads the Fair Elections Center, a nonprofit voting rights group, said there should be compact districts that allow communities of interest to elect the representatives of their choice, regardless of how that affects the national political balance. Gerrymandering districts to be dominated by a single party results in “an unfair disenfranchisement” of some voters, she said.

“Ultimately, this isn’t going to be good for democracy,” Caruthers said. “We need some type of détente.”

Egypt reveals restored colossal statues of pharaoh in Luxor They represent Amenhotep III, who ruled around 3,400 years ago

By Samy Magdy and Ahmed Hatem The Associated Press LUXOR, Egypt — Egypt on Sunday revealed the revamp of two colossal statues of a prominent pharaoh in the southern city of Luxor, the latest in the government’s archaeological events that aim at drawing more tourists to the country.

The giant alabaster statues, known as the Colossi of Memnon, were reassembled in a renovation project that lasted about two decades. They represent Amenhotep III, who ruled ancient Egypt about 3,400 years ago.

“Today we are celebrating, actually, the finishing and the erecting of these two colossal statues,” Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told The Associated Press ahead of the ceremony.

Ismail said the colossi are of great significance to Luxor, a city known for its ancient temples and other antiquities.

They’re also an attempt to “revive how this funerary temple

“(They’re an attempt to) revive how this funerary temple of king Amenhotep III looked like a long time ago.”

Mohamed Ismail, Supreme Council of Antiquities of king Amenhotep III looked like a long time ago,” Ismail said.

Amenhotep III, one of the most prominent pharaohs, ruled during the 500 years of the New Kingdom, which was the most prosperous time for ancient Egypt. The pharaoh, whose mummy is showcased at a Cairo museum, ruled between 1390–1353 BC, a peaceful period known for its prosperity and great construction, including his mortuary temple, where the Colossi of Memnon are located, and another temple, Soleb, in Nubia.

The colossi were toppled by a strong earthquake in about 1200 BC that also destroyed Amenhotep III’s funerary temple, said Ismail.

They were fragmented and partly quarried away, with

AMR NABIL / AP PHOTO

Visitors watch the two giant reassembled alabaster statues of Pharoah Amenhotep III in the southern city of Luxor, Egypt, on Sunday. their pedestals dispersed.

Some of their blocks were reused in the Karnak temple, but archaeologists brought them back to rebuild the colossi, according to the Antiquities Ministry.

In late 1990s, an Egyptian German mission, chaired by German Egyptologist Hourig Sourouzian, began working in the temple area, including the assembly and renovation of the colossi.

“This project has in mind … to save the last remains of a once-prestigious temple,” she said.

The statues show Amenhotep III seated with hands resting on his thighs, with their faces looking eastward toward the Nile and the rising sun. They wear the nemes headdress surmounted by the double crowns and the pleated royal kilt, which symbolizes the pharaoh’s divine rule.

Two other small statues on the pharaoh’s feet depict his wife, Tiye.

The colossi — 48 and 45 feet respectively — preside over the entrance of the king’s temple on the western bank of the Nile. The 86-acre complex is be-

lieved to be the largest and richest temple in Egypt and is usually compared to the temple of Karnak, also in Luxor.

The colossi were hewn in Egyptian alabaster from the quarries of Hatnub, in Middle Egypt. They were fixed on large pedestals with inscriptions showing the name of the temple, as well as the quarry.

Unlike other monumental sculptures of ancient Egypt, the colossi were partly compiled with pieces sculpted separately, which were fixed into each statue’s main monolithic alabaster core, the ministry said.

Forsyth SPORTS From hoops to oysters: Inside the unexpected second acts of WNBA stars Even all-stars and Hall of Famers need a second post-playing career

SPONSORED BY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lila Kelly

By Claire Savage and Brittany Peterson The Associated Press AFTER SEVEN DAYS of wind, the morning is finally calm enough on New York’s East Moriches Bay for Sue Wicks to jetty her boat to check on her oysters. Hundreds of cages pop out at odd angles from their lines, and a few float away.

The retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer admits that the aquaculture farm she started at age 50 can be anxiety-inducing and compares it to her time playing basketball.

“Some days you’re like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ You’re injured, you’re hurt, you are losing, things are going bad. And then the next day you go back and do it again because you love it,” she said.

Wicks, 59, has worked as a commentator, college basketball coach and at a fitness start-up since retiring from the WNBA in 2002, and says she feels lucky to again find a career “that works for my soul.” But the reality is that even a successful run as one of the world’s best basketball players didn’t earn her enough to fully retire.

Although the WNBA is bringing in more than ever from sponsors and ticket sales, many players still find themselves financially unsteady when the final whistle blows.

For 2009 second overall draft pick and 2015 WNBA All-Star Marissa Coleman, the main difference between post-playing careers between WNBA and NBA players is that “most NBA guys are sitting on tens, sometimes hundreds of million dollars.” And for those who are financially savvy, working after the game is “more so curing boredom versus a necessity.”

“Most women athletes across

YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO

Retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer Sue Wicks throws an anchor from her boat in Moriches Bay in New York. the board have to find a career after basketball out of necessity,” Coleman said.

When former Minnesota Lynx forward Devereaux Peters transitioned from basketball to real estate development in 2019, she said the hardest lesson was learning that working hard in her new career may not be enough to yield results quickly, or at all. After a tough game during her playing days, she could “go in the gym and shoot and work on my shot. And you’re going to see a result if you’re putting in the work.”

“That is not necessarily true in the real world,” said the 36-year-old. “You can put in a ton of work and do a lot right and not get anywhere.”

The shift away from basketball also came as a financial shock: “That transition was a little bit difficult in that I had to cut back significantly,” she said. “There was a lot of learning very quickly” given the “big gap in what I was making then and what I make now.”

For 38-year-old Coleman, the next phase of her career also unfolded far outside the paint.

Alongside former teammate Alana Beard, Coleman franchised a Mellow Mushroom — a psychedelic-themed pizza chain — in Roanoke, Virginia. She also chaired a campaign to le-

galize sports betting in Maryland and now leads strategy and growth for the VIP team at fantasy sports platform Underdog, with the aim of carving space for more women and people of color to access the industry.

“I knew from a very early age entrepreneurship and business were something that I was really, really passionate about,” Coleman said.

She added that she feels grateful to her parents for emphasizing the importance of education and long-term career planning. Thanks to their wisdom, she made sure to seek out mentors and explore industries that interested her throughout her basketball career.

“I knew I didn’t want to be one of those players that retired, and it was like, ‘Oh gosh, what now?’” Coleman said.

Many former athletes land in sports-related roles, such as coaching or sports broadcasting. But not all are surefooted in finding their next calling.

Despite her own post-WNBA success, Peters says players could use more guidance to help them understand how to plan, save and prepare for the future.

“The general lifespan of a basketball player is not long,” she said. “You have to be prepared to not be here tomorrow or the next year.”

COURTESY MAXPREPS

Forsyth Country Day, girls’ basketball Lila Kelly is a junior on the Forsyth Country Day girls’ basketball team.

The Furies are 8-4 on the season and won two of three last week. Kelly was the leading scorer in all three games.

In a two-point loss to Wesleyan Christian, Kelly scored 18 of the team’s 44 points, adding four rebounds and two blocks. In a win over TNIT, she scored 20 and had 10 boards. Her most impressive outing may have been against Charlotte Christian, when she scored 17 points in just 16 minutes, adding four blocked shots.

Rivers emotional after nearly leading Colts to win in return: ‘There is doubt, and it’s real’ The former Wolfpack quarterback returned to the NFL after five years of retirement

“The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ ”

The Associated Press SEATTLE — Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons, or the young men he has coached, that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44.

“There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers said, choking up briefly. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.”

Rivers ended a nearly five-year retirement to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and played efficient football for the desperate Colts, who turned to the future Hall of Famer after Daniel Jones was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

He threw a touchdown pass in the first half, played mostly mistake-free and moved the Colts into position for Blake Grupe’s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds left. But Jason Myers responded with a 56-yarder that gave the Seahawks an 18-16 victory.

It was a remarkable day for a grandfather who’s spent the past few years coaching high school football in his native Alabama.

Rivers took a few hard hits from the Seahawks’ stout defense, and he even enjoyed them.

“I never minded that part of it,” Rivers said. “My wife al-

Philip Rivers

STEPHEN BRASHEAR / AP PHOTO

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers celebrates a touchdown, his first in five years. ways tells me I’m crazy because there’s been times in the last three or four years I said, ‘I wish I could just throw one and get hit — hard.’”

This wasn’t a novelty act, as it may have seemed when the Colts signed the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist to their practice squad less than a week ago. Coach Shane Steichen’s Colts, who began the season 7-1 but are trying to stop a second-half collapse, knew what they were getting out of the veteran.

Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with the

pick coming on his final pass as he tried to force the ball down the field in the closing seconds.

“I was just thankful — grateful — that I was out there,” Rivers said. “And it was a blast — it was a blast — but obviously the emotions now are disappointment. This isn’t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.”

The Colts (8-6) have dropped four straight and five of six, and they are outside the AFC playoff picture with three games left.

They trail both Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

Steichen called a conser-

vative game, relying on running the ball and controlling the clock. Rivers threw mostly short passes to the outside, checkdowns and screens.

“He went out there and gave us a chance to win it,” Steichen said.

Rivers took two sacks, and he showed his age on the first one. He stumbled while evading pressure from Boye Mafe, got up, then fell again.

Rivers pumped his right fist and let out a roar after throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 1:33 remaining in the first half to put the Colts up 13-3.

It was Rivers’ first touchdown pass since he threw a 27-yarder to Jack Doyle in the Colts’ 27-24 loss to Buffalo in a wildcard playoff game on Jan. 9, 2021. He also became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass at age 44 or older, joining Tom Brady, George Blanda, Steve DeBerg and Vinny Testaverde.

“It’s been 1,800 days since I’ve thrown a touchdown — or interception for that matter.

So we have both those (boxes) checked,” Rivers said.

Rivers was chosen last month as one of 26 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 but will now have his eligibility delayed. A player must be out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.

He ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in wins, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.

Since his retirement, he’s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where the team held a watch party on Sunday.

Rivers’ players were on his mind as he returned to the NFL. “Maybe it will inspire or teach not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said.

the better pa ing to earn a stitutions,” U don’t know w now.”

The outbre for millions taking virtu while also d about tuition

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT NCAA FOOTBALL

4th-and-goal score leads No. 22 Navy to 17-16 win over Army Baltimore Navy beat Army for a second straight season.

Blake Horvath threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich with 6:32 remaining — on fourth-and-goal — and the 22nd-ranked Midshipmen rallied for a 17-16 win.

Horvath turned the ball over twice, and his fumble near the goal line nearly spoiled Navy’s key drive.

But Heidenreich fell on the ball, and Horvath found him when Navy gambled and went for it on fourth down.

NFL

NFL seeking practice squad officials, wants to base postseason assignments on performance The NFL is seeking to create a practice squad of officials and wants postseason assignments to be based on performance rather than seniority. Those were among the key points league executive Troy Vincent emphasized to owners. The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.

The current CBA expires on May 31, 2026. So far, discussions with the game officials’ union have been unsuccessful, according to a memo that was sent to teams.

TRACK & FIELD

Owing between $10M and $50M, Grand Slam Track files for bankruptcy; Johnson vows to press on Grand Slam Track, the league fronted by sprint great Michael Johnson that offered six-figure prize money for top runners, has filed for bankruptcy after canceling its final event and failing to pay athletes and vendors. Johnson boasted a $30 million bankroll at the outset, but in its Chapter 11 filing, the league said it had less than $50,000 cash on hand, between 200 and 999 creditors and owes between $10 million and $50 million.

“I refuse to give up on the mission of Grand Slam Track,” Johnson said.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Indiana’s Daley likely to miss playoffs after celebration injury Bloomington, Ind. Defensive end Stephen Daley is expected to miss the College Football Playoff after getting injured during No. 1 Indiana’s Big Ten championship celebration. A social media video showed Daley appearing to land awkwardly on his right leg while high-fiving fans moments after the Hoosiers completed a 13-10 victory over Ohio State to capture their first Big Ten title since 1967. Daley had 38 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 51⁄2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup this season, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors.

EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP PHOTO

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin pose with the trophy.

Mendoza wins Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player The IU quarterback won by more than 900 points

By Everett Merrill The Associated Press NEW YORK — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history, and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love

and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP. A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when

7

Heisman winners out of the last nine who transferred before their award-winning season the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” he said. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. “ Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” he said. “I had the opportunity to go there, and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza picked

up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night, while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years.

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement.

He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 touchdown passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

Clark, Bueckers, Reese bring youth movement to USA Basketball camp The women’s national team holds camp at Duke

“I think we really bring out the best of each other. I think that’s what USA Basketball does.”

By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press DURHAM — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years, and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them, and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their

Paige Bueckers

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, left, shoots against the Washington Mystics. high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won

gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge.

Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other, and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expec-

tations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest?

What is it to be on this team?

Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said.

“For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

B3

the stream

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Walton Goggins, left, and Justin Theroux arrive at the premiere return for a second season of “Fallout” on Prime Video.

‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Him,’ Peter Criss, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Riz Ahmed Hugh Bonneville narrates the endangered species documentary “Born to be Wild” The Associated Press MARLON WAYANS starring in the Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 featuring Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll and Olivia Dean are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week: a second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video, Season 5 of “Emily in Paris” drops on Netflix and Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

MOVIES TO STREAM The Peele-produced “Him” (Dec. 19 on Peacock) takes the hard knocks of the gridiron to bloody extremes. It stars Tyriq Withers as an up-and-coming quarterback whose mentorship with the veteran champ (Marlon Wayans) grows increasingly dark and surreal. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that “Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

In David Mackenzie’s “Relay,” Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who runs a covert service that brokers deals between corrupt companies and potential threats. To preserve anonymity, he uses a “relay” telephone service, usually for deaf or speech-impaired people, to disguise identities.

This nifty thriller streams Friday on Netflix after a late-summer theatrical release. Co-starring Lily James and Sam Worthington.

For a particularly seductive December, you can spend your holidays with Wong Kar-wai.

The Criterion Channel is host-

GIULIA PARMIGIANI / NETFLIX VIA AP

UNIVERSAL PICTURES VIA AP

Left, Lily Collins stars in “Emily in Paris,” which is back for a fifth season on Netflix. Right, Marlon Wayans plays a veteran football champion in the Jordan Peele-produced “Him.”

“Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

SERIES TO STREAM

Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer ing many of the Hong Kong filmmaker’s finest films, including “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love,” as well as his first TV series, “Blossoms Shanghai.” A hit in China, the 30-part series is set amid the 1990s opening of the Chinese economy and the relaunch of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. New episodes debut every Monday.

MUSIC TO STREAM Alex Warren. BigXthaPlug.

Conan Gray. Ed Sheeran. Jelly Roll. Jessie Murph. The Kid LAROI. Laufey. Mgk. Monsta X. Myles Smith. Nelly. Oliv-

drummer and founding member who left and rejoined the group on a number of occasions — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

ia Dean. Ravyn Lenae. Reneé Rapp. Shinedown. Zara Larsson. What do all these popular artists have in common? They’re performing at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour! ABC’s iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 holiday special — made up of a few tour stops — will become available to stream on Hulu Thursday. It’s all the fun of a star-studded pop concert from the comfort of your couch.

In 2023, glam rockers Kiss said its goodbyes for one final performance at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

But that doesn’t mean their musical story ended there. On Friday, Peter Criss — Kiss’ original

A second season of “Fallout” is now streaming on Prime Video. Based on a hugely popular video game, it’s a postapocalyptic series set two centuries after a nuclear war destroyed modern civilization. In Season 2, Justin Theroux, Macaulay Culkin and Kumail Nanjiani join a cast that includes Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.

Emily, of “Emily in Paris,” is still living la dolce vita in Rome when Season 5 drops Thursday. The Darren Starr-created show follows the adventures of an American expat played by Lily Collins.

A new documentary series called “Born to be Wild” fol-

lows six endangered baby animals that were orphaned or born as part of conservation programs. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, it streams on Apple TV beginning Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The video game business has wrapped up its big-release schedule for the holidays, so now is a good time to catch up on titles you may have missed — or started and didn’t have time to finish. It has been a solid year for role-playing games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2 leading The Associated Press’ top 10 list. If you’re in the mood for a trip to Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yōtei both offer sprawling open-world journeys with RPG elements.

Check out the rest of our top 10 for more ways to keep your game device of choice humming past New Year’s Day.

B4

Twin City Herald for Thursday, December 18, 2025

STATE & NATION

NASCAR settles federal antitrust case, gives all teams the permanent charters they wanted The surprise settlement came after days of brutal testimony

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood side by side on the steps of a federal courthouse as if they were old friends following a stunning settlement last Thursday of a bruising antitrust case in which the Basketball Hall of Famer was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing the top racing series in the United States of being a monopolistic bully.

The duo was flanked by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Jordan, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and more than a dozen lawyers as they celebrated the end to an eight-day trial that ultimately led NASCAR to cave and grant all its teams the permanent charters they wanted.

“Like two competitors, obviously we tried to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, towering over the 81-year-old France. “I’ve said this from Day 1: The only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point, unfortunately it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have gotten us to this point where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I am very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

France concurred.

“I do feel the same, and we can get back to focusing on what

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Michael Jordan, left, shakes hands with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman as NASCAR chairman Jim France, center, looks away outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte last Thursday. we really love, and that’s racing, and we spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we needed to be,” France said.

“I feel like we made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used in other sports, and in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams a spot in every top-level Cup Series race and a fixed portion of the revenue stream. The system was implemented in 2016, and teams have argued for over two years that the charters needed to be made permanent — they had been revokable by NASCAR — and the revenue sharing had to change.

NASCAR, founded and privately owned by the Florida-based France family, never considered making the charters permanent. Instead, after two-plus years of bitter negotiations, NASCAR in September 2024 presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer that gave teams until end

of that day to sign the 112-page document.

23XI and Front Row refused and sued, while 13 other organizations signed. But testimony in court revealed many did so “with a gun to our head” because the threat of losing the charters would have put them out of business.

Jordan testified early in the trial that as a new team owner to NASCAR — 23XI launched in 2021 — he felt he had the strength to challenge NASCAR. Eight days of testimony went badly for NASCAR, which when it began to present its case seemed focused more on mitigating damages than it did on proving it did not violate antitrust laws.

Although terms of the settlement were not released — NASCAR was in the process of scheduling a call last Thursday with all teams to discuss the revenue-sharing model moving forward — both Jordan and NASCAR said that charters will now be permanent for all teams.

23XI and Front Row will receive

their combined six charters back for 2026.

An economist previously testified that NASCAR owes 23XI and Front Row $364.7 million in damages, and that NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said from the front-row seat he’s occupied since the trial began Dec. 1 as he waited for the settlement announcement.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who had presided over two days of failed settlement talks before the trial began, echoed the sentiment. Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

The settlement came after two days of testimony by France and last Wednesday night’s public release of a letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris calling for NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps to be removed.

The discovery process revealed internal NASCAR communications in which Phelps called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress a “redneck” and other derogatory names; Bass Pro sponsors Childress’ teams, as well as some others, and Morris is an ardent NASCAR supporter.

Childress gave fiery testimony earlier this week over his reluctance to sign the charter agreement because it was unfair to the teams, which have been

bleeding money and begged NASCAR for concessions. Letters from Hall of Fame team owners Joe Gibbs, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Roger Penske were introduced in which they pleaded with France for charters to become permanent; France testified he was not moved by the men he considers good friends.

Hendrick and Penske, who were both scheduled to testify Friday, expressed gratitude that a settlement had been reached.

Penske called it “tremendous news” and said it cleared the way to continue growing the series.

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters — the future of our sport,” Hendrick said. “This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders. I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

The settlement came abruptly on the ninth day of the trial. Bell opened expecting to hear motions, but both sides asked for a private conference in chambers.

When they emerged, Bell ordered an hourlong break for the two sides to confer. That turned into two hours, all parties returned to the courtroom and Kessler announced an agreement had been reached.

“What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter and its possibilities are greater.”

4 charged with plotting New Year’s Eve attacks in Southern California The suspects are allegedly members of a pro-Palestian extremist group

By Christopher Weber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California, announcing the arrests of members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.

The four suspects were arrested last Friday as they were testing explosives in the desert east of Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the four suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table shortly before their arrests.

In the criminal complaint,

the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a pro-Palestinian group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Each faces charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, Essayli said, adding that additional charges were expected in coming weeks.

It wasn’t immediately clear if they had attorneys, and The Associated Press was unable to reach family members.

Essayli said Carroll last month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve and were trying to hit multiple companies. He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was ex-

plicit,” Essayli said. “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs ... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with explosive devices at multiple businesses that were set to blow up simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

Two of the group’s members also had discussed plans for future attacks, including targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026, according to the criminal complaint.

“Carroll stated that some of those plans would quote ‘take some of them out and scare the rest,’” Essayli said.

The plans were discussed both at an in-person meeting with members in Los Angeles and through an encrypted messaging app, Essayli said.

Evidence photos included in

the court documents show a desert campsite with what investigators said were bomb-making materials strewn across plastic folding tables.

The suspects “all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, including various sizes of PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, charcoal, charcoal powder, sulfur powder, and material to be used as fuses, among others,” the complaint states.

The plan stated that the backpacks would contain complex pipe bombs and included instructions on how to manufacture them and also how to avoid leaving evidence behind tracing anything back to the group, officials said. The suspects recently had acquired precursor chemicals and other items, they added.

Last week they were rehearsing their attack and testing devices in the desert near Twentynine Palms, California, before federal authorities moved in, officials said.

“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” he said.

Authorities issued search warrants and found posters for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at Carroll’s home that called for “Death to America,” and “Death to ICE,” Essayli said. In Page’s residence, police found a copy of the detailed bomb plan, he added.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they come together still to protect residents.

The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years.

“The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of our unified response,” McDonnell said.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident.

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025 | RANDOLPHRECORD.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 919-663-3232

Randolph record THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

A merry competition Christmas trees decorated by local families, schools and organizations are on display at Bicentennial Park in Asheboro for the 5th Annual Gifting Tree Project. The winner receives a donation to the nonprofit of their choice.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Big retailers didn’t pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after recall, FDA says The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves. The FDA sent letters posted Monday to leaders at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons, saying the companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks despite a Nov. 11 recall of all products.

The formula is linked to an outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened more than 50 babies in 19 states. All of the babies have been hospitalized and treated for the illness.

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified. The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. The gunman was killed.

$2.00

Area schools close to new deal regarding middle school sports The three county superintendents had held multiple meetings to work toward a compromise

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record ASHEBORO — Randolph County middle schools may once again be reuniting in a combined athletic conference.

In a reversal of a Randolph County School System board of education decision from earlier in the year that saw the district go independent, the board unanimously voted during its Dec. 8 meeting to allow for the reunification of a middle school athletic conference with Uwharrie Charter Academy and Asheboro City Schools.

There was to be a split beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

“This is a community issue,” said RCSS superintendent Stephen Gainey, who

brought forth the recommendation. “We’ve got great kids all over the county. Without this conference being put back together, my concern is that the children at Uwharrie Charter Academy and South Asheboro Middle and North Asheboro Middle are going to miss a lot of school due to travel if they have to go to other school systems to play.”

Gainey had met with the other two school system superintendents three times during the fall to discuss the potential reunification, and he described those meetings as “genuine conversations” solely focused on the students.

“No one tried to dominate the meetings, in my opinion,” Gainey said. “That was not the atmosphere of the meetings.”

From those meetings, the three superintendents came up with a list of seven nonnegotiables that they want to see from a middle school athletic conference, and those primarily fo-

“At the end of the day, this is about the kids.”

Phillip Lanier, board member

cused on concrete conference makeup, leadership, revenue sharing, sportsmanship, recruitment restrictions, collaborative scheduling and the creation of written bylaws.

“There was no difficulty with getting the information for this document on paper from anyone in particular,” Gainey said.

While not yet finalized, this decision gets the potential reunification kicked off, with the next steps being to create more concrete rules, regulations and bylaws.

“I trust my other two colleagues — and their staff — that with our staff, we can make things better in terms of our conference operations and

Utility rates increase in Asheboro The expected hikes in service fees had been delayed since being approved by the city council Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO — Asheboro residents are receiving a taste of heightened fees for utilities.

The rate increases on water and sewer bills have been reflected on recent billings.

The Asheboro City Council approved the boosted rates in June but delayed the implementation of higher fees for several months so residents would have time to prepare for increases in fees. The new charges first came on November bills.

Based on data from the city,

a 5% rate increase and meter-based fees equates to an additional $17.16 per month on bills for the city’s average residential customer.

The updated charges are based on water and sewer consumption along with charges needed for upcoming system improvements.

City officials said the boost in rates is necessary to provide revenue to operate the series from the Water Resources Division. There also will be upcoming infrastructure projects.

City manager Donald Duncan, who came on the job earlier this year, said the city did a good job planning for what’s ahead. “(Staff) worked collaboratively to fund this life-giving system service is a manner that

will keep it affordable even as our fuel, chemical and operational costs continue to face inflationary pressures,” Duncan said.

Information from the city points out that Asheboro is required to keep utility funding at a level where the system can be managed independently from the general fund and can cover costs related to operation, maintenance and debt service.

This is mandated by the state in order for Asheboro to maintain local control and decision making on the utilities, according to the city.

“We constantly evaluate the system’s ‘needs and wants’ and make sure we’re smart about how and where we invest, mindful that every decision affects our rate payers,” Duncan said.

the future state of athletics,” Gainey said.

RCSS board member Phillip Lanier said: “At the end of the day, this is about the kids. The kids enjoy, whether they’re in a city school system, charter school system or our system, they enjoy competing against one another. I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Board leadership retained The board also unanimously reelected Gary Cook as board chair and Sharon Farlow as vice chair for another year.

“I’ve been at it a long time, but I appreciate the confidence and the trust,” Cook said. “I appreciate working with all you guys, and I hope I listen and try to help any way I can. I think we have made a difference, and I think we’re a good board.”

The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet Jan. 12.

“We constantly evaluate the system’s ‘needs and wants’ and make sure we’re smart about how and where we invest, mindful that every decision affects our rate payers.”

Donald Duncan, Asheboro city manager The city reports that critical enhancements are needed for the 55-year-old wastewater treatment plant and 86-year-old water treatment plant.

City officials said there was a campaign to remind residents that the new charges would be coming. Asheboro serves about 30,000 residents.

A2

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THURSDAY

12.18.25

County commissioners dissolve library board The decision came following a meeting with opinions split regarding the presence of a book about a transgender boy

“Join the conversation”

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Randolph Record (ISSN 2768-5268) Trip Hoffend, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Lauren Rose, Design Editor Bob Sutton, Randolph Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS

Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners voted to dismiss the entire board of the Randolph County Public Library’s Board of Trustees.

Last week’s specially called meeting at the historic courthouse drew about two hours of public comments, with opinions expressed on both sides of the issue regarding a previous decision from the library board to keep a book called “Call Me Max” in the library. The book

CRIME LOG Dec. 8

Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal

• Brandon Fain, 38, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for obtaining property by false pretense.

TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 RANDOLPHRECORD.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

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such a large attendance that those wishing to speak had their names drawn at random and were allotted three minutes to express opinions. Of 40 speakers, it was pretty much even on which side of the issue they took.

The Randolph Public Library’s Board of Trustees is appointed by the Board of Commissioners to six-year terms.

The make-up of the library board is supposed to represent a cross-section of the county geographically.

Among the duties of the library board is to approve library policies and make final decisions regarding library materials.

There are seven locations within the Randolph County Public Libraries system.

property by false pretense, felony conspiracy, possession of 5+ counterfeit instruments and financial card fraud.

Dec. 12

Dec. 10 • Casey Jarrell, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

• Steven Hartman, 60, of Greensboro, was arrested

by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Logan Locklear, 26, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Collin Justus, 29, of Trinity, was arrested by Randleman PD for obtaining property by false pretense and misdemeanor larceny.

• Paul Morphis, 54, of Archdale, was arrested by Archdale PD for driving while impaired and driving while license revoked with impaired revocation.

• Courtney Lambert, 34, of Randleman, was arrested by Randleman PD for seconddegree trespassing.

• Nikki Rogers, 29, of High Point, was arrested by RCSO for communicating threats and misdemeanor larceny.

Dec. 11 • Joshua Allred, 40, of Asheboro, was arrested

by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• James Stubbs, 34, of Franklinville, was arrested

by NC Alcohol Law Enforcement for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting a public officer and injury to real property.

Dec. 13 • Carmen Casarin Pacheco, 23, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of stolen motor vehicle.

• Michael Taylor, 45, of Pleasant Garden, was arrested by RCSO for uttering forged instrument, obtaining

motor vehicle.

• Catalino Maldonado, 44, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for resisting a public officer and identity theft.

• Vickie Welborn, 71, of Archdale, was arrested by Archdale PD for possession of weapon of mass destruction and felony aid and abet.

Dec. 14 • Jermaine Davis, 39, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female.

• Amy McArthur, 50, of Randleman, was arrested

by RCSO for violation of domestic violence protective order.

• Mickey Smith, 33, of Archdale, was arrested

by RCSO for assault with a deadly weapon on government officer, resisting a public officer, felony fleeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, reckless driving to endanger, misdemeanor child abuse, driving while license revoked, possession of stolen motor vehicle and felony possession of stolen property.

• Daniel Cazarin-Santos, 41, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of stolen

FRIDAY DEC. 19 HI 57 LOW 26 PRECIP 23%

SATURDAY DEC. 20 HI 52 LOW 35 PRECIP 3%

SUNDAY DEC. 21 HI 61 LOW 35 PRECIP 10%

TUESDAY DEC. 23 HI 54 LOW 37 PRECIP 14%

WEDNESDAY DEC. 24 HI 58 LOW 38 PRECIP 6%

Dec. 19 A Bluegrass Christmas 7 p.m.

A special annual holiday show with multiple acts performing popular holiday songs.

Tickets are available at the door one hour prior to the concert.

Sunset Theatre 234 Sunset Ave. Asheboro

Holiday Open House with Seagrove Potters 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tour different potteries throughout Seagrove for last-minute gift purchases.

Downtown Seagrove

Now through Dec. 21 Kersey Valley Christmas 5:30-9 p.m.

One of the biggest light shows of the season, and there are ample opportunities for holiday shopping, eating favorite snacks and sweets of the season, and a chance to see Santa at work with his elves.

The family-friendly event has rides and games for children.

Call 336-431-1700 for tickets and details.

1615 Kersey Valley Road Archdale

Christmas CAROLing Trolley Tour

11 firefighters injured in Salisbury after explosion during house fire None of the injuries were considered life-threatening The Associated Press SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation following the fire Monday evening.

Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether they were in the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

Enjoy a retelling of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” as you are driven through downtown Asheboro, seeing all the holiday decorations.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down.”

Bob Parnell, Salisbury fire chief

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

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Guide

Dec. 20-21

David Guy, Advertising Manager

1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

is about a transgender boy.

The library board’s ruling regarding the book came this fall.

The book reportedly was in the children’s section of the main library in Asheboro.

The decision to abolish the nine-member library board came in a 3-2 vote, with chair Darrell Frye, Kenny Kidd and Lester Rivenbark supporting the move. Commissioners David Allen and Hope Haywood voted against dismissing the board.

Kidd made the motion to dissolve the board.

There’s a possibility of making new appointees to the library board, though that option was unclear at last week’s meeting.

The special meeting drew

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A3

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it. Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without

health insurance for longer than a year.

This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-theone-hands, says that it could/might/may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose” Obamacare and that 45% would consider

taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis Electricity rates are rising.

Reliability is crumbling.

We know the cause.

OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis. No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit

utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL

customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

obituaries

John Wesley Kidd

Doris “Joan” Rush Hurley

Jan. 29, 1949 – Dec. 9, 2025

May 19, 1937 – Dec. 8, 2025

John Wesley Kidd, son of the late Louis and Nellie Kidd, was born January 29, 1949, and died December 9, 2025, after a brief illness following surgery.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Bensalem Presbyterian Church, 2891 Bensalem Church Rd, Eagle Springs, NC 27242, with Rev. John Stone officiating.

The family will receive friends from 12:30-1:45 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

In addition to his parents, Johnny was predeceased by wife, Cathy Frye Kidd and brothers Jerry Kidd and Louis Kidd Jr. Johnny is survived by loving wife, Carolyn Kelly Kidd, son John Bradley Kidd (Holly), step son Chuck Bailey (Jennifer), step daughter Amber Brady (Shad), grandchildren Colton Brady, Madelyn Bailey, Grace Bailey, Easton Kidd and Brynn Kidd, brother Jimmy Kidd (Alicia), brother in law Olen (Gina), sisters in law Brenda Halsey (Roger) and Francie Yokeley, and several nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, many friends, and his four footed best friend Sadie.

After graduating from Chatham Central High School and then Sandhills Community College, Johnny worked in the textile industry for many years after which he entered the trucking industry but through it all, Johnny was a lifetime farmer, initially raising poultry, pork and crop farming, switching to hay and beef cattle for many years, active until his death.

Johnny loved hunting, fishing, horseback riding and camping but his main enjoyment was hanging out with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren. Johnny was always kidding around and was known for the pranks he would play. Johnny loved for people to laugh. And if ever there was a job to do that even remotely involved a tractor, Johnny would jump on and “get er done”.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Adult and Teen Challenge Program of Sandhills, NC, PO Box 1701, Southern Pines, NC 28388.

Doris “Joan” Rush Hurley, age 88, of Asheboro, passed away on December 8, 2025, at the Randolph Hospice House.

Mrs. Hurley was born in Asheboro on May 19, 1937, to George and Nellie Ring Rush.

Joan was formerly employed in the offices of Food Line Grocery Store and The Courier-Tribune and retired from Farmers Mutual Insurance Company.

She was a member of Oakhurst Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Wallace Jack Hurley and brother-in-law, Jim Lindsay. Joan loved to travel, especially to Myrtle Beach.

She is survived by her son, George “Alan” Hurley and wife Phyllis of Asheboro; sister, Wanda R. Lindsay of Asheboro; nephew, Rodney Brown; niece, Katherine Lindsay; great nephews, Jude and Anderson Lindsay; and cousin, Rachel Callicutt.

The family will receive friends on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Oakhurst Baptist Church, 2225 South Fayetteville Street in Asheboro, with Pastor Ben Chavis officiating. Burial will follow at Randolph Memorial Park.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

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

Claire Casale

Doug Wright

Oct. 4, 1945 – Dec. 10, 2025

July 1, 1958 – Dec. 10, 2025

Claire Anne Stahl Casale, 80, of Asheboro, died Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Alpine Health and Rehabilitation in Asheboro.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Monday, December 15, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Charles Moses officiating.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Born on October 4, 1945, in Williamsport, PA, Mrs. Casale was the daughter of the late J. Henry Stahl and Lillie Ray Stahl.

She was an industrious woman who was very creative and had a giving spirit. Donating to many different causes made her the happiest. She was a hard worker and had retired from AVS. Mrs. Casale was a devoted Christian and practically raised in the Baptist church. Family was the most important to her and was always supportive of all of them as well as others.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Casale was preceded in death by her daughter, Heather Burgess, and her sister, Lillie Mae Hunsucker.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Jeffrey Cagle of the home; son, Fred Watkins Jr. (Angie) of Pittsboro; sister, Grace LeVan of Charlotte; brother, J. Henry Stahl (Marie) of South Williamsport, PA; grandchildren, Tyler Austin Wright, Katelyn Watkins, Jessica Watkins.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Ridge Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Maple Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, 6012 Maple Springs Road, Seagrove, 27341.

Douglas Eugene “Doug” Wright, 67, of Seagrove, died Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at The Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Terry Kivett and Pastor Howard Moffitt officiating. Burial will follow at Seagrove Christian Church Cemetery.

Born July 1, 1958, Doug was a native of Randolph County. He worked at Energizer for 31 years and later moved to Proctor and Gamble. He also owned and operated D.E. Wright Electrical and was always a hard worker. His spare time was spent tinkering with anything electrical or had a

Jackie Smith Emerson Aug. 4, 1967 – Dec. 11, 2025 Jackie Mae Smith Emerson, 58, of Asheboro, passed away Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in WinstonSalem.

Memorial Services, 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Loflin Funeral Home Chapel, Ramseur.

Officiating, Rev. Phillip Puckett.

Jackie was a native of Guilford County and a resident of Randolph County. She worked as the Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Adult Community Service and was a former member of the Randolph County Concerned Bikers Association. Jackie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend and she also loved her dogs and cats.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Frances Pearson Smith, sisters, Shirley Freeman, June Parsons, and brother, Byron Smith.

Survivors: husband, Dale Emerson, of the home, daughters, Ashley Garner, and Beth Smith, both of Asheboro, son, Jason Goins and wife, Chaslee, of Clarksville, TN, sister, Deborah Clodfelter and husband, Jeff, of Archdale, eighteen grandchildren.

Joe Donald Graves Jan. 27, 1932 – Dec. 12, 2025 Joe Donald Graves, 93, of Opp, Alabama, passed away on Friday, December 12, 2025, at his home.

A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Pleasant Hill Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Asheboro, with Charles Reeder officiating.

Born on January 27, 1932, in Moore County, NC, Joe was the son of the late Charlie Moody Graves and Lucy Sauers Graves.

Joe was the owner of Graves Trucking Company. His passion was flying, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with his family, whom he loved dearly.

In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by his grandson, Jake Graves; sisters, Billie Ellison, Lucy Charles Brewer; brothers, Steve Graves and Merrill Graves.

Surviving are his wife, Patricia “Pat” Lewis Graves of the home; daughter, Becky Owens (Jimmy) of Trinity; son, Jimmy Graves (Sherry) of Asheboro; sisters, Annie Kelly (Danny) of High Point, Rita Rhew of Florida, Jerrie Hancock of Florida; brothers, Johnny Graves (Nancy) of Asheboro, Tommy Graves (Cheryl) of High Point.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home in Asheboro.

Memorials may be made to Pleasant Hill Primitive Baptist Church, Cemetery Fund, c/o Barry Cole, 3245 Copples Road Ext., Asheboro, NC 27205.

Leah Lewis Nash Feb. 27, 1936 – Dec. 9, 2025 Leah Lewis Nash, 89, of Staley, passed away on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at her residence.

A graveside service will be held at noon on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Lakeview Memorial Park in Greensboro with Rev. Barry Presnell officiating.

Leah was born in Nicholas County, West Virginia to the late Burl and Mabel Whitt Lewis. She grew up in a family of twelve children and in later years made her way to North Carolina. Leah was a likeable person and was loved by all who knew her. She had a sweet, caring spirit and could so lovingly put you in your place if needed. Leah enjoyed serving others, as evidenced by her years of waitressing at the Waffle House and other restaurants. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Crandal Curry, and her siblings, Howard, Hugh and Arley Lewis, Pearl Gilley, Nellie McClung, Sue Carper, Glenna Curry, Vernie Brown, Jim Lewis and Ruby Williams.

Leah is survived by her children, Linda Ratliffe (Adrian) of Staley, Robert Wayne Curry of Staley, Tammy Cool of Rainelle, WV, Terri Martin (Rusty) of Greensboro, brother, John Henry Lewis (Joan) of Kansas City, grandchildren, Michele Browning (Timothy), Daniel Barnhouse (Kimberly), Michael Curry, Jamie Roop (Jeremy), Anthony Curry, Jessica Boyce, Scott Ellison, Leah Pierson (Will), Jody Bess (Emilee), sixteen greatgrandchildren, one great-greatgrandchild, as well as several nieces and nephews.

motor or engine. Doug was a very strong-minded, highly intelligent, and was very caring and kind. He loved being goofy and making people laugh. Doug was a dedicated and loving husband, father and papaw. Above all he deeply loved the Lord and his family. Doug was truly a fantastic person.

Doug’s father, C.K. Wright preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife, Melesa Wright of the home; daughters, Nicole Gallimore (Ricky Gillispie) of Seagrove, Brooks Wright (Jeffrey ‘Opus” Miller) of Asheboro; mother, Barbara Smallwood of Texas; sister, Cathy Causey (Todd) of Asheboro; brother, Robert Wright of Asheboro; granddaughter, Linzie Gallimore (Robert Hurley); “adopted” granddaughter, Alexandria Newell; and his fur baby, “Pippie.”

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to The Randolph Hospice House, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203.

The Wright family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone at The Randolph Hospice House for their exceptional care and for making Doug spend his final days in comfort.

Albertano Jaramillo Cardoso April 18, 1978 – Dec. 10, 2025 Albertano Jaramillo Cardoso, age 47, of Asheboro, passed away on December 10, 2025, at his home.

Albertano was born in Tejupilco, Mexico, on April 18, 1978, to Ramon Jaramillo Garcia and Teresa Cardoso Salazar. He was employed in the construction industry for 20 years. Albertano loved dancing, taking long naps, and going to flea markets. He loved cooking and eating, riding his bike and dressing casually. He loved spending time with his entire family, including his nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his seven brothers and one sister, Mauro JC, Ramon JC, Carmela JC, Graciela JC, Hector JC, Salvado JC, and Efrain JC. The family will receive friends on Sunday, December 14, 2025 from 12:00 noon-2:00 pm at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Burial will follow at New Hope Memorial Gardens.

Albertano Jaramillo Cardoso, de 47 años, de Asheboro, falleció el 10 de diciembre de 2025 en su domicilio.

Albertano nació en Tejupilco, México, el 18 de abril de 1978, hijo de Ramón Jaramillo García y Teresa Cardoso Salazar. Trabajó en la industria de la construcción durante 20 años. A Albertano le encantaba bailar, echarse largas siestas e ir a mercadillos.

Le encantaba cocinar y comer, montar en bicicleta y vestirse de forma informal. Le encantaba pasar tiempo con toda su familia, incluidos sus sobrinos y sobrinas.

Le sobreviven sus 7 hermanos y 1 hermana: Mauro JC, Ramon JC, Carmela JC, Graciela JC, Hector JC, Salvado JC y Efrain JC. La familia recibirá a sus amigos el domingo 14 de diciembre de 2025 de 12:00 a 14:00 en Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue en Asheboro.

El entierro tendrá lugar después en New Hope Memorial Gardens.

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Edna Cole Hayes Dec. 30, 1937 – Dec. 12, 2025 Edna Cole Hayes, 87, of Asheboro, passed away December 12, 2025, at the Randolph Hospice House.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Boyd Byerly officiating. Burial will follow at Antioch Christian Church Cemetery, Seagrove.

Born on December 30, 1937, to the late Columbus and Ethel Cole. Edna loved the Lord her whole life. She was beloved by all who knew her. Edna

Doug Wright July 1, 1958 – Dec. 10, 2025 Douglas Eugene “Doug” Wright, 67, of Seagrove, died Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at The Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Terry Kivett and Pastor Howard Moffitt officiating. Burial will follow at Seagrove Christian Church Cemetery.

Born July 1, 1958, Doug was a native of Randolph County. He worked at Energizer for 31 years and later moved to Proctor and Gamble. He also owned and operated D.E. Wright Electrical and was always a hard worker. His spare time was spent tinkering with anything electrical or had a motor or engine. Doug was a very strong-minded, highly intelligent, and was very caring and kind. He loved being goofy and making people laugh. Doug was a dedicated and loving husband, father and papaw. Above all he deeply loved the Lord and his family. Doug was truly a fantastic person.

Doug’s father, C.K. Wright preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife, Melesa Wright of the home; daughters, Nicole Gallimore (Ricky Gillispie) of Seagrove, Brooks Wright (Jeffrey ‘Opus” Miller) of Asheboro; mother, Barbara Smallwood of Texas; sister, Cathy Causey (Todd) of Asheboro; brother, Robert Wright of Asheboro; granddaughter, Linzie Gallimore (Robert Hurley); “adopted” granddaughter, Alexandria Newell; and his fur baby, “Pippie.”

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to The Randolph Hospice House, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203.

The Wright family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone at The Randolph Hospice House for their exceptional care and for making Doug spend his final days in comfort.

had many hobbies, including reading, puzzles, and especially babysitting. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, and her favorite thing of all was spending quality time with her family. She will be deeply missed by her loved ones.

In addition to her parents, Edna is preceded in death by her husband, John “Ted” Hayes; son, Tracy T. Hayes; granddaughter, Tiffany Dezern; and eight siblings.

Ms. Hayes is survived by her daughters, Angella H. Williams of Asheboro, Teresa H. Dezern (Perry) of Archdale, and Wanda H. Beck (Vance) of Bland, VA; sister, Wilma Jones of Euless, TX; nine grandchildren, 12 greatgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 12:45-1:45 p.m., at Ridge Funeral Home prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph, 446 Vision Drive, Asheboro, 27203.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Randolph Hospice House for their excellent care and kindness.

Virginia Willette Coley

Dorothy Jean Chriscoe

Ernestine Martin Maness

Nov. 29, 1943 – Dec. 10, 2025

Betty Jo Cagle Hogan Aug. 23, 1940 – Dec. 12, 2025

Feb. 2, 1933 – Dec. 13, 2025

Miss Dorothy Jean Chriscoe, age 82, of Seagrove, passed from this life into eternity with her Lord on December 10, 2025.

She was born on November 29, 1943, in Randolph County, North Carolina, the daughter of the late Isaac Chriscoe and Edna Maie Chriscoe.

Dorothy resided in Randolph County all her life and was the sixth child of nine. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her siblings, Garland Chriscoe, Myrtle Nance, Carrol Chriscoe, Lois Caviness, Jerry Chriscoe and Carrie Greene.

Miss Chriscoe had a soft spot in her heart for animals. She was devoted to her family and cherished time in their company.

She will always be seen as a light to all who had the blessing of knowing her.

Left to cherish her memory are her sisters, Shirley Spencer and Aileene Parks, both of Seagrove, NC, as well as a host of nieces and nephews and their children, whom she helped to raise and loved like her own.

The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.

Betty Jo Cagle Hogan, 85, of Asheboro, passed away Friday, December 12, 2025, at Alpine Health and Rehabilitation in Asheboro.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Pisgah Church, Asheboro, where she was a lifetime member, with Rev. Arnold Luther officiating.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Born in Randolph County on August 23, 1940, Mrs. Hogan was the daughter of the late Howard D. and Ora Ann Kearns Cagle. She was very active in the church, singing in the choir for many years and participating in the ladies group. She was a great cook, and enjoyed cooking for everyone. The most important part of her life was her family.

They meant everything to her.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Hogan was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Hogan, and sister, Susie Faircloth.

Survivors: include her daughter, Donna Teel (Harold), Karen Cabaniss (Garry), Kim Lucas (Bruce); sons, Jeff Hogan (Lori), Milton Hogan (Jennifer); sister, Peggy McCaslin; brothers, Jimmy Cagle, Sonny Cagle; grandchildren, Maggie Parrish (Christian), Molly Teel, Wyatt Teel, Aaron Cabaniss, Hunter Hogan (Anna), Corey Hogan (Mariah), Zach Hogan (Katelyn), Levi Hogan, Tyler Lucas (Hannah), Jonathan Wilson, Kaitlyn Wilson, Jeremiah Wilson; great grandchildren, Asher Hogan, and Lainey Parrish.

The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m., Friday, December 19, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home, Asheboro.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203, or Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter, 4600 Park Rd., Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28209

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Ernestine Martin Maness, 92, of Liberty, is in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior as of December 13, 2025. She passed away peacefully with her daughter at her side at Beacon Place AuthoraCare Hospice in Greensboro.

To honor my mother’s wishes, there will be no funeral service.

I invite you to please privately celebrate Ernestine Maness’ memory in your own ways. I know that she will be with us all in spirit. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time.

Ernestine was born on February 2, 1933, in Randolph County and was a longtime resident of Liberty. She graduated from Liberty High School in 1951 as Valedictorian of her class. She worked at Liberty Hosiery Mill for 16 years. She then attended “Maison de Paris College” (now Leon’s Beauty School). After graduation, she worked as a hairdresser at Cleta’s Beauty Shop until she opened Tina’s Beauty Shop in 1970. She continued to own and operate the shop until she was 80 years old. Retiring due to health issues, the shop closed in 2013.

Ernestine enjoyed fishing on the NC coast with her husband.

She even caught an 8-pound Puppy Drum with a freshwater rod! She was an excellent seamstress and could make anything. She had a green thumb, and there was nothing she could not grow. Her greatest enjoyment came from spending time with her husband and daughter.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 64 years, Gurney Jackson Maness, and her parents, James Ernest and Louelva Cox Martin; sisters, Myrtle Kidd, Leta McAdams Lineberry, Fannie Wicker and Louise Pugh; brothers, James Martin, Mack Martin, Alan Martin, Charlie Martin and faithful cat, “Sam”. Within the last year, she did not hesitate to tell anyone she was ready to go home and meet Jesus, now she has.

Surviving are her daughter, Pamela Maness Kemp of High Point, plus many nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to the AuthoraCare Home Health staff that assisted her while she was at home, Tina, Faith, Gabby, and Amy, the Hospice nurse that visited her in the hospital. Also, the excellent care she received while at Beacon Place, with special thanks to Cassie, Maria and Dee. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to AuthoraCare Collective, Beacon Place, 2502 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405, or to the Animal Shelter of your choice.

Sept. 19, 1939 – Dec. 12, 2025 Virginia Willette Coley, age 86, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 12, 2025, at Westchester Manor in High Point.

Virginia was born on September 19, 1939, in Chatham County, NC, to Austin and Callie Brooks Willette. Virginia is a 1957 graduate of Goldston High School, where she was Valedictorian, a member of the basketball team, and served on the homecoming court.

Virginia worked for 56 years in the insurance field. She received the highest level of insurance certification possible. Virginia felt called to help protect people and companies through insurance and became a mentor to many new agents. In her youth, she was a member at Sandy Branch Baptist Church were she played the piano and organ, and later in life had membership at Balfour Baptist Church. She had a passion for music and singing. Virginia was known for her baked goods, especially her pound cakes, chess bars and oatmeal cookies.

In addition to her parents, Virginia is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Bobby Lee Coley; brothers, Curry and Theron Willette; and sisters, Ruby Andrew, and Betty Jean Caviness.

Virginia is survived by her son, B. Lynn Coley (Joan); daughter, Jan Coley Sweeney (Caleb); grandchildren, Mikalla Baynes (Michael), Scott Johnson (Kassi), Danielle Mehaffey (Sean), and Chris Johnson, greatgrandchildren, Kennedy and Reagan Johnson, Harper, Landon and Savannah Mehaffey, Emily Johnson and Lainey Baynes.

The family will be holding a private service and a celebration of life service will be held at a later date.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Brenda and Donnie for the love and care they gave to Virginia. The family would also like to thank Pam Walker for the meaningful and special friendship she had with Virginia.

A5

Patricia Cagle March 5, 1943 – Dec. 11, 2025 Patricia Ann Allred Cagle, age 82, of Randleman, passed away on December 11, 2025, at Moses Cone Hospital.

Mrs. Cagle was born in Asheboro on March 5, 1943, to Ervin and Pauline Farlow Allred.

Patricia enjoyed being a CNA, helping others and meeting so many friends. In addition to her parents, Patricia was preceded in death by her husbands, Clinton Cagle and Henry Lee Swaney, and her daughter, Rhonda Gayle Maynard. She loved working in her flower garden and enjoyed holiday cooking. Most of all, Patricia loved her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her sons, Terry Swaney (Terri) of Mt. Gilead and Dwayne Swaney of Asheboro; grandchildren, Chad, Brandon, Heather, Ashley, Matthew, Allison, and Brittany; 15 great-grandchildren; and sister Vickie Hinesley (Steve) of Asheboro.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at the Glenn “Mac” Pugh Chapel with Rev. Bill Barnes officiating.

Burial will follow in Randolph Memorial Park.

Nora Grubb Oct. 3, 1943 – Dec. 12, 2025 Nora Maxine Bean Grubb, 82, of Asheboro, died Friday, December 12, 2025, at The Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Town of Denton Cemetery, with Rev. Mark Hall officiating.

Born on October 3, 1943, in Davidson County, NC, Mrs. Grubb is the daughter of the late Ervin Bean and Lena Daniel Bean. She grew up in Denton, NC, where she met the love of her life, Lanny Grubb. They were married in 1963, moved to Asheboro, and raised their three children. She retired from Randolph Hospital, Food Services Department.

Maxine loved her family dearly and enjoyed cooking meals for all of her grandchildren to come together and laugh together.

Seeing her great grandchildren always put a big smile on her face. She was a loving mother and grandmother.

In addition to her parents, Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Lanny D. Grubb, her son, David D. Grubb, and her daughter, Donna Lee Grubb Holder.

She is survived by her son, Alan Grubb and wife Michele; grandchildren, Lindsey Grubb Oxendine and husband Anthony, Cody Holder, Laura Grubb, Taylor Grubb Johnson and husband DJ, Jessica Holder Webster and husband, Logan, Charles Holder, Leah Grubb, William Holder; great grandchildren, Lillie Johnson, Halston Webster; sisters, Hilda Goins and husband Jimmy, and Betty Loflin and husband Roby.

A6

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

STATE & NATION

NASCAR settles federal antitrust case, gives all teams the permanent charters they wanted The surprise settlement came after days of brutal testimony

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood side by side on the steps of a federal courthouse as if they were old friends following a stunning settlement last Thursday of a bruising antitrust case in which the Basketball Hall of Famer was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing the top racing series in the United States of being a monopolistic bully.

The duo was flanked by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Jordan, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and more than a dozen lawyers as they celebrated the end to an eight-day trial that ultimately led NASCAR to cave and grant all its teams the permanent charters they wanted.

“Like two competitors, obviously we tried to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, towering over the 81-year-old France. “I’ve said this from Day 1: The only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point, unfortunately it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have gotten us to this point where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I am very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

France concurred.

“I do feel the same, and we can get back to focusing on what

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Michael Jordan, left, shakes hands with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman as NASCAR chairman Jim France, center, looks away outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte last Thursday. we really love, and that’s racing, and we spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we needed to be,” France said.

“I feel like we made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used in other sports, and in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams a spot in every top-level Cup Series race and a fixed portion of the revenue stream. The system was implemented in 2016, and teams have argued for over two years that the charters needed to be made permanent — they had been revokable by NASCAR — and the revenue sharing had to change.

NASCAR, founded and privately owned by the Florida-based France family, never considered making the charters permanent. Instead, after two-plus years of bitter negotiations, NASCAR in September 2024 presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer that gave teams until end

of that day to sign the 112-page document.

23XI and Front Row refused and sued, while 13 other organizations signed. But testimony in court revealed many did so “with a gun to our head” because the threat of losing the charters would have put them out of business.

Jordan testified early in the trial that as a new team owner to NASCAR — 23XI launched in 2021 — he felt he had the strength to challenge NASCAR. Eight days of testimony went badly for NASCAR, which when it began to present its case seemed focused more on mitigating damages than it did on proving it did not violate antitrust laws.

Although terms of the settlement were not released — NASCAR was in the process of scheduling a call last Thursday with all teams to discuss the revenue-sharing model moving forward — both Jordan and NASCAR said that charters will now be permanent for all teams.

23XI and Front Row will receive

their combined six charters back for 2026.

An economist previously testified that NASCAR owes 23XI and Front Row $364.7 million in damages, and that NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said from the front-row seat he’s occupied since the trial began Dec. 1 as he waited for the settlement announcement.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who had presided over two days of failed settlement talks before the trial began, echoed the sentiment. Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

The settlement came after two days of testimony by France and last Wednesday night’s public release of a letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris calling for NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps to be removed.

The discovery process revealed internal NASCAR communications in which Phelps called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress a “redneck” and other derogatory names; Bass Pro sponsors Childress’ teams, as well as some others, and Morris is an ardent NASCAR supporter.

Childress gave fiery testimony earlier this week over his reluctance to sign the charter agreement because it was unfair to the teams, which have been

bleeding money and begged NASCAR for concessions. Letters from Hall of Fame team owners Joe Gibbs, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Roger Penske were introduced in which they pleaded with France for charters to become permanent; France testified he was not moved by the men he considers good friends.

Hendrick and Penske, who were both scheduled to testify Friday, expressed gratitude that a settlement had been reached.

Penske called it “tremendous news” and said it cleared the way to continue growing the series.

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters — the future of our sport,” Hendrick said. “This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders. I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

The settlement came abruptly on the ninth day of the trial. Bell opened expecting to hear motions, but both sides asked for a private conference in chambers.

When they emerged, Bell ordered an hourlong break for the two sides to confer. That turned into two hours, all parties returned to the courtroom and Kessler announced an agreement had been reached.

“What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter and its possibilities are greater.”

4 charged with plotting New Year’s Eve attacks in Southern California The suspects are allegedly members of a pro-Palestian extremist group

By Christopher Weber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California, announcing the arrests of members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.

The four suspects were arrested last Friday as they were testing explosives in the desert east of Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the four suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table shortly before their arrests.

In the criminal complaint,

the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a pro-Palestinian group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Each faces charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, Essayli said, adding that additional charges were expected in coming weeks.

It wasn’t immediately clear if they had attorneys, and The Associated Press was unable to reach family members.

Essayli said Carroll last month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve and were trying to hit multiple companies. He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was ex-

plicit,” Essayli said. “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs ... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with explosive devices at multiple businesses that were set to blow up simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

Two of the group’s members also had discussed plans for future attacks, including targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026, according to the criminal complaint.

“Carroll stated that some of those plans would quote ‘take some of them out and scare the rest,’” Essayli said.

The plans were discussed both at an in-person meeting with members in Los Angeles and through an encrypted messaging app, Essayli said.

Evidence photos included in

the court documents show a desert campsite with what investigators said were bomb-making materials strewn across plastic folding tables.

The suspects “all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, including various sizes of PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, charcoal, charcoal powder, sulfur powder, and material to be used as fuses, among others,” the complaint states.

The plan stated that the backpacks would contain complex pipe bombs and included instructions on how to manufacture them and also how to avoid leaving evidence behind tracing anything back to the group, officials said. The suspects recently had acquired precursor chemicals and other items, they added.

Last week they were rehearsing their attack and testing devices in the desert near Twentynine Palms, California, before federal authorities moved in, officials said.

“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” he said.

Authorities issued search warrants and found posters for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at Carroll’s home that called for “Death to America,” and “Death to ICE,” Essayli said. In Page’s residence, police found a copy of the detailed bomb plan, he added.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they come together still to protect residents.

The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years.

“The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of our unified response,” McDonnell said.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident.

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PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Trinity’s Madison Hill goes up for a shot between several South Davidson players during Friday night’s girls’ basketball victory.

Patriots break through to win two boys’ games The Southwestern Randolph girls’ team found lots of success on the road Randolph Record staff GABE MCKOY MADE the second of two free-throw attempts with three seconds remaining to break a tie as host Providence Grove defeated Southwestern Randolph 56-55 to win for the first time this

season in boys’ basketball last week.

Andrew Thomas led the Patriots with 14 points.

Southwestern Randolph, which received 15 points from Levi Dalke and 13 points from Kenan Sugg, recovered from a double-digit deficit to tie the game in the final minute.

Providence Grove then posted a 68-59 road victory at North Davidson, with Will Dabbs supplying 23 points and Cam-

den Jones adding 16 points.

• Southwestern Randolph avenged a loss by winning 51-46 at West Davidson, with Sugg racking up 18 points and Trivett Kennedy providing 15 points.

Earlier in the week, Southwestern Randolph avenged another defeat by winning 54-46 at Wheatmore. Sugg notching 19 points and Kennedy tallying 16 points.

• Asheboro powered past Eastern Randolph 63-47, with

Nirey White pouring in 24 points and Eli Johnson scoring 15. Tyler Gee had 27 points for Eastern Randolph That outcome helped the Blue Comets bounce back from a 58-56 loss at Thomasville.

• Wheatmore won 48-46 against visiting North Moore behind Collin Dodd’s 22 points.

Dodd had 15 points in the loss to Southwestern Randolph.

• High Point Andrews won 64-50 at Randleman in a Piedmont Athletic Conference opener despite Connor Cassidy’s 21 points for the Tigers.

• Trinity lost 58-49 to visiting North Carolina Leadership Academy even though Max Routh put up 27 points for the Bulldogs.

Trinity had a better result at the end of the week by sock-

ing host South Davidson 56-37, with Routh supplying 20 points.

It was the team’s first victory in eight games this season.

Girls’ basketball Southwestern Randolph won a trio of road games last week, including 61-53 at West Davidson as Maddie Strider poured in 29 points.

That result followed Southwestern Randolph’s 57-47 victory at Providence Grove.

The Cougars began the week with a 48-30 decision at Wheatmore as Jordin George turned in 14 points and Strider added 13 points.

• Providence Grove won for the second time this season by See ROUNDUP, page B2

Wildcats work through growing pains Trinity rules mats “I want to push these guys hard.

It’s molding these guys to be aggressive.”

Johnny Thomas, Eastern Randolph coach

in home tourney

The beginning of the season has come with several losses for Eastern Randolph’s boys’ basketball team

The Bulldogs won first place in nearly half of the weight classes to capture the team championship

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record BURLINGTON — Johnny Thomas admits he’s not known for his patience, but he says his Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball team will be fine in time.

That’s the message after a rough start for the Wildcats.

“We are definitely in a transition stage,” Thomas said after his team dropped to 0-4 last weekend. “We’re very young. We’ve got to get out here and make sure each of the guys understand their roles.”

Under Thomas’ direction, the Wildcats became a small-school power the past three seasons, so this is a bit of unusual territory. They’ve won 18 or more games in each of those seasons, including an appearance in a 2023 state championship game.

There’s no reason for panic, junior guard Tyler Gee said.

“We just have to learn our roles and get better,” Gee said.

Thomas carries a backpack

Randolph Record staff

er’s) specialty is, we’re going to be OK,” Thomas said.

Gee is the most seasoned player on the roster. Senior Antwan Gatling’s role is

TRINITY — With six individual champions, host Trinity rolled to the team title in the Trinity Invitational on Saturday.

Jeven Palmeri (106 pounds), Aiden Burkholder (113), Stephen Cross (120), Edgar Vasquez (126), Omar Edge (132) and Joseph Trahan (285) were Trinity’s titlists.

Palmeri pinned North Stanly’s Connor Faulkner in 1:13 to claim the top spot, Burkholder pinned Randleman’s Alex Raymundo in 1:39 of the title bout, Cross won 10-2 in the final against Greensboro Grimsley’s Tinashe Chitiyo, Edge bounced Asheboro’s Oscar Zelaya by a technical fall to capture the division, Vasquez controlled Eden Morehead’s Tyler Kendrick for a 13-1 finals decision, and Trahan had an earlier 44-second pin and then won the final by forfeit.

The Bulldogs racked up 217 points in the 12-team competition, with Eden Morehead the runner-up with 187½. Asheboro was fifth with 92.

Hezekyah Matson (138), Simeon Hammett (144), Addam Bernal (157) and Grayson Carroll (190) placed third for Trinity.

Asheboro had Zelaya (132) as a runner-up, while Esteban Santos (113), Omar Basyouny (120) and Quanta McRae (175) all placed third.

Also in the field, Southwestern Randolph was 10th and Randleman placed 11th. Southwestern Randolph’s Leland Davis (150) was a runner-up

See WILDCATS, page B2

See BULLDOGS, page B2

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Eastern Randolph coach Johnny Thomas offers instruction to guard Tyler Gee during a home game earlier this month against Chatham Charter in Ramseur. Eastern Randolph’s Ayden Welsh is nearby. with the words “All gas No brakes.”

So the Wildcats want to be on the attack as they look for breakthroughs this season.

“Once we calm down and can hone in on what (each play-

B2

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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Will Dabbs Providence Grove, boys’ basketball

Dabbs is a difference maker for the Patriots, and he helped the team in two victories last week.

Dabbs had 23 points and nine rebounds when Providence Grove won at North Davidson. He provided eight points in a one-point victory against Southwestern Randolph.

The senior is the team’s top scorer and rebounder.

Providence Grove has played a string of games against larger schools early in the season.

Dabbs led the Patriots in scoring last season with 19.4 points per game.

BULLDOGS from page B1 and teammate Nathan Garner (165) placed third. Randleman’s Raymundo (113) was a runner-up.

Bobby Abernathy Invitational Dylan Harris (106) and Domnic Hittepole (190) were individual championships for Wheatmore in the 16-team tournament at Piedmont.

Harris needed less than a minute for two pins and he recorded a major decision to reach the final, where he notched a third-period technical fall against Central Academy’s Andie Hernandez.

Hittepole posted an 8-2 victory against Charlotte Providence’s Colton Bogan in the title bout after recording two first-period pins in earlier rounds.

Brodie Bates of the Warriors was the 165 runner-up. He was pinned by Maiden’s Michael McCall at 3:14 of the final.

Piedmont was the team champion, edging Maiden. Wheatmore placed fifth.

Nick Sgori Invitational At Kernersville, Jeremiah Payne of Providence Grove claimed the 120-pound championship in the tournament at Bishop McGuinness.

Payne won 11-5 against Jordan Sweet of West Wilkes. Payne secured two earlier pins.

Runners-up for Providence Grove were Skyler Handerson

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Providence Grove’s Will Dabbs takes a shot during a game last month.

(144) and Malachi Combo (175), while Aiden Poplin and Charles Villaggio placed third.

Montgomery Central’s Jerry Ceraphin pinned Henderson in 1:05 in the title bout. Combo had two pins before he was stuck in 1:44 of the final by Imon Freeman of Montgomery Centra.

Providence Grave placed fifth among 13 teams. West Wilkes was the champion, followed by Montgomery Central.

Queen of the Mat Invitational

Mendoza wins Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player The IU quarterback won by more than 900 points

By Everett Merrill The Associated Press NEW YORK — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history, and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfi-

7

Heisman winners out of the last nine who transferred before their award-winning season nal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP. A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” he said. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. “ Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the

trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” he said.

“I had the opportunity to go there, and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza picked up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night, while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years.

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement.

He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 touchdown passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

Asheboro’s Brianna Munoz in the 126 class and Grace Redding in the 235 division claimed second places the tournament at West Davidson.

Munoz won two matches before falling 9-0 to South Stanly’s Mary Huneycutt. Redding record two pins before she was a second-period pin victim in the final against Central Davidson’s Ashely Acuna.

Crusader Duals At Raleigh, Uwharrie Charter Academy was the winner of the tournament at Cardinal Gibbons with five lopsided victories.

The Eagles topped Knightdale 84-0, drubbed East Wake 78-6, hammer Harnett Central 75-6, stopped Cardinal Gibbons 50-21 and toppled Topsail 50-21.

Ayven Virasone Chitavong, Paxton Kearns, Huntley Adcock, Brennan Worrell, Lorenzo Alston and Michael Shropshire all won five matches.

EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP PHOTO

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin pose with the trophy.

ROUNDUP from page B1 nipping host North Davidson 51-50 on Friday.

• Trinity smacked host South Davidson 62-12 with Madison Hill posting 23 points. Hill had 17 points in a 52-32 home triumph against North Carolina Leadership Academy.

• Wheatmore was a 55-17

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heightened after he had limited varsity playing time.

Gone is scoring standout Timothy Brower along with a few others who were seniors a year ago.

“It’s a little different,” Gee said. “I have to step up and be a leader and can’t rely on Timmy.”

The roster also is without guards Camden Jones and Cade McCallum, who were both key contributors if not starters last season. Jones is playing for Providence Grove, while McCallum is taking time off to heal after an extended football

home winner against North Moore.

• Randleman lost 43-23 to visiting High Point Andrews in its Piedmont Athletic Conference opener.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy posted a 56-22 victory at Chatham Charter, with Naimah Al-Arif pouring in 15 points.

UCA’s Nevaeh Staples scored

27 points in a 58-53 home victory against Pinecrest. Staples became the program’s all-time leading scorer.

• Asheboro had a 47-31 home victory against Eastern Randolph, with Adalynn Scherer notching 13 points.

Asheboro’s 56-21 romp at Thomasville included 22 points from Maliyah Brady and 14 points from Scherer.

season when he was Eastern Randolph’s quarterback.

On Saturday, the Wildcats fell into a 24-4 hole against Chapel Hill in the Central City Classic at Burlington Williams.

Eastern Randolph climbed back to within 30-20 before falling into a deeper hole in an 83-58 loss.

Emmitt Frye’s 17 points and Gee’s 16 points were tops for the Wildcats. Eastern Randolph’s Kobe Walker missed the game because of another commitment.

Thomas said the Wildcats’ rugged early schedule can pay off later. He has continued a trend of finding challeng-

ing games early in the season.

“I’m not running from teams,” he said. “The pressure, they’ll be accustomed to that later in the season. I want to push these guys hard.

It’s molding these guys to be aggressive.”

A new league lineup will have certain tall tasks for the Wildcats in the Four Rivers Conference. Northwood, which was the Class 2A state runner-up last March, is in the league.

But there won’t be a lack of enthusiasm from the Wildcats.

“I’m amped up because I’m competitive,” Thomas said.

“We’ll be fine.”

Randolph Record for Thursday, December 18, 2025

B3

pen & paper pursuits this week in history “Nutcracker” premieres, Washington leads army to Valley Forge, Clinton impeached The Associated Press DEC. 18 1865: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery was declared in effect

by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

1892: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception.

1916: The Battle of Verdun, World War I’s longest at 10 months, ended between French and German forces; it led to nearly 1 million casualties.

DEC. 19 1777: During the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of more than 12,000 soldiers to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.

1907: Two hundred thirty-nine workers died in an explosion at the Darr coal mine near Van Meter, Pennsylvania.

1998: President Bill Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice. He was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.

DEC. 20 1803: The Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.

1860: South Carolina became the first state to secede

AP PHOTO

The holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring James Stewart, premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City on Dec. 20, 1946. from the Union by a vote of delegates at a secession convention, emboldening other Southern states to follow suit and helping to trigger the American Civil War. 1946: The classic holiday film “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered at the Globe Theater in New York City.

DEC. 21 1620: Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, for the first time.

1864: During the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman ended their “March to the Sea” by capturing Savannah, Georgia.

1891: The first basketball game, devised by James Naismith, is believed to have been played in Springfield, Massachusetts.

DEC. 22 1894: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-mar-

tial that triggered worldwide charges of antisemitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)

1944: During World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German surrender demand with a one-word reply: “Nuts!”

2001: Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers.

DEC. 23 1823: The poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” was published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel of New York; the verse, more popularly known as “The Night Before Christmas,” was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.

1913: The Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act. 1948: Former Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese World War II leaders were executed in Tokyo after being tried for war crimes.

DEC. 24 1814: The United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which would end the War of 1812 following ratification by both the British Parliament and the U.S. Senate.

1851: Fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes.

1914: During World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front, principally between British and German soldiers but also involving French troops.

AP PHOTO

On Dec. 19, 1777, Gen. George Washington led more than 12,000 Continental Army troops into winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

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Affable comedy acting legend Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old Last year, the performer became the oldest recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award The Associated Press COMEDY ICON Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins” and starred in his self-titled sitcom.

“The funniest thing is, it’s not enough,” Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home. “A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to.”

As part of the celebration of Van Dyke’s birthday last weekend, theaters around the country are showing a new documentary about his life, “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration.”

Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era with “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran from 1961-66 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic “Mary Poppins” and, in his 70s, played a phy-

“The funniest thing is, it’s not enough. A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to.”

Dick Van Dyke sician-sleuth on “Diagnosis: Murder.”

Also, a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for “Bye Bye Birdie” to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap “Days of Our Lives.”

In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.

Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he’s gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.

“You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous,” he told ABC News. “It’s not re-

ally that way. I don’t know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself.”

He recently imparted wisdom about reaching the century mark in his book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.” He credited his wife, 54-year-old makeup artist and producer Arlene Silver, with keeping him young.

“She gives me energy. She gives me humor, and all kinds of support,” he told ABC News.

Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up “the class clown” in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians.

He told ABC News he started acting when he was about 4 or 5 years old in a Christmas pageant. He said he was the baby Jesus.

“I made some kind of crack, I don’t know what I said, but it broke the congregation up,” he said. “And I liked the sound of that laughter.”

And what’s hard about being 100?

“I miss movement,” he told ABC News. “I’ve got one game leg from I don’t know what.”

“I still try to dance,” he said with a laugh.

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

Dick Van Dyke poses with chimney sweeps during arrivals to the 40th anniversary and repremiere of Mary Poppins at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles in 2004.

ANN JOHANSSON / AP PHOTO

5 notable Sophie Kinsella books; author died of cancer at age 55 The celebrated British writer died last week

“The Undomestic Goddess is a story of an uber-professional realizing there’s more to life than work and starting to appreciate the little things.”

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press SOPHIE KINSELLA, who has died at age 55, had a special talent for characters who persevered through the most embarrassing mishaps — often of their own making.

Here are five novels that helped keep readers laughing, and relating, over the past 30 years.

“The Tennis Party” (1995) Fellow writers could only envy Kinsella’s success, how early it came and how seemingly easy. As the author would remember, she was a 24-yearold financial journalist who, while commuting by train one day, thought to herself, “I want to have a go at this, I want to write a book.” Within two years, she was the bestselling author of “The Tennis Party,” under her real name, Madeleine Wickham.

Released in the U.S. as “40 Love,” her debut novel centered on the misadventures of a weekend tennis party and introduced readers to her conversational touch about everything from love to money to ... tennis.

“They all have a lot of baggage,” the author explained on her website.

“The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic” (2000) She published her first several books as Wickham before becoming a global brand as “Sophie Kinsella.” Spurred by this first “Shopaholic” novel, millions would cheer on the hopelessly indebted financial

Sophie Kinsella ADAM BUTLE / AP PHOTO

Author Sophie Kinsella poses on Wimbledon Village high street in London in 2004. She died Dec. 10 at age 55. journalist Becky Bloomwood, who helps keep the economy turning with her “investments” in clothing, household and other products.

“Can You Keep a Secret?”

(2003) As Kinsella, the novelist had a mission to get her characters in trouble. Emma Corrigan has a proper job as a marketing assistant and a proper and “heartbreakingly handsome” boyfriend. She is also prone to panic and distraction, to going about in public with her blouse unbuttoned or unleashing a spurt of soda on a client’s shirt. And she has a few secrets she would like to hold on to, whether it’s pouring orange juice on the plant of a colleague who annoys her or how she sometimes holds back laughter while having sex — “just normal, everyday little secrets.”

“The Undomestic Goddess”(2005) Her

alliteratively

named

characters were ever fish out of water, sometimes on the driest land. Samantha Sweeting is a London lawyer who can’t take it anymore, boards a train to the countryside and finds herself working as a housekeeper, for which she has no known skills.

“I had so much fun charting Samantha’s comedy disasters in the kitchen, her battles with the ironing board, her gradual slowing down and relaxing and finding love,” the author writes on her website. “It’s a story of an uber-professional realizing there’s more to life than work and starting to appreciate the little things.”

“Twenties Girl” (2009) Just your typical supernatural adventure in which 27-year-old Lara Lington is visited by the ghost of her flapper-great aunt Sadie and sent off to retrieve Sadie’s long-lost necklace. Subplots include Lara being dumped by her boyfriend and Lara wondering if she can succeed in business as a headhunter.

She also lies a lot, to her parents. Yes, her work is going great. Yes, she loved their Christmas gift. No, she doesn’t just subsist on pizza and yogurt and vodka.

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famous birthdays this week Billie Eilish is 24, Jane Fonda turns 88, Samuel L. Jackson is 77, Eddie Vedder turns 61 THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

DEC. 18 Chef Jacques Pépin is 90.

Rock musician Keith Richards is 82. Filmmaker Alan Rudolph is 82. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is 79. Filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is 75. Actor Brad Pitt is 62. Actor Katie Holmes is 47. Singer Christina Aguilera is 45. Singer Billie Eilish is 24.

DEC. 19

SCOTT A. GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Actor Tim Reid is 81. Singer Janie Fricke is 78. Actor Jennifer Beals is 62. Basketball Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis is 61.

Actor Alyssa Milano is 53. Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 53. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 45.

Actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of the film “F1: The Movie” in 2025, in London.

He turns 62 on Thursday.

DEC. 20 Rock drummer Peter Criss (Kiss) is 80. Producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order”) is 79. Musician Alan Parsons is 77. Author Sandra Cisneros is 71. Rock singer Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) is 59. Filmmaker Todd Phillips is 55. Actor Jonah Hill is 42.

JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

DEC. 21 Actor Jane Fonda is 88. Singer Carla Thomas is 83. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is 81.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 77.

Film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert is 71. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 68. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is 59.

DEC. 22 Actor Hector Elizondo is 89.

Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is 81. Broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer is 80. Golf Hall of Famer Jan Stephenson is 74. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 63. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is 55.

DEC. 23 Former

Emperor

Akihi-

Steven Spielberg arrives at the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Francis Ford Coppola at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The director turns 79 on Thursday. to of Japan is 92. Actor-comedian Harry Shearer is 82. Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark is 81. Actor Susan Lucci is 79. Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is 77. Rock musician Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is 61.

DEC. 24 Filmmaker Lee Daniels is 66.

Basketball Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright is 64. Singer Ricky Martin is 54. Novelist and film producer Stephenie Meyer is 52.

TV host Ryan Seacrest is 51.

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the stream

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Walton Goggins, left, and Justin Theroux arrive at the premiere return for a second season of “Fallout” on Prime Video.

‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Him,’ Peter Criss, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Riz Ahmed Hugh Bonneville narrates the endangered species documentary “Born to be Wild” The Associated Press MARLON WAYANS starring in the Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 featuring Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll and Olivia Dean are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week: a second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video, Season 5 of “Emily in Paris” drops on Netflix and Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

MOVIES TO STREAM The Peele-produced “Him” (Dec. 19 on Peacock) takes the hard knocks of the gridiron to bloody extremes. It stars Tyriq Withers as an up-and-coming quarterback whose mentorship with the veteran champ (Marlon Wayans) grows increasingly dark and surreal. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that “Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

In David Mackenzie’s “Relay,” Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who runs a covert service that brokers deals between corrupt companies and potential threats. To preserve anonymity, he uses a “relay” telephone service, usually for deaf or speech-impaired people, to disguise identities.

This nifty thriller streams Friday on Netflix after a late-summer theatrical release. Co-starring Lily James and Sam Worthington.

For a particularly seductive December, you can spend your holidays with Wong Kar-wai.

The Criterion Channel is host-

GIULIA PARMIGIANI / NETFLIX VIA AP

UNIVERSAL PICTURES VIA AP

Left, Lily Collins stars in “Emily in Paris,” which is back for a fifth season on Netflix. Right, Marlon Wayans plays a veteran football champion in the Jordan Peele-produced “Him.”

“Him” has a decent point to make about quarterback hero worship, “the problem is that it has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

SERIES TO STREAM

Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer ing many of the Hong Kong filmmaker’s finest films, including “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love,” as well as his first TV series, “Blossoms Shanghai.” A hit in China, the 30-part series is set amid the 1990s opening of the Chinese economy and the relaunch of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. New episodes debut every Monday.

MUSIC TO STREAM Alex Warren. BigXthaPlug.

Conan Gray. Ed Sheeran. Jelly Roll. Jessie Murph. The Kid LAROI. Laufey. Mgk. Monsta X. Myles Smith. Nelly. Oliv-

drummer and founding member who left and rejoined the group on a number of occasions — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

ia Dean. Ravyn Lenae. Reneé Rapp. Shinedown. Zara Larsson. What do all these popular artists have in common? They’re performing at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour! ABC’s iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 holiday special — made up of a few tour stops — will become available to stream on Hulu Thursday. It’s all the fun of a star-studded pop concert from the comfort of your couch.

In 2023, glam rockers Kiss said its goodbyes for one final performance at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

But that doesn’t mean their musical story ended there. On Friday, Peter Criss — Kiss’ original

A second season of “Fallout” is now streaming on Prime Video. Based on a hugely popular video game, it’s a postapocalyptic series set two centuries after a nuclear war destroyed modern civilization. In Season 2, Justin Theroux, Macaulay Culkin and Kumail Nanjiani join a cast that includes Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.

Emily, of “Emily in Paris,” is still living la dolce vita in Rome when Season 5 drops Thursday. The Darren Starr-created show follows the adventures of an American expat played by Lily Collins.

A new documentary series called “Born to be Wild” fol-

lows six endangered baby animals that were orphaned or born as part of conservation programs. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, it streams on Apple TV beginning Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY The video game business has wrapped up its big-release schedule for the holidays, so now is a good time to catch up on titles you may have missed — or started and didn’t have time to finish. It has been a solid year for role-playing games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2 leading The Associated Press’ top 10 list. If you’re in the mood for a trip to Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yōtei both offer sprawling open-world journeys with RPG elements.

Check out the rest of our top 10 for more ways to keep your game device of choice humming past New Year’s Day.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025 | HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232

HOKE COUNTY THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

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A decade of Christmas cheer Lights and vendors filled Main Street in Raeford during Hometown Christmas on Dec. 6. The Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce event, now in its 10th year, drew about 2,000 people for an evening of vendors, visits with Santa and holiday festivities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Big retailers didn’t pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after recall, FDA says The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves. The FDA sent letters posted Monday to leaders at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons, saying the companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks despite a Nov. 11 recall of all products.

The formula is linked to an outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened more than 50 babies in 19 states. All of the babies have been hospitalized and treated for the illness.

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified. The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. A Syrian official says the assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS. The gunman was killed.

$2.00

Transformer maker breaks ground on $100M Hoke County expansion Pennsylvania Transformer Technology’s new facility is expected to create 217 jobs by late 2026 North State Journal staff

“This investment proves again that North Carolina is the best state to do business.”

RAEFORD — Pennsylvania Transformer Technology broke ground last week on a major expansion that will bring 217 new jobs and $102.5 million in investment to Hoke County.

Gov. Josh Stein joined company executives and local officials at the ceremony for the distribution transformer manufacturing facility, the first phase of PTT’s long-range expansion project.

“North Carolina’s top-tier workforce and thriving business environment make companies like Pennsylvania Transformer Technology want to grow here,” Stein said. “This investment proves again that North Carolina is the best state to do business, and I’m pleased PTT is expanding its role in creating North Carolina’s strong clean energy economy.”

The expansion will add 300,000 square feet across two new facilities, increasing the company’s capacity to manufacture transformers domestically and helping address supply chain shortages of the critical equipment.

“We built our first factory in Hoke County back in 1992 and have been proudly manufacturing power transformers in this community for over 30 years,” said Sandeep Chakravarty, president of PTT, in a press release. “We are thrilled to further invest in and expand our operations in Hoke County.”

Chakravarty said the new facility will set new standards in efficiency and sustainability while strengthening the domestic supply chain and creating well-paying jobs.

COURTESY PHOTO

Gov. Josh Stein, local dignitaries and company executives break ground last Wednesday on Pennsylvania Transformer Technology’s $102.5 million expansion in Raeford.

PTT, a subsidiary of Houston-based Quanta Services, is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and has nearly a century of history in transformer manufacturing. The company serves electric utility, municipal power, renewable energy and industrial markets.

The project involved partnerships with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Caroli-

na, the N.C. General Assembly, Duke Energy, the Golden LEAF Foundation and Hoke County, among others.

PTT has already begun recruiting for the new facility, which is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2026. Training will begin at the company’s existing Raeford facility.

Job listings are available at patransformer.com/employment.

11 firefighters injured in Salisbury after explosion during house fire None of the injuries were considered life-threatening The Associated Press SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation follow-

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down.”

Bob Parnell, Salisbury fire chief ing the fire Monday evening.

Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether See EXPLOSION, page A2

WSOC VIA AP

Thirteen people were injured in an explosion at a house in Salisbury on Monday.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

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shopping spree Hoke County School Superintendent Kenneth Spells poses with families at the Raeford Walmart on Dec. 14 during a Christmas shopping spree. The district provided $105 per child for gifts. “To much is given, much is required,” Spells said.

BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices.

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EXPLOSION from page A1 they were in the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside

the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

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

A podcast local to Hoke-Raeford, NC, with Ruben Castellon and Chris Holland.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it. Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without

health insurance for longer than a year.

This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-theone-hands, says that it could/might/may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose” Obamacare and that 45% would consider

taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis Electricity rates are rising.

Reliability is crumbling.

We know the cause.

OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis. No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit

utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL

customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

As gerrymandering battles sweep country, supporters say partisan dominance ‘fair’ Both sides embrace gerrymandering when it’s convenient for them

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WHEN INDIANA adopted new U.S. House districts four years ago, Republican legislative leaders lauded them as “fair maps” that reflected the state’s communities.

But when Gov. Mike Braun recently tried to redraw the lines to help Republicans gain more power, he implored lawmakers to “vote for fair maps.”

What changed? The definition of “fair.”

As states undertake mid-decade redistricting instigated by President Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats are using a tit-for-tat definition of fairness to justify districts that split communities in an attempt to send politically lopsided delegations to Congress. It is fair, they argue, because other states have done the same. And it is necessary, they claim, to maintain a partisan balance in the House of Representatives that resembles the national political divide.

This new vision for drawing congressional maps is creating a winner-take-all scenario that treats the House, traditionally a more diverse patchwork of politicians, like the Senate, where members reflect a state’s majority party. The result could be reduced power for minority communities, less attention to certain issues and fewer distinct voices heard in Washington.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky fears that unconstrained gerrymandering would put the United States on a perilous path if Democrats in states such as Texas and Republicans in states like California feel shut out of electoral politics. “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Although Indiana state senators rejected a new map backed

by Trump and Braun that could have helped Republicans win all nine of the state’s congressional seats, districts have already been redrawn in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Other states could consider changes before the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress.

“It’s a fundamental undermining of a key democratic condition,” said Wayne Fields, a retired English professor from Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on political rhetoric.

“The House is supposed to represent the people,” Fields added. “We gain an awful lot by having particular parts of the population heard.”

Redistricting is diluting community representation Under the Constitution, the Senate has two members from each state. The House has 435

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Protesters are seen through a window in the Senate Chamber during dissuasion before a vote to redistrict Indiana’s congressional map last Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

“I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

seats divided among states based on population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative. In the current Congress, California has the most at 52, followed by Texas with 38.

Because senators are elected statewide, they are almost always political pairs of one party or another. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the only states now with both a Democrat and Republican in the Senate. Maine and Vermont each have one independent and one senator affiliated with a political party.

By contrast, most states elect a mixture of Democrats and Republicans to the House. That is because House districts, with an average of 761,000 residents, based on the 2020 census, are more likely to reflect the varying partisan preferences of urban or rural voters, as well as different racial, ethnic and economic groups.

This year’s redistricting is diminishing those locally unique districts.

In California, voters in several rural counties that backed Trump were separated from similar rural areas and attached to a reshaped congressional district containing liberal coast-

al communities. In Missouri, Democratic-leaning voters in Kansas City were split from one main congressional district into three, with each revised district stretching deep into rural Republican areas.

Some residents complained their voices are getting drowned out. But Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Mike Kehoe, (R-Mo.) defended the gerrymandering as a means of countering other states and amplifying the voices of those aligned with the state’s majority.

All is “fair” in redistricting Indiana’s delegation in the U.S. House consists of seven Republicans and two Democrats — one representing Indianapolis and the other a suburban Chicago district in the state’s northwestern corner.

Dueling definitions of fairness were on display at the Indiana Capitol as lawmakers considered a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have split Indianapolis among four Republican-leaning districts and merged the Chicago suburbs with rural Republican areas. Opponents walked the halls in pro-

test, carrying signs such as “I stand for fair maps!”

Ethan Hatcher, a talk radio host who said he votes for Republicans and Libertarians, denounced the redistricting plan as “a blatant power grab” that “compromises the principles of our Founding Fathers” by fracturing Democratic strongholds to dilute the voices of urban voters.

“It’s a calculated assault on fair representation,” Hatcher told a state Senate committee.

But others asserted it would be fair for Indiana Republicans to hold all of those House seats because Trump won the “solidly Republican state” by nearly three-fifths of the vote.

“Our current 7-2 congressional delegation doesn’t fully capture that strength,” resident Tracy Kissel said at a committee hearing. “We can create fairer, more competitive districts that align with how Hoosiers vote.”

When senators defeated a map designed to deliver a 9-0 congressional delegation for Republicans, Braun bemoaned that they had missed an “opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps.”

Disrupting an equilibrium By some national measurements, the U.S. House already is politically fair. The 220-215 majority that Republicans won over Democrats in the 2024 elections almost perfectly aligns with the share of the vote the two parties received in

districts across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But that overall balance belies an imbalance that exists in many states. Even before this year’s redistricting, the number of states with congressional districts tilted toward one party or another was higher than at any point in at least a decade, the AP analysis found.

The partisan divisions have contributed to a “cutthroat political environment” that “drives the parties to extreme measures,” said Kent Syler, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

He noted that Republicans hold 88% of congressional seats in Tennessee, and Democrats have an equivalent in Maryland.

“Fairer redistricting would give people more of a feeling that they have a voice,” Syler said.

Rebekah Caruthers, who leads the Fair Elections Center, a nonprofit voting rights group, said there should be compact districts that allow communities of interest to elect the representatives of their choice, regardless of how that affects the national political balance. Gerrymandering districts to be dominated by a single party results in “an unfair disenfranchisement” of some voters, she said.

“Ultimately, this isn’t going to be good for democracy,” Caruthers said. “We need some type of détente.”

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HOKE SPORTS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP

East Hoke Middle School cheer team The East Hoke Middle School cheer team was chosen to represent the area at the state’s biggest college football event of the season.

The Duke Blue Devils beat Virginia in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte earlier this month, and while Manny Diaz had his team ready to go, so did coach Tierra Adams, who had her Eagles cheerleaders in top form for the road trip.

East Hoke was one of the cheerleading squads given the opportunity to perform at the big game, taking the home field of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers for a moment in the spotlight.

Boys’, girls’ wrestling teams both add to trophy case North State Journal staff

COURTESY EAST HOKE MIDDLE SCHOOL / FACEBOOK

From hoops to oysters: Inside the unexpected second acts of WNBA stars

HOKE COUNTY left no question who is the Baddest Cat on the Mat. The Bucks swept to victory in the Baddest Cat Duals. Hoke beat all five opponents by lopsided margins.

Hoke County beat Gray’s Creek 71-6 and then had their closest result of the day, topping Middle Creek by a 48-21 margin. The Bucks then beat Fayetteville Terry Sanford 72-12. After an 84-0 shutout of Freedom Christian, Hoke completed the dominant day with a 67-9 win over Seaforth.

Hoke’s Gabriel Cabezudo took the title of Baddest Cat of them all, earning the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for the meet.

Not to be outdone, the Hoke girls’ wrestling team also had an outstanding week. The Bucks took first place at Pinecrest’s Lady Patriot Invitational.

Jianna Gomez took first place at 114 pounds, while Kierra Rush won first in the 138-pound weight class. Noelia Hipolito won first at 165 pounds.

Isabella Maurice took second place at 100 pounds.

Harley Hardin (120 pounds), Jada Lebron (145 pounds) also had second-place finishes, while Karsen Copsias took third at 235.

On the basketball court, Hoke’s boys’ team dropped a pair of games last week by a total of two points. The Bucks lost to Westover in an overtime road loss, 71-70. They then fell 68-67 at Seventy-First.

The Bucks will now have a week off before beginning holiday tourney play.

The Hoke County girls split a pair of games. Hoke won 3330 at Westover, then fell 5420 at Seventy-First. Hoke will play Lumberton this week to start a holiday event.

Even all-stars and Hall of Famers need a second post-playing career

By Claire Savage and Brittany Peterson The Associated Press AFTER SEVEN DAYS of wind, the morning is finally calm enough on New York’s East Moriches Bay for Sue Wicks to jetty her boat to check on her oysters. Hundreds of cages pop out at odd angles from their lines, and a few float away.

The retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer admits that the aquaculture farm she started at age 50 can be anxiety-inducing and compares it to her time playing basketball.

“Some days you’re like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ You’re injured, you’re hurt, you are losing, things are going bad. And then the next day you go back and do it again because you love it,” she said.

Wicks, 59, has worked as a commentator, college basketball coach and at a fitness start-up since retiring from the WNBA in 2002, and says she feels lucky to again find a career “that works for my soul.”

But the reality is that even a successful run as one of the world’s best basketball players didn’t earn her enough to fully retire.

Although the WNBA is bringing in more than ever from sponsors and ticket sales, many players still find themselves financially unsteady when the final whistle blows.

For 2009 second overall draft pick and 2015 WNBA All-Star Marissa Coleman, the main difference between post-playing careers between WNBA

YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO

Retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer Sue Wicks throws an anchor from her boat in Moriches Bay in New York.

“In the real world, you can put in a ton of work and do a lot right and not get anywhere.”

Devereaux Peters, former Minnesota Lynx forward

and NBA players is that “most NBA guys are sitting on tens, sometimes hundreds of million dollars.” And for those who are financially savvy, working after the game is “more so curing boredom versus a necessity.”

“Most women athletes across the board have to find a career after basketball out of necessity,” Coleman said.

When former Minnesota Lynx forward Devereaux Peters transitioned from basketball to real estate development in 2019, she said the hardest lesson was learning that working hard in her new career may

not be enough to yield results quickly, or at all. After a tough game during her playing days, she could “go in the gym and shoot and work on my shot.

And you’re going to see a result if you’re putting in the work.”

“That is not necessarily true in the real world,” said the 36-year-old. “You can put in a ton of work and do a lot right and not get anywhere.”

The shift away from basketball also came as a financial shock: “That transition was a little bit difficult in that I had to cut back significantly,” she said. “There was a lot of learning very quickly” given the “big gap in what I was making then and what I make now.”

For 38-year-old Coleman, the next phase of her career also unfolded far outside the paint.

Alongside former teammate Alana Beard, Coleman franchised a Mellow Mushroom — a psychedelic-themed pizza chain — in Roanoke, Virginia. She also See WNBA, page B2

COURTESY HOKE WRESTLING / FACEBOOK

Before leaving Pinecrest with the Patriot Invitational trophy, the Lady Bucks wrestling team stopped to take a team photo.

B2

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

SIDELINE REPORT

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin pose with the trophy.

NCAA FOOTBALL

4th-and-goal score leads No. 22 Navy to 17-16 win over Army Baltimore Navy beat Army for a second straight season. Blake Horvath threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich with 6:32 remaining — on fourth-and-goal — and the 22nd-ranked Midshipmen rallied for a 17-16 win. Horvath turned the ball over twice, and his fumble near the goal line nearly spoiled Navy’s key drive.

But Heidenreich fell on the ball, and Horvath found him when Navy gambled and went for it on fourth down.

NFL

NFL seeking practice squad officials, wants to base postseason assignments on performance The NFL is seeking to create a practice squad of officials and wants postseason assignments to be based on performance rather than seniority. Those were among the key points league executive Troy Vincent emphasized to owners. The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. The current CBA expires on May 31, 2026.

So far, discussions with the game officials’ union have been unsuccessful, according to a memo that was sent to teams.

TRACK & FIELD

Owing between $10M and $50M, Grand Slam Track files for bankruptcy; Johnson vows to press on Grand Slam Track, the league fronted by sprint great Michael Johnson that offered six-figure prize money for top runners, has filed for bankruptcy after canceling its final event and failing to pay athletes and vendors. Johnson boasted a $30 million bankroll at the outset, but in its Chapter 11 filing, the league said it had less than $50,000 cash on hand, between 200 and 999 creditors and owes between $10 million and $50 million. “I refuse to give up on the mission of Grand Slam Track,” Johnson said.

EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP PHOTO

Mendoza wins Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player The IU quarterback won by more than 900 points

By Everett Merrill The Associated Press NEW YORK — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history, and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love

WNBA from page B1 chaired a campaign to legalize sports betting in Maryland and now leads strategy and growth for the VIP team at fantasy sports platform Underdog, with the aim of carving space for more women and people of color to access the industry.

“I knew from a very early age

and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP. A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when

entrepreneurship and business were something that I was really, really passionate about,” Coleman said.

She added that she feels grateful to her parents for emphasizing the importance of education and long-term career planning. Thanks to their wisdom, she made sure to seek out mentors and explore industries

the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” he said. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. “ Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” he said. “I had the opportunity to go there, and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza picked

up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night, while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years.

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement.

He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 touchdown passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

that interested her throughout her basketball career.

“I knew I didn’t want to be one of those players that retired, and it was like, ‘Oh gosh, what now?’” Coleman said.

Many former athletes land in sports-related roles, such as coaching or sports broadcasting. But not all are surefooted in finding their next calling.

Despite her own post-WNBA success, Peters says players could use more guidance to help them understand how to plan, save and prepare for the future.

“The general lifespan of a basketball player is not long,” she said. “You have to be prepared to not be here tomorrow or the next year.”

7

Heisman winners out of the last nine who transferred before their award-winning season

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

obituaries

Stephen Vernon Pate Sept. 7, 1946 – Dec. 5, 2025 Stephen Vernon Pate, born on September 7, 1946, passed away on December 5, 2025, at the age of 79.

A memorial service will be held on January 07, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Carolina Rehab Center of Cumberland, 4600 Cumberland Road, Fayetteville, NC 28306.

The burial will follow at Camp Ground United Methodist, 4625 Campground Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314.

Lelia McMillian Sept. 17, 1946 – Dec. 7, 2025 Ms. Lelia McMillian, age 79, went home to rest with her Heavenly Father on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the Pauline T. Buie Chapel.

Lelia will be greatly missed.

Michael Patten Atwood Brenda Sue Currie March 19, 1956 – Dec. 12, 2025 Brenda Sue Currie, of Raeford, NC, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the age of 69.

She was born in Hoke County on March 19, 1956, to the late John and Irene Currie.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Robert “Bobby” Currie and Henry “Lee” Currie; her niece, Sharon Elaine Currie; and her nephew, Thomas Leon Currie.

Brenda was a lifelong member of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Raeford. She was church historian, secretary, and in charge of the Presbyterian Women of the Church. She worked at Hoke County Partnership for Children and Families for many years.

She was an avid reader and enjoyed crafting, specifically door hangers, wreaths, and flower arrangements. She loved her fur babies, Bella and Bailey.

Brenda referred to the three of them as “the three B’s”. She always found ways to take care of others.

She will be missed by many.

A graveside service will be held on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery with Rev. James Wilhide officiating.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com

Aug. 19, 1951 – Dec. 9, 2025 Michael Patten Atwood, 74, passed peacefully from this life and into the arms of his Savior, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering faith, deep love, and joyful humor. Michael was born on August 19, 1951, to Jerry Atwood and Jean (Atwood) Henchal, and grew up surrounded by the strong family values that shaped the man he would become.

He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 21 years, Patricia Bryant Atwood; his mother, Jean Henchal; his children Angela (Jerrid) Jungling, Jeremy (Nicole) Atwood, Tabitha (Brett) Luth, Christy (Jason) Alphin, and Stephanie Gomez (Aaron Richardson); and his beloved grandchildren—Aaron, Alexis, Angel, Leilani, Jason Jr., Ethan, Emma, Grace, Sarah, and Kaydin—as well as eight greatgrandchildren who brought him endless joy. He is also survived by his sister, Carol (Jerry) Dunham, and many nieces and nephews who cherished his playful spirit and steady presence.

Michael was preceded in death by his grandparents Julius and Arnette Moneypenny and Lester and Emma Atwood; his father Jerry Atwood; his stepfather Donald Henchal; his son Jay Atwood; and his sister Judy Reedy.

Michael proudly served in the United States Navy, where his dedication and determination earned him honors such as the Training Squadron Thirty-One Sailor of the Month. His cando attitude and desire to excel were hallmarks not only of his military service but of the way he approached every chapter of his life.

A man of deep Christian faith, Michael lived with a Christ-like love that radiated to everyone he met. He openly shared God’s wisdom and grace, offering encouragement, compassion, and prayer whenever it was needed. His greatest joy was found in his family—especially in the moments spent laughing, teaching, adventuring, and simply being together. He delighted in the outdoors, whether kayaking on quiet waters, fly fishing, boating on the lake, wandering mountain trails, or bringing lighthearted fun to every gathering with his childlike, mischievous humor.

Michael leaves behind a legacy of devotion, strength, and faith.

His family will carry forward his love for the Lord and the lessons he lived so faithfully: to love generously, laugh often, and walk through life with gratitude and grace.

He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 13th, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Arran Lake Baptist Church, 1130 Bingham Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28304, with Dr. Andrew Clark officiating.

Military honors will follow.

Maxwell Ray Grant

Benjamin Powell

James Junior Jones

April 23, 1943 – Dec. 8, 2025

July 22, 1943 – Dec. 8, 2025

Sept. 16, 1965 – Dec. 9, 2025

Mr. Maxwell Grant, age 82, went home to rest with his Heavenly Father on Monday, December 8, 2025.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.

Maxwell will be greatly missed.

Mr. Benjamin Powell, aka GoGo, age 82, went home to rest with his Heavenly Father on Monday, December 8, 2025.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Freedom Chapel AME Zion Church.

GoGo will be greatly missed.

Ricky “Slick Rick” Locklear

Ricky Nelson Locklear

Mr. James Junior Jones (Jay), 60, of Maxton, North Carolina, was born on September 16, 1965, and departed this life on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at New Hanover Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mr. Dovernell and Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Jones; one brother, Mr. Nathan Jones.

He leaves to cherish his memories his spouse: Ms. Patty Locklear, one daughter, Ms. Taylor Jones (Michael) one son, Mr. Ridge Locklear, one sister, Ms. Ruth Ann Moreno (Jerry), one brother, Mr. Kevin Jones, one niece Ms. Jessica Moreno, special niece, Ms. Jessie Moreno, three nephews, Mr. Nathan (Jab) Jones, Mr. Lucas Jones, Mr. Zachary Didier, four grandchildren: Mr. Tylon Locklear (Bug), Ms. Taylee Locklear, Ms. Talayah Locklear and Axton Smid and a host of other relatives and friends.

Sept. 6, 1958 – Dec. 10, 2025

June 7, 1962 – Dec. 11, 2025

Mr. Ricky “Slick Rick” Locklear, age 67 of Shannon, North Carolina, was born on September 6, 1958, to the late Zack Locklear and the late Jeanette Chavis in Robeson County, North Carolina. He departed this life on December 10, 2025, at UNC Health Southeastern, Lumberton, North Carolina. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Inez Tiny Locklear and Annette Locklear, a brother, Richard Locklear, and a sister-inlaw, Pattie Lee Locklear.

Mr. Ricky leaves to cherish his memories his wife: Loria Ann Locklear of the home, one son: Ricky Allen Locklear (Ashley) of Rowland, North Carolina, one daughter: Ashley Locklear (Lee) of Red Springs, North Carolina, two sisters: Sarah Chavis of Rennert, North Carolina, Tammy Hale (Will) of Rowland, North Carolina, brothers-inlaw: Robert Locklear (Hannah), Dwight Locklear (Bernadine), Terry Locklear (Tonya), three grandchildren: Summer Leann Locklear, Nevaeh Lei Locklear, Riley Grace Locklear, Nieces, Nephews, along with a host of other relatives and friends.

Mr. Ricky Nelson Locklear, age 63, of 1273 Oxendine School Rd, Maxton, North Carolina, was born on June 7, 1962, to the late Mr. Ernest Locklear Jr and Mrs. Mary Bell Locklear in Scotland County. He departed this life on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at UNC Health Medical Center in Lumberton, North Carolina. Along with his father, he is preceded in death by his grandparents, Mr. Ernest and Elta Locklear, Mr. Norvell and Jessie Bell Bullard, his sister, Elsie Mae Milligan.

He leaves to cherish his memories his mother, Mary Bell Locklear and sister, Vicky Locklear both of the home.

One son David Derell Locklear of Pembroke, North Carolina; four nieces, seven nephews, special cousin Billy Ray Bullard and a host of other relatives and friends.

Ruby McArn March 23, 1942 – Dec. 12, 2025 Ms. Ruby McArn, age 83, went home to rest with her Heavenly Father on Friday, December 12, 2025.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, December 21, at 2 p.m. at Millside Pentecostal Holiness Church.

Ruby will be greatly missed.

Bestselling British writer Joanna Trollope dies at 82 She wrote dozens of books over decades of work The Associated Press LONDON — British writer Joanna Trollope, whose bestselling novels charted domestic and romantic travails in well-heeled rural England, has died, her family said Friday.

She was 82.

Trollope’s daughters, Antonia and Louise, said the writer died peacefully at her home in Oxfordshire, southern England, on Thursday.

Trollope wrote almost two dozen contemporary novels, including “The Rector’s Wife,” “Marrying the Mistress,” “Other People’s Children” and “Next of Kin.” They were often dubbed “Aga sagas,” after the old-fashioned Aga ovens found in affluent country homes.

Trollope disliked the term, noting that her books tackled uncomfortable subjects including infidelity, marital breakdown and the challenges of parenting.

“That was a very unfortunate

LEWIS WHYLD / PA VIA AP

Joanna Trollope announces the shortlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2012. phrase, and I think it’s done me a lot of damage,” she once said.

“It was so patronizing to the readers, too.”

Trollope’s most recent novel, “Mum & Dad,” examined the “sandwich generation” of middle-aged people looking after both children and elderly parents.

Trollope also published 10 historical novels under the pseudonym Caroline Harvey.

Trollope, a distant relative of Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope, was born in Minchinhampton in the west of England in 1943. She studied English at Oxford University, then worked in Britain’s Foreign Office and as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer in 1980. She became a household name after “The Rector’s Wife” was adapted for television in 1991.

Trollope’s novel “Parson Harding’s Daughter” won a novel of the year award from the Romantic Novelists’ Association in 1980. In 2010, the association gave her a lifetime achievement award for services to romance.

In 2019, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, by Queen Elizabeth II. Her literary agent, James Gill, called Trollope “one of our most cherished, acclaimed and widely enjoyed novelists.

“Joanna will be mourned by her children, grandchildren, family, her countless friends and — of course — her readers,” Gill said.

B4

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

STATE & NATION

NASCAR settles federal antitrust case, gives all teams the permanent charters they wanted The surprise settlement came after days of brutal testimony

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood side by side on the steps of a federal courthouse as if they were old friends following a stunning settlement last Thursday of a bruising antitrust case in which the Basketball Hall of Famer was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing the top racing series in the United States of being a monopolistic bully.

The duo was flanked by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Jordan, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and more than a dozen lawyers as they celebrated the end to an eight-day trial that ultimately led NASCAR to cave and grant all its teams the permanent charters they wanted.

“Like two competitors, obviously we tried to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, towering over the 81-year-old France. “I’ve said this from Day 1: The only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point, unfortunately it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have gotten us to this point where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I am very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

France concurred.

“I do feel the same, and we can get back to focusing on what

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Michael Jordan, left, shakes hands with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman as NASCAR chairman Jim France, center, looks away outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte last Thursday. we really love, and that’s racing, and we spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we needed to be,” France said.

“I feel like we made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used in other sports, and in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams a spot in every top-level Cup Series race and a fixed portion of the revenue stream. The system was implemented in 2016, and teams have argued for over two years that the charters needed to be made permanent — they had been revokable by NASCAR — and the revenue sharing had to change.

NASCAR, founded and privately owned by the Florida-based France family, never considered making the charters permanent. Instead, after two-plus years of bitter negotiations, NASCAR in September 2024 presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer that gave teams until end

of that day to sign the 112-page document.

23XI and Front Row refused and sued, while 13 other organizations signed. But testimony in court revealed many did so “with a gun to our head” because the threat of losing the charters would have put them out of business.

Jordan testified early in the trial that as a new team owner to NASCAR — 23XI launched in 2021 — he felt he had the strength to challenge NASCAR. Eight days of testimony went badly for NASCAR, which when it began to present its case seemed focused more on mitigating damages than it did on proving it did not violate antitrust laws.

Although terms of the settlement were not released — NASCAR was in the process of scheduling a call last Thursday with all teams to discuss the revenue-sharing model moving forward — both Jordan and NASCAR said that charters will now be permanent for all teams.

23XI and Front Row will receive

their combined six charters back for 2026.

An economist previously testified that NASCAR owes 23XI and Front Row $364.7 million in damages, and that NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said from the front-row seat he’s occupied since the trial began Dec. 1 as he waited for the settlement announcement.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who had presided over two days of failed settlement talks before the trial began, echoed the sentiment. Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

The settlement came after two days of testimony by France and last Wednesday night’s public release of a letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris calling for NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps to be removed.

The discovery process revealed internal NASCAR communications in which Phelps called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress a “redneck” and other derogatory names; Bass Pro sponsors Childress’ teams, as well as some others, and Morris is an ardent NASCAR supporter.

Childress gave fiery testimony earlier this week over his reluctance to sign the charter agreement because it was unfair to the teams, which have been

bleeding money and begged NASCAR for concessions. Letters from Hall of Fame team owners Joe Gibbs, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Roger Penske were introduced in which they pleaded with France for charters to become permanent; France testified he was not moved by the men he considers good friends.

Hendrick and Penske, who were both scheduled to testify Friday, expressed gratitude that a settlement had been reached.

Penske called it “tremendous news” and said it cleared the way to continue growing the series.

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters — the future of our sport,” Hendrick said. “This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders. I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

The settlement came abruptly on the ninth day of the trial. Bell opened expecting to hear motions, but both sides asked for a private conference in chambers.

When they emerged, Bell ordered an hourlong break for the two sides to confer. That turned into two hours, all parties returned to the courtroom and Kessler announced an agreement had been reached.

“What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter and its possibilities are greater.”

4 charged with plotting New Year’s Eve attacks in Southern California The suspects are allegedly members of a pro-Palestian extremist group

By Christopher Weber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California, announcing the arrests of members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.

The four suspects were arrested last Friday as they were testing explosives in the desert east of Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the four suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table shortly before their arrests.

In the criminal complaint,

the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a pro-Palestinian group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Each faces charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, Essayli said, adding that additional charges were expected in coming weeks.

It wasn’t immediately clear if they had attorneys, and The Associated Press was unable to reach family members.

Essayli said Carroll last month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve and were trying to hit multiple companies. He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was ex-

plicit,” Essayli said. “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs ... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with explosive devices at multiple businesses that were set to blow up simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

Two of the group’s members also had discussed plans for future attacks, including targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026, according to the criminal complaint.

“Carroll stated that some of those plans would quote ‘take some of them out and scare the rest,’” Essayli said.

The plans were discussed both at an in-person meeting with members in Los Angeles and through an encrypted messaging app, Essayli said.

Evidence photos included in

the court documents show a desert campsite with what investigators said were bomb-making materials strewn across plastic folding tables.

The suspects “all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, including various sizes of PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, charcoal, charcoal powder, sulfur powder, and material to be used as fuses, among others,” the complaint states.

The plan stated that the backpacks would contain complex pipe bombs and included instructions on how to manufacture them and also how to avoid leaving evidence behind tracing anything back to the group, officials said. The suspects recently had acquired precursor chemicals and other items, they added.

Last week they were rehearsing their attack and testing devices in the desert near Twentynine Palms, California, before federal authorities moved in, officials said.

“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” he said.

Authorities issued search warrants and found posters for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at Carroll’s home that called for “Death to America,” and “Death to ICE,” Essayli said. In Page’s residence, police found a copy of the detailed bomb plan, he added.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they come together still to protect residents.

The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years.

“The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of our unified response,” McDonnell said.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident.

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 43 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025 | MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232

MOORE COUNTY THE MOORE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

On the line Pinecrest junior Caleb Risseeuw keeps his eyes on the prize during the Patriots’ 88-83 overtime win over E.E. Smith on Friday.

For more sports, turn to page B1.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Tire recycler investing $1.4M in Cameron facility

U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria

Upgrade comes after state reinvests disposal fees into scrap tire program

The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified.

The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at halfstaff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter was also killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. A Syrian official says the assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS. The gunman was killed.

North State Journal staff CAMERON — Liberty Tire Recycling is investing $1.4 million to upgrade equipment at its Moore County facility, an investment the company says was spurred by the state’s renewed commitment to its scrap tire program.

The upgrade will increase the amount of material the Cameron facility can process, creating an additional 3,300 tons of recycled product annually — the equivalent of nearly 300,000 passenger tires diverted from landfills.

The new equipment will also allow the facility to process more truck tires, which are in high demand but more difficult to recycle due to their size and stronger steel wire. The recycled rubber is turned into crumb rubber used in products such as

floor mats, running tracks, synthetic turf fields and rubberized asphalt.

The investment comes after the General Assembly passed S.B. 706 this summer, which reinvested tire disposal fees into North Carolina’s scrap tire system. The majority of the additional funding reimburses counties for costs related to collecting and recycling scrap tires.

Liberty said it is considering additional multimillion-dollar investments and job creation at

11 firefighters injured in Salisbury after explosion during house fire None of the injuries were considered life-threatening The Associated Press

WSOC VIA AP

$2.00

Thirteen people were injured in an explosion at a house in Salisbury on Monday.

SALISBURY — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion on Laurel Street in Salisbury, officials said.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation following the fire Monday evening.

Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether they were in

The upgrade is the equivalent of nearly 300,000 passenger tires that will find a sustainable home. its other facilities in the state.

The company, which describes itself as the only coast-to-coast tire recycler, reclaimed 4.7 billion pounds of rubber from more than 215 million scrap tires nationwide in 2024. Liberty has roots in North Carolina and operates three facilities and a corporate office in the state. The company was recently acquired by I Squared Capital.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down.”

Bob Parnell, Salisbury fire chief the house at the time of the fire.

The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames, some four minutes after the call was dispatched.

Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.

“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.

An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing, but a gas leak is suspected.

A2 THURSDAY

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

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CRIME LOG Dec. 8 • Joseph David Cheeks Sr., 71, was arrested by FirstHealth Company Police for communicating threats and misdemeanor domestic violence.

• Sheena Christine Mather, 40, was arrested by MCSO for obtaining property by false pretenses, possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor larceny, possession of stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dec. 9 • Victor Obrian Oxendine, 33, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for misdemeanor larceny and possession of stolen property.

• Lyrical Yes’Mean Tanner, 24, was arrested by MCSO for robbery with dangerous weapon, possession of stolen property, felony possession of cocaine and possession of schedule VI controlled substance.

Dec. 10 • Randy Tyler Hardy, 33, was arrested by MCSO for assault on a female, misdemeanor domestic violence and misdemeanor larceny.

• Lawrence Delevechio McRae, 48, was arrested by MCSO for burning personal property, arson, second degree trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dec. 11 • Shannon Nicole Chavis, 37, was arrested by MCSO for disorderly conduct.

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WTF? Embracing profanity moore happening is one thing both political parties seem to agree on Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

We’ve come a long way since Joe Biden’s “This is a big f---ing deal”

Dec. 18

David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal

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WEDNESDAY DEC. 24

Chris Loucks

By Steven Sloan The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — As he shook President Barack Obama’s hand and pulled him in for what he thought was a private aside, Vice President Joe Biden delivered an explicit message: “This is a big f---ing deal.” The remark, overheard on live microphones at a 2010 ceremony for the Affordable Care Act, caused a sensation because open profanity from a national leader was unusual at the time.

More than 15 years later, vulgarity is now in vogue.

During a political rally Tuesday night in Pennsylvania that was intended to focus on tackling inflation, President Donald Trump used profanity at least four times. At one point, he even admitted to disparaging Haiti and African nations as “sh--hole countries ” during a private 2018 meeting, a comment he denied at the time.

And before a bank of cameras during a lengthy Cabinet meeting last week, the Republican president referred to alleged drug smugglers as “sons of b----es.”

While the Biden incident was accidental, the frequency, sharpness and public nature of Trump’s comments are intentional. They build on his project to combat what he sees as pervasive political correctness.

Leaders in both parties are seemingly in a race now to the verbal gutter.

Vice President JD Vance called a podcast host a “dips--t” in September. In Thanksgiving remarks before troops, Vance joked that anyone who said they liked turkey was “full of s---.” After one National Guard member was killed in a shooting in Washington, D.C., last month and a second was critically injured, top Trump aide Steven Cheung told a reporter on social media to “shut the f--- up” when she wrote that the deployment of troops in the nation’s capital was “for political show.”

Among Democrats, former Vice President Kamala Harris earned a roar of approval from her audience in September when she condemned the Trump administration by saying “these motherf---ers are crazy.” After Trump called for the execution of several Democratic members of Congress last month, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said it was time for people with influence to “pick a f---ing side.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the administration cannot “f--- around” with the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who on Monday announced her Senate campaign in Texas, did not hold back earlier this year when asked what she would tell Elon Musk if given the chance: “F--- off.”

The volley of vulgarities underscore an ever-coarsening political environment that often plays out on social media or other digital platforms where the posts or video clips that evoke the strongest emotions are rewarded with the most engagement.

“If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at the so-

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Harris Teeter, Pinecroft 3605 Ivey Lane Pinehurst

Dec. 18-20 ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump has used profane language on occasion, including calling drug smugglers “sons of b----es” during a cabinet meeting last week and a widely reported comment where he referred to “sh--hole countries” during a meeting in 2018. cial media companies,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said Tuesday night at Washington National Cathedral, where he spoke at an event focused on political civility. “It’s not a fair fight. They’ve hijacked our brains. They understand these dopamine hits.

Outrage sells.”

Cox, whose national profile rose after calling for civility in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination in his state, approved an overhaul of social media laws meant to protect children. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the state law.

Tough political talk nothing new Tough talk is nothing new in politics, but leaders long avoided flaunting it.

Recordings from Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, for instance, revealed a crude, profane side of his personality that was largely kept private. Republican Richard Nixon bemoaned the fact that the foul language he used in the Oval Office was captured on tape. “Since neither I nor most other Presidents had ever used profanity in public, millions were shocked,” Nixon wrote in his book “In the Arena.”

“Politicians have always sworn, just behind closed doors,” said Benjamin Bergen, a professor at the University of California-San Diego’s Department of Cognitive Science and the author of “What the F: What swearing reveals about our language, our brains, and ourselves.” “The big change is in the past 10 years or so, it’s been much more public.”

As both parties prepare for the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential campaign, the question is whether this language will become increasingly mainstream. Republicans who simply try to imitate Trump’s brash style do not always succeed with voters. Democrats who turn to vulgarities risk appearing inauthentic if their words feel forced.

For some politicians, it is just a distraction.

“It’s not necessary,” said GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring next year after winning five elections in one of the most competitive House districts. “If that’s what it takes to get your

point across, you’re not a good communicator.”

Risks of overusing profanity There also is a risk that if such language becomes overused, its utility as a way to shock and connect with audiences could be dulled. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has talked about this problem, noting that he used swear words in his early routines but dropped them as his career progressed because he felt profanity yielded only cheap laughs.

“I felt like well I just got a laugh because I said f--- in there,” he said in a 2020 interview with a fellow comedian on the “WTF with Marc Maron Podcast.” “You didn’t find the gold.”

White House spokesperson Liz Huston said Trump “doesn’t care about being politically correct, he cares about Making America Great Again.

The American people love how authentic, transparent, and effective the President is.”

But for Trump, the words that have generated the most controversy are often less centered in traditional profanity than slurs that can be interpreted as hurtful. The final weeks of his 2016 campaign were rocked when a tape emerged of him discussing grabbing women by their genitals, language he minimized as “locker room talk.” His “sh--hole” remark in 2018 was widely condemned as racist.

More recently, Trump called a female journalist “piggy,” comments that his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, defended as evidence of a president who is “very frank and honest.”

Trump’s use of a slur about disabled people prompted an Indiana Republican whose child has Down syndrome to come out in opposition to the president’s push to redraw the state’s congressional districts.

On rare occasions, politicians express contrition for their choice of words. In an interview with The Atlantic published last week, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) dismissed Harris’ depiction of him in her book about last year’s presidential campaign by saying she was “trying to sell books and cover her a--.”

He seemed to catch himself quickly.

“I shouldn’t say ‘cover her a--,” he said. “I think that’s not appropriate.”

Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House and Property Tours 1-4 p.m.

The Moore County Historical Association’s grounds and properties are open for tours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Tours are free and open to all ages.

Enjoy learning about the impressive history of Moore County.

Shaw House 110 Morganton Road Southern Pines

Dec. 20 The Arts Council of Moore County presents the November art show, “Framing Form” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This show features photographs taken by members of the Sandhills Photography Club and new wares by potter Beth E. Roy. Exhibition opens on Weds.

12/11 and is on display through December 20.

Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House 482 E. Connecticut Ave. Southern Pines

Dec. 20 Movie: Home Alone 2-4 p.m.

This movie has become a modern Christmas classic.

Tickets are $10.

Sunrise Theater 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

Dec. 26 Movie: “Song Sung Blue” 1-3 p.m.

Starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman and based on a true story. Tickets are $10.

Sunrise Theater 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

A3

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

Flashback to 2009: Obamacare creates a mess for others to clean up Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE Act passed upon a mountain of lies about “bending the cost curve” and phony cost estimates. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it.

The subsidies Obamacare shoveled to insurance companies — that enriched them greatly — are set to expire exactly as the Democrat designers planned. This will cause premiums to skyrocket. Right on cue, Democrats label the failed Obamacare promises a “Republican health care crisis.”

In 2019, right before President Barack Obama signed the bill, I wrote the following column in which I predicted he would be long out of office when the true bill came due, leaving others to clean up the mess. Here are excerpts: Americans overwhelmingly like their health care and their health insurance. While Americans reject Obamacare, the president and Congress insist on driving it through.

Most Americans, up to 85%, already have health insurance and are satisfied with it. Lacking health insurance is different from lacking health “care” which, by law, emergency rooms must supply. Millions go without health insurance by choice and not due to lack of resources. Deduct from the number without insurance those who have access to it via entitlement programs, those temporarily without it while between jobs, those here illegally and those who could go on their parents’ insurance plans by paying affordable amounts, and you’re down to 10 million to 15 million people without

health insurance for longer than a year.

This represents 5% of Americans.

To address this, the president and the Democrats propose a complete government takeover of health care. It will, at minimum, force all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay fines or worse. It will force nearly all employers to provide health insurance or pay fines. It will tell health insurers that they must accept applicants with preexisting illnesses and restrict their ability to “discriminate” based on factors like sex and age.

Incredibly, the president and Congress tell us that our economic recovery hinges on “health care reform” and that they can achieve it providing millions of people with health insurance estimated to cost a trillion dollars in the first decade while simultaneously reducing the deficit. Good luck with that.

“Health care reform” achieves its deficit-reducing magic by collecting taxes in the early years building up money while paying out very little. Only after the first four years does money go out. It also forces states to pick up part of the tab. So, voila, it reduces the deficit — at least in the first decade.

Then what?

The Congressional Budget Office, in cost estimates full of caveats, conditions and on-theone-hands, says that it could/might/may reduce the deficit in the second and third decades too.

A poll commissioned by Investor’s Business Daily found that 65% (of doctors) “oppose” Obamacare and that 45% would consider

taking early retirement or leaving their practice if the bill went through.

Given the broad opposition of most Americans, most doctors and seniors in fear of cuts in Medicare, one must ask why do it?

First, Democrats now in control of all three branches of government have convinced themselves they face a political price if they fail.

Second, while a large majority of Republicans and most independents oppose these “reforms,” Democrats overwhelmingly support them. They consider health care and health insurance a right — never mind the Constitution or the price tag — and think “the rich” should bear the costs.

Third, many believe in good faith that this is the “right thing to do.” This breathtakingly ignores the mountain of evidence that government command-and-control health care reduces quality, reduces innovation and inevitably leads to rationing. The president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s system, a single-payer kind, the model favored by Obama, is “imploding.” She calls for more competition.

Critics of America’s health care system say that citizens in other countries enjoy longer life expectancies. But after adjusting for homicides, increased infant mortality due to teen pregnancies and low birth weights, obesity, traffic fatalities and other behavioral factors, the discrepancy disappears.

When the Obamacare bill comes due when the deficit explodes and the costs are “controlled” through government-directed rationing supporters, including Obama, will long have departed Washington, leaving others to deal with the mess.

This is where we are today.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

COLUMN | GREG BLACKIE

Green New Scam causing America’s energy crisis Electricity rates are rising.

Reliability is crumbling.

We know the cause.

OUR COUNTRY IS facing an energy crisis. No, not because of new demand from data centers or AI. Instead, it’s because utilities in nearly every state, due to government imposed “renewable” mandates, self-imposed mandates and the supercharging of the Green New Scam under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” have been shutting down vital coal resources and building out almost exclusively intermittent and costly resources like solar, wind and battery storage.

President Donald Trump understands this, and that is why on day one of his administration he declared an Energy Emergency. Then, a few months later, the president signed a trio of executive orders designed to keep our “beautiful, clean coal” burning and providing the reliable, baseload and affordable electricity Americans have benefitted from for generations.

Those orders have been used to keep coal generation online that was slated to shut down in Michigan and will potentially keep two units operating that were scheduled to shut down in Colorado this December. In Arizona, however, the Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County was shuttered by the utility just weeks after Trump explicitly called out the plant for saving in a press conference.

Unlike states with green mandates, Arizona essentially has none. Instead, our utilities, like many around the country, have self-imposed commitments to go “Net Zero” by 2050. To meet that target, they have planned to shut down all coal generation in the state by 2032 and plan to build out almost exclusively solar, wind and battery storage to meet an expected explosive growth in demand, at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. So it is no surprise that like much of the rest of the country, Arizona is facing an energy crisis.

Taking a look at our largest regulated utilities (APS, TEP and UNS) and the largest nonprofit

utility, SRP, future plans paint an alarming picture. Combined, over the next 15 years, these utilities expect to see demand increase from 19,200 MW to 28,000 MW. For reference, 1,000 MW of electricity is enough to power roughly 250,000 homes. To meet that growth in demand, however, Arizonans will only get a net increase of 989 MW of reliable generation (coal, natural gas, and nuclear) compared to 22,543 MW (or nearly 23 times as much) of intermittent solar, wind and battery storage.

But what about all of the new natural gas coming into the state? The vast majority of it will be eaten up just to replace existing coal resources, not to bring additional affordable energy to the grid. For example, the SRP board recently voted to approve the conversion of their Springerville coal plant to natural gas by 2030, which follows an earlier vote to convert another of their coal plants, Coronado, to natural gas by 2029. This coal conversion trap leaves ratepayers with the same amount of energy as before, eating up new natural gas capacity without the benefit of more electricity.

So while the Arizona utilities plan to collectively build an additional 4,538 MW of natural gas capacity over the next 15 years, at the same time they will be removing 3,549 MW (all of what is left on the grid today) of coal. And there are no plans for more nuclear capacity anytime soon. Instead, to meet their voluntary climate commitments, utilities plan to saddle ratepayers with the cost and resultant blackouts of the green new scam.

It’s no surprise then that Arizona’s largest regulated utilities, APS and TEP, are seeking double-digit rate hikes next year. It’s not just Arizona. Excel customers in Colorado (with a 100% clean energy commitment) and in Minnesota (also with a 100% clean energy commitment) are facing nearly double-digit rate hikes. The day before Thanksgiving, PPL

customers in Rhode Island (with a state mandate of 100% renewable by 2033) found out they may see rate hikes next year. Dominion (which has a Net Zero by 2050 commitment) wanted to raise rates for customers in Virginia by 15%. Just last month, regulators approved a 9% increase.

Importantly, these rate increases are to recover costs for expenses incurred years ago, meaning they are clearly to cover the costs of the energy “transition” supercharged under the Biden administration, not from increased demand from data centers and AI. It’s the same story around the country.

Electricity rates are rising. Reliability is crumbling. We know the cause. For generations, we’ve been able to provide reliable energy at an affordable cost. The only variable that has changed has been what we are choosing to build.

Then it was reliable, dispatchable power. Now it is intermittent sources that we know cost more and that we know cause blackouts, all to meet absurd goals of going 100% renewable — something that no utility, state or country has been able to achieve. And we know the result when they try.

This crisis can be avoided. Trump has laid out the plan to unleash American Energy. Now it’s time for utilities to drop their costly green new scam commitments and go back to building reliable and affordable power that generations to come will benefit from.

Greg Blackie, deputy director of policy at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. This column was first published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

A4

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

As gerrymandering battles sweep country, supporters say partisan dominance ‘fair’ Both sides embrace gerrymandering when it’s convenient for them

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WHEN INDIANA adopted new U.S. House districts four years ago, Republican legislative leaders lauded them as “fair maps” that reflected the state’s communities.

But when Gov. Mike Braun recently tried to redraw the lines to help Republicans gain more power, he implored lawmakers to “vote for fair maps.”

What changed? The definition of “fair.”

As states undertake mid-decade redistricting instigated by President Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats are using a tit-for-tat definition of fairness to justify districts that split communities in an attempt to send politically lopsided delegations to Congress. It is fair, they argue, because other states have done the same. And it is necessary, they claim, to maintain a partisan balance in the House of Representatives that resembles the national political divide.

This new vision for drawing congressional maps is creating a winner-take-all scenario that treats the House, traditionally a more diverse patchwork of politicians, like the Senate, where members reflect a state’s majority party. The result could be reduced power for minority communities, less attention to certain issues and fewer distinct voices heard in Washington.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky fears that unconstrained gerrymandering would put the United States on a perilous path if Democrats in states such as Texas and Republicans in states like California feel shut out of electoral politics. “I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Although Indiana state senators rejected a new map backed

by Trump and Braun that could have helped Republicans win all nine of the state’s congressional seats, districts have already been redrawn in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Other states could consider changes before the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress.

“It’s a fundamental undermining of a key democratic condition,” said Wayne Fields, a retired English professor from Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on political rhetoric.

“The House is supposed to represent the people,” Fields added. “We gain an awful lot by having particular parts of the population heard.”

MICHAEL CONROY / AP PHOTO

Protesters are seen through a window in the Senate Chamber during dissuasion before a vote to redistrict Indiana’s congressional map last Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

“I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Redistricting is diluting community representation Under the Constitution, the Senate has two members from each state. The House has 435 seats divided among states based on population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative. In the current Congress, California has the most at 52, followed by Texas with 38.

Because senators are elected statewide, they are almost always political pairs of one party or another. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the only states now with both a Democrat and Republican in the Senate. Maine and Vermont each have one independent and one senator affiliated with a political party.

By contrast, most states elect a mixture of Democrats and Republicans to the House. That is because House districts, with an average of 761,000 residents, based on the 2020 census, are more likely to reflect the varying partisan preferences of urban or rural voters, as well as different racial, ethnic and economic groups.

This year’s redistricting is diminishing those locally unique districts.

In California, voters in several rural counties that backed

Trump were separated from similar rural areas and attached to a reshaped congressional district containing liberal coastal communities. In Missouri, Democratic-leaning voters in Kansas City were split from one main congressional district into three, with each revised district stretching deep into rural Republican areas.

Some residents complained their voices are getting drowned out. But Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Mike Kehoe, (R-Mo.) defended the gerrymandering as a means of countering other states and amplifying the voices of those aligned with the state’s majority.

All is “fair” in redistricting Indiana’s delegation in the U.S. House consists of seven Republicans and two Democrats — one representing Indianapolis and the other a suburban Chicago district in the state’s northwestern corner.

Dueling definitions of fairness were on display at the Indiana Capitol as lawmakers considered a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have split Indianapolis among four Republican-leaning districts and merged the Chicago suburbs

with rural Republican areas. Opponents walked the halls in protest, carrying signs such as “I stand for fair maps!”

Ethan Hatcher, a talk radio host who said he votes for Republicans and Libertarians, denounced the redistricting plan as “a blatant power grab” that “compromises the principles of our Founding Fathers” by fracturing Democratic strongholds to dilute the voices of urban voters.

“It’s a calculated assault on fair representation,” Hatcher told a state Senate committee.

But others asserted it would be fair for Indiana Republicans to hold all of those House seats because Trump won the “solidly Republican state” by nearly three-fifths of the vote.

“Our current 7-2 congressional delegation doesn’t fully capture that strength,” resident Tracy Kissel said at a committee hearing. “We can create fairer, more competitive districts that align with how Hoosiers vote.”

When senators defeated a map designed to deliver a 9-0 congressional delegation for Republicans, Braun bemoaned that they had missed an “opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps.”

Disrupting an equilibrium By some national measurements, the U.S. House already is politically fair. The 220-215 majority that Republicans won over Democrats in the 2024 elections almost perfectly aligns with the share of the

vote the two parties received in districts across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But that overall balance belies an imbalance that exists in many states. Even before this year’s redistricting, the number of states with congressional districts tilted toward one party or another was higher than at any point in at least a decade, the AP analysis found.

The partisan divisions have contributed to a “cutthroat political environment” that “drives the parties to extreme measures,” said Kent Syler, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

He noted that Republicans hold 88% of congressional seats in Tennessee, and Democrats have an equivalent in Maryland.

“Fairer redistricting would give people more of a feeling that they have a voice,” Syler said.

Rebekah Caruthers, who leads the Fair Elections Center, a nonprofit voting rights group, said there should be compact districts that allow communities of interest to elect the representatives of their choice, regardless of how that affects the national political balance. Gerrymandering districts to be dominated by a single party results in “an unfair disenfranchisement” of some voters, she said.

“Ultimately, this isn’t going to be good for democracy,” Caruthers said. “We need some type of détente.”

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MOORE SPORTS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

All six area teams struggled in last week’s action North State Journal staff THE NORTH MOORE’S boys’ basketball went 1-3 last week and are 2-4 on the season. The Mustangs opened with a home loss to Chatham Central, 80-31. They bounced back with a 65-47 win over American Leadership Academy. They then lost a pair of road games, to Wheatmore, 48-46, and at American Leadership, 65-55.

North Moore has one more game this week before the holidays, at home against Northwood.

The North Moore girls’ team fell to 0-5 with three losses this past week. The Mustangs fell

43-28 at home to Chatham Central then lost 55-17 at Wheatmore and 37-27 at American Leadership.

The girls also have one game this week, against Northwood, in conference play, then enter a holiday tournament with a game against Felton Grove. Senior Kingsley Donaldson had 15 points, while seniors Joe Fuerch and Talik Graham had 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Vikings are 1-5 and host Pinecrest this week before opening holiday tournament play with a game against Montgomery Central.

The Union Pines girls also lost their only game last week,

46-22 at West Johnston. The Vikings are 3-2, 0-1 in conference.

They host Pinecrest, then travel to South Johnston.

Pinecrest split two games last week, falling 75-72 at South View, then winning 88-83 in overtime over E.E. Smith to move to 2-3 on the year. The Patriots head to Union Pines this week before hosting Mallard Creek.

The Pinecrest girls went 1-2 to move to 3-4 on the year. The Patriots beat South View 44-13 on the road, then lost 58-52 at Uwharrie Charter and 53-49 at home against Smith.

This week’s schedule matches the boys — a game at Union Pines before hosting Mallard Creek.

Blake Pennington

MAXPREPS

North Moore, boys’ basketball

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest’s Sarah Tepatti fires a pass to teammate Kennedy Moore during a game against E.E. Smith last week.

Blake Pennington is a sophomore on the North Moore boys’ basketball team. He also plays football and golf for the Mustangs.

Pennington was leading scorer for the Mustangs in the last three games. He hit 7 of 10 shots and scored 15 in a win over ALA, adding seven rebounds, three assists and four steals. He had 18 points and four assists against Wheatmore and 21 points and two steals in the rematch with ALA. For the season, Pennington leads North Moore in points, assists, steals and 3-point percentage.

Rivers emotional after nearly leading Colts to win in return: ‘There is doubt, and it’s real’ The former Wolfpack quarterback returned to the NFL after five years of retirement

“The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ ”

The Associated Press SEATTLE — Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons, or the young men he has coached, that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44.

“There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers said, choking up briefly. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.”

Rivers ended a nearly five-year retirement to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and played efficient football for the desperate Colts, who turned to the future Hall of Famer after Daniel Jones was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

He threw a touchdown pass in the first half, played mostly mistake-free and moved the Colts into position for Blake Grupe’s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds left. But Jason Myers responded with a 56-yarder that gave the Seahawks an 18-16 victory.

It was a remarkable day for a grandfather who’s spent the past few years coaching high school football in his native Alabama.

Rivers took a few hard hits from the Seahawks’ stout defense, and he even enjoyed them.

“I never minded that part of it,” Rivers said. “My wife always tells me I’m crazy because there’s been times in the last

Philip Rivers

STEPHEN BRASHEAR / AP PHOTO

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers celebrates a touchdown, his first in five years. three or four years I said, ‘I wish I could just throw one and get hit — hard.’”

This wasn’t a novelty act, as it may have seemed when the Colts signed the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist to their practice squad less than a week ago. Coach Shane Steichen’s Colts, who began the season 7-1 but are trying to stop a second-half collapse, knew what they were getting out of the veteran.

Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with the pick coming on his final pass as

he tried to force the ball down the field in the closing seconds.

“I was just thankful — grateful — that I was out there,” Rivers said. “And it was a blast — it was a blast — but obviously the emotions now are disappointment. This isn’t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.”

The Colts (8-6) have dropped four straight and five of six, and they are outside the AFC playoff picture with three games left.

They trail both Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

Steichen called a conser-

vative game, relying on running the ball and controlling the clock. Rivers threw mostly short passes to the outside, checkdowns and screens.

“He went out there and gave us a chance to win it,” Steichen said.

Rivers took two sacks, and he showed his age on the first one. He stumbled while evading pressure from Boye Mafe, got up, then fell again.

Rivers pumped his right fist and let out a roar after throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 1:33 remaining in the first half to put

the Colts up 13-3.

It was Rivers’ first touchdown pass since he threw a 27-yarder to Jack Doyle in the Colts’ 27-24 loss to Buffalo in a wild-card playoff game on Jan. 9, 2021. He also became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass at age 44 or older, joining Tom Brady, George Blanda, Steve DeBerg and Vinny Testaverde.

“It’s been 1,800 days since I’ve thrown a touchdown — or interception for that matter.

So we have both those (boxes) checked,” Rivers said.

Rivers was chosen last month as one of 26 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 but will now have his eligibility delayed. A player must be out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.

He ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in wins, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.

Since his retirement, he’s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where the team held a watch party on Sunday.

Rivers’ players were on his mind as he returned to the NFL. “Maybe it will inspire or teach not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said.

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

obituaries

Ray Morgan Smith Jr.

Dan Henry Bryant

Sept. 29, 1940 – Dec. 9, 2025

Oct. 13, 1946 – Dec. 7, 2025

Mr. Ray Morgan Smith Jr., 85, of Pinehurst, North Carolina entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

Ray M Smith, Jr, 85, of Pinehurst, passed away at home on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, after his courageous battle with heart failure. He was formerly of East Patchogue, NY. Ray received his BA from Rutgers University and spent the next 34 years teaching US history and coaching football at Sagamore Jr HS in Holtsville, NY. Retiring in 1994, he and his wife, Sue, moved to Pinehurst where he enjoyed many rounds of golf.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Ray Smith Sr., and Teresa Flamman; wife, Sue M Smith and sister Sandi Zeman.

He is survived by his daughters, Karla J Smith of Mason City, IA, and Karin Curto of Gallatin, TN; grandson Anthony Curto of Gallatin, TN; and sister, Nancy Gambino of Boca Raton, FL. Memorials may be made to First Health Hospice House, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Ray Morgan Smith Jr. in your thoughts and prayers.

Dan Henry Bryant, age 79, formerly from Erwin, NC, now residing in Pinehurst, died at his home on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin Doc Bryant and Ruth Frye Bryant, his sisters Nancy Starr and Carmen Norris.

He is survived by two nephews, John Starr of California and David Norris of Wilmington, NC. Dan attended high school in Erwin, where he was a proud member of the Goodfellows alumni. He graduated from NC State, where he majored in mathematics. He used his degree in finance while working in Washington, DC, California, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

Dan served two years in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. Dan enjoyed international travel, golfing with his buddies at Pinehurst and walking his rescue dog Shelly.

Dan will be missed by family and friends. We love you “Uncle” Dan. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Moore Humane Society, 5355 NC Hwy 22, Carthage, NC 28327, or FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Pleasant Grove Original FWB Church Cemetery, 290 Red Hill Church Rd., Dunn, NC, 28334.

Gary William Bowman Nov. 24, 1951 – Dec. 12, 2025 Gary William Bowman, age 74, of Sanford, passed away on Friday, December 12, 2025, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Jonesboro Cemetery in Sanford.

Gary was born in Sanford, North Carolina to the late Henry Battle Bowman and Mary Elizabeth Jackson Bowman. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Gary Richard Bowman, sister, Cathy Bowman Williams.

He is survived by his brother, Donald Ray Bowman (Carolyn) of Sanford; daughter, Jennifer B. Godfrey (Eddie); two grandchildren, Joshua Godfrey (Brooke), Ashley Godfrey, and three great-grandchildren, Zoey, Riley, and Maisley; niece, Kelly Bowman; nephew, Marcus William (Kayla).

Pastor Robert Lee Kidd

Charles Edward Jacobs

Dec. 21, 1937 – Dec. 10, 2025

June 6, 1944 – Dec. 10, 2025

Pastor Robert Lee Kidd, age 87, passed away peacefully at the FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst following a brief illness.

Born on December 21, 1937, in Durham, North Carolina, to the late Hugh Allen Kidd and Virginia Phillips Kidd.

He was a graduate of John Wesley College in Greensboro and received his Master’s Degree from Andersonville Theological Seminary, Camilla, Georgia.

Robert began pastoring in 1973.

He was Recorded (Ordained) into the Friends Church in 1976 and devoted over 50 years of his life to ministry as a beloved pastor.

He leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, and dedicated service.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 68 years, Juanita Purvis Kidd, who stood faithfully by his side throughout their journey together. Robert is also survived by his daughter, Beverly Rhodes Phillips, and her husband, Dean, of Bear Creek; his granddaughter, Dr. Rebekah Rhodes, and her husband, Dr. Craig Jensen of Davis, California, and he always cherished the company of his favorite cat, Missy.

Robert’s life was a testament to his faith and his commitment to serving others. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Beulah Baptist Church in Bennett, North Carolina.

The family will receive friends at Kennedy Funeral Home on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 5-7 p.m., and at other times at the home.

“I miss him being with me, but I am happy knowing where he is.”

Juanita Purvis Kidd, December 11, 2025 Memorials may be made to Firsthealth Hospice; Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery or Building Fund, 8454 Howard Mill Road, Bennett, NC 27208.

Charles Edward Jacobs, age 81, of Vass, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst, surrounded by his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Open Arms Community Church at 1 p.m. with Pastor John Brown officiating. A time of visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from noon to 1 p.m. Burial will follow in the Lakeview Cemetery in Lakeview.

Charles was born on June 6, 1944, in Marlboro County, South Carolina, to the late Thomas and Annie Lue Locklear Jacobs.

In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his sisters, Rosa Jacobs, Mary Jacobs, Janie Jacobs, Faith Jacobs, Clara Jacobs, Betty Jean Harwood, Annie Jacobs; brothers, Gordon Jacobs, Henry Jacobs, Thomas Junior Jacobs and Thomas C. Jacobs.

He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Stella Turney Jacobs; sons, Dennis Edward Jacobs (Tina) of Ellerbe and Ricky Ray Jacobs (Denise) of Troy; sister, Avis Jacobs Atkinson of Aberdeen; grandchildren, Bliss Jacobs, Ricky Jacobs, II., Samantha “Doodle” Jacobs and Summer Jacobs; greatgrandchildren, Kieran and Grayson; step-granddaughter, Lauren Lassiter Pearl (Doug) and their children, Lindley Pearl and Presley Pearl.

Charles loved racing and playing softball. He traveled playing slow pitch for 50 years with a local team. As much as he loved racing and softball, his greatest joy in life was his family.

He was so loved and will be greatly missed.

Andrew Thomas Hartsell Oct. 28, 1972 – Dec. 9, 2025 Andrew Thomas Hartsell, age 53, of Carthage, passed away on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, surrounded by his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Cox Memorial Funeral Home in Vass with Rev. Jamie Crissman officiating. A time of visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from noon to 1 p.m. Burial will follow in the Cameron Community Cemetery in Cameron.

Andrew was born in Moore County on October 28, 1972, to Thomas Franklin Hartsell and the late Linda Sineath Hartsell.

He is survived by his wife, Robin Jordan Sineath of Carthage; daughter, Lindsey Hartsell of Cameron; father, Thomas Franklin Hartsell and his wife Pamela of Pinehurst; sister, Allison Crissman and husband Jamie of Carthage; grandchildren, Kinsley Curtis and Gunner Curtis; step-daughters, Hillary Gonzalez and Jessica Barrera; step-sister, Melissa Mathis; step-brother, Severn Mathis; niece, Gracie Crissman; nephew, Tommy Crissman and his former wife, Angela Hall.

Most importantly, Andrew loved the Lord and was a very caring person. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved catfishing, especially with his daughter, Lindsey. When she was younger, they spent many weekends competing in catfish tournaments. In addition to hunting and fishing, he raised and sold field dogs and loved to run dogs. He also loved to play pool. He will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to his daughter, Lindsey Hartsell, or to Cox Memorial Funeral Home to assist with funeral expenses.

Linda English June 20, 1953 – Dec. 13, 2025 Mrs. Linda Upchurch (Campbell) English, 72, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, entered into eternal rest on Friday, December 13, 2025, at FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care in West End, North Carolina.

Please keep the family and friends of Mrs. Linda Upchurch (Campbell) English in your thoughts and prayers.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in North State Journal at obits@northstatejournal.com

Proudly supporting you every step of the way on your grief journey.

CONTACT

www.bolesfuneralhome.com Email: md@bolesfuneralhome.com Locations in: Southern Pines (910) 692-6262 | Pinehurst (910) 235-0366 | Seven Lakes (910) 673-7300

@BolesFuneralHomes

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North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Stephen Dale Phillips

Herman Grant Perry

Joanne Tracy Moore

Nov. 27, 1960 – Dec. 9, 2025

Aug. 15, 1960 – Dec. 10, 2025

Dec. 27, 1938 – Dec. 10, 2025

Stephen Dale Phillips, beloved husband, father, brother, and friend, went home to be with his heavenly father on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, after a courageous journey.

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Steve was the son of the late John David “Dave” Phillips and Linda Graham Marshall Phillips.

Steve attended Central Virginia Community College and Lynchburg College, where he would also meet the love of his life, Joann. Together, they built a 35-year marriage grounded in faith, love and unwavering devotion.

Steve began a 15-year career in food and beverage management, culminating in his role as General Manager of four IBM corporate cafeterias in Research Triangle Park. He later transitioned into the insurance field, where he spent 21 years serving families and businesses with integrity and care, ultimately becoming the agency manager of Carthage Insurance Agency. His professional life was marked by dedication and a genuine concern for the people he served.

Of all his accomplishments, Steve was most proud of his two sons, Andrew Marshall (Drew) and Justin Claude. He loved the men they grew into and never missed an opportunity to share in their achievements. His pride in them and his love for his family was limitless.

Steve had an extraordinary gift for connection; he truly never met a stranger. He was known for putting others before himself, offering help without hesitation, and serving his community, especially through his involvement in youth soccer.

Steve found joy in golf, the beach, cooking for family or friends and working in the yard. He had a love of classic cars and you could always find one in his garage.

For the last five years, Steve faced significant health challenges with grace and dignity while family cared for him with extraordinary love and commitment. The family wished to thank Gracie and Jeanette for the special care they provided to him during these challenges.

Steve lived a life guided by faith, anchored by his favorite scripture, John 14:1-6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by siblings, Deborah Silverman (Dale Kelly), J.D. Phillips (Bonny), Kay McFalls (Kevin), Jeff Phillips (Caroline), and his aunt, who stepped in when his mom passed, Dot Coleman. He also leaves behind aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews.

To honor Steve’s memory, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to Team Gleason Foundation or the ALS Foundation.

Mass will be Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pinehurst, NC. Family will receive friends at the Country Club of North Carolina immediately following the service. A celebration of life will be held in Lynchburg, Virginia, at a later date.

Herman Grant Perry, a Spring Lake, NC native and a long-time Pinehurst area resident, was welcomed home by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 10, 2025. Grant was born on August 15, 1960, in Fayetteville, NC, to Herman and Mary Perry.

He is survived by his siblings Roger Perry (Linda) of Chapel Hill, Gail Perry (Gary Huggins) of Helena, SC, Mitch Perry (LeAnne) of Edwards, CO, his nephews Lee Perry (Amy) of Raleigh, Ben Perry (Ashley) of Durham and Tyler Perry of Edwards, CO, his niece Jordan Perry, of Edwards, CO and multiple grandnieces and grandnephews.

Grant graduated from the American College with the professional designation of Chartered Financial Consultant.

Grant founded The Partners Financial Group in 1983 and Pinehurst Capital in 1995 and was the principal of both companies until he sold Pinehurst Capital in 2020.

He enjoyed golf, quail hunting, fishing, racquetball and a variety of other sports. He was a three sport athlete at Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville. Grant was also an animal lover who was crazy about his dogs Bear and Bubba.

Grant was passionate about helping others build wealth, plan for their futures and organize their estates. He was a man of faith who was affiliated with and served at several Pinehurst area churches. He even sang in the choir.

A service to honor Grant will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Christ Community Church in West End.

Joanne Tracy Moore, age 86, of Robbins and formerly of Stanleytown, VA, went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, from Reid Heart Center in Pinehurst, NC. She was born December 27, 1938, in Keego Harbor, Michigan, to the late Arlo and Bernice Sutphen Tracy. After High School, she graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where she also received an Evangelical Teacher Training Associate certificate.

On August 11, 1962, she married Edwin Moore and began a career of homemaking and ministry as a Pastor’s wife, serving with him in teaching, singing, and selflessness. She founded the Stanleytown Baptist Children’s Center and served as Director for more than 30 years, training hundreds of children and counseling parents.

In addition to her parents, Joanne was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Tracy.

Left to mourn are her husband of 63 plus years, the Rev. Edwin Moore; son, Daniel Archie Moore; daughter, Suzanne Tracy Helbert (Randy); grandchildren, Hannah Aaron (Cameron) and Caleb Helbert (Megan); greatgrandchildren, Eloise and Sawyer; and sister, Patricia Vatter.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Smyrna Church with the Rev. Farrell Hussey and Rev. Arnold Comer officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 –8 p.m.

Friday at Kennedy Funeral Home.

Betty Lynn Sari Oct. 15, 1959 – Dec. 11, 2025

Ronnie Charles Parker July 20, 1957 – Dec. 11, 2025 Ronnie Charles Parker, age 68, of Vass, passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at his home.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church with Pastor Mike Garner and Scott Sneed officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Ronnie was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina to the late Charles Frederick Parker and Mae Belle Matthews Parker. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Shirley Parker, brother, Donald Parker.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Haven Parker; children, Mary Parker, Ronnie Parker; brother, Howard Parker.

Ronnie loved the Lord and his family. He also enjoyed playing and singing in gospel groups praising the Lord. He was an obedient servant and lived his life honoring God. In school he played football and was in the marching band. He taught himself on the piano, drums, bass guitar and the trombone. He was a man of his word, could always count on him when needed. He will be greatly missed.

Betty Lynn Sari (née Novak), age 66, of Foxfire, North Carolina, passed away on December 11, 2025, in Moore County, North Carolina.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Betty was a devoted homemaker whose life was centered around love, family, and caring for those closest to her. She had a gentle strength and a generous heart, always putting others before herself.

Betty is survived by her beloved husband, Kenneth Sari; her daughters, Shannon Faircloth and Melissa Sari; and her cherished grandchildren, Kennedy and Braely Faircloth, who were the absolute joy of her life. She adored her grandchildren beyond measure and found her greatest happiness in time spent with family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Barbara and Edward Novak, and her siblings Corrine Novak, Ernie Novak, and Chuck Novak. She is also survived by her siblings Margie Hild and David Novak.

Betty will be remembered for her unwavering love, her deep devotion to family, and her ability to find joy in life’s simple, meaningful moments. Her legacy lives on in the love she gave so freely and the family she held so close.

Rob Reiner, son of a comedy giant who became one in turn, dies at 78 His movies are some of the most beloved in Hollywood

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press ROB REINER, the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78.

Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed their identities but could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3:30 p.m., and authorities arrested their couples’ son Nick, who faces murder charges.

Reiner grew up thinking his father, Carl Reiner, didn’t understand him or find him funny. But the younger Reiner would in many ways follow in his father’s footsteps, working both in front and behind the camera, in comedies that stretched from broad sketch work to accomplished dramedies.

“My father thought, ‘Oh, my God, this poor kid is worried about being in the shadow of a famous father,’” Reiner told “60 Minutes” in October, recalling the temptation to change his name. “And he says, ‘What do you want to change your name to?’ And I said, ‘Carl.’ I just wanted to be like him.”

After starting out as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” Reiner’s breakthrough came when he was, at age 23, cast in Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” as Archie Bunker’s liberal son-in-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic. But by the 1980s, Reiner began as a feature film director, churning out some of the most beloved films of that, or any, era.

His first film, the largely improvised 1984 cult classic “This Is Spinal Tap,” remains the quintessential mockumentary.

After the 1985 John Cusack summer comedy, “The Sure Thing,” Reiner made “Stand

By Me” (1986), “The Princess Bride” (1987) and “When Harry Met Sally …” (1989), a four-year stretch that resulted in a trio of American classics, all of them among the most often quoted movies of the 20th century.

A legacy on, off screen For the next four decades, Reiner, a warm and gregarious presence on screen and an outspoken liberal advocate off it, remained a constant fixture in Hollywood. The production company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, launched an enviable string of hits, including “Seinfeld” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” By the turn of the century, its success rate had fallen considerably, but Reiner revived it, and this fall released the long-in-coming sequel “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”

All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry’s most passionate Democrat activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. He was co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged in court California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8. He also chaired the campaign for Prop 10, a California initiative to fund early childhood development services with a tax on tobacco products. And Reiner was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.

“Beneath all of the stories

he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people — and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action,” former President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Politics ran in the family too. Reiner’s father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s, and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War. “If you’re a nepo baby, doors will open,” Reiner told the Guardian in 2024. “But you have to deliver. If you don’t deliver, the door will close just as fast as it opened.”

“All in the Family” to “Stand By Me” Robert Reiner was born in the Bronx on March 6, 1947.

As a young man, he quickly set out to follow his father into entertainment. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school and, in the 1960s, began appearing in small parts in various television shows.

But when Lear saw Reiner as a key cast member in “All in the Family,” it came as a surprise to the elder Reiner.

“Norman says to my dad, ‘You know, this kid is really funny.’ And I think my dad said, ‘What? That kid? That kid? He’s sullen. He sits quiet. He doesn’t, you know, he’s not funny.’ He didn’t think I was anyway,” Reiner told “60 Minutes.”

On “All in the Family,” Reiner served as a pivotal foil to Carroll O’Connor’s bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker. Reiner was seven times nominated for an Emmy for his performance on the show, winning in 1974 and 1978.

In Lear, Reiner also found a mentor. He called him “a second father.”

“It wasn’t just that he hired me for ‘A ll in the Family,’” Reiner told “American Masters” in 2005. “It was that I saw, in how he conducted his life, that there was room to be an activist as well. That you could use your celebrity, your good fortune, to help make some change.”

Lear also helped launch Reiner as a filmmaker. He put $7.5 million of his own money to help finance “Stand By Me,” Reiner’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella “The Body.” The movie, about four boys who go looking for the dead body of a missing boy, became a coming-of-age classic, made breakthroughs of its young cast (particularly River Phoenix) and even earned the praise of King.

“Rest in peace, Rob,” King said Monday on X. “You always stood by me.”

With his stock rising, Reiner devoted himself to adapting William Goldman’s 1973’s “The Princess Bride,” a book Reiner had loved since his father gave him a copy as a gift.

Everyone from François Truffaut to Robert Redford had considered adapting Goldman’s book. It ultimately fell to Reiner (from Goldman’s own script) to capture the unique comic tone of “The Princess Bride.” But only once he had Goldman’s blessing.

“At the door he greeted me and he said, ‘This is my baby.

I want this on my tombstone.

This is my favorite thing I’ve ever written in my life. What are you going to do with it?’”

Reiner recalled in a Television Academy interview. “And we sat down with him and started going through what I thought should be done with the film.”

Though only a modest success in theaters, the movie — starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant and Robin Wright — would grow in stature over the years, leading to countless impressions of Inigo Montoya’s vow of revenge and the risky nature of land wars in Asia.

B4

North State Journal for Thursday, December 18, 2025

STATE & NATION

NASCAR settles federal antitrust case, gives all teams the permanent charters they wanted The surprise settlement came after days of brutal testimony

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood side by side on the steps of a federal courthouse as if they were old friends following a stunning settlement last Thursday of a bruising antitrust case in which the Basketball Hall of Famer was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing the top racing series in the United States of being a monopolistic bully.

The duo was flanked by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Jordan, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and more than a dozen lawyers as they celebrated the end to an eight-day trial that ultimately led NASCAR to cave and grant all its teams the permanent charters they wanted.

“Like two competitors, obviously we tried to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, towering over the 81-year-old France. “I’ve said this from Day 1: The only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point, unfortunately it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have gotten us to this point where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I am very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

France concurred.

“I do feel the same, and we

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Michael Jordan, left, shakes hands with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman as NASCAR chairman Jim France, center, looks away outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte last Thursday. can get back to focusing on what we really love, and that’s racing, and we spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we needed to be,” France said.

“I feel like we made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used in other sports, and in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams a spot in every top-level Cup Series race and a fixed portion of the revenue stream. The system was implemented in 2016, and teams have argued for over two years that the charters needed to be made permanent — they had been revokable by NASCAR — and the revenue sharing had to change.

NASCAR, founded and privately owned by the Florida-based France family, never considered making the charters permanent. Instead, after two-plus years of bitter negotiations, NASCAR in September 2024 presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer that gave teams until end

of that day to sign the 112-page document.

23XI and Front Row refused and sued, while 13 other organizations signed. But testimony in court revealed many did so “with a gun to our head” because the threat of losing the charters would have put them out of business.

Jordan testified early in the trial that as a new team owner to NASCAR — 23XI launched in 2021 — he felt he had the strength to challenge NASCAR. Eight days of testimony went badly for NASCAR, which when it began to present its case seemed focused more on mitigating damages than it did on proving it did not violate antitrust laws.

Although terms of the settlement were not released — NASCAR was in the process of scheduling a call last Thursday with all teams to discuss the revenue-sharing model moving forward — both Jordan and NASCAR said that charters will now be permanent for all teams. 23XI and Front Row will receive their

combined six charters back for 2026.

An economist previously testified that NASCAR owes 23XI and Front Row $364.7 million in damages, and that NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said from the front-row seat he’s occupied since the trial began Dec. 1 as he waited for the settlement announcement.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who had presided over two days of failed settlement talks before the trial began, echoed the sentiment. Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

The settlement came after two days of testimony by France and last Wednesday night’s public release of a letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris calling for NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps to be removed.

The discovery process revealed internal NASCAR communications in which Phelps called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress a “redneck” and other derogatory names; Bass Pro sponsors Childress’ teams, as well as some others, and Morris is an ardent NASCAR supporter.

Childress gave fiery testimony earlier this week over his reluctance to sign the charter agreement because it was unfair to the teams, which have been bleeding money and begged NASCAR for

concessions. Letters from Hall of Fame team owners Joe Gibbs, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Roger Penske were introduced in which they pleaded with France for charters to become permanent; France testified he was not moved by the men he considers good friends.

Hendrick and Penske, who were both scheduled to testify Friday, expressed gratitude that a settlement had been reached.

Penske called it “tremendous news” and said it cleared the way to continue growing the series.

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters — the future of our sport,” Hendrick said. “This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders.

I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

The settlement came abruptly on the ninth day of the trial. Bell opened expecting to hear motions, but both sides asked for a private conference in chambers.

When they emerged, Bell ordered an hourlong break for the two sides to confer. That turned into two hours, all parties returned to the courtroom and Kessler announced an agreement had been reached.

“What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter and its possibilities are greater.”

4 charged with plotting New Year’s Eve attacks in Southern California The suspects are allegedly members of a pro-Palestian extremist group

By Christopher Weber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California, announcing the arrests of members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.

The four suspects were arrested last Friday as they were testing explosives in the desert east of Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the four suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table shortly before their arrests.

In the criminal complaint,

the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a pro-Palestinian group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Each faces charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, Essayli said, adding that additional charges were expected in coming weeks.

It wasn’t immediately clear if they had attorneys, and The Associated Press was unable to reach family members.

Essayli said Carroll last month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve and were trying to hit multiple companies. He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was ex-

plicit,” Essayli said. “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs ... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with explosive devices at multiple businesses that were set to blow up simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

Two of the group’s members also had discussed plans for future attacks, including targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026, according to the criminal complaint.

“Carroll stated that some of those plans would quote ‘take some of them out and scare the rest,’” Essayli said.

The plans were discussed both at an in-person meeting with members in Los Angeles and through an encrypted messaging app, Essayli said.

Evidence photos included in

the court documents show a desert campsite with what investigators said were bomb-making materials strewn across plastic folding tables.

The suspects “all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, including various sizes of PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, charcoal, charcoal powder, sulfur powder, and material to be used as fuses, among others,” the complaint states.

The plan stated that the backpacks would contain complex pipe bombs and included instructions on how to manufacture them and also how to avoid leaving evidence behind tracing anything back to the group, officials said. The suspects recently had acquired precursor chemicals and other items, they added.

Last week they were rehearsing their attack and testing devices in the desert near Twentynine Palms, California, before federal authorities moved in, officials said.

“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” he said.

Authorities issued search warrants and found posters for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at Carroll’s home that called for “Death to America,” and “Death to ICE,” Essayli said. In Page’s residence, police found a copy of the detailed bomb plan, he added.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they come together still to protect residents.

The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years.

“The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of our unified response,” McDonnell said.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident.

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